Don't Miss the Details

Have you ever started reading a book and then been tempted to skip to the last few pages?  It’s a practice I would not recommend.  It’s so frustrating because you don’t know the details of the story.  You don’t know why the heroine moved to Scotland and took up knitting or how the hero wound up in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.  Likewise, if the readers of Ephesians skipped the first 5 chapters and went straight to the last page where Paul commands us to: “Put on the whole armor of God, …” (Ephesians 6:11 ESV) they would have missed the details.

For the longest time I would get hung up on the individual pieces of the armor, trying to understand the purpose of a breastplate or understand how the breastplate hooked on to the belt.  I was missing the main idea behind the armor.  When I went back and read Chapters 1-5 again, chapter 3 verse 19b jumped off the page. Paul writes: “that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19b ESV).  The fullness of Christ means to take on His attributes, His character, His Holiness, His Righteousness, His Peace. In other words, put on Christ, take on His nature and live it out in your daily life.   

Don’t miss the details: Applying all of the Gospel (Chapters 1-3) to all of your life (Chapter 4-5) is putting on the armor of God. 

-Brenda Wooff

Don't Play With Snakes

As we continue in Ephesians’ instructions for a Christian household, this week’s scripture brings us to how children should act. Whether you have children or not, we are all children. Physically here on earth but also to our heavenly father. Thankfully, Paul’s instructions are simple.

Obey.

That’s it. Too bad simple and easy do not always correlate. Whether it’s to your parents (earthly or heavenly), a teacher, coach, manager, or an elected official, it’s easy to push against instruction. The reasons are plentiful, but the root lies in our pride of thinking we know what is right or best.

Looking back on my adolescence, these verses sting a bit as I certainly thought I had life figured out. I’m grateful my parents continued to give me fish instead of snakes (Matthew 7 9:12), as I was wrong way more often than right and their steady guidance has greatly shaped me to this day. Sometimes you just have to smile at God’s sense of humor as I see some of my unwelcomed tendencies in my young kids, but thankfully Paul also provides a simple message on parenting.

“Do not exasperate your children, instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Also simple but as we lead our children, or a friend, co-worker, relative, if they can see us obeying Jesus’ teachings, how much more likely will they obey the instruction provided to them?

-Alex Pfister

A Profound Mystery

Every once in awhile, I enjoy reading a good mystery.  The trouble is that not all books I’ve read under this genre have turned out to be worth the time I invested.  It can be quite satisfying when I find a good author I can count on to produce a puzzling mystery time and again.  Once I trust an author, I will look for other books written by them.  Even with all that, I don’t think any of these kinds of mysteries have had any lasting impact on my way of life.

In the text this week, Paul continues to discuss the ministry of the Gospel revealed through the marriage relationship.  He describes the phenomenon of unity in marriage as a profound mystery that depicts the connection between Christ Jesus and His church.  Think about those two words “profound” and “mystery” and how they pertain to Jesus and His relationship with us.  The words of this passage challenge me as a husband and also amaze me as I ponder the love that Jesus has demonstrated for us as His church.      

I must say that the marriage journey has been the greatest test of my faith.  I’m ever indebted for what Jesus has done to lead me in how to cherish and nurture the relationship God has blessed me to have with my dear wife.  I can love her well because Jesus loves me well.  Our marriage has impressed on me so much about the Gospel and the love of God for both of us.  If we didn’t stick with the investment we had originally made together in this marriage, we both would’ve missed out on much more that’s been unveiled over time through our marriage about the riches of God’s love.  I trust in the continuing work of Jesus in my life because I’ve experienced so much about His love in the context of marriage.  God is still using this powerful illustration of the Gospel shown through marriage to sanctify me.

The profound mystery that Paul speaks of in this text is so worth our attention!  It’s worth the investment of time to reflect on the love story between Jesus and His church because the Author of our faith never disappoints!  Even more, the profound mystery Paul describes here will leave an everlasting impact on our lives!  May we know the love of Jesus as it’s revealed in the love of a husband and wife unified together and on mission for Christ.  May we walk in step with the Spirit seeking to glorify God in all things.  And may we continue to trust our Heavenly Father as the Perfector of our faith who leads us to and through all things.  Let us discover more about this deep personal connection we really have with Jesus as the Lover of our souls.

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,   

Jon 

Do You See My Heart?

I’ve studied and wrestled with this week’s passage of scripture for months, and in a way I don’t often with other passages. I kept asking the Lord questions like “What does this mean for me?” “How do I obey this?” “Am I doing this right? Are you happy with me, God?” After I’d exhausted myself contemplating participles and historical context, the Lord said to me “Do you see my heart?”

