The Admonition by Dr. Abidan Shah

October 23, 2020 By in 2020, America, Bible, bible study, Biblical convictions, Carpe Manana Podcast, Christ, Christian Life, Church, Discipleship, Discouragement, Doubt, Encouragement, Eternal Life, Faith, Family, Forgiveness, Glory, God's will, gospel, Grace, History, Holiness, Hope, Humility, Integrity, Jesus, King, Life, Life of Christ, love, mercy, ministry, Paul, Peace, Peter, Pride, Priorities, Regeneration, repentance, rest, Salvation, Savior, scripture, sermon, Success, Truth, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I have heard from so many of you that our new series, “TOGETHER, FORWARD” has helped you not only better understand Peter, but yourselves and the life God has called you to as well. Continue to share these messages on social media with your friends and family. God is doing an amazing work through our church in our community and beyond!

This weekend, we are continuing our study of the life of Peter. There was an incident where Paul had to correct Peter. Instead of bristling up, Peter not only accepted that correction, but goes on to praise Paul. It is difficult to accept admonition from others, but God often uses that as a way to course correct our behavior or our understanding. The title of this weekend’s message is “THE ADMONITION.”

How do you handle correction in your life? Do you respond with humility or with grace? Are you saved? Invite your friends and family to join us for this very special message!

The Restoration | Dr. Abidan Shah

October 16, 2020 By in 2020, application, Authority, Bible, bible study, born again, Christ, Christian Life, Church, Community, Discipleship, Doctrine, Doubt, Encouragement, Eternal Life, Evangelism, Faith, Fellowship, Forgiveness, Give, Glory, God the Father, God's Timing, God's will, gospel, Gospel of John, Grace, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Hope, Humility, Integrity, Jesus, King Jesus, Kingdom of God, Life, Life of Christ, Light, love, Obedience, Peace, People, Peter, Prayer, Regeneration, Relationships, repentance, Resentment, rest, Righteousness, Salvation, Savior, scripture, sermon, Sin, Stress, Success, Together, Trial, Truth, Uncategorized, Unity, Values Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

THE RESTORATION by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction: Nicole loves to tell the story of when she was a little girl, her dad was mowing the lawn and the lawn mower ran out of gas. So, he said, “I need to get some gas.” Nicole was 3-4 years old and she heard that. When her dad returned, he found Nicole stuffing grass into the gas tank. Her intentions were noble but what a mess! So also, we make a mess out of things when instead of waiting and obeying God, we jump ahead thinking we know what’s best and we know what God wants. This was very characteristic of Simon Peter. Today, we are in the second message in our series on 1 Peter titled “Together Forward.” Before we jump into 1 Peter, we are studying the life of Peter. The more we understand him, the better we will understand 1 Peter. So, turn to John 13. Here’s the main point: God desires childlike obedience from each of us. Self-confidence causes us to disobey, which results in failure and disillusionment. But, God knows our hearts, and if we let him, he is more than willing to lead us to the path of restoration. Today’s message is titled “THE RESTORATION.

John 13     33 “Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer.”

Context: Jesus spoke these words as he celebrated the Passover Meal with his disciples. This meal was usually celebrated with the family where the father would explain to the children the reason for the meal. Jesus was like a father to the disciples and hence he addressed them as “little children,” an address that is only found here. It had a tone of endearment and tenderness. But, there was more to this. This was also his final meal with his disciples. The time had come for him to leave them. The days of being with Jesus and going from place to place watching him teach and do miracles were over. There was a tone of sadness and heartbreak in that address – little children.

33 “…You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’” Where was Jesus going? He was going to fulfill his reason for coming into this world. This reason had been anticipated since the beginning of time when it was declared that he would be the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. This reason had been prophesied by the prophets throughout the Old Testament. This was no sunshine and rainbows moment. Instead, he would be despised and rejected by men. He would be wounded for our transgression and bruised for our iniquities. He would be led as a lamb unto the slaughter. As a sheep before its shearer is silent, he will not open his mouth. Ultimately, he would be cut off from the land of the living and it would please the Lord to bruise him. But, make no mistake, this was not some mindless torture or some divine schadenfreude – pleasure from harming others. God would make his soul an offering for sin. Read Isaiah 53. Jesus had been preparing his disciples for this since the beginning. Listen to John 12    27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name…31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

Application: Do you truly understand why Jesus came into this world? Have you accepted his sacrifice for your sins?

Even though this event was all about Jesus, he also knew that it would adversely affect his disciples. Things were about to get really crazy in a matter of couple of hours. Jesus being fully God also knew that this would not bring out the best in them. They would all be made to stumble because of him. They would be scattered like sheep without their Shepherd. This was the time that they had to stick together. 33 “…so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” What is our greatest need in times of extreme crisis? Have people around us who genuinely love us and would do anything for us.

Question: How do you respond in times of extreme crisis? Do you show love and care towards those whom God has placed in your life?

But, Peter didn’t listen. 36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Peter was so concerned about being the Teacher’s Pet that he didn’t care one bit about the commandment that Jesus had just given to him. Impulsively, he questions Jesus’ objective. He wanted to be in on the plan before others. Nothing wrong with that, but he had been given his marching orders. By wanting more he was trying to join the Trinity!

Question: What is God’s marching orders for you? Do you listen to God in your marriage, parenting, work, and life? Are you the kind who is more concerned over what God is telling others than what he is telling you?

