…so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Church of All Nations is located next to the Garden of Gethsemane on Mount of Olives outside the Old City of Jerusalem. It was built from contributions from Christians around the world from many nations.

There are plenty of problems with and in the Christian Church today – the visible, church on earth, that is. We’ve experienced the reality of that “up close and personal” over the years. Church fights about worship styles, misunderstandings about programs, challenges of financial mis-dealings, and even pastoral and priestly scandals of all kinds. The charge that there are hypocrites in the church is difficult to refute. But for reasons of God’s own choosing the church is the means by which the manifold wisdom of God is to be revealed.

We might well criticize ourselves – or at least give ourselves a careful and humble self-evaluation – seeking to become more fully reflective of the grace, goodness, humility, love, and kindness of Jesus to the world. We might seek to adopt an attitude of humility and gentleness, taking ourselves down a notch or two on the smugness scale. But we must never overlook that somehow the church is the means by which God has revealed his wisdom.

Look closely also at to whom that wisdom of God is revealed: “to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” God’s desire is for all people, powers, authorities, and rulers would see the splendor of his wisdom through the church. We – together as the body of Christ – reveal something about God. He is wise beyond measure and good from the core of his being. Your presence and mine in the body of believers is testimony of that. We do well to express that truth because we are God’s people. We didn’t become his people by anything we did, but by his grace in Jesus Christ. Now we can demonstrate his work in our lives by rejoicing with all believers in our identity as God’s beloved people in Jesus Christ our Lord. We can be bold in approaching his throne of grace, and confident in faith of his good will toward us.

The church on earth is not perfect. But we worship a perfect, gracious, loving and good God who has called us to a unity within Christ’s body. For that we can be truly thankful.

Ephesians 3:1-13

¹ For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, ³ how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. ⁴ When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. ⁶ This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

 ⁷ Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

¹ Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
² Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.

Sunrise on the Sea of Galilee - "O Lord, how manifold are your works; in wisdom you have made them all." Psalm 104:24

We learned last night of a tragic auto accident involving a colleague in ministry and his family. Saturday afternoon, Jeff and Laura Geske, and their children were involved in an automobile accident.  Laura and two of the children — Joy and Joshua — were killed.  Jeff and Jacob are hospitalized.  We are keeping Jeff and Jacob in our prayers.

Somehow these words from Psalm 29 spoke to me this morning in the face of this tragedy. Certainly other passages of comfort will speak to us through this time of grief and sadness. The hope of the resurrection and the promise of eternal life will ring true in the hearts of many. God’s goodness, presence, love, and providential care will also be treasures to hold in our hearts.

But there is something about the holiness of God – the splendor of his holiness that invites our worship, our focus, praise, and thanksgiving. God’s holiness – his “otherness” – is glorious. He is so unlike anything else in all the earth. He is unlike death. He is unlike sin. He is unlike accident. He is unlike chaos and upheaval, and distress. He is glorious in holiness and grace, love, and goodness. He is worthy to be praised.

In the closing verses of this psalm (bel0w) David expresses the truth that the Lord is enthroned over the waters; he sits enthroned over the flood. When tragedy strikes we have an opportunity to turn to or to turn away from God. I am turning to God this morning for comfort and perspective. In him alone is our hope and salvation; life and redemption.

Psalm 29

A Psalm of David.

¹ Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
² Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.

³ The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over many waters.
⁴ The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

⁵ The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶ He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
⁸ The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

¹⁰ The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
¹¹ May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace!

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

The beautifully-simple arches of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem

We didn’t see it coming, but it surely did have an impact. We were in the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem. We had just sung two stanzas of “A Mighty Fortress” (you can’t sing just the first stanza, it ends with “on earth is not his [the devil's] equal.”). We were enjoying the moment when a woman marched down the center aisle of the church, went to the altar, threw the Bible and Bible stand onto the floor, moved candle and the cross, and began to try to light the candle – an act of defiance, if not potential vandalism. When church officials came to the altar, replaced the Bible and stand, candles and flowers, and quieted her. She then turned to us and made motions with her hands indicating that we were crazy, and that we were going to hell. All this during a week in Jerusalem celebrating and praying for Christian unity! So it’s interesting that my devotions have me here in Ephesians where that topic of Christian unity is so clearly established.

Our unity is a gift from God through the blood of Christ. This is not something for which we strive. Unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace is something which we are to be eager to maintain – as Paul expresses in 4:3. Because of Christ, and in connection to him walls have been broken down and we all have been reconciled to God. That, Paul says, kills the hostility.

Jesus’ message is one of peace to all as shown by the announcement of his birth by angels, “Peace on earth…” as well as Jesus’ initial greeting at his resurrection, “Peace be with you.” If that’s so, why are we still fighting? Why, then, did this woman intrude into our time of celebration? Why is there such sharp dispute over the “ownership” of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher that no improvements (even replacing a broken window!) are allowed to happen because one group might take credit and gain an upper hand in claiming that space? Why do churches have fights over carpet colors, worship practices, and any number of other issues?

