The Word Is Not Imprisoned

Here’s the manuscript of my sermon at First Baptist Church Fulton, Ky on the morning of 8/23/2020.

Jonah 3.1-10—The Mercy of God

1. Introduction
   1. What’s amazing about this story is not the fact that a man was swallowed by a fish and survived. The surprising thing about it is that God had mercy on Jonah, indeed His steadfast love. I don’t mean to say that we should be surprised that God is merciful. But rather, the very idea of mercy is knowing we do not deserve it.
      1. Jonah did not deserve it.
      1. You and I do not deserve it.
      1. Therefore, we are exceedingly thankful towards God when He chooses to show us mercy.
   1. What am I hoping we all will see from Jonah 3? I hope you will see what path you are on today and that you will run into this amazingly loving God who is surprisingly merciful. I want you to know the love of God and worship Him forever!
   1. Before we read the text, I would like for you to pause for a moment and think. If you need to bow your head and ask the Lord to open your eyes…clear your mind…remove any distractions…take a moment to do that.
      1. In just a moment, I am going to ask you to remain in that prayerful position as I ask you some questions.
      1. Now, I want to begin by saying that so far in this story, Jonah attempted to go to Tarshish.
         1. By God’s amazing grace, he did not make it to Tarshish. He ran from God and while on the way Jonah ran into God. He seems to be everywhere and knows everything.
         1. As do many stories in the Bible, we leave God out as the main character in the story. This story is not about Jonah being swallowed by a fish but rather it is about the mercy and love of God!
         1. So, I want to ask you…are you headed to Tarshish? What path are you on this morning?
            1. Okay you aren’t a prophet like Jonah. But if you are Christian, you have been called, like Jonah and here it is:
               1. (Matt. 28:18-20) ¹⁸ And Jesus…said to them…Go therefore and make disciples of all nations
               1. Every Christian…every follower of Jesus is called to go make disciples. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell them about Me.
               1. Some of us are like Jonah on the road to Tarshish.
            1. It’s very possible that there are some among us who are on the road the sailors were on. They believed in God…indeed many gods…but they didn’t know the One, true and living God. By God’s good grace, these sailors ran into the merciful God!
               1. I hope you run into Him today
            1. Others among us might be like the people of Nineveh. You are in need of hearing about this merciful God who alone saves.
               1. You’re on a path that leads to eternal death because you have sinned against the holy God who created you. He has sent me to tell you about His Son Jesus. He sent him to pay the just penalty of your sin for you on the cross and be raised that He might forgive you and set you free.
            1. You are on a path heading somewhere. Some of you know very well that you are fleeing God’s call to make disciples.
               1. I know your struggle. It’s almost a daily battle for me. I have planned my escape to Tarshish and headed out many times only to run into the mercy of God.
               1. I have gone to Nineveh and yet the words would not come out.
               1. I have headed to Nineveh only to find myself on a detour heading to Tarshish.
               1. But…maybe most importantly I lived in Nineveh and God sent one of His disciples to tell me about Jesus.
               1. And now I am here telling you. Let’s see if you run into the same merciful God…the Son of God as I did and Paul did on his way to Damascus.
   1. Read the text and pray
2. Exposition
   1. I believe there are four points to be seen in this chapter
      1. Outline
         1. The mercy of God Pursued Jonah again…
         1. Jonah proclaims the LORD’s message
         1. Nineveh repents and believes
         1. God relents from judgment
      1. The main overall point is…The Surprising Mercy of God
   1. Point 1—The Mercy of God Pursued Jonah a second time
      1. The main difference between Jonah 1:1 and Jonah 3:1 are the words “a second time.”
         1. If I may say it this way, “Have you come to expect a second chance from God?” When I read the first verse of this chapter it moved me to worship! When I see God doing this for Jonah I can relate. I have experienced the love of God coming after me many times.
         1. Not one time have I ever deserved it and nor did Jonah.
            1. Aaron’s sons didn’t get another chance when they offered strange fire on the altar.
            1. Uzzah didn’t get another chance when he reached out to steady the ark of the covenant.
            1. Ananias and his wife Sapphira didn’t get another chance when they lied about the property they sold. 
         1. May I ask again, “Have you come to expect a second chance from God?”
            1. It was His kindness that saved you.
            1. He sent his Son because He loved you.
            1. He pursued you by His grace.
            1. You have resisted. You have fled the other way. But at every turn He was the God who was there. He was the loving Father coming after the one He loves.
            1. Do you know how much the Lord loves you? Did you know that God loves you so much that He will not let you make it to Tarshish? 
