Friday, December 16, 2011

Keep Your Guard Up - Preached at GGC, 12/04/2011

KEEP YOUR GUARD UP
Ephesians 6:10 – 20

Introduction:

In a few more days it will be December 7. You might be wondering, what is the significance of that date? What happened on December 7? To be more precise, something happened on December 7, 1941. It was the day Japan declared war on the United States when it bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Although tensions between Japan and the United States had been mounting already for some time, the United States and her allies did not expect that Japan would conduct a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. At least 10 American warships were destroyed, and thousands of lives were lost. A few hours later, the Philippines was then attacked (December 8 Philippine time). What was ironic about the attack on Pearl Harbor was that the Japanese airplanes were detected by radar but was ignored by the officer manning the radar post as nothing more than their own planes coming in low for a landing. The Americans had the technology to detect enemy planes approaching but they simply ignored the warning signs. They had allowed their guards down and the consequences were fatal as thousands of lives were lost.

Letting our guards down is dangerous. In everyday life, letting our guards down may cost us the loss of property and even the loss of lives. Thus it is important that we keep our guards up, that we be alert to the possibilities of attacks and robberies by doing precautionary measures such as locking your doors before leaving the house or before going to bed, by keeping the car door shut when you're inside the vehicle or when you park your vehicle, and by staying away from places that are dimly lit or dark. There are many more tips that I'm sure you are familiar with and are regularly practicing, so I don't need to bring them all about this morning.

The sad thing, however, is that while we keep our guards up when it comes to protecting our physical property and our physical lives, we tend to neglect that which is important, namely our spiritual health and well being. This morning's passage is a timely reminder for all believers to always keep their guards up in anticipation of the assault Satan and his minions throw our way. There are a couple of important lessons we must remember if we want to keep our guard up against our enemies. Let's look into our passage in depth to learn how we can stand up to the enemy of our souls.

LESSON # 1: FIND YOUR STRENGTH IN GOD


The very first thing every believer should remember is that, if we want to be able to stand up to the attacks of the enemy, we must always get our strength not from ourselves but from God himself. Verse 10 makes clear to us that we must be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. What it means is that we must never rely on our own wisdom or cunning or even physical resolve to stand up to Satan's attacks. This first point is very important because, let's face it, we have this tendency to rely on ourselves. We think too highly about our capabilities to say “no” to temptation as well as our own resolve to stand up for God. Remember Simon Peter? On the night when Jesus was betrayed, Simon Peter said beforehand that he would never deny the Lord and, in fact, he was willing to die for Him. Yet, later that night, he would deny the Lord three times. Peter was relying on himself rather than relying on God to enable him to stand firm. So often, we are like Peter when it comes to fighting the spiritual battles of life. We rely on our own strength, our own thinking and way of doing things. We rely on our talents and skills, on our willpower in order to do great things for God. Sadly, these things will never be enough to win the spiritual battles. We must learn the important lesson of finding our strength in God.

When you and I are tempted to sin, we probably don't always call on God for help. Instead, we keep saying to ourselves, “I won't give in.” But as we continue to rely on our own strength, we find ourselves caving in to the temptation. Before long, we've already sinned against God, all because we did not learn to rely on God's strength from the very start and throughout the process.

But how exactly do we find our strength in God? Proverbs 3:5,6 reminds us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and to never lean on our own understanding. Instead, we must acknowledge him in everything, meaning we rely on Him, and God will make our paths straight. Victory in the Christian life begins and is sustained by constantly finding our strength in God and not in ourselves. Effectiveness in God's service is not about how good I am or how skillful I am, but it is all about how strong God is, and that I am related to that strong God. When we refuse to rely on God, we are setting ourselves up to failure. We will never be victorious over sin. We will never be truly effective as God's witnesses. We will never be able to serve God in the manner that pleases Him. The apostle Paul got it right when he wrote, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Victory in the Christian life, effectiveness in witness and service all comes from God's empowerment.

LESSON #2: KNOW YOUR ENEMY AND HIS SCHEMES

The second lesson we need to learn is to know who your enemy really is. The enemy of our souls is Satan. Satan doesn't work alone but he has other demons working for him. It is not the person who persecutes you or ridicules you because of your faith. It is not the person who stands in your way and makes life hard for you. So often, we blame people for causing us to stumble in our walk with God. The truth is, people are actually the instruments that Satan uses to attack us and make us fall. I am not absolving people for the sins they may commit against others, but we must realize that the real enemy, the one who is behind all the activities meant to destroy our souls or to make us self-reliant rather than reliant on God is Satan himself. In verse 12, it makes clear to us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, namely people. Our struggle is against Satan himself and his minions.

Let's look carefully at how Paul described the enemy and his henchmen. In verse 11, he is called the devil. The Greek word which we translate as “devil” is the word diabolos which means “accuser” or “slanderer”. He makes false accusations against us in order to discourage us and to force us to quit following the Lord. I don't know about you, but when I was still a young Christian, whenever I sinned against the Lord, I would feel as if God doesn't love me because of what I've done. In fact, I would feel as if I was not really saved. But we all know this isn't true. When we come to Christ, we are saved once and for all. When we sin against God, God may be grieved but he never fails to love us still and longs for us to repent. This is what our enemy is doing – he is making charges against us that seem true, but these would not hold water when compared to God's promises in the Bible.

Satan and his minions are also known as the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, according to verse 12. Satan has this world under his control. This explains why people commit crime against others. This explains why there is so much immorality and indecency in our world today. It is because Satan and his minions are spreading the darkness of sin over the world. He is also waging war against God by attacking the people who belong to Him, namely us. He uses various means to cause us to fall – from temptation to persecution. If he can't make us fall by sinning then he will use whatever means to make us reject God and walk away from Him. He is also in the heavenly realms, making accusations against us before God, like in the case of Job.

Knowing who our enemy is and what his schemes are, we must equip ourselves properly for the warfare that is being waged against us.

LESSON #3: PUT ON YOUR ARMOR AT ALL TIMES


The third and final lesson we need to remember is this: Put on your armor at all times. We're going to dwell a bit longer on this third lesson because we're going to examine all the pieces of armor as well as the weapons mentioned in the passage. But before we look into each piece of the armor, I want us to take note of verses 11 and 13. Both verses say that we must put on the full armor of God. This should mean that every piece of the armor must be worn by us. Soldiers have to keep every piece of their uniform on when they're in the battlefield. It provides protection for them. They also carry around their weapons with them to the battlefield. They do not go to the battlefield dressed in their pajamas. They are suited up for battle against the enemy. During the time of Paul, Roman soldiers who were in battle were dressed in such a way as to provide good protection from every conceivable handheld weapons that enemy soldiers may possess. They do not go out to battle without their full armor. To go to battle without your complete battle gear is suicidal.

Another thing I want us to take note of is that the command to put on the full armor of God is in the present tense. While a command given in the present tense may be to do a particular action once, What it can mean is that once we have put on the full armor of God, we must keep it on at all times. Our enemy is a ruthless one. He will keep on assaulting us with temptations and persecution and ridicule without end. Thus, we have to keep ourselves totally protected at all times.

Finally, I want you to take note that the armor is called the armor of God. What this means is that the armor is something that God has given us for our protection. Spiritual warfare requires spiritual armor, and we cannot generate such an armor from our own efforts and strength. It has to come from God.

Now, let's look at each piece of the armor. Because of time constraints, we cannot study each piece of the armor in-depth, but I will try my best to explain what piece means. First, there is the belt of truth. The Roman soldier's belt kept all the parts of the armor in their proper place and firmly fastened. Weapons were usually tucked into the belt. The truth that comes from God and His Word is the belt that keeps the whole armor firmly in place. Truth alerts us as to how our enemy attacks us. Truth warns us against false doctrines, false religions as well as all kinds of deception the enemy may throw on us. The truth of the Gospel assures us that we who have put our faith in Jesus Christ are saved and that the enemy cannot separate us from God. Truth sets us free from lies. Brothers and sisters, have you girded yourself with the belt of truth?

The next piece is the breastplate of righteousness. The Roman soldier's breastplate covered both front and back of the chest and stomach area. We know that these areas are where our vital organs are. A single stab of a sword into these area would mean certain death. The breastplate, which is made of iron, can prevent penetration of any sharp weaponry. Righteousness is like a breastplate when we consider what righteousness is all about. Righteousness is all about our being justified or being proclaimed righteous and holy by God through the finished work of Christ. It is also about living a holy and just life through the power of Christ. As much as Satan accuses us before God of being sinners, we can boldly denounce him and declare that because we have been justified by God through Christ, his accusation cannot hold any ground against us. By living a righteous and holy life after conversion, we do not give the enemy any reason to accuse us of sinning. The righteous life protects our “hearts” from anything that would stain our memories and leave us living a life of regret and defeat.

