Ephesians 1:3-14
Sunday March 13, 2011
This message has been developed from "Sermon Starters" by Dr. Wayne Schmidt for this specific Lenten Series.
Francis was supposed to be a knight and a prince of Assisi. The son of a wealthy cloth maker, a soldier who led other soldiers and a man who fought with bravery learned the art of surrender to God. And his surrender changed not only his life but changed the lives of countless others as well as changed the Church at a time when the Church was faltering.
Francis was born in 1181 in Assisi, Italy. He was not a very exceptional student but was allowed to breeze his way through his studies- maybe because he was a rich man's son. As he grew up he had very little interest in the family business. His parents spoiled him, giving him pretty much whatever he wanted.
No one loved pleasure more than Francis; "he had a ready wit, sang merrily, and delighted in fine clothes and showy display." He was a handsome young man- very gallant, and courteous. He was the prime favorite among the young nobles of Assisi, "the foremost in every feat of arms, the leader of the civil revels, the very king of frolic." But Francis also showed a different side to his nature: he seemed to have an instinctive sympathy with the poor, and though he wasted money, yet he found ways to channel money to those in need.
But Francis was intent on living his life the way he wanted. However, God works in mysterious ways and in Francis' life God began to call him and draw him to the most unusual life. Although Francis still joined at times in the noisy revels of his former comrades, his changed demeanor plainly showed that his heart was no longer with them; a yearning for the life of the Spirit had already possessed it. Something was different about Francis. He no longer yearned to live for the next drink or next pleasure.
During one of the town's military skirmishes with an enemy city, Francis was taken prisoner. He contracted an illness with a low fever during which he had a dream that God told him he would lead others with the cross on their shields. Later, he had a second dream that called him to return to his home city of Assisi. He left the battle field- desertion is what I think this is called- and returned. Francis became very different: he prayed, he gave away his things to the poor (even exchanging his nice clothes with a beggar), he took the family things and gave them away. He began to live the life of someone who was called by God to surrender everything.
Not long after his return to Assisi, while Francis was praying before an ancient crucifix in a forsaken wayside chapel of St. Damian's below the town, he heard a voice saying: "Go, Francis, and repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin."
Yes, Francis could see that the old chapel was falling down because it was unkempt and unused. Yes, Francis knew that to heed the call to repair this building would cost him; yet, Francis did heed the call that was being place on his life. Not a call to repair an old broken chapel out in a faraway field but to bring a freshness and newness to the Church as a whole.
Francis, against the wishes of his father, townspeople and even the priest that oversaw the empty chapel, gave up everything to repair God's Church. Francis returned at once to St. Damian's, where he found a shelter with the officiating priest, but he was soon called back to stand before the city consuls by his father. His father was not content with Francis taking the family money and goods and giving them away. So he sought also to force his son to forego his inheritance. This Francis was only too eager to do; he declared, however, that since he had entered the service of God he was no longer under civil jurisdiction. Having therefore been taken before the bishop, Francis stripped himself of the very clothes he wore, and gave them to his father and said: " Up till now I have called you my father on earth; from this time forth I desire to say only 'Our Father who art in Heaven'."
And Francis strode out of the city to never look back again. He established a ministry to literally rebuild St. Damian's Chapel by receiving donated stones. So one stone at a time, Francis rebuilt the Church- physically and spiritually. He established ministries over his lifetime of contemplation, prayer and fasting. He led evangelism excursions all over Italy calling others to a life of surrender to God. Francis went "exhorting the people of the country-side to penance, brotherly love, and peace." The Assisians had already ceased to scoff at Francis; they now paused in wonderment; his example even drew others to him. (Catholic Encyclopedia- www.newadvent.org/cathen/06221a.htm)
St. Francis discovered in worship and certain kinship with nature. He saw the glory of God in all manner of creation. To say that he was an environmentalist would miss the point; he was a man who found God in everything and experienced the worship of God by seeing the interaction of nature. In fact, he himself was known to have interacted with animals and birds. Everywhere you see a picture of St. Francis you will find a bird on his shoulder symbolizing the kind of man of God he was. St. Francis of Assisi was the patron saint of animals, birds and the environment. (Commentary to "The Little Flowers of St. Francis" on website www.sacred-texts.com/chr/lff/index.htm)
"Have you surrendered to the grand purposes of God for your life?"
