Ephesians...Pastor Phil Strong

“Growing Up Into Love”

A Study in Ephesians: Part 3

Text: Ephesians 1:1-14

1-29-12

Ephesians is an “artist’s rendering” of life.

A designer’s vision of the project yet to realize completion. At points in the process, the reality looks very little like the artist’s vision, but eventually, the as the reality develops, it begins to better reflect the will of the artisan.

vss.3-14: in the original Greek, this is one sentence. This is what we will call a bit of Paul’s “run-on-theology”.

Paul is so overwhelmed and so anxious to convey this grand vision with them that he doesn’t even pause for a breath.

The theme of the story, then, is that the whole of creation is currently not experiencing its former “glory”; meaning, it’s not a good reflection of what it once was or was meant to be.

You get the feeling that Paul knew that life could sometimes feel a bit ‘random’ and ‘chaotic’. You get the sense that he knew that these little fledging gatherings would need to be reminded of the sovereign, yet mysterious plan of their God, which frankly, is not always detectable to the human perspective.

● So, Paul incorporates phrases and concepts like…

“will of God…” (v.1)

 “for he chose us in him before the creation of the world…” (v.4)

 “God decided in advance…” (v.5)

“in him we have redemption…” (v.7)

“revealed his plan…” (v.9)

“work out everything according to his plan…” (v.9)

“God’s purpose…” (v.12)

● In so doing, he places us somewhere within eternity with a legacy, a long history of God’s faithfulness and an endless vision a world set right.

Ephesians 4:1

“… live a life (‘walk; conduct yourself’) worthy of the calling you have received”.

 This is a “pivotal” passage. Paul has essentially used the first 3 chapters to establish an identity of chosenness and belonging. Now, he says, “Go and live into that vision for your life. Live up to (and in to) your calling.”        

“worthy” (Gr. axios)  weighing, having the weight of another thing of like value, worth as much; befitting, congruous (in agreement with)

● The word functions as a metaphor: it envisions an old-fashioned balancing scale.

You place a “known” amount of weight in the pan on one end and then fill the other with something until the (2) pans are in equilibrium. Then, what was previously “unknown” becomes qualifiable.

The (2) pans are said to be “axios”--- worthy. They have the same weight.

Be sure that what’s not being measured here is our inherent value as image-bearing creation, but the quality of our life.

● Paul places in the balance, one end--- our life (walk; conduct), and on the other end, our calling. When you are living your life in a way that reflects God’s calling, you are axios--- the (2) are congruent.

It prevents us from attempting to form a faith which is becoming purely conceptual and gives our lives some personal and relational sense of measure which is more concrete or identifiable.

● When Adam and Eve responded inappropriately (disobedience), “axios” was lost; when we refuse to forgive others as we have been forgiven, “axios” is compromised. When we fail to clothe or feed or respond compassionately to those in need… “axios” is forfeited.

● This is not about “striking a balance” in the sense of ensuring that our time and affections are equally distributed.

Calling involves the “full weight” of God--- his ‘glory’. That’s why glory requires of us a response that is nothing less than “all” because, without it, you can never hope to experience the full kind of life that single-hearted devotion produces.

The encounter begins, not with Moses speaking, but with God calling; not in some generic, “insert name here” call, but by name. [Exodus 3 – Moses and the burning bush]   

‘call’ (Gr.)- an invitation; to call by name

We begin not as the pursuers, but as the pursued.

Even though our response seems to be of our own initiative, we quickly discover that it is merely a reply to God, the Pursuer. We are being invited to “behold”.

God names us before we can name him.

This helps to ensure that we are not moving forward based on our assumptions about God, as if we have already got him “all figured out”: he must define us, define life, rather than having us define him.

Calls, invitations always require some form of response.

            “Here”: the word that locates us and makes us available. “Here”… in our present reality, pleasant or unpleasant.  “Here” means we don’t have to be somewhere else or someone else to encounter God.

“Here” is where we walk past the same situation, the same individual, the same wounds and fears--- but we are suddenly awakened to the God-possibilities that reside in that place, in that moment.

“Here” is what transforms the seemingly common piece of dirt that the sheep have just grazed on, trampled on and left little “piles of poo” on!

● At this point, “Here I am” doesn’t pretend to know anything or understand anything; it just makes itself present and available to the Presence. It’s the humbling first step.

Exodus 3:6

Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob."

Here is God introducing himself to Moses.

Notice, that he doesn’t name himself, but names people Moses would already be familiar with. The invisible Presence (unseen God) validates his reality through those we can see.

● What would Moses have known of his real father since he was raised in Pharaoh’s household? Since he was being informed and formed in a culture that was telling another story.

This is God’s way of saying, “This is who you are!”; his way of filling in all of those ‘empty’ spaces in his heart (orphaned; fatherless; directionless).

God’s declared purpose in all of this? “This is what he wanted to do and it gave him great pleasure…”

God’s self-indulgent pleasure is “loving you!”

I am a different kind of God; you are to be a different kind of people. Our usefulness in living into the ‘God-call’ can ONLY be realized in our difference--- not a difference that distances us from the world, but one that certainly distinguishes us.

            The church has spent the last several years attempting to reinforce to the culture: “Hey, look… we’re really a lot like you!” And, the culture has ignored us because what they are really looking for is “peculiarity”--- a reason to notice.

(1 Peter 2:9 “…chosen people, royal priesthood, holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may show the praises of him who called you…”)

● As we are moving toward “axios” (worthiness) in our lives, we discover that it not only exposes the world to God, but gives others reason to hope for something less self-destructive and more healthy: something worth “denying yourself” for.