A High Calling.

Ephesians 4:1-16

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. – Ephesians 4:1 NLT

One of the things to constantly keep in mind when reading most of the letters of Paul is that he is typically writing to a congregation, not an individual. Except in the case of his two letters to Timothy and the one he sent to Titus, most of his letters are intended for a particular body of believers. He is addressing the church corporately. In his letter to the Ephesian church, he is stressing the unique nature of their identity as part of the body of Christ. They are a diverse group of individuals from all walks of life and a variety of religious backgrounds, whom God has called together and placed within His family. They share a common bond as recipients of the grace of God made possible through Jesus Christ. And while everything about their diverse backgrounds might naturally result in disunity and dissension, Paul calls them to unity. They have been loved by God, so now they should love one another.

He begs them to lead lives worthy of their calling. He wants them to conduct their lives in a manner that is in keeping with God's purpose in calling them in the first place. Then he gives them concrete examples of what that kind of corporate life will look like. They are to be humble, gentle, patient with each other, and willing to love in spite of one another's faults and failures. He stresses that their union as members of God's family was the work of the Spirit of God and, as a result, they should strive to maintain their peace with one another. This was not an easy thing considering the natural animosity Jews and Gentiles had toward one another. And it's important to remember that, as a result of the Gospel, the church in Ephesus was made up of both factions. Paul reminds them that "there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all" (Ephesians 4:4-6 NLT). Unity is the theme of this section. Unity in diversity.

God, in His infinite wisdom, has not only called together a diverse group of individuals and placed them into His family, He has gifted each and every one of them with special Spirit-enabled gifts designed to benefit the body of Christ. Among them are the leadership gifts He has given to the church in form of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers. These individuals were given to the church by God in order to strengthen and equip the body of Christ so that each member would do his or her work effectively, resulting in a vibrant and growing church. The Greek word Paul uses for "equip" is katartismon which means preparing, mending, or restoring people to their proper use. There are those in the church whose primary responsibility it is to help the body function efficiently and effectively. The church functions best when each individual believer is utilizing his or her spiritual gift in order to build up the rest of the body. When everyone is doing their job and conducting their lives within the body of Christ according to their individual calling, the entire body prospers. And the goal of all of this activity is spiritual maturity – "until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13 NLT).

Spiritual maturity or increasing Christ-likeness is God's objective for the church, and everyone plays a vital role in the process. God's plan calls for unity and a shared concern for one another. "He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love" (Ephesians 4:16 NLT). We are in this together. The church is not a collection of individual believers growing independently and in isolation, but a body where each part has been meticulously and strategically placed by God and designed to function in a symbiotic and sympathetic relationship. This God-ordained and Spirit-empowered entity called the church is to be a remarkable witness to God's amazing wisdom. It shouldn't work, but it does. But only as long as we live in humility, gentleness, patience and love with one another, doing everything we can to maintain the unique spirit of unity that God has created to experience.

Father, thank You for the church. When I consider the incredible diversity of the body of Christ and the wide assortment of personalities and backgrounds represented, I am amazed that it works at all. In spite of our individual sin natures and tendency to live self-centered lives even in the midst of community, Your Spirit makes it all function – in spite of us. Give us a growing desire to live in unity, using our God-given gifts to benefit one another. Help us to understand that we grow best when we grow together. Amen.

God's Mysterious Plan.

Ephesians 3:1-13

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 3:10 NLT

As a God-ordained spokesman of the Good News regarding Jesus Christ, Paul was given inside information or understanding that had been hidden from others for centuries. Like all the authors of the Scriptures, Paul was given insight from God through the Holy Spirit into things that others had been unable to comprehend or see. In this section of his letter to the Ephesian believers, Paul refers to God's "mysterious plan" regarding Christ. He discusses God multifaceted wisdom and uses the Greek word, polypoikilos, which means "variegated or made up of different kinds." And this wisdom is displayed through the rich variety of the church. "The church as a multi-racial, multi-cultural community is like a beautiful tapestry. Its members come from a wide range of colourful backgrounds. No other human community resembles it. Its diversity and harmony are unique" (John Stott, The Message of Ephesians).

