Well, it was one of those moments for me where my emotions were arguing with my brain-- you've had those moments. I was on a US Airways flight landing in Philadelphia in driving snow. You could see nothing but snow. I looked out the window and, technically, I knew that this pilot was probably not flying by sight. He was being beamed in by instruments into the airport, but I was uncomfortable as we got closer and closer to the ground, and we could see nothing. Finally, just before we were to land, the runway appeared.
Flying Blind
I sang the doxology--aloud! I'm afraid that perhaps there are some of you in this room that are flying blind. Sure, you know that you have been justified by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know that your sins have been forgiven. You know that the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to your account, so that you now have the distinct privilege of standing before God as righteous. And it's been right for the church to carefully preach and teach and to define that legal and positional justification by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But I'm afraid that we haven't done as well in defining the experiential implications of that work of grace. What does it actually mean; not just for my legal and professional standing before God, but what does it mean for the way that I live between the time of my forgiveness and acceptance, and the time of my going home to be with Christ? What difference does grace make? And if your hope isn't in grace, (Know this.) that means you're shopping for hope somewhere else. You're looking for hope in the affirmation of another human being.
You're looking for hope in the success of some kind of human endeavor. You're looking for hope in physical possessions. You're looking for hope in physical experiences. And if you're looking for hope in those places, you worry a lot; you ride the roller coaster of emotions a lot-sometimes high, sometimes very low. You live with timidity and a lack of surety. You're like me in that plane, you're flying blind. And you don't know the surety that is yours because of the work of Christ on your behalf that it doesn't just mean something for your forgiveness and for your future eternity, but it means specific and profoundly important things for your here and now.
That's what we want to think about this evening. Look in your 'Order of Worship" at this wonderful passage again in Ephesians 1. Paul has just laid out the operation of God's sovereign grace, and now he's actually telling the Ephesian Christians, how based on that grace, he prays for them. There's a real connection between what you hope for, what you place your hope in, and how you pray. And this is a prayer of hope. Let me read it again (v.15ff): For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. You notice I didn't take a breath. This is, in fact, in the original, one sentence, a one sentence prayer. I would propose that you probably never prayed a one sentence prayer like this in your life. This is a 'says it all packed with the Gospel, loaded with hope, one sentence prayer.' Praise God for this one sentence. This sentence gets me up in the morning, and it should you as well.
Notice beginning with verse 17, the content of this prayer, "...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him." What is wisdom? Wisdom is actually living in light of the knowledge of God. Wisdom is not just something that's a matter of education, a matter of the accrual of knowledge, a matter of degrees, a matter of the amount of information that you're able to pack into your brain. Wisdom is actually something you do with your life.
A wise person demonstrates his wisdom by the way he lives, and the Bible's definition is: "There's a unique way of living when your living is formed by a knowledge of God." What's the height of foolishness? It's denying the existence of God. It's living outside of the knowledge of God. So this is a prayer for wisdom. Now notice what he says next, "...having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you." Again, power packed words. Now, if you have been attending regularly as we've been going through this series on hope, you will understand this theme.
Two Vision Systems
Paul again is referring to the 'eyes of the heart.' I'm going to repeat this again. You actually, as a human being, have two vision systems. You have your physical eyes, that vision system that helps you to see the physical things around you, but you have a more significant vision system--it's the 'eyes of the heart.' By using that metaphor, Scripture means the things that your heart knows and understands. Now watch this, it's the eyes of the heart that really do shape and direct what your physical eyes notice and pay attention to.
And so what Paul is praying for is sightedness in terms of the heart-- that your heart would really see the things that God wants you to see about His grace. And then he says, "...that you may know what is the hope to which" you have been called. Hear this statement, "Hope for the believer, hope for the believer is not a wish for good things to come. Hope for the believer is not a wish for good things to come. Hope for the believer is a recognition of what has already been given." If you're out shopping for hope, I'm going to hurt your feelings; you don't understand the Gospel because the Gospel gives you hope, hope that is sturdier than your relationships, hope that's sturdier than your locations, hope that is sturdier than your situations, hope that will never make you ashamed, hope that is sure and delivered.
You don't have to wish for it; you don't have to work for it; you don't have to search for it; you don't have to wait for it; if you're God's child, this hope is yours. And when you get that, it changes the way that you live because you're not looking out here every morning; you don't wake up and sort of enter the department store of hope, hoping that, in one of the aisles, you'll find something that you could put your life next to, and that will give you reason and a motivation for continuing. If you're doing that, you don't understand the present benefits of the work of Christ-you're flying blind.
Because hope has been given, Paul says, "Don't you get it, you've been called to hope? It's over, you have been given it!" That means it doesn't make a difference if that person likes you or not; stop riding that roller coaster! Yes, you should have loving relationships. Yes, you should want to live in reconciliation with people, but you must not attach your sense of wellbeing, your identity to how that person responds to you--that's living as if you're hopeless. You don't attach it to the success of your endeavors.