36 “…Jesus answered him, ‘Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.’” Luke gives us a little extra information in Luke 22      31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Peter still didn’t get it – John 13    37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” How stubborn! How presumptuous! This is the straw that broke the camel’s back. 38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.”

Question: How good are you at listening to God? Do you stop when he tells you to stop? Do you go when he tells you to go? Are you an emotional and impulsive person?

Did Peter listen? John 18     15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus…17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Strike #1. 18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself…Peter was actually gathered with the wrong crowd! 25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!” Strike #2. Other gospels even add that he took an oath and even cursed. Wow! 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed. Strike #3. Luke once again gives us a little extra info – Luke 22     61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter…” Jesus’ look was not a “Peter, how could you deny me?” Instead, it was a “Peter, I told you that this was not your fight.”

Application: Have you fallen on your face in your spiritual journey? You thought you were doing so good and then you did something so bad. Could it be that you were stepping farther than God wanted you to go? Were you trusting in your strength and power?

What was Peter’s response? 61 “…Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly. Peter’s tears were tears of deep sorrow and pain. There was another disciple that day who also went out, but his going out was not to weep bitterly. It was Judas. He went out in remorse and hung himself.

Was Jesus done with Peter? Of course not. Jesus had revealed himself to Peter several times after the resurrection, but, for some reason, Peter did not have the same passion he had before. After all, he had done everything wrong so far. Maybe, some of you may be at that place right now. That’s not bad. That’s actually good, because it is an invitation for Jesus to make a personal appointment with you. John 21     15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.” Some people have made a big deal out of the change in Greek words from agape to phileo and from lamb to sheep. Maybe, there’s something to it. I think that it is more about the three denials. Jesus offered Peter three affirmations.

Invitation: When you mess up, Jesus is not waiting to punish you or to chastise you. Instead, he waits for you with breakfast and affirmations. He wants to lead you to the path of restoration.

Have you messed up because of self-confidence? Has the Enemy been using this to keep you captive? Today’s the day to find restoration.

Are you saved?

The Calling by Dr. Abidan Shah

October 9, 2020 By in 2020, Age, Bible, bible study, Biblical convictions, born again, Call, Christ, Christian Life, Church, Encouragement, Eternal Life, Faith, Forgiveness, Glory, God the Father, God's Timing, God's will, gospel, Grace, History, Hope, Humility, Integrity, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Life, Life of Christ, love, ministry, Pastor, Patience, Peace, People, Peter, religion, scripture, sermon, Success, Truth, Uncategorized, Unity Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

CALLING by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction: How many of ya’ll know someone who does not have a filter? He/she says whatever is on the mind. He/she speaks without thinking. It gets this person into a lot of trouble. Are you that person! Would you also agree that you never have to worry about what this person is thinking? In many ways I just described for you the Apostle Peter. He did not have a filter. He often said things without thinking and it got him into a lot of trouble, especially with Jesus. Today, we are starting a brand-new series on I Peter. We were set to start this series back in July, but the more we prayed about it, the more we felt that some other messages had to come first. Main point: When Christ calls us, he calls us to follow and remain with him. To follow is to begin the journey with him, but to remain is to develop a personal relationship with him.

1 Peter 1:1 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.”

Context: Who was Peter? In the Bible, he is known by 4 different names: Simon, Peter, Cephas, and Son of Jonah. His given name seems to be from Simeon, after one of the lost tribes of Israel. This name came back into prominence during the Maccabean period as a hope of national renewal. It could be that his parents named him in the hopes that the Messiah will come in his lifetime. How about the other brother being named Andrew, a Greek name? True, but he became a disciple of John the Baptizer! One more thing: Their hometown was Bethsaida, a minority Jewish community. When people grow up surrounded by majority other faiths, they either get assimilated or they become stronger in their convictions. It seems to be the latter for Peter and Andrew. In fact, they moved to Capernaum, a majority Jewish community, and he even married a girl from there. Quick Application: It matters how we raise our kids. I don’t want to claim more than the text allows, but it is very likely that Peter grew up in a God-fearing home.

So, where did the name “Peter” come from? To answer that, we need to turn to John 1starting in verse 35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” This is the second time that John the Baptizer used that title to describe Jesus. So much is packed into that title:

  • The lamb represented sacrifice for sins as commanded in the Old Testament. Unlike the passive lambs that did not know what was coming for them, here was God’s lamb that would actively take the sins of the world upon himself.
  • But, there’s more here. When John the Baptizer called Jesus the Lamb of God, he was referring to his purity and blamelessness.
  • There’s still more. Jesus was “the” Lamb of God. The definite article tells everyone listening that there was no one else like him. He alone was God’s chosen one.
  • Wait, there’s still one more critical thing. In John 1:29 John the Baptizer actually adds, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus alone is the Savior of the world.

Application: Do you believe that Jesus willingly gave his life for you? Do you believe that he was pure and blameless, but he took your sins and mine upon himself? Do you believe that Jesus alone is God’s sacrifice for sins? Do you believe that Jesus alone is the Savior of the world?

What was the reaction of the two disciples when they heard John the Baptizer say that? 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” This was not an ordinary question. Jesus asked this question to the soldiers that came to arrest him in the garden of Gethsemane. He asked that question to Mary Magdalene on Easter morning as she was weeping for him. This is the fundamental question of life.

Question: What are you seeking in life? Food, clothing, shelter, money, success, power, accolades. Augustine in his Confessions said, “Because you have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee.”

