Ordinary Faith in Extraordinary Times

Good morning Ambassadors, and a Happy Second Day of Christmas to you! I trust you enjoyed your partridge in a pear tree yesterday and are having fun with your two turtle doves!

I’m grateful once again to have the opportunity to join you from the pulpit this morning. Pastor JP and Sandy have made their way to California to see family. I would encourage you to pray along with me for their health, safety, and encouragement as they are away.

This morning we will be exploring the book of Ephesians together, looking at what I’ve entitled “Ordinary Faith for Extraordinary Times.” Never would we have thought that we would live in such extraordinary times, but yet here we are. Every generation in our nation’s history has dealt with extraordinary times, but the information age and the advent of the internet has placed on our society a great stressor that comes with the territory of these incredible opportunities. My parents lived through the Vietnam War, the Oil Crisis, Watergate, Iran-Contra. My grandparents lived through World War II and the Korean War, wars which saw involvement from my own family members.

No matter the year or the location, extraordinary times befall us all as we seek to live a life that is honoring, beautiful, and obedient to God.

The challenge for us today is to orient ourselves within the will of God and under the Word of God to live lives of bold, yet ordinary faith. And by ordinary, I mean that in every positive way possible.

The first level of our faith that can be found in the “ordinary” is the Church. The Church, especially the Local Church, is the community in which we most readily experience the movement and power of the Holy Spirit and the context in which we receive the sacraments and study the Word in community. It’s the body of believers with whom we align for purposes of spiritual growth, evangelism, and communal worship of God on the Lord’s Day, Sunday.

The challenges that face the modern church, and in our context the modern American church, often stem from a lack of peace. I give thanks to God that He has sustained our church in the throes of the challenges we have faced over these last 2 years.

I am so incredibly grateful for the generous spirit and faithful hearts that have been a major part of ABC throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.

As we walk through the latter half of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, I’d like us to observe together 3 levels of Ordinary Faith that will be an aid in withstanding extraordinary circumstances and challenges. Our first observation is this:

Extraordinary Peace in an Ordinary Church

Let’s look into Ephesians 4 to help us see Paul’s instruction to the church people on how they were obligated to act in living life together.

Ephesians 4:1–7 ESV

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

Paul is not urging a few individuals or the leadership of the Church in Ephessus to walk in a worthy manner - no, he’s charging the church as a whole to this endeavor of faithfulness. He prescribes for us various attitudes of this walk; such as humility, gentleness, patiences, bearing in love, and EAGER to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Unity rooted in peace.

Bond of peace = tied together in Christ

Ephesians 4:30–32 ESV

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 5:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The next level of the outworking of our faith resides in the family. The family is a central unit to the life of the church, and the primary means of how God expands His Kingdom on earth.

So as we consider the directions and encouragements from the Apostle Paul, let’s take a look at our next observation:

Extraordinary Faithfulness in an Ordinary Family

The structure of the family is intended to reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church as Paul shares with us here in Ephesians 5.

Ephesians 5:22–28 ESV

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

The point of this passage is not to box people in to certain cultural norms, but to orient us in our roles in the family in a way that reflects the gospel for our children and the world to see.

Ephesians 5:33–6:4 ESV

33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

The final observation for us to make is rooted in who we are as individuals in our walk with God. Paul gives us the imagery of armor to reveal to us more clearly how we should approach the challenges of extraordinary times. The world that does not know Christ wants to, at every level, destroy the family that points to Christ and the Church that honors Him to expand His kingdom. That which is not for the Lord is against it - there are no neutralities in the battle for souls. It is up to us as individuals and followers of Christ to not only proclaim the gospel with our words and our lives, but protect the institutions and places that breed discipleship.

So we finally, through the armor of God, observe:

Extraordinary Obedience in an Ordinary Believer

Ephesians 6:10–18 ESV

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

As we go into 2022, we ought to go in with clear eyes and open hearts that fully rely on the truths of God and His Word to sustain us.