"The Unsearchable Riches of Christ" (Part 3)

Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:8-12 NIV).

A second truth is that we have found the riches in the WONDER OF THE CHURCH (verses 10-13). There are three singular principles Paul outlines in this section:

1. One of the greatest treasures is the Church, the body of Christ (verse 10). I know that there are many who would argue with that statement. If we look at the church merely as an institution there is a basis for such an argument. The church has had a checkered past with its sins and wars. Yet when we truly look within the marvelous nature of the church cannot be exaggerated. At the heart of the church’s existence is a covenant, a “testament” as the familiar title pages of our Bibles clearly tell us. To create heaven and earth was a wonder in itself. It was a further marvel to create man as a rational being, a being free to turn into a rebel against his Creator. But then to woo him back to a relationship of love and obedience, to create a people who live emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually in a similar relationship of grace and forgiveness is a wonder indeed!

2. The apostle then says it was according to his eternal purpose (verse 11). The emphatic nature of Paul’s argument is clearly shown here. We have gained this great gift through no accident nor work of our own doing. It is through the eternal will and purpose of the almighty Creator, Lord of all creation!

3. Then Paul places a capstone on this truth as he writes: In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence (verse 12). These three concepts of access, freedom, and confidence are bound together. The word translated “approach” is a word that would be used in the phrase “freedom of speech.” It means we can come to Him and say whatever is on our heart and mind. In fact, he emphasizes that truth with the next descriptor of “freedom.” It speaks of the notion that there is no need for fear of rejection. We won’t be turned away from His presence for any reason. And, last he uses the word “confidence.” It really indicates assurance. The three words together form one complete idea that through faith we have free, unrestricted, confident access to God!

But wouldn’t you expect that? Surely that’s what Jesus meant when He used the comparison of God as our Heavenly Father and said:

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11 NIV).

"The Unsearchable Riches of Christ" (Part 2)

Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:8-12 NIV).

Today we return to the series of the treasure that is ours in Christ. First, we have found the riches in the FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY. Various translations have used different words to convey the meaning of the word “administration.” The Revised Standard Version uses “dispensation”; The King James Version uses “fellowship”; and The Message simply says “things that are way over my head”! The emphasis ought to be on the word “mystery.” One of the great riches of Christ is found in the “mystery” that “while we were yet sinners” He would come and die for us (cf. Romans 5:6-8). That’s what captivated Paul! He had found this great treasure and become a steward in the worldwide distribution of God’s message of grace.

It is not a trifling matter. To think of the lengths that God went to in order to redeem us is incredible. I have heard others explain away this mysterious blessing by charging that God had no other choice. Somehow He had to save man from the consequences of his sin. His nature demanded that He send Jesus. How dare we cheapen the great gift of God’s only begotten Son with such a declaration! As if the almighty Creator and Sustainer of the universe had no other choice! He had a choice and He chose grace!

Since the very beginning when Adam and Eve chose to live in opposition to God, He has been working this great mystery of grace on our behalf. Surely you remember the story. God comes to the garden to walk with them as was His custom. He calls out to them, knowing well they were hiding in their shame and guilt, “Adam, where are you?” do you believe for a moment that God did not know where Adam was? Can you not see the impact of his gentle compassion for Adam and Eve? Adam finally answers, “We’re over here.” He’s hiding behind some bushes because he is ashamed of his nakedness. I’ve always found that a little humorous! Like God did not know what they looked like! But still God is patient. He asks, “What happened?” And the blame game begins. Adam blames Eve; Eve blames the serpent; and God speaks. He allowed the curse of death to fall on them. He allowed them to reap what they had sown even though it must have broken His heart. But God also told them of the promise of the Savior. He spoke the promise to them with clarity as He said their “seed” would “bruise the head of the tempter’s “seed.” Through humanity God would allow Himself to become the perfect sacrifice to pay the full and final price for our redemption. But He didn’t stop there. God’s plan would take thousands of years to unfold and finalize their redemption. God also ministered to their immediate need. He made garments for them to go out into the world from the “skins of animals.” Even then God was showing them the tremendous price that would be paid for their choice. That’s the treasure! God reached across the vast separation between He and man with the life of His Son as eternal payment in full for our sin and brought us home! Who can probe the depths of such grace!

"Driven to KNow"

"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.” (Amos 8:11-12 NIV).

Have you ever wondered about how much information we have nearly immediate access to in this day of burgeoning technology? The simple pressing of a button on our phone connects us to virtually any of dozens of news sources or data bases. We can find more information than we ever dreamed possible even ten years ago! Yet, I wonder with all of these sources available, why is it we seem to be so driven to know more? Some of the answer must be rooted in our reading today.

Like most of the Old Testament prophets, Amos was chosen by God to deliver a message of repentance and judgment; "Seek the Lord and live, or He will sweep through the house of Joseph like a fire" (Amos 5:6). God was calling His people to return, but they had wandered far from His presence and showed no interest in a life of worship. The economy of their day was thriving and the people had few needs which went unfulfilled; they were content and saw little need for God. Through Amos, God sent a strong warning. Although He promises to answer all who respond to His call, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Joel 2:32), and He promises to be VERY patient, "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9), God also warns that the opportunity to hear the truth may not always be available. I think that’s what so many people are longing to hear today!

