January 28th, 2007

What is a Christian? Part 4 Ephesians 3

Intro... Jesus Camp…movies like this, books like...Righteous…unfortunately speak for a lot of people.
One of my resolutions this year has been to read more widely and beware of the media/non-Christians view of us Christians.
When covering a topic like, “What is a Christian?” it’s almost easier to get an answer out of the average guy/girl on the street if you were to ask them what they think of when they hear the term “Christian.”
Unfortunately, most answers you’d get today would be negative. Christians are against __________, intolerant of ___________, narrow minded this way etc.

One of the great challenges we face as Christians is our perception to an unbelieving world. These books, movies etc. have an agenda to push! They control the edit button...
Yet when we look to the Bible, the words of Jesus and the apostles, there is a different view. The Biblical world view needs to be balanced on the whole of scripture. God’s overall plan Genesis—Revelation and beyond.
It’s not good theology base your beliefs on a singe verse or story from the Bible. We always want to see God’s over-all perspective...

Text: Eph. 3:14-19

V. 14 “For this reason” what reason? (3 reasons)
Primarily the reason he first mentioned in 2:19-21….That Gentile Christians are now incorporated into the body of Christ that he prays that they may appropriate their spiritual privileges to the fullest.

The great mystery. V. 2-6
One “reason” Paul is referring to in vs. 14 is this great mystery in verse 2-3…
This is the mystery of how the Gentiles and Jews can now be equal heirs in God’s kingdom and one in body... V. 6
In Paul’s time, (in the city of Ephesus) it was amazing to see Gentiles and Jews coming together. Lots of hostility existed….”we’re in, you’re not” mentality.
In our time it could be Democrats and Republicans, (red states and blue states), young tattooed/pierced postmoderns and suit wearing CEO Boomers, Americans and Iraqis, leather jacketed bikers and stay at homeschooling moms,…
This is the power of the gospel, it unites Christians from various backgrounds.
Lauren Sandler makes that point in her book, whether it’s young Christians in Seattle, Christian skater punks, clean cut Christian homeschooled kids going to Christian “homeschool college, (Patrick Henry) and being groomed to rise in politics, to Xian hip hop…


Commissioned to communicate this great mystery. V. 7-11
As Christians we end up becoming a servant of the gospel, preaching to the “Gentiles” the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Because God has opened the way for us to come into his presence...v. 12
A Christian can (through faith) approach God with freedom and confidence...

Because of these 3 reasons...Paul gives us this perspective on the Christian life.
A Christian is strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit in our inner being. What does it mean (practically) to have God’s power in our lives?
Christ now dwells in our hearts, through faith.
A Christian is rooted and established in love….such a nice counter action to the “warriors for Christ” mentality.
And as a result we have the available power to better understand just how “wide and long, high and deep is the love of Christ.
Our worship song, “How deep the Fathers love for us, how vast beyond all measure..”
The love of Christ is too large to be confined by any geometrical measurements. It is wide enough to reach the whole world and beyond (1:9, 10, 20). It is long enough to stretch from eternity to eternity (1:4-6, 18; 3:9). It is high enough to raise both Gentiles and Jews to heavenly places in Christ Jesus (1:13; 2:6). It is deep enough to rescue people from sin's degradation and even from the grip of Satan himself (2:1-5; 6:11, 12). The love of Christ is the love he has for the church as a united body (5:25, 29, 30) and for those who trust in him as individuals (3:17).
Oh, to communicate that to a hurting world! Christ’s love is deeper and higher than we can imagine.
Now here’s a big one “Christ’s love surpasses knowledge”
As a result our love for Christ and others should surpass our knowledge…
In reality, we are attempting to measure the immeasurable. So paradoxically it reminds us that we are trying to know a love that is ultimately unknowable. It "surpasses knowledge".
Once that happens, we are much closer to being filled to the measure of all the fullness of God...and that’s where we want to get to for sure.

