01 Posture Sit

Our Spiritual Posture: Sit

Our position in Christ

Text:  Ephesians 2:1-9

Introduction:

1.      Our parents and our teachers tell us to “have good posture.”

2.      Good posture “can contribute to increased energy, better breathing, improved circulation, greater confidence, a slimmer taller look, and improve overall health.

3.      According to Dr. Evans, a Toronto Dr. of Chiropractic, there are several benefits of good posture.

a.      Helps keep bones and joints in correct alignment so muscles can be used properly.

b.       Helps to decrease abnormal wear and tear of joint surfaces that could result in arthritis.

c.       Decreases stress on ligaments holding joints of the spine together.

d.       Prevents fatigue as muscles are used more efficiently.

e.      Prevents repetitive strain or overuse syndromes.

f.        Helps you look strong and confident.

4.      As believers correct spiritual posture will also lead to good spiritual health.

a.      Good spiritual posture keeps us in alignment with God’s Word so we can live a balanced life.

b.       It decreases the stress of trying to keep our life together.

c.       It prevents spiritual fatigue or “burnout” through serving more effectively.

d.       Good spiritual posture prevents repetitive religious ceremony or “over use syndrome.”

e.      It helps our spiritual life to exude a sense of health and confidence.

5.      The Letter to the Church in Ephesus written by Paul speaks of three postures:[1]

a.      The believer’s position in Christ -- sit,

i.        God has made us sit with Christ in heavenly places.

ii.     Every Christian must begin his spiritual life from that place of rest.

b.       His life in the world -- walk,

i.        We are challenged to display in our Christian walk a conduct that is in keeping with our calling.

c.       And, his attitude to the schemes and devices of Satan -- stand.

i.        Expresses our claim to what is ours.

6.      Ephesians is written as an encyclical.

a.      There are no personal references despite the fact that Paul spent more time in his ministry there than at any other place.

b.       It is written to all the churches in that day and to the churches in our day.

c.       It is clearly divided into two sections.

i.        The first section contains some of the finest of all doctrinal truth of God.

ii.     The second section is practical in nature and tells how to apply the doctrine to every day living.

7.      Before we get into our first posture notice some special features.

a.      “Spiritual blessings” (1:3)

b.       Word “according.”

8.       

1.       

I.       Implications of “Sit”

A.      Christianity does not be gin with walking, but sitting.

1.      Natural reason says we must walk to reach our goal.

2.      Spiritual truth invites us to sit down and enjoy what God has done.

Christianity begins not with a big DO, but with a big DONE!

3.      The Christian life from start to finish is based upon the principle of utter dependence upon Jesus Christ.

B.      Sitting means resting.

1.      After six days of creation God rested.

2.      Adam’s first day was God’s seventh – the Sabbath.

Whereas God worked six days and then enjoyed his Sabbath rest, Adam began his life with the Sabbath; for God works before he rests, while man must first enter into God’s rest, and then alone can he work.

3.      God has completed the work of redemption.

a.       We need do nothing whatever to merit it.

b.       We enter by faith in the values of his finished work.

4.      Our Christian life/walk begins with discovering what God provided – rest!

a.       The key word is not a command – “Sit down!”

b.       But rather to understand in the double fact that first God made Him to sit (1:20) and then by grace made us sit with him (2:6)

II.    The Range of “Rest”

For the typical Christian grace is sufficient for salvation but not for living…

And from beginning to end, each successive stage of the Christian life follows on the same divinely determined principle – sit down in Christ.

A.      How do receive the power of the Spirit for service?

1.      The same way we received forgiveness of sin.

2.      According to the riches of his grace, freely bestowed.

Ephesians 1:6-7 (NKJV)
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

3.      Because Jesus died on the Cross my sins are forgiven; because he is exalted to the throne I am endued with power from on high.

B.      What about “sanctification”?

How is the “old man” who has followed us and troubled us for year to be crucified and put away?

1.      Meaning: [2]

a.       Sanctification: the work of perfection begun at the new birth.

b.       It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work (1 Cor. 6:11; 2 Thess. 2:13).

c.       Faith is instrumental in securing sanctification.

2.      The secret is NOT in walking, but in SITTING

Romans 6:2-4 (NKJV)
2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

 Ephesians 2:4-5 (NKJV)
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

C.     How can I be sure I am in Christ?

1.      Sit, rest upon God’s Word.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV)
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

2 Corinthians 1:21 (NKJV)
21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God,

2.      Illustration of a dollar bill placed in a magazine.

If I put a dollar bill between the pages of a magazine, and then burn the magazine, where is the dollar bill? It has gone the same way as the magazine – to ashes. Where the one goes the other goes too. Their history has become one. But just as effectively, God has put us in Christ. What happened to him happened also to us. All the experiences he met, we too have met in him.[3]

3.      Our deliverance from sin is based upon a wonderful and fantastic historic fact!

Romans 6:11 (NKJV)
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

4.      The secret of deliverance from sin is not to do something, but to rest on what God has done.

Conclusion:  The way to please God! (Parable of the Prodigal Son – Luke 15:11-32)

Luke 15:11-32 (NKJV)
11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.
12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.
13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’
20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”[4]

1.      What is it in redemption that supremely rejoices the heart of our Father?

a.      It is not the elder brother that incessantly toils for the father.

b.       But the younger brother that lets the father do everything for him.

c.       It is not an elder brother who always wants to be the giver,

d.       But the young brother who is always willing to be the receiver.

2.      The father had not one word of rebuke for the waste in riotous living.

a.      There is not one word of inquiry as to what happened to all the money!

b.       He did not sorrow over all that was spent.

c.       He only rejoiced over the opportunity the son’s return afforded him for spending more.

God is so wealthy that his chief delight is to give. His treasure-stores are so full that it is painful for him when we refuse him an opportunity of lavishing treasures upon us. It was the father’s joy that he could find in the prodigal an applicant for the robe, the ring, the shoes, and the feast. [5]

3.      Questions:

a.      Do you think if you stop trying to please God your good behavior will stop also?

b.       If you allow God to do all the giving and all the working, do you believe the result will be less than what you produced?

c.       Would you say you are better at living a Christ-like life than Jesus Christ?

4.      Stop “working” and you will discover the work of Jesus in you.

5.      The younger son was wrong! Dead wrong! But he came home and he found rest!

THAT IS WHERE CHRISTIAN LIFE BEGINS!

Ephesians 2:4-6 (NKJV)
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Benediction:

Jude 24-25 (KJV)
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

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[1] Watchman Nee, Sit, Walk, Stand (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1977)

[2] sanctification. Dictionary.com. Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sanctification (accessed: June 02, 2007).

[3] Watchman Nee, Sit, Walk, Stand (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1977) p. 21.

[4]  The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

[5] Watchman Nee, Sit, Walk, Stand (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1977) p. 24.