GCI Equipper

Nehemiah: A Visionary, Missional, and Strategic Leader

A visionary leader articulates and applies future thinking in ways that engages and motivates others.

By Heber Ticas, Superintendent of Latin America

You may remember God’s calling on the life of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was called from the palatial life of being King Artaxerxes’ cupbearer to his turbulent ancestry city of Jerusalem. His mission was to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls which were in ruins. The mission was such that it demanded a leader who possessed multiple leadership gifts. Nehemiah was a visionary, missional, and strategic leader who would faithfully execute the mission. Amid overwhelming odds and constant challenges, he never wavered, and he lived out his God-given mission with great efficiency. He recruited, inspired, and mobilized a multitude of people to carry out the mission of rebuilding the walls, and in just fifty-two days, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt.

Nehemiah possessed a keen ability to harmonize his divine mission with the everyday rhythms of life and its challenges. To carry out God’s mission, Nehemiah needed to employ both visionary and strategic leadership.

A visionary leader is one who, by the Spirit, defines a clear picture of the preferred future. In Nehemiah’s case, once his heart was stirred by God regarding the condition of the walls and gates of Jerusalem, Nehemiah promptly put in motion a plan to begin to move toward that vision. It is important to note that Nehemiah’s approach was bathed in constant prayer before the Lord.

A visionary leader is also able to articulate and apply future thinking in ways that will engage and motivate others with the future in mind. This was evident in Nehemiah’s conversation with King Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:1-8). He entered the king’s court with a clear understanding of what it was going to take to fulfill the mission. Since the preferred future was clear in his mind, he was able to articulate future thinking in such a way that he secured from the king all that was needed to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls and gates.

A vision without strategic thinking will not go very far, and a strategy without strategic planning will also falter. Casting and sustaining a vision require missional awareness and strategic leadership. A strategic leader leads with clarity and is constantly aware of missional pitfalls that stray from the preferred future. These kinds of leaders constantly reinforce the vision and celebrate the incremental steps toward that vision.

Leading strategically requires planning strategically, but one cannot plan strategically without evaluating what’s at hand. A precise evaluation of resources, or lack thereof, becomes crucial. Nehemiah is a good example of this reality. When he approached the king, he was aware of what would be needed to begin to execute the mission. He asked the king for letters for the governors of the different provinces so he could have access, he also secured timber for the walls and gates. Nehemiah had evaluated the cost of executing the mission.

Nehemiah’s visionary, missional, and strategic leadership can be summed up in the following manner:

  • He was moved by the Spirit to participate in God’s mission (Nehemiah 1:1-3).
  • He sought God in prayer with humility and repentance (1:4-11).
  • He received a clear and concise vision from God (2:1-6).
  • He secured resources for the execution of the mission (2:7-8).
  • He recruited and mobilized leaders (2:16-18).
  • He faced opposition and hardship with dependance on God and missional cognizance (2:19; 4:7-9).
  • He adapted and persevered with faith, hope, and love.

Nehemiah’s ministry reminds me of Jesus’ ministry. Like Nehemiah, Jesus also recruited, inspired, and mobilized others to help him carry out the mission he received from the Father. He was a visionary leader and was quite strategic in how he carried himself. His vision for his church was for the church to join him, and, by the Spirit, participate with him in his mission from the Father.

Since Jesus has given us participation in his ministry to the world, like Nehemiah and Jesus we must lead strategically. By the Spirit, we also need to recruit, inspire, and mobilize the body to attain God’s vision for our churches. I believe that our Team Based — Pastor Led model affords us the structure to facilitate this. As pastors, we must employ visionary and strategic leadership to lead our teams through the healthy ministry Avenues of faith, hope, and love. Nehemiah could not achieve the mission without building a team. He enlisted various teams and organized them in ways that deployed them effectively in the field.

God not only called Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of the city but also to achieve a bigger purpose. Building the walls rebuilt the morale of the people that had been broken and inspired them to build up their lives and community. God’s calling always includes mending fractured relationships, and leading people to seek God by restoring worship expressions. It was truly the ministry of faith, hope, and love.

My fellow co-laborers I pray that like Nehemiah, our hearts may be stirred, and our minds would be filled with clarity of vision and mission. May the Lord awaken in us the leadership gifts that he has already equipped us with, and may his Spirit empower us in ways that our missional participation would result in the joy of disciple-making with Jesus.

Nehemiah: A Model of Leadership

Nehemiah became the ministry role model that I needed for my personal development as a ministry leader.

By Dishon Mills, Pastor Charlotte, NC

I remember the moment when I first transitioned into the role of ministry leader. I was the youth minister at a Pentecostal congregation, and we needed more volunteers to keep up with the growing group. For the first time in ministry, I had to equip, coordinate, and lead a volunteer team in participating in the work of Christ. From my secular work, I knew a bit about being strategic, setting goals, managing workers, and evaluating effort when I was in charge. But how could I do those things when Jesus is the one in charge? How could I lead other children of God in following Christ, by the Spirit?