Listen to the response of the disciples: 38 “…They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” This may seem like a normal question, but it has a deeper meaning. The Greek word for “staying” is “menein.” This is the word that Jesus used repeatedly in the gospel of John.

  • John 6:56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.”
  • John 8:31Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.”
  • John 12:46 “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.”
  • John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

What’s the point? Human beings are looking for something that will remain/last forever. We constantly fight against temporality (time is fleeting), change (everything changes in life), and death (the inevitable). Only Jesus will last!

What was Jesus’ response? 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). Nothing else is given regarding this encounter, but listen to the response of one of the disciples. 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). Why did Andrew immediately go to find Peter? Could it be that Peter was struggling with his faith? Could it be that everything that he put his hope in had faded away? Could it be that Peter had become wishy-washy?

How was the interaction between Jesus and Peter? 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone). Every time in the Bible God changed someone’s name, it reflected something much greater – Abram became Abraham; Sarai became Sarah; Jacob became Israel; Saul became Paul. Name change implied a deep work of God in a person. Here Jesus called him Cephas (Kephas), which in Aramaic meant, “rock.” Rock in Greek was Peter. Why Rock? It symbolized stability, dependability, endurance, and perseverance. By the way, Jesus had to call Peter again later – Matthew 4     18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

It took Peter sometime to understand what it meant to remain and abide with Jesus, but he did. John 6     65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” 68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Peter made that declaration again and Jesus reaffirmed his new name – Matthew 16     13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. When we are built upon the solid and immovable rock, Jesus Christ, we become immovable in the face of whatever may come.

Invitation: What are you seeking in life? Are you willing to follow Christ? Are you willing to remain with him? Are you built upon him? Are you saved by him?

Dual Citizen by Dr. Abidan Shah

October 2, 2020 By in 2020, America, Apologetics, Bible, bible study, Biblical convictions, Bitterness, Carpe Manana Podcast, Christ, Christian Life, Church, Conflict, Discipleship, Encouragement, Eternal Life, Faith, Family, Give, God's will, gospel, Grace, History, Holy Spirit, Hope, Humility, Integrity, Jesus, Jonah, joy, King Jesus, Life, Life of Christ, love, mercy, Millennials, Obedience, Pastor, Politics, Prayer, President, Priorities, Providence, religion, repentance, Revival, scripture, Sin, Soldier, Stress, Success, Together, Truth, Uncategorized, United States of America, Unity, Values, Wisdom, young generation, young people Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

DUAL CITIZEN by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction:  Our election is literally a month away. As you know, the atmosphere has been tense. Here are a couple of trivia to lighten the mood:

  • In ancient times, citizens of Athens could vote every year to banish any citizen from the city-state for 10 years. Can you imagine that?
  • In 1927, during the Presidential elections in Liberia, Charles D. B. King, the President won with 234,000 votes. Only problem—there were only 15,000 registered voters.
  • In the 2002 elections in Iraq, Saddam Hussein used Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” as his campaign song.
  • Back in 1967, Ecuador was holding its elections when a foot powder company ran an ad saying “Vote for any candidate, but if you want well-being and hygiene, vote for Pulvapies.” To make their ad more appealing, the company passed out flyers listing all the things Pulvapies would do if elected as Mayor. By the way, the flyer looked very much like the official ballot. Guess what happened on election day in the small town of Picoazà, Ecuador?

It’s easy to be disheartened or disillusioned by the political arena of our nation today, but, in today’s message, we’re going to learn how every Christian has a dual citizenship: heavenly and earthly. Turn to 1 Timothy 2. Main point: Government and political institutions are not necessarily divine or evil. Christians should be involved in government and politics, not just for the gospel, freedom, or values sake, but, because it is a service unto God. The ultimate goal is not to control government or to impose Christianity but to positively influence government for the good of all in Christ’s world.

1 Timothy 2     1 “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, andgiving of thanks be made for all men,”

Context: Paul was laying out the order of worship for Timothy, the young pastor in Ephesus. He began by telling him to pray for all people. We fail here because we are typically only praying for our own. But, he doesn’t stop there—2 “for kings and all who are in authority…” The word “kings” could refer to the Roman Emperor or to some small-time local ruler. For us, it implies national leaders, state leaders, and local leaders. The word “authority” means “persons of consequence.” For us, it implies political leaders, judges, military, law enforcement, and various institution heads that impact our lives. Why should we pray for them? 2 “…that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”“Quiet and peaceable life” refers to social, political, and financial stability. “Godliness” refers to belief in God and the impact it makes in everyday living. “Reverence” implies a special kind of life. 3 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.” “Kalos” and “Agathos” mean that this pleases God, and not just any god, but our Savior God, Jesus Christ. After all, this is his world. Paul talked about this earlier in 1 Timothy 1:17 “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” And, he talked about it again towards the end in 1 Timothy 6     13 “I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.” Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) was Dutch pastor, theologian, journalist, educator, and Prime Minister of the Netherlands. He said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign Lord of all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’” I don’t agree with everything he said, but that is powerful. What is the desire of this King eternal, immortal, invisible God? What does the blessed and only “dynastes,” the King of Kings and Lord of lords desires? 4“who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

Application: Do you understand that this world is Christ’s world? Do you understand that God wants all to be saved? Do you understand that Christ Jesus is the only way to God?

