Quotation: Ephesians, 1:15-23
Today, I would like to think about "Faith and Love" with you. From Verse 15 and 16 in Chapter 1 of Ephesians, we find brothers and sisters in Ephesus were exemplary saints. That is, they were full of faith and love. Today, I want to learn some good examples in them, we should follow. 1 Corinthians, 13:1-7
and, 1 Corinthians, 13:13
We can't think faith and love independently. If we have one of them, and don't have another, it means, as a matter of fact, we won't have neither of them. In other words, even if we have a perfect faith, it will be worthless without a love. On the contrary, even if a man is filled with love, his love isn't genuine without faith. I heard in a car on my way here that in a fellowship there was a man suffered from a terrible alcoholics. Members of the fellowship refused him to join it, saying "We will be embarrassed if such a man joins to the fellowship." I felt so sorry. However any fellowship have a possibility to be so cruel against those who want true salvation. Unfortunately, an image people have on a church is that it is a place where highly ranked, polite, noble people who don't drink, smoke, so-called good men gather. But as a real, a man who needs His words is he who is facing a big wall in his life, losing hope, kept in a disappointment. If we forget to preach them how much He loves us, even an accurate and detailed knowledge about the Holy Bible is nothing. We know both faith and love are indispensable. Luke, 10:25-28
Jesus didn't say, "You must have an outstanding faith.", but "It is the most important law to love the God and your neighbor." Luke, 10:29-37
The priest and Levite had a very detailed specialized knowledge on the Old Testament. They were the leaders in the faith. But when they saw a robbed man lying on the road, they passed by, thinking it's better not to be involved. Then a Samaritan came, and took care of him, even though Jews didn't have any association with them at that period. He poured on oil and wine, bandaged, took him to an inn, and took care of him. There's no question which accords with His will. On the Verse 29, an expert in the law asked, "Who is my neighbor? Whom shall I love to fulfill laws?" Jesus answered, on Verse 36, "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The problem is not "Who is your neighbor?", but "You, yourself be a neighbor, then they will cordially love you as their neighbor." This Samaritan is described exactly as a model of Jesus. He takes care of those who are wounded and fallen down, by pouring on oil and wine. He takes him to an inn, and pays lodging expense, and will reimburse for any extra expense. It means, Jesus will come again to pick us up, and compensate any extra expense. If we become a neighbor for those who are wounded and fallen down, they will definitely love us, just like we love Jesus. It seems He's telling to us, loving the Lord our God with all our heart and loving our neighbor as ourselves are not independent two laws, but only one law. Once I heart a parable, a poorly dressed woman visited a lone house in the wood. She asked to the master of the house, "Please lend me an umbrella, because it rained suddenly." Looking at her poor dress, he lent her the most old and crumbling one. Some days later, a decently dressed lady visited the house. She held an old and crumbling umbrella he lent before. She expressed her appreciation for lending her an umbrella. The lady was the Queen of the country. When she took a walk in the wood by chance, it started rain, and called for help. What does this story teach us? It tells how we look at people around us, or how to contact them. It tells a lot to us. I think our attitude towards people around us is as same as a attitude towards the Lord Jesus. We change our attitude towards others by their outward appearance and position. It is as same as our attitude towards Jesus who is invisible to us. Matthew, 25:31-46
If we don't know Jesus is among people around us, our attitude toward them will be very cold. If the master of the house knew he was going to lend an umbrella to the Queen, he must have lent the most expensive one. We are required to see His image in everyone around us. He says, "It is the most important law to love the God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself." Back to the first quotation, the Chapter 1 of Ephesians, brothers and sisters in Ephesus were filled with faith and love, Paul wrote to them, "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." He gives thanks to the Lord and plead with the Lord, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better." If we are given the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, we will spend our life in true REJOICE in any circumstances, as written on Verse 18 and 19 in Chapter 1 of Ephesians. Ephesians, 1:18-19
I think the eyes of our heart is clearly opened only by being filled with the Spirit of the God. Otherwise, we will be obsessed with the view through flesh eyes, and spends a feast-or-famine life, repeating REJOICE and sadness in turns. However, if the eyes of our heart are enlightened by the grace of the Lord, we will be able to keep walking with consistent REJOICE and hope in any circumstances. Then, for the first time, we can be under the law to love the God and neighbors, it is said to be the most important. Ephesians, 1:19-21
On Verse 19, he used the word "might strength", not to express the strength to create the universe, and always control them all, but to express the strength to raise Him from the dead, and let Him be seated at His right hand. I think the reason is that His present purpose is to exert His mighty strength, which can raise the Christ from the dead, within each of us. It is very important for us to know His incomparably great power for us who believe. We know it is impossible to love the God and neighbor without His mighty strength and experience of His death and resurrection. Ephesians, 1:22-23
He gave Jesus who owns all authorities to the church. Here, the church means each one of brothers and sisters, and the gathering. The Lord Jesus lives within us, though we are weak, sinful, and impure. The God gives Jesus each one of us. And Jesus is placed above all things. The same Jesus lives in us. We are filled with Jesus. If we know it by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, we will find it was what Paul prayed. I wish we pray abundant showers of the Spirit to know the God will fall on us all. Today, we learned about Faith and Love through the Chapter 1 of Ephesians. Thanks for your listening |