Ephesians 3

Paul prays for the Ephesians (14-21). It is worth noting what he prays for. He prays that they may be strengthened in the inner being. The early church was under constant threat of persecution. The church in and around Ephesus was challenged one very side by the government, by the prevailing religions of the region, by various philosophies, by economic pressure, etc. In order to be all that the church needs to be we have to be strengthened on the inside -- our hearts, our wills, our inner beings. He prays that Christ may dwell in us and that we would be "rooted and grounded in love (17)." What does it mean to be "rooted and grounded in love?" I think he means that love becomes the prevailing philosophy of all that we do. We teach and preach because of love, we help and encourage because of love, we challenge and confront because of love, and we do all that we do because of love.

He prays for comprehension. In Gnostic Ephesus the prevailing religion and philosophy taught that everyone needed to have a "special knowledge" in order to attain salvation. Paul is saying that we can know the breadth, length, height and depth . . . so that we may be filled with the fullness of God. At Christ followers we don't stop with any special "head knowledge" of God. It is not knowing about God, it is knowing in a personal and intimate way the creator of the universe through his son Jesus Christ. Notice in verse 19 that Paul says this "surpasses knowledge" -- in Greek it surpasses gnosis.  In this we are filled with the fullness of God.

Ephesians 2

We have moved from death to life. We did not earn it and we don't deserve it. Grace is best defined as "unmerited favor". It is by God's unmerited favor that we are saved through faith (2:8-9). Salvation is not something we earn (not by works); it is not something we accomplish (not by works); nor is it something someone else can pray us into or earn for us (not by works). It is a gift from God. God gives this gift through Jesus. Note verse 10: "For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand to be our way of life." It is a common theological error to assume that "being saved by Grace and not of works" means that Christians are not to engage in good works or to strive to live better lives or to strive to become better Christians. Notice we are created for good works. This life in Christ has a purpose and that purpose is to live our lives in such a way that we would make a difference in this world for the Kingdom's sake.

The chapter ends with a description of unity. We are not called to unity. Unity is the consequence of living our lives in Christ. I love verse 19 -- "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are members of the household of God." Insiders and outsiders, men and women, religious or not, educated or not, all races, all nations, all tribes . . . in Christ we are all members of the household of God. All too often we allow our human values and biases to rule our hearts and minds . . . we allow fear of the other, fear of the different, fear of the unknown to control how we are to live and with whom. In Christ we put those fears aside and recognized that through faith we are one people.

Ephesians 1

"To the praise of his glory . . ." The Ephesians letter begins with a description of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ and a prayer for deeper understanding, enlightenment and fuller awareness of the place of our Lord Jesus Christ in creation and the heavenly realms. The progression of the description moves from being blessed with spiritual blessings (3) chosen in love since the foundation of the world (4) destined for adoption as children (5). It then describes the blessing we have received: redemption (7) the revealing of God's mysterious will (9) an inheritance and a new way of living (11-14). Paraphrased and summarized he says, "We are blessed by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to be forgiven, received into a new community of grace and challenged to live a whole new life."

The Prayer (15-22) is the summary theme of the letter. It is a prayer for spiritual depth and maturity.

Ephesians Introduction

Here is the Introduction I wrote for Ephesians for my Ugandan friends:

Ephesians is usually grouped with other letters (Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians) that Paul wrote from Rome in AD 61-63. There are some stylistic and thematic differences that have led some scholars to question Paul’s authorship. However, there are also significant language and thematic similarities that lead many scholars to support Paul’s authorship. The early Christian movement placed Ephesians in this place among the other prison epistles because they recognized Paul as the author. The letter appears to be a cyclical letter for all of the churches in Asia Minor and is identified with Ephesus because Ephesus was the most significant city in the region. The letter provides very few clues as to the situation in the churches to which it was written. The central theme of the letter is that God’s glorious plan is to bring people of every nation and background together in Christ (1:10). As Christians we all stand on equal terms. Chinese teacher Watchman Nee’s study of Ephesians is titled Sit, Walk, Stand and shows, through Ephesians, the progress of a Christian’s growth. We sit under God’s grace, we learn to walk in love, and finally, we are able to stand against the attacks of the evil one.