I didn’t. I couldn’t. I was asking the wrong question. And finally, instead of looking to the text and asking about the command I was supposed to follow, I looked at the text and asked God to show me his heart.

It’s easy to yield to your husband when he’s right, you’re safe and you know you are loved. When any one of these is uncertain, submitting is much harder. I can submit to Jesus because all of these things are always true. It’s difficult to submit to a husband (or government or elders or even other believers) because they aren’t Jesus. Yet, the Bible calls us to do this very thing. Why?

In Jesus’ high priestly prayer before his betrayal and arrest, He asked this of His Father: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Jesus prayed for unity for all those who already believed in him, and all those who ever would. Why would this be on Jesus’ mind even as the crucifixion loomed ahead?

So that the world would believe.

When a human body functions as it should, we don’t think about what it’s doing or why it’s doing it. All the parts work in unison. It’s when a problem arises and some part isn’t working correctly, that we ask questions. When a marriage functions as it should, no one is thinking too much about submission, but when something is off, we start pointing fingers.

What is God’s heart for marriage? That a husband and wife would be one. Why? Because the words of Genesis 2:24- “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”, reveal a profound mystery about Christ and the Church- our unity with Him.

In v. 21 Paul tells us we “submit to one another out of love for Christ”. This directive isn’t only for wives, or even women. It’s for all who believe in Christ. A wife understands what this call to yield to another looks like in a unique way because it happens in a marriage. But a wife isn’t only, always yielding, because a Christian husband is called to this as well. It’s a mutual submission. When a marriage works as God designed, at times, both will yield to one another.

Submission looks different in every marriage, but when we trust in Christ, His Holy Spirit comes to live within us. It’s the Spirit that shows us how this best works out in our own marriage. When we make rules about who should do the finances or lead family devotions or a million other things, we miss God’s heart- that we would be in one accord, and the unity in our marriage would show the world something about our Savior.

I couldn’t write on these verses without also adding this; God’s heart is that wives in marriages would be loved, cherished and nourished just as Christ continually does those things for His church. His heart is never for a wife to be abused. Jesus was continually restoring dignity to the women he encountered. If you and/or your children are being harmed by your husband, please do not keep it a secret in the name of submission.

Church, may God be glorified in our marriages, and may we experience true unity that brings us comfort and joy.

-Natalie

The Will of The Lord

I love how the Bible always points to Jesus! Like a map with a key! I give praise because I have several Bibles displayed all over my home! One is the ancient one passed down from family member to family member with each name and birth date written in it. Safely stored in a cedar box, with a cross carved on the outside and a picture of Jesus on the inside. It is rarely opened as the pages have become brittle, and the binding is falling apart. The next is a Bible I received when I graduated from High School, not quite as ancient as the first but getting there. This one is a small study Bible, the pages are highlighted, underlined with notes written in the margin, it’s the one I write in. Recently, I was able to purchase what I call my all grown up big ole study Bible. It has all the answers, and holding it makes me look like I know what I am talking about. Instant street cred. Feeling like a grown up as I researched what Bible would be best for me, how to use it, is it true to translation. I even got to pick out the color - my favorite shade of green - and had it personally engraved with little gold lettering on the front “Pray to open.” A reminder to myself. I can’t take credit for coming up with that engraving on my own as I heard someone else has it on their Bible and I thought it was clever. Then there is the handy Bible-to-go, any Bible App for your phone or any internet search engine.  Praise God I have all these Bibles! Hallelujah that I can still talk about them and display them out for all to see! For right now, many of our brothers and sisters in Christ must hide their Bibles, being killed or imprisoned if caught with even a one. Oh, how precious is the word of God.

With the blessing of having so many Bibles all with slightly different translations from thee to thou, to you and your, it is easy to get lost in translation. Looking at this week’s reading of Eph 5:15-21, I became stuck on verse 17. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Humm. Do I know what the will of the Lord is? In times of troubles and crises, it is always said “If it’s God’s will” as if we aren’t sure what God’s will for us is. Sometimes, it’s almost as if we are giving God a pass or justification if it doesn’t seem to pan out in our favor. Yet do we know how it should have turned out if we don’t know God’s will for us. Here Paul says, “understand what the will of the Lord is.” I’ll be honest, when I read this, I was thrown to a halt. Paul writes as if he knows God’s will and tells us that we should understand it. I thought God’s will was kind of a mystery only God knows, and yes, there are many things God knows that I sure do not. Yet this is not the case with what Paul is saying.

