October 11, 2017 - - Ephesians 4:11-16 New Life in Jesus

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 4 NKJV

When God created the world, in six days, each 24 hours, and the seventh day He created the Sabbath and rest--God declared it was very good. The world we see today is savage, broken, and violent--it doesn't fit God's description of "very good". When Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, sin swept into their hearts, into creation and affected all of creation.

God in His great mercy provided a way for sin to be overturned. Jesus Christ came into the world, becoming fully human and remaining fully divine, and He lived His life without sin and therefore He is the One Man Who takes on behalf of all people, the punishment of God against sin.

Today we see the effects of sin: people in this world hate God, or worship their representation of God rather than worshiping Him as He reveals Himself (this too is hating God). The people of this world hate one another and without the reconciliation of Jesus, there can be no peace. Marriages are affected by sin, parenting is tarnished by sin. Governments are sin-soaked. Sin affects our relationship with our own selves. We lie to ourselves, fool our selves and act in ways that are self-destructive.

Jesus, now the King of Heaven, sends His Spirit to all who believe in Him. Jesus is undoing the work of sin and restoring our relationship with God our Father, restoring relationships between people, and healing broken hearts and minds. When believers confess their sins, and walk with Jesus, they will grow cold to sin and in the warmth of His love and grace mature in faith and grow in love towards God, others, creation and the self.

Christians are sinners as well. Christians need Jesus' constant cleansing work and His Spirit to hold their noses above the sewage of sin all around and to bring holiness into their relationship with God, the world, others, and the self.

Jesus, You Who takes away the sin of the world, I confess I need You. Many times I want to project an image of myself as an "all-together" Christian, rather than showing what I truly am: a ruined sinner being made clean. Jesus, let the Light of Your love shine on me and through me so that others who also know their need for something, Some One, more, will be drawn to You. I must decrease, and You, Jesus, the Delight of my heart, must increase. Amen.