You may have asked yourself similar questions. In ministry, we must strike the balance between being Spirit-led and being strategic. On one hand, we need to humbly confess that Christ is the vine, and we are the branches. We can do nothing apart from him, and we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us and conform us to the image of Christ — individually and collectively. On the other hand, we must be good custodians of the resources God provides. We must do all we can to actively participate in the work God has given us to do, which includes being strategic and organized. Just like the parable of the talents, God wants us to steward the gifts he gives with vision and wisdom. Sometimes it is hard to know how to strike the balance. When I became a ministry leader, I realized that effectively mobilizing people to participate in God-given work is something that must be learned and practiced and I had no clue how to be both Spirit-led and strategic.

I began looking for other ministry role models to emulate. What should I do as a ministry leader to lead like Christ? How do I best plan and organize the ministry work? How do I best manage others and bring out the best in them? That is when God reintroduced me to Nehemiah.

Nehemiah is an extraordinary historical book of the Bible that vividly displays the power of God to restore and renew. Nehemiah lived during a time when Israel had been conquered, the people were in exile, and the walls of Jerusalem laid in ruin. He led a group of a little over 42,000 Hebrew exiles to build walls that were 2.5 miles long, an average of 40 feet high, and an average of 8 feet thick. It was a daunting task to say the least. I have previously read the book of Nehemiah for its theological significance. There are so many useful parallels to our spiritual walk, and the book beautifully foreshadows the restoration of humanity in Christ. However, when I looked at the book again, God showed me that it was a master class in effective, Spirit-led ministry leadership.

Nehemiah became the ministry role model that I needed. I reread the book, writing down everything Nehemiah did and summarized it in modern terms. Then, I organized his actions into three themes that emerged: management of self, planning and organization, and management of others. The result was this tool, Nehemiah’s Lessons on Leadership and Management.

The first thing I did with the tool was do a self-evaluation. I looked at each characteristic of Nehemiah and asked myself, “Do I see concrete evidence of this in my life and in my ministry leadership?” I indicated the characteristics that needed growth and cultivation. Then, I chose one characteristic from each of the three major themes. In prayer, I asked God to develop that competency in me for his glory.

I also looked at the life of Nehemiah to discern success indicators. In other words, I set targets for myself — targets that would show the presence of that attribute. For instance, if I chose “know the system in which they are working,” some of the indicators of that might include:

• I have identified a target area
• I know those with political power in the area
• I know the short- and long-term plans for the area
• I know the best way to connect to my neighbors in the area, etc.

If I had to do it again, I would seek a wise accountability partner or coach and share my personal goals with that person. I find that it is always better to get an outside perspective when pursuing personal development.
When I saw evidence that I was consistently displaying one of the chosen characteristics, I chose another competency from the same theme and repeated the process.

The process of self-evaluation and reflection can be challenging. No one really enjoys discovering things they need to improve. I am motivated by my love for God’s children. It is amazing that God invites me to participate in the care for those made in his image. It is a tremendous responsibility so I want to do all I can to be the leader the people of God deserve. I pray my story blesses you and inspires you to become the best strategic ministry leader you can be.

Mission Simplified

A mission opportunity right in my front yard.

By Rick Shallenberger, Editor

Because I travel a lot during the summer, I hired a guy (Bill) to mow my lawn when I’m out of town. For the first year, I rarely saw Bill and my interactions with him consisted of sending him a check each month. He did such a great job, at the beginning of year two, I asked him to take care of my yard throughout the summer. This meant there were times he was mowing while I was home. During these times, we started chatting a bit, primarily about the yard, the constant battle with moles, the bushes and trees that needed trimmed.

A change occurred in year three. As we chatted through the summer, Bill asked what I did for a living, which was an interesting conversation as he admitted he didn’t have a relationship with God and was “sort of a Catholic.” We talked about our kids, shared a few personal things about our families, and he shared that he was struggling with a health issue, I told him I’d pray for him. He kind of chuckled, saying  that’s what he expected me to say. I asked, “Can I pray for you now?” That shocked him and made him a bit uncomfortable. He was expecting a platitude; I wanted to show him I believed God was real … and good. I said a short prayer over him, just asking God to be with him and encourage him.

We began talking about God a bit more after that. He shared his reluctance to talk about God or religion because he didn’t want to be judged. I told him I certainly had no reason or right to judge him. He said, “I know God is my judge.” I told him God’s judgement wasn’t a judgment of condemnation because the condemnation of sin and death had been taken care of in Jesus. God’s judgement was of Bill’s value, worth, and identity. He wanted Bill to know he cared about him; he loved him.

That fall Bill didn’t show up for a few weeks and I was worried about him. I called him and he said he was going through some stuff and would share with me later. He asked me to be patient with him and said he really wanted to talk with me.

When he did show up, he shared that his wife had passed and he was mad at God, at the hospital (she died during a minor surgery) and at everyone. I just listened; it was not a time to preach. Then he asked, “Do you think God took her because he’s mad at me?” That opened the door for me to share that’s not how God works.

At the beginning of year four, Bill shared he was going through prostate cancer. He asked me how I could follow a God who allowed so much bad to happen to people. That was an open door to another conversation.

A couple weeks later Bill was mowing when I pulled in from a trip. He waved, I walked over and could tell he was going through a rough spell. I invited him up on the deck, and I just listened to all he was going through with his health, his kids, his finances, the works. As I listened, I asked God to give me whatever words I needed to say. All I said was, “Bill, I’m so sorry you are going through so much. I wish there was something I could do to help.”

