9 September 2012
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Ephesians 1:3-14
Ephesians 1:3-14 (NIV)
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.
-- a farmer was walking through the forest one day when he found a young eagle sitting on the forest floor -- it was obvious at first glance that the eagle was hurt -- it had a broken wing and it couldn't fly and the farmer knew that it would probably die if he left it alone
-- so, he took the eagle home and put it in the pen with his chickens -- here it was protected from predators and could heal in peace -- over time, the eagle started imitating the chickens and started to eat and behave just like them
-- well, one day, a wildlife biologist happened to be visiting the farmer and saw the eagle out in the chicken pen -- he asked the farmer why an eagle -- the king of the birds -- was living with the chickens -- The farmer told the biologist what had happened and said since he had given it a home in the chicken pen and fed it chicken feed, it had started acting like the chickens it lived with -- in essence, it was no longer a great eagle of the wild outdoors, but a member of a tame chicken flock
-- the biologist said, "It still has the heart of an eagle -- surely, he can be taught to fly." -- the biologist took the eagle from the chicken pen and raised him toward the sky and said, "You belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly."
--The eagle, however, was confused -- he didn't know who he was -- he didn't know how he should live -- and when he saw the chickens passing by pecking at the ground, he jumped down from the biologist's arm and started feeding with them once again
-- so, the biologist took the eagle from the chicken pen and went up on the roof of the house and urged him to fly again, saying, "You are an eagle. Stretch forth your wings and fly." -- But the eagle was afraid of his unknown self and this new world and jumped down once more and flapped his eagle wings just enough to get back to the chicken pen for the chicken food.
-- Finally, the biologist took the eagle to the top of a high mountain -- standing there in the open, with the wind blowing in their faces, he held the eagle high above him and encouraged him again, saying, " You are an eagle. You belong to the sky. Stretch forth your wings and fly."
-- The eagle looked around, back towards the way that they had come from the chicken pen and then up to the sky -- there in the sky, another eagle was coming towards them, soaring on the currents of the wind -- the eagle looked back at the chicken pen one more time and then up at the eagle that was approaching -- he slowly stretched his wings, and then, with a triumphant cry, he launched himself from the arm of the biologist and soared away into the heavens to join the eagle that was already there
-- It may be that this eagle still remembers the chickens with nostalgia -- it may even be that he occasionally revisits the chicken lot -- but as far as anyone knows, he has never returned to lead the life of a chicken because he now knows who he is -- he is an eagle -- a great bird of prey -- the king of the raptors -- created by God to soar through the heavens and to hunt from the sky for food -- not to spend his whole life on the ground scratching out an existence1
II. An Identity Crisis
-- last week, we finished looking at the pursuit of holiness through the fruits of the Spirit -- over the last nine weeks, we talked about each of these fruits -- love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, and self-control -- and we talked about how each of these is essential in the life of a Christian striving to be mature and holy
-- and, truth be told, there was probably nothing in those messages that you haven't already heard before -- at some time -- in a sermon or in a Bible study or in a Sunday School lesson
-- but, here's the question that I want to pose to you this morning -- if we already know the path to holiness -- if we already know how we are to live as Christians -- then why do we find ourselves no different from the world?
-- why are we living on the ground with chickens when God has created us to soar with the eagles? -- that's what I want to talk about today
-- I think the church in America today has an identity crisis -- we don't know who we are so we act like those around us -- we're no different than that eagle who acted like a chicken, only we follow the ways of the world
-- we have given in to a lie and we are choosing to live our lives based on that lie and not on the truth of Scripture -- we have been influenced by the world and live our lives based on who the world tells us we are, not on who God tells us we are
-- let me show you what I mean -- everyone in here has probably heard the plan of salvation at some point in your life -- if you've been in church or around Christians for any length of time, you've heard it -- and it usually goes like this
-- God loves you and has a great plan for your life -- however, man is sinful and is separated from God and cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life
-- it's kind of like there's a huge chasm between us and God -- we are on one side of the chasm and God is on the other side and there is no way across -- there is nothing that we can do to make it to God -- we can try to build a bridge with good works but the gap is too big -- we just can't make it
-- so God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross in our place and to make atonement for our sins -- the cross makes a bridge across the chasm so that we can now go to God
-- in order to be saved, each person has to choose for themselves to cross that bridge -- they have to believe that Jesus is God and that He died for their sins and ask Him to forgive their sins and trust in His atoning sacrifice on the cross
-- everyone with me? -- everyone heard this before, right, especially the illustration about the chasm separating us from God? -- "this is an accurate picture of someone who doesn't have life in Christ"2
-- now, I believe that most of us here this morning are Christians -- we have already crossed that bridge -- we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior -- but even though we are saved, we still sin -- right? -- is there anyone in here who doesn't sin -- at least a little? -- that's what John said in 1 John 1:8 -- "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" -- all of us sin from time to time, even Christians
-- now here's what I want you to think about -- what happens when a Christian sins -- what have you been told?