We then have the shoes, signifying the readiness that is given by the Gospel of peace. We all know that shoes are intended to protect the feet from harsh, uneven grounds as well as to give traction and to enable the soldier to stand his ground as the Roman soldier's shoes were fitted with nails or spikes. Some people have interpreted this verse to mean that we must be ready to share the Gospel. However, I believe primarily that it is about recognizing the state of our relationship with God as well as the kind of attitude we should have as Christians. Prior to becoming followers of Christ, we were all enemies of God. After becoming followers of Christ, we enter into a state of being at peace with God. Satan often wants us to think that we are still God's enemies. But when we remember that we are already at peace with God through Christ, we will not fall so easily. The picture of shoes may also be talking about being prepared to walk in the way of the Gospel – to live a life of peace, to never use means that are contrary to the Gospel of Christ. If Jesus walked a life of peace, in the sense that he never resorted to violence against others nor did he force people to believe the Gospel, likewise, we are to live a peaceable life in order to win a hearing for the Gospel.

The next piece of armor is the shield of faith. The Greek word for shield here is the word θυρεος which is a large shield made of wood and covered with hide or with metal. The word θυρεος is derived from the Greek word θυρα which means “door”. This shield was at least around 4 feet in length and the sides were curved so as to provide better protection for the front of the body. The animal hide that covers the shield were sometimes dipped in water so as to prevent fiery arrows from destroying the shield. The metal plate served the same function of quenching the enemy's fiery arrows. Faith is our shield from the fiery attacks of Satan. Satan will use any means possible to tempt us and to make us fall. However, when we have faith in God and in His Word, and we live according to that faith, then we will not yield so easily to the attacks of Satan. For example, when you and I believe that God will supply all of our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus, then we will not go around scheming of ways to have our needs met. We will not be covetous of what others have nor will we yield in to the temptation to steal in order to have our needs met. That is how strong a shield faith can be when we use it appropriately and to the fullest.

The next piece is the helmet of salvation. The helmet was a cap made of thick leather or brass. The helmet was used to guard the head from a blow by a sword or a club. For Paul, the helmet was called the helmet of salvation because it symbolizes the hope of our salvation. Salvation is a certainty for all who have faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is something that we cannot lose. Satan loves to attack us when it comes to the certainty of salvation. He wants to plant doubts in our minds as to whether or not we are truly saved. Thus it is important to continue putting our hope in the certainty of God's promise of salvation. Remember that, if you have truly confessed your sins and trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you are saved. Jesus has promised that those who believe in Him shall have eternal life and not perish. Cling on tightly to the hope of your salvation – the Lord Jesus.

There is only one weapon mentioned here, and that is the sword of the Spirit. It is none other than the very Word of God. God's Word is very powerful as a weapon. The fact that Jesus Christ used it in rebuking and winning over Satan in the wilderness is proof of its power. When we study it, meditate on it, and apply it in our lives, we are actually going on the offensive and the enemy will not be able to stop us. When we use it to rebuke the enemy just as the Lord Jesus did, then it becomes a defensive weapon that the enemy cannot overcome. Be sure that when you're in the battle against Satan, you have your sword, the Word of God, equipped. Study it. Memorize it. Put it to practice everyday.

Finally, Paul instructs us all to pray at all times in the Spirit. Paul does not use any of the armor of the Roman soldier to compare prayer to because, to tell you frankly, there is none. Nevertheless, prayer is a powerful weapon because we are calling on God himself to protect us, to enable us to do his work, to help us stand our ground against the enemy. Prayer is so powerful such that we can use it in aide of others (v. 18). Even if we are thousands of miles away from someone who needs help, we can pray and God hears our prayers and he answers our prayers.


Conclusion:

Keep your guard up. Be prepared to live the Christian life each day. Be prepared to stand up for the Lord through your testimony. Be prepared to face the assault of the enemy. Remember the three lessons – find your strength in God every moment, know who your enemy is and what his schemes are, and always put on the armor that God has given you. Many believers live defeated lives because they don't take these lessons to heart. I hope you and I will not be found wounded and defeated in the battlefield.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

BE LIKE JESUS - Preached at GGC, October 9, 2011

Be Like Jesus
Ephesians 5:1 – 20

Introduction:


A few weeks ago, my wife and I went on an overnight vacation in a secluded resort in Rizal province. As we were checking into the resort, displayed on the shelf at the check-in counter were some handbags that were being sold. A closer look will reveal that the bags displayed either had tags declaring that they're Hermes bags or they're Nine West bags . An even closer examination will reveal that all the bags were selling at a price of PHP 750.00. Naturally, we concluded that all the bags displayed were fakes, cheap imitation of the real thing because a genuine Hermes bag can easily cost around PHP 50,000 to a few hundreds of thousands. A genuine Nine West bag, although cheaper than the Hermes brand, would still cost way much more PHP 750.00. However, what was fascinating was that these bags were well sewn. From afar, you could never tell that they're fakes. It is no wonder the owners of these big, expensive brands are up in arms against these counterfeiters because they are destroying and cheapening their brand name.

What I have just related to you was a wrong kind of imitation. To copy someone's design and pass it off as the real thing when it really isn't is a crime. None of us should ever be doing such a thing. Imitating someone's product and selling it off as the real thing is stealing the intellectual property of the designer and of the rightful manufacturer. It can also be costly to human life, like when someone imitates life-saving medicine and sell it in the market but the medicine are nothing more than placebos that have no healing effect. We shouldn't be imitating what we see on TV. In 2008, a 10-year old boy died buried in a playground sandbox because he was trying to imitate a Japanese anime hero named Naruto who used his superpowers to escape while trapped in sand. We also shouldn't be imitating the bad example of certain people. According to a theory called the social learning theory, people learn to engage in crime , primarily through their association with others. By being associated with criminals, they learn beliefs that are favorable to crime, and they are exposed to criminal models. As a consequence, they come to view the committing of crime as something desirable and even justifiable in certain situations.

However, not all acts of imitation are bad. For example, if you want to be a good basketball player who can put the ball in the basket at least 50 to 55 percent of all your attempts, not only should you practice hard, but sometimes it helps to study the pattern of great shooters. If you want to be an honor student, studying hard is important, but sometimes it helps to learn the study habits of other successful students and see what you can copy and apply. If you want to be successful when investing in the stock market, it helps to study what successful investors are doing and what stocks they are buying, and then you imitate what they're doing. When they're buying a certain stock today, you also buy. If they sell, you also sell. Imitation is dependent on who or what your model is. If you are imitating a good model, you will do well.

Likewise, in the spiritual realm, we are also called to be imitators. In fact, today's passage tells us to imitate God himself. I personally believe that when Paul is talking about imitating God, he is in fact telling us to follow the pattern set forth by Jesus Christ [click]. Imitating Jesus Christ stands in contrast to imitating the ways of the world. Last week, we've learned about severing our past association with sin and the world. The command is very clear – we have to decisively put away those things that belong to our past life and choose to do the things that God wants us to do. Ephesians 5:1 to 20 continues the train of thought from Ephesians 4:17 to 32, our passage last week, and I believe the reason why Paul is telling us to imitate Christ is because he is the best model or example of someone living up to God's standards. Today, we'll learn the three areas where we can imitate the pattern or example set by Jesus Christ for us.

BE LIKE JESUS . . . BY LIVING A LIFE OF LOVE


First of all, we are to be like Jesus by living a life of love. Note how Paul phrased his words. By telling us to live a life of love, he's saying that our life should be characterized by love for other people. In other words, love is something that must be constantly done by each of us, something constantly shown to others; it isn't something that you can just switch off and on, depending on the kind of people you meet. Loving people constantly is rather difficult to do, isn't it? Yet, if we really want to imitate Jesus Christ, we have to do it. When Jesus loves people, he loves them whether they're lovable or not, whether they've been good or bad. Aren't you glad the Lord Jesus isn't Santa Claus? Santa gives gifts to those who are nice and withholds gifts from those who are naughty. Jesus loves us even if you've done things that hurt him.

Another thing we should note regarding this love is that it is sacrificial in nature. In verse 2 of Ephesians 5, Paul said that Christ gave himself up for us, to be a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. We all know the Gospel story – Jesus taking our place on the cross to die for our sins. What Jesus did was a huge sacrifice on his part – he gave himself up. When Paul tells us to imitate Christ's love, he is telling us to love sacrificially, meaning we must be willing to do everything to show God's love to others, even if it means giving up our lives or giving up everything we possess to show that love. Sacrificial love also means giving our time and attention to others which is a hard thing to do most of the time, in contrast to spending time on yourself, which is easier.

Living a life of love is not easy. I would know that because I also struggle through it everyday, even if I have already preached to you about love during our 40 Days of Love campaign last February and March. It is because there will always be people we encounter who are unlovable, people who will test your patience. There will be things that others do or say to you that will turn you off. However, love is not something I must show only when its convenient or when the people are lovable. It is something I must do constantly and sacrificially. It is a command that I must take note of constantly.

If I truly want to imitate the Lord Jesus, then I must follow his lead in loving others. Are you ready to follow in the footsteps of Christ in this area of your life?

BE LIKE JESUS . . . BY KEEPING ONE'S SELF PURE

A second area of Christ's life that we can imitate is his purity of life. As one reads through the Gospels, he will find that Jesus lived a perfect life. Although his critics and enemies leveled a lot of accusations against Him, he was totally blameless in the sight of God. Does this mean that Jesus was never tempted to sin and do wrong? Of course not! Jesus was tempted in every way possible, but he never succumbed to sin (Hebrews 4:15). He knew what it was like to be tempted, but he never sinned. Thus, he is our perfect model for keeping ourselves pure.

