Tuesday, September 13, 2022

 

Tuesday, September 13, 2022


Psalm 35:1-17

Habakkuk 1:12-2:5

Ephesians 1:14-2:10


For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.


I have decided to included the section of Ephesians in between yesterday's readings and today's, despite the lectionary's objections, because Paul's prayer found in 1:15-23 is an important preparation for his main statement in 2:1-10. Let's be Pauline scholars and work through his thought process.


Paul wants God to give us knowledge and wisdom so that we will know just how amazing what it is we are hoping for. We are to be on the receiving end of riches and power. Not just any riches: the riches of the glorious inheritance that Jesus is getting, as king and lord of all that is. In the same way, the power we are getting is the same resurrection power that brought Jesus out of the grave and into heaven on the throne. To understand how this is not a zero-sum game, that there is enough for everyone who loves Jesus, Paul explains that Christ is the head and we are the body. John said the same thing when he spoke about how we “abide” in Christ, and He in us.


Just to reinforce the point that this is something special, Paul then talks about how we ourselves were once “dead”. Take note of this passage: it is a proof-text of God's absolute sovereignty. God is in charge. And this is very good news for us, because we are the ones who are “children of wrath”, while God is the One who is “rich in mercy”. Consider then, how powerful resurrection power is. A dead person cannot open their eyes to see how good God is, and decide to follow Jesus. The dead person needs to be raised back to life, given new eyes to see, and a new heart to follow and love. This is the grace of God, the free gift: Jesus destroyed sin and death and now has all the power and riches; and Jesus' riches and powers are now shared with us.



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