So… I turned to my big ole adult Bible and looked at the notes, I go to Romans:12-2 and do not be conformed to this world, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. There it is again and this time I am to prove it, what is the will of God and will I prove it to others? What does He will me to do? On to Ephesians 5:10, learn what is pleasing to God. Colossians 1:9, praying to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Matt 13:22, 1st Peter 1:14, Gal 1:4 and Thessalonians 4:3 For this the will of God, your sanctification. God’s will for us is to be Holy, freed from sin, purified. Jesus. That is God’s will for us! It all points to Jesus. What peace, what relief I am given by God when I finally see that Jesus is the will of the Father. Jesus, dying on the cross, taking on the curse of sin so that we may be holy with God, for eternity. That is God’s will.

As I walk through this fallen world, with sin and the enemy surrounding me, I am not sure I will view the phrase “if it’s God’s will the same.” "IF" implies that we aren’t sure of what God’s will is. Yet we know God’s will is for us to be sanctified. How can we be holy in our trials, in our workdays, in every moment. We can only be holy by Jesus. So not if but may it be to God’s will when we go through darkness. May it be to God’s will when we watch our loved one suffering in illness. May it be to Jesus, as we hold each other’s hands in times of suffering and joy, singing hymns, praising God for Jesus. Oh how sweet, it all points to our King!

-Nikki Fiedler

Wake Up Sleeper

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” — Ephesians 5:13-14

Cindy and I spent a weekend with wonderful friends in Southern Illinois in the Shawnee National Forest. I was sitting on the porch at dawn, watching the sun rise slowly, its golden rays burning the morning mist away and brightening the surrounding country fields. The above scripture, "Wake up, sleeper,” came to mind watching the morning unfold in the summer heat.

Scholars can't agree on what Paul used as a source for verse 14. Some think it is fragments from Old Testament scripture, perhaps in Isaiah, and others believe it's from an early Christian Easter hymn. Regardless, two points Paul makes in Ephesians 8-14 are believers need to awaken from their moral slumbers, and unbelievers need to awaken to repentance and quit denying a spiritual reality.

In these verses, Paul used the tension between light and dark to remind Christians our lives, deeds, and positions need to align with the very spiritual light we profess in our walk of faith. And in conducting ourselves as "children of light" [v.9], we expose the darkness (acts of sin) in the world. It is moral character and grit in both words and deeds where the body of believers (the church) is the complete embodiment of Christ in the world. Paul encourages the church to awaken its moral consciousness in the darkened sludge of an immoral, sinful world. We are to have nothing to do with evil and the ways of sin in the world. A moral awakening leads to the progressive redemption of the world through the growth of Christianity.

In David Lowery's film A Ghost Story, Casey Affleck's character dies in a car crash. After choosing not to move forward to eternity when the afterlife portal opens with brilliant, divine, and heavenly light beckoning Affleck's character's soul, he ends up as a ghost lingering on his property. His presence was constant but not forbearing. He could stay but not affect the world beyond a thrown dish here or shorting a light bulb there. In denying the divine light, Affleck's ghostly character lived an undistinguished and bound life of hopelessness and despair. The ghost's lingering and purposeless imagery reminds us to live our lives with purpose and progressively mature our spiritual life by following Christ and walking in His light.

Lowery's point about wayward lingering is Paul's point, too, regarding lingering in sin or aligning ourselves with lives living in the realm of darkness. Our moral character aligned in Christ is to have an impact and not stay in the shadows of a wayward culture or the world's ways. As one walks in moral excellence and the truth and light of Christ, it is these very acts from which salvation in Christ delivers sinners. Paul's quotation in verse 14 appeals for one to arise from the morally and soulless dead. It is an invitation to salvation for the unsaved — a life's resurrection, transformation, and awakening away from darkness and the languishing of one's soul and spiritual life.

-Dan Nickel

Walk in Love

In the next few weeks, I’ll be coming up on the eight year anniversary of my dad’s eternal homecoming.  I still miss him deeply and look forward to our heavenly reunion.  My dad left such a lasting impression on me because he loved me as a dear son.  As our relationship matured over time, I noticed some things.  Typically, when I was around him, I wanted to walk in ways that were pleasing and honorable to him.  But when we were apart there were plenty of times when I lived foolishly - especially when he was out of sight and out of mind.  Sometimes my foolish choices would create a wedge in our relationship whether it was due to my shame or selfish ambition or his greater expectations of a father for his son.  Either way, his presence was an accountability and means of grace that God used to add to my life.

