Valentine’s Day, The Olympics and Religion
Eph.3:14-4:16
a. One thing in common in all three: PRESSURE!
In the Olympics – go for the gold! Try telling the Canadian men’s hockey team if they don’t feel it. Tell Elvis Stojko if he does not want to succeed badly and go out in a blaze of glory in this his final Olympic appearance. Tell our women’s curling team, our women’s hockey team, Catriona LeMay Doan if they don’t feel the heat on the ice?
Then on Valentine’s Day – everyone is going for gold too. Tell the hundreds, nay thousands, nay millions who are lined up and sweating buckets at the card and flower shops and other retail stores that sell Valentine Day specialties on Feb.13th because they have not yet bought the perfect card or gift. There’s one single lady who wrote: “There’s one thing worse than not having a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day – actually having one.” She goes on: “you see, single women without a romantic interest on this day of love are only miserable for one flowerless day (a misery usually conquered by large quantities of after-holiday half-price Valentine’s Day candy). But when you do have someone special in your life, you have a sleep-depriving, nail-biting decision – with relationship-making or breaking ramifications – ahead: what to give this semi-significant other.” She further goes on to talk about how males have it easy, red rose – “ love” ; yellow rose – “friendship”, any chocolate – you’re up there with Brad Pitt or a George Clooney. What do u give a guy, she cries! His favorite music CD - does that say “you’re cute”, or a power saw, - “I’m crazy about u”? She ended up buying a boxer shorts with "glow in the dark" hearts because her guy collects funny boxer shorts. Well, on Valentine’s eve she casually mentioned her great idea to some of her Christian friends at work, they responded with raised eyebrows. “But that’s underwear” – went on to explain it may communicate a meaning they didn’t want to get into. The last thing she wanted to do is communicate something suggestive, so she went shopping and only store she could get to is a grocery store, due to work commitments – so she bought red food – strawberries, spaghetti sauce, cherry kool-aid, strawberry poptarts, apples, picante sauce – reason: what bachelor don’t need or want food? but she knew - “all the while knowing this was one of my dorkiest moves yet”. See what Valentine’s Day pressure does to u?
In religion: tell me if the millions, nay billions who go to all sorts of religious services, in temples, mosques, in churches today who don’t feel the pressure of going for the gold in their religious practices. Pressure to measure up to standard of goodness, piety, and saintliness. Never quite sure ever good enough. So the cycle of pressure continues, am I good enough, did I do enough, did I mess up, did I score enough good points to outweigh the bad ones, was that a sin that’s unforgivable?
b. Story of Henri Nouwen, trained psychologist and theologian. Taught at Notre Dame, Yale, Harvard. Averaged more than a book a year. He traveled widely, sought after conference speaker. Yancey said of him, he had a “resume to die for.” That’s was the big problem. He felt suffocated, pressured by his success, by his "going for the gold". So he decided to change, went to S. America, missionary for the 3rd world – did that for 6 months then he came back to US and back to hectic schedule speaking. Again feeling suffocated. Found himself in L’Arche community (France) – home for seriously disabled. Felt nourished there. This was how he spent last 10 years in Toronto in similar setting, a home called “Daybreak”. One writer observed him at this place – he celebrated the Lord’s supper for Adam, a young man that Nouwen looked after – he can’t talk, walk, dress himself, “profoundly retarded” – drooled thru ceremony, no sign of comprehension, perhaps recognized members of his own family, grunted loudly. Takes 2 hours of Nouwen’s day to care for Adam – bathe, shave, brush teeth, comb hair, guide his hand to eat – when asked why not let someone else care for him. His reply “I’m not giving up anything, It is I, not Adam, who gets the main benefit from our friendship.” In the process, the writer learnt how God must feel to love us, spiritually uncoordinated (in fact dead to him), retarded (in fact unresponsive) and when we pray what may seem to Him like incomprehensible grunts and groans.
Stop now! Listen! feeling suffocated, feeling how come try so hard, still end up feeling empty, tired, exhausted... God invites us now to relax in His presence... BY considering how deep is the love of God - God gives us a no pressure invitation no pressure to go for the gold with him, you don’t need to line up your achievements with Him, you don’t need to give gifts/offerings to Him wondering if this is a make or break lifetime decision with what you offer, you don’t need to find the religious ritual to have God on your side as if he would judge your love/worship as if you can bribe Him with all your efforts at good deeds.
c. Eph.3:14-21
v.14 "For THIS REASON I kneel before the Father,"
what reason?
That Jesus was the one who went through the pressure-cooker for us. He was the One who made it aOK for us to enter God’s presence and be presented with all of heaven’s riches.