It matters not how successful you are in your business and work; it matters not how talented you are as a person; it matters not how spiritually gifted you are as a Christian; it matters not how much money you give the church ministry. And on the other hand, it matters not how poor you are; how little you give; how little you do; how little you think of yourself.
This morning we are all on the same level ground around the cross of Jesus and must answer the question: "Have I surrendered to the grand purposes of God for my life?"
And if you want a simpler question how about this: "Have I surrendered to God?"
Your answer this morning cannot be an in-between answer; there is no such thing as both/and today; there is only an either/or answer to this question. The answer to this question is about a whole lot more than becoming a pastor or missionary and Sunday School teacher. The answer to this question will and must define everything about your life.
There is no straddling the fence or being a "Johnny-Fence-Rider". (Fresh Fish album from the early '90's) You must fall off on one side or the other.
How must you respond to the question, "Have I surrendered to the grand purposes of God for my life?"
- LIVING IN CHRIST.
Six times in this short passage we read something to the effect "in Christ" or "in Him." This is no accident. So what does this mean? Notice three very important realities for you as a Christian:
- All we are is found in Christ. "We were chosen in him before the creation of the world.
- All we have is found in Christ. "In him we have redemption."
- All we hope for is found in Christ. "…our inheritance…"
There is nothing else in the entire world that can do for us what Jesus has done for us and now does for us because of his great love for us. Because of His perfect sacrifice on the cross we can know what it is to be in a true relationship with God.
The kind of live we are called to changes us- it must change us. Otherwise we've not been called to salvation.
Like that hymn many of us love so much: "In Christ alone my hope is found." Absolutely and positively in Christ alone and nowhere else is our hope for anything in life found. And even though life can seem like a roller coaster through the dips and turns and twists and highs and lows of life, as a follower of Jesus Christ you can know the love of God that keeps you and protects you from all evil.
Not only does living in Christ begin this adventure of surrendering to God's grand purposes in your life but also your willingness to…
- GRASP GOD'S ETERNAL PURPOSES.
What does God want to do with this world? Does he want to take it over like some kind of dictator? Or does God want to control the world? Or, here's a "novel" thought, God wants to convert the world through an ordinary person like you.
This is where discovering your purpose in Christ becomes so important.
Dr. Wayne Schmidt points out from the booklet "Establishing Your Purpose" (Vision Foundation, Knoxville, TN) these three purposes that God has for each of us to move towards in our Christian journey:
- God's Ultimate Purpose. This is God's eternal purpose in the long, far-out future and much of which remains a mystery. We don't fully comprehend how God really wants to end all of this world and so forth.
- God's Universal Purpose. This is God's will for every person. We know that God desires humanity to hear and heed the gospel message. God wants you and everyone else to come to that place of obeying the two greatest commandments: Love God and love your neighbor.
- God's Unique Purpose. This is God's specific plan for your life. We know that the Apostle Paul makes constant reference to himself as being "called to be an apostle." This is Paul's specific purpose in life. My specific purpose for living will not be exactly your specific purpose but for all of us our Universal Purpose remains the same: to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. And we will all witness in the end of time God's Ultimate Purpose.
As a Christian you are found to be in Christ and being in Christ you come to recognize the purpose to which you are saved. Now you must do something that only you can do:
- MAKE YOUR RESPONSE PERSONAL.
God's calling to you for salvation began before the world was created. You were chosen before anything else was created but not just to go to heaven.
Salvation is about whole lot more than going to heaven. God wants to bring heaven to earth through you. This is why he has chosen you, according to verse 4, to be holy and blameless.
What does it mean to be holy and blameless?
God's perception of us is that we are perfect in heart and soul. To God you are a very beautiful and handsome specimen of humanity. When you got saved, Christ removed your blemishes
Ephesians 5:27- "{Jesus} loved the church [that's you and me] and gave himself up for her [again, that's us] to make [us] holy, cleansing [us] by the washing with water through the word, and to present [us] to himself as a radiant church without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (My emphasis and changes)
They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well, you are a beautiful person to God when you accept his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into your life by faith. And not only does Jesus' blood remove your blemishes, but his blood removes your guilt. No longer do you need to live in guilt and shame but can now hold your head high knowing that you are born of God.