In the text this week, Paul starts with a focus on love between the Heavenly Father and His children.  I believe we each need to enter into this text with that same focus on the Father’s love for us.  We need to remember He loves us too much to leave us in our sin, so he continuously calls us out of it.  Even more, He calls us to walk with Him and in His love because He knows that we are at our best when we are aware of His enduring presence and steadfast love for us as His children. 

It's the love of God shown through Christ Jesus that sets us free from our idols so we can truly live with Him and by His Spirit.  May we feel the amazing love of our Heavenly Father for us today.  Let us pray continually for the Spirit of God to expose our idols and call us into the light of Christ.  May the Word of God be the mirror by which we see ourselves from now on.  And may we as a church be transformed by the gracious presence and love demonstrated to us through Jesus!

The lyrics of the song “Who I Am” by Ben Fuller deeply encouraged me as I studied this week’s text and I suggest you give it a listen too. 

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,   

Jon 

Words That Give Life

How are you using your words today?  Did you shout vehemently at the driver of the car who cut you off on your way to the store?  Or did you cross the aisle at church last week and give a kind word to the unknown person who sat alone? Did you race out of the house this morning, angry and shouting at your spouse because they didn’t take out the trash? Perhaps you were reading social media when you came across a differing opinion and you had to stop and respond, without a speck of grace, in an attempt to “set them straight”.  Do you have trouble “taming the tongue”, as I often do?  Does your heart reflect the tenderness of Gods’ love?  Ephesians 4:25-32 reminds us that words should be void of anger, wrath and bitterness and replaced with words of kindness, grace and forgiveness.

A while back I was in the habit of praying a variation of Psalm 139:23-24 which says: “Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”.  It was a good prayer but I executed it as if I was in line at a fast food drive through.  I’d pull up to the order box, make my request and expect that I would get some answer when I arrived at the checkout window.   It wasn’t until I was given these seven verses in Ephesians to write and reflect upon that I realized God was answering a prayer.  He really had searched my heart and regrettably found my heart wasn’t always tender and my words were not always filled with kindness and grace.  I needed to spend time with these verses, pray about them and consider how far I’d gotten off course. 

I hope you’ll spend some time reflecting upon these verses.  If our hearts, as Christians, have been changed by the wonderful work of Christ then our words must reflect that change.  The next time you’re tempted to unleash words of anger or discouragement, think about The Message version of Proverbs 18:21 “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit – you choose.” 

-Brenda Wooff

Calloused

My daughter, Eva loves to swing. She spends hours a day swinging and listening to music. Earlier this summer she developed a blister on her hand from the chains. She continued to swing, and the blister turned into a callus- a hard, thickened area on her skin. The callus has made it easier for her to swing without pain, but it also reduces her sensitivity, which can be dangerous.

A callus can form not only on our skin, but also on our hearts. I have found in an effort to avoid facing the pain our family has experienced this year, I've allowed this very thing to happen to me. My heart has become hard toward the Lord because I am disturbed by his providence, and I’ve become callous. My immediate reaction (once I realized this) was “I need to change my behavior!” Yes, I do, but behavior modification on it’s own won’t last. I need to have my mind renewed. I need Jesus to redirect my gaze and strengthen my affection for him. As my affections change, my thoughts, desires, and ultimately my behavior will follow.

Paul’s directive in Ephesians 7:14-24 isn’t a “one and done” thing. Daily, sometimes moment by moment, we must put off our old self which doesn’t desire the Lord and renew our minds- gaze at Jesus and seek him in his Word- and as we do, more and more we will desire to put on our new self, “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness”.

A callus on our hearts may protect us from pain, but it also numbs us, and reduces sensitivity to our Savior and his people. If, like me, your affections for Jesus have waned, I pray that he would give us eyes to see the condition of our hearts, the kindness of his mercy, and that his Spirit would stir our love for him.

By his wounds, our calloused hearts are healed.

Natalie

Spiritual Guides

Do you know Jesus has given you gifts to help you navigate this world?  My most precious gifts are my children.  I do not want them to be “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14).  Jesus didn’t just die for our sins and rise from the dead and ascend into Heaven and sit on a throne to watch us flip and flop and struggle.  Jesus sent the Helper – the Holy Spirit and He also sent gifts He bestows on His people to serve as guides, coaches, mentors, teachers along the way.  Every parent hopes his or her children have good guides in life.  God as our Good Father has gifted us with guides.  Are you looking for people like this?  Are you asking the Lord to make you a person like this? 