1. It was His plan as outline d in Eph.1
"Long before he (God) laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love...(What pleasure he took in planning this). He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the CRoss, we’re a free people - free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!" - The Message
FREE! No more pressure to measure up to anything... loved... home free... All we need to do is merely just trust His word on this, from the start to the finish, God went for the gold for us... He took a beating, no, He took on death on the cross, and so the pressure is off. He knew we’ll never rise up, cuz we’re too dead to respond, so He made us alive in Christ, the same way Christ is brought up with power from the dead.
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from whom his whole family[1] in heaven and on earth derives its name.
everyone can get in on this, there is reconciliation even between races (which was the subject of 2:11-3:13). God’s offer is so free, so far-reaching through Jesus that all who trust Him (see v. 2:17-21)becomes family! No more pressure in racial division even in Christ’s incredible love world is no longer divided - there is commonality in Christ
Martin Luther King Jr. once said this:
"America, you must come to see that God is not a Baptist, that God is not a Methodist, that God is not an Episcopalian. God is bigger than any of our denominations! You must come to see, America, that all of this is man-made."
But he also said this...
"I’m disturbed about any church that refuses to cooperate with other churches - with the pretense that it is the only true church. [This problem is so prevalent] in the church that it’s destroying the Body of Christ, and in the Body of Christ there can be no division and no disunity.
But America, another thing disturbs me about your church. You have a Negro church and you have a White church. Oh! America, that is quite disturbing, for that cannot exist within the true Body of Christ! How did that thing ever get into being anyway?!?! You have allowed segregation to come into the church, America! Oh, how tragic when you stand up on Sunday morning to sing In Christ there is no East or West - isn’t it tragic that you stand in the most segregated hour of your Christian nation! They tell me there is more integration in sports arenas and nightclubs than there is in the Christian church! Oh, how tragic that is! How appalling that is!
They tell me that there are even Christians among you who try to justify segregation on the basis of the Bible! They try to argue that the Negro is inferior by nature because of Noah’s curse upon the children of Ham. Oh, my friends! Oh, America! This is blasphemy! This is against everything that the Christian religion stands for! This is against the will of the Almighty God!" (end of excerpt)
My friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ, this was preached almost 45 years ago. The church of God - must not turn a deaf ear that Christ has healed the divisions. I trust that GIBC will not ever be spewing words that segregate and breed hate:
- "Those people are different."
- "They don’t want to integrate with us anyway!"
- "They worship differently."
- "People don’t like to cross racial barriers when they convert to Christianity."
- "We will be able to grow better if we don’t integrate."
- "Their culture is different."
- "Well, they might just take over our church!"
- "Who’s gonna be the preacher - the black one or the white one?"
- "What if our children start inter-marrying?!?!"
- "I don’t like the way they sing."
NO wonder paul prays passionately for the Gentile and Jew believers in Ephesus:
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I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
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so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
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may have power, together WITH ALL THE SAINTS, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
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and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
It is RRSP season now. The pressure is on for you to invest money to get a secure future. This is what MSN.ca said on their website re: money.
"Personal financial planning is growing in importance for the average Canadian. Uncertain economic times, changing legislation, the proliferation of new finacial products and lack of time make it difficult for consumers to use their resources effectively. A well-designed financial plan can help you do just that and along the way give u a greater sense of financial security."
God knows today our insecurities, how do we know things gonna pan out in future...
so He designed the best-designed plan to give the greates sense of security, cos if He could conquer death and be alive again, what power is there strong enuff to snuff Him out? Can nuclear bomb, can terrorist, can economic downturns, can the ruin of medicare, can mad serial killers, can anything?
So he made sure that his loved the one, you and I, all who believe in Him and love Him, the church, His bride is secure and feel secure.
v.16-17 Paul’s prays for that security in each believer’s heart - "glorious riches" - secuirty of Jesus dwelling being at home with us
No matter how hard we try to invest for future, always wonder is it enuff? Things could change... See Enron scandal in US, many dreams shattered... But with Jesus the pivotal event - Easter story cross and resurrection
- something concrete, earthy happened to give us heaven.
Security comes out of faith in Christ, because of what He has done, what He has planned, what He has control of, what He can give!
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Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
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to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
This Valentine Day’s never doubt how much God is in love with you, the church, His birde. That’s why paul doxologize in v.20-21. God’s main preocuppation is us, the church! For us, the pressure is off, the gold is here, the gold is God’s offer of love do u know it? We don’t have to compete for it, nor search high and low to make a statement with a gift, nor be ever unsure we have done enough good deeds to warrant God’s love and treasures. We’ve got it the gold in Christ!
