Acts 1:6-11 My Burden Is Light!

Acts 1:6-11 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? ”He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. ”After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

As Jesus departs from earth, He announces that his mission of salvation should be presented to the whole world, not just to the Jews. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The disciples were focused on the restoration of Israel, throwing off the yoke of the Romans and finally gaining the prominence among all nations that the people, chosen by God, deserved. Lord, are you at this time going to restorethe kingdom to Israel? If Jesus were to go back to his Father soon, then this rehabilitation and restoration of the Jewish nation must happen quickly. For the disciples, restoration of Israel was important. The prophets of old spoke often of the Jewish nation's spiritual health or well-being. Of course, the disciples knew Moses had delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt to establish the Jews in a blessed land, flowing with milk and honey. Now they assumed Jesus’ ministry was for the Jews’ betterment. He was healing Jews of sicknesses, infirmities, and demon possession. What other purpose would Jesus have other than restoration of the people of Israel? But we see even in the angel's announcement of the coming of Jesus, that God’s purpose for Jesus extended far beyond the nation of Israel. Jesus was to restore all people, everywhere, to God, the Creator, for all ages to come. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause GREAT JOY FOR ALL THE PEOPLE. (Luke 2:9-10) Earlier in Jesus' great commission to the disciples, He widened their mission to all people on the face of the earth. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations (PEOPLE), baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20) This was such an important mission that Jesus said He would be with them and all people who carry this assignment to the end of time. They would not be spared death or persecution, but they would have the power of the Holy Spirit with them to bolster their ministry, to empower them with the gift of healing and casting out demons. The Lord would be with them in word and deed. The disciples, as they saw Jesus depart that day, did not really understand their commission until the Holy Spirit imbued them with power on Pentecost; then they would be instruments for the glory of God. Immediately on Pentecost, we see Peter standing up, addressing a crowd of people about the Good News of Jesus Christ being crucified for all people, freeing whosoever will believe in his name from sin and death.

Jesus came to free people from the bondage of sin and death. Jesus’ life demonstrated God’s intention to deliver all people from their slavery to the devil. He did this by healing and casting out demons wherever He went. From city to city He proclaimed the redemptive message of God to all people, instructing them how to live and telling them to ask God for forgiveness of their sins. Jesus served the needy quickly wherever He journeyed. In addition, He faced down the religious leaders of his day, who possessed little love for the people; instead, aggrandizing themselves within the community of the Jews. He came as He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) Jesus personified the Lord’s favor. God placed him in the midst of the Jewish people. He would die by their hands. But as in the wilderness when the bronze snake was lifted up on a cursed pole to heal all those who had been bitten by a poisonous snake, Jesus would be lifted up in their midst on a cross, cursed on a tree, but salvation would come to all who looked upon the cross with faith in his works. Jesus’ death would reveal clearly God’s favor on humans that He created from dust. Jesus the Christ, God himself, would pay the penalty for the waywardness of mankind, his rebellion to God’s goodness and control. However, Jesus did not stay in the grave, but He arose in three days by God’s power, illustrating what will happen to all believers: an inheritance of eternal life has come to all. Jesus became the first fruit that passed from living on earth to the heavenly domain. As Paul says, But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22) As believers, we are no longer entangled in sin and death; our lives are eternal, destined to be with God forever. Jesus said, I will never leave you. He said to the disciples, I will come and get you, so we have an expectation of THE GREAT LIGHT as seen by Paul and Moses, coming to us at our demise to deliver us to the bosom of God. This understanding of the Good News was not in the disciples' minds as they watched Jesus depart. For them the restoration of Israel ended their expectations of Jesus. However, as the word of God says,“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9) Jesus said, the seed must die, we must die, but what follows is beyond our imagination. Not only have sin and death been defeated, but we who are alive evermore will be in the household of God as his children, originally born of dust, but then born of the Spirit of God through the work of Jesus on the cross.

