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This week’s devotions are based on Week 5 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)

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“It’s not what you know, but who you know.”

In a competitive job market, one can send 100s of resumes to places posted on LinkedIn or Indeed or other job listing websites.  Unfortunately the chance of getting selected from a pool of 1000s of applicants is rather slim.  However, if you know someone who works at the company, the chances greatly increase to at least get an interview.

So how did Paul become a servant of the Gospel?

If Paul would be applying to the Lord for the position, “Servant of the Gospel” his resume would probably have been quickly dismissed.  For prior to the Lord Jesus knocking him off his horse, his resume would have included such accomplishments as:

• Opposed and threw many Christians in prison
• Approved and watched as Stephen was stoned for being a Christian.
• Great one-liner murderous threats that anyone can use against Christians.
• High ranking Pharisee that can get authorization to kill Christians in any town.

So, would you “hire” him?

Nope.

So how did Paul become a servant of the Gospel?  He tells us himself in Ephesians 3:7-9:

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

God gave him the opportunity.  Period.

Paul didn’t have a resume that in anyway deserved the opportunity to share God’s grace with all people.  God in his mercy took the dead soul of Saul and changed it into the living, forgiven soul of Paul.  God took Saul’s tenacity for persecuting Christians and turned it into a passion for proclaiming Christ.

Paul was changed by the power of the Gospel and his experience with grace became a powerful testimony to the importance and impact of the Gospel.

Perhaps Paul had a unique role in the early Christian church.  Which he did.  However, anyone affected by the power of the Gospel is also called to be a servant of the Gospel.

This includes you.

Again, you didn’t have to submit your resume to be considered by the Lord for this role, the Lord knew you and as he connected you to his grace, he charged you with the task of being a servant of the Gospel.

So how did you become a servant of the Gospel?

By God’s grace. Period.

Like Paul, a servant of the Gospel now has the primary role to proclaim “the boundless riches of Christ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery (that Christ is for all).”  For Paul it was a full time position.  For us it is probably not our profession, but it is our purpose.  The call to be a servant of the Gospel is an opportunity to share the Gospel in whatever position of life God has us.  If the position is a gift of God’s grace, the opportunities will also be orchestrated by God’s goodness (remember these are works God has prepared in advance for you to do! – Ephesians 2:10).

So be the servant of the Gospel God has called you to be!

 

Apply: What is one way you can better show up as a servant of the Gospel today in the setting in which you find yourself?

Prayer: Lord thank you for your grace that not only assures me of a position in your kingdom, but also your grace that has given me the privilege of being a servant of the Gospel.  AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)

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Are you a person who likes a good mystery novel?  Or a good mystery movie?

Perhaps I’m dating myself, but I loved watching Scooby Doo…in fact one of my grade school lunch boxes (yes one of those metal ones with a thermos in it) was with Scooby Doo and the Mystery Machine.  For the half hour cartoon, the Velma, Fred, Shaggy and Daphne along with Scooby Doo would investigate a strange occurrence.  By time the show was over, they would solve the mystery and reveal the person behind the criminal activity.  Of course, once you knew who it was and how they did it, the clues were obvious and you thought, “Why did that take them or me that long to figure it out?” The clues seemed numerous and the solution to the mystery obvious.

While I will not equate the work of Christ to the same plain as the work of Scooby Doo, it’s great when God gives us an insight into his heart, mind and will.

The mystery that was made known to Paul maybe seems pretty obvious to us today.  We are not living in the middle of the mystery, but rather look back on it with all the clues put together and the answer revealed. If I were to put the mystery of which Paul speaks into my own words, I would say, “How are non-Jews included in God’s family when they are not descendents of Abraham?”

The prevailing thought for Paul and many other God-fearing Jews of his time was that the favor of the Lord rested on the people of Israel and their descendents.  To be sure the people of Israel was a work of God to protect a people for his purpose, namely bringing Jesus into the world.