         1. I think we need to consider something. Did Jonah run because he thought that he could actually flee His presence? Did he run because he thought God was no longer all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present?
            1. We all believe a lot of things and know a lot of true things yet we just simply don’t think about them.
            1. The Bible calls that suppressing the truth or calloused heart or even hard-heartedness. Let me explain how easy it is to suppress the truth.  
               1. We have been suppressing the truth when we were in Louisville dropping Lydia off at Boyce College. It didn’t hurt and we fought off the tears if we could manage not to think about leaving her on Tuesday. But the time came and so did the tears.
            1. We often suppress the truth by not thinking about what is true. That’s how Jonah got up and went the opposite direction.
            1. I think it’s easy to read this story and see Jonah’s error quit plainly. We might even say, “Come on Jonah! What’s wrong with you?”
            1. Well, his problem is our problem. I want you to pray as we move along that you would see where you are as clearly as you see where Jonah was. You need to think. Stop suppressing the truth. The Lord is standing in your path with abundant mercy.
            1. Ask the Lord to do what He must to save you. If you need to be taken to the bottom of the ocean then whatever it takes. Plead with Him not to let you go your own way.
      1. (Jon. 3:1) Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time
         1. You might have thought my sermon title only meant to say the mercy of God towards Nineveh because you have read the whole story. However, I mean the mercy of God towards the sailors, Jonah, Nineveh and all of us.
         1. This word from God comes a second time after God pursued Jonah and he responded in repentance…THEN…the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time.
         1. There are conditions. No repentance, no second time. God pursues in His grace. He shows us great patience. But He is the LORD…Yahweh. And He will have mercy on whom He has mercy. It’s His decision. He is not obligated to do anything for you. He might stop you from going to Tarshish by way of your death.
   1. We have seen the mercy of God towards Jonah but that mercy was not merely for Jonah. It was also for Nineveh…and us. Jonah proclaims the message of His merciful Savior.
      1. The Lord says in (Jon. 3:2-3) ² “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.”  ³ So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD.
      1. I think it must be said that God didn’t need Jonah. He’s not the only person on the planet. Nor does God even need “believers” to do it.
         1. Listen to how Rahab who lived in Jericho had heard: (Jos. 2:8-10)  ⁸  Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof  ⁹ and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.  ¹⁰ For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.
      1. Jesus doesn’t need you but He invites you to join His mission in calling sinners to repentance.
      1. And without question, when God decides to send someone to Nineveh, someone is going to Nineveh. As Job declared… (Job 42:2)  ² “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
      1. Let’s see God’s plan coming about! (Jon. 3:3-4) Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth.  ⁴ Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
         1. It appears that it took three days to walk through the city of Nineveh. No doubt it was a walled city of more than 120,000 people…souls.
         1. This city was exceedingly evil. Can you imagine entering a walled city of 120,000 wicked people? It doesn’t seem that Jonah was afraid for his life.
         1. So, Jonah walked 1/3 of the way into the city and began to proclaim the judgment of the LORD. “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
            1. It’s a merciful thing to hear this. They have obviously heard more than this before…maybe similar to that of Jericho.
            1. Many of the prophets spoke judgment against many nations. The LORD gives Nineveh a specific timeline. Most of the time we don’t have any sort of length of time to consider what God has said.
            1. We often think we have all the time in world. But listen to me. Today is the day of salvation. Today. You have right now. Respond. You shall be overthrown, too. But you do not know if you have 40 days or not. Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved.
      1. What will they do? Stone the messenger and throw him out of the city?
   1. We have seen the mercy of God towards Jonah. We have seen the response of Jonah to God’s mercy. Now let’s see the response of this great, wicked city Nineveh to the message.
      1. (Jon. 3:5) ⁵ And the people of Nineveh believed God.
      1. I don’t know about you but this seems miraculous! If you have shared the gospel any length of time, you know how amazing this is. There’s a story that always sticks out in my mind.
         1. We were in the border city of Acuna, Mexico. We were walking the streets sharing the gospel. A fellow student was my interpreter and we stopped to speak with a lady who was at home working in her house/grocery store.
