Alive in Christ

Over the past year, a group of CRC pastors read and studied Eugene Petersen’s book, “Practice Ressurection: A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ” which is a study of Ephesians. We decided, at the conclusion of our study, to do a pulpit exchange, each of us taking on one part of the letter to the church in Ephesus.

We have much to learn from this passage, and we’ll tread carefully. We must keep in mind that the apostle is writing to a church filled with new Christians. He’s not really speaking to an established church, even though it might have been there already for several years, and in our minds would seem rather well established. What I mean is, he’s speaking to first generation Christians.

Today I’m here, Henry is in Nobleford, Frank is in Taber, and Ken is in Lethbridge. Actually, I think there’s a baptism in Taber, so I’m not sure what they’ve worked out.

Sin equals death. The ways of the world are marked with sin. The world obeys its master, the ruler of the air, Satan. They listen to Satan, and not God. Satan works hard in those who are disobedient, and he hardens their hearts to the truth.

It is true that all of us have lived among them at one time; all of us have gratified the desires of the flesh. It is not at all surprising that someone on the outside, someone not convinced of the truth of Christ, would totally disagree with this passage. They would insist that we are the ones who are deluded, whereas they have true sight. Alas, this is false hope.

This fact was hammered home recently in a dialogue via Facebook this week. The lies and half-truths of the evil one appear very compelling, and those who hold onto them are not eager to let them go. Satan knows how to warp and wend, and bring in ego and pride.

In Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, we learn about God’s plan, from the beginning to bring all people from every tribe and race into his family. Not only do we see this boldly stated in chapter 3:6, but it appears in several places in chapters 1 and 2. We read phrases such as, “adopted as sons, planned to chose to bring us into his family, chosen, predestined, sealed by the Holy Spirit—a guarantee, body of Christ, the church, made alive in Christ—though we were dead in our trespasses—Gentiles were once separated from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel, foreigners, without hope, without God in the world.Our natural inclination is to satisfy the desires of the flesh. Our natural inclination is to give in, and not fight. Our natural inclination is to try by our own strength, and then to fail and to give up. We find ourselves drawn toward sin, perceiving it to offer a great reward, only to come through to the other side, full of despair and hopelessness. One day, everyone will understand that they deserve God’s wrath.

It is true that all of us have lived among them at one time; all of us have gratified the desires of the flesh. It is not at all surprising that someone on the outside, someone not convinced of the truth of Christ, would totally disagree with this passage. They would insist that we are the ones who are deluded, whereas they have true sight. Alas, this is false hope.

Our natural inclination is to satisfy the desires of the flesh. Our natural inclination is to give in, and not fight. Our natural inclination is to try by our own strength, and then to fail and to give up. We find ourselves drawn toward sin, perceiving it to offer a great reward, only to come through to the other side, full of despair and hopelessness. One day, everyone will understand that they deserve God’s wrath.

Is that your experience? Can you relate to this truth? Even though you have the grace of God within you, even though you are filled with His Spirit, even though you’ve received from Christ his righteousness, even though the Spirit lives in and works through you, do you find yourself stuck in a cycle of doing that which you do not want to do? Do you find yourself stuck in a vice, or a condition? Do you find yourself short of the victory promised by Christ?

If so, then realise this. Stop defining yourself by what you’ve done. Start defining yourself by who you are in Christ. If you have put your faith and trust in Jesus, then you are no longer God’s wrath object. You are no longer dead in your trespasses. You are no longer separated and alienated from God. You are alive in Christ! He is in you! He lives through you! You don’t have to give in any longer to temptation. Sin no longer master you, Christ does.

What this means is, when temptations come, and they will, no matter how enticingly desirous they are, you are no longer are fooled by them. You know, in your mind and in your heart, that they promise nothing, they deliver only pain, anguish and sorrow. You’re able to see beyond the promise, to the empty deceit. And with Christ in you, he will turn you away from them and all the lies, and turn you toward all truth.

The bread and the juice, the sacrament of Lord’s Supper reminds us that even when we were dead in transgresssions, God made us alive in Chirst. This demonstrates God’s willingness to act first. God comes to us; we don’t go up to God. The human condition, ever since the fall is spiritual death. A spiritually dead person cannot see anything. Cannot move, cannot respond, cannot pray, and cannot seek. God first has to make them alive in Christ. And he does this by his grace.