Paul makes this mysterious plan clear when he says: "Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 3:6 NLT). This is the remarkable thing about the church, the body of Christ. Because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, everyone enjoys the same promise of blessings. We all get to experience the same gift of grace and take advantage of God's forgiveness and reconciliation made possible through Jesus' sacrificial death in our place. In Paul's day there had been a division between Jews and Gentiles. In fact, there was a great degree of animosity and hatred between these two groups. The Jews looked down on Gentiles and considered them less than dogs. And yet, here was God uniting these two groups into one family. This would not have been dreamed of by the Jews of the Old Testament. They wouldnever have imagined that the Gentiles would someday be viewed by God as their equals. For generations they had been the chosen people of God. Now God had opened up the Gospel to all people, and Paul had "been given the privilege of serving him by speaking this Good News" (Ephesians 3:7 NLT). "…he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ" (Ephesians 3:8 NLT).

Because of Christ, all men can enjoy a right relationship with God. It is not reserved for some specific group or based on ethnic identity. Anyone who accepts God's free gift of grace through Jesus Christ "can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence" (Ephesians 3:12 NLT). Redemption and restoration are available to all. And as a result, the church is made up of all kinds of people, from all walks of life. There are Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, males and females, slave and free, servants and masters, the influential and the seemingly insignificant. The common bond we all share is faith in Christ. It is what He has done for us that links us together as one body. Regardless of our background, we all needed the same thing: His righteousness and God's forgiveness. And God has placed us all in this unique institution called the church. Together we "display his wisdom in its rich variety." Even the angels are amazed at what they see. The church should not work. It is a recipe for disaster. The very idea of bringing so many who are so different together, and expecting them to live in love and unity, is insane. It shouldn't work. But it has for centuries and continues to do so, revealing God's infinite wisdom. “. . . the church is to be an audio-visual display of God’s reconciling work. In this primary way she testifies to God’s grace and wisdom. So Paul encouraged living life in Christ in such a way that reconciliation is the dominant feature of church life” (Darrell Bock, A Biblical Theology of the New Testament).

Paul wanted his readers to understand just how special this thing called the church really was. He didn't want them to take it for granted. It was not a man-made institution, but something God had ordained and orchestrated. The diversity of the church is one of its distinctives. The rich variety of individuals who have been chosen by God and placed into His family is a testimony to His great love and grace. The very fact that we can live in unity together is a vivid illustration of His power and presence among us. God not only reconciles men to Himself, He reconciles men to one another, erasing man-made lines of distinction and eliminating the prejudices and animosities that have long plagued mankind. Like the Jews and Gentiles of Paul's day, we are all "part of the same body and … enjoy the promise of blessings because [we] belong to Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 3:6 NLT). One body. One family. One church.

Father, thank You for saving me, but more importantly, thank You for placing me in Your family, the Church. Give me a growing appreciation for just how rich and diverse the Church really is. Never let me lose sight of the miracle of grace that has brought together so many who are so different under one common cause and all as a result of Your great love and Christ's great sacrifice. Amen.

The Church: A Melting Pot.

Romans 16:1-16

Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus. In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches. Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home. – Romans 16:3-5 NLT

Phoebe. Priscilla. Aquila. Epenetus. Mary. Adronicus. Junia. Ampliatus. Urbanus. Stachys. Apelles. Aristobulus. Herodian. Narcissus. Tryphena. Tryphosa. Persis. Rufus and his mother. Asyncritus. Phlegon. Hermes. Patrobas. Hermas. Philologus. Julia. Nereus and his sister. Olympas.

What a list. Paul closes out his letter with this lengthy compilation of individuals to whom he wished to send his greetings or offer introductions for the local congregation in Rome. In addition to the sheer number of names on the list, what should jump out at us is the cosmopolitan nature of the list. It contains Romans, Greeks, Jews, Gentiles, men, women, rich, poor, slaves and citizens in high standing. In just 16 short verses, Paul gives us a glimpse into life within the early church. In less than a century, the body of Christ had grown from that small, rag-tag group of disciples who had gathered in the days just after Jesus' resurrection and ascension. Just as Jesus had promised, they had received the Holy Spirit and were immediately transformed into agents of change and messengers of the Good News, spreading the message of salvation throughout the known world.

Now we see that their efforts, and those of Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and others, had been effective. The Good News was being preached and people from all walks of life were being saved. Individuals from every strata of society were hearing and accepting the message of reconciliation with God made available through belief in Jesus Christ. These people, whom Paul knew personally and loved deeply, were not just Christians, they were fellow servants, co-workers, brothers and sisters in Christ, friends, ex-inmates, house-church leaders, and co-laborers within the Kingdom of God. Paul gives little to no explanation or clarification about most of these individuals. He doesn't tell us how he knew them or where he met them. He simply explains that they are his brothers and sisters in Christ, and offers them to the believers in Rome as well worth getting to know.