         1. When we presented the gospel to her, she immediately knew that it would cost her dearly. She began to tell us that her husband would leave her. She would lose her family, a place to live, her grocery store and really everything if she followed Jesus.
         1. We continued to tell her how much Jesus loved her and that he was worth losing everything. This went on for quit some time. She kept saying this over and over and we kept sharing the gospel. We were about to leave and suddenly she started praying. Confessing her sins and pleading for Jesus to save her. I couldn’t believe it. So many times, we had left other people who had said no.
         1. Jonah proclaims and the people respond. Praise the Lord!
         1. Obviously, they believed this message was not merely from Jonah. It doesn’t say they believed Jonah. It says they believed God. And their belief was not merely an acknowledging of facts but belief and repentance that changed their disposition to humility.
         1. Jonah proclaimed a message and they proclaim a fast. The hunger in the stomach was to be a sign of their hunger for God’s mercy. They were desperate and needy. They put on sackcloth…another sign of humility and grief over sin.
         1. The extent of this proclamation is from the greatest of them to the least. No age group is exempted. The doom of the city involved everyone; therefore, all of them must repent.
      1. Even social status does not get an exemption. Jonah 3:6   ⁶ The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
         1. When coming to Jesus, you must check your social status at the door. Your position in the community has nothing to do with your position before God. If you come, all are laid low at the foot of the cross. Small or great. Slave or free. Man or woman. Your social status means nothing.
         1. We see this king display humble faith. Notice he arose from his throne and sat down in ashes. He laid aside his royalty and displayed that he was a creature made from the dust.
         1. He removed his royal robe and covered himself with sackcloth. In other words, he removed his pride and clothed himself with humility.
         1. We would do well to see the example of this king and cloth ourselves in humility.
      1. I must stop here for a moment because many people, especially here in the buckle of the Bible belt have said they believe in God. They say they have been saved. They say…they say…they say…
         1. Yet, I don’t see any fruit or evidence of faith. I see fruit and evidence in Jonah and the people of Nineveh and even the sailors. But is there any fruit or evidence in your life?
         1. James points out that Abraham’s belief in God was visible and real when we see him taking Isaac up the mountain for sacrifice. His belief was so sure that he thought that even if he took the life of his son that God would raise him from the dead. Yet, God provided a lamb!
         1. I am so blessed to be among so many who display their faith clearly and boldly.
         1. But not everybody. Look at your feet. What path are you on? Where is your faith?
         1. And dear Jonah’s. You have a relationship with Jesus. But you are going to Tarshish instead of going to make disciples. You are going to run into the mercy of God. Why not today? Why not before the wind and the fish. Why not before being taken to the bottom of the ocean?
      1. True humble faith is serious and never silent. It calls on the Lord. Listen to what the king ordered. Jonah 3:8-9  and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.  ⁹ Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”
         1. Another proclamation. Jonah proclaimed God’s message. Two fasts were proclaimed and now all people are to proclaim earnestly to God.
         1. True repentance is a humbling disposition. It sets God as supreme and man as creaturely. It is desperate and sincere. It hopes in the mercy of God. It mourns over sin and wickedness with godly sorrow. You don’t mourn that you got caught but rather that you have offended and belittled the Holy Creator.
   1. The people of Nineveh responded in repentance and faith in God. How will God respond to them?
      1. Jonah 3:10 ¹⁰ ¶ When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. 
      1. One of my favorite descriptions of God is actually from Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid in Genesis 16:13 “You are the God who sees me,”
      1. WHEN…God saw their deeds. WHEN…He saw their humility. WHEN…He saw their repentance. WHEN…He saw that they had turned from their evil ways. God relented of the disaster he had declared against them.
      1. The chapter simply ends with He did not do it. This is the great miracle of the book of Jonah—God’s mercy towards Nineveh. Wow! Did you see it?
      1. If you will repent and believe in Jesus, He will not destroy you. He will forgive you and adopt you into His family.
3. Conclusion
   1. I’m going to ask that you bow your heads for a moment.
   1. I want ask you again, “Who are you in this story?”
      1. The sailors?
      1. Jonah?
      1. Nineveh?
      1. What path are you on?
      1. Do you see the love of God in this story?
      1. Do you see the mercy of God?
      1. Will you receive the gift of salvation and repent and believe in Jesus?
      1. Will you go make disciples?
      1. Do you love Jesus more than anything else?
      1. Is Jesus enough?
   1. Pray

