Sermon 10-11-19 Baptism Sunday; In light of what
Eph 4:1-6 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Eph 4:1-6 (MsgB) In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. 4-6 You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.
It’s always wonderful to preach on a Baptism Sunday but I thought that seeing as we were having a bunch of testimonies, I’d make sure to keep it short. So, I thought I’d write a 31 point sermon.
In our bible reading this morning, Paul starts off chapter 4 of his letter by saying to his audience words to the effect of: Therefore, or; in light of all this (as the Message bible put’s it) before offering a wide range of instructions on how to live out the life of one Lord, one faith and one baptism. The question is: in light of what? What have we actually received through Christ’s finished work? Well I’m just going to spend the rest of our time this morning reminding us of the full nuances and colours of grace straight out of the first three chapters of Ephesians.
Here we go: you have received in Christ:
- Every Spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms through Christ. (1:3) Now let’s unpack that
- You have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, God thought of you before he thought of light, energy and matter. (V4)
- You have been predestined for adoption into the royal family of the eternal king. You will now never not be royalty. (V5)
- You have been made a subject of God’s joy and pleasure and will. He rejoices over you. Every breath you take glorifies him.
- He has seen it fit to give you his own Son as a ransom for your sin, not begrudgingly but freely. (v6b)
- In his Son you have irrevocable redemption from sin and further riches of Grace that have been poured into your life whether you recognise it or not. 1:7
- He has let you in on the foundational truth of the universe. What mystery angels long to investigate, he has revealed to you in it’s fullness. (1:7)
- You have been given a place of infinite significance in the history of this entire universe and become an object of the Father’s glory that angels will marvel at. 1:11-12)
- You are not excluded, you are included having heard the word of truth, the good news of salvation.
- You are marked as his forever with the seal of the Spirit and under his personal protection. (1:13)
- You have a guaranteed inheritance which will never fade, rust or tarnish that no circumstance can touch. (1:14)
- You are being prayed for, interceded for, probably even right now as we speak. (1:15-17)
- You are marked out to receive wisdom, and true enlightenment. To receive hope and to experience a power so incomparable that even mountains stand no chance. (1:18-19)
- You have received him as leader, Being head of the Church, Christ is personal directing the movement that you are now a part of.
- You have been given status as a member of the very body of Christ as he actuates his kingdom reign in the here and now through you.
- You who were once dead have now been made alive (2:1)
- You been given the freedom to make a choice, to resist the dead-end ways of the world. You have to live like everyone else anymore. (2:2-3)
- Once an object of wrath, you have been remade into an object of love and glory (2:4)
- You have been saved. Rescued from the sinking ship of godless futility and now furthermore lifted up to be seated with him in the heavenly realms. (2:5-7)
- You have been saved by grace, not required to submit a resume or body of works but simply allowed the privilege of trusting in his complete providence from first to last.
- Freed from boasting, you are now God’s finest workmanship created in Christ to impact this world for him. (2:10)
- No longer foreigners to the promise, you have been given a new heritage. Once separated from the covenant, you are now citizens of it. (2:11-12)
- Once far off, you have now been brought near. (2:13)
- You have been given peace, the ability to love your neighbour. (2:14)
- You have been reconciled to God and others through him. (2:14)
- You have unlimited access to the God the Father through the Spirit who has been given to you. (2:18)
- You are members of a new household and given a new foundation for living. Indeed, you are being built into a living temple of God. (2:20-21)
- God allowed others to suffer and be thrown in prison to ensure that this message reached your ears. (3:1-9)
- You have freedom and even confidence to approach the God of the universe. 3:12-13
- You have access to renewed strength in your inner being and non-stop discovery of the full riches of God’s mercy. (3:17-19)
- You receive God himself working within you protecting you, watching over you and empowering you in anything, any time.
So folks in light of….That. 31 points; that is what you have received through Christ’s finished work. Even on your worst days, and especially on your best; remember it’s a gift, it’s yours on a silver platter with a gold bow on top. Nothing can change it. It is irrevocable. Based on the finished work of Jesus.
So how can you ever thank him? Here’s an idea from Paul: In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. 4-6 You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.