How exactly do we keep ourselves pure? Let's look at some areas in life mentioned by Paul which we must avoid if we want to be pure. First, there is the area of sexual purity. In verse 3, three words are used to describe sexual sins. These words are sexual immorality, impurity and covetousness. These three words describe how people succumb to sexual sins. Sexual immorality refers to the act of either committing adultery or premarital sex which are both violations of God's design for sex as being something to be done only within the context of marriage. The pagans in Paul's time were blatant when it came to committing sexual sins. Our society right now is no different from Paul's time. Singles are seeking for physical pleasures without having to make a commitment to marriage, while married people are seeking for physical happiness apart from their spouses. For non-believers, committing such sins do not mean anything, but for us as Christians, this is something we must avoid because to commit immorality is actually to desecrate our body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18 – 20). It is to make dirty that which is already clean.

The second word used to describe sexual sins is the word “impurity”. Personally, I view this word in the context of one's thought life. Do you allow your mind to dwell on impure thoughts? Do you feed your mind with images and stories that unnecessarily fuel your sex drive? If you want to keep yourself pure, you must not put filthy things into your mind. Don't watch or read anything pornographic in nature. Don't watch any movie or TV show that may suggest doing something immoral. Immorality starts with the mind. If you don't feed your mind with evil things that will fuel your thoughts, you're not going to think about such things readily.

The third word used to describe sexual sins is the word “covetousness”. In the Ten Commandments, we are commanded not to covet our neighbor's wife. In simple terms, don't desire for what is not and will not be rightfully yours. If you see someone handsome or beautiful but that person is already married, don't go around wishing that you can have that person. If you are married, be content with your spouse and don't go around wishing that you could have someone better.

A second area in life which we can keep pure is in the use of our mouths. In verse 4 we find 3 kinds of impure speech that we are to avoid. There is obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking. Obscenity is any expression that is of an explicitly sexual nature or an expression that is very demeaning; it is disgusting or repulsive to one's senses. I don't need to delve into what these words are since we often hear them in movies, TV and even when some people are talking to each other. Foolish talk means spoken words that are senseless or useless. When you gossip, you are speaking foolish words. When you slander others, you are speaking foolish words. When you talk of things that don't edify you or other people, you are speaking foolish words. Finally, there is coarse joking. This phrase refers to the kind of joking that is inappropriate, such as jokes that have double meanings, the hidden meaning usually referring to sex. It can also mean jokes that demean people, like the kind you would probably hear when you go to a comedy bar, where comedians make fun of your appearance at your expense. You want to be pure in your speech? Avoid speech that insult people, avoid speech that is disgusting to the ears, and stop using your mouths for useless chatters.

A third area in life that we can keep pure is in terms of our association. The people you are closely associated with will actually affect your thoughts and actions. When I was a freshman student in La Salle, I suffered what you would call as culture shock. I had spent 12 years, from kindergarten to high school, in a sheltered environment – a Christian school. Now, I was in a different environment where people smoked, drank heavily, and even brought pornographic materials to school with no fear of getting caught and expelled, unlike in high school. I had to make a choice early on as to whom I would closely associate myself with. I chose to associate with a couple of classmates who didn't go for the unhealthy lifestyle and who were serious about doing well in school. I also joined Christian fellowships in school. Why did I do this? It was because I was fearful that I would succumb to smoking and drinking if I didn't choose my friends wisely. In verse 6, Paul tells us that we should not allow ourselves to be deceived by other people. In fact, we must not partner with people who will cause us to sin. Now, this doesn't mean that you can't be friends with them. We still can be friends with them but we must not be closely attached to them as to allow them to influence us.

Be like Jesus by keeping yourself pure sexually, in your speech, and in your association.

BE LIKE JESUS . . . BY HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE


Finally, we can imitate Christ's life by how we live our life here on earth. Look at verse 15. Here it says that we must be careful how we live – and this means we must be wise when it comes to living our life here on earth. How can we be wise in living our life? There are three areas that Paul emphasizes. The first is in the use of our time. How do you use the limited time God has given you? Jesus lived on earth for a span of 33 ½ years. Of that 33 ½ years, he spent 30 years preparing himself for ministry, then he spent 3 ½ years to proclaim the gospel, which included his dying on the cross and his resurrection. Yet, none of us can ever accuse Jesus of poor time management. The time he spent prior to his years of ministry were spent for personal equipping that made him effective in reaching out to the people. I believe most of us, if not all, will go way past the Lord's 33 ½ years of life here on earth. The question we need to ask ourselves is, am I doing something productive, something useful for the Lord and helpful to people with the time that I have? Very often, we are poor stewards of time, using what we have for things that aren't that productive. Studying and working are things we should be doing with diligence, however, consider what you do with the remaining time you have. Many young people are spending too much time on the internet and on playing video games rather than spending a few more minutes praying or a few more minutes to read the Bible. The same is true with adults. We spend too much time tinkering with our adult toys (cars, gadgets, hobbies) rather than using our time to improve our relationship with God and to serve God in the church or in your community. We also don't spend enough time being with other people, building our relationships with them, choosing instead to sit in front of a computer or a TV set rather than interacting. How many people would we have been able to help, to share the gospel to, if we spend our time wisely by relating with them?

A second area of wise living is in seeking God's will for your life. Look at verse 17. It tells us to not be foolish but to understand the Lord's will for your life. What is God's will for you? There is first of all God's general will for your life. These are the commands and principles recorded in Scripture that we are to obey and follow. Then there is God's specific will for us. These are the issues that we often ask of ourselves – Where will I study? What course will I take? Can I suggest something? If you spend enough time knowing God and his Word, you will be more aware of his leading as well as his plans for your life. You see, many of the issues about God's will actually fall under the category of God's general will. Some of us wonder if it is OK to marry a non-believer. Well, why keep asking God for an answer when its already recorded in 2 Corinthians 6, which tells us it isn't OK? We ask God if its OK to engage in a business where we cheat on the government, when the answer is clear from the Bible that we should give to the government what is rightfully theirs, and that we should not steal. Many of the questions we have about God's will can be answered if we know God's Word and if we are growing in intimacy with God. With regards to the specific will of God, I will just say this: if you take the time to listen to God and to obey God, it becomes easier for you to discern what is his specific will.

The third area of wise living is by being filled with the Holy Spirit. In verse 18 we are commanded not to get drunk with wine which can lead one to debauchery. The word debauchery means excessive indulgence. It implies losing control over one's self. A person who is drunk is usually unable to think soundly. He is also unable to control his physical senses. Furthermore, his judgment is impaired such that he can no longer tell if what he is doing is right or wrong. You can substitute wine with any substance that can cause people to lose control of themselves – illegal drugs, excessive viewing of TV and movies, excessive video games. Instead of these addictive things that will lead to indulgence and destruction, Paul tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Now, what is the meaning of being filled with the Spirit? It means that we allow God to be in control of every aspect, every area of our life. It also means we are to find our joy in our relationship with God rather than in the stimulants of this world that gives only temporary pleasure but cannot fill the emptiness of our hearts. How can we be filled with the Holy Spirit? There is nothing mysterious about this. To be filled with the Spirit is simply to say to the Lord that you want to surrender every area of your life to God's control and you really do it by submitting every thought, every decision and every action to God's leading. It is to always ask the Lord the question, “Will what I do, say or think please you?”. Its easier said than done since we have always acted independently, but you experience great joy when you think about the Lord, you think about his Word, when you think about what you want to do for Him, and when you fellowship with like-minded believers. In fact, it will often lead to our worshipping and praising of the Lord (vv. 19 – 20). The Lord Jesus was described quite often as being filled with the Spirit of God throughout the gospels. If we want to be like Jesus, we should strive to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit.

Be like Jesus by using your time wisely, by seeking for God's will for your life, and by being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion:

In closing, I would like to simply challenge all of us here, let us be like Jesus. If we are truly serious about our relationship with the Lord, then let us strive to follow his pattern. Every true believer of Jesus Christ should make it his goal, his ambition to be like Jesus. Anything less is an insult to the one who died for you and me in order to save us and give us new life. Will you be like Jesus?

Monday, September 19, 2011

Are You On The Right Ship? - GGC, September 11, 2011

ARE YOU ON THE RIGHT SHIP?

Introduction:

I would like to begin today's message by showing you two ships. The first ship is a cruise ship, the kind that offers people leisure and lots of things to do as well as lots of food to eat. On board, you have stage theaters, cinemas, casinos, restaurants, swimming pools, spas, and sports facilities, just to name a few. All these things are included to make your stay during the cruise a memorable one. For every 2 passengers, there will be one crew member. This means a ship with a 3000 capacity would have 2000 passengers and 1000 crew members serving the passengers. Now, let's look at the second ship. It is a warship. In fact, what you are looking at right now is known as an aircraft carrier with around 90 aircrafts and 5400 crew members on board. There are no passengers on board who are traveling for a good time. Everyone on board this warship is doing his part to keep the ship afloat and the morale of everybody high. There are people who fly the planes while others maintain the planes. There are people on the ship's deck, navigating the ship through the seas, and there are cooks who prepare meals for everyone. There are people who man the computerized weapons systems and those who man the radios and telecommunications equipment. Everyone on board a warship has an important role to play. On board a cruise ship, only 1/3 of the total people on board are keeping the ship afloat, the rest are just enjoying the facilities.