This blog found its beginning while I was in seminary at Southwestern in Fort Worth. When I started there, my understanding of the nature of Scripture was not very good. As I came to understand, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” But as I began to grow and understand what God’s Word is, this little phrase embedded in chapter 2 struck me in the most profound way–the word is not imprisoned!

So much so that I named the blog after this amazing statement. I left SWBTS with the understanding that God’s Word was just that…God’s Word. For God to say was for the Bible to say. For the Bible to say was for God to say. The simple reason the Word cannot be imprisoned is because God cannot be imprisoned. If the nature of Scripture were anything less, then it could most certainly be shut up. I mean, our word can be shut up. Only God’s Word is unbound. No cage can contain it. The thickness or height of any wall cannot stop it. That’s very encouraging!

I think it is ironic and somewhat hilarious that 2 Timothy, the prison letters from Paul could not be imprisoned. Paul was locked up but God’s Word could not be locked up. These letters, which we hold to be Scripture, left the prison and accomplished and is still accomplishing its purposes!

Indeed, what follows this profound truth is the source of Paul’s perseverance. He endured all things through the truth of God’s Word and he was certain that whether or not he remained imprisoned that the Word was never imprisoned. And the Word…the Gospel…indeed Jesus/the Word himself was going forth saving his people to obtain salvation and eternal glory!

The Scriptures were the source by which Timothy’s mother and grandmother had been led to faith as well as Timothy himself. The Scriptures are the source from which Timothy is to teach, remember, remind, and preach. They’re all he’s got! They are enough! Why?

(2 Tim. 3:16-17) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

• What do you think and believe about God’s word?
• Is it the very Word of God, Himself?
• Does it have ultimate authority over you?
• Do you regard it as sufficient?
• Can it be stopped?
• Is it able to teach, reprove, correct, train in righteousness so that you will be equipped for every good work?
• Should other words…your word be preached?
• Is God’s Word trustworthy?
• At the end of all things, what will still be standing?

(1 Pet. 1:23-25) ...since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

If you have read the book or watched the movie, you know the story of Eustace Scrubb. If I might sum up his life before encountering Aslan in Narnia it would be one word that sounds an awful lot like his name, useless. Without spoiling the best part of the story I will simply say that Eustace becomes a dragon. However, it was the best thing that ever happened to him because Aslan shows up to perform a miracle in his life!

I share that brief story because something similar happened to someone named Onesimus prior to this letter to Philemon. In fact, it is the occasion from which this letter is written. Even though this letter is short, there’s much that could be highlighted, but let’s see this amazing transformation in Onesimus.

Philemon and Onesimus had some type of master-servant relationship. We don’t know much about it but it seems that Onesimus had left for some reason. Again, the details are minimal but somehow Onesimus runs into the Apostle Paul while in prison for the gospel.

What is clear is that something amazing happened to Onesimus. It was perhaps the darkest days of his life, yet this might have been the best thing that had ever happened to him because he heard and believed the gospel!

Similar to Eustace/useless, Onesimus’s name on the contrary meant “useful” though he was not useful. But that changes when he meets Jesus like Eustace met Aslan. Here’s what Paul says about it.

10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.
11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) – Philemon 1:10-11

For Paul to become Onesimus’s father would mean his father in the faith. It simply means that Paul shared the gospel with him and he believed. This is such rich language that describes discipleship. There is a profound responsibility Paul has for Onesimus and we should see discipleship like that too.

Paul will go on to say concerning why all of this happened:

15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,
16 no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother-especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. – Philemon 1:15-16

Not only did Onesimus become useful to Paul but also to Jesus and the Kingdom. We hear of him later. See this:

7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,
9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. – Colossians 4:7-9

It is the miracle of the gospel! May you be encouraged and not loss heart! God is transforming us from Eustace to Onesimus by His grace and for His glory!

There are days we feel the battle’s intensity and there are days we are unaware that we are in a battle or maybe some place in between. The battle began when we turned our back on the prince of the air and sin. We had spent our days following the enemy but Jesus rescued us by his grace!

There’s a battle being waged in how we think, how we respond, and how we feel. Some days it seems much easier not to pray. My mind is distracted with everything. I oversleep sometimes and the pressure of the tasks for the day beckon my attention. Even the days when I succeed in prayer, I must begin quickly or something else will have my attention.

Occasionally, I awake with a headache and I cannot even endure the slightest of sunlight and most fragrances only intensify the pain. If it’s not that it’s backpain or some other physical ailment. I could go on and on about these but you know as well as I do how many different things can happen in a week.