Matthew 26-28

I am putting three days in a row here – 8/7-10 as I will be away from my desk and computer during that span. We begin Ephesians on 8/13. I’ll write again then.

Matthew 26

We now move to the other events of Holy Week as Matthew reports them (remember Palm Sunday was in chapter 22). There are elements in the story that always get my attention. The plot to kill Jesus (26:1-5) reveals that the message and the person of Jesus have become personally dangerous for the religious leaders. These are the chief priests and the “elders of the people”. They want Jesus to be killed quietly so as to not cause a riot (a riot would have led to military intervention by the Romans and would have been even more trouble than Jesus was being). In verse 14 we see one of Jesus 12 chosen followers, Judas Iscariot sell Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver (the price of a common slave).

17-34 are the events of the so called “Last Supper”. Jesus transforms the Seder meal into a celebration of his death and resurrection. In the midst of the meal is the ongoing language of the betrayal (is it I, Lord?) and the prediction of Peter’s denial. I am reminded that even in the holiest of times we are still broken and flawed human beings.

In 36 we go to the garden and Jesus prays what has to be the perfect prayer. He clearly asks for what he wants but still submits to the Father’s will. I think that is the essence of prayer. Ask, be specific, for what you believe you want (how many of us actually know what we want?) but trust God’s providence and grace to provide. Jesus’ act of submission is one of the most profound moments in the entire New Testament. The crucifixion that follows can only follow because of his submission in the garden.

47 to the end report the early hours of Good Friday. Jesus is arrested (thanks to Judas) he is taken to the High Priest for a trial and Peter denies he even knows Jesus while waiting outside. The gospel does not present the disciples/apostles of Jesus in a very good light. We see them as authentic, broken, and occasionally clueless human beings trying to figure it all out.

Matthew 27

Now it is on to Good Friday. Jesus is taken to the Roman governor. This determines the kind of death Jesus is to die. Had he died at the hand of the Sanhedrin he would have been stoned to death. But, at this time in history, the Sanhedrin was forbidden to administer the death penalty (killing citizens was reserved for the mighty Roman Empire).

27:3-10 tells us that Judas may not have been the all evil bad guy we often paint him to be. His attempt to purchase Jesus back indicates remorse and a change of heart. Many speculate that Judas was not trying to get Jesus killed. Many speculate that Judas was trying to force Jesus hand; still believing after all the teaching to the contrary that Jesus kingdom was going to be set up by violence just like every other kingdom in the history of the world.

Matthew contains some details of the crucifixion that are not in the other gospels. The most interesting is in the posting of the guard at the tomb (62-66). In 65 Pilate says take a guard of soldiers and make the tomb as secure as you can. The Greek word for guard is “koustudia” which is a military term. A koustudia was a 16 man security force that fought as a unit as was trained to fill the gap should there be a breach in the shield wall on the field of battle. This is not sleepy Sam, part time security guard. This is a core of 16 Special Forces level trained men armed and fit for battle. When we get to the Resurrection account in 28 and the question is raised “what happened to the body?” No matter what solution we come up with we have to deal with these 16 soldiers outside the tomb.

Matthew 28

Resurrection day is recorded by Matthew as “resurrection with attitude.” My favorite verse in the entire Bible is verse 2:  “And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.” There is a sense of “Jesus is Risen” and I dare you to try and put him back. Remember the 16 member guard unit? They are so freaked by the angel that they play dead (vs. 4).

Angels must have been fearsome creatures. We have no clear picture of what they looked like. There are indications that they can appear in human form but whatever they are whenever they appear they have to say the same thing “Do not be afraid!” Whether it is to shepherd watching their flocks in Bethlehem or Mary and Mary coming to the tomb on the first day of the week, the presence of an angel is a scary thing.