- You have to want to for God.
To make your response personal is somewhat like when I got married: I had to respond to the vows; I had to repeat after the pastor; I had to kiss the bride. But that sounds like a coerced deal: "I HAD to." The fact is that I WANTED to respond with "I will"; I WANTED to repeat after the pastor; I WANTED to kiss the bride. I WANTED to answer the call to Naomi's husband!
And to make this call to God's full salvation through Jesus Christ a very personal response means that YOU will respond because YOU WANT TO.
Something else, though, is that this change is a dynamic change. You are changed to be different. Different from the ways of the world, different from the ways of sin and different from the ways of self. To be holy and blameless means that you are set apart for God's holy use.
A friend of mine (Dan Lamos) posted on Facebook the other day this thought:
- Surrender is the currency of God's kingdom.
For you to truly be holy and blameless doesn't so much call for you to do something but to surrender everything. I can go crazy trying to do everything for everybody every day. I can go crazy trying to do this for God. But the best way to live for Jesus is to surrender my life to his use.
- Jesus is my coach so I listen and do what he says.
- Jesus is my leader so I follow in his footsteps.
- Jesus is my friend and I don't want to disappoint my friend.
Jesus once said, "Many are called but few are chosen." Is this some kind of reference to the failures of so many who come to Christ with faith believing and yet go their own way after the altar experience?
The truth is that being called to a life of being holy and blameless is not a call to a life of constantly committing sins. We are not called to a life of sinlessness that means that we just "sin less" than everybody else. We are called to avoid sin, not to commit sin and to run from sin's temptations. The person who claims to be a Christian and is continuing to engage in willful sin was either never saved to begin with or was once saved and has forfeited their own soul.
The reality for the true believer in Jesus Christ and who is truly following Christ is that we are surrendered to God's grand purpose for our life. We give up our hopes and dreams and everything else in order to bid our Lord's calling for our life. And it is there that we find true satisfaction and joy.
CONCLUSION: CARRYING THE MARKS OF A CHRISTIAN.
So how can you know and distinguish your Christian life from the ways of the world?
When I was a young lad I attended Cub Scouts for about a month. I was excited about being a part of something that involved friends of mine among others. We met a house and were taught what it meant to be a Cub Scout. We had an oath to not only quote but a promise to keep that oath. No problem so far- until the cost of the uniforms came up. There was no way I was staying in Cub Scouts because my family could not afford- or even come close to affording- the price tag of the pants, shirt, bandanna or badges. My Cub Scout days ended hardly before they began. And I was crushed. I wanted to be a Cub Scout but the lack of a uniform would prevent me from doing so.
When I became a Christian something significant happened in my life: I was marked by the Holy Spirit. Men of old prayed over me as I received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. My life became remarkably different; I felt different when I got up from that altar of prayer; I knew my life was different; I understood that my life would be changed from the way I used to live and think.
When you became a Christian there should be something that transpires that changes you. No, you don't need to buy a uniform or badges or a special colored bandanna but your heart is changed. Who you were is now different. Your name might be the same, your hair color the same and all of that BUT you are different.
There are three aspects of this mark of the Christian.
The first aspect of this mark of a Christian: Your Inclusion in God's Family. We both choose and are chosen- two sides to the same coin, so to speak. There is God's part which is Him choosing us before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless and then there is our choice after "you heard the word of truth" to "believe" that "gospel of salvation."
The second aspect of this mark of a Christian: Your Identification with Christ. "…you were marked in Christ with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…" God's commitment to us is that he will truly never leave us nor forsake us. By the work of the Holy Spirit we have a power over sin that defeats the penalty of sin as well as removes the presence of sin from our hearts and lives so that we might live lives that are holy and blameless.
The third aspect of this but the most important because it enfolds the other two is this: Your Intentional Acts of Love. Live a life of holiness and blamelessness is really a life of love- Love God with all your heart and Love your neighbor as yourself. Your intentional acts of love will reflect your inclusion in the family of God as well as your identification with Christ.
Men like St. Francis of Assisi lived that kind of life- a life that was fully surrendered to God.
Are you serious about your relationship with Jesus Christ? Do you really want to follow after Jesus?
Are you willing to surrender your life to Him today- at this moment? Are you ready to pursue God's grand purpose for your life.
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