If this is the good news and it is, as the two men dressed in white said, why do you stand here looking into the sky? Jesus’ return will happen, but in the meantime, you, the people of God, have a mission to carry out. While Jesus was on earth, He was constantly in the mode of carrying out God’s purposes on earth. Jesus always did the Father’s will, so He was constantly on the move after his baptism in the river Jordan. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him,and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied,“Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:35-39) The Father’s will was for him to go from community to community, ministering the good will of God. He was not sedentary, asking the people of Israel to come to him. No, He moved under the auspices of the Holy Spirit. We see this aspect of moving in all of scripture. Faith is moving, acting, performing, rather than sitting and contemplating God. Moses was sent to the Israelites in Egypt. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:9-10) The Lord said, So now, go. Of course, Moses was full of fear, for he had fled Egypt in the fear the Egyptians would take his life for he had killed an Egyptian for beating an Israelite. But God told him to go, so he went with much fear and trepidation. When Paul was confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was told by Jesus to get up and go into the city of Damascus. Do not lie there in fright, but get up and go. Jesus commissioned his disciples to go into all the world, but first they must wait until Pentecost for the power of God to infill them. But going is the commission to all believers everywhere. We are to get up, forsake our comfort and fear, and serve the Lord with our whole heart, mind, and strength. So many Christians today tarry in their belief, but do not go and display the work of the Lord in their lives. We abandon the word strength in Jesus’ cardinal commandment of serving God. Often our strength is used for ourselves, our comfort. But Christianity is a serving ministry. Why stand and wait for Jesus to return to your life? Why not work while it is yet day? When the disciples were arguing over who will be first in heaven, Jesus addresses their concern by saying the greatest in heaven will be the one on earth who serves everyone, who is a slave to all. A slave is always in the act of doing for the master. He, as Jesus, who said I must be going to the next city, will be looking for places to serve. How do we serve? Jesus points this out clearly, He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”(Mark 9:36-37) We serve others as a mother serves her precious child. We serve the troubled, the hurting, the wayward as a mom serves her child in her arms. We feed them the milk of kindness and love. We show Jesus to them by comforting them with our warm presence and concern. We are God’s servants, imaging God to the world. So get up, move, be as God is: loving and caring to a lost generation. Jesus said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30) 

Merry Christmas!

 

  

 

 

Acts 1:1-5 Did Not Your Heart Burn?

Acts 1:1-5  In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.  After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.  He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.  On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

The cross and the resurrection are the Good News that has penetrated the world.  We find Luke going on with the message that the Son of God has come to deliver men from the grips of Satan and death.  Man since Adam and Eve has been in the throes of sin and the grave.  Rebellion to God’s authority has cost mankind much.  Man initially was made in God’s likeness and nature.  Made in God’s likeness, he was given the ability to choose to live in the goodness of God.  His only restrictions were not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil or the Tree of Life.  But being made in God’s likeness, Adam could choose to do so.  Satan deceived Eve by telling her to eat of the Tree of Knowledge.  Then she would be like God with no restrictions on her life.  She and Adam partook of the tree of good and evil.  Rather than being free as God is, they became servants of Satan.  Now with the whole spectrum of good and evil to be independent of God’s authority, they chose self over God and his eternal goodness.  Now their decisions in life were for their own selfish reasons and not for the glory of God.  To be totally as God, they chose a life completely free from God’s involvement.  God removed them from the Garden, for now they were a danger to him.  If they partook of the tree of eternal life, their presence would contaminate all of existence.  Outside of the Garden, Adam and Eve’s lives would be difficult and finite.  They would eventually die and return to dust.  Their line would exist until the flood.  Then God would intervene supernaturally, saving Noah and his family.  But this remnant made in his image was still contaminated by sin.  Noah’s family deteriorated into destructive behavior, allowing sin to manifest itself again after the flood.  From Noah’s time on, men carried on self-willed lives full of violence, dying with the marks of sin on their lives.  God then intervened again into mankind’s existence by coming to Abraham.  Abraham chooses to believe the words of God spoken to him about having a son through the womb of Sarah, who was beyond child birthing age. Abraham's belief in God’s words and goodness allows Abraham to be right with God.  As with Abraham, faith in God’s words becomes foundational to being right with God for all who followed him.  Abraham was also promised the land of Canaan.  God intervenes again to save mankind from destruction by sending Moses to Abraham’s descendants.  The Israelites were driven into slavery by God.  After 400 years, Moses is told by God to deliver the Israelites out of slavery and to the land God promised Abraham.  These chosen people who inhabited Canaan carried with them the Seed of God: Jesus Christ.  He would set people free from the bondage of sin and death.  He would come as the truth, the way and the life.  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  (John 14:6)  In our focus for today, we see Luke who chronicled the life of Jesus, now introducing us to the lives of those who would follow Jesus after the Lord’s ascension.