The guard is bought off (11-15) and the Gospel according to Matthew concludes with the “Great Commission”. “All authority in heaven and on hearth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age (28:19-20).” Notice that we are not commissioned to make church members, we are not commissioned to build churches, and we are not commissioned to do many of the things that Churches get hung up doing. We are commissioned to MAKE DISCIPLES. The Christian movement will not change the world: Christian Disciples will. A Disciple is a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ who knows their gifts and is using them in mission and ministry. When we make Discipleship the focus and goal of every Christian church the Kingdom of the Heavens will no longer have arrived in spirit but will have arrived in actuality. Disciples of Jesus Christ transform the world and carry out the mission and purpose that Jesus began.

Matthew 25

Matthew 25 has three parables that contain a similar lesson and warning. Simply put there will come a time when we will be held accountable for how we lived our lives and what we did with what what God gave us. The parables are:

The ten bridesmaids (1-13): the five wise ones brought extra oil for their lamps. The five foolish ones did not. In the wedding customs of the 1st century the arrival of the bridegroom was often a surprise. The guests were given some advance warning as to the week and approximate day but the hour was unknown. However, when the bridegroom arrived the wedding was held the the week long feast began. Wise and prudent wedding goers would be prepared for all contingencies. The admonition is to keep awake. Jesus is coming we need to be ready to receive him.

The parable of the talents (14-30) is a lesson in stewardship accountability. All of us have been gifted by God with the time, talents, treasures, relationships, testimonies, etc. that are in our lives. Stewardship reminds us that all that we have all that we are and all that we dream of being is a gift from God. In the parable, the five talent guy trades up and improves what he has been given -- and is commended and rewarded. The two talent guy trades up and improves what he has been given -- and is commended and rewarded. The one talent guy does not know the nature of his master -- he believes him to be harsh, hard and fear inducing -- and so, out of fear he hides what he has been given. He is punished. For you and I the lesson is simple: as a Christ follower the day will come when I will face my Lord and Master and be required to give an accounting of what I did with this life and the abundant resources that are in it. Did I use it all for myself or did I extend my Master's kingdom?

The Parable of the sheep and the goats (31-46) rings with the simple phrase: "whatever you did for the least of these you did it for me." What we choose to do for others in this life, Jesus takes personally. The face of the poor, the face of the down trodden, the face of the least, the lost, the lonely is the face of Christ. When I choose to serve others in this life Jesus takes that as service done to him. What have I done for the least of these: the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, or imprisoned?

We would be wise to take notice and engage in ministry, use our talents and, as always, to be prepared for Christ's return.

Matthew 24

This chapter is often called the "little Apocalypse" in Matthew. The tricky part is that Jesus appears to be talking about two separate events. One in the near future. The other one is in the distant future. The near future prediction has to do with the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. This prediction begins with 24:1-2. Jesus then shifts to a discussion of the "end of the age" (24:3-8) which speaks of signs in the heavens, wars and rumors of wars and proceeds to speak of persecutions that will be a portend of the end. We then shift back to the destruction of Jerusalem (15-28). Here Jesus is describing the destruction of Jerusalem that happened in AD70. Galilean rebels revolted against Roman Rule in AD67 and actually took and held the city of Jerusalem and the fortresses at the Herodion and Masada. Rome sent General Titus to "pacify" the region and Titus and his army leveled the city of Jerusalem in AD 70 and proceeded to do the same to the Herodian and Masada by AD 73.

Verse 29 returns to the "end of the age" conversation with apocalyptic signs and wonders in the heaves and in the earth and the coming of the Son of Man in power with the sound of the trumpet. The chapter ends with some more general lessons about paying attention to what is going on around us (spiritually and culturally speaking) and the need to be on our guard. Verse 45 begins a parable about the faithful and unfaithful servant. The faithful one does his master's bidding and is ready when he returns. The unfaithful assume that when the master is delayed he is not coming and proceed to behave as if they were actually in charge. The end result is that wonderful biblical phrase: "weeping and gnashing of teeth (51)."