Category: Ephesians

From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Eph. 4:16).

Are you a spleen?

Then be a good spleen.

Don’t complain because you’re not an eye

or weep because you’re not a heart

or feel inadequate because you’re not hands and feet.

When you do, you stop spleening, and the body weakens.

Frankly, I don’t know exactly what a spleen does, but you do, if you’re a spleen.

So do it, and do it to the glory of God.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ (Ephesians 4:15).

Speaking the truth in anger is cathartic.

Speaking the truth in bitterness is powerful.

Speaking the truth in mockery will make you popular.

Speaking the truth in love will make you more like Christ.

Choose this day, Beloved.

Happy Tuesday

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming (Ephesians 4:14).

When exactly is, “Then?”  As in, “Then we will no longer be infants..?”  Scripture tells us it is when we become mature in Christ.

Ah.

And when will that be?

Could it please be today? Hmmm?

How many times have you felt like you were being blown hither, thither, and yon by people claiming to know what’s what?  I remember, as a baby Christian, being caught up in a group of people who taught that the Rapture was imminent—like, right now imminent.  One woman came into work and told me, with great excitement, that she had heard the trumpets begin to sound that very morning.

Thirty years later, it would appear that she just had tinnitus.  But what did I know? I was an infant, maybe two or three months old in Christ.  I was tossed about quite a lot in those days. God, however, is faithful, and over the years he’s taught me to surf a bit.

Here’s a promise, Beloved—you will grow.  You are growing, right now, even as you think about and chew on his Word.  Every day, moment by moment by moment, God is conforming you to the image of his Son.  Your words are growing richer in wisdom and fuller of love. Not always, but often, and more so as the days go by.  You will grow, by his grace and in his time, into the person he has called you to be.

In the meantime, hold on tight–the sea can get pretty rough.

Happy Monday, Beloved

It was he who gave some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service… so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13).

Someday

We’ll get there someday.

We have his promise on that.

All the junk we deal with now–the selfishness, the bitterness, the envy, the greed, the backbiting, the insecurity, the indecision, the inadequacy, the sadness, the anger, the agonizing, all-consuming fear…

were gonna grow out of that

and

into Christ.

I think Someday might just be my favorite day ever.

Happy Friday, Beloved

It was he who gave some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God (Eph. 4:12-13).

There’s that “Unity” word again.

Seems to be important to the Lord of the Universe, so I guess we’d better pay attention.

Now, everybody has widely differing ideas about what unity is and what we should be unified on, which can lead to a breakdown in relationships and division in the Church.

That was a joke…but only kinda.

There’s an oft-quoted approach to the idea of unity, that I think covers it pretty well:

In essentials, unity.

In non essentials, liberty.

In all things, charity.

Unity in the faith…that seems essential.

Unity in knowing Jesus as the Son of God and the source of our salvation…yep…essential.

Unity in the structure of a small group…not so much an essential.

Unity in worship music style…nope.

Unity in Sunday Morning Dress Code…huh uh.

Unity in the brand of Communion cracker and relative levels of gluten…

I’ll get back to you on that.

There’s a big picture, Beloved.

Keep your eyes on it.

Happy Thursday

It was he who gave some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service… (Eph. 4:11-12).

Their job is to teach us to do our job.

Their job is not to do our job.

Because…it’s our job.

Let’s do it.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it (Ephesians 4:7).

Yeah, so, I was supposed to be this great evangelist.

Apparently Jesus didn’t get the memo.

Which is a bummer for Christendom, because I would have been awesome. Picture thousands of people packing the auditoriums, hearing my words, craving my wisdom, buying my books, cheering my name…

Oh.

Maybe Jesus knows better than I do…

That’s crazy–

There’s no “maybe” about it.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

There is one body and one Spirit–just as you were called to one hope when you were called–one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6).

They will tell you that there are lots of ways to get to Heaven.

They will tell you that truth is individual..

They will tell you that God is a construct.

They will be wrong.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).

Father, make us one.

Father, make us one.

So the world may know you have sent your Son,

Father, make us one.

Amen, Beloved?

Happy Friday

…be patient, bearing with one another in love (Eph. 4:2).

I’m a middle school teacher.

I know all about patience…particularly how to lose it. A middle school classroom is a microcosm of society at large. It’s filled with people who don’t listen, don’t follow the rules, hurt others for no apparent reason, make the same mistake over and over and over and over and over and respond to simple, thorough, articulate instructions with a blank look and, “I  don’t get it.”

The only way to avoid raining fire down upon them, the only way to endure their middle-schoolishness, is to love them.

And the only way to do that is to see them as Christ sees them–small and unsure and lonely and frightened and His.

And the only way to do that is by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So, Beloved, who will you need the Holy Spirit to help you be patient with today?

Wow…that’s kind of a lot of folks.

Don’t worry–he can handle it.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.