The answer to the mystery was revealed by God to Paul:

3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Through the Gospel, non-Jews are heirs together with Israel, members of one body and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.  While Paul was at first Saul and a true antagonist against all things Christian, God revealed to him that the very one he persecuted, Jesus Christ, was the very answer to the mystery: Through Jesus all can be included in God’s family of grace.  It is not dependent on genetic code or a perfect adherence to the law of God, but rather as a gift of God’s grace.

What makes this such a mystery is it goes against all that we would naturally assume.  We would naturally assume that the Gentiles or non-Jews would have to earn their way into God’s family.  We would assume that one would have to be of the right blood line.

But we would be wrong…just as Paul was.

Its the power of the Gospel and the work of Jesus that brings people from every nation, tribe and race to faith in Jesus and into the promises of God himself.

The same is true for you!

Apply: Why is it hard to understand how any of us is included in grace?

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for revealing your mystery to us that we might, as non-Jews, turn to you in faith. AMEN

This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)

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Ephesians 2:21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. 

If you have ever visited a grand cathedral such as Duke Chapel in Durham, NC or the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. you know the awe inspiring feel you have when you walk into such a grand structure built initially for the worship of the Lord.  A trip to Europe adds additional magnificent worship structures to the grandeur list.  While grand in their appearance, they are just structures and sadly, many remain empty of worshippers and empty of the Gospel.

Knowing that bricks and mortar can be combined in impressive ways, architects can design and craftsmen build beautiful buildings.

The interesting things of many of these grand cathedrals is they were built on high points in the city with a spire that could be seen for miles around.  The physical structure was an orientation point for all in the community to orient their heart, lives, and prayers toward God.  The temple of the Old Testament worshiper was no different.  It was an impressive structure set on the high point of Jerusalem.  Even when the people of Israel were taken into captivity in Babylon, Daniel and others would orient themselves toward Jerusalem and pray toward the temple.  It was a physical testimony to the presence of God in the land and even in the world.

Here’s the prayer of King Solomon at the dedication of the first temple:

1 Kings 8:29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. 

For centuries the temple was a witness to the world of the Lord and a place which marked the dwelling of God with his people.

That temple is gone, but God has designed and constructed a new temple to carry out the same purposes…his Church, you and me.  The building together of God’s people is to “rise to become a holy temple in the Lord.”  As I read this, I see the spire of the cathedral rising above the community to be a place of orientation and direction.  Is not this the role of the Church? To be a witness in the world with the power of the Gospel and the orientation of the Word of God for the hearts of people?  Absolutely!  The center of the temple was the Most Holy Place where the presence of God dwelled among his people.  Now, the hearts of believers are where God by his Spirit dwells. Collectively as two or three or more gather in his name, the Lord dwells in them and among them.

We, as God’s people, have been built together with others of God’s family to be the temple of God in our world today – a place that rises to give testimony to the love, justice, grace, and mercy of God as well as the place where God chooses to dwell by his Spirit.

You, Church, are the temple of God beautifully designed, masterfully crafted, and carefully constructed by the Lord himself to be the beacon of his love and grace in the world.

 

Apply: How can we be the temple of God more impactfully so when someone “steps into” the realm of believers they see and experience the grandeur and greatness of the Lord?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your master craftsmanship that in love built me into your temple to be a witness to the world and the place where you choose to dwell. AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)

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Ephesians 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

 

The consequences are significant.

When Christ Jesus goes to work on our behalf, the impact is profound.  By fulfilling the law on our behalf, he imparts a status of “saint” on us.  By paying the price for our sin on the cross, he marks our bill for sin as “paid in full.”  

But it doesn’t stop there.  Paul says, as a result of Christ’s work, you are no longer foreigners and aliens.  Perhaps these terms evoke the immigration issue in our country as people from outside of our country (foreigners) desire to come in our country, unfortunately many of them come illegally (Illegal aliens).  Why?  Because our country has something they want.

There is also talk in our country of either deporting those here illegally or granting them asylum or a path to citizenship.

For some simply a declaration that their status is now “fellow citizens” of the United States would evoke great ire.  For others, they would start a celebration.

