This Is How We Learned Christ

Friends,

*(I shared the gist of this message with our folks this morning, but found some funny irony involved in the sharing of it and some communication with me afterwards.  We had many people gone this morning with a variety of activities associated with the end of the school year.  A few folks, noting the message was concerning "putting on the new self" and "accountability," communicated with me saying -- wouldn't that message be better for when most of our folks are here?  Fifteen years ago, I might have had a back-up message to run with, as I would have been intent in "getting my message across."  However, now I better understand that it is God's message, not mine.  He is going to do with it (and all others) what He will do.  So...with all of THAT said, here goes...)

Mark Brunner, from a message entitled “Heavenly Citizens,” shares this -- Make-overs! We are a people obsessed with them these days.  We restore our cars, pump botox into our chins and eyelids, remodel our homes at a record pace and are transfixed by the various shows on television whose story lines are founded on make-overs.  What is this fascination with being made-over?  Some psychologists have suggested that it has everything to do with a deep-seated discontent that rules our lives these days.  We grapple with the aging process that slowly but surely is claiming our youth. Where once we kept a car until it had 150,000 miles, more and more Americans are trading in the old before it even becomes “old.”  We are a people obsessed with reclaiming youth and newness. After all of this effort, can we say that we are getting there? Will the “rebuilding” process necessary to this make-over finally find us content?  A property owner once found a buyer for a warehouse property that had been difficult to sell.  As he showed a prospective buyer the property, the owner took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage.  “Forget about the repairs,” the buyer said. “When I buy this place, I’m going to build something completely different. I don’t want the building; I want the site.”  Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball.  When we become God’s, the old life is over (2 Cor. 5:17). He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and the permission to build.  I believe that this why Paul says makes such a big deal out of the message in this passage -- that we who are made new in Christ should have no desire to go back to that which is the old dead wood of our old lives.  When we give our lives over to Jesus Christ, we should commit ourselves to His way and “be (continually) spiritually renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). 

Paul is straightforward in this section -- as Christians, we are not to imitate the lives of non-Christians around us.  Many people in the world believe they are enlightened because they reject the Word of God and believe the latest philosophies…yet, as Paul says, they are really in the dark (Romans 1:20-23).  We who were once dead in our trespasses and sins should think and behave differently than non-Christians, since we have been raised from the dead and given eternal life…if indeed we have experienced this!  Our whole outlook on things, philosophy of life, is affected when we give our lives to Christ…our values, our goals, our interpretation of life is supposed to change.  Our salvation truly must begin with belief and repentance – a change of mind and a change of heart.  We will cease lying, stealing, or cheating…we will avoid corrupt speech, giving in to anger, worry, envy, strife, and bitterness.  Satan uses these negatives to imprison our spirits and souls so that nothing good would seem to be springing forth.  When it all comes down to it, the fact that we have a relationship with the Lord should positively impact all of our relationships for good…even with those whom we disagree.  People need to see Jesus living in us.  If the world can’t tell that we are Christians, perhaps it is because we have become too much like the world.

Paul tells the Ephesians…and us – this is not how we learned Christ.  Notice that he does not say “learned about Christ,” but “learned Christ.”  It is possible to learn all about Christ and never have salvation in Him.  Our relationship with Jesus should continually whittle away the old self…and continue to bring the renewal to our spirits that we should earnestly desire.  For to learn Christ is to have a personal relationship with Him…knowing Him better day by day.  It is to recognize that He is Lord and allow Him to truly be the Master of our lives.  There are a lot of good folks who “attend church” in this world, but Jesus is not Christ/King, Lord/Ruler of their lives – they, their wants and their habits, are still on the throne of their lives.  Jesus is not some casual relationship as some would have Him to be.  Paul is saying, only when the old life is put away can we walk in the newness of life in Christ.  Our relationship must be based upon new thinking.  We may belong to God’s new creation and be given a new position in it, but we must appropriate it…make it ours.  This takes place through our own personal prayer and Bible study and with the fellowship of the saints.   We must hunger and thirst for relationship with Him…and it needs to begin today!  We must desire relationship with Jesus like it is the only thing that matters…because it really is!  When we do commit our way to Christ, His Spirit makes us better people.  As we learn, grow in Christ, we overcome bad attitudes, poor behaviors…and are replaced with positive fruit.