He looked at me and said, “Rick, you don’t know how much of a help you are. You are the only Christian I know who has never judged me or made me feel badly about not going to church. When I told you I was mad at God, you never corrected me, you simply told me it was OK, God created our emotions, and he understood them. You have made me look at God differently.”

I realized how simple mission can be. I’ve had the opportunity to be on mission in several countries around the world, but I can’t help but wonder if the biggest impact I’ve made is in my front yard.

I encourage you to read or reread Michael Morrison’s recent Update article, “Healthy Churches Have Purpose.” In that article he posed the question, “Do we care?” Do I care enough about the person fixing my car, working at the grocery store, working beside me at the office? Do I care about my neighbor, my coworker, my extended family? God has indeed called the church to mission, but he has also called you to join him in mission. Ask him to reveal who he has brought into your mission field and watch transformation take place – in you, and in those you care about.

Nurturing the Health of a Church

A Glimpse into how we use the Avenues in Bogota, Columbia.

By Paulina Barrero and Juan Barrero. Bogotá Colombia.

I remember a tug-of-war match at a high school activity once. There were two evenly matched teams. The struggle began with a strong tug, with all of them giving their best to control the rope.

Unexpectedly, after a few seconds, some teammates from one of the teams simply “gave up” and, surprising everyone, let go of the rope in the middle of the struggle.

The opposing team fell back to the ground and won the game. Why did they give up so easily? For many, it seemed the team that gave up was actually winning. I saw how the team’s dissatisfaction and lack of motivation affected them as they lost once more in round two.

Similar circumstances exist in our communities, though slightly different. The key distinction is that we rely on the unwavering love and tenacity of our cornerstone, Jesus Christ, who has the ultimate grip and hold, assuring us with love and strength that he will always be there on our team. Teams that trust Christ, guide the community better, fostering healthy rhythms and habits. Each Avenue works towards unity and a commitment to the foundational principles of the Christian faith. When we consider healthy church, we include the Pastoral role with the Hope, Faith, and Love Avenues.

Hope:  Worship. Luke 24 ends with a perfect example of what hope is – Jesus resurrected, restores us to the Father. The disciples were worshiping as they were praising God. We worship God, and we reflect Jesus’ hope to all those who attend the Sunday gatherings. Our hope in Christ is rooted in his sacrifice, redemption, grace, and his never-ending love for us.

In Bogota’s congregation, we are intentional in gathering with all the ministry leaders and teams during the week, having clarity in what is happening in the church services, and writing down an effective meeting minutes report to inform other Avenues and ministries of the events and plans based on our calendar. This allows us to join forces and “tug” together towards an activity or event.

We use time efficiently, discuss the important points and end with a short prayer. The secret lies in the planning. The meetings are positive and purposeful. This way of meeting and planning allows us to intentionally give hope to the families and members of our weekly gatherings.

Faith: Discipleship. Jesus equipped his followers to become “fishers of men” and instructed them to share with others the good news of salvation by teaching others, so they teach others (Matthew 28:19). The Faith Avenue involves members in reading and studying the Bible along with the foundations of trinitarian beliefs while enhancing intergenerational relationships where spiritual growth is nurtured.

Every year in our congregation, we open several groups called “Discipulados,” very similar to connect groups. We study the “We Believe” curriculum, as well as other GCI materials. Difficult questions, Bible formation, and discipleship equip the members towards a better understanding of our theology.

We want to establish good, healthy relationships that create disciples of Christ who have the motivation to open a group on their own.

Love: Christ defines love with his sacrifice (John 3:16). Love is a core value in GCI because it reflects the Christian emphasis on the unconditional love of Father, Son, and Spirit, and the call for believers to embody Jesus’ love for others. We reflect Jesus’ love to others as we testify in missional activities and events.

In our meetings, we prioritize important celebrations throughout the year that could potentially include new families and members joining our church. Children’s Day, Mother’s Day, and other events that can possibly have a positive impact in our neighborhood.

Pastoral: The pastoral team engages church members to participate in the ministries. They work to develop and mentor new ministry leaders, creating room for participation in the church’s rhythms and activities with support, motivation, and encouragement. The goal is to preach the gospel while setting a good example of a Christian life (1 Timothy 3:1).

We talk about every ministry. We are currently preparing young people and including them in some parts of the Sunday gatherings, such as giving the first prayer, giving the church announcements, the children’s prayer, offering, and the sermon occasionally. We pray for new leaders, and we plan to motivate them so that the church grows.

The Avenues empower us to focus on each ministry and objective. It organizes our church and gives us clarity on how to work better as a team. We are grateful to GCI, Pastor Heber, our president, Greg Williams, and each leader who has taken the time and Bible-based inspiration to make the Avenues the best way to organize a church. As we continue to enhance our Avenues and trust in Jesus’ grip, we continue to grow and impact individuals and communities, contributing to the overall health of our neighborhood.

  • Do you know someone who is letting go of the rope? How can you help?
  • How can the Avenues strengthen and refresh the mission and vision of Christ in your church / community?
  • Have you used the MAP to make communication smarter and better in the Avenues?

Blessings from Bogotá, Colombia!

Church Hack: Discernment Practices

Discernment is essential in ministry and leadership because it enables us to recognize and respond to God’s presence and activity, whether in the routine of daily life or in significant life choices. To read and download this month’s Church Hack on discernment in leadership, click the link below.

