Remodeling

Ephesians 2:14-22

Have you ever been part of a complete home remodel? When the old structure isn’t working, a new plan is needed which sometimes includes firming up the foundation.  Without a solid foundation whatever’s built on top may crumble and fall.

Unfortunately, I know a little something about this.  I have cracks in my 2^nd floor bedroom wall that are the result of miscalculations in the framing on the first floor.  The cracks have been patched over but keep coming back.  I’ve been assured the place isn’t going to collapse – thank goodness - but have been told if I want the wall permanently fixed, they’re going to have to redo a lot of stuff.

I think that’s what today’s passage is about…Jesus came to redo a lot of stuff.  He came to create something new because what they had was crumbling.  The laws that people were holding onto were creating hostility.

Jesus came to tear down the walls of division and rebuild the Kingdom with a new foundation - Himself.  He also used the apostles and prophets to create a foundation that would withstand generations and generations of “wear and tear.”

But Jesus’ work isn’t complete.  He continues to build his Kingdom one brick at a time.  And we are those bricks.  Each person plays an important role in the new dwelling God is creating.  Some of us make up the kitchen, while others the entryway, bathrooms, bedrooms, study, living room, etc...  Together we create God’s holy house.

Father, thank you for sending your Son to redo the stuff that isn’t working.  May we be open to a revised floorplan that better suits the life you want us to lead.  Amen.

Dead or Alive: Who Can Tell?

READ: Romans 8:5-8

My grandfather is dead. Physically dead. Embalmed, buried, resting under a tombstone. If I dug him up, heaved him over my shoulder, and the two of us came to visit you, would you have a hard time telling who’s alive and who’s dead?

If you can see, smell, touch, or hear, then no. There’s a big difference between alive and dead!

Ephesians 2 says that we were dead in our sins, gratifying the cravings of our flesh, when God made us alive with Christ. Spiritually dead. Spiritually alive. Shouldn’t there be a big difference?

Yet how often we hear, “You’re a Christian? I’ve known you for years. I didn’t know you were a Christian!” “Yep, go to church every Sunday. Don’t feel the need to broadcast it, though. It’s more of a personal thing for me.”

We are physically alive. We don’t need to broadcast it. It’s not a personal thing. We’re alive. You see us and you know.

We who have been saved by God’s grace are spiritually alive in Christ. When people see us, they should know.

Yet often they don’t. Why is that? Because we still live much of our lives gratifying the cravings of our flesh, following our selfish desires and caring nothing for the desires of God. Sure, we believe in Christ and want salvation and blessings, but our minds are set on ourselves, not on what the Spirit desires. We don’t look different because we aren’t different. If the mind governed by the flesh is death, we’re just dead people being propped up by our church friends and made to look alive.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

Follow that will—the will of God, the desires of the Spirit—and you will appear very alive indeed!

Guess What He Got You?!

Ephesians 2:4-10

Who doesn’t love getting a gift??  The fact that someone cares enough to pick out something and give it to you is a big deal.  Getting gifts is great, but giving them can be even more impactful.  I love seeing the joy in someone’s eyes when I give them a special gift.

Imagine the joy God feels when we accept the gifts He presents to us, most especially his gift of grace.  One of my absolute favorite lines in the Bible is Ephesians 2:8, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Whenever I hear this I always seem to breathe a little easier.  It’s not up to me to do enough, or read enough, or pray enough or BE enough.  I AM enough.
 
Thank God, it’s not up to us.  God does the heavy lifting.  All we have to do is trust and receive.

Reading today’s passage again, I noticed a few things.  In verse 4 it talks about “his great love.”  Verse 7 says, “his grace expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”  The passage is all about HIS mercy and HIS gift of grace.  See, it’s about HIM, not us.  He’s the one giving and we’re the ones receiving.

So, breathe a sigh of relief and accept the gift God is giving you, because it’s the greatest gift you’ll ever get!