Paul says Jesus gifted the church with apostles and prophets and evangelists and shepherds and teachers to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:12-13). 

My overactive imagination begins to picture people like Gandalf from Lord of the Rings or Yoda from Star Wars.  Yoda trained Luke and then Luke became a Jedi.  Gandalf took Frodo and Sam and Merry and Pippin – four Hobbits with little to no talent and guided them to save Middle Earth.  Jesus is the Hero all the time, but Jesus has gifted the church with helpers, guides, mentors to help us reach unity, help us know Jesus better, protect us from false teaching, so the body will grow in love. 

A very sad thing is a gift that remains unopened.  Are you taking advantage of the gifts Jesus has made available to you?  Do you have spiritual “Gandalfs” and “Yodas?”  These people “equip us to do the work of the ministry.”  I can think of many “Gandalfs” and “Yodas” in my life, and I have no idea where I would be without them.   

So, as we gather to worship this coming Sunday may our praises be solely focused on Jesus – the Giver of gifts, but may we also look around and thank Jesus for the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers who equip us and guide us to unity of purpose in knowing Jesus better. 

See you Sunday, 

Steven 

No Room for Ego

Imagine leaving the movie theater after seeing an enjoyable film. Walking out with your movie-going partner, you’ll probably discuss what you watched, that one amazing scene or how good the acting was. Even if the movie was excellent however, it’s easy for the conversation to shift to “if only they would have done that scene differently” or “I found that one character to be annoying.” How come it’s so easy to nitpick and criticize, even good things?! What if in these conversations we resisted that one critical comment and avoided the negative distraction?

When the stakes are higher, it’s often easier to criticize more and with more serious allegations. Think about the government, your boss, family members. In Ephesians 4 v3, Paul urges us to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” What if in every conversation we committed to saying one fewer critical thing? Would your non-churchgoing friend notice you became a little more upbeat, would your spouse begin to feel some grace and patience in your marriage, perhaps your kids feel more love?

Sometimes we need to be critical to correct bad behavior, however if our comment isn’t constructive, let’s work on keeping it inside. I regret these comments when I make them, realizing it was me letting my ego get in the way, thinking I knew the superior alternative. However in verse 2, Paul writes “be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love.” There is no room for ego in that verse, so let our gentleness and positivity be a witness to this world.

- Alex Pfister

PS: If you want a visual on how great our God is, please check out these newly released NASA pictures of our universe. The first image, “Webb’s First Deep Field”, is a breathtaking view of thousands of galaxies. It may look like half of the sky, but it actually covers a patch of sky approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone on the ground!

https://www.nasa.gov/webbfirstimages

More Than Words

Actions speak louder than words.  Paul has written a lot of powerful words in his letter to the Ephesians, but he knows the mere words will not "get the job done."  He wants his brothers and sisters in Christ to experience the love of God found in Jesus.  So, he changes his posture - I bow my knees before the Father.  He asks that the Creator of the World drive home one simple, but life changing fact - Jesus loves you.  Paul prays that we may have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.  Did you catch that?  Paul prays we may know a love that surpasses the ability to know.  Supernatural love.  Love that was displayed on the Cross for us and now promises to awaken us from the dead, open our blind eyes and seal us for Heaven.  

May what Paul prays become an experiential reality for us all each and every day and may we be a people who pray this prayer for each other!

See you Sunday,

Steven

Gallup Polls and Mystery

In the last two weeks, Gallup published two disconcerting polls. The first shows that a belief in God in America is the lowest since Gallup started its polling. Of great concern is the 18-24 age demographic's belief in God is much lower than any demographic age group. The second poll shows that the global’ s citizens are the unhappiest and most stressed since Gallup started polling the world's mood.

Do you think the combination of the lowest belief in God and the highest measure of unhappiness is related?

Why mention these two polls in reading Ephesians 3:1-13?

Paul mentions the mystery of Christ, and the mystery of God and His plan (‘this mysterious plan’ v.9) revealed to Paul to unite Jews and the Gentiles as one, to establish the Church (universal). At that time, an unheard and unimagined possibility. Through Jesus Christ and His creation, God intended for the Church to make God's divine wisdom and Christ's 'unsearchable riches' [v.8] made known to humanity. Bringing together sinners from all corners of the world into a heavenly community of believers to carry out this mystery.

However…

Our post-modern culture hates mystery.

