A Walk That Is Worthy Part 3
"The Balancing Act"
Text: Eph 1:15-23
Intro:
We have just come through another Thanksgiving Holiday. I trust everyone had a blessed time whether with family or friends, being able to return thanks to the Lord for what He has done in our lives. I ran across a cute little thanksgiving story this last week I would like to share with you before we begin.
Illus:
Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an enraged bull. Immediately they ran toward the nearest fence. The storming bull ran after them in hot pursuit, and they realized that they were not going to make it. Terrified, one man shouted to his friend, “Say a prayer, John. We’re in trouble ” John said, “I’ve never prayed out loud before. I don’t know what to say. “But you have to ” yelled his companion; “The bull is catching up to us.” “All right,” said John, as he ran with all his might; “I’ll say the only prayer I know. My father used to say it at the table: Oh Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful.”
This morning I would like to continue on with our series in Ephesians entitled “A Walk That is Worthy”
Specifically I would like to share a message entitled “The Balancing Act” Now remember I have said several times that in the first part of Ephesians Paul is trying to lay down an argument of our position in the Kingdom of God. Position is vital, because position determines access. We like verses such as Hebrews 4:16 where scripture tells us “come boldly to
the throne of grace.”
We like access.
All you have to do to get strangers to go somewhere is put up a “Do not enter under any circumstances sign.”
If you put up a wet paint sign, just watch and see how many people have to feel if the pain is wet. We like access…but in the Kingdom of God access is restricted only to those who are in the right position.
Now many times we treat this as a balancing act.
We read passages of scripture like…
Matt 7:13,14
We read passages like this and say boy if I can only walk the tight rope…if I can only stay on that straight and narrow.
Once again we are speaking of access. If we want access we must walk the path that is worthy of our calling. The key to staying on that straight and narrow path is in being well balanced.
1 Peter 5:8 (Amp) Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.
Be well balanced. This morning I would like to speak of three things that must be in the right position in order for us to have a walk that is worthy.
1) The Fulcrum v 22
I said just a moment ago that we like access. Don’t tell an American that they cannot go somewhere…or they will! We like access…but in the Kingdom of God access is restricted only to those who are in the right position.
That position is resting upon Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 3:11
If we want access to the Kingdom of Heaven we must have the proper foundation under our feet.
To perform this balancing act of walking a straight an narrow path in a world that is pushing an pulling from all directions, we must be balanced on Christ.
Position is everything, and our position in Christ is everything.
John 14:6
Acts 4:12
1 Tim 2:5
If we are not found in Jesus Christ we do not have access to the father. There are no Short cuts in the Kingdom… Jesus is the fulcrum we must balance our lives upon.
2) The Lever
The lever on which we balance is the activity of our lives. Now I believe there are two ways in which we can look at this lever
a) Our Activity
It is our daily routine, the things that consume our time upon this world. Jesus also calls it our fruit.
What are we accomplishing with our life? Is the byproduct of our life in line with what God wants to accomplish in His Kingdom?
b) Our Challenges
James 1:2,3
Sometimes God allows things to come into our lives to see how we will balance. Several weeks ago in bible study I presented some thoughts from a passage
in Judges.
Judges 2:20-23
Sometimes God brings challenging things to us by way of this lever. He does so in an effort to see where our foundation rests.
Hebrews 12:26-29
Make sure that your foundation is unshakeable.
3) The Weight
A third element of this balance that we must have in place is the weight. Specifically the position of the weight. This weight speaks to the priorities of our life. I said earlier that position determines access.
Our priorities speak to our faith. Those things which take priority in our schedule speak to where our faith rests. Our Text says that he is our fullness…when we make him our priority he will help rearrange everything else.
4) The Counterbalance
Finally this morning I would like to look at the counter balance. A lever does not work without a counter balance. In the Kingdom of God this balance acts more like a lever than a balance. From our perspective we say…somehow I must balance on the straight and narrow.
God says to us here use my counter balances as a lever to lift you into the proper walk.
We look at the challenge of living holy in this unholy world and consider a next to impossible balancing act.
I submit to you this morning righteous living is more of a rearranging of priorities than it is a balancing act on the tight rope of holiness. Lets look at this counter balance,,,
It is found in Eph 6:10-18:
God has given us His armor as a counter balance on the scales of life. It is up to us to pest position our self for that armor to be most effective. The more priority we place on the armour the more leverage it has upon us. The more we place on us the less leverage and protection we receive from the armor.
The armor is the counter balance that keeps us on the straight and narrow. Now notice once again position is everything. The closer our priorities slide to Christ the more effective the armor is.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Conclusion
Four parts to a balance life that must be in the right position. Our text says that Jesus is our fullness.
The more we allow God to fill, the more of a counter balance that we have.
1) The Fulcrum
2) The Lever
3) The Position of the Weight
4) The Counter Balance
Position determines access in the Kingdom of God.
Access to the Kingdom is a good thing. Our access is directly proportional to our proximity of Jesus.