Now, what is the relation of cruise ships and warships with what this morning's message? Actually, the illustration that I have just given you depicts what a mature, growing church should look like, and the sad reality that many churches are still far from reaching maturity. The warship is a depiction of a maturing church, where everyone is involved in keeping the ship afloat and moving; sadly though, many churches, including ours, sometimes look more like a cruise ship than a warship. What do I mean? I am pointing out right now that many people who are members of the church are not getting involved at all in the life of the Body of Christ. In fact, they could be what we call as “spectators” who are simply there to watch what's going on, but they don't lift a finger to help.


What made matters worse is that churches hire pastors and full-time workers with the unrealistic expectation that they should be doing everything. They expect the paid personnel of the church to lead every Bible study, visit everyone on the church membership roster, preach in every Sunday service and fellowship, lead small groups, make decisions for the church. Now, pastors are supposed to do the things I have just mentioned, but really, do you think they can meet everyone's needs? Do you think they can live up to an unrealistic expectation that they have to do everything? What aggravated the situation was that we have created this artificial divide inside the church where one group is called the clergy while the other is called the laity. The clergy is wrongly viewed as being more superior than the laity, very much similar to what happens inside the Roman Catholic Church where the priests, nuns, bishops and popes are viewed as being more holier than the ordinary church member.

This morning's passage, Ephesians 4:7 – 16, makes clear that God has given spiritual gifts to all his people. However, Paul does not go through a list of various spiritual gifts like those listed in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. Instead, Paul wrote about four particular offices that God has given the church with specific purposes in mind, for the benefit of the entire church. Without further delay, let's look at these four gifts in the form of four kinds of ministers of the church, how they function in the church, and what these gifts are supposed to bring forth in the lives of every believer.

GOD'S GIFT TO THE CHURCH – THE FOUR OFFICES OF LEADERSHIP

While the Lord has definitely blessed the entire church with various spiritual gifts, there are four specific offices that he has given to specific people in order to minister to the church. Let us briefly go through what these gifts are.

Apostles. The Lord first of all gifted the church with the apostles. In the strictest sense, “apostles” refer to the Twelve whom Christ had chosen as well as others like Paul and Barnabas – the people who have seen the Lord, and who have directly received the Lord's commission. The apostles, together with the prophets, were known as the foundation of the church, with the apostles being the ones commissioned to start the work among the Jews and the Gentiles. They were also responsible for conveying the teachings of Jesus and preserving them in writing.

Prophets. Then there are the prophets. Now, the prophets' main responsibility was to convey God's message for the church. Foretelling the future is a secondary task. They bring to light the sins of men. They also give exhortation to the church in order to strengthen her.

Now, both apostles and prophets, I believe are spiritual leaders who were needed during the first century, during the early years of Christianity, in order to make it firmly established. However, once the church was established and the New Testament was already written, these two offices ceased to exist. However, their impact is felt up till today because we have in our possession the Word of God which helps us to know what is God's will as well as what we are supposed to obey.

Evangelists. The third and fourth offices mentioned are still existing in the church as they are the most needed. The third is the office of the evangelists. An evangelist is simply put, someone who is gifted in conveying the Gospel of Jesus Christ, such that when they proclaim the Gospel, many are touched by the Holy Spirit and come to faith in Christ. They do not need to be high-profile people like Billy Graham or Luis Palau. They can be people who are led by the Spirit to share the Gospel with other people on a one-on-one basis. Now, all of us are to share the Gospel. We cannot be excused from it. However, the evangelist is specially endowed as someone who brings in the harvest of souls very effectively.

Pastors-Teachers. The fourth office is the office of the pastor-teacher. A pastor-teacher is responsible for taking care of the spiritual needs of the church by feeding them with the Word of God regularly as well as by checking after their welfare such as praying for the church, visiting the sick, giving guidance to the church. Not everyone who has this gift is called to lead an entire church. Some may be gifted to lead smaller groups such as a fellowship or a discipleship group.

There's just one thing to note about the four offices that were given to certain people in the church – it did not mean that they had to do everything. Instead, the succeeding passages spell out for us what the four offices should accomplish and achieve in the life of the church. We can call this as the given aim as well as the desired result.

THE AIM & THE DESIRED RESULT

As I have just said, God has given these four offices not for them to do everything and the rest of the church doing nothing. Paul spelled it out very clearly what the four offices were supposed to accomplish. Likewise, this aim should be the same for all leaders in the church. That aim is to prepare God's people for service (v. 12). God put the four offices in place was so that they would get everyone in the church ready and equipped for serving God and others.

This preparation for service is done in many ways. There is instruction in the Word of God. If you want to be an effective servant of God, you have to at least be growing in your knowledge and application of God's Word. At the same time, those in leadership have to be faithfully teaching you and modeling for you obedience to the Word of God. Second, there is training on how you can use your gift effectively. When you are aware of your spiritual gift, it would be wise to have training in order that you can hone your gift. For example, if you sense that you have the gift of encouragement and people around you affirm that, then I think it would be wise for you to learn about counseling or to learn how to verbalize it to a bigger audience. The leaders of the church should be keenly observing your potentials and your gifts and should encourage you to get trained. Third is the actual exercise of ministry, where you put into practice what you've learned and then the leader gives you feedback on how well you've done and where you can improve further. Notice that this is what the leaders of the church are supposed to be doing – we should be empowering you all to become effective ministers/servants of God's kingdom.

Now, when the leaders of the church are diligently doing their responsibility in preparing you all for ministry/service and you are willing to be trained, taught, and to use your gifts, then the result is that the body of Christ will be built up (vv. 12b), meaning, the church will be maturing. Imagine for a moment the human body. When you came out from your mother's womb, you were very helpless. You had to depend on your parents to feed you, to change your diaper, to bring you from one place to another. Your parents however did not leave you at that state. Instead, they began to encourage you to walk and helped you in the process. They taught you how to feed yourself by taking the spoon and putting food into your mouth on your own. They stopped making you wear diaper when you learned how to go to the toilet when you need to. As you continue to grow, you found that you became more agile physically and your thinking became more sharper. That is what the church looks like when it is maturing. It is moving from one phase to the next, higher phase. Your spiritual gifts are just like your arms, legs and brain. They need to be developed in order to become stronger and wiser. When every member of Grace Gospel Church is developing and using his or her spiritual gifts to serve the Lord and others, then maturity will happen to you as an individual member, and to the entire church.

How do we know that a church is maturing, that every member of the church is growing in their relationship with the Lord? Verses 13 to 15 gives us the answers. This forms our final point.

THE EVIDENCES OF MATURITY

In verses 13 to 16, we find three evidences of maturity that happens when every member of the church is willing to receive training and instruction for service and when every leader of the church is willing to train and instruct the members.

(1) There will be unity in the church (v. 13)

When all the members of the church are growing or maturing in faith, what happens is that unity among believers is strengthened. People will begin to quarrel less in areas of doctrine and belief because they will agree on what are the essentials and learn to disagree and be amiable in those areas that are not essential. I think one area of doctrine that people often argue about is regarding the Second Coming. Another is regarding which theological position is correct – Reformed, Arminian, or Dispensationalists. I have learned in seminary as well as working here in church that these things are somewhat secondary compared to what the Bible is really saying to us. When we are willing to receive training and instruction, we begin to see that we hold more things in common. Consider last week's passage. It says that we belong to one body and there is one Spirit that dwells in us. We believe in one Lord and in One God and Father, and we go through one baptism. These are the essentials we must cling on to. These are the things we must defend. However, we don't need to argue about things like which version of the Bible is the best or what color of drapes do we need to see hanging here at the front. We don't need to argue about which music is best for worship – hymns or contemporary worship songs. These are secondary; sometimes they may even be trivial.

When we are in unity, what happens is that together we will become more like Jesus Christ in our speech and action. People will notice that our church exhibits love and she will be attractive to people outside the church.

(2) We will not fall for the enemy's lies (v. 14)

The second evidence of maturity is that we will not fall for the enemy's lies. When a believer is actively learning God's Word and is willing to receive instruction and to serve the Lord, he will not fall very easily to the trap that Satan will set up. In verse 14, we find three things that the enemy uses to cause us to fall – every wind of doctrine, human cunning, and deceitful schemes. Now, the likely reference of all three phrases is with regards to false teachings. There are a lot of teachings out there that sound “Christian”, just watch TV and you'll see people like Eli Soriano of Ang Dating Daan, the teachers of the Iglesia ni Kristo, and other cults and prosperity preachers proclaiming a false message about God and about the Lord Jesus. They talk about giving your money to their ministry and you will be immensely blessed materially, but we all know that God doesn't operate in that way. Some preachers who stand in the pulpit don't even preach God's Word but they proclaim the message of human goodness and motivation, not in any way dissimilar to what we hear from some motivational speakers in school and in the workplace. It is so easy to fall into the lies of the enemy if we are not trained in God's Word, enabling us to discern what is true from what is false, what is from God and what is not from God. The mature Christian, the mature church, will be one that will not be swayed by false teachers and doctrines, but will always hold on to the anchor that is God's Word.

