The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed (Eph 3:1-6)

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

Being a Gentile in the OT meant you were nothing in God's Kingdom, only the Jews were God's special people.  But now Paul reveals something pretty wonderful.  Through Christ, Gentiles are no longer nobodies, they've been adopted into God's Kingdom!!!  Wonderful news, especially for me and you.  We have the same promise that the Jews of the OT had, we have a Saviour who took our sins on Himself, died, was buried, rose again, and now sits at God's right Hand to help US, to mediate for us so we can have a relationship with God again.  No longer do we have to talk to a High Priest in order to talk to God our Father!  GOOD NEWS - spread it!

One in Christ

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

I am a Gentile, in that I am not born a member of the Jewish nation. In the OT the Jewish nation, the people of Abraham's line, became God's special people. Only a few people in the OT outside this nations ever came into their group and became part of God's special people. They needed someone to help them come into their nation, often through marriage like Ruth and Rahab. Today many more people are part of God's special people through Jesus. Jesus, through His death and resurrections, made it possible for many more people to be part of God's Kingdom, to be citizens in the household of God. Jesus Christ is the one who pulls us altogether through His Holy Spirit living in us. Have you ever had the experience of someone pulling you along, saying you gotta see this, let me show you! That's kind of how it is with Christ. He pulls us along, we who were once dead, making us alive as members in God's beautiful Kingdom! Pulling a dead person along is pretty hard, but Christ does it, AND makes us alive again in His Kingdom. Beautiful picture isn't it?

By Grace Through Faith (Eph 2:1-10)

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

Can anyone describe or understand what it means to be dead? I imagine it means that I can't think, move, eat, talk to others, feel emotion, or.....  The list could go on.  I believe that is how Paul is describing us, fallen human beings.  Because of our original sin through Adam, I am dead, finished, can't think, etc.  That's a pretty tough place to be isn't it?

But there's GOOD NEWS!!!  While I was DEAD, Christ DIED for me, for me!  That's the amazing part, that someone cares enough to die for me and you!  He gave me a new heart, a new mind, a new will so that I can do the good things He already planned for me to do, before I was even born.  It's like rising out of a coffin with a new body, not only to live and work on this earth but also to live with Him in the heavenly places.  Wow! 

Eph 1:15-23

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked 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 above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things 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.

What a prayer!  Having a spirit of wisdom and truly understanding who Jesus is and what He did, and still does, for me would be truly AWESOME.  Sometimes I think I get it and then other times my actions say I don't get it because I go my own way, don't really want to read His Word, don't really want to go to church on Sundays... and the list goes on.  The one great thing though, is that when I actually do read His Word, or listen to the preaching, I always find something to take home with me and hold onto for the rest of the week.  That can only be God working in me!

Seven Benefits of a Smile

Megan was eighteen months old when she decided to test her smile on a Hells Angel.

Just before a vacation in Jackson, Wyoming, she had learned what a fun response she could get from adults when she beamed a big smile and gave them an enthusiastic, “Hi!”

Whether we were sitting in a restaurant, browsing in an art gallery, or walking down the sidewalk, Megan delighted in greeting one stranger after another with her glad little smile.

And of course everyone returned her greeting with an equally cheerful, “Well, hello there!”

This was all very amusing to Corlette and me … until the afternoon I was walking alone down a deserted side street with Megan perched in a backpack looking over my shoulder.

A huge man came around the corner and walked right toward us. A full-fledged Hells Angel. At least 250 pounds, leather jacket, chains, beard, tattoos, and a scowl that said, “Stay outa my way!”

I was instantly nervous. The guy had a look that said “trouble,” and here I was with my little girl strapped to my back. I thought of turning around or crossing to the other side of the street, but was afraid such an obvious act of avoidance might provoke him. So I decided to walk past him as quickly as possible, hoping not to attract his attention.

