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  • Do not lose heart over tribulations & sufferings – 1

    Faint Not

    Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. – Ephesians 3:13 KJV

    The Apostle Paul encourages a church of central importance with a letter written to followers looking toward an uncertain future. His comforting call from one saint to another urges them to not lose heart over his tribulations.

    Ephesians

    Paul writes to believers of perhaps the most important church of the first century, the church at Ephesus. Hearers of Paul’s letter know it is from a leader viewed as defeated, banished and vilified by former power-brokers of the faith. Yet we hold up examples of Paul and the Apostles with little consideration of their tribulations at the time. Paul was once a jew among jews. Saul of Tarsus confesses his conversion by the grace of the Messiah Jesus.

    Who do you follow? What do you hope to hear from your leaders? Do they have concern for your issues? Are you overconcerned for the tribulations of a leader in whom you place your faith?

    When our mortal leaders in faith or politics suffer setbacks or defeats, how quickly we abandon our faith for what we once so zealously affirmed. Such was the plight of Paul, so frequently persecuted, so intentionally discredited, suffering pain, disgraced in the synagogues and the courts of public opinion. The Apostle held dearly to fellowships of the church, those who risked all to stand before an unbelieving world proclaiming Jesus Christ is Lord.

    He lived in nearly three years in Ephesus, capital of its Roman state, home to a half-million people at about AD 53-57 and probably wrote his Letter to the Ephesians from prison, having it delivered to Ephesus as encouragement for believers. Would you listen to a letter from a leader in prison?

    So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. – Ephesians 3:13 ESV

    Ephesus – place of the addressees of Paul’s letter

    Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians would bless you with a wonderful overview of the Christian faith by reading it in its entirety, a brief, letter-length book of just six short chapters. (I might also mention here one of my favorite ways to hear the Bible is to listen to a good reading, this one of Ephesians by Max McLean.)

    ephesus-map-where-is-ephesusThe people of Ephesus live far from Syria, Galilee, Samaria, Judea and Idumea, more than 1000 miles [1600 km] by road and ferry. Ephesus  [pictured above], Roman capital of Asia, overlooks the Aegean Sea and eastern trade routes beyond Asia Minor in modern day Turkey.

    Introduction to Paul’s letter

    Paul begins:

    To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

    Paul does not send a political proclamation to everyone in this important Roman capital city. He does not ask them to send money for his well-known missionary journeys. Paul does not address those in the city with pagan beliefs where most of them worshiped idols. In fact, Christianity was a small, minority religion, as it is in Turkey even today.

    Paul thanks God for his spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ. He tells these Ephesians,

    “Eph. 1:15.. I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers..

    Do we do that? Do we have faith in Jesus as our Lord, showing His love toward all the saints of the church? Surely we are a church of troubled souls and differing tribulations.

    The church in Ephesus and all churches consist of men, women and children of a multitude of backgrounds and everyday trials. Paul opens his loving letter to those members of the church in Ephesus with praise and confirmation of prayer on their behalf.

    Paul continues to remind us:

    Eph 2: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world,

    … following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— …

    But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—

    – by grace you have been saved— Ephesians 2:5b

    God did not have to save everyone.

    God did not have to save foreigners (like Greeks and Romans or like me and you). Paul includes himself with you and me in reminding us that we all sin. If God wants to save us He will, even though we do not deserve it. If God does not choose to save us, no work or sacrifice can redeem us from a single sin or our continual unfaithfulness.

    Paul reveals the mystery that God has chosen him to preach the good news (gospel) to the gentiles (non-jews).

    Eph. 3:10 … so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

    Paul then states the reason for his letter:

    13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

    He then assures the church members at Ephesus that he prays for those he has led to Christ. His reason:

    “..so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints.. and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

    Unity in the church, love & relationships

    The Apostle outlines God’s plan of love for the church, including our family and social relationships. Paul begins in

    Ephesians 3: I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

    • Humility
    • Gentleness
    • Patience
    • Bearing with one another in love
    • Eager to maintain the unity of the Holy Spirit in the bond of peace.

    Without elaboration on the identifiable characteristics of the saints (Christians), this short list suffices for a start to ‘equip the saints for the work of ministry’ [v.12].

    The Apostle instructs us in the love of Christ as it relates to believers and unbelievers, husband and wife, parent and child, masters and servants. Most importantly Paul tells us how our redeemed lives ought to look:

    Ephesians 4: 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

    Some questions for the saints

    Have you sweetened the bitterness of your sufferings? Has the wrath of self-righteousness and pressed-down anger of your tribulations been quenched in the love of our Lord?