(3) Love will be Readily Seen (vv. 15, 16)

Finally, the third evidence of a maturing church is that love will be readily expressed within the body of Christ. In verse 15, we find the phrase, “Speaking the truth in love” while in verse 16 we find the phrase “make the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” Both phrases indicate that a mature believer will show love toward others, a mature church will have members who love each other. When there is conflict within the body of Christ, people actually notice. The same is true when there is love within the body of Christ. People will see it. Jesus himself said that people will know that we are his disciples if we have love for one another (John 13:35). If we, as a church, are always fighting against each other, how can people see Jesus Christ in our midst? Fighting and hatred are sure signs of the absence of love which points to the immaturity of the believer and of the church. If we are truly mature, we will be more loving towards each other. We will show concern for those in need. We will empathize with those who are sad and genuinely rejoice with those who rejoice.

So, those are the three sure signs of the maturity of a church and of her members. There will be unity. We will not fall easily to false teachings. We will show love for one another. Do you think that Grace Gospel Church is anywhere near these signs? Are you, as a member of this church, showing signs of maturity in your faith?

Conclusion:

The leaders of the church have been called by the Lord in order to equip you all for works of service, for you all to become even more faithful in following Jesus Christ. They have not been called in order to do everything to keep the church going while you sit back and do nothing except listen to a sermon on Sunday. As members of this church, I want to challenge you all to do two things. First, you should expect your leaders to do their responsibility in training and equipping you for service. If you find any one of us doing everything on our own and not letting you in on the opportunity to serve and to grow, then you should remind us of what our role is. Our role is to equip you, to prepare you to serve the Lord.

The second thing I would like for you to do is to make a decision that you will be willing to undergo training and equipping. It is God's intention that we be equipped to do his work. If we are not willing to be trained and equipped, not only will we fail to mature as a believer, but we will bring the entire church down with us. We will also be cheating our fellow brothers and sisters by failing to use our spiritual gifts and talents to edify them. So please, when the opportunity comes for you to be equipped and trained, take it immediately. When the opportunity to use your gifts and talents come your way, use them.

Friday, August 12, 2011

TEAR DOWN THE WALLS - Preached at GGC (08/07/11)

Tear Down The Walls
Ephesians 2:11 – 22

Introduction:

I would like to begin this morning's message with a little bit of history lesson. Now, who among you have heard of something called the “Berlin Wall”? For those who lived through the time known as the Cold War era, a time when the world was at the brink of war, when we were just waiting for who will make the first shot against the other, whether the Americans or the Russians, the Berlin Wall was a symbol of the separation of the East from the West. The Berlin Wall was constructed by the East Germans in 1961 in order to keep their citizens from defecting to the West. You see, East Germany was under the control of the Russians and they viewed the West as their enemy, thus they did not want their people to be influenced by the freedom and democracy that the West was experiencing. Many people attempted to cross over to the West even with the wall set up, but around 200 people died attempting it. However, in the late 1980s, Russia began to soften up its stance because it knew communism was a failed experiment such that when then US president Ronald Reagan challenged then Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 by saying, “Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down These Walls!”, he readily gave in. In November 9, 1989, East Germany lifted restrictions on her citizens traveling to the West. At around the same time, people began to chip away at the wall using sledge hammers. By October 3, 1990, the East Germany and West Germany were reunified into a single country and the wall that divided the two countries was completely torn down.

Now, why do people set up walls anyway? In the example I used about the Berlin Wall, the Communist government of East Germany set up that wall to prevent their citizens from defecting to the West. So, we sometimes set up a wall to keep people inside and to prevent escaping, just like the walls of a prison. We also set up walls for purpose of security, such as the Great Wall of China which was built in order to keep invaders away, or our own homes which have high walls and gates in order to keep thieves and robbers away.

Today's passage talks of a wall. It is a wall that is figurative and yet, also a physical wall that has kept people away from God and from each other. However, this wall has been torn down by God himself through the finished work of Christ on the cross. What exactly is this wall? Let's spend time to examine our passage, Ephesians 2:11 – 22, to learn what that wall is, and how it has been broken down and what are its implications for us today.

Context:

If you still remember last month when we looked at Ephesians 2:1 – 10, we were looking at the subject of salvation, in particular, how an individual is saved by the grace of God. This morning's passage is, quite obviously, the continuation of Paul's train of thought. He is still talking about God's saving grace, but now his focus is not on how an individual is saved, but he now talks about how a group of people, namely, the Gentiles were saved. This passage is obviously relevant to us because we are Gentiles. The passage is all about us!

As I mentioned a moment ago, there was both a figurative wall as well as a physical wall. What wall are we talking about in this passage? While it is true that there is the wall of sin which hinders us from God, another wall that existed was the wall that separated the Jews from the Gentiles. You see, the Jews viewed themselves as being a superior race because of their being the chosen people of God; thus, all other people are inferior to them. The Jews of Paul's time practiced racism against people of other races simply because they thought they were the people of God and others weren't. This reflected especially in the temple in Jerusalem, the place where the Jews worshiped God. In fact, let me read to you something inscribed in the walls of the Jewish temple during the time of Jesus - “No foreigner may enter within the barricade which surrounds the sanctuary and enclosure. Anyone who is caught doing so will himself to blame for his ensuing death.” The Gentiles were excluded from worshiping God in the temple. They could come to Jerusalem to worship God but they worshiped him from afar, in the courts of the Gentiles, which was one section farther from the court of the women. There was a physical wall that separated them from worshiping together with the Jews in the temple. Furthermore, their distance to the Holy of Holies symbolized how far they were from God.

But then, there is also a figurative wall that separated the Gentiles from the Jews. I would like for us to examine this figurative wall more carefully and see how Christ has destroyed this wall in order to bring peace to the two groups of people.

The Wall That Separates

The physical wall in the temple is nothing compared to the figurative wall that has kept us separated from the Jews. Verses 11 & 12 listed down how the Jews viewed the Gentiles. First, Jews called the Gentiles as “uncircumcised”, meaning, they did not possess the physical mark of the covenant. Most of us are aware that Jewish infants who were 8 days old were circumcised to symbolize that they are under the blessing of God's covenant with Israel. Now, the absence of the mark of circumcision meant that the Gentiles were not God's people, and therefore they were not blessed by God. You see, circumcision for the Jews was a badge of honor, a mark of distinction. Also, the use of the word “uncircumcised” to describe the Gentiles was meant to be an insult, pointing out that the Gentiles were unclean, therefore, they will be cast aside by God.

Second, the Gentiles were described as being separate from Christ. The idea here is that the Gentiles did not have any expectations whatsoever that there would be a savior, a Messiah, who would come to save them. The Jews early on were already awaiting the coming of the Messiah as described throughout the Old Testament. The Jews had hope for a better future. The Gentiles had no such hope at all as they were worshipers of idols.

Third, the Gentiles were excluded from citizenship in Israel. Because they did not have a single drop of Jewish blood, because they could not trace their ancestry back to any of the sons of Jacob, they were considered as not being part of the nation of Israel. This meant that the Gentiles were foreigners to the covenant of promise, meaning, they were excluded from the benefits of being a citizen of Israel. Even if a Gentile decided to believe in the God of Israel, forsaking his idols, he would still be deemed as a second-class citizen by the purebred Jews because he is not a Jew by blood and lineage.

What made matters worse was that the Jews were hostile towards the Gentiles and vice versa. There was a long history of fighting between Israel and the Gentile nations, and this made both sides view each other with disdain. The Jews believed that the Gentiles were made by God for the sole purpose of fueling the fires of hell. It was even unlawful for a Jew to help a Gentile woman give birth because she would simply be helping bring another Gentile into the world. The Gentiles, on the other hand, have been thinking of ways to exterminate the Jews such as during the reign of King Xerxes of Persia, and during the reign of King Antiochus IV from 175 to 164BC. If the Jews viewed the Gentiles as being inferior to them, the Gentiles, in particular the Greeks, viewed the Jews as being Barbarians because they didn't speak the Greek language and adopted Greek culture.

The One Who Broke The Wall

The situation for the Gentiles was terrible. They had no hope or knowledge whatsoever about God. Furthermore, they were enemies with the Jews. The Gentiles were at a serious disadvantage compared to the Jews who could claim to have knowledge of God and possession of the Law as well as being called the chosen people of God. However, the terrible situation of the Gentiles changed when Jesus went to the cross. In verses 13 to 18, Paul argues that because the Gentiles have believed in the message of the Gospel, the following has happened. First, they were no longer separated from God. Prior to the coming of Christ, the Jews viewed the Gentiles as being lost people, as being very far from God; however, because of what Christ has done and because the Gentiles responded in faith to Jesus Christ, they are no longer lost or far away from God. They are now brought near to Christ, just as every Jew who believes in Jesus Christ is near to God.

Second, the barrier that separates Gentiles and Jews have been broken. Through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the problem of sin was solved, thus removing the barrier that existed between God and man. Now, both Jews and Gentiles can approach God with confidence through Christ. Both Jews and Gentiles are now on equal footing when it comes to approaching God. Both are saved by God's grace through faith in Christ, not by the law which the Jews alone possessed and boasted about. Both receive the same Holy Spirit. Now, the symbol of the separation between Jews and Gentiles was the temple with the barriers that excluded the Gentiles from going near to God's presence. God removed that symbol when he destroyed the temple in 70AD.