2024-CH6-DiscernmentPractices.pdf (gci.org)

Intro to Strategic Planning

By Cara Garrity, Development Coordinator

What makes discernment and strategic planning a powerful duo?

We have been exploring the connection between discernment and strategic planning – suggesting that, when approached a certain way, they can work in harmony with one another. I would like to suggest even further that the two not only can work together, but need to work together as we continue our journey of Healthy Church Vision. Let’s explore this further:

How can we define strategy? In Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A Practical Guide for Dynamic Times, Allison and Kaye describe strategy: “To boil it down to the most basic elements: Your mission is your purpose, and your strategy is ‘how’ you will accomplish your mission.” (pg. 6) We could think of strategic planning as the process of creating an intentional plan to pursue a clear and unified mission. In future resources we will explore what the process looks like more thoroughly.

How can we define discernment? Discernment is a decision-making process in which an individual makes a discovery that can lead to future action. In plain terms, it means understanding or knowing something through the power of the Spirit. Discernment is spirit-led and surpasses personal knowledge and experience. (reference note link – GCI Buzz Healthy Church: Discernment)

What is our mission? It is the very mission given to us by Jesus in the great commission (Matthew 28:16-20). What a humbling, sacred, life-changing mission for our triune God to draw us into. With what great joy and care do we respond to his invitation!

Discernment, Strategic Planning, Mission, and Ministry Participation

It is here where we sometimes begin to feel the tension between discernment and strategic planning. If the mission we are given is Jesus’ mission and not our own, then is creating a specific plan to guide our pursuit of this mission an attempt to take matters into our own hands? Is it to choose our own way to accomplish a mission that is not our own? Well, it can be. We often attempt to do things according to our own wills, understanding, or strength. But consider this – is it the fault of the tool or is it an operator error?

This is where discernment comes in. As disciples of Jesus, we are continually drawn to seek him in discernment. We need him – we do not have everything that we need on our own. Strategic planning without discernment is likely to produce ministry participation with a blurry focus on the mission of Jesus. Strategically planned or not, ANY ministry participation taking place without discernment will fall flat. Strategic planning is simply a tool that can be used. Discernment guides us towards a Christ-centered, mission-focused use of this tool.

Likewise, discernment without strategic planning threatens to fall flat. What good is it to discern how God may be inviting your congregation into ministry if you are not going to steward this invitation?

Strategic planning as a response to discernment is a faithful and communal “yes and amen” to the movement and invitation of the Spirit. The mission of Jesus and his commission to his church is much too beautiful to handle haphazardly. If we plan our careers, our education, our workouts, our travels – how much more so does participation in the ministry of Jesus merit our careful attention?

Discernment & Strategic Planning Best Practices

What can it look like to practice a rhythm of discernment and strategic planning within the local congregation? Consider intentionally dedicating time, space, and energy as a team to pray together and discern. Surrender your own agendas. What do you see God doing? How might he be inviting your congregation to participate?

Then become intentional stewards of what you discern. What goals will you keep an eye on as you pursue the mission of Jesus? As a team, what commitments do you need to make to yourself, one another, and the members of the congregation? What next steps need to happen to move forward?

Create a consistent rhythm of dedicated team discernment and strategic planning throughout the year.

Refer to our IMAP and TMAP templates for a tool to organize your strategic planning.

Art of Mentoring | Evolving Ministry Mentorship & Pastoral Mentorship

“The Art of Mentoring” series dives into the deep impact of mentoring as a powerful connection that can bring about significant changes. In this special bond, people gain valuable things like time, wisdom, experiences, and insights in a way that’s right for them. Check out these two new episodes!

Couples Dania Flores and Joel Aleman, and Liliana Diaz and Mauricio Diaz share how they met and how Christ guided their mentoring relationship, both within and beyond ministry. Through their stories, we see God at work, guiding their journeys and strengthening their faith.

Cara Garrity and Dishon Mills tell the story of how Christ revealed himself in their mentoring relationship as pastors. Their journey reveals how God powerfully shapes their paths in ministry.

Click here to view the videos in the series.

Lectio Divina w/ Cara Garrity

Video unavailable (video not checked).

Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/GCPod/GCPod66-CaraGarrity-LectioDivina.mp3

Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/GCPod/GCPod66-CaraGarrity-LectioDivina.mp3

For this quarter of 2024, GCPodcast is shifting our focus from interviews to immersive spiritual practices. In this segment, our host Cara Garrity leads us in the ancient practice of Lectio Divinia which translates as “divine or sacred reading.” Lectio Divina is an approach to reading the scriptures while intentionally listening for the voice of God. Join us as we foster personal and communal spiritual disciplines. May our journey in Christ’s ministry be deepened as we yield to his guiding presence.

