Something To Sing About
Ephesians 1:3-14
What makes you sing? Not a little whispered song, but a belt out the volume song. (Share your answer with someone seated next to you.)
It doesn’t take much to make me sing. It might be a simple statement made in a personal conversation that rings a bell of some song lyrics of years ago. It might be a song that has embedded itself in my memory. It doesn’t matter – I sing. It’s what I do.
More than a few times, I have been taking Krista or Elizabeth to school a just started singing out a song, only to have them respond, “Dad, can you stop that. You’re embarrassing.”
As Christians, do we encourage one another to tone it down? How often do we engage in living out our Christianity so that we can barely hear the heartbeat of our lives above the roar of the crowds around us? Rather than living a life that boldly shouts a declaration of God’s grace, we have retreated into a life of reserved apology.
Now, I know that some of you are wondering – “What is he talking about? Does he expect us to be loud and obnoxious about our faith?” Let me say, for some of us that might be an improvement over a faith that is lifeless and uninspiring – but that is not what I am talking about.
Those of you who have been with me to a sporting event now how loud I can get. Today, is one of those days when preachers might be expected to mention football, so let me put it this way. This evening many Christians will show more enthusiasm for a single play in today’s game than they have in several years of living out their faith.
During the week, there were those that described this as the most boring Super Bowl week in years because of the personal faith of the two coaches. Yet, others said that the faith of Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy was a refreshing thing since their faith filters down to the team – making preparation for the game the story – and not some off the field extra-curricular activity. When the faith of the coaches becomes a story in the Super Bowl – that is living out loud.
Ephesians teaches us about a life that is lived out loud – in full volume, unashamedly expressing our love and devotion for God. This is the life that breaks the silence about sin and forces Satan to retreat. This is the life that declares God’s victory over prejudice and shouts his victory over sins oppression. This is the life that speaks into the darkness and stirs it with the light of God. Ephesians is living out loud for a God who has forever changed who we are.
Paul’s blessing that begins Ephesians (a common trait of period letters) is a statement of worship proclaiming the praiseworthiness of a God that has lavished his blessings on his people. The opening verse, literally “Blessings on the one who blesses us with every spiritual blessing,” emphasizes the worship thrust of this blessing. God, as the one who has poured out his blessings on us, is worthy to of our full-blown celebration in worship.
I have a sense that the contemporary church has forgotten how to worship. The old forms of worship do not fit, and the new forms do not convince. How will we recover the depth and spontaneity of heartfelt worship?
I offer no fix-it plan for worship, but I am convinced that the key to worship is not in procedures, but in experiencing God; not in a plan for worship, but in time for worship and eyes sensitive enough to discern God and his work. Knowledge of God leads to wonder and worship.
So lets begin to rediscover something to sing about by beginning where Paul began. From his declaration of God’s worthiness of our full-tilt, no holds barred worship, Paul includes three additional “to the praise of …” statements. Each statement is attached to a specific way that God has acted to bless his people. Each blessing thus serves notice of a reason that we have to direct our worship to God, and as we understand the depth of God’s activity on our behalf worship will cry out from the depths of our soul.
Additionally, each of these blessings in not a stagnant piece of information.
Each is a piece of information that stirs us to live a life in full-volume, leaving it all on the field.
1. God has brought us into his family.
God has determined to adopt us into his family (vs. 5).
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace,” (vs. 4-5)
The adoption was certified through Christ’s gracious act of redemption (vs. 6). Redemption goes beyond our normal understanding of God’s grace being forgiveness. Redemption carries that idea of being set free from slavery (vs. 7). Grace is poured out on his people to the extent of overwhelming them (vs. 8).
Our adoption is a change of identity. We are no longer who we once were. Paul goes on to emphasize that fact in 2:1-7, 2:11-22, 4:17-32, and 5:1-21. Each section speaks to our change of identity and the difference thoughts, motives, and actions that the change in identity brings about.
The concept of being God’s children is picked up again at 5:1.
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
This transformation of identity is also expressed in our location. No less than 9 times in these twelve verses does Paul describe something about us as being “in Christ.”
2. God has opened the avenue for us to know him.
The mystery revealed is a key concept in Ephesians. The second reason to praise God is that the mystery which had been undisclosed has been revealed (vs. 9).
“And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment…”
Clearly this text emphasizes the activity of God with regard to the past, present and future. All too easily people assume God is not active because they do not see obvious actions from him. But God is rarely ‘public’ with his actions. In fact, Isaiah 45:15 says that God is a hidden God, or as one scholar put it, ‘an elusive presence.’ God does not force himself on us, but his hidden God does reveal himself and is active in making his grace and his purposes in Christ known, We almost need a sign that reads “Slow down – God at work.” Confidence that God is at work fulfilling his purposes preconditions us to anticipate his work and be receptive to it.
Since God has revealed his activity, purposes and will he has also revealed himself. Glory is essentially a term of revelation (vs. 12).
Knowing God is a key idea in Ephesians. It is the centerpiece of Paul’s prayer for them at the end of chapter 1. It is the cornerstone of his ministry to the Gentiles – making known the mysteries of God, and his prayer that they would understand the full extent of God’s immeasurable love for them.
Finally, 4:17-24 describes the transforming effect that knowing God has on the life of a believer.
3. God has paid the deposit on our eternity.
God has given us the Holy Spirit to identify us as his children (vs. 13).
“Any you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,…”
At three other places Paul speaks of the Spirit as a transforming power within us. In his prayer for them in chapter three, he prays that “he may strengthen you with poser through is Spirit in your inner being” (vs. 16). In chapter four, he instructs the believers to “not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (vs. 30) within a context on our relationships with one another. And in chapter 5, Paul suggests this option: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (vs. 18).
Yet the Holy Spirit is not only a blessing for now – to guide us in living our lives in the current age. It is a guarantee that God insures us of his eternal provision for us (vs. 14)
“… who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.”
I thought we were already redeemed. This verse makes it sound like our redemption is a future activity.
Redemption is something that is “already-but not yet.” We have realized aspects of our salvation in the present age. However, some aspects of our redemption will not be completely enjoyed until our redemption is completed consummated at Christ’s return.
The Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee that we belong to him and that he will do what he has promised. The Holy Spirit is like a down payment, a deposit, a validating signature on the contract. The presence of the Holy Spirit in us demonstrates the genuineness of our faith, proves that we are God’s children, and secures eternal life for us. His power works in us to transform us now, and what we experience now is a taste of the total change we will experience in eternity.
Conclusion
Each of these blessings that we have received from God should encourage us to crank up the volume on our faith until it bursts out in a full-volume demonstration of his activity in our lives.
Video Clip – Facing The Giants Scene 12
Living to the praise of God means leaving it all on the field. Not holding anything back.