All that I have mentioned only complicates the issues. But sin harms us in many ways and we do not even recognize it. In chapter 4, Paul said this: (Eph. 4:26-27) Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil…..(Eph. 4:30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Sin affects our capacity to think biblically and live godly. It makes us foolish and gullible. Thank goodness, God gave us the gift of the church.

This passage about the armor of God, is written to the church. It is “plural” throughout. Yeah…you might take it individually but we are meant to do this together. The truth is we are weak but God is strong. We need to be strengthened in the Lord to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Just how strong is the strength of the Lord? How mighty is he? I think Paul describes it well in Ephesians 1:19-20 “…and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.” Mighty enough to raise the dead! And that is the power with which we are strengthened.

How do I stand against him? Do not ascribe to the world’s mantra that if it feels good do it, if sounds good go for it, and if it makes you happy it must be right. We have been given the armor of God THAT we might be able to stand AGAINST him. In Christ, the devil can now be resisted. You no longer follow him around. You are no longer his toy or project. You are Christ’s! Stand against temptation.

How do I use this armor? Let’s read the text again.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance…

(Eph. 6:11-18)

• Know the truth (having fastened on the belt of truth)
  • the belt…the truth holds everything together
• Remember that you have a right legal standing before God in Christ and now do what is right before Him (having put on the breatplate of righteousness
  • the breastplate guards your heart
• Go in the peace of the gospel (having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace)
  • the gospel of peace has prepared your path
• Trust the Lord (take up the shield of faith)
  • the enemy wants you to think that you must be happy now in your current circumstances and that is all that matters but God says to trust me and one day your trials will be over
• Think what is true (take the helmet of salvation)
  • guard your mind by knowing the salvation of the Lord
• Stand on the promises of God’s word (take the sword of the Spirit)
  • speak the Spirit inspired word of God to yourself and to the enemy
  • praying at all times in the Spirit
    • This may be the most neglected weapon available to us. Prayer seems to be a waste of time. Couldn’t I be doing something more productive than bowing my head and praying? No.

KEEP ALERT WITH ALL PERSEVERANCE!

The reason this armor is so effective is because it is God’s armor. Satan cannot fight against him. The battle has been won in Christ. Now, he makes war on the saints. Our armor, our protection, is God’s armor. The very thing that does not allow the enemy to fight against him. God is holy. The devil has no weapon in which to battle with God.

Dear saint, bruised and wounded…struggling and doubting…ashamed and broken…don’t give in to the lie that you have gone too far. God loves you. He is gracious and merciful. Do not be deceived by the Liar who is crafty. Come to Jesus.

Let this song be your prayer…

The “therefore” of verse 1 follows the fact that God has forgiven us in Christ and therefore our way of life will change. Formally, we imitated the world. We walked in immorality, impurity, and greed. Since we have been forgiven, God commands us to walk in His ways which is God’s intent from the beginning of creation.

But how do you imitate God? Normally, we grow up imitating our parents. We see their manner of life and we pick up various things from them. It’s rather natural for us to do this. But we cannot see God physically. However, God has sent His Son not only to pay the penalty of our sin through his death and resurrection but also to show us the ways and character of God!

The nearest context of what we were formally is found back in 4:17 where Paul describes unbelievers as Gentiles. This word simply means “nations” but in the context of the Bible it means more than that sometimes. It means those peoples who do not follow the One, true and living God. They worship idols and other gods. Paul says Gentiles *live in futility of mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the *life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of their hardness of heart.

Because God has forgiven you in Christ, God now considers you “beloved children.” Since children naturally imitate their parents, as beloved children of God we should now imitate God our Father. In particular, Paul says to walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for us. In other words, Jesus gave his life that you might now have a new life. We were formally darkness. Not just walked in darkness, though that is true. But we were children of darkness.

We loved the darkness hoping our evil ways were hidden. We put our hand beside our mouth trying to hide our dirty jokes, our filthy mouth, and our silliness. We scan the scene to see whose ears are in range of our voice. However, God sees through the darkness. He knows what is done in secret. Our thoughts and motives are not hidden from Him.

What did God say to us when He saw this? Are you ready? Are you sure? It might not be what you think! He said this:

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

(Eph. 5:14)

Now, we no longer tell people our favorite dirty jokes but we speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. We now give thanks to God with our mouths! We no longer have need of hiding our true identity but we are free to agree with who we were formally and who we are now.