Then I felt Megan shift on my back so she could see over my left shoulder. She had spotted her next target. “Oh, no,” I thought. “She’s going to irritate this guy, and he’s going to take it out on me.” My fear went up a notch, but all I could do was quicken my pace to get past him more quickly.

Then Megan beamed her big smile and let out an especially enthusiastic, “Hi!”

And the guy just melted.

I could not believe the instantaneous transformation. He stopped right in front of us. His scowl disappeared. He leaned toward Megan with warmth in his eyes and a smile that split his face, and said, “Hello, young lady.”

A simple smile had turned a scowling and ominous biker into a big, soft teddy bear.

We stood on the sidewalk talking for several minutes. He asked about Megan’s name and age, and warmly engaged us. She beamed and jabbered, to his obvious delight.

He and I enjoyed a few minutes of casual conversation, and then he softly touched Megan’s hand and said, “Good bye, Little One. You made my day.” As I watched him walk away, I was amazed to realize that my fear of this man had been replaced by a feeling of actual fondness.

All because of a little girl’s smile.

The Benefits of a Smile

Believe it or not, you and I have similar “smile power.” Probably not as much as a cute little toddler, but still far more than most of us realize or exercise. Here’s just a few insights that recent studies have revealed about the nature, power, and benefits of a smile.

1. Smiling is a natural and universal human characteristic. It is common to all people groups, does not have to be taught, and is generally seen as a positive and reassuring gesture.
2. Smiling improves your health. It reduces levels of stress-enhancing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, increases levels of pain-killing endorphins and sleep-assisting serotonin, reduces blood pressure, and boosts your immune system. Smiling is a free and natural drug!
3. Smiling makes you look more attractive, courteous, and approachable.People are more likely to trust, like, and seek assistance from a smiling person. When you smile, your face is saying, “All is well. I'm safe. Come and talk with me.”
4. Smiling Improves Your Mood. It’s actually more difficult to think negative thoughts when you have a smile on your face, even if it’s forced.
5. Smiling Is Contagious. One smiling person can change the mood of a room full of people. Why? Because when people see a smile, “mirror neurons” fire in their brains and evoke a similar neural response as if they were smiling themselves.
6. Smiling Makes You Look Younger. The muscles you use to smile actually lift your entire face and make you look younger. As Meryl Streep observed, “The best face-lift is a smile.”
7. Smiling Makes You Look Competent and Successful. Smile and you will appear to be more confident, self-assured, accessible, and helpful. You are also more likely to be hired and promoted than people who have habitually blank faces or frowns. A smile has real financial value.

Practice Until It Becomes Natural

Even if you’re not a world-class smiler today, a little practice can make smiling a natural and enjoyable habit. Here’s four simple ways to get started.

1. Decide to like people. It sounds silly, but it works. As you approach a person, think to yourself, “I like you!” More often than not, you’ll find your face moving into a natural smile … especially if you think of specific reasons that you like that person (see Phil. 4:8-9). If you have no personal memories to draw on, focus on the fact that the other person is made in the image God and dearly loved by him.
2. Smile with your eyes. You can fake a smile with your mouth, but your eyes are essential for a genuine, warm smile (commonly called a “Duchenne smile”). Some people learn how to move the muscles around their eyes as a matter of will, but the best way to trigger this kind of “full-face” smile is to deliberately draw on positive memories and feelings toward the person you are engaging.
3. Smile everywhere you go. In bed, when your smile is the first thing your spouse sees in the morning. In the kitchen, when your sleepy children walk in and give you a chance to set their mood for the day. In the grocery store … seriously. As you walk through the door, consciously put a smile on your face, and as you walk down the aisles, try to catch the eyes of people who walk toward you. You’ll be amazed at how often you’ll get a look of surprise and then a quick little smile. You just changed their mood. At Starbucks and Wells Fargo … the barista and the teller may have had a hard day. At the office … your co-workers will love having you around. At church … of all the places to smile, shouldn’t it be where we are celebrating the love and forgiveness of God? When you’re all alone … practice thinking thoughts that naturally trigger a smile, so that muscle memory makes it easy for your face to move into a relaxed and natural smile. (Of course a woman needs to exercise caution before smiling at strange men.)
4. Smile on the telephone. Really. Studies show that people can tell whether you’re smiling even when they can’t see your face. How? When you smile, the back of your mouth changes shape and makes the sound waves more fluid. When people hear that sound, they sense you are happy to talk with them, and guess what? They feel happy to talk with you. A friend of mine is so convinced of this dynamic that he has installed mirrors in front of his salesmen’s desks to remind them to smile as they engage their clients.