In his From My Study blog, Philip Eaton posted "A Tear." He writes, "we've been told we can, we must, measure everything in order for it to be believable. This is what we call philosophical materialism. It's part of the coffee we drink, the air we breathe. Anything beyond what we can touch, smell, hear, see is deemed subjective, therefore not really real. Mystery becomes derogatory."

The Gallup poll on the rising popular belief that God is not self-evident indicates people think they can construct a life of significance without the divine. And to ignore and not engage this mystery Paul mentions. The presumption is there are alternatives to a transcendent God and the God-given plans Paul received and revealed during his ministry. The primary choice today has become the age of self-determination.

But…

Christ's death and resurrection accomplished God's plan. Unbelievers cannot understand the profound truths of this mystery that believers gain through the Holy Spirit. As a result of Christ's accomplishments and our union with Him, the body of believers, as one, are the vehicle to boldly carry out God's plan ‘to make all see.’ [v.9]. To enlighten unbelievers regarding Jesus Christ and his saving grace available to all. And in accepting Christ as one's Savior, all believers with courage and confidence; therefore, can come into God's presence.

Instead of looking glumly at the Gallup polls, we need to see them as opportunities that await our courageous and confident witness and sharing the Gospel. After all, it's all part of God's mysterious plan revealed throughout the ages.

-Dan Nickel

A Dwelling Place for God

I remember a simple illustration used to describe the church when I was a kid.  In it one would hold their hands clasped together and start by saying, “Here is the church.”  Then pointing and joining their index fingers saying, “here is the steeple.”  Finally as the hands were turned to an open position the saying was “open the doors and see all the people.”  This childhood activity characterized the church as any building with a steeple and the people simply filled that building.  But is that an accurate illustration of the church described by Paul in the New Testament?  When you say church, how do you mean it? 

For years, I referred to church as the building where Christians would gather.  I held to a common misperception that a building was the house of God.  It’s still a common misperception about church buildings today.  But Scripture teaches us that the church is much more than a constructed facility.  The biblical description of the church is as a collective or body of people that follow Jesus together.  And rather than people filling the church, it is God’s Spirit that fills people to make them His church.  In our recent study of Acts, we saw actual descriptions of these churches in various cities and regions where the Spirit of God was at work filling people and bringing them together for His mission.  The descriptions of the church in Acts were primarily about the groups of people rather than the edifices where they gathered.   

In our text this week, Paul uses construction terminology when he says that Jesus is the cornerstone of the church.  Why use such terms if this is not about erecting buildings?  Such terminology is used because the church is contingent on the building work of God’s Spirit to bring people together to live on mission for the Kingdom of God.  Christ Jesus is at the heart of accomplishing this in His followers.  Let’s be clear, the church is not a building but rather people together in Christ. 

Following the course of Paul’s statements about the church in our text for this week, may we be a people that recognize our common fellowship in the supreme hope we have in Christ together.  Let us continue to be receptive and open to the work of God’s Spirit to build us together into a dwelling place for God.  May The Bridge Family be recognized by our community and world as people of God unified by His Holy Spirit.  And may our local expression of the New Testament church be a biblically faithful illustration to young and old alike by the grace and to the fame of our Heavenly Father.     

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,   

Jon 

Far Off to Brought Near

Have you ever been hopelessly lost before?  Have you ever feared for your life?  Have you ever been so desperate that you knew you had no chance of “saving yourself?”  If you have experienced this – how often to you remember it? 

Right after Paul reminds believers that we have been saved by grace through faith and it is a gift of God and now we are God’s workmanship/His masterpiece created to do good works Paul wants us to remember where we were and who we were before Christ intervened. 

There are five specific descriptions of separation in this passage:

1. We were separated from Christ – no Savior

2. We were alienated from the commonwealth of Israel – no community

3. We were strangers to the covenants – no promises

4. We were without hope – no hope

5. We were without God – no relationship with God

That’s not the kind of news that motivates you to “seize the day.”  Why would Paul exhort us to remember that is who we were?  Because of what comes next – when we were in this dismal state “but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (2:13).

Jesus came to take us by the hand and draw us near so that we have a Savior, a community, eternal promises, a living hope and a life-giving relationship with God.  He himself is our peace – our Shalom. 

Are you able to remember who you were?  Are you able to see who you are now?  Are you looking to Jesus as your peace?  Don’t forget – He destroys what divides us and ALL OF US together have access in one Spirit to the Father (2:18).  Run to the Father.  Run to the Father together.