Third, God created a new man out of the two. In God's sight, there is now no difference between Jew or Gentile. Both are sinners in need of salvation, and both are saved by God's grace through faith in Christ. He made all those who believe in Jesus Christ his new creation where race, gender, status in life are all secondary compared to what God deems us to be. I will talk about that a bit more in a while when we get to our third point. However, when God created a new man out of the two, what he put into effect was that there would be peace between both Jews and Gentiles, there would be reconciliation, and that there would no longer be any hostility. It is because we now believe in the same Lord, we worship the same God, we have the same Holy Spirit in us. We all share in the same salvation. There is now no point in being hostile towards one another, instead, God reconciled the Jews and the Gentiles because of the commonality that exists through Christ.

Brought Together At Last

When Christ saved both Jews and Gentiles, what he did was to make a new creation, as I've mentioned a moment ago. In verses 19 to 22, we find three descriptions of who the believing Jews and the Gentiles are together as one. First, both groups of people became citizens of God's kingdom. When a person comes to faith in Christ, he is changing his citizenship, from that of the world and of the devil, to becoming citizens of heaven, of the kingdom of light. They both owe their allegiance to the same king. They both have the same privileges of being citizens of the kingdom. They both have the same responsibilities of fulfilling the Great Commission and obeying the Great Commandment.

Second, both groups became members of God's household. In other words, both believing Jews and Gentiles are members of the same family. God is their father, Jesus is like their eldest brother, and they are fellow brothers and sisters. Since, both groups are now related to each other because of Christ, there should be love for one another instead of animosity. There should be acceptance instead of rejection. Members of the same family should care for one another and love one another.

Finally, both groups are the building blocks of the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Simply put, the Jews and the Gentiles are joined together so that they will manifest the power of the Holy Spirit in their midst. They will become a people characterized as having the Holy Spirit and living by the guidance of the Spirit.

Implications for Us Today:

You may be wondering, what does today's passage have to do with me? As I've mentioned quite early in my message, it actually has a lot to do with us because we are Gentiles. In the past, we were separated from God, we had no expectations of a Savior, we were viewed as second-class citizens and as enemies by the Jews, but God has changed our situation greatly. In fact, we stand before God on equal footing with the Jews who believe in Jesus. No one is greater than the other. No one is inferior to the other. Whether Jew or Gentile, we are all one in Christ.

Now, if you still don't get the relevance of this passage simply because it seems like a distant concept, then let me bring it closer to home. Let's face it, almost all of us here are of Chinese descent. Admittedly, we are a proud race. We look very highly at our culture and language. The bad thing is that we tend to look down on people of other races simply because they're not Chinese. Even Chinese Christians have the tendency of looking down on our Filipino brothers. We let our culture and race be more dominant than our oneness in Christ. It is as if the non-Chinese are beneath us when it comes to the issue of race. If we are prejudiced against those belonging to other races, aren't we behaving like the Jews during Paul's time? Aren't we declaring ourselves to be more superior than others?

Consider also how we look down on others who are not as financially blessed and capable as we are, or those who don't have as much education as we have. It is as if these people are not worthy to be in your presence. Again, Christians can be guilty of this. Remember that James, the brother of Jesus, wrote against those in the church who play favorites toward the rich. He warned that we are not to fall into the trap of favoritism. How about those who are not in the same standing as we are - We as masters and those who serve us as our servants, as our employees? I am sure some of us here have maids and drivers who are believers of Jesus Christ. How do you treat them? Do you treat them with respect, remembering that they are your brothers and sisters in the Lord?

We also behave like the Jews when we have this attitude of superiority and dominance over those who don't know Jesus yet, instead of being humble and loving enough to reach out to them and tell them about the Good News. We behave like the Jews when we boast of our supposed goodness and we make other people feel like they are the worse of sinners. The Jews were supposed to show the Gentiles the way to God, but they ended up hindering them from coming near to God. We can end up becoming just like them when we put up barriers that prevent people from coming to the Lord Jesus.

In the sight of the Lord, all who belong to Him, regardless of race, wealth, gender, and standing, are equal in his sight. We are all his children. We are all fellow citizens of God's kingdom. We are all building blocks of God's temple. We are all saved by the same way – by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. We all possess the same Holy Spirit. Therefore, let us learn to accept and love one another because what we hold in common is more important than the differences that are apparent. Let us also behave in such a way as to bring more people into God's kingdom, not turn them away from God.

Conclusion:

We are all one in Christ, regardless of race and color, financial and educational standing, position in secular society, in the workplace. Therefore, let us learn to love and accept one another. Let us never look down on our fellow believers nor view ourselves as being superior to others. Let us also never allow our standing in Christ to become a hindrance for non-believers to come to know Jesus Christ. Let us work together to build up God's kingdom, not tear others down.

Tear down the walls of prejudice and favoritism. Tear down the walls of self-perceived superiority. Jesus has already done his part in tearing down the walls that separated us from God as well as between us and the Jews; are we doing our part of tearing down the walls the separate us from our brothers and sisters, as well as from those who are still far away from the Lord Jesus?

Monday, July 11, 2011

The Total Makeover Package - preached at GGC 07/10/11

The Total Makeover Package
Ephesians 2:1 – 10


Introduction:

Nowadays, the “in-thing” when it comes to TV is what we call as Reality TV where the person starring in the show is not portraying any other character but himself or herself. It can be a show about the everyday life of people with all the ups and downs they face. It can also be a contest where people try to outwit their fellow contestants with speed, cunning and deception. It could also be a show that you only get to watch on Discovery Channel like Mythbusters. However, there are also shows that do what we call as a “makeover”, where a person's house or his life go through a transformation of sorts.

One particular show really took the idea of the word “makeover” to its fullest extent. The show was entitled “The Swan”. The title of the show is actually a reference to the children's story, “The Ugly Duckling” where a baby swan was mistaken by his mother as being a duck and an ugly one at that, but it turns out later that he was a majestic looking swan when he grew up. Well, in the show, women who by physical standards have been judged as being “ugly” are given a total makeover. They are given plastic surgery on virtually every part of their outer body, their teeth are fixed to look very white and straight, they are made to go through a regimen of physical exercises, and they undergo counseling and life coaching. To the viewers, we see the hardships the contestants go through just to become beautiful. The contestants however have no idea as to what is going on because there are no mirrors in the house where they're staying. In the end, each contestant is made to face a full-length mirror where they see for the very first time the transformation that has taken place. All the contestants, whether they win the elimination or not, are amazed at the changes that have taken place in order to make them physically attractive. Now, the goal of the show's producers is to let the televiewers see that the contestants were not pretty at all prior to the makeover; however, after the makeover, the women become attractive.

Now, I am not in any way endorsing this show because personally, I don't think that beauty should be judged solely on what one sees on the outside, but it should be more about the inner personality – one's character and values. There are many people who look attractive on the outside but their character is shady. However, I find the show to be a good illustration of what it means when we say a “total makeover”.

Our passage this morning is also about a total makeover. You see, a great transformation has already happened to us, to all who are saved by God's grace. I'm not talking about our physical appearances. We may wish for changes in our physical appearances but that wouldn't be classified as being a great transformation. In fact, a physical transformation is temporary in nature. Botox injections don't last for more than 8 months and your wrinkles will come out again. Instead, the total makeover I am talking about is spiritual, which is eternal in nature, and it has implications for how we are supposed to live life here on earth.

In chapter 1 of Ephesians, we've learned that, as believers, we are tremendously blessed with every spiritual blessing that comes from God and that we have been chosen by God to be the recipients of his great favor. In the latter part of chapter 1, we read of Paul's prayer for the Ephesian church, where he prayed that the believers may receive wisdom and enlightenment with regards to the hope that they have in Christ, as well as the great power he is showing to us. This morning, we look at the first part of chapter 2, where we have a glimpse of what we were like before the Lord saved us, what happened to us when God saved us, and we are given an idea as to what God's purpose is for our lives now as well in the future. God has performed a total or complete makeover and we're going to examine carefully what that makeover is all about and how it all came about.

OUR OLD SELF


Verses 1 – 3 is a description of what we were like prior to being saved by God through Christ. The image depicted is anything but nice. In fact, it is downright ugly. There are three things that correctly describes what we used to be.

(1) We Were Spiritually Dead (1)

The apostle Paul first described our old self by stating quite frankly that we were dead in our trespasses and sins; in other words, we were spiritually dead. Now, what exactly is the meaning of being 'spiritually dead'? Spiritual death is defined as being the separation of man from God, which was brought on by sin. If you remember the story of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis, you would recall that God gave explicit warning to Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit from the forbidden tree, or else they would die. When they disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden fruit, they sinned against God and this broke the intimate relationship God had with man. This breaking of the relationship is what we call as spiritual death. I believe that when God created Adam, his life-giving spirit was in Him; however, when Adam sinned, the spirit may have departed, thus rendering him spiritually dead or separated.