In the midst of the craziness of this world, the divisions among many people groups (non-Christians and Christians especially) look at the power of vs. 20-21
That says it all, “God is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine”
The Message: “God can do anything, far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.” Eph. 3:20
As a result, all glory goes to God...vs. 21.
And that should always be our intended and ultimate outcome...all glory goes to God as we live this Christian life.

Conclusion:
Reading from “Righteous” final chapter...

January 21st, 2007

What is a Christian, part 3 Ephesians 2:11-22

Intro… Peace, love and happiness, we all want it right?
Especially with the Presidents recent call for even more troops.
Reading the paper daily about the endless bombings and deaths just in Iraq…
The only true peace mankind will ever find comes from God…

Text: Eph. 2: 14-18

Today we move from predestination, through saved by grace and the importance of works to the importance of being united as the church at peace in God’s family.

Vs. 11-12 The “former life”
Everyone of us has a life before Christ, some just more dramatic than others.
I was raised in a Christian home and really didn’t live to wild of a life before I became a Christian at age 9….
I did however, make some bad choices in college and had to make a conscience choice and effort to come back to God, back to the faith I know.

What “before Christ” category do you find yourself in?
Gentile? Completely outside the faith, needing to get in? (IOW, not raised in the faith, a Christian home. Or for some in the city of Ephesus, raised as a Jew.)
Uncircumcised? Not clean before God? Needing to get rid of unclean habits and practices?
Separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship. Foreigners to God’s covenant with his people. Feeling like an outsider trying to figure out if the Christian life is worth it. Do I really want to be a part of all that?
Without hope and without God in the world? You may have a sense of hope, but is that enduring hope, hope in something much bigger and greater than yourself. Someone who can give you perspective in the midst of this crazy life.

The answer to this dilemma? V. 13
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”
So, a Christian is someone who no longer lives their former life (extreme or not) and is now a member of God’s family.

A Christian is also someone who now has God’ peace. V. 14-17
Peace is such a fleeting concept. We all want it, whether we’re in time of war or just trying to keep the peace in the house.
There is a division between those who follow God and those who don’t. Yet God can knock down any dividing wall.
V. 14 This “barrier” is an allusion to the wall that separates the Court of the Gentiles from the Court of the Jews in the temple.
When Jerusalem fell in A.D. 70, this partition was demolished along with the temple itself. But Paul saw it as already destroyed by Christ at the cross.

Jesus Christ came to eliminate barriers.
He came to preach peace.
Yes, I truly believe that the only real peace we can find in life comes through Jesus Christ.
It’s not an easy process though achieving that peace. It’s literally a God-thing.
Article in Relevant magazine Looking for peace with God, a family/church connection….about youngsters walking away from their faith in college, quotes.

Once we understand where true peace comes from…. v. 19-22
When we understand all this, we recognize that we are now a part of God’s family. We have a place to belong. That’s all the disillusioned Christian youth in the article are looking for...
A Christian is someone who belongs to the family of God. We are welcomed into God’s family. You may have grown up in or come from a lousy family….God is a father to the fatherless. Duet. 10:17-18, Psalm 68:5
Listen to these key words: “no longer a foreigner, fellow citizen, members of God’s household, joined together, built together, a dwelling place in which God lives.”
The key components to this family? Christ is the chief cornerstone (he holds it all together). The apostles and NT prophets are the foundation. And as Christians, we get to be “living stones” (1 Peter 2:4-8).

The words of Jesus in regards to living this Christian life;
John 16:33

Conclusion: VIDEO “Shawshank Redemption”
Everyone wants to be loved, connected. All the wild partying people do is really about being with their friends.

January 14th, 2007

What is a Christian? Part 2 Ephesians 2:1-10

Intro... 'Hi my name is Lindy and I deny the existence of the Holy Spirit and you should too.' (BlasphemyChallenge.com website…)

At it’s most basic level, the answer to “What is a Christian?” is someone who has accepted Jesus as their savior, been baptized and is now living a life that glorifies God.
It gets more complicated though when you ask the general public. Images of certain high profile Christians may come up (for better or worse), grandma, the Catholic church etc.

Bumper sticker; “Jesus, save me from your followers.”

