How well do you know your favourite author, or your favourite poet? How well do you know the person you admire the most?
How well do you really know members of your family? Do others know everything there is to know about you?
For myself, although I love his stories I know very little about my favourite author Ted Dekker. He’s a son of missionaries and he lives in Texas with his wife and children.
My grandmother is 88 years old and although I’ve known her all my life she’s been around a bit longer than me – and I sometimes feel as if there is so much that I don’t know about her.
How about God, the Heavenly Father of our Lord Jesus, our creator – how well do we know him? How well do we know his future plans for us? And do we know where Jesus is right now, and what He’s doing?
Three questions I’ve been asking myself.
3rd Question: where is Jesus right now (1:20-23)?
As we see at a world in turmoil it is a question to ask.
But we should remember that Jesus himself said there would be wars and rumours of wars right up until his 2nd coming. That said; where is Jesus now? St. Paul tells us that Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly realms (1:20); ‘far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come’ (1:21). He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, above every title you can think of. Presidents, Kings, Prime Ministers, Sheikhs, Imams and Generals might think they have power, but God has placed Jesus over all of them. They will all have to answer to him.
The Alpha course is a great way to investigate the Christian faith. During one of the sessions (as an illustration) we hear the list of titles held by Prince Charles. I wonder what you’ll make of the list of titles I’m about to read out:
Duke of Lancaster, Lord of Mann, Duke of Normandy, Sovereign of the Most Honourable Order of the Garter (a dress shop?), Sovereign of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Sovereign of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Sovereign of the Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick, Sovereign of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Sovereign of the Distinguished Service Order, Sovereign of the Imperial Service Order, Sovereign of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, Sovereign of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, Sovereign of the Order of British India, Sovereign of the Indian Order of Merit, Sovereign of the Order of Burma, Sovereign of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert, Sovereign of the Royal Family Order of King Edward VII, Sovereign of the Order of Merit, Sovereign of the Order of the Companions of Honour, Sovereign of the Royal Victorian Order, Sovereign of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem;
Sovereign of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith, Duchess of Edinburgh, Countess of Merioneth, Baroness Greenwich and of course she is also Mum, Grandma, and now a great grandmother too!
They were the titles given at her coronation.
But our Queen has a very real faith in Jesus for which I thank God, because Jesus has been placed ‘far above all rule and authority …and every title that can be given’ (1:21). Let’s pray for her, and our government as the Bible instructs us to do.
Jesus is also Head of the Church. It is his Church. Literally, we are Christ’s Church. We are his body. We are not the head and perhaps the national and local church needs to remember that. Jesus is the head! His titles, his rule, his plans, his power and his authority are incomparable. The Queen’s titles fade next to Jesus. My little title also fades.
1st question: How well do we know God (1:15-17)?
On our website and on the front of our lovely new Notice Sheet we come across a phrase, “Christ Church exists to know Jesus and to make him known.” I agree with that, but I’m also about to bring some constructive criticism to bear on our raison d’Être, our reason for being as a Church.
In this section of St. Paul’s letter to the believers in Ephesus, he thanks God for their faith in Jesus and their love for all the saints (1:15). I thank God for every sign of faith in Jesus, and what we have here is St. Paul’s reaction to news that has reached him about a local Christian Church. He has heard Good News about their faith; good news about the love they are demonstrating for all the saints. Not saints who died years ago and might be venerated but love for the modern day saints of God – in other words, those who love God and show that love through their love for one another. Jesus said, people will know we’re his disciples by our love for each other (John 13:35).
But Jesus said, “If you love one another.” So the opposite is also true. If people see that we do not love one another they will discount our faith, and some will discount Jesus if we don’t love each other!
How well do we know God? St. Paul was praying that God would grant a spirit of wisdom and revelation to the church in Ephesus so that they would know him better (1:17). He’d heard of their faith and love and yet Paul was praying they would know God better. There was a gap between their knowledge of God and God as he really is.
Does the Vicar know everything there is to know about God? No! I need you to be praying for me, like St. Paul that I will know God better.
In the 2nd century Irenaeus was Bishop of Lyons in France. He was a disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of John – the beloved disciple of Jesus. Irenaeus wrote this: “The Lord has taught us that no one can know God unless he is taught by God.”
If only God can teach us to know God; no wonder St. Paul was praying that God himself would grant the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that the believers would know God better; and I pray that God will pour a spirit of wisdom and revelation upon you.
Some of you already know that back in early 2006 when I was looking for a job I visited the Lord Chancellor’s department in Downing Street; and whilst there I momentarily met the then prime Minister Tony Blair in the corridors. I looked him in the eye. When I was a debt collector with a Mortgage Company I spoke to former Prime Minister Ted Heath on the telephone. “So what”, you’re probably thinking! Well, the point is that just because I’ve met or spoken to former Prime Ministers; it does not mean I got to know anything about them. They don’t know me and they didn’t reveal anything to me; and just because I attend Church and see and hear about God; it does not mean that I know God, and it does not mean I am getting to know him any better.
We need personal revelation from God to know God – and the great news is that all we need to do is ask, because the Bible tells us that he loves to give good gifts to his children; all we need to do is get to know Jesus, because he shows us what God is really like.
But I don’t just want to know Jesus – I know hundreds of people, a few better than most. I want to know Jesus better, because Jesus is not meant to be like a spurious Facebook friend, someone you might have last actually spoken to 5 years ago.
Do I know him better today than a year ago?
I suggest we shouldn’t just be aiming to know Jesus, but to know him better and to make him better known. He’s not just a friend, he’s our favourite.
Question 2: What are God’s plans for us (18-19)?
God hasn’t just revealed himself in Jesus; he’s also revealed his plans for us through his word, the Bible. Thank God for the Bible!
Did you know that this year is a special anniversary? This year it will be 400 years since the first publication of the King James Bible – the authorised version; and although some of it is hard to follow now we owe a debt of gratitude to Bible translators who continue to work so hard to ensure we have the Bible translated into contemporary, modern English so we can understand it.
St. Paul wanted his readers – and us – to have enlightened hearts; to know that we have a great hope, a wonderful inheritance (1:18); and his power at work in us (1:19).
Do you ever feel powerless to change yourself for the better; or to change your family relationships for the better; or to change the world around you? I know I do; but God’s power is available to us. God’s power - his mighty strength - is available to us to transform, heal and resurrect our lives, our motivations and our relationships. The same power that raised Jesus from death can raise you to new life and new hope today.
As 2011 progresses God has plans for you to know him better, and to be transformed so that you become more like Jesus, so that you know the riches that Christ has purchased for you, and the inheritance that belongs to his people.
Without wishing to sound disrespectful I’ve got no interest in what may or may not come my way in the future from my parents. Whereas the inheritance promised by God is something else.
Bishop Irenaeus’s mentor (Polycarp) was himself mentored by one of the 12 disciples of Jesus (John), so these guys knew what they were talking about. Irenaeus also wrote this: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, the word of God, became what we are that he might make us what he himself is.” That is the inheritance that belongs to every believer – to become like Jesus, resurrected, safe for all eternity; intimate with God.
So how well do we know God? I want you to know him better this year than ever before.
Do you know God’s future plans for you? I want your faith to grow, develop and deepen as you gain a better grasp of God’s word, the Bible.
But above all of that I want us to fix our eyes, our hearts, our lives our families and this Church upon Jesus.
Jesus is the one who is seated at God’s ‘right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come’ (1:20-21).
Let’s pray.