“The term Lectio Divina means divine reading, and it is a practice that originates back to the early church. One way to think about it is a practice of praying through the scriptures. It is a guided way of engaging the scriptures in an immersive, transformational way. There are four steps or four movements that we move through in the Lectio Divina. The first is reading, second is meditation, third is prayer, and fourth is contemplation.” — Cara Garrity

 

 

Main Points:

  • Reading – listen or read along. What words or phrases jump out at you? What images? [05:58]
  • Meditation – meditate on the passage and the words, phrases, images that stood out to you. Just sit with these in the presence of God and let them wash over you. What brought comfort or challenge? What do you notice? [10:08]
  • Prayer – What do you hear God saying to you through these words, phrases, images? What do you want to say to God? [14:23]
  • Contemplation – What have you received from God as you’ve prayed through this scripture passage. What is he inviting you into? What conversion of mind, heart, and life is God inviting you into? [18:51] 

    Reflection: [25:19]

      • What was this practice like for you? What challenged you? What was life giving?
      • How might this practice contribute to the growth of healthy leadership, healthy teams, and healthy church rhythms in the life of your local congregation?
      • What questions do you have about practices of praying Scripture? What do you want to know more about? 

        Resource:

Program Transcript

Lectio Divina w/ Cara Garrity

Cara Garrity: Welcome to GC Podcast, a podcast to help you develop into the healthiest ministry leader you can be by sharing practical ministry experience. In this episode, I, your host, Cara Garrity, will introduce and guide us through the practice of Lectio Divina.

What is the practice of Lectio Divina? The term Lectio Divina means divine reading, and it is a practice that originates back to the early church. One way to think about it is a practice of praying through the scriptures. It is a guided way of engaging the scriptures in an immersive, transformational way.

There are four steps or four movements that we move through in the Lectio Divina. The first is reading, second is meditation, third is prayer, and fourth is contemplation. For each of these steps of the Lectio Divina practice, we read the chosen passage of scripture and engage in it through each of these four: reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation.

This practice of Lectio Divina can be practiced either alone, personally, or together, as a group.

In preparation, I want to invite you to open yourself to the following, as we prepare to engage this practice of Lectio Divina:

First, that Jesus, the living Word, speaks to us through his written word.

Second, I invite you to open yourself to the fact that God is a self-revealing God that wants to be known by us. He will reveal himself to us through soaking in the scriptures.

That we are invited into transformation in our relationship with God.

That God is present with us as we read his written word.

If you are doing this practice together with the group, some guidelines to help you: between each movement of the Lectio Divina, you can pause to give each member of the group a moment to share. Although, that’s not required for each person to share; it is optional.

Approach this group sharing with the posture that God speaks to us through others, in relationships with one another. As you create this space for sharing in a group Lectio Divina, it is not a space for discussion, but a space for listening. You will just want to create space for people to share, not really for response and discussion after each movement.

The last piece of the Lectio Divina that I want to mention before we guide through this practice and go through it together is that you typically want to use a shorter passage or section of scripture [with a group].

Today we are going to use a passage that comes with the RCL for this month of June, and we are going to be reading from Mark. Mark 5:21-43.

Now using the Lectio Divina along with the seasons of the worship calendar the RCL is a fun way to follow the seasons of the worship calendar. But that is not the only way to practice Lectio Divina. That is just what we are going to be doing today.

Before we get started, I want to say a prayer over us. I want to invite you to get comfortable in a quiet space. Sit, get grounded, put your feet on the floor, turn off distractions. Take a minute to quiet your mind. Even pause this podcast for 30 seconds, two minutes, just quiet yourself.

Let us pray this prayer together, titled “Help Me Listen” from Gorillas of Grace, Prayers for the Battle, written by Todd Loder.

O Holy One,
I hear and say so many words,
yet yours is the Word I need.
Speak now,
and help me listen;
and if what I hear is silence,
let it quiet me,
let it disturb me,
let it touch my need,
let it break my pride,
let it shrink my certainties,
let it enlarge my wonder.

Amen.

So, I invite you now. To participate with me in the practice of Lectio Divina using Mark 5:21-43. We are going to go through each step of the Lectio Divina together.

[05:58] So again, I invite you to quiet yourself. Sit in a comfortable position. You can close your eyes if that is what is comfortable to you. We are going to start with the first step, which is the reading. You can just listen along to my reading. You can follow along if that is what is most comfortable to you.

The question I want you to think about as you listen or read along is what word or phrases jump out at you? What images in this passage speak to you? Let us read.

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

What word or phrases jump out at you? What images? What connects with you as you hear and read this passage? Take a moment, pause the podcast for a minute or two. What connects you?

[10:08] Now, together, let us move on to meditation. We will read the passage once more, this time meditate on the words, the phrases, the images that stood out to you. And just sit with these images in the presence of God.

Let them wash over you. What brings you comfort or challenge? What do you notice as you sit with this image, with these phrases, as you meditate on them?

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

What have you noticed as you meditate on the words, phrases, and images that stood out to you?

What has brought you comfort? What has challenged you? What have you seen in a new light? What do you relate to?

[14:23] Now, let us move on to prayer together. As we listen to this passage, again, come with a posture of prayer. What do you hear God saying to you through these words, these phrases, these images that have stood out to you?

What is God saying to you through these scriptures, the living Word through his spoken word? What do you want to say to God? What praises do you have to lift? What thanksgiving? What petitions?

Let us approach his written words with a posture of prayer.

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

What have you heard speaking to you through this passage? What rises in you to speak to God as you hear this passage read?

[18:51] Finally, let us enter a phase of contemplation. What have you received from God as you have prayed through this scripture? What might he be inviting you into? What transformation, conversion of mind, heart, and life is God inviting you into? How is he meeting you right now in his presence during this passage and drawing you deeper into who he is transforming you to the image of Christ?