I want to switch gears here. How does all this apply to our upcoming election? Does the Bible have anything to say about politics? Sometimes, people get nervous when we talk about politics in church. Can we do that? In 1954, the IRS put a regulation that prevents pastors from supporting or opposing any candidate by name. Having said that, churches are allowed to deal with issues that are part of an election campaign.

How should we view the relationship between Christians and Government/political institutions? There are some views that I don’t find very convincing (From Wayne Grudem, “Politics According to the Bible” and Gundry and Black, “5 Views on Church and Politics”):

  • Christians or the Church cannot engage in any kind of politics.
  • Government came because of the Fall. We reluctantly need government but we need to focus on just the human heart.
  • The Church needs to be active in Government to fight for the rights of the poor and oppressed.
  • Church and Government can work hand-in-hand and make a difference for good.

There is one more view that I find most convincing with some exceptions:

  1. Government and Church are to be limited to their spheres.
  • When you look at history, it was never a good thing when the church used government to dictate the faith of a person. This is where medieval Christendom messed up. It caused terrible conflicts throughout its history and ended up in the battles between Catholics and Protestants and between the Reformed and the Anabaptists. Thousands were persecuted, killed, and burned at the stake.
  • Jesus set the boundary for us when he said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Meaning:Church and Government are two separate entities. You cannot force someone to have faith in Jesus. It is a choice. Church, family, and government are separate institutions and they are not to infringe on each other.
  • We are to be “engaged but not over expecting” (James K. A. Smith).
  1. Government is part of the good order of creation.
  • Some people claim that politicians are corrupt and they have never done any good. They believe that behind every government is Satan who is busy causing wars and destruction. For e.g. behind Hitler was Satan who caused him to exterminate Jewish people and capture Europe. Here’s the question: Who was behind the Allied Forces who went to fight the Nazi army? Who was behind the troops who landed at Omaha beach?
  • Government and politics are part of the fallen world but not evil. They are legitimate and necessary vocations created in God’s image and recreated in Christ to keep order and prosperity in the world. Think about Joseph, Daniel, Esther, and Nehemiah.
  • There are people who use Jesus’ statement to turn the other cheek to argue that Christians should never retaliate and hence never be part of the government. When Jesus gave that command, he was talking about how we deal with individual insults. This is much different from what God expects from politicians and government. Romans 13 3 “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister (deacon) to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.”
  1. Christians and Church should influence Government.
  • Yes, reaching the gospel is the primary responsibility of the church. Having said that, the whole world is Christ’s world. As Kuyper said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign Lord of all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’” We involve ourselves in government not just because of gospel, freedom, and values sake, but because we desire to see creation become how Christ wants it to be. God has a plan for everything from arts, sciences, education, economy, technology, and recreation.
  • We don’t do this just so we can go back to the lost garden or the heavenly city coming one day. We do this to glorify Christ by making his creation as pleasing as possible to him. This is our cultural mandate. It’s part of our Statement of Faith – “All Christians have a responsibility to try to make the will of Christ first in our own lives and in the world. The ways and methods used to improve society and to create righteousness among men can be very helpful. These changes are helpful only if they come because of the rebirth of the person by the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ.” We put that in years ago. We are the salt and the light of the world.
  • Sometimes, it calls for fighting for the justice of those who are oppressed and for the betterment of those who are less fortunate. Christians went beyond just evangelizing people and got involved in politics so they could pass laws against infanticide, child abandonment, and abortion in the Roman Empire (in AD 374); they were able to outlaw the brutal battles-to-the-death in which thousands of gladiators had died (in 404); they were able to outlaw the cruel punishment of branding the faces of criminals (in 315); they were able to bring about prison reforms such as the segregating of male and female prisoners (by 361); they were able to stop the practice of human sacrifice among the Irish, the Prussians, and the Lithuanians as well as among other nations; they were able to outlaw pedophilia; they were able to grant property rights and other protections to women; they were able to ban polygamy in the Western world; prohibit the burning alive of women in India (in 1829); outlaw the painful and crippling practice of binding young women’s feet in China (in 1912); persuade government officials to begin a system of public schools in Germany (in the sixteenth century); and advance the idea of compulsory education for all children in a number of European countries; and outlaw slave trade and slavery. (Wayne Grudem in his book “Politics according to the Bible” writes about the work of historian Alvin Schmidt.) If this is Christ’s world, then we are to do whatever we can to make it pleasing to him. That is the motivation behind our Kindle Ministry at Clearview.
  • This involvement is more than just finding the lowest common denominator with the good citizens. Christians should speak out on moral convictions from the Bible—the sanctity of human life, sanctity of marriage, gender identity issues, medical professional assisted suicide, recreational drugs, etc.

How should you vote this election? According to what party you belong to? A better question would be “Can I still influence my party to make this world more pleasing to Christ?” According to what is at stake for us? A better question would be “Can the party I am voting for make this world more pleasing to Christ?” By the way, it is Christ’s world and he is perfectly in charge. Why are we so worried? Why are we panicking? Maybe, our theology is showing. Colossians 1     15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Invitation: Where do you stand? With Christ in his world? How will you vote? With those who will stand with Christ in his world? Is Christ your Savior and King?