See you Sunday, 
Steven 

Works That Change the World

Faithfully, they prayed. Every day they prayed for their two kids, ten grandkids, fourteen great grandkids, and all the spouses that went with them. They prayed by name, specific requests, and wrote them down on a list kept in the Bible. Also on the list were missionaries, friends, and extended family. 

Persistently, she shared the gospel. From a broken home, she had come to know the Lord as a teen when her boyfriend and his parents brought her to church. Her deepest desire was for her brothers and sister to know Jesus too. For many years she told them of God’s goodness to no avail. She had nearly given up.

One evening, a miracle happened. A heart, once stone, began to soften. A child of wrath was made alive by Christ.

My Grandparents prayed.

My Mom shared the gospel.

God worked.

My Aunt believed.

At the same time, her ex-husband heard the gospel, and by faith through grace, he too was saved. A family was transformed, and a marriage restored.

God doesn’t only save us from wrath. He saves us for a purpose. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Mother Theresa said "We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love." Great or small, as long as we are on this earth, our God has good works uniquely prepared for each of us to walk in. And as we walk in them, God works through them, and others see him. My family is evidence of that. 

May we live each day, walking in the good works He has planned for us.

It just might change someone's world. 

-Natalie Runyon

My Mom, her sister, and (some of their many) kids and grandkids who came to faith. A legacy of God’s faithfulness and my Grandparent's prayers.

Before and After

Social media platforms and broadcast media outlets have a plethora of Before and After stories.  Television has entire channels dedicated to broadcasting the process of transformation.  I especially enjoy the television shows where they are working to revitalize an entire neighborhood, one house at a time.  The story usually begins with a dilapidated, maybe even condemned house in a neighborhood where most houses are in varying states of decay.  Throughout the show, viewers are shown all the blood, sweat and tears that is poured into the rotting structure.  There’s typically three distinct parts to these types of stories:  the before, the restoration process, and the after where the finished product is displayed.  I like to think of our verses this week as the best kind of Before and After story.  

Every Christ follower has a Before story.  The author of Ephesians explains our condition as: “dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.” (Ephesians 2:1 NLT) and our actions as “… following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. “(Ephesians 2:2-3b NLT).   We were much like the condemned house: full of decay.  The house with its leaky roof and broken windows did not have the means to protect itself from the effects of wind, rain or snow.  Likewise, we were ill-equipped to battle the “prince of the power of the air “. 

The restoration portion of the house story varies greatly from our restoration. The house takes time, money and talent by an owner and or a contractor.  Our transformation is all God’s doing. It's because of His mercy, grace and abundant love for us, even though we were dead in our sins, he saved us. (Ephesians 2:5-6 ESV) It’s not our blood, sweat and tears that transforms us, but a gift from God, “… not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  (Ephesians 2:9 ESV)

The After segment in the TV show provides a tour of the home, evidence that it has been restored into something beautiful, now a beacon of light to other homeowners who want to invest in the neighborhood.  Our After is also meant to be an example to others.  Again, the author of these verses tells us God will “point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness towards us…” (Ephesians 2:7 NLT).  We were once like a dilapidated house but God transformed us into something useful in order that we may be the light that attracts others to His neighborhood. 

-Brenda Wooff

Matters of the Heart

Tintern Abbey was built in 1131 AD. During England's Henry VIII’s reign, he abolished the monasteries, leaving Tintern in ruins. Tintern is now a tourist attraction. The Abbey is without its roof or interior. However, its foundations and cathedral structure still stand where natural sunlight shines amongst the arch windows and columns, beautifully spraying prisms of light.

In the 1920s, as an atheist, CS Lewis finally intellectually arrived at a point where he was open to the Christian faith, but his heart was not there yet.

Lewis visited Tintern Abbey, and while he was standing under its arches, the sunlight shone through the arches onto the beautiful landscaped green grass. Then, suddenly, an inexpressible joy surged into his heart. Lewis finally got it. His heart was finally enlightened, and He discovered the essence of all of creation in Jesus Christ. Lewis became a believer.

In Ephesians 1:18-19, Paul prays about this very enlightenment and wisdom of the heart and imagination Lewis experienced: I pray that your hearts (one translation ‘the imagination’) will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him.

To understand the divine realities in our life, we cannot rely on intellect alone but also on the heart's affections. God's revelation through the Holy Spirit provides believers a deep, spiritual knowledge and wisdom that is not gained solely through knowledge and intellect. This revealed spiritual wisdom and knowledge open our hearts to God's divine power, His works of grace, and the movements of the soul we inherit as believers in Jesus Christ. This power raised Christ from the dead, and He now sits on the right hand in the heavenly realms placing all of creation, including the Church, under Him. [verses. 20-23]

Why is this revealed spiritual insight important regarding the matter of our hearts?