Let's be honest; we fail more than we succeed. Do you remember Michael Jordan, that great basketball player being asked why, at the end of his career, he was still out there shooting two hours before a game? And he said, "Well, my shooting percentage is actually pretty humbling. My shooting percentage is 51%." He said, "I actually failed as much as I succeeded." Where are you looking for hope? Now, what Paul does is then he details this hope, and he gives us these three wonderful words that he unpacks.
Here they are: Riches-Power-and Rule. This is Paul defining this hope that's already been delivered, that you don't have to wait for, you don't have to shop for. It's the gift of Christ to you as His child. It's yours! What are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints? You're rich! Now you may think because of the inheritance language, that Paul is talking about something in the future. I want you to do this; I want you to get out your church Bible; I want you to turn to Ephesians. I wanted to put the whole book in the 'Order of Worship,' but it would have been too long.
Because I want you to understand that what Paul is talking about here is a 'here and now' thing, not a future thing. Verse seven of chapter 1, In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, (Now listen to this.) according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished (past tense) upon us, in all wisdom and insight. This grace, these riches have already been lavished on us. Turn, if you would, to II Corinthians, chapter 8, and verse nine, I believe that's page 968 in your church Bibles.
Rich Yet Became Poor
This is the same man, Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich." Now do you live as if you're rich? Do you live as if you're fully supplied? Or do you live as if you are poor? Do you live as if you're needy? Do you live as if you're missing things that you need in order to be what you're supposed to be and to do what you're supposed to do between the already and the not yet?
You see, poverty living is survivalist living. That poor person on the street is a survivor. He hopes only to survive. He hopes he will have enough food to eat, some kind of place to lay his head even if it's only on a heating grate; he hopes that he won't be accosted; he's just hoping to make it through the day. That's living poor. Rich people don't survive; rich people thrive! Are you living that thriving, hopeful, courageous existence because you really do believe that Jesus was willing to become poor so that, in the here and now, you would experience riches that you could never have earned, never achieved, never deserved, that only ever come by His grace?
Now you may ask, "What are those riches?" Now I want you to turn to another passage. Turn, if you would, to Galatians 2 and verse 20. I love this passage as well. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Now let me unpack this passage for you. First, there's a statement of historical redemptive fact, "I have been crucified with Christ." By the operation of God's sovereign grace, I was united with the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That death of Christ breaks the domination of sin over me. The power of sin is broken even though the presence of sin still remains. Because I'm united with the death of Christ, that means that that death is effective. Theologians would say, "...efficacious in me," it will accomplish what it was intended to accomplish--Statement of historical redemptive fact. Now notice what he says next, "It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me." This is a statement of present redemptive reality, and in saying this, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me,"
Paul is saying that riches that we've been given is not a thing, it's a person-- It's Christ! The riches that we have is Christ himself. What God gives us in our poverty is Himself! And he says this amazing thing; it's hard to fit in your brain. "It's no longer I who live" my life is no longer animated by my strength, and my wisdom, and my power, and my righteousness, because I have been given Christ. It's Christ who lives in me. I'm rich because the One who was rich in grace now makes me the place where He lives.
And so wherever I go, in every situation, every location, every circumstance, no matter how difficult, those riches travel with me because they're with me in the person of Christ who now lives inside of me. How amazing! Now a commitment, "And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." I will live as if I actually believe that this is true. Okay, parents, as a parent, is that how you are living? Are you living as if you do believe that Christ, in the riches of His grace, is alive inside of you?
Do you give way to your exhaustion? Do you give way to your discouragement? Do you give way to your anger? Do you give way to your fear, sometimes avoiding, sometimes denying, sometimes building up a head of steam that means you won't be part of what God is doing in the life of that child; you'll be in the way of it? Husbands and wives, marriage is hard. Isn't it? It's okay to say that, it is, because you married a sinner--you happen to be one yourself. And this long-term, comprehensive relationship is difficult.
Your wife is going to have a bad day; you may have noticed. She's going to lose her way. She's going to swell up in anger, or envy, or discouragement. Your husband is not always going to say or do the right thing. Do you live in that moment as if you actually believe that Christ is in you and because Christ is in you, you have what you need to face that experience? Do you? Maybe you're at a University, and you feel so completely alone, and maybe you're tempted to compromise just somehow, some way, to get some acceptance.
Scared in Philosophy Class
Maybe in your philosophy class, you're scared to write what you really believe when you're supposed to write your worldview for that atheist professor. Do you sit in that classroom believing that Christ is in you, and you say to yourself, "I will live in this University by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me?" In your private struggle with sin, do you live as if you actually believe that, although you have been defeated again and again, that Christ is in you, and because of Christ, there is hope for victory over those things?
Turn back to Ephesians 1, verse 19, ...and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. There's a second term to sort of unpack this hope that has already been given --its power. "...immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead."