Honorable by Dr. Abidan Shah

September 26, 2020 By in Uncategorized Leave a comment

HONORABLE by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction: If there’s one area in my life that I feel I still have a lot to learn, it’s in the area of parenting. Any other parents can agree on that? Through the years, Nicole and I have read books, attended conferences, and listened to other parents who have gone before us, but we still feel that there is so much we don’t understand. In our final message in this miniseries through Ephesians, we come to the section on children and parents. (You can start finding Ephesians 6:1.) So far, we’ve seen that the church is the body of Christ. It is essential. Last weekend, we also learned that a marriage between a man and a woman is a divine reenactment of the Christ-Church mystery. But, it doesn’t stop there. There are some very important implications for parenting. Main point of today’s message: A right view of the Christ-Church relationship will not only impact the husband-wife relationship but it will also impact the parent-child relationship. In other words, how you raise your children is directly impacted by how you see your marriage, and how you see your marriage is directly impacted by how you understand the mystery between Christ and the church. Ultimately, our kids are also a display of the gospel of Christ. The message is called HONORABLE.

Ephesians 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

Context: Typically, we zip past this verse and start talking about “children being obedient to their parents” or “parents raising their children in the right way.” But, stop and think about the radical nature of that statement. Paul was addressing children! This was unheard of in ancient times! When ancient philosophers and moralists addressed child-rearing, they only talked to the fathers. For example, there is an ancient document from around the same time period as the apostle Paul known as “De Liberis Educandis” (The Training of Children) by Pseudo-Plutarch. It only addressed fathers, not children. It told them not to father a child with a slave girl. In another place, it told the father to be sure that the nurse could speak proper Greek so the child won’t grow up with bad pronunciations. What we’re reading here is unusual! Children were not second-class citizens in the early church. They were important. Something else: Paul did not address only sons. By using the Greek word “tekna” children, he was including daughters also in his address. Again, we have evidence from ancient Ephesus that boys and girls could be identified specifically, and children included both boys and girls. Here’s the point: Proper understanding of the Christ-church mystery and its connection to the marriage relationship brings dignity to the children, both boys and girls.

Application: Have you heard the old adage – “Children are to be seen and not heard?” Nothing could be further from the truth. Children are very valuable! We believe that even the unborn child is valuable. Also, girls are not second class. They are incredibly valuable in God’s plan. One major reason that our culture is struggling with sex roles is because the church failed to speak on the incredible value of being a boy or being a girl. None is inferior and none is superior. They have different but important roles.

Listen again: 1 “Children, obey your parents…”

Background: What Paul was saying here was not a new concept in the Jewish world. It was always understood that God had placed parents in the lives of children to guide them in the right path and children were to obey their parents. In fact, failure to obey was taken very seriously. In Deuteronomy 21, there was even a law that if a parent had a son who was stubborn and rebellious, and if they were unable to do anything with him, they were to bring him to elders of the city by the city gate where court was held. Now, listen to verse 20 And they shall say to the elders of his city, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear.” I’m not sure how many parents actually used this law against their kid but I have a feeling many must have threatened their kid with it! Nonetheless, we can see the seriousness of obeying our parents. One big reason for the craziness we are seeing in our culture today is the failure to follow this commandment. Now, parents or adults are obeying the children and not vice versa.

What is even more interesting is that Paul did not use a threat to motivate obedience but a gentle reminder – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” “In the Lord” means “because you belong to the Lord” and “for this is right” means “not just because of the fear of discipline or punishment or some other reason.” Yes, there have to be age appropriate discipline, but there needs to be reason and explanation. This is much more than just tugging at their conscience. For this to happen, 2 things have to be in place: Make sure your children are in the Lord; Make sure you are in the Lord.

Application: Are your children in the Lord? Do they know Christ as their Savior and King? Invest on their salvation and you won’t have to pay in tears and heartache. Are you in the Lord? Do you know Christ as your Savior and King? Is your life marked by obedience to Christ and his word?

Paul was still not through—Verse 2 “‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: 3 that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” Paul was invoking the fifth of the 10 commandments, the only one that came with the promise of prosperity and long life.

Why did God stick this right in the middle of the 10 commandments? I was reading some Jewish scholars. The relationship of honoring your parents lays the foundation of all other relationships in society. Think about it, what can your parents do for you after you are self-sufficient. Maybe help you here and there, but overall you are free to go. Nevertheless, we come back to them just because. When we understand the value of just because they are “my parents,” we also learn to honor people, just because. By the way, the Pharisees had tried to undermine this law and Jesus condemned them for that. Matthew 15     4 “For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.” In Romans as well as 2 Timothy, Paul brought this up as a sign of the last days—2 Timothy 3     1 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…”

Very important distinctions: You may not always obey but you are to always honor your parents. As long as children are in the stage of dependence on their parents, their honor is their obedience. When they go past that stage, their honor is their respect for the parents. By the way, don’t idolize your parents. If you do, you will blindly follow their mistakes. Frequently asked question: What if your parents have forfeited their position of honor? You respect them by honoring their position, not their person.

Now, Paul turned his attention to the parents, especially fathers—4 “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath…” This admonition is not found in the Old Testament or any other ancient literature! This would have been totally unheard of in ancient times! The Greek word for “provoke” is “parorgizo,” which means “do not exacerbate.” Amazingly, that word is found in the LXX to describe how the people of Israel provoked God with their sin! Why did Paul include this statement? Unlike mothers, who are typically more gracious and understanding, fathers can be harsh, over demanding, sarcastic, nagging, intimidating, unforgiving, and hypocritical. This can happen for many reasons: bad examples of our own fathers; long day; failure to see the other perspective; over expectations; etc. Instead, 4 “…but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” The Greek word for “training” is “paideia,” meaning “education,” and the word for “admonition” is “nouthesia,” meaning “correction and exhortation.” This is much more than “just do it.” It involves influencing the mind of your children. Just like in the marriage, the husband controls the spiritual thermostat of the family, so also, in rearing of the children, the father controls the spiritual curriculum.