Jesus did not quickly disappear into heaven after his resurrection.  He made sure that his followers knew there was life after death by revealing himself in the flesh to them.  After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.  This fact of a resurrection was surreal to them, an unbelievable reality.  Who could believe in such a thing?  When Paul tried to expose the learned men of Athens to the resurrection of Jesus, they scoffed at such an idea, shut him down with ridicule, forcing him out of their midst.  But Jesus made sure that his followers would see strong evidence that life existed beyond the tomb.  He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?  Who is it you are looking for?  Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”  Jesus said to her, “Mary.”  She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).  (John 20:15-16)  He then moved to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.  He joined these two followers of his and asked them what they were discussing.  Of course, He knew, but he joined them with that question.  They were surprised by Jesus’ ignorance about the recent events in Jerusalem, about the good man Jesus.  They told Jesus how disappointed they were in that the authorities killed this godly man.  Then Jesus used scripture to expound about the Messiah and his predicted death.  The prophets told of this happening long ago.  In Emmaus, Jesus sits down with his two followers and breaks bread with them.  When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.  They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”  (Luke 24:30-32)   When Jesus breaks bread with these two men, they knew He was with them, but then He quickly disappears.  These two hurry back to Jerusalem to tell the others that Jesus is alive.  But as they are explaining this good news to the disciples, Jesus appears.  While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.  He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?   Look at my hands and my feet.  It is I myself!  Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”  (Luke 24:36-39)  Jesus desired his followers to know emphatically that the resurrection has really happened.  He wanted them to understand that he was not just some spiritual being floating around in the air, but that He was a real entity like them.  An entity of flesh and bones, one who could eat as they ate.  He was bringing a reality of an afterlife into their consciousness, something unbelievable, beyond the imaginations of men and women.  People have desired to believe in an afterlife beyond the grave, but to see and feel Jesus in the flesh was extremely hard for the disciples to conceptualize.  However, Jesus showed himself in the nature of a man, so that they could accept the reality of the resurrection and subsequently, eternal life.  We observe Jesus later eating fish that He prepared for the disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  Before He sits down and eats with them, He shows his divinity by telling them to throw their net on the other side of the boat.  These experienced fishermen thought that idea was foolishness, for they had fished all night without catching any fish.  But they obeyed as Jesus commanded.  Their net becomes so full of fish that they had to drag the net to shore, for they could not haul such a quantity of fish in their boat without sinking the boat.  Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”  So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore.  It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.  Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”  None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?”  They knew it was the Lord.  (John 21:10-12)  Jesus again proved that he was in the form of a man.  He ate with them, entertained them by fixing breakfast for them.  Paul’s experience widens our understanding of Jesus' revealing himself to men after his death when Jesus not only shows himself alive to his followers after his resurrection but also shows himself to Saul on the road to Damascus.   For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.  After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.  (Romans 15:3-8)  God confirmed the reality of the resurrection by showing Jesus in the flesh to many people.  From the very beginning God’s eternal, steadfast love for humans never left his heart.  He knew men would fall.  He knew they would wrestle with a sinful desire to be free from all entanglements, to live their lives as God, to choose their own direction in life as freely as God chooses his own way in existence.  But man's lack of allegiance to God’s authority of goodness led man into a horrible state of darkness, as dark as the deepest night.  God came to the rescue of men and women in their state of hopelessness, bringing Jesus into their dark world.  He let men and women know that life has come to them in the form of Jesus Christ the Lord.  The resurrection and eternal life can be theirs too if they trust in his work and not their own.  

