"The Land of the Living" (Part 5)

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:6-14 NIV).

Today I want us to look at one phrase in the reading today: what pleases the Lord. To truly understand this we need one passage from the Old Testament:

The Lord says, “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:20-24 NIV).

The Apostle Paul understood the history of his people very well. Israel’s religious leadership was very good about developing and keeping laws. Yet when it came to the real work of ministry they fell woefully short. That’s the danger Paul warns about. We can get so busy doing things that we forget why we do them. We become classic hypocrites. I have read the Queen Mary was the largest ship to cross the oceans when it was launched in 1936. Through four decades and a World War she served until she was retired, anchored as a floating hotel and museum in Long Beach, California.
During the conversion, her three massive smokestacks were taken off to be scraped down and repainted. But on the dock they crumbled. Nothing was left of the 3/4 inch steel plate from which the stacks had been formed. All that remained were more than thirty coasts of paint that had been applied over the years. The steel had rusted away.
When Jesus called the Pharisees "Whitewashed tombs," He meant they had no substance, only an exterior appearance.

If we continue to paint our facade with good works done out of a sense of guilt, we will soon be lost to the image of religion without any base of spiritual presence. It’s nearly Thanksgiving. Soon the stores will begin displaying their “live” Christmas trees. I say “live” only to distinguish them from the man-made artificial trees that may also be purchased. Watch this… they were once alive; and, they look and smell as if they were still alive. But they are dead merely waiting for that proof to be shown. We can become like that as well. I’m not talking about your new birth being reversed/ I’m talking about the process of producing good fruit. That can only happen if you are alive. That necessitates remaining rooted in the love and grace of God. Forget about answering the “what” questions and answer the “why” questions. Root yourself deeply in the Lord. Allow the love He has for you and you for Him to display itself in every good work!