    I was never kind nor did my heart show tenderness toward those who trampled my fragile esteem. Paul reminds the saints of God that the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, descended to us.

    Who does not have tribulation and suffering? For even Christ suffered for our sakes, that we might be redeemed by the blood of His sacrifice.

    Ephesians 5:

    “Awake, O sleeper,
        and arise from the dead,
    and Christ will shine on you.”

    15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

    Paul closes suggesting the whole armor of God for the saints of the church.

    Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

    Heed the imagery of righteousness before the Lord. For few events of life turn one so quickly against God as our own tribulations and sufferings.

    To be continued

     

     

  • You are my Son

    You are my Son

    Acts 13:

    “‘You are my Son,
        today I have begotten you.’

    34 And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

    “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

    35 Therefore he says also in another psalm,

    “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

    What do you think: When you run to the place where the body should be, do you have faith in the resurrection?

    The dramatic events and turn of expectations at that last celebration of the Passover in Jerusalem must have been traumatic for the Apostles, dear friends and followers of Jesus of Nazareth. The turn of the triumphal entrance with crowds of believers and followers digressing into the stealth of an arrest in the night, trial away from the crowds and manipulative sentence of cruel punishment and humiliation of bloody death on a cross must have terrorized the hearts of all who believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the King promised by scripture.

    What had happened? (No disciple could have imagined that it would have turned out like this.) He said so many things during those three years, but it is inconceivable to even the faithful mind that the Son of God would not now win back the Kingdom promised by God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. What happened?

    “You will surely die,” says scripture.

    Yes. We will all surely die and so did Jesus! Even Lazarus, who Jesus raised from the dead and the young daughter of Jairus and son of the widow at Nain – those Christ raised from death – even they will die once again. The disciples of Jesus all knew this; yet in considering the resurrection they never considered the consequence of death which precedes. Eternal life! (What will it be like?) Yet first, death – even death on a Cross.

    The women had seen His tomb empty. The Apostles had raced to the empty tomb only to find the wrappings of death left in the darkness, as if removed like a change of clothes. Then Jesus appeared, alive, in many forms and at many times! He IS risen and the Lord sends us to witness to the world this great love of God our Father. The Kingdom has come.

    Turkey 1st c Roman provencesEven a once skeptical unbelieving leading teacher of Scripture met Jesus on a road to Damascus. In fact, Saul of Tarsus not only teaches Jews of the dispersion throughout the Roman Empire some thought Jesus would overthrow; Paul (his new God-given name) is an Apostle to the gentiles.

    Paul, who travels at great risk even of his own death if caught by those who pursue him, comes to city after city preaching the gospel of the love of Christ Jesus for Jew, Greek and Roman. Paul, confirmed by the Apostles and Barnabas in Pisidia, the town of Antioch, later preached what the Apostles did not understand until after the risen Christ opened up the scriptures for them.

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     Acts 13

    And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” 16 So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said:

    “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18 And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19 And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20 All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.

    21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.

    24 Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

    26 “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. 27 For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28 And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death,they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.

    30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.

    32 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, 33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,

    “‘You are my Son,
        today I have begotten you.’

    34 And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

    “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

    35 Therefore he says also in another psalm,

    “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

    36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, 37 but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.

    38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers,that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. 40 Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

    41 “‘Look, you scoffers,
        be astounded and perish;
    for I am doing a work in your days,
        a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”

    42 As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.

    43 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

    44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,

    “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
        that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

    48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.49 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

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    It’s all there in the Bible. The disciples of Jesus knew these scriptures. Yet like us, they wanted to understand God’s word applied in their lives in a way less painful and more victorious.

    “Son of David,” they shouted. Surely God would establish a Kingdom even more glorious than that of David and Solomon. And imagine: a Son of God who would rule forever – a Son of Man like us. (Could He die?) God the Father will put the Son in charge. All will be resurrected to the Kingdom of the Son of God! He will be judge of all souls and rule with the righteousness of the Father.

    We will surely die. Even the Apostles died. Paul died. All died. Your loved ones and your ancestors have died. You will die. I will die. Yet, finally we see a light from the darkness of death – a resurrection of the soul and a redemption for our sin.

    This is the gospel of Jesus Christ, that all who believe in him will be forgiven our sins. By grace we are given life eternal, which we do not deserve. Yet because of God’s love for us, the victory of the Cross changes everything.

    Has your faith in the Son changed your life, knowing your hope after death?

    John 14:6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

    The risen Christ; Jesus, their crucified friend, had to explain scripture and the victory of His resurrection over sin and death to His beloved and amazed Apostles. (It’s all there in the Bible for you to read even to this day.)

    Do you believe it? While it is yet today, why not live for Christ? For to die is gain.