A smile costs you nothing, but it can win you great rewards and change the mood of those you encounter throughout your day, whether it’s a critical spouse, a grumpy child, a discouraged co-worker, or a weary store clerk.

If my daughter could change the heart of Hells Angel with her little smile, just think of the lives you could touch with yours.

Reflection Questions

• Think of a person who smiles easily and naturally. What feelings are triggered when you think of that person? Do you think those feelings have anything to do with the fact that that person is typically smiling? Why?
• Smiling is the first and easiest step in the SERVE acrostic. How does smiling open up the way for the other steps to occur? (Smile, Explore andEmpathize, Reconcile, Value, and Encourage)?
• How do the following passages indicate the value of smiling: Num. 6:24-26; Prov. 12:25; Prov. 15:13; Matt. 7:12?
• Which of the seven benefits of smiling would you most like to experience? Why?
• Select one of the four ways to practice smiling and do it consistently for thirty days. Then select another. And another. In four months, all four practices could become habits.

Permission to distribute: Please feel free to download, print, or electronically share this message in its entirety for non-commercial purposes with as many people as you like.

© 2014 Ken Sande

Eph 1:3-14

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Can you imagine, that before anyone was born, God had already chosen who was going to follow Him?  That means He already had me planned!  Wow, my God knows me inside and out, better than I know myself, knowing that He would make me believe in Him.  That's amazing!!  And then He gave me the gift of life through Jesus Christ.  I have received the exact same inheritance as Jesus Christ!  I AM God's child!  That is so incredible and comforting to know that God chose me.  I didn't have to do anything to earn His love and care and I certainly don't deserve His love and care, but that's the way it is.  He works in me to believe and grow in my love for Him.  

I pray that God will help me with my GPS - God Positioning System: 

• Glorify God: Prove he’s the best by depending entirely on him, by trusting him at every turn, by obeying him no matter what, and by praising his excellence to others and urging them to follow him as well (1 Cor. 10:31; John 17:4).
• Pursue God: Seek him earnestly to program your heart and mind with his thoughts, goals, and ways by regularly studying and meditating on Scripture, praying for clear guidance, and worshiping regularly with people who love to walk his path (Jer. 29:13; Ps. 119:45).
• Serve God: Do what pleases him at all times by following the example of Jesus: “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone for I always do the things that are pleasing to him” (John 8:29; cf. 1 John 2:5-6).

Eph 1:1,2

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians will be the next Bible book I'll be going through.  This one is written by Paul, the man who used to persecute and kill Christians because he believed Jesus was an imposter, until the day God met him on the road to Damascus and gave him a makeover.  Paul is writing this book to the believers in Ephesus, but since we're also believers, he writes to us today too.  

Verse 2 has the words that appear so often through out the Bible, telling us that God is near and with us, that the words that follow are His Words, which means they are from Jesus, THE WORD.  Do you ever think about these words when the minister says them off the pulpit on Sunday?  To truly feel that when we worship Him together as a Church that God is with us, and that His Words will be coming through the words of the minister.  Too often I look at the minister as a man, saying his own words, and I can get so frustrated sometimes because I don't think he says what should be said, or twists God's Words to make them say things he wants them to say.  And yet, through all that, God does speak to us through His Word and the songs that we sing.  I guess I need to keep reminding myself to look beyond the man in the pulpit to the One who stands behind him and gives us His grace and peace!