The term 'Heart' has many uses in Scripture, but its essential meaning refers to the person's deepest core — the deepest organizing center of one's life and what you rely on and lean on. The heart is a fundamental yet sometimes hidden foundation at the deepest recesses and absolute center of a person from which springs forth genuine, real feelings, authentic thoughts, values, and taking on life. The heart is the most profound aspect of one's soul and inner self.1

In The Abolition of Man, CS Lewis famously termed "Men Without Chests," meaning instead of ignoring the matters of the heart, we are to feel what is good and true with our hearts and apprehend it with our minds as logical and reasonable.

Our soul uses both our mind and our heart's deepest intuition. Thus Paul's timeless counsel that God’s peace will “guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7

With our hearts anchored in this spiritual wisdom, power, and divine insight, we should not be dazzled by the human and material experiences, all temporary but the illuminated and eternal hope of the transcendent glory that awaits those who are believers in Jesus Christ. Where our heart possesses "a presence that disturbs me with the joy of elevated thoughts."2

-Dan Nickel

1 Paraphrase of JP Moreland’s thoughts in Finding Quiet

2 William Wordsworth’s poem “Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey.” Wordsworth wrote the poem upon seeing Tintern Abby.

Thankful For Your Faith

A few Sundays ago, I had the opportunity to serve communion to my Bridge Church Family.

I was excited to be part of the experience and thought to myself, “I’ve got this!” All I had to do was stand before you and pass out bread, right?

But as the service started, I began to feel hopelessness. I was thinking about my friends and family as they struggle with health, loss, grief, and debts. I began to deeply question suffering and the purpose of it all.  

Feeling dismayed, I prayed to God that I would see life, hope and joy in times of such suffering. “God help me stand before the Church in communion with you and help me with my brokenness.” Just as I finished my prayer it was time to go down for Communion.

I stood, a little shaky inside, pushing my pain aside with my brightest smile and preparing myself to offer the bread of Christ’s broken body to my church family. As each of you walked forward, I felt God lean in and say, “This Nikki, this is why. “

As each of you stepped forward to communion with Christ Jesus, my heart overflowed with something. It was something I, of many words, could not put words to.  My tears overflowed and I saw you, and I loved you for the love you have for Christ. For your faith in the Lord Jesus, I am thankful. Your faith reminded me though my heart breaks, that there is joy in this life. There is a purpose, and that purpose is to believe and have faith in Jesus; to love God with all our hearts and love our neighbors as ourselves.

Thank you, my Bridge Church Family, for allowing me to serve you and showing me what faith in Christ is and all the love that goes with it. I pray on the days when the sorrow cuts deep we remember the sweet communion we share and the beautiful love of Christ Jesus!  

-Nikki Fiedler

The Guarantee of our Inheritance

What do you plan to inherit in this life?  Who would it be from that you would inherit such things?  An inheritance is a provision that some have the privilege to look forward to in this life.  It is usually a sign of a special familial position to the one who provides the inheritance.  The provision of an inheritance and plan to receive it can offer a measure of hope long before it is fully acquired.   

Our text this week speaks of the inheritance we have with God in Christ Jesus.  The Bible tells us that those who trust in Jesus as their Redeemer are co-heirs with Him.  This inheritance is greater than anything we could ever imagine from a worldly point of view.  It’s a sign of the fact that God created us to with Him as part of His family.  Jesus gave His life on a cross so that His followers could be benefactors in God’s glorious plan for His family. 

Through faith in Jesus as the Christ, we receive a seal for this promised inheritance from God to come.  The seal we are given is His Holy Spirit in us.  The Holy Spirit of God in us is our assurance that we are part of His family and partakers in the inheritance He promises to those that belong to Him.  All of this is so that God will be greatly praised for His amazing love and steadfast care!  This truth is a call to worship God today for all He has done IN CHRIST. 

May we find an anchor for our souls in the living hope we have through His Holy Spirit in us today and evermore.  May we look forward to the greater things to come in Christ and the inheritance He has prepared for His people.  May these things bring good news for today that will sustain our souls amid suffering and temptation and lead us to trust in Jesus more.  Let us be always ready and primed to share this good news of eternal life in Christ Jesus that is available to whoever believes IN HIM! 

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,   

Jon