THE LORD’S EXPECTATIONS OF US
EPHESIANS 2:10
I. INTRODUCTION
NO MATTER WHERE WE GO IN THIS WORLD, THERE ARE CERTAIN EXPECTIONS THAT WE MUST LIVE UP TO. IN OUR HOMES THERE ARE EXPECTATION. ON OUR JOBS THERE ARE EXPECTATIONS. IN THE CHURCH THERE ARE EXPECTATIONS. YES MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, WE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR LIVING UP TO THE STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN SET, AND FAILURE TO DO SO OFTEN MEETS WITH CONSEQUENCES THAT WE DID NOT BARGIN FOR.
FAILURE TO MEETS THE EXPECTATIONS ON OUR JOBS CAN RESULT IN TERMINATION. FAILURE TO PAY OUR TAXES CAN RESULT IN INCARCERATION. FAILURE TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE HOLD IN THE CHURCH CAN RESULT IN BEING REMOVED FROM THAT POSITION.
BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHER EXPECTATIONS THAT I WANT TO INFORM US ABOUT, AND THEY ARE THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE LORD. YES, GOD HAS STANDARDS THAT HE HAS SET, AND HE EXPECTS US TO FUFILL THAT WHICH HE HAS PUT INTO PLACE. WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT GOD TO LOWER HIS EXPECTATIONS, NO ON THE CONTRARY, WE SHOULD STRIVE WITH ALL OF OUR MIGHT TO BE PRODUCTS OF GOD’S HANDIWORK. FAILURE TO LIVE UP TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF GOD CAN ALSO RESULT IN SEVERE CONSEQUENCES. AND SO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT GOD’’ EXPECTATIONS OF US.
II. THE TEXT
PAUL ADDRESSES SEVERAL THEMES IN THIS TEXT SUCH AS BEING SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH, GOD IS RICH IN MERCY, AND THE LIFE OF THE EPHESIANS PRIOR TO THEIR CONVERSION. NOW HE CONCENTRATES ON THE THEME OF BEING CREATED UNTO GOOD WORKS.
THE TEXT SAYS THAT WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, WHICH MEANS THAT WE ARE HIS PROPERTY. SINCE WE ARE HIS PROPERTY, WE GIVE UP ALL OWNERSHIP TO OURSELVES. 1 COR. 6:20 TEACHES US THAT WE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE. SINCE WE HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH A PRICE THAT WE COULD NOT PAY, WE MUST YEILD OUR BODIES TO DO HIS WORK AND HIS WILL. WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, ALSO MEANING THAT HE HAS FASHIONED US AFTER HIS DIVINE DESIGN, INTO WHAT HE WANTS US TO BE.
GOD HAS CREATED EACH AND EVERYONE OF US UNTO GOOD WORKS BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD WAS LAID. BEFORE WE WERE THE APPLE OF OUR PARENTS EYES, GOD HAD EXPECTATIONS OF US.
I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT MANY OF GOD’S CHILDREN ARE NOT CONCERNED WITH LIVING UP TO THE LORD’S EXPECTATIONS. THEY LIVE AS IF GOD OWES THEM LIFE, HEALTH, AND STRENGTH. BUT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS THEY WOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER THAT GOD IS INDEBTED TO NO MAN. IT IS ONLY BY HIS GRACE AND HIS MERCY THAT HE HAS ALLOWED ALL OF US TO SEE ANOTHER DAY.
III. WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT?
I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE ASKING, PREACHER, WHAT ARE THESE GOOD WORKS THAT YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT? GODD QUESTION, GLAD YOU ASKED. AS CHRISTIANS, GOD EXPECTS ALL OF US TO BE BEARERS OF GOOD FRUIT. ANY TREE OR CHRISTIAN THAT DOES NOT BRING FORTH GOOD FRUIT STANDS IN JUDGMENT OF GOD’S WRATH. MATT. 7:19 TEACHES, “EVERY TREE THAT BRINGETH NOT FORTH GOOD FRUIT IS HEWN DOWN, AND CAST INTO THE FIRE.”
SINCE WE HAVE BEEN CHANGED FROM SINNER TO SAINT, OTHERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO NOTICE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES. THEREFORE, THE LORD EXPECTS US TO DEMONSTRATE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT FOUND IN GALATIANS 5:22, “IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, AND MEEKNESS, TEMPERANCE.” EVERY CHILD OF GOD POSSESSES THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. HOWEVER, SOME OF US HAVE UNRIPE FRUIT BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT LET THE RADIANCE OF THE SON MATURE US LIKE HE WANTS TO.
NOT ONLY MUST WE DISPLAY THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, BUT WE MUST BE WILLING TO LET OUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY SEE OUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY GOD. COLOSSIANS 3:14 INSTRUCTS US TO PUT ON CHARITY. THAT IS, WE MUST SHOW LOVE.
NOT ONLY MUST WE SHOW LOVE, BUT WE MUST BE FORGIVING, WE MUST ENDEAVOR TO LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN, WE MUST BE VIGILANT AND DILIGENT IN OUR EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THE KINGDOM OF GOD THROUGH EVANGELISM. EVANGELISM IS NOT JUST THE PASTOR’S RESPONSIBILITY, BUT EVERYONES.
THREE POINTS: ONE, ALL OF US ARE STEWARDS. A STEWARD IS SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH VARIOUS RESPONSIBILIES. THE FAITHFUL STEWARD IS REWARD FOR HIS GOOD WORK, AND THE UNFAITHFUL STEWARD IS PUNISHED FOR HIS NEGLIGENCE. TWO, PAY DAY IS BOTH NOW AND FUTURISTIC. THE LORD BLESSES US NOW BECAUSE WE ARE DOERS OF THE WORD. BUT HE WILL ALSO, PAY US AT JUDGMENT. REVELATION 22:12, “AND, BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY; AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, TO GIVE EVERY MAN ACCORDING AS HIS WORK SHALL BE.” NOT EVERY SAINT WILL HEAR THE LORD SAY WELL DONE. THREE, THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF OUR WORK IS TO PROMOTE GOD BY PROMOTING AND EXALTING CHRIST.