Don’t forget the key phrase in verse 4 “…but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Our children don’t ultimately belong to us but to God. He wants us to cooperate with him in bringing them into this world to fulfil his holy purpose. Ultimate goal of biblical parenting: To work yourself out of a job. Lead them to follow Christ. Objection: I don’t want to force my faith on my children. They may rebel.

REBELLING LOSING THE WAY
1.    Rebelling means fighting against how one was raised. 1.    Losing the way has nothing to do with how one was raised.
2.    Rebelling has to do with hurt and hypocrisy. 2.    Losing the way has to do with the temptations of life.
3.    I have met people who were rebelling. I could see the anger in their eyes towards their parents. It was about how to make someone suffer for their pain. 3.    I have met young people who lost their way. They were like the Prodigal Son who realized that it was so much better back home. They wanted to come home.

 Invitation: How is the training coming, especially through 2020? Did your kids learn what it means to follow Christ and not the world? Did you breathe courage and faith in them? Did you teach them that the church is essential? Are you setting the right example for them? Children – Are you obeying or honoring your parents? Do you know Christ as your Savior and King? Are you a parent of a wayward child? Are you a single mom trying to do the best you can? God’s grace is available to you.

Episode 74: The Gathering

Leave a comment

In this episode, the Clearview Church staff talk about our new Clearview original single “The Gathering.”  If you have any topics you’d like us to discuss, please email us at carpemanana@clearviewbc.org!

To stream or buy “The Gathering” visit: https://songwhip.com/clearviewworship/the-gathering

Glorious by Dr. Abidan Shah

September 18, 2020 By in 2020, America, Bible, bible study, Christ, Christian Life, Cross, Discouragement, Eternal Life, Faith, Family, Forgiveness, Glory, God the Father, God's will, gospel, Grace, healing, Heaven, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Hope, Humility, Intimacy, Jesus, joy, kids, King Jesus, Life, Life of Christ, love, mercy, Patience, Peace, Praise, Prayer, Psalms, Relationships, religion, repentance, rest, Revival, Savior, Together, Trial, Trinity, Truth, Uncategorized, United States of America, Unity, Values, Wisdom Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

GLORIOUS by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction:  In less than a month, I have performed 3 wedding ceremonies. Every time I open Facebook or Instagram, I see a Happy Anniversary post. It is that time of the year. I remember like yesterday when Nicole and I got married. I did not sleep but an hour or two that night. I was so nervous. I remember repeating the vows but I have no idea what I said. In fact, I looked at Nicole’s dad the whole time! Bottom line: We had no clue what we were doing! To be very honest: most couples have no clue what they are doing. In our miniseries through Ephesians, we come to a very familiar passage where Paul talks about the marriage relationship. Main point: A marriage is much more than a man and a woman living together in a contractual and consensual relationship. It is a living illustration of the mystery that was conceived when Adam took Eve as his bride and it was revealed when Christ gave his life for his bride, the church. Marriage is the re-enactment of the relationship between Christ and the church. Ultimately, marriage is a display of the gospel of Christ. This message is called GLOROIOUS.

Ephesians 5    17 “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.”

Context: Some of you are wondering, “Shouldn’t we be reading from verse 22?” The most surprising thing about the marriage passage in Ephesians that begins in verse 22 is that it lacks a finite verb. The verbs are actually found in verses 17 and 18 – “do not be unwise,” “understand what the will of the Lord is,” and “be filled with the Spirit.” Important Principle: “If you’re not Spirit-filled, this message on marriage will be like fingernails on a chalkboard.”

Question: Are you wise? Are you willing to understand the will of the Lord? Are you Spirit-filled?

Having laid out the 3 basic requirements, Paul proceeds to deal with situations where wise and spirit-filled living can be very challenging – personal relationships, especially family relationships. Verse 19 “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I don’t have time to deal with each of these, but listen to verse 21 “submitting to one another in the fear of God.” The source of our conflicts is selfishness. We are born this way. Something happens the moment the Holy Spirit enters our life. There is a break in that selfish spirit. Life is no longer just about one’s own self. It is also about others. It’s no longer about just my feelings, my wants, my needs but also others. Important Point: Submission is a sign of a spirit-controlled life. The word “submission” literally means “To order oneself under a leader.” In the very next verse, Paul makes it specifically about the marriage and family – Ephesians 5:22 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” The translation should be – “and, specifically, by wives submitting to their husbands.” Here’s the fingernails on chalkboard part of the sermon. But, it doesn’t have to be if we understand the real reason behind it. To understand this, we have to go down to verse 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” If there’s going to be genuine Spirit-controlled marriage, it will require us to understand the meaning of this mystery.

What is this “mystery?” The answer is in verse 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Here, Paul was quoting from Genesis 2:24, the last verse before the temptation from the Serpent. What happened before that verse? Genesis 2:23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Adam was praising God’s work in creating Eve! Very interestingly, the next time he talked about Eve was after the temptation when God confronted him in Genesis 3:12 “Then the man said, ‘The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.’” In just 12 verses, Adam went from praising his wife to blaming her. By the way, the curse that followed over the relationship is in Genesis 3:16 To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” Gone was the perfect relationship of willing submission and servant leadership. Now, it was a desire and rule relationship. There was a mystery in that relationship that was supposed to reflect the future relationship between Christ and the Church. Now, it was distorted because of sin.