Now in Acts, Luke tells believers how to journey in this world without the physical presence of Jesus on earth.  Jesus’ command to his disciples to go nowhere until they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit was the critical component for living a successful life for Christ in this world.  Otherwise, without Jesus' presence, his power, his protection, they should stay in Jerusalem in a state of prayer.  “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”  This command reveals clearly they were powerless to be effective followers of Christ without the fulness of the Holy Spirit.  Of course, they had knowledge of the Holy Spirit, for Jesus had talked about not blaspheming the Holy Spirit; He also told them to receive the Holy Spirit.  But knowledge and presence are two different things.  On the day of Pentecost, they would receive the presence of the Spirit so greatly that they would speak in other tongues, moving from something they could not do naturally to something that was supernatural.  As surely as the resurrection was an unbelievable reality, now the infilling of the Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues would be just as impactful.  This evidence of the Spirit in their being was as great as the phenomena of the resurrection.  For Christ being alive was a reality of their senses, but now the Spirit inside of them was a reality of a spiritual impact beyond their understanding.  No longer is God outside of men speaking to them through holy men, but now He is present with them, internally.  Only the prophets at times had this wonderful experience, now every man and woman could have this holy condition of Jesus Christ and his words within them.  Because of this indwelling of the Spirit, every man and woman would be sitting in the high places of God, present with him at all times.  Now, men and women would serve God without fear, for the resurrection not only happened with Christ, it is now present in their spirits.  They are born again.  Jesus told Peter to feed his sheep, to care for his sheep without reservation.  He also told Peter that doing this would cost him his life.  We who are alive in Christ, who know him as new people, servants of the Most High are also to feed and care for his sheep.  We are to proclaim the message of God without fear.  We are his earth movers, changing the landscape for Christ.  Let us be that kind of person in our lives, edifying the world for Christ the Lord.  In Acts we will see the church changing the culture of men, exposing them to eternal life.  This is the privilege of those filled with the Holy Spirit of God.  

Note: Last week the breakfast was sent out before the final editing process; therefore, it contained some errors that should have been eliminated.  Cliff had just gotten out of the hospital with blood clots in his legs and lungs, so I was a bit overwhelmed.  Everything is going better now.  We often make errors but not such obvious ones.  Blessings to you all.        

   

Ephesians 6:18-24 Grace to All!

Ephesians 6:18-24  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.  Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains.  Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.  Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.  Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace to all who  love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. 

As we end the book of Ephesians, Paul directs the people in Ephesus to continue in their walk as servants of the Most High.  He instructs believers to pray in the Spirit ON ALL OCASIONS WITH ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS AND REQUESTS.  They should be generous with their prayers and requests in all situations and towards all people.  In chapter 14 of the Gospel of John, we hear Jesus say, Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.  (12-14)  Paul now asks the people of Ephesus to take Jesus’ promise into their daily lives.  As servants they should do what the Master asked.  Prayer is an act of believing that the Lord is in our lives and that He is zealous to bring glory to his Father.  Prayers and asking can be befuddling to us, for sometimes we ask for very good things, and we do not see the answer here on earth.  None of us can explain why James the apostle, who was in the intimate circle of Jesus’ retinue, died early by the hands of Herod.  James, Peter, and John experienced many things such as the Mount of Transfiguration, the Garden of Gethsemane, and Jairus’ daughter being raised from the dead when the others were not present.  Jesus had great affection for these three disciples.  Yet we see a man that Jesus loved and counted on die first after Pentecost.  We also see other things that confuse us when we talk about Jesus answering prayers for the glory of God such as Stephen being stoned to death and Paul being beaten with rods and thrown in jail in chains.  We see him being stoned until his enemy thought him to be dead.  We see the church scattered by persecution, running for their lives, not standing firm and confronting the devil by standing firm in their homeland.  No, the vicissitudes of life affected them greatly, persecution affected them acutely, and the death of their loved ones through martyrdom sorrowed their lives greatly.  Even though these realities were in Paul’s mind, he tells the Ephesians to pray in all situations and everywhere make their requests known to God.  God who made the galaxies has purposes for our lives much greater than our limited understanding of our finite lives.  Before Jesus tells the disciples about their power in asking, he tells this to them, Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  (John 14:1-3)  He is telling James in his last moments before martyrdom\, do not be troubled, for I am coming back to get you.  You do not have to worry about you going to me, I am going to you to get you.  He is telling. Peter with these words, you can go to sleep in jail before the day they intend to kill you, for I am coming to get you when you pass from this finite world.  All of our calling on God are in the context that we are slaves to the Most High.  He alone determines our lives, our position in the body of Christ, and our demise.  God is life itself and we trust in that life.  Jesus said, I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.  The disciples after Pentecost realized that fully, for the Spirit of God came to them to abide forever.  Yes, Jesus would get them, for He had told them that he would never abandon them, never leave them alone to face the principalities of the air.   No he would be with them always, even to the end of the earth or their lives.