Today’s devotion isn’t to settle the immigration issue in our country, but rather get us thinking about the amazing gift it was that the Father in heaven, through the work of Jesus Christ, declared us fellow citizens.  We didn’t earn the visa or stand in line for an application.  By faith we were connected to the saving work of Jesus and were given the status of “fellow citizen.”

Like in the USA, the one who receives as a gift the status of fellow citizen (even after breaking the law to get here) would embark on great rejoicing for the new status they were given.  Perhaps others would meet this reality with great ire, or at least strong consternation. 

But why?  Why would even we be upset is someone, who was not part of God’s kingdom were declare “fellow citizens” with you?

I can think of a few reasons I would think that way…perhaps you resonate or have others.

1. They don’t deserve it.  Even though I did nothing to earn my citizenship in God’s kingdom, somehow my ego leads me to think I am more deserving of God’s favor than another person.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  I don’t deserve it either.
2. They aren’t going to bring enough value.  Again this is a performance based evaluation assuming that I bring great value and they won’t.  Again, way off.
3. They are sinners. They are “too far gone” or lived too much of their life apart from God.  They don’t deserve the grace of God.

Forgive me Lord for elevating myself superficially to make myself look better than others.  The fact is that any of us would be counted as part of the kingdom of God is simply a gift of God’s grace.  It is his kingdom.  He aligned us all to the cornerstone of his Son Jesus  and fortified his foundation with the teachings and writings of the Apostles and prophets.

What does this mean?  Let go of judgment against anyone God has brought into his kingdom.  Marvel that his grace is enough, not only for you, but for everyone else as well.

 

Apply: Do you sometimes have a moment when you think you deserve the favor of God more than someone else? Look at people differently and see that it is God’s grace, not you, who make them fellow citizens.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for making me a citizen of your kingdom as a gift of grace.  Forgive my pride and lead me to welcome all you have called into your kingdom as fellow citizens of your kingdom of grace.  AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)

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In the first half of Ephesians 2, Paul describes the spiritual condition of his readers as “dead in sin.”  This condition is irreversible by the individual who is dead.  BUT…God does something about it and HE made us alive (Ephesians 2:4).

In the same way, yesterday we focused on a condition that we also are not able to change.  We are, by nature, outside the family of God, not a citizen of God’s kingdom.

So what happens?

Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

The one who brings us into God’s kingdom is Christ Jesus.  Notice that Christ BRINGS us near even when we were far away (just like he made us alive when we were dead in sins).  What was at odds and separate, the blood of Christ restores and brings peace.

Ephesians 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

What is amazing about the work of Christ, he addressed the two key things that practically, physically and spiritually separated those outside the people of Israel.  Not only are these realities just about the nation of Israel of the Old Testament, but Israel is always used as the spiritual picture of the people of God.

So what was characteristic of the nation of Israel?  God gave Moses the Law that guided their worship life, their civil life and their moral life.  The law was not universal for all, but God demanded perfection from his people.  The reality is all broke the law and fell short of the perfection of God…including us today.  So what did Christ do?  He set aside in his flesh the law with its commands.  Perhaps it seems like an arbitrary end to these laws that God has given.  Rather Jesus didn’t just ignore the law, he fulfilled it perfectly. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). By fulfilling the law, Jesus broke down the wall of hostility that sin and breaking of the law created.  Our imperfection is now covered by the perfection of Jesus Christ.  

The second characteristic of the nation of Israel was the sacrificial system that led to much shedding of blood to cover the guilt of sin.  The access to God could only happen through the shedding of blood.  A person could never shed enough blood of his own to access God.  But Jesus did.  He paid the price on the cross to give access to God to everyone.  The payment for our sin was completely paid by the death of Jesus on the cross.  The result? “Through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit” (Ephesians 2:18).

The ultimate result…God has brought us into his kingdom and gave us the status of citizen of his kingdom and one of his people.

 

Apply: Perhaps you have been on the outside of a group you wanted to be part of.  What does it feel like to be on the outside?  What does it feel like when you are brought into the group?  Now apply this to your status as a citizen of the kingdom of God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your love and grace that did all that was necessary to bring me in your kingdom.  AMEN.