Haven’t you found yourself listening to leaders in government, society, and perhaps the church, wondering if what they said was really the truth? I have. Perhaps that has been the case because we have found that in reality they weren’t telling us the truth. Perhaps it is simply because our expectations were too high to start with. Whatever the cause, the result has been that we have neglected the one source for the truth.

We have been blessed to live during this time in history. Yes, we face the unrelenting pressures of an over-indulgent, self-consumed society; but we have also been blessed with a wonderful access to the truth in the Scripture. In most parts of the world we have the freedom to worship with other believers and full access to truth-filled teaching. I urge you to make yourself available to the fullness of that truth and the presence of the Holy Spirit to lead you in application of that truth in your life.

"Wicker Baskets"

Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. (Exodus 2:1-4 NIV).

Israel’s captivity in Egypt was a very dark time in their history. At the time of Moses’ birth, Pharaoh's cruelty to the Hebrew people had hit an all-time high. His attempt to curb their population's growth by having the Egyptian midwives kill their male babies hadn't worked because the mid-wives feared God. So he enslaved the Hebrews even further by forcing them to work long hours building enormous structures. Perhaps he thought that with all the work they wouldn't have the time or energy to reproduce. That didn't work, either. So finally he decreed that all male babies born to the Hebrews were to be thrown into the Nile River to be eaten by the crocodiles. This was the world in which Moses was born.

Moses was apparently a truly striking infant. The ancients regarded beauty in babies as a sign of divine favor, and when Moses was born, his parents, Amram and Jochebed, felt so strongly that God had a divine purpose for their child, that they were willing to risk breaking Pharaoh's recent decree. They managed to successfully hide their infant son for three months, and then carried out a divinely inspired and assisted plan that ensured he would not only survive, but flourish. Jochebed fashioned a wicker basket, made watertight with tar and pitch, to hold the baby she'd named Joachim.

It was indeed tiny in comparison to the size of Noah's ark, but the two had something in common: they both held someone chosen by God, floated on the waters to deliver a fresh start. There have always been, and always will be attempts by the enemy to keep God's plans and purposes from advancing, but attempts are all they are; there will never be any long-term successes. Satan wants us to forget that Jesus defeated sin and death; he wants us to forget that even when our lives seem to be spiraling out of control, we have a God who is watching over us and working things for our good. God's plans are for us to flourish, and his plans are as watertight as a papyrus basket coated with tar and pitch. That’s certainly the promise record by the prophet Jeremiah:

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

Perhaps you feel trapped with no one or nowhere to turn. Would you turn to the Lord. He has prepared a wicker basket just for you!

Just the Right Heat

I must confess that I am about to “bite off more than I can chew” in today’s devotional. However, I have been pondering an age-old question more than usual for the past few months and wanted to share some of the conclusions I have reached. First, I must be very clear that I do not have an answer. I still don’t have an adequate response to the “why,” although I may have some insight into the “what” of the level of suffering God allows His children to endure.

By now I’m sure you’ve guessed that the question does indeed deal with why God allows some folks to suffer more than others. Entire bookshelves have been devoted to texts attempting to answer this question. I know in this brief text I can never give adequate space to a full explanation, however, perhaps I can give you one insight that has given me some comfort in dealing with it. It centers on a truth that the Apostle Paul reveals in the following verses:

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NIV).

I am aware that this text references “temptation” and not “trials.” However, the principle is that God is faithful. That faithfulness results in His personal oversight to disallow anything that we are strong enough to deal with. He provides “a way out.” With that in mind, shift to trials. Why do some folks go through more pain and suffering than others? And, in asking this question, I am not talking about those who have made bad choices and are suffering under the consequences of those choices. I’m talking about the suffering that just happens, often blind-siding us. Why does God allow that to happen more to some than others? For example, why does God allow one person to be healed and not another from a devastating illness?

Well, a part of the answer may be in the kind of “pot” he is creating as the ultimate Potter. Do you know that the final temperature of the firing of the pottery is critical? Each pot needs to get enough heat to make the glaze the correct color. I am told that a variance of just 20 to 40 degrees in 2300 degrees Fahrenheit can make all the difference. If the kiln is too cool the glaze will not be pretty and if too hot it may run. Further, firing your pottery with a temperature that is too low can result in a pottery piece that is too soft and can end up getting damaged. If you fire the bisque at too high of a temperature you can end up getting a piece that is cracked or even have your piece explode. It needs just the right heat! So, let me say two things in closing. First, God is not responsible for disease and death. They are caused by the sin in the world. We live in an imperfect world that he will change someday, but has yet to be perfected. We get sick and die because of the evil brought into the world by man’s fall. Second, while God doesn’t cause it, He can use it. He uses it to make something altogether beautiful and lovely with our lives. And, He knows just the right amount of heat to allow us to endure. That knowledge makes it a little easier for me to trust him with the thermostat! I pray it does you as well!