Literally it's resurrection power. Now, where is that power? How does it operate? Well, look, if you would, at chapter 3 verse 20. As Paul begins to end his discussion of the theology of the Gospel, and in chapter 4 he will begin to make application of that, he ends with a doxology, "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think." His power is able to accomplish things that you would never be able to ask that are way beyond the boundaries of your power to conceive.
Now notice what he says, "...according to the power at work within us." Colossians 2:9 says, (That all) the fullness of deity (dwelt in Christ in bodily form,) and you have been (given fullness in Christ.)" You have been blessed with power! Why should that encourage you? Well, if you're honest, you know that sin leaves you lame; sin leaves you weak; sin leaves you unable. You are in desperate need of power, and that power, that same power by which life was breathed into a deceased Christ, and He walked away from the tomb; that same power is now resident in you.
I would ask you this evening, how do you respond to your weakness? Do you hate your weakness? Do you try to argue yourself into personal delusions of strength, trying to present to your troubled heart that you're stronger than you actually are? Do you panic when God, in His call to you, pushes you beyond your ability? Do you believe that right here, right now, you have been graced with God's power so that in thought, desire, word, and action, you could do the things that God has called you to do in the situations and locations where He placed you?
Do you believe that? Do you believe there's power for you to defeat that battle of desire? Power to defeat that battle of thought? Power to speak in the ways that God would call you to speak? Power to act as God has called you to act even though you're living with broken people in a broken world? Do you believe that? Do you live that way? And then Paul says, ...and seated him (Christ) at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. What a set of words! In case you don't understand, Jesus Christ is now seated at the right hand of the Father. We are not waiting for the moment when Jesus will reign--Jesus reigns! Right here, right now, He is reigning in a position of authority far above all dominion, far above all power, far above all authority, far above the most revered name that could be named.
Head Over All Things
He is unchallenged in His authority. Now that's amazing! But what Paul says next is mind-boggling, verse 22: "And he put all things under (him) under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church." I actually think that the translation in the NIV is more accurate here, "And he put all things under his feet and gave him head over all things for the sake of the church." Not only is your Savior reigning above all things, there is no situation, location, circumstance that you could possibly be in that He doesn't rule by His authority because everything has been placed under His feet--isn't that amazing?
You can't go to a place that He doesn't rule. But He rules for your sake. Now why is that as important? Here it is...His promises of grace are only as dependable as the extent of His authority. I've made lots of goodhearted promises that I couldn't keep because I didn't happen to rule the domain in which I was making the promise. I try my best to be sovereign, but it hasn't worked, and so I want to deliver this thing, but things quite apart from my control get in the way, and because they get in the way, I can't deliver, but not so Jesus.
He rules everything; all things are now under His feet, and in His glorious grace, He exercises that rule for the sake of His children. Am I excited? You bet! How could you not be? Now hear the warning label. He is not exercising that authority to make the dreams of your claustrophobic little kingdom of one successful. Don't read it that way. He is reigning, and so it guarantees that His work in you and through you will be successful. His kingdom will reign forever! So I walk into a moment and I feel so small, and I feel so unprepared, but I say, "My Savior King, Christ, rules everything in this situation.
I will entrust myself to His rule, and I can say, 'Your kingdom come, your will be done, right here, right now--You are King!'" I don't need all those other props that we look to, all those other false hopes that never end in hope. They end in insecurity; they end in disappointment; they end in discouragement; they end in futility and frustration--they don't work. Paul says, "Here's what I'm praying for, 'Oh, that right here, right now, you would get the hope you need,'" because when you get that hope, you live in a marvelously different way.
You embrace the riches of the presence of Christ within you. You embrace the power that you have been given. You embrace the security of knowing that the One who is head of His church is head over all things, and He exercises His authority for your sake. And so you live with courage; you live forward moving; you do and say things that you wouldn't have done or said in any other way. You don't ride the roller coaster of another person's acceptance of you. You don't hope that somehow the material world will give you the good life.
You don't attach your identity to a certain success. You don't shop for what you have already been given. Maybe you're here this evening, and you say, "Paul, I don't think I've ever known this hope. I am anxious and, in many ways, lost." I would encourage you right here, right now, seek the forgiveness of your Lord. Seek the hope that can only be found in Him. Maybe you would say tonight, "Oh, I think I'm one of God's children, but, Paul, you're right, I'm flying blind." Pray Paul's prayer. Pray that God would open the eyes of your heart so that tomorrow, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, you would live the new life that He suffered, and died, and rose again to give you; that you would be a person of hope, not hope that is a wish for things to come, but hope that is a confident recognition of what you have already been given.
Let's Pray. Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of these Gospel words, but thank you even more so that they depict what is real and true because of Your grace. Lord, may we not be people who look for what can't be found in places where it doesn't exist. But may we recognize, with eyes wide open, what we've been given in Christ, and live with joy, and hope, and courage between the already and the not yet. In Jesus name, Amen.