-- "when a Christian sins, they break their relationship with God -- they put a barrier between them and God and they must go back and confess and repent of their sins and ask God to forgive them so their relationship will be restored" -- that's right, isn't it? -- that's what you've heard?
-- what would that look like graphically? -- exactly the same as what we tell non-Christians -- that our sin has caused a chasm to develop between us and God and that we have to go back to Jesus and ask for forgiveness in order to get back to God again
-- even though we don't come out and say it in this many words, what we are basically telling people in our church is when you sin, you have to start over -- you have to go back to the beginning and follow the same steps you did before you were saved
-- "it's as if their salvation never took place"2
-- last night I was watching the Georgia football game -- and it was sloppy play on both sides of the ball -- lots of mistakes -- lots of false starts -- interceptions -- fumbles
-- at one point early in the game, when no one had scored yet, it looked like Georgia was finally making some progress -- they had gotten the ball on their own 9 yard line and had driven it all the way into Missouri territory -- and then it happened -- Murray fumbled the ball -- luckily, he fell on it and Georgia recovered
-- but you know what was curious? -- they didn't make Georgia go back to the beginning -- they didn't make them go back to the nine yard line and start over -- Georgia started the next play from the point where they fumbled
-- if this is true for a football team, why isn't it true for saints who have been redeemed through the precious blood of Christ?
-- if you get nothing else from this message, I want you to get this -- when we sin, we are not sent back to the beginning -- we don't go back across that chasm of sin
-- our position and identity were changed through the cross of Christ -- we are no longer sinners but saints who sin -- we are not seeking salvation -- we are seeking sanctification -- we are pursuing holiness
III. Ephesians 1:3-14
-- as I said, the problem in the church is that we have an identity crisis -- we have bought in to the lie of the world that tells us that when we sin as Christians, we are back in the chicken pen and if we want to get right with God again, we have to make our way back up to the mountain
-- if you truly want to pursue holiness in your life -- if you truly want to grow more and more like Jesus -- then you have to stop letting the world tell you who you are and start listening to who God says you are
-- trusting who God says I am and living in that truth lays the foundation for maturity and holiness
-- so, who are we in Christ? -- Paul tells us right here in Ephesians 1
-- look back at verse 3-10
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
-- we are blessed -- that means that God's favor is upon us -- we have received God's grace through His Son Jesus Christ -- that grace is unconditional -- God's love is unconditional -- it doesn't say here that we are blessed only as long as we are obedient to God -- it doesn't say here that when we sin, God takes His blessings away and makes us go back to the start
-- no, Paul reminds us here that we are blessed -- in fact, we have received every spiritual blessing that is possible -- what does that mean? -- that means God has held nothing back -- He has given us everything that He gave His Son because we are one with His Son -- because of Christ, we are heirs of the kingdom -- because of Christ, we are the sons and daughters of the King -- we have redemption through His blood -- the forgiveness of sin -- the grace to live a new life in Him
-- in John 15:5 Jesus said that if we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit -- our character and our attitude and our behavior will reflect the nine fruits of the Spirit that we have been going over
-- over in Ephesians 2:6, Paul says that we have been raised with Christ and are seated with Him in the heavenly realms -- our position has changed -- we are no longer on the far side of the chasm -- we are with God and are living our lives from this side of the chasm -- from the position of grace
-- verse 11-14
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.
-- we have been chosen -- chosen for what?
-- when I meet with disciples, I like to ask them three questions
-- first, I ask them if they are saved -- and most of them say yes because they probably wouldn't be meeting with me if they weren't
-- then, I ask them what they are saved from? -- if we've been redeemed, what have we been redeemed from -- what have we been freed from? -- and they always sin -- we've been saved from sin
-- then I ask them what are you saved for? -- and I usually get a lot of blank stares because no one has ever asked them this before
-- we need to understand that God saved us -- He redeemed us through the precious blood of Christ for a reason -- He didn't just save us so that we could escape Hell -- He saved us so that we could live out the kingdom life here and now -- He chose us to be holy and blameless in His sight -- He chose us to do the good works that He prepared for us to do -- He chose us to bring praise and glory to His name through our life
-- we can't do that if we're living with the chickens -- we can't do that if we refuse to live in our new identity with Him
-- I knew a lady in Tennessee where I used to work and every week she would come in and moan and cry over the sins in her life -- "I am nothing but a sinner -- I keep sinning and I keep having to go back to Jesus to ask forgiveness -- I'm no good"
-- but she was wrong -- she's not a sinner any longer -- if you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are not a sinner -- you are a saint -- your sins have been forgiven and you have been redeemed -- you have been seated in the heavenly realms with Christ -- you have been given every spiritual blessing -- you have been indwelt with the very presence of God -- you are not a sinner -- you are a saint who sins
-- to go back to my illustration, you are not a chicken -- you are an eagle -- and you need to start living like an eagle and not like a chicken
-- so, what does this look like? -- how do you get out of the chicken pen and start soaring with the eagles? -- how do you move from being trapped by your sin into the promise of holiness?