If a Christian is someone who only votes Republican, never drinks, would never get a tattoo, would never see an “R” rated movie, would only put their kids in a Christian school, only listens to Christian music…many angles to hit...
Last week we learned that a Christian is someone who is chosen and sealed by God. This week we’ll learn that a Christian is someone who is saved by grace.


Starting right off in vs. 1-3 we are reminded that we are “dead in our sins.”
To be a Christian first requires an act of humility, repentance, admitting that you do things that God is not pleased with...me too.
Away from God we will always be tempted to “follow the ways of the world” and Satan, the “ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is constantly at work in those who are disobedient towards God. (As opposed to the Holy Spirit who is constantly at work on the other end)
Before becoming a Christian, (or even after) everyone of us, to some degree, has lived a life “gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature, following it’s desires and thoughts, objects of God’s wrath.”
Before you start measuring yourself on the “sin scale” just remember that all sin is displeasing to God. By virtue of being human we are disqualified from being in God’s holy and righteous presence.
Consequently, a Christian is someone who needs to be saved from that life.

What are some situations where we can save ourselves? Messes we can get ourselves out of?
In the balance between predestination and free will there needs to be an understanding of what kind of choices we can make. There are plenty of daily decisions we make on our own, (and learn sooner or later if that was a good choice or not).
I believe the Bible clearly points out that the one choice we can’t make on our own, it the choice to accept Christ.
2:1-3 We were “dead in our transgressions and sins, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature, following its desires and thoughts, by nature objects of wrath.”



Let’s look at this in a life-ring sense. (It’s the difference between us treading water, Jesus throwing us the life ring and us swimming over to it vs. we were dead on the bottom of the ocean floor and Jesus swimming down, breathing life into our lungs and then us swimming up to the surface and being able to grab ahold of the life-ring.)
Feedback, questions, comments?

According to Rom 7:7-12, we are utterly unable to meet the requirements of the divine law. Let’s read it together.
Once we get a clear understanding of where we stand before God, we can more easily recognize our need of God. This is critical!

As great as that gap is between sinful man and a holy, righteous God, there is a plan to bridge that gap. V. 4-5
Not only are we saved, but we are raised up with Christ...v. 6
And then to re-emphasize, v. 8-9.
God knows how much we like to boast about even the smallest accomplishments in our lives….v. 9b Since salvation is by the sheer unmerited favor of God, boasting is altogether out of place.
There is nothing we can do to earn (or work towards) our salvation. God’s gift of salvation is exactly that. An unearned gift of grace, through faith. God raised man from the death of sin to a new life in Christ.
Feedback on the grace vs. works issue?

Vs. 8-9 That God-given faith involves:
Knowledge of the gospel (Rom. 10:14)
Acknowledgment of the truth of its message
A personal reception of the Savior (John 1:12).
And remembering that works can never save us, yet they should naturally accompany salvation (v. 10; James 2:14-17 ).

Faith, however, is not a quality, a virtue, or a faculty. It is not something man can produce. It is simply a trustful response that is itself evoked by the Holy Spirit.
It’s ok to admit that God knows what he’s doing in this whole plan. As soon as we start to “humanize” God and say, that just isn’t right, isn’t fair, doesn’t make sense, we’re putting “God concepts” too much in human terms. You got to be thinking, best you can in “God terms”.

What does Jesus have to say about grace?
Matt. 4:17, 19

Conclusion:
The life story and conversion on John “Doc” Ball, pioneering surfer and Christian…

January 7th, 2007

What is a Christian? Ephesians 1:1-23

Intro...News of the weird article…

Ask the average person on the street the question, “What is a Christian” and I’m sure you’d get some crazy answers. Anderson Cooper….people want to know.

Every week we explain the gospel message and how you become a Christian… that’s the easy part.
Actually living like one is where it gets real tricky, controversial, and different, even among Christians. (All kinds of stuff is open to debate.)

Instead of trying to define it ourselves, (here’s a crazy idea)...lets see what the Bible has to say about it.
Lots of places to look, but we’ll hone in our sermon series on the book of Ephesians…as well as what Jesus had to say.