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Take a moment, pause the podcast.

What have you received from God as you have prayed through the scripture? What may he be inviting you into? What conversion, transformation of mind, heart, life, is God inviting you into?

Now let us pray.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we thank you so much that you are a God who wants to be known by us. We thank you for revealing yourself to us. We thank you that you are a God that is present with us. We thank you for your written words. We thank you for speaking to us through your written words.

We thank you for transforming us through your written words and we thank you for this practice of Lectio Divina. I thank you for all the ways that you have spoken to each one of us personally and communally. As we engage in your written word in this way, as we pray through your scriptures in the confidence that it is your living Word that brings them to life, that it is your living Word that transforms us as we read, that it is your living Word that draws us in to life everlasting, that it is your living Word that brings all of this meaning.

We thank you, God. We thank you for being present here with us. And we thank you for the wisdom of the church historical, for this practice of sitting quietly at your feet, meditating on your scriptures, spending time with you, allowing you to transform us, speak to us, form us more into your image as your people, your image bearers here.

We thank you and praise you for being so faithful to guide us and we pray this in your holy and wonderful name, amen.

[25:19] Now I invite you all to reflect on a few questions. Whether on your own, or if you are going through this Lectio Divina practice with a group, or even your leadership team, let us reflect on some questions together. You can pause this podcast in between each question to give yourself as much time as you need to reflect in the ways that you need to. You can journal these reflections. You can discuss them if you are in a group, whatever is beneficial to you.

The first question I want us to think about as we have gone through this practice of the Lectio Divina together is what was this practice like for you? What challenged you? What was life giving about this practice?

The second question I want us to reflect on is how might this practice contribute to the growth of healthy leadership, healthy teams, and healthy church rhythms in the life of your local congregation?

Finally, what more do you want to know about practices of praying the scriptures? How might you go about learning or immersing yourself in such practices?

I want to thank you for joining me today and going through this guided practice of the Lectio Divina, whether it was the first time for you, and this was a new practice, or whether it was the 50th or 100th time for you.

Thank you for joining me. This is a wonderful and beautiful transformative practice that the church has held for many generations. Until next time, you all keep on living and sharing the gospel.

Thank you for listening to this episode of GC Podcast. We hope you found this time valuable. We would love to hear from you. Email us at info@gci.org with your suggestions or feedback. And remember, healthy churches start with healthy leaders, so invest in yourself and in your leaders.

Art of Mentoring | Pastoral Mentorship

“The Art of Mentoring” series dives into the deep impact of mentoring as a powerful connection that can bring about significant changes. In this special bond, people gain valuable things like time, wisdom, experiences, and insights in a way that’s right for them.

Cara Garrity and Dishon Mills share how they met and how Christ guided their mentoring relationship as pastors. Their journey reveals how God powerfully shapes their paths in ministry.

Click here to view the videos in the series.

Where Is Jesus? Part 2

Teaching biblical literacy is needful,
teaching intimacy with God is life-changing.

By Dishon Mills, Pastor, Charlotte, NC

In the May edition of Equipper, I wrote about “Danny,” an 8-year-old in my congregation who enjoys asking questions. He inspired me to think about how we make Jesus real to our younger members. Since writing last month’s article, I had another encounter with Danny that I think is worth discussing. Needless to say, Danny is a great source of material for me! Don’t tell him because he will keep asking me, “Why?”

I shared the piece with Danny’s mother and father because I wanted them to know the impact their son had on me. They appreciated the gesture and mentioned it to Danny. When I saw him next, I told Danny, “Talking with you helped me see something about Jesus. Because of that, I wrote an article that may help others see something about Jesus. You are a blessing to people you do not even know. I just wanted to say, ‘Thank you.’” Danny froze for a moment, and I could see him processing my words. Finally, he cocked his head to the side, met my eyes, and asked, “Me?”

I said, “Of course, you! You’re awesome!” In the typical behavior of an 8-year-old, he left to go find his brother without saying another word. However, I believe, in a small way, I helped Danny see the truth about himself. I helped him get a glimpse of what God sees when he looks at him. This may be one of the greatest gifts we can give our young people.
In my early days of children’s and youth ministry, I was concerned with helping young people learn facts about God. I used curricula that helped young people memorize the books of the Bible, learn about Noah’s Ark and other Old Testament stories, and do mini plays about the feeding of the 5,000 and other highlights from Jesus’ ministry. If I take an honest look at the past, the goal was Bible literacy not intimacy with God.

Bible literacy is not bad, but it should not be the primary goal of any discipleship efforts. It is a means to an end. In the words of the apostle John, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). The verb translated “believe” here gives the sense of belief borne out of trust. In other words, John wrote his Gospel in the hope of guiding people into a trusting relationship with Christ, who is both God and a man, and to realize that he is the source of life. I believe the same should be true of our children’s and youth ministry efforts.

The conversation I had with Danny helped him see God at work in his life. I find this is one of the best ways we can help Jesus feel real to our young people. It sends the message that they are already loved, accepted, chosen, and blessed by the Lord. It also shows them that Jesus is at work in their lives and encourages them to get familiar with his movements. Speaking with Danny did not cost me any money and very little time. Yet, I believe it made an impact — far more of an impact than if I talked with him about David and Goliath. I intend to make similar investments into all of our children and youth.