Just like “make-overs,” accountability is all the rage…not really. :-) Accountability -- We hear it all the time…it tends to be a big management buzz word…but what does it mean? Ac•count•a•ble -- 1. Liable to being called to account; answerable. We talk a lot about being responsible - “The Buck stops here!” etc. But it seems that we sometimes confuse being apologetic with being accountable. As long as “I am sorry” – we think we are accountable, but this is not always the case.  You’re not genuinely accountable until it costs you something to pay for what you have done!  The store sign that says, “You break it, you bought it!” -- That’s accountability. With all of this in mind…every one of us shall give account of him or herself to God. WOW…this is a humbling reality.  We will all have some explaining to do! This should work in us to keep us honest concerning how we conduct our lives.  Ac•count - 1.a. A narrative or record of events. b. A reason given for a particular action.  Someone that understands accountability – understands responsibility, (which requires maturity).  Admiral Rickover: “Unless you can point to a specific person to hold responsible for an action, then you had no one truly responsible.”  There are plenty of opportunities for us to be accountable in our lives…we are accountable to our families, we are accountable to work, and we are accountable to play.  Yet, often, we are not accountable to the Lord or to His body.  I have always found this to be an interesting dilemma…in that so many families think they are being accountable to take care of their kids by making certain that they excel in every athletic, music, academic or work endeavor that they can possibly find for them to do.  But, they neglect the one accountability that matters more than any of the above in the grand scheme of things…and that is accountability to the Lord and to His body.  It is “a-lack-of-accountability” irresponsibility that brings some significant regrets as time goes by. 

This is precisely what Paul means when he talks about our commitment to Christ in putting off the old self and putting on the new.  It may be summer time, but what are we going to do differently in order to improve our relationship with the Lord?  It is important that people be involved, engaged…in short, accountable.  We cannot be coming in and out of focus in relationship to Jesus…we need to be hungering and thirsting for Him.  If Jesus is Lord of our lives, then we need to remove ourselves from the throne of our lives and give Jesus His rightful place.  This is how we were supposed “to learn Christ!”  We need to draw strength from the Lord and from each other through studying together, praying together, and fellowshipping together.  It is what is going to help us, as individuals, as well as the Body prosper and grow. 

Blessings, Don

Enabled

Friends,

Years ago, a great European artist sought to portray his concept of Jesus Christ on canvas. Unfortunately, his good friends expressed disappointment with his production.  Later, he made a second attempt and it was met with the same disapproval.  After visiting galleries and examining famous paintings of Christ by other artists, he made a third attempt and was told it was not as good as the first.  Disheartened with His failure, he determined to give up painting altogether, and he retreated to a country resort.  During the second night, he dreamed that Jesus came to him and asked him why he was so disheartened.  After he told of his grief, Jesus said to him, “didn’t you know that you cannot paint me for anyone else? You have to do it for yourself.” 

We humans often fall into this trap…that is, we believe that we have to try to please other people all of the time.  This is, as Solomon says, “chasing after the wind.”  We will only make ourselves miserable.  We cannot live to try to please others, nor can we seek to live other people’s lives for them.  What is our goal?  It is to glorify God and allow Him to enable us to live for Him…and in doing so, to live life to the fullest.  This is my hope and prayer for all of us.  I think we often get caught up living to please a parent, spouse, significant other person…and in so doing…we also may not be pleasing to the Lord.  In 3:14-21, Paul challenges the Ephesians believers to consider these matters when it comes to living according to faith.  There were a lot of other voices vying for their attention, just as there are for us.  We need to hear what Paul has to say…and he says it wonderfully in prayer.

