Manifold Wisdom of God
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Statistics would have you believe that over 80% of Americans are Christians, and historians would have you believe that American colonial patriotic zeal was shared with over 80% of the colonist. Sometime what is shouted the loudest and the longest is assumed to be the truth, even if it is not. While it is truthful that the initial colonial rally to arms was impressive it is not the whole story. On April 9, 1775 literally thousands of militiamen from 23 towns in Massachusetts arrived in Concord and confronted the British. Right after this event, American colonists were fast to answer the call of duty, and before very long Massachusetts had fielded 12 regiments; Connecticut fielded a force of 6,000; and 16,000 men from the four New England colonies besieged British-occupied Boston. The flame of patriotic zeal had been lit and the American upper middle class initially rallied to the cause, but this enthusiasm did not last. This is not unlike what you see with the birth of a new congregation or the arrival of a new charismatic leader.
The initial colonial enthusiasm did not last long once they discovered just how difficult and dangerous military service could be. Of course this did not come as a surprise to Washington who had fought and led men in the French and Indian war. In fact, Washington predicted that “after the first emotions are over,” those who were willing to serve from a belief in the “goodness of the cause” would amount to little more than “a drop in the Ocean.” Washington was correct, before 1776 came to an end the flood of new recruits had shrunk to a trickle. As the war drew on the states were forced to make offers of cash and land bounties and use slick-tongued recruiters to lure men into the Army. It was not long, however, until most states were forced to resort to conscription to fill enlistment quotas. What is very interesting is the fact that the combined effect of cash, land, and the draft resulted in a Continental army primarily made up of young, single, property-less, and poor men. Surprise … surprise! As a result, the eventual colonial soldier was very much different from the nature of the initial soldiers at Concord. Again, it is kind of like what you see happen to the nature of people as a new church ages.
It is foolish to contradict historical facts and it is a fact that most colonists were not patriots and that it was not the overall colonial aristocracy who fought the British. In much the same way, most people who call themselves a Christian are not a Christian. In the beginning, when euphoria fuels people’s enthusiasm, it seems like the majority are loyal to the cause and dedicate to serving. When time and circumstances demand our dedication, our labor and our sacrifice the initial emotional fervor wanes and the number of people loyal to the cause begins to dwindle. As a result, patriots in colonial America became a minority … less than 30-percent of the population. When people come to the realization that they have a responsibility to God, and that this responsible requires self-sacrifice and service to Christ, the true Christian becomes a minority … less than 20-percent.
An overwhelming majority of American colonist liked the idea of some form of independence or autonomy from Briton but very few were willing to fight. In the same way, people like to call themselves a Christian and they like it when the preacher feed them instant salvation garnished with health, wealth, and happiness sermons. Things change when a preacher starts telling the people we have the responsibility to learn and obey everything Jesus taught; we have received the ministry of reconciliation and now are to be ambassadors; as we serve we are to produce spiritual fruit; we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling; and as a collective we are to manifest the manifold wisdom of God to rulers and authorities in heavenly places. People do not want to hear that they are to be a source of mutual edification and evangelism in the spirit and character of Christ. People reject any message about functioning as a beacon of God’s purpose, which is to cut through the darkness of evil by obey everything Jesus taught and lead people to the one true and living God. People reject any message that implies we all must labor to know God’s will and to serve Christ; that we need to be a constant spiritual sacrifice; and that we must discipline ourselves to generate a spirit of unity and love within and among our congregations. While it may be true that over 80% of Americans call themselves a Christian, it is also true that less than 20% of Americans will accept the fact we are to be an earthly manifestation of God’s wisdom.
Sermon
Spiritual War
The Christian collective, the Body of Christ, has an awesome responsibility, which is the administration and manifestation of the great mystery. (Colossians 1:25-29) God kept the great mystery hidden for ages, but now it has been revealed in the Body of Christ. You see, there are those in the heavens who seem to have questioned God’s wisdom and they rebelled against God, under the leadership of Satan. Satan was created by God to be perfect, full of wisdom and very beautiful. Satan was originally in heaven with God and was blameless from the day he was created until unrighteousness was found in him. Satan’s heart was lifted up because of his beauty; and he was corrupted by his wisdom and splendor. Therefore, God cast him out of heaven because of his self-generated pride. (Ezekiel 28:11-19, Isaiah 14:3-21, Job 1:6 &2:1, Luke 10:17-18, Revelation 12:3-4) Having been kicked out of heaven, Satan and his demons now wage war against God’s creation … the world and all who live in it. (1 Peter 5:8, Genesis 3:15, Romans 8:18-23) Because of Satan the world has become corrupted and thus fails to fulfill God’s intent. This put us humans right in the middle of a great cosmic conflict, which is why our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the spiritual realm. (Ephesians 6:12) From the time of Adam’s sin we have been engaged in this war; but we mortals were totally failing. In fact, we would still be failing if it were not for the love of God, which sent His only Son as a sacrifice for our failures. (Romans 3:16) But now, those who have aligned themselves with Jesus are winning; and, it is up to this Christian collective to prove the manifold wisdom of God and make it known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:8-13)
Out of ignorance and self-interest, most people deny the existence of spiritual warfare and refuse to acknowledge any human obligation to prove the manifold wisdom of God. Even in accepting Jesus as savior, most people consider salvation to require little or nothing from them. Instead, they believe salvation is an obligation of God toward humans. It is probably quite accurate to say that most people, who call themselves a Christian, believe God owes them salvation and we owe God almost nothing in return. While it is true that the great conflict in spiritual realms is primarily the business of God, we mortals cannot claim to play no role in this conflict. We need to wake up and realize that the spiritual conflict in the heavens has turned earth into a battlefield where the forces of good and the forces of evil wage war: as both seek to influence the actions of mortals. Satan works through our worldly desires and God works through our relationship with Christ. Those mortals, who choose to resist the desires of our flesh and establish a strong relationship with Christ, must battle on three fronts. To start with, we are to become disciples of Christ by learning what Jesus taught and then by obeying what Jesus taught.(Matthew 28:16-20) Second, we are to be transformed through spiritual rebirth and fulfill our duties as ministers of the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:16-20) Third, is our obligation to manifest the wisdom of God to rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. So you see, we are warriors on a spiritual battlefield and salvation is not our objective … it is simply what empowers us to fulfill our responsibilities toward God.
