I forgot to mention my absence last week. If anyone noticed. I was away from Fort Wayne, participating in a consultation led by Discipleship Ministries out of Nashville, our denominational headquarters. We met in Dallas at the seminary I graduated from back when dinosaurs roamed the earth (it seems to have changed since I was there), to investigate a program there designed to help preachers be better at their task of preaching. We have been meeting for a year now, investigating other continuing education models, and asking the question what does it mean to be a good preacher in the church today? In fact, the next task is to answer that question. What is good preaching? The United Methodist Church recently produced two documents presenting the theology and practice of the sacraments in our denomination. The task of the consultation is to prepare a similar document for the “Sacrament of the Word” – i.e. preaching.
I drew the short straw. Meaning I get to write the first draft, and then let everyone else pick it apart and start all over again. Still, I’m excited about the prospect, though humbled by the task. The idea that we can get everyone, or even most folks to agree on what constitutes good preaching, might seem impossible. Yet it didn’t stop Paul.
OK, he wasn’t really answering that question. He was dealing with a bigger picture. Not what is good preaching. But what is the Christian life? What should it look like? How will we recognize it? How will we live it? That’s what he was trying to answer in the Letter to the Ephesians.
We’re in part two now. We dove into part one, chapters one through three, and immersed ourselves in the outpouring of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. We sat in wonder and awe as we considered all that God has done for us. The gifting, the claiming, and the empowering that has been lavishly poured out on us. It was almost more than we could comprehend. Especially when we let the words just pour over us. We didn’t stop to examine the detail of every nuance of language or thought. We just splashed around in it. Not because studying is unimportant or unnecessary. That’s how we usually approach these scriptures. But once in a while, it’s good to be overwhelmed.
But having jumped into that pool we now climb out to our usual question. Now what? Or perhaps, so what? I mean all that’s great and everything, but what am I supposed to do with it? What does it mean for me? For us, the church and community of faith? Now what?
Ephesians 4:1-8 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life 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 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. 7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people."
“Lead a life worthy of the calling.” That’s how Paul starts part two. And in so doing he reminds us of two very important things. First of all, everything we do is a response. This is why part two is part two and not part one. We couldn’t start with chapter four ... even if we renamed it chapter one. Because it only makes sense in light of what came before. This call to live in certain ways only works if we understand that we aren’t doing it in order to receive the grace that comes from God. It only becomes possible if we understand that we aren’t doing it to earn God’s love, Christ’s sacrifice, the gift called salvation. It has to be this way. All that we do as Christians, as followers comes only after we are set free to love.
Which is the second thing he tells us. Which might sound a lot like the first thing he tells us. He being Paul, the writer of the letter to the Ephesians. (Which I still cling to despite the voices that say it was someone else. To them I say ... phooey. (I know, I shouldn’t use such esoteric theological jargon, but couldn’t help it. Where was I?)) And that is the ability to live the life to which we are called comes from Christ and not from us. Our natural state is one of limitation, one of captivity to our self-centered view of the world and our place in it. But now we are free to be all that Christ calls us to be. We are free to be humble and gentle and patient and loving, we are free to live in peace. Because the captivity of our nature has been made captive in Christ.
He then goes on for a chapter and half. Well, I mean we are going to read a chapter and half about what that means. Actually we are going to read three chapters, but take two weeks to do it. For now read on to 5:20. It gets ... messy ... after that. We’ll tackle that next week. But for now we read in these verses a glimpse of the life we are called to live. No, that we are set free to live. Paul talks about what we can set aside, ways of living that might sound good, but really aren’t. But he also talks about what we take up. What we can fill our lives with, and it is all about engaging, connecting, relating to God and to our fellow followers and to those who as yet have not experienced a life of grace from God, have not yet claimed the gift that has already been given to them. There is a joy in helping others find their gift, find the grace and forgiveness that is already theirs. Much more joy than in condemnation and judgement. Despite what many who claim to be following might think or say.
But go and read. Read from chapter four verse one all the way through to chapter five verse twenty. And what you’ll find is that Paul comes back to the how. How are we to live this life worthy of the calling. And not a how as in six easy steps to a better life now, or four infallible principles of growing in your faith, or the magic prayer to prosperity and clear skin. No, not that how. But a how as in what mode, what attitude do we bring to our living a life worthy? What does it feel like to be around us, to be with us?
Ephesians 5:18-20 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We’re party people. People of joy, of singing and celebration. That’s the life worthy, not a drudgery of servile obedience and rigid purity, but one of connection and joy. We are set free to live fully, to live alive every moment. That’s the calling to which you have been called. That’s a life worthy.
Shalom,
Derek
No comments:
Post a Comment