Text: Ephesians 1:15-19a

Background to Ephesians.
Written in around 61 AD by Paul, (in prison, in Rome... Eph. Phil, Col. And Philemon are known as the prison epistles) to the new believers in the city of Ephesus. (maps)
The city was a commercial, political and religious center, with the great temple of Artemis there. It was also a major trading center.
The theme of this letter is God’s great and eternal purpose to establish and complete his body, the church of Christ.
And that’s what being a Christian is all about, being complete in Christ.

We’ll cover many topics in this series...How we are chosen by God, saved by grace, united in one body, equal in one body, the practice of Christians, relations to others, our spiritual gifts, how we used to live B-4 Christ, how to deal with sin, relating to the Holy Spirit, getting along well at home, dealing with your boss and how we are protected by God.

Paul wanted to communicate the practical demands of Christian living in a hostile society.

Ephesians 1:3-23 reminds us that as Christians, our position before God is one of being chosen and sealed. (Key words, chosen and sealed...here’s why…)
Read Vs. 4 & 11. These verses talk about being chosen and bring up the important but sometimes confusing topic of predestination.
What are some of the issues/problems some people have with the concept of predestination?
In reality, Before the foundations of the world were laid, God had determined that all who believed on his Son should be saved.
“The life of Christians depends on a love that never began as well as a love that will never end".
End of v. 4, “In love” shows us God’s love/plan in predestination. Any interpretation of this mysterious doctrine that detracts from the love of God is rightly suspect.

It is no accident that God has allotted to his new people in Christ the inheritance designed for those who recognize the Savior.
Before time began, God marked out those in Christ to be co-heirs with his Son. Whatever God decides is put into effect, for he is the one who ensures that everything is worked out in line with his own will.
Feedback? Questions? Comments?

“God has determined beforehand those who would believe in Christ, but it does not relieve man of his responsibility to believe the gospel in order to bring to pass personally God’s predestination.” Charles Ryrie

Instead of getting all freaked out over this concept (there is a balance between free-will and predestination) let’s look at some of the other great things these verses point out.
V. 3 All praise to God...for everything. (“Thank God” at the awards ceremony...or the football player kneeling in the end zone or pointing up…)
So, what is a Christian?
Someone who is saved from their sins, and is now clean before God. V. 7-8 GOSPEL
Someone actually chosen by God for this mission. The classic line from The Blues Brothers…(We’re on a mission from God.)
V. 9-10 Someone who is now beginning to get better insight into the mysteries of God. (“a truth once hidden but now made known”) It will all make sense someday, and truth is revealed to us new everyday...
Someone who is sealed in Christ and has received the Holy Spirit. V. 13-14

Vs. 15-23 “For this reason”… knowing that as Christians we are chosen by God, (who has lavished upon us all wisdom and understanding) Paul continually gives thanks for the believers in this new church. We too should be thankful that we’ve “seen the light.”

Once you become a Christian, your prayer should be like Paul’s in vs. 17, (and here is our task, how to live as Christians:
Keep asking God to give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we may know God better. (Spend time in the Bible, continually working out your salvation...Phil. 2:12)
That the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened. (V. 18) Have a sensitivity, heart tugging towards life and the needs of others.
Know the hope to which God has called us. The hope that only God can offer. (KPBS special on Anne Liebewitz… ”My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness, )
To know the riches of the Christian life (our glorious inheritance).
V. 19b-21 All of this has been manifest through the life of Jesus, who now sits at the right hand (favored) side of God.
V. 22 As Christians (little Christ’s) Christ is our leader. A Christian is someone who follows Christ. Lives like Jesus. If you get hung up on churches, denominations, “organized religion” etc. Just follow Jesus…
Lady who works by me...really the opposite of me...raised in the church of England...agnostic. Just follow Jesus…. “The church is not an institution, but a living organism. It exists and functions only by reason of its vital relationship with the risen Lord who is its Head.”

Conclusion: As Christians, we need to follow Jesus (so we don’t get off track, and follow our own way…
”News of the weird” article # 2