Divine Mission
Look at it this way, the world and all that live in it were created by God for a specific purpose, but not everyone in the spiritual realm was in agreement with God’s plan. We do not know who all was with God when He said: “let us make mankind” (Genesis 1:26) and “let us go down and there confuse their language,” (Genesis 11:7) but it appears that God was including other heavenly entities in what He was doing. And, because one third of the heavenly beings joined Satan’s rebellion we know that not all of those in the heavens were in full agreement with God. (Revelation 12:4) Thus, it would appear God has set out to prove to those who questioned His plan that He was wise in creating mankind. It would also appear that God intends to prove His wisdom through His creation, which means we are to live our lives in such a way that we prove to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places that God is justified in His creation. Based on the teachings of Jesus, it is rather obvious this proof originates in our capability to rise above our reacting to the physical stimuli of this world. (Luke 9:23-24, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 3:5) It would appear that those who opposed God considered man to be little more than another earthly animal, and a slave to their physical desires. God, on the other hand, expects us mortals to rise above our animal instincts: by gaining control over our fleshly desires. Thus, our actions would be influenced by the Holy Spirit and not by the desires of our flesh, which are influenced by Satan. (Galatians 5:16-25, Ephesians 5:14-21) We are to live like children of God who are destined to rule with Jesus in glory because we are worthy through Jesus Christ … assuming we labor to learn everything Jesus taught and we are faithful in obeying what Jesus taught. (John 1:12-13, Romans 8:16-17) So you see, there is a divine purpose for our existence; and, it appears that our mission is to prove that we mortals can qualify for a position in the Kingdom of God.
Know this: God will achieve what God set out to achieve; all His adversaries will be eternally destroyed; and, those mortals who are faithful in learning and obeying the teachings of Jesus will be with God forever. Until that glorious time, however, it is the obligation of every Christian to faithfully serve Jesus Christ. Our efforts to learn, our obedience, and our dedication to service are all being observed by a great cloud of heavenly witnesses. These heavenly beings are watching to see how well we display the manifold wisdom of God; therefore, let us lay aside every fleshly desire, which easily entangles us, and let us fight the spiritual battle that is set before us so that we will participate in God’s ultimate victory. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Please understand, this is not some spur of the moment reaction on God’s part; the design of this great mystery was planned long before man every came into existence. (Matthew 25:34, Ephesians 1:4 & 2:10, 2 Thessalonians 2:13) It was planned by God and the details of this plan are something even the angles would like to know about, but they don’t. (1 Peter 1:12) Yet, the strategic outcome of God’s plan has already been decided; it was determined when God defeated Satan and kicked him out of heaven. What remains to be determined is who, among the mortals, will participate in manifesting the wisdom of God. For a mortal, there is no almost obedient or kind of proving God’s wisdom; you will either stand with God or you will fall with Satan. In other words, we will either live to our self-interests, thus failing God, or we will deny self-interests and stand with God against the schemes of the devil. Know well that this is the eternal plan and not some knee jerk reaction on God’s part.
Conclusion
The initial American colonial enthusiasm did not last long once people discovered just how difficult and dangerous military service could be. In the same way, the flame of enthusiasm that initially moved people to claim salvation and membership in a church will often burn out in a very short time. If the preacher, however, feeds them instant salvation garnished with health, wealth, and happiness sermons they just might stick around. They will stick around just as long as the preacher does not tell them they have the responsibility to learn and obey everything Jesus taught; or, tells them they have received the ministry of reconciliation and now are to be ambassadors; or, tells them they are to serve Jesus and at the same time produce spiritual fruit; or, that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling; and as a collective, we are to manifest the manifold wisdom of God to rulers and authorities in heavenly places. People do not want to hear that we have a big job to do, which follows our being born again. This is why our failing to make salvation the primary objective of Christian will turn people off. As soon as we stop tickling people’s ears and start teaching that our objective is a servant/partner relationship with Christ, the so called Christians will lay down their rifle and creep back home.
We are part of a grand strategic plan, a great mystery, which existed from before the beginning and now has been brought to us with the advent of Jesus Christ. We are the genesis and the focal point of this great plan, because we are to prove to the rulers and the authorities in heavenly places that we can resist the desires of the flesh; and instead, obey the spiritual principles brought to us by Jesus Christ. This means that we, the individual Christian, are a part of the collective of Christ; and, it is through our obedience to Jesus, and through our living according to the spiritual principles He taught, that we prove the manifold wisdom of God to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places. It is a foregone conclusion that the Body of Christ will prove God was right. But, the critical question we all need to ask ourselves is: am I a part of the Body of Christ … am I really a Christian. Know this well, God’s wisdom is being manifested through the spirit of a few mortals who, although imprisoned in a flesh that readily yields to earthly desires, are gladly forsaking fleshly desires and embracing the austere discipline of a spirit loyal to Christ. (Matthew 7:13-21, Luke 13:23-24)