Dear Darkness, long had you been my close companion but I will no longer need you. I am a child of the Light. I will not walk in you, darkness, but I will walk in the Light by the grace of God and for His glory.

There’s so much I’d like to write concerning this chapter but writing takes a lot of time. Because of some of the recent issues with COVID-19 and executive orders from our Kentucky governor, I feel the need to focus on maintaining the unity of the Spirit. The picture above shows what disunity looks like. A square peg cannot go into a round hole without significant damage.

Our pastor gave a short (12 minute) video of how he would like for us (the church) to respond to these new orders. Granted, they just came out on Thursday, July 9, 2020 and we must think and decide by Sunday July 12, 2020. The new mandatory rule of wearing a mask in public in the state of Kentucky is what I am speaking of.

I can speak from both sides as a former pastor and right now a church member. A pastor has a unique and special privilege of spending much time in God’s Word and in prayer. Rightly does the congregation pay him so that he can be devoted to these primary tasks. He is afforded much insight to our current situations. He is leading us in the wisdom and knowledge of God. It is a blessing to be able to do this.

But the membership is normally busy with life and work. We aren’t able to spend as much time in the Word and prayer as the pastor. And that’s okay. We have a pastor to help us know what to do. Sure…we weigh what he says against the Scriptures but if he gives sound teaching and wisdom we are obligated to follow his leadership. And not only follow but to follow gladly.

The text I want to highlight is this:

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit– just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call–one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

(Eph. 4:1-6)

Let’s come together on Sunday with all humility and gentleness. Let’s come together with patience. Let’s bear with one another in love. Let’s be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There are not multiple churches among our one local body. There isn’t one church of the masked and one church of the unmasked. We are one body and one Spirit. We have one hope…not government, not medicine, not politics, not masks, nor doctors…no one but our one Lord and one faith and one baptism. Our one God and Father of all.

He bids us to love Him and to love each other. Not everyone agrees about the mask but I love those in this body. And love compels me to wear a mask. I admit I don’t like them but I also remember the people who did not wear their seatbelts for years when it wasn’t the law. My kids will never have that struggle because they have always worn them. But they save lives most of the time and so will these masks most of the time (I think).

Let us come together on Sunday with eagerness to demonstrate love and humility. Let’s trust the pastor’s biblical suggestions. Let’s love Jesus and you can’t say you love Jesus if you do not love your neighbor. Because to love Jesus is to love what he loves. He loves his church. He paid for her with his own blood. He wants us to maintain the unity of the Spirit. And all of this will be by his grace and for his glory.

I love to encourage discipleship! This book will do just that. I will be drawing a winner next Thursday. From now until Wednesday, July 15th, all you must do to get your name in hat is to leave a comment on this blog post!

Thanks to all who follow the blog! I hope it encourages you! I sure enjoy trying!

If you haven’t already, might I suggest praying God’s Word is something you should consider doing. Prayers do not have to be spontaneous to be real or authentic or right. Part of growing as disciples of Jesus is learning how to pray. What better place to learn than the prayers offered in the Scriptures.

I offer this suggestion today because there is a prayer in Ephesians 3. The reason Paul prayed for them is stated in verse 13 which says for them not to lose heart. Well, one way for them not to lose heart is for Paul to ask God, in prayer, to strengthen them. Thus his prayer for them is in 14-21.

I’m going to pray this prayer for myself as I often have and for others. I usually change the pronouns to match how I am praying it. It would be something like this:

For this reason I bow my knee before, You, Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that You would grant me, according to the riches of Your glory, to be strengthened with power through Your Spirit in my inner man, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith; and that I, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that I may be filled up to all the fullness of You, Lord.

Now to You, Father, who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that I ask or even think, according to the power that works within us, to You be the glory in the church and Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever, amen.

May the Lord strengthen you this day for His glory, for we shall see His face!

This chapter was (and still is) life changing for me. The clarity and beauty on display here is like that of God’s mercy and grace…immeasurable! Our pastor spoke of some of these verses on Sunday. I would encourage you to listen to that message. So, I came to this chapter seeking some unfamiliar ground. The taste of the 1-8 were still amazing but I was looking for something overlooked. A gem among many gems! If I could use the image of Bilbo looking for the Arkenstone among the riches of Erebor in the depths of the Lonely Mountain’s plunder…yeah, that’s what I was seeking.