The church was designed to be a melting pot. It was intended to be a place of unity, where individuals from every walk of life were joined together within the Kingdom of God because of their common relationship with and reliance upon Jesus Christ. While in Rome there would have been a well-defined social strata and caste system, within the church there was to be no such division. The body of Christ is about diversity. Paul put it this way in his letter to the church in Ephesus: "And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News" (Ephesians 3:6-7 NLT). There is unique quality of unity and cohesiveness that should mark the church. Paul reminded the believers in Corinth, "But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength" (1 Corinthians 1:24-25 NLT). Social standing, economic status, personal attributes and educational background had nothing to do with it. "Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God" (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NLT).

God chose. God called. God saved. Not based on merit or worth. Not according to our own worthiness or some arbitrary standard of value. The one thing that binds every single believer in Christ together is our inherent unworthiness. God's gift of salvation was just that – a gift. It was undeserved and unmerited. Christ died for us while we were still neck-deep in our sins, not after we got our spiritual acts together and somehow earned His favor. Each of the individuals listed in Paul's closing to his letter to the Romans shared one thing in common – their complete dependency upon God for their salvation. As a result of God's redeeming work, they had become part of the body of Christ and found themselves inextricably linked to one another regardless of income, ethnic background, social standing, or personal history. Paul tells his readers to "Greet each other in Christian love" (Romans 16:16 NLT). The fact that they didn't know each other well was irrelevant. That some were Greeks and some were Romans was immaterial. The reality that his list included both Jews and Gentiles didn't matter. They were all part of the body of Christ and each belonged to the other. Together they represented God's unique, one-of-a-kind plan known as the church.

Father, what an amazing thing You have accomplished through Your Son Jesus Christ and the faithful witness of Your servants over the centuries. Men and women from all walks of life and every tribe, tongue and nation have found salvation, hope and life through Your Son and have been included in Your family – the Church. Thank You for the diversity and unity found within the body of Christ. May we continue to seek to expand the reach of Your Kingdom and the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. Give us a love for ALL believers, not just those who look like us and talk like us. Help us look past our differences and see our common bond in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Unity and Diversity.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. – 1 Corinthians 12:24-26 NLT

Paul had heard about divisions and disunity taking place in the local congregation in Corinth. They had taken sides within the church, with some claiming to be followers of Paul, while others claimed Apollos as their spiritual leader. They had even been bragging about who had baptized them, claiming some kind of spiritual superiority as a result. Then there were those in the church whose disputes with one another had resulted in law suits in the secular courts. On top of all that, Paul had to deal with a spirit of division that had crept into the church as some were claiming their right to live in their new found freedom in Christ, but who were causing their fellow believers to stumble and fall into sin. There had crept into the church an attitude of selfishness and self-centeredness that was doing serious damage to the cause of Christ and the health of the body of Christ. What seemed to be missing was any concern for the common good. Everyone was in it for what he or she could get out of it. Personal rights had trumped any concern for the corporate well being of the body. So Paul provided them with a metaphor that he hoped would help them understand the unique nature of their role as members of the body of Christ – the church.

Because the church is a collection of individuals, it is easy for us to bring our individualistic mindsets with us and never fully understand what it is that God has in mind for this unique institution He has ordained. Becoming part of the church is not like joining a country club or a fraternity. There is something spiritual going on behind the scenes when an individual is called by God into a relationship with His Son Jesus Christ. That act of salvation places the individual into an entirely new situation, making him a Son of God and a brother to every other individual who has placed his or her faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. He becomes a member of the family of God. But even more so, He becomes a member of the body of Christ. To make His point, Paul compares the body of Christ, the church, with the human body. His emphasis seems to be on diversity, first and foremost. Unity is a byproduct of that diversity. In other words, in the human body, God has divinely designed each and every part with a purpose in mind. Each part is necessary and must work in conjunction with every other part. Some parts are seemingly more important – like the brain or the heart. Yet God has brought every part together and given it its own function and role to play. Some of those parts go unseen, working behind the scenes, but playing an essential part in the overall well being of the body. Each part is necessary. There is not competition or jealousy within the human body. One part does not envy another part. There is no pride or arrogance within the human body. Because God has crafted each part and placed it right where he wants it, to perform the role for which He created it. The same is true of the body of Christ. God has called every believer and placed them within the body of Christ, the church, and provided them with a spiritual gift that is designed for the good of the body. Paul had made it clear to the Corinthians: "It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. he alone decides which gift each person should have" (1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT).

