“The Big Picture: 3:1-13”When tough times come, one of the great sources for persistence is seeing the big picture. Paul writes from prison, but he knows who he is and what his mission is. So out of his difficulties, he is able to encourage the church in Ephesus. Victor Frankl in his classic work, The Search for Meaning, found that the sense of having a future of purpose was the difference in the survival or not of many concentration camp detainees. It is worth asking what the bigger picture of your life is and even what the bigger picture of St. Barnabas is. Then whatever challenges we face as individuals or as the church are able to be managed better.
“A Great Prayer: 3:14-21”This passage is one I like to preach when I am finishing ministry with a Church. It shows the care of extended time together. His prayer is exultant as he prays for them to know the fullness of God’s love: width, length, height, and depth. His doxological close is one of the great ones of the Bible, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” Paul has lifted up the greatness of God’s power and the church as the reflection or radiance of that greatness.
“Unity in Diversity: 4:1-16”We have talked in the class about the need to be “rowing in the same direction,” even though we will bring different approaches, backgrounds and opinions. We are not called to a unity of opinion and methods as we are called to a unity of direction under the guidance and power of one Spirit. On our money, the phrase “e pluribus unum” is displayed, which means “out of many, one.” One of the regrettable things in our government’s history, is that this generation will be known for its diversity and difference, but not for unity of direction or Spirit. My prayer is that we will pray for leadership that will go beyond polarized difference to cooperative diversity. A further regret is that often churches are just as polarized and “stuck” as our federal government. What is needed is an openness to one another and a humility that allows God to create a powerful unity that takes strength from the diversity of gifts and backgrounds of people in the name of Christ.
In the musical, A Chorus Line, the opening number is “One,” the theme song of their unity as a song and dance team. Here Paul emphasizes ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE God and Father of all that makes them ONE body and ONE Spirit. This is how God sees the Church. Whether we realize it, we are ONE, whether we see things alike or even like each other.
“A Call to Authentic Living: 4:17-32”The immoral lifestyle of the people of Ephesus was legendary. They were self-indulgent and given to the fulfillment of personal sensual desires. Again, the parallels to Roman society and 21st century Americana are obvious. Their consciences had been dulled and they had lost their sense of right and wrong. Therefore, to follow Christ, means defining yourself over against the mores of that society. Paul uses the experience of changing clothes, taking off what was corrupt (our BC lifestyle) and putting on new clothes in holiness and righteousness (our AD lifestyle): high honesty over lying, anger management over violence, and hard work over theft. Our speech is also to be a reflection of our AD life. When we live worldly lives when we claim to follow Christ, we grieve the Holy Spirit. We inhibit the power of the Spirit and the power of our witness and the impact of our work suffers. Verse 32 is worth our memorization, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” But don’t expect the world to congratulate us when we act that way. It will be a witness against their way of life and so they malign it and treat it as weakness. In truth, it takes incredible strength to follow in the way of Christ, a strength that requires the power of God working in and through us moment by moment.
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