TOOLS OF A SERVANT

Nepalese Masons At Work

 Read: (Ephesians 3:17-13)

 
Relate: I enjoy working with my hands. I take great pride in knowing how to build and fix things. Along with that, one of the things I also enjoy is acquiring tools.

If you were to look in my work shop, you would find tools for bow making, leather crafting tools, wood working tools and specialty tools that have unique uses.

Recently I acquired a planer. That was one of the tools on my list to make my bow making easier. The next tool that I would like to obtain is a radial arm saw for the same purpose. Experience tells me that having the right tool is imperative to doing a good job.

When visiting in Nepal, I had the unique opportunity to see some Nepalese brick masons at work. I’ve got to tell you that I have never been so frustrated in my life!  I wanted so badly to jump up onto their scaffold and show them an easier way to do their job, but it would’ve been almost impossible to do without the right tools.

Having the right tool makes the job much easier.  As a servant of God, He has given you and I specific tools to make our job of sharing the Gospel easier.
Not only has He given us the right tools, He has also given us the right workplace.

Research:
(v. 7) When Paul became a servant of the gospel, God gave him the ability to share the gospel of Christ effectively. You are not an apostle and you may not be an evangelist, but God will equip you and give you opportunities to tell others about Christ. And with the opportunities, he will provide you with the ability, courage and power.  Make yourself available to God as his servant whenever an opportunity presents itself. As you focus on the other person’s needs, God will communicate your caring attitude. Your words will be natural, loving, and truly compelling.
 

(v. 8) When Paul describes himself as “less than the least of all God’s people,” he means that without God’s help, he would never be able to do God’s work. Yet God chose him to share the gospel with the Gentiles and gave him the power to do it.  If we feel that our role is a minor part, we may be right - except that we have forgotten what a difference God makes. How does God want to use you? Draw upon His power; do your part; and faithfully perform the special role God has called you to play in His plan.
 

(v. 9) “The administration of this mystery” refers to the way God’s great plan is carried out through the church and to Paul’s work to demonstrate and teach God’s great purpose in Christ.
 

(v. 10)  The “rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” are either angels who are witnesses to these events or hostile spiritual forces opposed to God.
 

(v. 12) It is an awesome privilege to be able to approach God with such freedom and confidence. Undoubtedly, most of us would be apprehensive in the presence of such a powerful ruler. But thanks to Christ, by faith, we can enter directly into God’s presence through prayer. We know we’ll be welcomed with open arms because we are God’s own children through our union with Christ. Don’t be afraid of God. Talk with Him about everything. He is waiting to hear from you!
 

(v. 13) Why should Paul’s suffering make the Ephesians feel honored (“which are your glory”)? If Paul had not preached the gospel, he would not be in jail. But then, also, the Ephesians would not have heard the Good News and been converted either! Just as a mother endures the pain of childbirth in order to bring new life into the world, Paul endured the pain of persecution in order to bring new believers to Christ. Obeying Jesus  is never easy. He calls you to take up your “cross”and follow him - that is, be willing to endure pain and suffering so that God’s message of salvation can reach the entire world. We should feel honored that others have suffered and sacrificed for us so that we might reap the benefit.
 
Reflect: 

• What job do you do well? 
• What did you do to perfect that job? 
• How long did it take you?

Respond: 

• What was Paul’s view of the mission/work God had given to him? 
• Why would Paul consider himself “less than the least of all God’s people”? 
• What important mission does the church have in God’s plan?
• What wonderful benefit of being in Christ is mentioned in v. 12?
• With how much freedom and confidence do you approach God?

Request: 

• How would you compare Paul’s mission to share the mystery of the Gospel with your own passion to share the Gospel?
• What needs to change?
• What needs to be confessed?  

Some excerpts from “Life Application Study Bible, Zondervan

Nepalese Iron Workers At Work

"BRINGING DOWN THE WALL"

Gayla & Sunita in Nepal sari shopping

Read:
(Ephesians 2:11-22) [NIV] “11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Relate: 

Too often well intended Christians become masters at building walls instead of tearing them down. I like to use this little saying, “God called us to be bridge builders not wall builders!” 

A few weeks back I went to my uncles funeral service. I sat off to the side and listened to the words of the person conducting the funeral. To my surprise, when it came time to take communion, he firmly stated that if we were not members of that particular religion and church, we were not invited to partake of communion with everyone else. I don’t know if you have ever been in one of those situations, but for just a minute, I felt like everyone else in that sanctuary was looking at me to see if I would break the rule since it was obvious that I was not part of that religion and church.

I am sure that the Gentiles written about in this passage of scripture must have often felt the same way I did.  After all, they were uncircumcised; thus unclean. I love the way God led Paul to address this issue. My prayer is that as you read the above passages and the comments that follow, it will help you understand that we are one in Jesus Christ. This is important to Him. Enjoy the study!

Research:
Notice in vv. 11-13 Pious Jews (“the circumcision”) considered all non-Jews (“the uncircumcised”) ceremonially unclean. They thought of themselves as pure and clean because of their national heritage and religious ceremonies. But Paul pointed out that Jews and Gentiles alike were unclean before God and needed to be cleansed by Jesus. In order to realize how great a gift of salvation is, we need to remember our former natural unclean condition.  Have you ever felt separate, excluded or hopeless? Then these verses are for you. No one is alienated from Christ’s love or from the body of believers. 

