Roger's Postings

Saturday, July 14, 2012


Ephesians 1:3-14.        Chosen; so we can be bold!!                           15/7/12
Amos 7:7-15

 (3)  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. {4} For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love {5} he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- {6} to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. {7} In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace {8} that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. {9} And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, {10} to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. {11} In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, {12} in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. {13} And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, {14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

 What are we going to do about all the various situations that we face in life: both within our church and in our everyday life? How far are we prepared to go in righting those things that we can do something about? In standing up for what is right? And for calling people back to God and what he has to say to us? Are we prepared to listen, also? Above all, what is the basis from which we will set about doing these things? What is it that is going to enable us to step out and have the confidence, boldness, and ability to do these things?

Now our readings today suggest that we are a chosen people, with a special task at hand. A special task that is far from easy: and in fact which can be very uncomfortable and difficult. Here we are called on to be bold: Called on to get on with the job which is before us even though it will be difficult, and is not what is in step with popular thinking today.

In the Old Testament reading today God tells Amos – a farmer – a very ordinary bloke – that he has to stand up and warn the people, and the leaders of the country, that they are going to lose their country because they refuse to listen to God and live according to his word. He has to stand up in the king’s church and condemn his actions. Even the established church leaders disapproved of Amos because he was making things uncomfortable for them and their popularist teachings. He was saying things which did not allow the people to sit comfortable and think that all in the garden was rosy, that they could live as they please and it doesn’t matter.

 Now maybe that is what we are called on today to do also. To stand up and warn others that the present direction is wrong and that we need to turn back to God in repentance and seek again to live in accordance with his word: If not we as a nation are finished also. Now that is not a comfortable message to give: but I believe a most necessary one today.

In the Gospel reading, we heard how John the Baptist lost his head, because he dared to stand up to the king and tell him that he was wrong in marrying his brother’s wife. Because he dared to speak God’s word into the situation, he did not win the favour of many people and in particular Herod’s wife, and so lost his life. Jesus also did the very same thing. He proclaimed to the people that they too needed to heed God’s word, which declared that they were sinful and did not measure up to God’s standards, and so needed to look to God alone for their salvation rather than in their own goodness, and he to lost his life for doing so.

 So can we today expect any less, for standing up and proclaiming the truth of God’s word? Standing up for the truth and continuing in the way that God has set down for us has never been easy, and will not be for us either. However, I know I for one, can do no other. That is what he has saved us for and called us to do.

 The message here from Paul to the Ephesians is that we can go on and do what has to be done as faithful Christians. We can face whatever comes our way when we stand up for the truth and proclaim God’s word, because we are chosen by God. The whole message here is that God has taken care of our lives; our salvation is secure in Jesus Christ. He has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. So, in God’s realm and scheme of things we have everything that we could ever possibly need. We have everything that is important.

 Yes, we are told, he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. He chose us for perfection. That is you and me that he is talking about. God himself had his eyes set on us, to be his special people. He has forgiven us, and given us what he need so that we can go forward and do what has to be done.

 But I can hear you saying to yourselves; something has obviously gone horribly wrong. That is not the way we are. We are anything but perfect and holy and blameless. We are not and cannot be these special people that he has in mind. Is that so? Are we really that far off being what God has in mind? Well yes, and no. When we look here [at ourselves] we don’t even come close to it. We in fact have missed the mark completely. But no, let us here take note of what God himself tells us. He chose us IN CHRIST before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

 So, in our connection with the Lord Jesus Christ it is a whole new ballgame. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. Through Jesus’ death on the cross we have been bought back: the price has been paid for our forgiveness. We are now accepted by God as his perfect people. We have been adopted  back into his family, through baptism. So the whole situation has been reversed for us. In Christ; through Christ; by Christ; in his grace, we are holy and blameless. We are his perfect people: his very own sons and daughters. So now, despite what we see when we look here, we know that we are new people; holy people. In Christ we are what he is.

 Now that surely turns the tables on everything for us. Now then we can look to him, wanting to be close to him: in him. Now we can seek to do what he wants; with him being what is all important for us. All of our praise: our focus: our lives are centred in him. Not in ourselves and our thinking. Not in our world and what it sees as important. No: In Jesus Christ and in him alone. He himself has chosen us, and cleansed us; and adopted us; and blessed us with every spiritual blessing. So that side of life is secure. It is all together: thanks be to Christ and to the praise of his glorious grace.

 With that then, we can now go forward with all boldness and hope. We can, and now surely want to, live in him. We want to uphold his word and his truth. We want others to know and be a part of all of this that our great God has done for us. We will want others to hear the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation. We will want them too to be adopted into God’s family through baptism. We want to do and say what God wants us to do and say.

 When God commands us to live and act differently we will do so as best we possibly can. When he calls us to look away from ourselves and what we want to do, and instead focus on what he has in mind, we will seek to do so as much as we can. When he calls us to remain faithful to the teachings of his Church which have been passed down through the ages, we will listen and humbly seek to do so. When he calls us to warn one another of the dangers that are before us, we will gently and yet boldly do so. When we need to stand up against the lies and deceptions of our society around about us, we will now try our very best to do just that.

 When we are placed under serious pressure we will look to him who is the author and perfector of our faith. For we know that in him we are holy and blameless because of the forgiveness that is extended to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. He has extended his grace to us and he will be there for us in the most horrendous times, for he has chosen us to be his now and always. He will be at work for us and through us and our weakness.

 That being the case let us be as bold as Amos; as trusting and dependant as the twelve disciples; and all the while remaining in the Lord Jesus Christ. At the same time may all the “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”  AMEN.

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

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