Implications of this love:
He knows we are immobilized by fear, distrust of world, rejection, so how can the church move powerfully to spread message of God’s incredible love.
He inspired apsotle Paul to write about the believer’s privilege of being blessed outta of this world, chosen specially, in Christ to whole and holy by His love, "to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may filled to the measure of all the fullness of God". He impresses upon a geeky egghead Paul to passionately write about the depths of Christ’s love for His major object of love, the church, He impresses and inspires Paul to describe the glorious future and then he encourages out of his heart to experience in their walk of faith, with their spiritual eyes and heart, open up the gates, let the light shine in where there are corners of insecurity of scandal of sin and of brokeness, let healing take place through His touch of grace, mercy and love. From that security, now do the same for others, bless others... in a world that divides, that will try your patience... knowing that God backs u up 100%, loves you, gifted you... to shine!
What a God!
So the first step is to establish where u are at today?
The starting point is...
1. Have u trusted Christ wholeheartedly? Need to do: Fess up that u have messed up! Made a commitment "I gonna follow u." Cuz I know You love me!
Look at your life how have u invested it... track it down... am I living for God glorious future? Time talent and treasure? Collect accurate information about how you spend your resources that God gave u and if you need help to sort it through, ask in prayer and also ask another mature believer’s perspective (note that it is through teamwork together with the all the saints - that we can grasp a little deeper of how secure we are in Christ) who can set on the road to a more secure life in Christ.
Remember God is able to do more than we ask or imagine... remember in Him there is no more pressure, unlike Valentine’s Day the olympics and good old religion.
We’ve got the gold in Christ!
2. Out of the security of your life wholly devoted to Jesus Christ who loves you...now do the same dance as the Master danced for u... "live a life worthy of the calling you have received"
This means 4:2-6 Effort to love another as Christ loved u because we’re in this family togerther one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith one baptism. I.e. let another feel secure through u! Takes effort! Not easy! See Henri Nouwen’s eg. was it easy for Christ to love us, accomodate us?
3. Give from our giftedness. 4:7-16
This is how the church is gonna be built: "as each part does it work" (v.16) with the back-up system of God’s no pressure, "we’ve got the gold in Christ", motivating us. How God loves it when He sees the each believer ,each one using their gifts. reminds me of time my son used his gifts to win the baketball free-throw contest in his school. As I see him sink each shot with skill, I say YES! Can u imagine the Father’s heart as each one of us use our gifts to build up the church, to help the church to win! Can u see Hm overjoyed as we utilize our gifts, as He says "Yes!" to each dunk, each shot, each ministry we do in His name! Each individual believer is deemed important, every member a minister, not just the appointed leaders! I.e. the church suffers when u do not contribute as a believer, there is no maturity. Take the risk of serving, and be rejected like Christ. Take the training offered to prepare you for works of service. Intentional ministry of support -"speaking the truth in love" then all benefit grow up and not get tossed by every wind of teaching. When was the last time someone affirmed your life, or that u affirmed someone’s life with life-building words "I enjoy your ministry... enjoy you... "
Build up in love, and just see what happens!
Their chief had died and another was to be chosen. More than anything else Davi wanted to be chief...
Yet strikes against him - he was disabled - with hideously scarred mangled arm. Others questioned his heart would he care and love them? But Davi knew his heart but how could he convince them?
Pulled out allniter - nothing came. Sun came up, extended his mangled arm to the ground to balance himself as he rose to his feet, as the sun filtered in throu the shelter of green blowing softly above his head, and danced in the hollow of his scars, Davi looked at the ripples and the valleys, twists and turns of his flesh and then it came to him!
Ran back to village, "do u remember when the leopard came?" Killed women and children. "Do u remember what I did?" "How I grabbed the leopard and htrust my hand right in its mouth, crushing its skull, do u remember what it cost me?" They remembered the sight of the shredded flesh, white bone exposed, blood, pain, screams, horror of Davi’s eyes as he examined his hand.
It happened so long ago... they forgot... the cost!
Then he said: "in the name of my wounds, i claim the right to be your leader!"
In the name of Christ’s proven covenant love, his nailed-scarred hands, let Jesus free you from the heart-freezing, love-paralyzing pressure to go for the gold in this world, to the one who will award us the gold medal, the best gift of love, to bless us with every spiritual blessing in Christ, who washes us clean, and as u experienced that freely, now serve in the love and in the name of the wounded healer and give freely from your heart with the set of gifts He has gifted and impact the world as the church of Jesus Christ, building in love. So now move into the world!