The body of Christ is a divinely ordained and designed organism filled with a variety of individuals who represent and a diversity of gifts. Paul lists some of these as apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers, helpers, leaders, and even those who speak in other languages. Not everyone has the same gift. What would a church look like that was made up of only teachers? Diversity is a necessity. Every gift is needed. Every individual is important. But the goal is always for the common good. The motivation is always love. Paul is going to drive this point home in the very next section of his letter. Because even the spiritual gifts can lead to disunity if they are done without love. If our overall objective is not to express selfless, sacrificial love to others, then even our spiritual gifts can become destructive rather than constructive. They can divide rather than unite. We must recognize that God has divinely organized the church, placing each individual where they belong and gifting them in such a way that they play a vital, non-negotiable role in the overall health of the body of Christ.

Father, the church can be a messy place. There are so many people who have come from so many walks of life. They bring their personalities and all their baggage to the equation. Then there is our tendency to compete and jockey for positions of prominence and importance. Help us to understand that there are no spectators in the body of Christ. Each person has a role to play. Each is necessary and needed. You have designed the church to be a well-ordered organism where all the parts work seamlessly and effortlessly together. But all that is impossible without love. Show us how to be more than an organization. Give us a growing awareness and understanding of just how unique this thing called the church really is. Amen.

All For One and One For All.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. – 1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT

Spiritual gifts. There is probably no other topic more misunderstood, abused or simply ignored in the Bible. And it would appear that, among the believers in the city of Corinth, there were some serious issues involving the importance and use of spiritual gifts. So, once again, Paul was forced to provide them with insights and instruction. Like so much else involving the Christian life, the spiritual gifts were given by God in order to bring about unity in the body of Christ. Yet the Corinthian believers were actually using their God-given spiritual gifts to cause division and disunity. There was jealousy over who had which spiritual gift. Pride had crept in as they compared and contrasted each other's gifts and determined which ones were of greater value. In the midst of it all, they had lost sight of the true purpose behind the gifts in the first place. So Paul clarified it for them. "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other" (1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT).

Later on in this chapter, Paul is going to use the analogy of the human body in order to get the Corinthians to understand the true nature of the church of Jesus Christ. It was not to be viewed as a collective of independent individuals, like rocks in a box, but a well-designed organism made up of various parts, each with its own function and purpose, but completely dependent upon one another for survival and health. The body of Christ is NOT about equality. We are not all the same. There is diversity and different degrees of giftedness. Each individual brings his or her unique personality and spiritual giftedness to the body in order to serve and contribute to the greater good. But there is no place for pride, comparison, jealousy, envy, or any other self-centered outlook that inevitably destroys unity and robs the body of its health and vitality.

It is the Spirit of God who distributes the gifts within the body of Christ. He gives to one the gift of wisdom, to another the ability to heal, and to another faith. And then there is the one who is given the gift of tongues, while someone else gets the gift of the interpretation of tongues. It doesn't take a genius to understand that the sheer variety and distinctiveness of the gifts could easily lead to competition and unhealthy comparison. Some of the gifts are more visible and flamboyant than others. Some would appear to be more "spiritual" than others. But Paul emphasizes that it is the same Spirit who distributes these gifts – as He sees fit. And He hands them out with one purpose in mind: the well-being of the body of Christ. They are not badges of honor and they have nothing to do with the merit or deservedness of the recipient. "It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have" (1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT). But it is so easy for us to decide that one gift is more important than another and, therefore, to conclude that one person is more important than another. But nothing could be further from the truth. The gifts are given for the common good of the body, not to elevate the worth or significance of the individual. We have nothing to do with our spiritual gift. It is given by God through the Holy Spirit. And it is not given to US, but to the church. We are simply stewards of our gifts and are to use them to minister to one another, selflessly and sacrificially. Our gifts do not belong to us. They are not badges of honor or symbols of spiritual worth. Spiritual gifts are not given based on merit or as rewards for righteousness. They are God-given, Spirit-empowered abilities that God has ordained and distributed among His people in order to create unity and increase the vitality of the body of Christ – His church.

Father, it is amazing how easily and quickly we can turn something you intended for unity into something that causes division and disunity. Pride is always waiting in the wings to cause us to make everything about us. We can even turn the spiritual gifts into measurements of self-worth and value. We compare and contrast. We measure one another by the degree of our giftedness and then wrongfully conclude that some of us have more value than others. We lose sight of the common good and the call to selfless, sacrificial love. Open our eyes to the pride that lurks in our hearts. Give us a passion for the body of Christ – the Church. Amen.