-- it comes down to one phrase -- trust and obey -- in that order -- just like the song
-- first, you have to trust -- it comes down to faith
-- do you truly believe your sins have been forgiven -- past, present, and future?
-- do you believe you are who God says you are?
-- "Many of us say we believe that salvation brings a “new birth,” a new identity, but the way we view ourselves betrays our words"2
-- we don't see ourselves as the sons and daughters of the King, so we don't live that way -- if we see ourselves as chickens, then that's the way we'll live
-- we saw a good example of this a couple of weeks ago -- Prince Harry went to Vegas -- he fell for the lie of the world that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas -- and he forgot who he was -- and look what happened
-- his good name and the name of his family has been raked through the mud over the past two weeks -- he's been on the cover of every sleazy tabloid paper there is and he's been the butt of hundreds of jokes because of his actions in Vegas
-- if you lie down with the dogs, don't be surprised if you get fleas -- and if you decide to take up residence in a chicken pen, don't be surprised if you start to act like a chicken
-- we need to remember who we are and we need to remember what's been done for us -- we are Christians -- and we need to live like Christians -- we need to remember that we are the sons and daughters of the King -- that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessings -- that our sins have been forgiven and that sin and death has no power over us -- we need to lean on this understanding and live out of it
-- "God wants you to believe that He has already changed you so that He can get on with the process of maturing you into who you already are"2
-- to trust first means that we believe in who we are and what has been done for us -- that means that when we sin, we believe what the Bible tells us -- that this sin has already been forgiven on the cross -- our position with God has not been affected -- we are not cast back to the starting point where we have to strive in our own power to achieve a relationship with the Father
-- instead, when we sin, we confess and agree with God that we have done wrong -- we admit that we sinned and we repent of this sin by surrendering to God's power and not relying on our own strength to bring us victory
-- our efforts will not make us godly -- and striving in our own strengths to defeat sin will only make us slaves to that sin
-- when we instead trust in God and put the focus on God and His redeeming power instead of the sin, that is when we start to see victory over sin in our lives
-- get this point -- you can't do anything about sin except to carry it to the Father and trust that He will work with you to remove it -- He doesn't want you to carry the load -- He doesn't want you to do the work -- He wants you to say "I can't do it -- do it for me"
-- the second step to achieving holiness and maturity with Christ is obedience -- not striving in our own power to be holy -- but trusting that God is working in us and through us to help us live out who we are
-- as we trust God's power in our lives with our sins, He will work with us to give us victory over those besetting sins -- when we strive to obey Him and put the focus on Him and not sin, then we will see our lives growing in grace and we will see us becoming more and more like Jesus
-- "The goal is to learn to depend on — to trust— what God says is true about you, so that together you can begin dealing with that stuff.”"2
IV. Closing
-- before the 1988 Winter Olympics there was a special on TV that featured blind skiers being trained for slalom skiing, impossible as that sounds
-- now, I've never skied, but I love the Winter Olympics and I watch them every time they're on -- and I can only imagine how hard it has to be for a regular person to be flying down that slope at breakneck speeds going around those obstacles without falling -- I can't imagine how difficult that would be if you couldn't see
-- well, this show demonstrated how these blind skiers were able to learn to do slaloms -- they started on the flats and taught them how to make right and left turns -- then, when that was mastered, they were taken to the slalom slope, where their sighted partners skied beside them shouting, "Left" and "Right"
-- As they obeyed the commands, they were able to negotiate the course and cross the finish line, depending solely on the sighted skiers’ word -- It was either complete trust or catastrophe -- it was only by trusting their partners and obeying what they were told that these blind skiers were able to navigate those challenging slalom courses
-- it's the same with us -- just like those blind skiers, we've been told that we are never going to be any good -- we've been told that we're always going to be mired down in our sins -- that we're just like the world and everyone around us -- we've been told that we're chickens and that's all we're ever going to be
-- but God speaks His truth to us through His Word -- and He tells us that we're not sinners any longer, but that we are saints living in His Kingdom -- He tells us to trust in Him -- to believe in who He says we are and what He says we can do -- not what the world says
-- and then He tells us to respond in obedience to His Word -- to believe that sin and death have no power over us because of the cross -- and that if we rely on Him and trust in His name and are obedient to His commands -- we will grow into the men and women that He has called us to be and do the great works that He chose for us to do before the beginning of time
-- who are you this morning? -- how do you live your life? -- are you still stuck in the mire of a chicken pen or are you soaring on the winds with God?
-- as we close in prayer ask yourself these questions and move into the holy life that God has in store for you
-- let's pray
SOURCES:
1. Theology News and Notes, October, 1976, quoted in Multnomah Message, Spring, 1993, p. 1. (Modified by the sermon author)(www.christianglobe.com)
2. The Truefaced Experience, John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, Bill Thrall
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