We see in the conclusion of Ephesians a reiteration of our position IN Christ.  Yes, we are children of the Most High, but also we are faithful servants of God on this earth.  We are to be humble as Moses was humble.  Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.  (Numbers 12:3)  As we look at this statement about Moses being the MOST HUMBLE of all men, we might become confused, for we know that Moses was a great leader of men, and he demanded some obedience from the Israelites or else judgement would fall on them.  How could such man of power be considered humble?  But humility in God’s eyes is in the context of obedience to the authority of God.  Moses except for striking the rock for water was obedient to God at all times.  And because of his one disobedience, God did not allow him to enter the Promised Land; he could only view it.  Moses talked face to face with God under the cloud of the Holy Spirit.  Moses was a friend of God.  As with Jesus, Jesus said, do not call me Lord, Lord, if you do not do what I say.  Moses did what God desired; even though what God wanted from him was beyond his rational mind.  Therefore, because he was obedient to God’s words, he was most humble.  We see this same characteristic in King David, a great willingness to follow God in everything he did and said.  What is the opposite of humbleness in this context: pride.  Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.  (1 John 2:15-16)  Pride, the unwillingness to accept God’s authority is deeply embedded in man’s spirit.  We see this contamination before the flood: all of humanity was going its own way.  All had decided to come under their own authority and not God’s authority, love and caring.  Of course in the time of Judges chaos reigned, for all were doing what was right in their own eyes.  Moses accepted God’s words, his direction, his life.  We see Paul in the book of Ephesians beseeching the people to come under that authority of God, to be submissive to others for the purposes of God.  He is telling the man to be submissive to God, the wife to be submissive to the husband, the children to be submissive to the parents, and finally to the slave be in subject to the master.  Otherwise, let all people be humble as Moses, following the will of God.  Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  (Ephesians 5:1-2)  We in our humbleness are a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God,  As was Moses whose whole life was committed to following God.  We should walk in obedience to the words of God for his purposes are much greater than our purposes, so we allow God to control our lives as his servants.  As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  (Ephesians 4:1-2)  

Paul request prayer for himself so that he might continue to be an ambassador for Christ, even when he is in chains.  He wanted his humbleness to be known to all men.  He was not going to pick up the nature of men who strive to develop their own lives the way they desire.  No, he wanted to remain obedient to God no matter what the cost.  Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains.  He desired only the words of Christ in his mouth.  He wanted only the purposes of God in his life.  By talking to the Ephesians in this way, he is telling them to imitate his desire and lifestyle.  Follow God with all your mind, soul and strength, pray always, and in love treat all people everywhere as you want to be treated.  If the Ephesians would carry on with this direction in their lives, they will experience the purpose of God for their lives.  And they will bring loving support to all within the church.  Paul concludes with saying, Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace to all who  love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.  The church is the embodiment of Christ himself.  The church should be a moving giant of love in the land of the dead.  God has placed in each of us a mission that we are to carry out to the world.  As the Christian Ephesians we are to have an impact on our community.  People should know us by our love.  The fruit of the Spirit should be present in us IN ABUNDANCE.  We should not be parsimoniously displaying Christ to the world.  We should be earth movers, changing the landscape around us.  But if is we are focused on winning this world, if are desirous to make our nest more comfortable, we are missing the point of living for Christ.  We saw Paul journey through many lands, not having a comfortable place to lay his head, but he was humble, doing the work of God, not living in the pride of self aggrandizement.  Paul became but a drink offering on the alter of God.  We too are to be likeminded for the glory of God.  Let us be that!!