In the May article, I encouraged us to show our young people where Jesus is through supporting them in serving others. We can also make Jesus more visible to them by helping them see their own Christlikeness. I am convinced that both practices will help our young people “believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,” and have “life in his name.”

Gospel Reverb – The Fullness of God w/ Simon Dent

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Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/GReverb/GR050-SimonDent-TheFullnessOfGod.mp3

Mark 6:1-13 ♦ Eph 1:3-14 ♦ Eph 2:11-22 ♦ Eph 3:14-21

Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/GReverb/GR050-SimonDent-TheFullnessOfGod.mp3


This month our host, Anthony Mullins, is joined by Simon Dent. Together they unpack the July 2024 sermon pericopes. Simon is the lead pastor of the Coromandel Valley Uniting Church (often referred as the CoroUniting Church) near the city of Adelaide, Australia. The Uniting Church believes in God as the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. They believe God is at work, reconciling the whole of creation in Christ and that they are called to be coworkers in that vision.

July 7, 2024 — Proper 9 in Ordinary Time
Mark 6:1-13, “Shake It Off”

July 14, 2024 — Proper 10 in Ordinary Time
Ephesians 1:3-14, “Chosen”

July 21, 2024 — Proper 11 in Ordinary Time
Ephesians 2:11-22, “But Now”

July 28, 2024 — Proper 12 in Ordinary Time
Ephesians 3:14-21, “The Fullness of God”

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Program Transcript

The Fullness of God w/ Simon Dent

Welcome to the Gospel Reverb podcast. Gospel Reverb is an audio gathering for preachers, teachers, and Bible thrill seekers. Each month, our host, Anthony Mullins, will interview a new guest to gain insights and preaching nuggets mined from select passages of Scripture in that month’s Revised Common Lectionary.

The podcast’s passion is to proclaim and boast in Jesus Christ, the one who reveals the heart of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And now onto the episode.

Anthony: Hello friends and welcome to the latest episode of Gospel Reverb. Gospel Reverb is a podcast devoted to bringing you insights from Scripture found in the Revised Common Lectionary and sharing commentary from a Christ-centered and Trinitarian view.

I’m your host, Anthony Mullins, and it’s my joy to welcome our guest, Simon Dent. Simon is the lead pastor of the Coromandel Valley Uniting Church, often referred to as the CoroUniting Church, near the city of Adelaide, Australia. I got connected with Simon through our mutual friend and a previous podcast guest, Jenny Richards. Thanks, Jenny.

The Uniting Church believes in God as the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. They believe God is at work, hallelujah, reconciling the whole of creation in Christ, and that they are called to be coworkers in that vision, and that’s a vision we can all get behind. Simon is married to Carolyn, and they have three daughters, Jessie, Tilly, and Trinity.

Simon, thanks for being with us and welcome to the podcast. And since this is your first time on Gospel Reverb, we’d like to get to know you a little bit, about your story and how you’re joining with Jesus’ work these days.

[00:01:49] Simon Dent: Yeah. Thanks Anthony. It’s great to be with you. And I’ve just really been blessed by listening to the Gospel Reverb episodes in the past.

Yeah, it’s been a wonderful joy for me to share and walk with Jesus as a minister in the Uniting Church. I actually became a believer when I was 21 years old. I grew up in a troubled family and was really seeking to know something of God, the love and the meaning of life.

I basically got loved into the kingdom by a group of people who joined me, asked me to play volleyball with them through the youth group. And I was 21 years old and just drawn into that. And there was a moment when I went to a church camp and the Spirit just pointed me again to Jesus and actually said, “Can’t you just see how much I love you? Just come.”

And I had all sorts of questions I needed to work out. But he said, look, we’ll work on these questions as we go. The main thing is for you to know my love for you. And it just transformed my life, that moment. And from that moment, I just got to join with Jesus in sharing the gospel with people.

And yes, I’ve been doing that for nearly 20 years now in the Uniting Church. And I started off actually as a TV cameraman, so I was doing that for 15 years. So, it’s been quite a changing career. It’s been a great joy for me to do that.

[00:03:26] Anthony Mullins: I’m just fascinated by the way you phrased it: you were loved into the kingdom through volleyball. What a beautiful image, and God is at work in our play, in our work. Hallelujah, praise him! May we all be loved further and further into the kingdom.

All right, let’s do this. We have several lectionary passages we’re going to be discussing today.

Mark 6:1-13, “Shake It Off”

Ephesians 1:3-14, “Chosen”

Ephesians 2:11-22, “But Now”

Ephesians 3:14-21, “The Fullness of God”

The first passage of the month is Mark 6:1-13. I’ll be reading from the New Revised Standard Version, the updated edition. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 9 in Ordinary Time, July 7.

He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown and among their own kin and in their own house.” 5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff: no bread, no bag, no money in their belts, 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Simon, Jesus was on his home turf in Nazareth, and the thought process is that the locals will receive their homegrown prophet, right? And yet, they found him offensive, and as a result, they didn’t experience his power full on.

What should we know and learn from this?

