The Mission of Christ Eph. 1:10
Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted
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27 Jun 21
Where does your life intersect with the Mission of God?
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In my intro to Ephesians, I mentioned that
We will be confronted with the Mission of Christ.
I used the word confronted on purpose - because we just don’t read about Christ’s mission - we are confronted with it - invited into it - and expected to be a part of it. So what is His mission? We just read it - Christ’s mission is to unite all things in heaven and on earth.
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
So what is His mission? To reconcile - to unite. Back to Eph. 1:10, the word unite literally means to sum up or two connect all the pieces. So what is His mission? Christ’s mission is to unite or reconnect all the pieces that were meant to be connected.
God’s mission is to unite that which was never meant to be separated.
Reunion of all things that have been scattered.
To understand this, we have to understand the beginning (the Garden in Eden). In the Garden, God and humanity were united in one place - before tribes, nations and ethnic groups, before Jew and Gentile … one big happy family. In the Garden, the spiritual and physical (heavens and earth) were united in one place. But there was rebellion and sin - death and separation. So, God’s mission is what? To restore or reunite - as much as He possibly can - every tribe, tongue, nation, Jew and Gentile, sinner and saint, spiritual being, human being … as many as possible reconciled to Christ.
That’s His mission. Simple. One day, all things will be united, but until then … what do we do? Ask, how is the mission accomplished? I don’t want to get too far into the weeds, and we’ll cover it more later, but
To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,
so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,
How is the mission accomplished? It's through the Church, the body of Christ - those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord. If you have confessed Christ as Lord, you are how the mission gets accomplished - or not.
The success or failure of the mission of Christ is on our shoulders.
You can argue that Jesus builds His Church. True, but through whom does He build it?
Those who confess Christ as Lord have a responsibility to reveal God’s wisdom, love, truth ….
Turn to 2 Corinthians 5 and let’s expand this idea that the mission is accomplished through us.
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
(Susan - I want to please her)
Question - Where in your life do you strive to please Jesus?
What kind of a relationship is it if there is no attempt to please the other? If I make no effort to make Susan or Ally happy …? If I have no intention of pleasing Jesus, who’s the focus of the relationship? If I’m focused on me and what God can do for me … how well will I play a part in accomplishing the mission?
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.
Question - Do you know Jesus? Have you moved beyond …?
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
I’m married - I no longer live for myself. I have children - I no longer live for myself.
Question - Have you been gripped, enraptured by His love, so much that His love for you occupies your mind, and it pushes you, encourages you to be part of His mission?
What’s blocking? Fear? Wounds?
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
I sent a text to Susan on Friday to encourage and remind her that she is His ambassador. This is what autocorrect sent. Please don’t eat ambassadors.
Pay attention to two key words - ministry and message. God has given us the ministry and message of reconciliation. Ministry (diakonia) - service - servant - serving. Message (logon) - word - telling or communicating. Reconciliation or uniting others to God involves serving and speaking. There is a message that needs to be communicated through our serving. Jesus gave us this ministry and this message. We are how the mission is accomplished.
God has given you the ministry and message of reconciliation. Question -
Who does Jesus want to reconcile through you?
True - every person we meet can be an opportunity. Get a little more specific. Neighbor? Person at the …?
The Word of God can equip you - make you artios - complete and capable for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). He’s given you every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3). You have been created for good works (Eph. 2:10).
Who does Jesus want to reconcile through you?
Maybe it’s the homeless, maybe it’s mission, maybe it’s a parachurch organization, maybe it’s children …. Great - remember it’s ministry and message.
Dream - if I could help reconcile ______, who would it be? What’s stopping you?
It’s not them. We could list all kinds of things, but I’m convinced it all comes down to love. For the love of Christ grips me …. If we haven’t received His love, reconciliation and His mission won’t mean a lot. So, the mission and ministry and message of reconciliation begins where? In my heart - between me and God. This relationship (vertical) must be treated as any other healthy relationship … (time, cultivation, submission …).
Last thing, if we can’t reconcile with Believers in Christ, people on the other side of the room, in our own church, with the people we worship with ….
What are you going to do with this message?