A person who is spiritually dead does not have the presence of God's spirit in him, thus he is unable to think, will, or do that which is holy (JFB). Left on his own, he will not seek the one true God nor will he do the things that God approves.

This was what we were at one time, prior to becoming God's children. We were dead in our sins and trespasses. We were separated from God because of our sins. There was nothing good in us at all that would merit God's favor and mercy.

(2) We Followed The Wrong Path (2)

Because we were spiritually dead, without the life of God in us, it was but natural for us to move along the wrong path. In verse 2 we find that we followed the course of this world and we followed the prince of the power of the air (or Satan).

When Paul said that we followed the course of this world, what he meant was that we followed what the world was doing, we accept the philosophies and values of this world, we believe the lies that the world taught us. For example, the world tells us, “if it feels good, do it”, a person without Jesus Christ in his life would readily say, “Yes, I agree”, and he sets out to do just that, by engaging in forbidden and sinful pleasures. Some philosophies tell us that there is no god and many believe the lie. The result? They follow a course where they do anything they want because they think there is no god who would judge them and throw them in hell.

We also followed the prince of the power of the air or Satan. Although many people will deny that they are following the devil, but the fact is, what you do and think and believe reflects who your master is. For the person who is spiritually lost, who does not have Jesus Christ in his heart and have not experienced the transforming grace of the Lord, he is not just a sinner, he is actually a follower of the devil himself! It is no wonder that we were, at one time, known as sons of disobedience. It is because we have the propensity to disobey God and his commands, choosing instead to follow in the path of God's enemy.

(3) We Were by Nature Children of Wrath (3)


The third description of our past life was that we were by nature children of wrath. What this phrase means is that we are all objects of God's wrath due to our sins. Because of our inclination to sin and disobey God, it is but natural that the consequence of such rebellion is God's displeasure as well as that his righteous judgment will be upon us. The Bible makes clear what his punishment will be. All sinners are destined for eternity in hell where the fire will never be quenched and the pain never eased.

Now, we need to be careful not to read too much into the phrase. Some theologians have used the phrase to refer to our inheriting the sinful nature from our ancestors. While I believe that it is true that we have inherited the sinful nature, I do not think that Paul is using this phrase in Ephesians 2 to talk about this. The word “children” simply characterizes people of a certain type without reference to parentage or to what they have inherited from their parents.

The picture is very grim. Everyone of us is spiritually dead. We are followers of the ways of this world as well as followers of Satan. Finally, we are by nature the children of wrath, meaning, God is displeased with us and he will surely judge against us. Thankfully, what Paul has been talking about in the first three verses of Ephesians 2 is about our sinful past. What follows from verses 4 to 7 is the reversal, the total makeover that takes place, changing us from what we were to what we are right now.


THE NEW YOU

In verses 4 to 7, we find three changes that happened when God entered the picture and changed us. These three changes were caused by God as a result of his great love for us such that he showed mercy to us (4). These changes in our lives are what I would call as the total makeover that we've experienced in Christ.

(1) He Made Us Alive (5)

The first thing God did was to make us alive together with Jesus Christ. Previously, we were spiritually dead; there was no relationship whatsoever between God and us. But God, in his love, made us alive. Through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, the broken relationship has been mended. We are no longer spiritually dead. The Holy Spirit now dwells inside us and gives us spiritual life. Because we are spiritually alive, we are now able to respond favorably to God's command rather than disobey Him. We are now awakened to loving God and his Son, the Lord Jesus. We are now able to think, will or do that which is holy because we are now alive.

(2) Raised Us Up and Seated Us With Christ (6)

The second thing God did was that he raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly places. What this means is that we have been given places of privilege and honor in God's kingdom. In simpler terms, from being wretched sinners, we are now blessed children of God who are bestowed with all the privileges of being God's children. Our citizenship is now in heaven; we now belong to God. We no longer belong to the world nor to Satan. We now belong in heaven and to God.

Because our citizenship is in heaven and we are given seats of privileges by God, what it should mean for us is that we should no longer follow the wrongful ways of the world. As citizens of heaven and as God's children, we must behave as such. No longer should we allow the world to mold our thinking and our actions but we must let God and his Kingdom dictate and guide how we think and do things.

(3) He Gives Us Purposeful Lives (7, 10)

The third thing God did was to give us purposeful lives. We find this idea in verses 7 and 10. If we think about our past life, when we under the bondage of sin, what exactly did we live for? Well, we lived only for ourselves. We live in order to please our sinful nature. But when God entered the picture and saved us, what he did was to give us a purpose for our existence here on earth. The purpose is this: He saved us so that we may show the immeasurable riches of his grace. What this means is that we are to be the exhibition to the whole of creation the wisdom and love and grace of God in Christ. Everyone who has been saved by the Lord is no longer to live a life of sin but he is now to live a life where God is glorified, a life that will point others to the grace of God.

Now, how will this come to be? The answer lies in verse 10. In verse 10, we are told that we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. We show the grace of God by no longer doing evil but by doing good works. When people see the transformation that has taken place in our lives by what we do, they will see that indeed God has changed us and they will know that God can also change them. We were not saved just to wait for the time that we will go to heaven, and for us to do what we want; we were saved in order to productively do the things that will attract people to the Savior, to let the world see the glory of God through us.

As a believer, are you productive for the Lord? Are you displaying through your life God's glory, his love, wisdom and grace? These are God's purposes for all whom he has saved.

EVERYTHING IS BECAUSE OF GRACE!


While I could simply end my message now since I have already presented what our lives were like before God saved us and what happened when God saved us, I would be doing a great injustice to our Scripture text because the text rightfully points out something of great importance – everything that has happened to us, everything that God had done to transform us is all because of his grace. If you look at our passage, the phrase, “it is by grace you have been saved” appears twice – in verses 5 and 8. We have often heard the definition of the word “grace” and it doesn't hurt that we be reminded again of what it means. The word “grace” in the New Testament means “unmerited favor”, in particular, the favor God bestows upon undeserving people. You see, none of us have anything good in us to merit God's salvation. In fact, we deserve God's judgment because of our sins. Yet, God chose to show grace to us by giving us a salvation we don't deserve and by removing the judgment and wrath that we so rightfully deserve. In verse 8, it records that even the ability to have faith in Jesus Christ is all a gift from God, a grace that he has bestowed. You see, left on our own, we would never believe in Jesus Christ. We would never repent of our sins. God had to give us the ability to do those things, that is why faith is even a gift from God.

CONCLUSION:

For all who are already followers of Jesus Christ, I want to encourage you with the following truths. Since we have already been saved and transformed, please live up to your new identity. Don't behave any longer like the world, like we belong to the devil. Instead, live with great confidence because God loves you very much such that he saved you, lavished you with his riches, and that you now belong to Him. Also, strive to live the holy life by doing good works that would honor God and show God's rich grace to others by proclaiming the Gospel and living the transformed life.

For those who have not yet believed in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, let me tell you right now, God is in the business of doing total makeovers in the broken lives of people. Maybe you're tired and you're feeling the unwanted burden of the sin-filled life; you want a new start where God is in control of your life. Would you like for God to come and change you? Would you like God to give you a new direction to aim and live for? God's amazing grace is available for you right now. I urge you, come to Him; repent of your sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Ask Him to save you now and to be your master. When you do so, you will experience new life, God's peace, a bright future ahead and a meaningful, purposeful life. If anyone is interested in doing that, you can come up to me after the service or look for any of our pastors and church leaders to tell you more about how you can be saved.

In closing, I would like for us to watch a music video produced by a church in the United States that beautifully depicts how God's grace can change people, even the worse of sinners. The song is Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone). Let's watch the video.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

CHOSEN - Preached June 05, 2011

CHOSEN!
Ephesians 1:3 – 6, 11

Introduction:

As kids, we often participate in team games or sports. Sometimes we invite ourselves to join in an ongoing game, at other times we have to be chosen to play for a team. I'm sure many of us can relate to the idea or concept of being chosen to play for a team or side. In fact, as kids, we would feel tense during the selection process because we want our names to be mentioned early on, as a sign that the one responsible for forming the team thinks that we are good players. If your name is mentioned near the end of the process of forming the team, you probably would feel inferior because you seemed like an afterthought, or just someone who would complete the roster of players. What is worse is if your name was never mentioned at all, meaning, the person in charge doesn't think you have it in you to be a player for his team, or he judges you to be a terrible player not worthy of a spot in your team. This is also true in professional basketball, especially during the time called the draft where teams are picking players. Some players just don't get chosen even though they may have excelled in college basketball.

I believe most, if not all, of us would like to be chosen to be part of something that we feel to be important or big. In fact, a sense of pride wells up when we have been chosen to be part of a sports team, or when we have been chosen by a premiere educational institution here in the Philippines or abroad, or when we are chosen to work for a prestigious multinational company. However, notice one thing from all these examples – you actually have to work on improving yourself if you want to strengthen your chances of being chosen. You see, you are in competition with many other people who wants the same spot on the team, or who wants to enter that great school, or to work for that big company. Your being chosen depends on whether or not you deserve the spot. This is how the world operates – if you want to be chosen, you have to prove beforehand that you are worthy to be part of the group or the team.

