Ephesians 1:15-23, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,” Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
This week, Michael asks is anyone smarter than God? Is anyone wiser? Is anyone more powerful? Do we know the future better than God? God alone is the one who knows the future. He alone is all powerful and all wise. Why then do we have difficulty believing and trusting in his word? In reality, God is the one who by His mercy and grace loves, protects, and provides for us. Therefore, James 1:22-25 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
He who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, this person shall be blessed in his deed. It’s one thing to hear the Word of God in all its authority and power. The challenge is to do that which the Lord commands. This is what it means to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. The word of God is contrary to the word of secular humanists. To follow according to God’s command is to forsake the commands of fallen mankind. Some of His perfect commands may offend our sense of “human” rights”, but we do not set the standards.
According to Ezekiel 33, the prophet was frustrated because the people would not heed the word of God. They hear your word but they do not follow them. Verse 31 says, “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.” Many don’t call Jesus “Lord” because they want to be in control of their own lives. The diagnostic question is, “Why would God let you into His heaven?” Is eternal life on your own terms, or on God’s terms? God’s terms say that you can’t make it on your own. Your own performance is not good enough to deserve eternal life by a long shot. And we know it. If we’re to come to Him, we must enter in according to His terms, not ours.
Bill Gothard, who had youth conferences in the 70’s ministered to a young couple. They asked him, “What if we want to live together without getting married?” He answered, “Then that means that you haven’t made Jesus Lord of your lives. If Christ were Lord, you would do His will. Sin outside of the context of holy matrimony is a sin. And because we sin in thought, word, and deed, Jesus explains in Matthew 5:28, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Marriage is the will of the Lord.”
In John 21:15-17 Jesus asked Simon Peter, “do you love me more than these?” Meaning, do you love me with the highest form of unconditional love, more than your fishing business ... your nets, your boats, and your fishing crew? Peter responded with a different word for love, “I love (phileo) you like a brother...I’m fond of you.” He asked Peter this question three times. The first two times Jesus used the word “agape”, the unconditional love of God. The third time he used the word “phileo” brotherly love. The third time Peter said, you know all things. You know that I love (phileo) you... I love you the only way I know how. Jesus answered, “Feed my sheep.”
Peter could not love his Lord with agape love, the unconditional spiritual love of God, because he did not yet have the Holy Spirit. Jesus had not yet paid the price for our salvation and the Holy Spirit was not available until after the day of Pentecost. The question Jesus has for his disciples is, “do you love me?” Jesus had said in John 14:15 “if you love me, keep my commandments”, and again in verse 23 “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.”
Let’s continue Michael’s message on the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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