I don’t know if you do this or not, but I have often thought that throughout eternity, God would show me, indeed all of His people, the details of His grace worked out in my life. I have often found glimmers of hope in hard days as I pondered what is to come. The end is coming? Eternal life awaits us. It’s like a long day at work and you notice 5 o’clock is near and that means it’s over!

The gem was this: (Eph. 2:7) …so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

So, in the ages (plural!!!) to come, God will show us the excessive riches of His grace towards us in Christ Jesus. In other words, He might just show me the details of the penalty of death that stood against me in MY trespasses and sins. He will show me how I formally walked according to the course of this world. I will get to see the unseen while here on earth as those invisible characters join the scene of my life’s story. I will see how I followed the prince of the air like a puppy follows its mom. I might see what I was as a son of disobedience vs. a Son of grace.

There are plenty of ways over the ages to come to reveal the ways I lived in the lusts of my flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of my mind. The natural me was headed down the road of wrath…God’s wrath along with the rest of the herd of humanity.

• I was dead
  • in MY trespasses
  • in My sins
  • in which I formally walked
  • in which I formally lived
• But God made me alive
  • in Christ Jesus
  • raised me up from the dead and seated me with Jesus in the heavenly places

Formally! Can you believe it? Can you imagine what that could look like from God’s perspective?!?!? The sentence of death and the looming justice of God’s wrath stood against me and then…like God breathing life into Adam…like Ezekiel prophesying over dead, dry bones…immediately I was alive–forgiven of my sin debt and counted righteous by faith in the Son. I went from the grave to the throne with Jesus in a matter of seconds. I went from a child of wrath to a child of the King. I went from following satan to following Jesus. (Have you started shouting yet?!). Wow!

• I was separated from Christ
• I was excluded from the commonwealth of Israel
• I was a stranger to the covenants of promise
• I had no hope
• I was without God in this world
• I was far off
• I had no peace
• I was at enmity with God
• I had no access to the Spirit of God

BUT NOW…I am NO LONGER a stranger and alien, but I am a fellow citizen with the saints, and I am of God’s household! I have a seat at the TABLE of the KING because of the King! Unbelievable!

One day…not a week…not a month…not a year…not an age…but One Glorious Day Jesus will come get us!

So, many of us read Ephesian 1 this morning if you are following the Foundations reading plan.

Many of us said “Good morning” and “I love you” to our family. We bowed our heads and thanked God for breakfast. We went to work or some other tasks that needed to be done and we worked…just worked. Routines were followed. We glance at the clock with no real purpose other than to know the time.

Okay…what am I getting at? I have read Ephesians 1 so many times that it would be impossible for me to know the amount. I remember times when I didn’t get it. But I also remember times when I began to understand and as I did it was glorious! I was awestruck! Thankful from the heart. Pondering deeply of the riches of God’s grace. But…..this morning….nothing.

I found the picture above to be helpful because it shows how difficult it is for life to spring forth from hard ground. IT’S A MIRICLE EVERYTIME! But what struck me this morning was the lack of life! My greetings were meaningless. My heart is (hopefully was) like that soil above. It needs a miracle of grace.

And that’s just it…that’s what grace is! It’s what God does and it is who God is. He acts! He works! He provides! He gives! He causes! Not because of anything in us but simply because God delightfully decides and decided to do so. From His own blessedness He blesses us with good gifts of grace.

• “who (God) has blessed us”
• “He chose us”
• “He predestined us”
• “He freely bestowed on us”
• “He lavished on us”
• “He made known to us”
• “In Him we have obtained an inheritance”
• “In Him…you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given a pledge of our inheritance”

All of this for what? “To the praise of His glorious grace!” Grace results in praise. Any other way and worship is absent. Yes, the Lord lavished grace on us and He mercifully gave more grace to me, today, to see my dull and calloused heart then to break it so that life might come forth! That’s grace!

I think it’s common for us to become like this. Paul writes all of these amazing things then he prays this:

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

(Eph. 1:18-23)

May the Lord flood your heart with light to see these glorious truths and give Him praise for His glorious grace. May you give pause as you read Ephesians 1 AGAIN and think deeply of what God has accomplished for you. Give pause when you say “good morning” and “I love you” to your family. Give pause as you thank the Lord for what He has provided. Grab hold of His kind intentions for you in everything today.

May you “feel your need of Him” and come!