This morning, we launch our study on Paul's epistle to the Ephesian church. This morning, I will be looking into a section of Chapter 1, where Paul talks about God choosing us. Last April 17, Pastor Jay Banzuelo spoke already from verses 3 to 14, listing down the different blessings we have received from God. I want to narrow my focus to the subject about God choosing us. The idea of God choosing people to be saved is viewed as a blessing by some, and a controversial theme by others. I am not here to stir a hornet's nest regarding the thoughts of people like Calvin and Arminius, but to simply point out that, according to the Scriptures, God does choose people, and that it is a truth that needs to be accepted because it is in the Bible. I want for all of us to understand how God chose us, what he chose us for, and how we should live in light of the truth of his choosing us.

In our passage this morning, we find two words that talks of God choosing. The first word is the verb in the past tense – chose (v. 4). The second word is also in the past tense, the verb “predestined” (v. 5). Both words occur together in verse 11. In all instances where these two words occur, people are the objects of God's choice. God is the one who does the choosing. I would like for us to look at this first truth – it is God who chose.

God Chose Us First

The first truth about predestination or choosing or election is that it is God who chose first. It is never the other way around. What I mean is that it is God who initiated the process of salvation by choosing us to be saved. This is evident in how God, in the Old Testament, chose Abraham out of all the people in the world, to become the recipient of his grace and to become the channel of that grace to others. We also see this when God chose Israel to be the nation that he loves and protects. In the New Testament, we find the Lord Jesus telling his disciples right after some followers abandoned Him that no one can come to him unless it has been granted him by the Father (John 6:65). In 2 Timothy 1:9, Paul wrote that God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His purpose and grace. It is clear from these verses that salvation is very much God's work. He is the one who calls us to salvation. In 1 Peter 1:2, we are called the Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, for obedience to Jesus Christ. It is undeniable that the Scriptures talk about the election and predestination of people by God unto salvation. The emphasis I am driving at is this: God is the one who chooses us unto salvation. We cannot deny this truth. Now, how this truth really works out is actually something that we can never fully grasp, nor do we have the time to talk about it in detail this morning. I will leave it at that for now, but I would recommend that you read on the subject matter from good theology and Bible doctrine books.

Now, when God chose us to be saved, it was not something that he does as time goes on, as the situation unfolds. It is something that he has already done even before the world was created. In other words, God already had us in mind prior to his creating the earth. Our salvation was not an afterthought. He already planned for us to be saved.

One more thing about God choosing us, and that is, he chose us in spite of who we are and what we've done. When God chose Israel to be his people, it was not because they were the most populous nation (Deuteronomy 7:7 - 8). In fact Israel, compared to her neighboring countries, had a small population. Obviously, God was not choosing Israel because it was a strong and prosperous nation, because they were enslaved by Egypt. Instead, God chose Israel because he finds pleasure in her; he loved Israel. Likewise, when God chose us to be his people, it had nothing to do with the kind of person we are. He didn't go around choosing only the talented and gifted, the physically well-endowed, the financially capable, and the highly educated. In fact, if you look at the people whom God saves, it could be anyone, regardless of what their status in life may be. In 1 Corinthians 1:26 – 28, Paul described the people in the church this way: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. He then described them as being weak, foolish and lowly. Now, this doesn't mean that God doesn't save people who are rich, influential and noble, but what it shows us is that God does not play favorites. He can save someone who's rich and someone who's poor. He can save someone who comes from a good family and he can save someone who is sitting behind prison bars. He can save someone who has a degree from a prestigious school as well as someone who never finished elementary education.

God chose us, and its not the other way around. This is the first great truth that we learn about election and predestination.

God's Purposes for Choosing Us

We now look into the purposes as to why God chose us. Today's passage gives us some answers as to why God chose us. The most obvious purpose that I see in this passage is so that we might be holy and blameless before him. Let us look at the meaning of these two words. The word “holy” in the Greek is the word “Hagios”. Hagios in the New Testament carries the idea of being different. It means Christians, as God's chosen people, are to live differently than the rest of the world. The word also carries the idea of being separate, of belonging to no one else but to the Lord.

What are the implications of the two definitions of “holy” for us? It means God wants us to live each day with a perspective or worldview that is different from that of the world's because we belong to Him already. Because I belong to God through the salvation given by Christ, I should live a life that reflects that new ownership. I should no longer be following the ways of the world, I should no longer be doing that which my sinful nature dictates; what it means is that my behavior and thought must reflect my new nature. My mouth should no longer use words that are insulting and crude. My mind should not dwell on lustful and evil thoughts, but on God's Word and on things that are beautiful in God's eyes. My hands should no longer be quick to commit sin but should be used for serving God. What the sinful world teaches to be the norm, I must be the exception. If my classmate cheats in school, I will study hard and not cheat. If my colleagues in the office steal office property, I will not allow myself to do such a thing. If a motorist bribes a traffic enforcer, I will receive the ticket and pay the fine in the right government office. If my friends are all looking at websites that are impure, I will keep my eyes from looking at such things. Those are the implications of holiness. I will be different from the world because I don't belong to the world, I belong to God, to Jesus Christ.

The other word mentioned by Paul is the word “blameless.” The Greek word is “Amomos”. The word gives us the picture of the sacrificial system wherein an unblemished or perfect animal is brought before the altar to be sacrificed. If you are familiar with the Old Testament, you would know that every Israelites who wants to make a sacrifice must bring the very best to God. The best animal, the one that had no injury or defect whatsoever, was the only one acceptable as a sacrifice. Here, Paul is using the word to say we are to behave in such a way that no one can say anything wrong about us; no one will be able to find any reason to accuse us of being ungodly. While the word holy is about living a life dedicated to the Lord such that we are different from the world, blameless is all about living in such a way that people cannot validly criticize you regarding your faith in Jesus Christ. No one can ever accuse you of being a hypocrite or that you are disobedient to the Lord.

Now, it isn't easy to live a holy and blameless life. We can never perfectly live that kind of a life; however, I believe when we trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, what happened was that we were made holy and blameless in the sight of God. The fact that the believers were already called saints (v. 1) meant that they were already holy and blameless. So, what God wants for us to do is to actually live out our identity, to be who we really are in Christ. A dog barks, not meows. A duck quacks, not honks. A saint must live out a holy and blameless life, not a sin-filled life.

Aside from choosing us in order that we may be holy and blameless, we were also predestined for adoption (v. 5). This means we have been chosen to become part of God's family. Along with this comes the inheritance (v. 11) that is now rightfully ours as heirs. Our adoption into his family is for one particular reason – it is for the praise of his glory. It is to elicit and praise and worship from our lips and our lives. When you think about it – that God would choose someone like you and I to become his children and to lavish them with his riches, wouldn't that move you to worship? It should! That is why we should constantly remind ourselves of how blessed we are as God's children! When we do so, I guarantee that we can stop complaining about the problems we face and the things we don't have and start worshiping and praising God.

God has chosen us so that we may live a holy and blameless life, and that we may bring glory to God. Are you living the kind of life that God wants for you to live out?

God's Choosing Includes His Blessing

Finally, when God chose us to be his children, it includes the lavishing of his blessings upon us. Check out what Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:3. Here Paul declared that God the Father has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (ESV). Take note of the word “every”. This word is used before a singular noun and it refers to all the individual members of a set. God's spiritual blessings are numerous and they are all ours in Christ Jesus. Look at all the blessings listed in Ephesians 1: adoption, redemption, forgiveness, the revelation of His will, union with God in Christ, a glorious inheritance, the Holy Spirit. These are all ours because we are God's chosen people. In 2 Peter 1:3, we read also that God's divine power has granted us all things that pertain to life and godliness. Wow. God's blessings upon his people encompasses everything – our salvation and our sanctification. He has given us everything we need to save us and to help us live a holy life.

In light of this truth – that when God chose us to be his people, he also blessed us with everything we need – we do not need to feel inadequate. That is why Paul could boldly say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).” He knew that God, through Christ, has already given him everything he needed to live the Christian life victoriously and to serve God faithfully. It's time that we who have already been chosen and saved by the grace of God to stop saying, “I can't do it” or “I don't know how” when God is calling us to serve Him; it's time to stop compromising your faith and give in to sin. God has already given us every spiritual blessing that is needed by us to live a victorious life; remember that.

An important thing to note is that the blessings are spiritual. It is called spiritual blessings because God bestows his blessings to us through the blessed Holy Spirit who comes and resides in us. What you receive here on earth, namely the material blessings, are just the bonuses that God showers upon you. While we all need material things to survive here on earth, remember that what is most important is that the spiritual resources we need is freely available and is ours already in Christ. Therefore, don't focus too much of your life pursuing the things of this world but make the Kingdom of God your highest priority in life. Live in obedience to him, love him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.



Conclusion:

This morning we've examined what it means when God chose us. We learned that God chose us first, and he chose us even before the world was created. We also learned that he chose us in order for us to become holy and blameless in Him, as well as for us to bring glory and honor to Him. Finally, when God chose us, he blessed us with everything we needed for salvation and godliness.

The point in talking about the subject of God choosing us is not meant to be fuel for theological debate. Instead, as we reflect on the subject, let it drive us to worship God. Jesus Christ has already secured our salvation since ages past, let us give glory to Him by how we will spend the rest of our lives here on earth.