I don’t have time to go too deep into this. What is Paul’s point in Ephesians? Jesus came, died, buried, rose again, and is exalted on high. He did this not only to redeem us but to break the power of sin and evil. He defeated the cosmic powers that have caused every dissension in the world, especially marriage and family. Christ has inaugurated a new creation. He became the New Adam. Now, he wants to restore the pattern set in the first creation. The church is the mystery that brings Jewish believers and gentile believers in one community. But, Jesus also wants to do this for the marriage, which was the illustration of this mystery between Christ and the Church. This only happens when Spirit-filled believers understand that their marriage is much more than two people coming together in consent and contract. It reflects the mystery of Christ and the Church. By the way, God still has his covenant with his people Israel, which he will fulfill in the future.

Applications: How do you see your marriage? How do you see marriage in our culture?

What happens when Spirit filled believers allow the recreation to happen through Christ? Think about where Eve and Adam messed up. Eve was supposed to defer to Adam, her husband, to respond to the Serpent and Adam was supposed to take responsibility to protect Eve, his wife. Because of what Christ did, now there is a remaking by the Holy Spirit.Ephesians 5:22 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.” This does not mean that the wife is inferior or the man is superior. Again, the word “submission” literally means “To order oneself under a leader.” Now what does the word “head” mean? It means authority. Submission does not mean that a woman shuts off her brain and surrender her individuality. To the contrary, a wise husband will listen to his wife and her advice and her warnings. It means to “let the husband be the spiritual authority in the relationship.

Just when you think that Paul was biased against women, he only had 41 words for the women but 125 for the men. Ephesians 5:25 onwards: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her…” In other words, a husband and wife relationship is a reflection of the relationship between Christ and the church.The spiritual reality is that Christ is the bridegroom and the collective body of believers are the bride. By the way, this is why any kind of sexual deviation from a biological man-woman marriage is so serious. Listen again: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word…” Individually, we are made clean when we receive Jesus as our Savior and King. His blood washes our sins away. But, collectively, we come together as the church but we still have our faults, weaknesses, and selfishness. We also need collective cleansing. This is where Christ our Bridegroom who loved us and gave himself for us is now committed to cleansing us “with the washing of water by the word.” Although the word for “word” is “rhema” (the spoken word), it still implies the Word of God. When he hear the Word regularly and allow the Holy Spirit to apply it our hearts, we are being cleansed collectively. Instead of being selfish and self-centered, proud and judgmental towards each other in the church, we learn to become selfless and self-giving, humble and encouraging towards one another. We begin to demonstrate mutual submission towards each other, mutual forgiveness for each other, and mutual encouragement to each other, and mutual caring for one another. This is the process of purification and it is all done under the leadership and authority of the Bridegroom, Christ.

Marriage is an earthly expression of a heavenly reality. In a marriage relationship, the husband and wife come together with their individual faults, weaknesses, and selfishness. Typically, we expect the other person to be perfect and we justify our imperfections. To the contrary, marriage is a relationship in which 2 imperfect people start on a journey together towards perfection. Don’t misunderstand: Perfection here does not mean faultlessness. It means learning to live daily by the grace of God and helping the other person to do the same. We are to help purify one another with the love of Christ, the truth of his Word, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is learning to apply the righteousness of Christ to each other.

What is the goal of this perfection in the Christ-Church relationship? “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Christ is cleansing the church to present her to himself before God the Father in the New Heavens and the New Earth.

What is the goal in the husband-wife relationship? We are to help one another come to perfection by the grace of God and present each other to God. That is deep!

What is the husband’s role in this purification process? Verse 28 onwards “So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.” The husband’s role is to lead this purification process the way Christ does for the church. Making Christ the priority of your home, going to church, obeying his Word, and serving Him as a family falls on your shoulders. In other words, the husband controls the thermostat of the marriage. By the way, unlike the Christ-church relationship where Christ is perfect, you are not. You need purification too. That’s why God has brought the wife into his life.

What is the wife’s role in this purification process? “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” The wife’s role is to encourage the husband to help lead this purification process. Help him to be the godly husband that he is called to be and, together, build your home to be a place of mutual purification by the grace of God, reflect the great mystery of Christ and the church.

Invitation: Husbands, how do you see our wife? Wives, how do you see your husbands? Believers, how do you see the mystery of the Christ-Church relationship? Do you belong to the Church? Are you saved?

Unsearchable by Dr. Abidan Shah

September 11, 2020 By in 2020, Bible, bible study, Bitterness, children, Christ, Christian Life, Christian Marriage, Church, Community, Conflict, Discipleship, Doctrine, Encouragement, Faith, Family, Forgiveness, Give, Glory, God the Father, God's Timing, God's will, Grace, Hope, Humility, Jesus, King Jesus, Kingdom of God, love, mercy, Parenting, parents, Patience, Paul, Peace, People, Prayer, rest, Trinity, Truth, Uncategorized, Unity Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