The obvious answer is sin. And the answer to sin is Jesus’ shed blood, repentance and faith. If we were to live in a state of true humility, seeking God’s favor and seeking to serve him in his kingdom, we would be less likely to bicker and more likely to express the unity that is such a precious gift. I don’t know where that woman came from or where she went (they told us later that she was a troubled woman who had caused trouble before). But I do know that God’s desire is for her to embrace with us the peace of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

This panoramic view of Jerusalem shows the Old City, with the imposing Dome of the Rock mosque on the Temple Mount. The Western (wailing) Wall of the Temple Mount is opposite side of the Temple Mount - this being taken from the east with the morning sun bathing the city. There are many tombs and several cemeteries on the western side of the Kidron Valley which runs through the foreground of this photo. The Garden of Gethsemane, and mount of Olives is also on this side of the Kidron Valley. (Click on photo for full size image.)

We just returned from a trip to Israel. It was wonderful, inspring, enlightening – an enriching experience! High on the list of blessings during our trip was our guide. A messianic Jew, Yehuda gave impassioned expression to the desire for Jerusalem to be prosperous, for Israel to be a strong state, and for the Jewish people to flourish, coming to Yeshua (Jesus) in repentance and faith. It seems as though we gentile Christians don’t really know how to treat our Jewish believers – much the same way the Jewish believers didn’t know how to treat the new gentile converts in the early days of the Christian church (cf. Acts 15)!

Having arrived home, however, I have gained a new and deeper perspective for the blessings of having a home; a place to come to. And I can certainly understand the Jewish desire for a safe and secure homeland. They take that quite seriously, by the way, as was evidenced by the security process at the airport in Tel Aviv as we left. It’s clear to me that they profile people, and they were also quite thorough in questioning me as the group leader (there were 15 of us) as to our activities, origins, and interactions before and during our trip.

Having said all that, it is good to remember that we have a home with God. It is an eternal, heavenly home. It is our true home. And it was made possible by Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and grace. We are being built into a holy temple in the Lord as a dwelling place for the Spirit. We may fret about the fact that the Dome of the Rock – the third most holy sites of Islam – sits on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem; its golden-domed splendor stealing the thunder and glory from the many Christian churches and Jewish synagogues also in that city. We may not understand the total Jewish rejection of a Palestinian state. We may not know how to relate with the Jewish believers in Jesus. But we can rejoice in our mutual – Jew and Gentile – place in the Kingdom of God. And we can remember that we are citizens of heaven, and we will not be home until we are at rest in Him.

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

A riddle: The rich need it. The poor have it. It is stronger than God. It is more evil than the devil. If you eat it you will die. What is it? Nothing. The rich need nothing. The poor have nothing. Nothing is stronger than God. Nothing is more evil than the devil. And if you eat nothing you will die. It’s not so much of a riddle, but a truth abides in the words of Paul that is worthy of note: all  of us need the peace of Christ. That’s not to say we don’t have it; it is a gift that he freely gives. But we need it like we need oxygen; without it we die. Those who are near to God and those who are estranged need peace from God.

We need peace because we are estranged from God apart from Christ. We need peace because we do struggle with one another – even within the body of Christ. We need peace because our hearts are not at rest until they rest in Jesus. There is something greatly comforting in Jesus’ message of peace to those far and near. Whether we are feeling close to God or estranged from him, Jesus’ message to us is peace. That’s a welcome gift that comes with the Holy Spirit’s presence in our hearts.

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— ¹² remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ Forhe himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Photo Credit: City Pictures

We’re headed to Israel tomorrow. It should be a wonderful trip. Fifteen of us will see the sites of the Holy Land – the places were Jesus walked, taught, lived, died, and rose from the dead. We’ll see the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Jordan River, the Wailing Wall, Dome of the Rock, the Place of the Skull – all the sites that tourists and pilgrims visit. We’ll also see the people of that land to whom Jesus came, and from whom we had been estranged until Christ came.

Now we who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. We who had no claim on God now claim him as our own. We who were strangers to the promises of the covenant live in the new covenant. We are now fellow citizens with all of God’s household where Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, and where God the Father dwells by the Spirit.

We take all this so for granted these days. We almost presume that we have a place in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes we act as though we are doing God a favor by believing in him, as though access to the throne of grace is a given, and somehow we bless God by turning to him. Truth is being part of God’s kingdom is a great privilege. We had no rights before him. We were not sons of the covenant. But we now have equal access to God the Father through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I suspect that there will be people in Israel who deny our legitimacy as sons and daughters of Abraham. But I pray that we will rejoice in the common hope we have with all who call on Jesus as Lord, and that we will experience and express the truth of these words: “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

We’ll call him Roger (not his real name). When I think of person who was a show-off, I immediately think of Roger. My mother told me that a show-off was insecure. But I didn’t believe it at the time. I was simply in awe. When he crashed a party I gave I was actually impressed: Roger actually showed up at my party?!? Wow, that almost made me cool. But I lived in his shadow; he was cool. I was a nobody.