Grace is this: it is not getting what you deserve: punishment; it is getting what you don’t deserve: reward. Grace is purely a demonstration of God’s free will to do whatever he pleases. Most people, who have a lot of power, act selfishly. God acted selflessly. God willing humbled himself, was born of a woman, suffered and died. You want an example of grace: Jesus on the cross, suffering unimaginable pain, prayed, “Father forgive them, forgive these people who are being so evil to you, so evil to me, forgive them for what they’re doing, because they don’t understand.” They were dead in their sin, they couldn’t see! Christ in his mercy and grace permitted them to do what they did, and he had compassion upon them! And we are no different from them. As we sing in the song, How Deep the Father’s Love for Us, “Behold a man upon the cross, my sin upon his shoulders, ashamed I hear my mocking voice, call out among the scoffers.”

God, in his grace, raised us with Christ, and seated us with him in heaven. This is too good to be true. Not only did God come down, for all to see and know him, he also makes it possible for us to go up to him. We are all, right now, already seated with Christ in heaven. In this sense, we are not separated from Christ at all, in this sense, we’re not really even separated from the saints who’ve gone on before us.

Now look at us, nearly two thousand years after Christ ascended into heaven here we are! We didn’t do anything to deserve this! God in his grace, through generations of faithful followers, made it possible for each person to be here, able to know, that those who trust Jesus, are forever alive, no longer spiritually dead, rather, spiritually alive.

If we do not see incomparable riches of God’s grace, it is because we may be too content with the status quo. I’m not sure there’s a good way to explain this. When the apostle Paul looked at his life, he identified himself as the chief of sinners. We might look at his life, and say, well except for the part where you were persecuting the true church, you’re life was rather good!

But Paul knew the struggles he had with temptation. He knew the sins he’d committed in his own mind. He knew that no matter how hard he worked, and as a Pharisee, he worked far harder than any of us, nothing made him right with God. He totally understood his own depravity.

Unless we really understand that we bring absolutely nothing to the table, until we really understand the depths of our depravity, we won’t see the incomparable nature of God’s grace. Every sin, every thought, every attempt to do anything, is transformed into goodness by Christ!

The best part of all of this; it is a gift! Not one Christian can claim any responsibility for his own faith. Each and every one of us is a product of God’s grace. All we can do is boast in Christ. All we can do is brag about how great and wonderful Jesus really is. So, how do we do that?

We do it by recognising that we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works. What are those good works? What are the good works that God created us to do in advance? At the most very basic level, they are simply to live a life according to God’s perfect moral character, revealed in his commandments.

There is a misconception among Christians. The misconception is that in order to do good works, we must do great godly acts of ministry. Have you ever considered that Jesus only did ministry for three years? And yet his whole life was lived doing the good works that God created him to do in advance? Have you ever considered that the exceptional people are recorded in history, but behind them are countless others who simply lived faithful lives, completing the good works God created them to do?

Let us not try to compare ourselves to others. Not the people in the Bible, not the exceptional Christians we know. Let us simply consider Christ and his life. The works God has called us to do is this: to allow Christ to live in and through us. Jesus was the only person who is described as the image of the invisible God. Jesus is the only person who ever lived his entire life without sinning even once. That’s what God calls us to do. Our only hope of doing so, is for Christ to live in and through us.

Does this mean we need to go to the mission field? Certainly that’s a possibility, and a very rewarding experience. But it is by no means necessary. Anywhere we live is a mission field. Anywhere we are, is a mission field.

No, we must think in much more basic terms. We must think with a much more narrow focus. God calls us to allow the Spirit to work in and through us.

Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” The Spirit harnesses us to Jesus, so that we can walk the path of righteousness. Do not lean upon your own understanding. Don’t try to get through this life on your own ability. Remember the Holy Spirit is in you. Remember that he is leading you where you need to go. Trust in him, so that you can do the works God has called you to do in advance: keeping is commandments, demonstrating his perfect moral character, giving glory and honour to him, Amen.