Paul shares and exemplifies for believers some thoughts concerning prayer, just as Jesus does in the Lord’s Prayer.  He speaks of “bowing the knees”…perhaps this where we get the concept of “being on our knees” in prayer.  Although, the Bible does not command any special posture for prayer, there are some examples -- Abraham and Solomon “stood”…David “sat”…and Jesus “fell on His face.”  However, in praying, it is important to understand that what matters most is the posture of the heart.  We must bow our hearts, wills to the Lord in humility.  In his prayer, Paul addresses the Father through the Son (and as part of the usual pattern…in the Spirit vv.14, 16-17…which is also the case here).  So, even though the concept of “trinity” is nowhere mentioned in the Word of God, it is evident here.  This provides a glimpse of the perspective which all men in general, and Christians in particular, should have – we all share the Fatherhood of God.  He is Father and we are family.  All people originate from the Father as children by creation, but only we who are in Christ “through birth” are special sons and daughters.  He can only be “Father” in the fullest, truest sense for those who believe in Him through the Son.

Paul proceeds to pray for strength.  I believe that this is one of the most important things that we can do, as well.  He prays that the Ephesian believers have spiritual strength in their inner person. This, in turn, leads to a deeper experience with Christ.  And strength must run deep…it must be grounded, rooted in Christ, so that it will not grow weak, nor be easily swayed.  This reminds me of a tamarack tree that we saw up at some friends’ property one time…it was 18 feet in circumference and 180 feet high.  That one had some deep roots…it was solidly grounded.  We will be able to comprehend God’s truths through prayer  This means not only to mentally grasp, but also to apprehend the truths, to experience them and hold on to them.  We can understand such truths without making them our own, and this is not a good thing.  God wants us to experience His fullness, and we do so through the Holy Spirit.  He fills us up spiritually when we seek Him.

Nonetheless, it is easy for us to want to use people as our measuring stick.  In fact, it is often an easy excuse when we do not “measure up.”  Satan can easily manipulate us and our pride when our focus is in the wrong place.  All too often, instead of allowing God to enable us to be “better” for Him, we enable others in the wrong way to continue to go down wrong paths.  In fact, it has become a psychological definition.  Paul says elsewhere, “imitate me in as much as I imitate Christ.”  The true measure is – “am I being like Christ”?

After contemplating the wholeness of his spiritual experience, Paul finishes with a powerful doxology…and it is all about the power of Christ.  Some power is dormant…available but unused (like the power stored in a battery).  This is not supposed to be the case with Christ. Jesus’ power is always available to all of us.  We need to have hearts that are filled up with Him…filled up with His Spirit…filled with praise, wonder.  In all of this, we are to give glory to God.  What we do in His power today will glorify Christ forever.  What we do now…how we live our lives today…will have eternal ramifications. 

Rob Chaffart shares this -- what is the devil's biggest weapon? Discouragement! He tried this on Jesus Himself, 2000 years ago, using one of his closest disciples: “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, 'Never, Lord!' He said. 'This shall never happen to you!' Jesus turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.'" (Matt 16:21-23 NIV)  Those who gave up quickly never were able to fathom the wonders that God would have performed through them. They could have reached the stars, driven by God Himself!   “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal 6:9 NIV)

"Giving up" is music to the ears of the enemy.  However, we serve One who is bigger and more powerful than all the possible obstacles that could face us.  We serve One who is interested in “filling up.”  “Giving up should never be an option in relationship to learning lessons in life when “filling up” is the blessed alternative.  We can learn from the prophet Micah and stand firm, watching attentively where God invites us to join Him in His work and reach out to those who have no hope.  "But me, I'm not giving up. I'm sticking around to see what God will do. I'm waiting for God to make things right. I'm counting on God to listen to me." (Micah 7:7 The Message)  We have the power available to us to live life abundantly (John 10:10).  But, it is up to us…it is our choice as to whether we access it or not.  As Paul says, we must by “enabled” by the Father through the Spirit in order to live like the Son.  Living right and powerfully for Christ is very much about position (of the heart)…about power (recognizing whose matters)…and about praise (the Lord for whom He is).  As Paul exemplified, all of this…in a great way…is comprehended and apprehended through prayer.  Paul reveals to the Ephesians and to us what should be the focus of our prayers.  The ability to be filled to the full, to be enabled to live life abundantly is the greatest and most fulfilling thing that we can do with our lives. 

Blessings, Don