Imagine the surprise I feel to know that not only was my mom right about show-offs, but you and I and all who believe in Jesus are being shown as evidence of God’s goodness, love, and salvation. We’re not show-offs; we are being displayed as trophies of God’s grace. He is a show-off — but not the kind that my classmate was. For God is not insecure (Roger was – more than I knew). His display of us as trophies of his grace is not self-serving; it is testimony of his goodness so that all may see his grace and believe and have the gift of life.

I feel sorry for Roger; I don’t think he was headed in a good direction. I suspect that unless he changed his way, that his life is litered with broken marriages, estranged children, empty relationships, and lots of money and outward success. There is no security in that. But as a trophy of God’s grace we have an eternal security, a rich inheritance, and a glorious future – all in Christ Jesus. That’s better than having to be a show-off any day.

¹ And you were dead in the trespasses and sins…⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

We were dead. We couldn’t save ourselves. All was lost. But Christ came and suffered and died for us. He released us from the death sentence; the penalty for our sins. But too late! We were already dead. The sentence had been carried out. So when Christ was raised from the dead, he brought us up from the death of sin. We are now alive in Christ.

Why did God do this? Because he is rich in mercy; he sees our plight and comes to our rescue. Why is God rich in mercy? Because he loves us with a great love. How great is his love? So great that he would not let even our self-inflicted death-by-sin stand in the way of his love. And by all that he seated us with Christ in the heavenly places.

It’s a little understood reality that we who have been saved are destined for glory. That means that in the end, we won’t be saved by the skin of our teeth; we won’t “just get in the door of heaven,” as I heard one woman describe it recently. We will be glorified. We who were dead will not only be alive – eternally! – we will be exalted with Christ.

The profound implications of that reality are expressed in the remainder of Ephesians. The principle is found in Ephesians 2:8-10. The specifics work themselves out in humility before God (Ephesians 3), participation in God’s mission (Ephesians 4), in marriage and family relationships (Ephesians 5 & 6), all in the context of the sweet blessing of community (Ephesians 6:21-24).

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

If the center of your faith and heart is not the grace of God in Jesus Christ you will find yourself headed in a different direction as you enter eternity. For some that will be extraordinarily good news. For others, not so much. In Ephesians 1:6, the phrase “praise of his glorious grace” points us toward the true desire of God for his fame and glory. Here the purpose of Jesus’ redemptive work is expressed: “so that in the coming ages…riches of his grace…”

To be sure in other places in the New Testament we discover more about God’s purposes in our redemption: that we may live for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15); that we might bear fruit (John 15:16); that others may glorify God (Matthew 5:14-16), to name just a few. The praise of God’s grace is not the monotonic drone of his effete and zombie-like minions. Rather, the chorus of praise for God’s grace radiates from that center in acts of kindness, love, mercy, blessing and good works – all of God’s working.

Martin Luther, himself the champion of “grace alone” theology says as much in explaining the second article of the Apostles’ Creed. “Jesus…is my Lord,” he says, who purchased and won me from sin and death…”that I may be his own and live under him in his kingdom and serve him…” eternally. Somehow even our service to Christ, our life under him on this day will one day be a display of “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” I, for one, want to keep that foremost in my mind, and look forward to that celebration with great anticipation!

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

One of my favorite songs is by Philips, Craig, and Dean, called His Favorite Song of All. It expresses the joy of God over one sinner who repents of his sins and puts his faith in Jesus Christ. The glory of God is his grace. We have been saved by grace. Surely that is worthy of praise to God – more than anything else. I wonder, however, if I miss the workmanship of God and fail to give him the credit he deserves for his work in peoples’ lives. Truth is, God’s grace is more than a cause for a mantra of praise; it is a powerful force in the life of the believer which does a work in his heart. We rightly praise God for his work of redemption – more than for anything else.

But when we see evidence of God’s work in the life of a believer by means of a kindness done or a blessing shared, it is cause for praise to God. God is moving him or her along a path of his own design with opportunities for good works, acts of kindness, generosity, mercy and love already prepared for him.

Whenever I see the work of a true craftsman – especially a wood-worker for some reason – I am impressed, and almost in awe. Someone who is truly good at his trade makes an impression on me. I guess it’s because they combine skill with knowledge and a love for their craft. So I want to be very aware of God’s work in the lives of others and praise him for his workmanship in their lives as well as my own. That’s when “We have been saved by grace” becomes far more than a mantra. It becomes the foundation for a life of good works that brings praise to God every day.

Ephesians 2

¹ And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.