Jews and Gentiles alike could be found guilty of spiritual pride.  Jews, for thinking their faith and traditions elevated them above everyone else.  And Gentiles, for trusting in their achievements, power or position.  Spiritual pride blinds us to our own faults and magnifies the faults of others. A word of caution: be careful not to become proud of your salvation.  Instead, humbly thank God for what He has done and encourage others who might be struggling in their faith.
     

(vv. 11-16) Before Christ’s coming, Gentiles and Jews kept apart from one another. Jews considered Gentiles beyond God’s saving power and therefore without hope. Gentiles resented Jewish claims. Christ revealed the total sinfulness to both Jews and Gentiles, and then He offered His salvation to both. Only Jesus can break down the walls of pride and prejudice, reconciling all believers to God, and unifies us as one body of believers.
     

(v. 15) By His death, Christ ended the angry resentment between Jews and Gentiles caused by the Jewish laws that favored the Jews and excluded the Gentiles. Christ died to abolish the show system of Jewish laws. Then, He took the two groups that had been opposed to each other and made them part of Himself. “One new man” means that Christ made a single entity or person out of the two. Thus, He fused all believers together to become one in Himself.
     

(vv. 19-22) A church building is sometimes called God’s house. In reality, God’s household is not a building, but a group of people. He lives in us and shows Himself to a watching world through us. People can see that God is love and that Christ is Lord as we live in harmony with each other and in accordance with want God says in His Word. We are citizens of God’s kingdom and members of His household.

Reflect:

• Where did your ancestors emigrate from?
• What did their new citizenship mean to them?

Respond:

• Have you ever felt separate, excluded or hopeless? Why did you feel this way?
• What “dividing wall” in our community would you like to see come down?
• Before Jesus came, what problems did the Gentiles face? (See vv. 11-12)
• How do you think the practicing Jews felt when these Gentiles started coming to their church, but refused to adopt or practice the Jewish custom of circumcision?
• How has Christ destroyed hostility and made peace possible for all men?

Request:

• In your honest opinion, how would a person of a different background or culture be accepted in your church? How would you personally react to them? Make this a matter of prayer. God came so ALL people (ethnics) would come to know Him!

Faces of Nepal

"GOD'S MAGNIFICENT MAKE OVER - PART 2"

Pastor Surya & family in S. Asia

Read:
(Ephesians 2:4-10) “4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:4-10) [NIV-84’)

Relate:
If you could have a “make over”, what would you change about yourself? It fascinates me how many people are dissatisfied with their looks and how many people are willing to spend thousands of dollars to change the perceived fault they have.

The reality is, that we all have one huge flaw that needs a “make over”. Sin!

Have you ever thought much about 2 Corinthians 5:17 [NIV-84’] “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, the new has come.” If you have accepted Christ as your personal savior, it’s speaking about you. You have been “made over”. So, what difference does it make in our lives?

Take a moment and keep reading the comments below that I have quoted from my Life Application Bible Study Bible. They will help you better understand what we will be covering this Sunday in my message.

(vv. 4 & 5) In the previous verses Paul wrote about our old sinful nature (2:1-3). Here Paul emphasizes that we do not need to live any longer under sins’ power. The penalty of sin and its power over us were miraculously destroyed by Christ on the cross. Through faith in Christ we stand acquitted, or not guilty, before God. (Romans 3:21 & 22). God does not take us out of the world or make us robots - we will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we became Christians, we were dead in sin and were slaves to our sinful nature. But now we are alive with Christ (see also Galatians 2:20).

(v. 6) Because of Christ resurrection, we know that our bodies will be raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:2-3) and that we have been given the power to live as Christians now (1:19). These ideas are combined in Paul’s image of sitting with Christ in “the heavenly realms”. Our eternal life with Christ is certain because we are united in his powerful victory.

(vv.. 8 & 9) When someone gives you a gift, do you  say, “That’s very nice - now how much do I owe you?” No, the appropriate response to a gift is “Thank you.” Yet how often Christians, even after they have been given the gift of salvation, feel obligated to try to work their way to God (read Ephesians 2:8). Because our salvation and even our faith are gifts, we should respond with gratitude, praise and joy.

(vv. 8-10) We become Christians through God’s unmerited grace, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up the church (4:12).

We are God’s workmanship (work of art, masterpiece). Our salvation is something only God can do. It is his powerful, creative work in us. If God considers us His works of art, we dare not treat ourselves of others with disrespect or as inferior work.

Reflect:

• If you could have a “make over”, what would you change about yourself? Why?
• If we are “dead” because of sin (Ephesians 2:1), how are made alive? (see vv. 4-5)
• What is the relationship between God’s grace and good works?
• What has God’s grace meant to you in your life?

Respond:

• What good work do you feel God may have in mind for you?
• What in your life is due only to God’s presence and goodness?

Request:

• Would you take a moment and ask God in prayer to reveal to you what “good works” He prepared, and created in advance for you to do?

Some questions were excerpted from Serendipity Bible [NIV]

Praying for Pastor Surya