UNSEARCHABLE by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction: One Sunday morning after church, as the family was driving home, the mother began, “The choir was awful this morning. They were so off-key, weren’t they?” To this, the dad added, “The service was too long and I still don’t know what the minister was talking about.” The mother replied, “And, can you believe they’re going to spend all that money on that mission trip to Guatemala? Don’t we have plenty to do around here?” Their 16-year old daughter chimed in, “Why do the Jones’ always sit in front of us? They act like they are so better than us.” After a few seconds’ pause, their 10-year old from the back seat remarked, “Are we going back? Because, I thought it was a pretty good show for a dime.” Many Christians have a very low view of the importance of the church. Even before the current crisis, many had a take it or leave it attitude about the church. Now, with the current crisis, church has been shoved under the “non-essential” category. As you know, we began a mini-series through Ephesians on the role of the church. Here’s the main point of today’s message: The church is essential. In God’s divine plan, he has chosen the church to make known his mystery and wisdom to the principalities and powers of the evil domain. When the church is the church we are supposed to be, united and holy, then the spiritual rulers and authorities behind the power brokers of the world know that Jesus is in charge and they are not. For the church to shut down its activities is to give free reign to evil in the world. Today’s message is called “UNSEARCHABLE.”

Ephesians 3:8 “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.”

Context: The verse we just read is part of a digression by the Apostle Paul. He often does this in his letters, but, unlike our digressions that are losing our train of thought, his digressions are the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to take us deeper into the wisdom and purpose of God. If you remember from last weekend, most believers had been playing on the shallow end of the pool, never learning how to swim in deep waters. All of a sudden, we got slammed by a pandemic tsunami and now we are stranded all over the place, clutching on to whatever we could find. If we’re going to make it moving forward, we will have to step into deep waters and learn how to swim.

Until the end of chapter 2, Paul was explaining to the Ephesians how the Gentiles had been brought into the family of God by Jesus Christ. Listen to Ephesians 2  19 “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” In other words, every believer—regardless of his/her ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, or nationality—has an equal status in the family of God by the grace of Jesus Christ. Then, Ephesians 3:1“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles…” Meaning: Paul’s calling from God was to help Gentiles come into the family of God and become one body, the church.

Just when we want to say, “It’s great how there is no more division between the Jewish people and the Gentiles. We are all one in Christ Jesus. Good work Paul!” he stops and takes a digression to help us understand that this one body is much more than just a holy huddle. There is a powerful purpose behind it. Listen to Ephesians 3     2 “if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ).” What is the mystery of Christ? In some sense, Paul was using a term that the Ephesians would have been familiar with because they had mystery religions with secret knowledge. But, it is more likely that Paul was appealing to Daniel 2 where the Hebrew word “raz” or the Greek word “musterion” was used to refer to God’s secret plan of bringing Jesus into the world to save humanity. Paul was referring to the coming together of the believing Jewish people and the Gentiles into one body as the mystery of Christ. In the Old Testament, Gentiles could join God’s people, but they had to become Jewish first. Now, Gentiles did not have to become Jewish and Jewish people did not have to become Gentiles. Instead, both Jewish people and Gentiles could come together into a new community through Jesus Christ. This was the mystery of Christ. It was not as clear in times past. 5“which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.” Now comes the verse we read in the opening – Ephesians 3:8 “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” What are the unsearchable riches of Christ? Christ has incredible wealth that we cannot fathom! It includes his grace, his mercy, his goodness, his love, his promises, his glory, etc. All that is now available to each of the Gentiles who have entered into the family God. Verse 9 “and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.”

Question: Are you part of this mystery? Have you been brought into the family of God? Are you saved? Do you value the unsearchable (unfathomable) riches of Christ?

Now, starting in verse 10, Paul goes deeper, explaining to us the critical nature of this new body, the church—10 “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God…” The Greek word for manifold is “polupoikilos,” which means “multifaceted” or “many faced.” The more you get to know Christ, the more multifaceted he becomes! Once again, verse 10 “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” Let’s pause here for a moment and ask “What are principalities and powers?” The Greek word for “principalities” is “archei,” which means “angelic rulers.” In our context, it refers to “evil angelic rulers.” The Greek word for “powers” is “exousias,” which means “spiritual authorities.” In our context, it refers to “evil spiritual authorities.” There are 2 other times, they are mentioned in Ephesians:

  • Ephesians 1   19 “and what is the exceeding greatness of His power…20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power…” When God the Father raised his Son from the grave, he also raised him higher than all evil angelic beings.
  • Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly” Here Paul commands us to “Put on the whole armor of God” because we are in a battle against evil angelic beings.

Here’s the point: The mystery of Christ was also kept hidden from all the evil angelic beings. The coming of Jesus not only brought redemption, but it also broke the power of these wicked beings. Even though they know that Jesus is King, they still try to usurp his power. When the church is the church we are supposed to be, united and holy, then the spiritual rulers and authorities behind the power brokers of the world know that Jesus is in charge and they are not.

Don’t misunderstand: This does not mean that the church has to proclaim a message to these evil beings. This does not mean that the church has to rebuke the enemy and his cohorts. It simply means that we make known “gnorizo” that we are the body of Christ, united and holy, and evil begins to back off. The Enemy has always used the tactic of “divide and conquer,” starting with Adam and Eve. When we come together in unity and holiness, we are making known to him and his cohorts the manifold wisdom of God.

Question: Isn’t it amazing that the same time evil has raised its ugly head in the past few months that the church has dropped her head and gone into hiding?

Ephesians 6     13 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.”

Invitation: Are you part of the mystery of Christ? Are you saved? How important is the church to you? Are you aware that we are in a spiritual battle?

%d bloggers like this: