Month: March 2018

Read: John 17:20-21; Psalm 133:1

²⁰ “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹ that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:20-21)

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

 

On the night Jesus was betrayed, he prayed for his disciples, but also for all believers. One of the main requests he made was for unity. He prayed that as he and the Father are one, so may those who believe. The Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father. Jesus’ prayer is that they may also be in us in such a way that we would be one as believers. When we are able to live with this unity, Jesus suggests, then the world might believe in Jesus.

When we look at the church today, it seems there are so many denominations and so much fragmentation. The root cause of all divisions is sin. If we were to hold fast to the core doctrines of Scripture and live them out perfectly, there would be no need to split. But sadly, none of us is perfect and over time, the splits have multiplied.

In our local expression of the church, Jesus wants us to be one. He wants us to focus on the essentials of Christian doctrine; to agree on our mission and purpose; to serve together as if one person contending for the gospel. We cannot compromise the truth of God’s Word, but on issues that are secondary or non-essential we can allow love to cover our differences.

As you think about the teachings of the first three chapters of Ephesians, what has Christ done that broke down divisions and brought peace?

Certainly, when there are differences on essential doctrines it is appropriate to leave a church or split. What other situations can you imagine that would also justify such a move?

In our next reflection we’ll talk about attitudes we can take and ways we can live that will help maintain unity. For today, what do you think is at risk? What do we lose when the church is divided and people aren’t willing to get along?

Read: Ephesians 3:14-21 (audio for the sermon on this text is here)

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

 

Several years ago, I (Pastor Rick) was frustrated in my walk with God. On the outside everything looked good. On the inside, I knew things weren’t right. I lived with the fear that people would discover that I was a fraud. What I mean is that I loved God and I was a believer, but I still struggled on the inside. I tried to look perfect and good on the outside, but I knew in my heart that I struggled in significant ways with sin.

At some point, I was reading a book that led me to an experience that changed my life. For most of my life, I often felt like I was on the outside looking in at things. I was never quite good enough, or smart enough or cool enough. As I read the book, I forget why, but I saw myself on the playground at Washington Grade School for P.E. class. I was probably in the fifth grade and my classmates were in a big circle, but they wouldn’t let me in. I suddenly became aware, in my that Jesus was standing next to me. He asked why I wasn’t participating and I told him I wasn’t good enough. In that moment I sense Jesus turn to me and say, “Rick, you’ll always be good enough for me.” In that moment, I experienced the deep love of Jesus in a way I never had before. Suddenly I was able to be more open and honest about my struggles and failures because I was no longer afraid of what others would think or say. It wasn’t important. I knew the God of the universe loved me. I knew I was good enough for him.

I believe Paul is right on when he says we need the power of God to experience or truly know the boundless love of God so that we can grow to maturity. After my experience of God’s love, I found that to be true in my life. I do not pretend to be what I should be. I still struggle with sin and am nowhere near perfect, but I know that since I grasped more deeply the love of God, I have been changed and am more mature.

Have you ever had an experience of God’s love that changed your life? If you’ve never done so, take time to write it out and share it with someone.

Do you think Paul is correct that when we know and/or experience the love of God, we will grow to maturity? Why do you think that?

As you think about your life as a follower of Jesus, what experiences can you remember that helped you grow most? Were there any common elements to them?

Take a few moments to meditate on God’s love. Do you sense any invitation(s) from God? How will you respond?

Read: Romans 12:1-2 and 1 Timothy 6:13-16

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)

¹³ I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:13-16)

 

When I was working on my Master of Divinity at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, I was blessed to have Dr. Wayne Grudem for a theology class that discussed the characteristics of God. Dr. Grudem began each class with a hymn. One of our assignments was to memorize Psalm 145. Another was to pay attention in our daily activities to how we saw the different characteristics of God in action and how we imitated them. He wanted us to list how we responded to that glimpse of God in our day.

There were times in class that we would be discussing incredible truths of God. A sort of awe would come over us as students and there would be a pause before Dr. Grudem might begin a song of praise to the God we were encountering. It wasn’t enough for us to know about God, Dr. Grudem wanted the things we were learning to move us to worship.

In 1 Timothy 6:13-14, Paul is charging Timothy to keep God’s commands. What does Paul give as the motivation or reason for obeying?

We often think of singing hymns and songs of praise as worship. But worship is much more than just singing. What else can be worship? What does Paul mean when he tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice? How is that worship?

In the midst of Paul’s encouragement to Timothy to keep God’s commands, he slips into praise in verses 15-16. How does the knowledge of God lead us to praise?

C.S. Lewis wrote in his introduction to St. Athanasius’ On the Incarnation: “I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that ‘nothing happens’ when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand.”

Does the knowledge of God’s truth seem boring or lead you to praise? When you hear a message preached, how do you respond to the truths of God’s Word?