Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:6 – 7

I read these verses this morning, several times.  I had to stop.  How can it be, me seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realms receiving the incomparable riches of God’s grace?  My first question was, “Is this true?  Is Paul serious?  Is this actually the word of God or simply the hope of all mankind?  If this is true, what does that mean to me?  What should it mean?  Is it possible for little me to believe these words?  And if I sincerely believe them, what difference does that make?”  These questions swirled about my head and heart.  My questions reveal just how unbelievably marvelous are these words of the Holy Spirit for my ears?

Earth-bound me, now seated with Jesus in heavenly realms? Poor me, receiving riches I cannot comprehend now and for the ages to come?  How can it be that Jesus Christ should embrace me like that?  Why in the world is Jesus heaping such kindness on undeserving me?  I ask these questions for myself and for all who believe and are so blessed.

I suppose I will always falter as I try to understand the mighty power of the strong hand and precious grace of Jesus Christ.  It is best, is it not, that I should stop trying to figure it all out and just accept it all and take my place as a humble, thankful recipient of mercy that fills me with gratitude and praise?

I have this question, “Is this for now or after I am glory?”  Jesus smiles, “Now!”  And, of course eternally as well. Be still, my soul, and rest on God!

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:4, 5

Why is salvation available to all mankind?  Paul wrote, because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy…  The answer is because of God’s love and mercy.  Instead of a vengeful God, we have a merciful God.  The atoning work of Jesus was not to bring judgement but forgiveness.   God wants to save mankind, not condemn us all.  That is what the Gospel is all about.

All attempts to appease God-s anger, the purpose of all religions, have come up short.  Even Judaism.  The door to salvation is now open to all because of the saving work of Jesus Christ.

Then, this amazing fact, God made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  Pause here, soul, and listen.  God made us alive in Christ, we who were dead in our transgressions, Jew and Gentile alike, now live with Christ.  We are saved, not because we are so good, but because of the mercy and grace of God.

I need to keep this in mind all the time as I live with people.  None of us deserve God’s grace, it is a gift from the heart of God almighty himself. It is by grace you have been saved.  I think we human beings believe that it is by works that we earn God’s saving favor.  Not so.  It is because Jesus opened the door for us.  We need only repent and go in.

Paul and Tammy presented a poinsettia to Anna Ruth to celebrate her 90th birthday a few weeks back.  It is now in full bloom, producing flowers that are stunning!  Don’t you think so?

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Ephesians 2:3

Amazingly, the law-abiding Paul bundled himself with all people when he wrote, we were by nature deserving of wrath.  That is Paul writing, a law-abiding Pharisee from birth.  He says, “we.”  As he looks at things through the eyes of God’s salvation, he realizes that all his efforts to please God by obeying the laws laid down by the Pharisees gained him nothing as far as eternal life was concerned.  And the Gentile ways of trying to please God were just as futile.  So, he was like all people, deserving of wrath.

Paul saw Jews and Gentiles, all mankind, as thwarted in their search for God because they were all driven by the cravings of the flesh, following its desires and thoughts.  Even in their search for God.  The Gentiles, through the ages, designed their ways to obtain God’s favor, always futile, of course, ending only in selfish desires writ large.  So both Jewish and Gentile ways of trying to please God brought no salvation at all, just guilt and hopelessness.  Both Plato and Moses came short even though Moses was much closer!  That is how I see it.

Now, all are welcome!  The sacrificial life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God’s Son, makes an entirely new existence possible.  In this Kingdom of God all are welcome, ALL!  I need to let that sink in.  These days I am thinking some about family history, etc.  That is very interesting and is a gift of God for our welfare.  Our new family is what is most important!  As I shape my thinking around that everything changes.  Family is good, oneness with God is far better.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Ephesians 2:1 – 3

After that heart-warming explanation about the place of the redeemed men and women as time moves on, Paul now moves into the mystery of living the kind of life that affirms God’s grand design for the followers of Jesus Christ.

He begins by reminding us of our lost condition, before giving our lives to Jesus. First, we were dead, unable to do anything to please God as we wallowed in sin.  We were ruled by the spirit of Satan, always pushing people to reject God.  That sounds rather startling from the pen of a man who was a dedicated Pharisee, obeying the Law to perfection, at least that is what he thought.

It is amazing that Paul included himself as one who, like others, gratified the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Paul is not advising believers to live like the Pharisees with their rules that governed all aspects of life.  The new way to live in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is to make him and his saving, keeping, enabling grace the center of all our thinking and acting.  That does not say we are to live a lawless, profligate life as followers of Jesus, in fact the standards of living for the followers of Jesus are much higher for they appealed to a relationship with Jesus Christ, not adherence to a huge catalogue of laws and many more do’s and don’ts.

The way of Christ focuses on life, not on earning God’s pleasure by some legal terms. Paul, who was committed to obeying all the laws as practiced by the Pharisees concluded that he was just as lost, so to speak, as the pagan who knows little of God. Paul, the strict Jew and the Gentile believers in Ephesus, all of us, were alike using different means but both gratifying their evil desires.

Lord Jesus, help us to fully comprehend what that means for us today.

One of my favorite flowers for this time of year is the lush, showy, beautiful trumpet blossoms.   One reason I like them is their exuberance!

Far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 1: 21 – 23

Either this claim is just hope or it is the most wonderful news ever heard by mankind.  I stand with those who believe it, every word.

What did Jesus accomplish when on earth and what is he doing now? To begin with, he defeated death and was raised from the dead, by the power of his atoning Blood, that is the Good News.  Then he was raised to where he is Far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  I read again, Jesus is now above all rule and authority.  Earthly rule comes immediately to mind.  Jesus is far, far above all power and above all the powers that can be named like individual power, societal power, wealthy power, national or racial  power – all power.

I read History a good deal these days and am impressed by the phenomenal power of people, states and cultures.  What does it mean that Jesus has more power and authority than any power on the earth, both now and in the future?

The Spirit of God prompts Paul to write, “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”  Is it true that Jesus exerts his mighty power for one purpose above all, to strengthen the church by living in each believer who is determined to stand with Him?  That is clearly what Paul is telling us.  It is for the church!  Not for any other reason. 

And, behold, I am in the church, in the body of Christ on the earth.  Jesus fills me and my fellow disciples with himself and in so doing moves toward filling everything in every way with his love, justice and mercy, his total person.  What could be more awesome?

Where these little fellows have come from is a mystery.  But they are here and we feed and enjoy them.