[00:06:13] Simon Dent: I think one of the main things we need to know and learn from this is we just take Jesus on his own terms and not just to look at him through the lens of our own weakness. There’s a phrase we will know: familiarity breeds contempt.

And I think I’m particularly challenged by verse 5, which says, Jesus could not do a deed of power there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and cured them. Man, if we were doing that, we would be pretty amazed, wouldn’t we?

But he was amazed at their unbelief. I think they had such a low expectation of Jesus because they saw him through their own shame. And they desperately needed him not to show up their own weakness. He was one of them. We have this idea that we know what people from Nazareth are like and what they should do.

And to have a guy who stands before them doing these amazing deeds of power with the anointing of the Holy Spirit (as Luke picks up in his version of this story), to proclaim the good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, setting the oppressed free. Oh, absolutely amazing!

But guys from Nazareth don’t do that. And so, his glory, his humanity really showed them up. We probably understand this from my cultural context in Australia. We have a very high value on egalitarianism, but we also have this phenomenon called the tall poppy syndrome. And we basically can tend to criticize or cut down people if they’re too successful, primarily because they show the rest of us up.

We don’t like being shown up by their success. I went to high school, and we had a nine-year-old who was doing year 12 maths. And he was this amazing guy. And man, did I look dumb next to him in terms of maths ability.

So, I think the beauty of Jesus’ humanity here really showed the ugliness of theirs, and they had a real problem with that. And they couldn’t see that, like all of us, they’ve got two choices. They can either give themselves to his beauty, to his grace, by him taking them in all of their brokenness. Or they could just push Jesus away. And they either see Jesus through the lens of their own failure, or they try and take him from his own word as to who he is.

The apostle Paul talks about the offense of the cross. I think the similar thing is going on here. If we live in the denial of our corruption or our need for God to remake humanity in Jesus’ death, then his death is going to be an offense and a good reason, ultimately, for us to reject Jesus. The writer of Hebrews in chapter 2 says, “He had to become like us, his brothers and sisters, in every respect, so that he might become the merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of people.” [verse 17]

So yes, we can see familiarity can breed contempt, but familiarity saves us. And thank God that Christ has become one with us. And his kindness and his knowledge of our humanity, his familiarity, what it meant to be human and his death on the cross — in all of that, leads us to repentance and a change of mind about who Jesus is.

Romans 2 also says, “Do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” [verse 4] What might we hear in this? I think we need to hear something in terms of our expectations of what Jesus can do amongst us.

That we take Jesus on his own terms and not just look at him through the lens of our own powerless humanity. And in many ways, just start seeing him as he is. And allow our expectations to rise as what Jesus might actually do through us and in the world as we just see him, rather than just see him through the lens of our own human brokenness.

[00:11:02] Anthony Mullins: Well said. Can anything good come out of Nazareth, right? The very best thing can. And I can remember feeling as a young kid, because I came from a small town in the hills of Kentucky, feeling less than. But what matters is the power and presence of God at work in the lives of people, regardless of where we’re from.

And I tell you what, it’s a sport over here, Simon, where we love to build people up, but we love just as much, maybe even more lustily, to tear them down. And you’ve pointed out that was at work here in this passage.

Simon, Jesus told his disciples to shake off the dust as a way of showing that their testimony, the good news wasn’t received. And as I was thinking about this, I thought of the contrast of Jesus, who is the embodiment, the fullness of good news, when he spoke the words of forgiveness from the cross, he wasn’t received by his own. So, in thinking of that, help us understand and maybe reconcile, as it were, the difference and how it impacts our participation in God’s mission to the world.

[00:12:16] Simon Dent: Yeah. Because the question behind that is, will Jesus dust off his feet to me, in a sense, if someone’s not [inaudible]. And so, I think we really need to make a distinction between who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for the whole world in his death and resurrection, and ultimately what the disciples are called to do as witnesses and proclaimers of what Jesus has done.

I don’t think we are saying here that Jesus is going to see anybody in the world and say, you are the ones that I’ll accept, and you are the ones I won’t, because before the foundation of the world he died for us. None of us are worthy of God’s mercy and grace. It was just his pure unadulterated love for all sinners in the world.

So that Jesus’ own reality to the people, those who receive him, those who reject him is not a sign necessarily of his love or what he’s done for them on the cross.

So, I think what Jesus is ultimately saying in that phrase (if they don’t receive you, dust wipe the dust off your feet), he’s basically saying to the disciples, just this is a warning for them. It’s, in some ways, a symbol for them that they’ve got to put their faith and their hope in Christ because they can’t save themselves according to their own efforts.

But it’s also to the disciples to recognize your own responsibility and what is actually possible for you. What are the limits of what you can actually achieve?

I was really helped some years ago by a book by Andrew Purves, The Crucifixion of Ministry. You may have read it. One of the things that’s so profound from there is as soon as I take up my ministry as my ministry Jesus will gladly crucify us on that. It’s a mercy where he says, no, it all belongs to me.

And sometimes we can look at our friends and we can — even every Sunday when I get up and I start preaching the gospel, I think this is amazing. Everybody’s just going to bow down and worship God and hear this. And often there’s just dull faces where, yeah, we heard this before.

And I sometimes think, man, if I know I could take the power of the Spirit that is in Christ and allow people to see these things and their lives is suddenly going to change. And I just realized there are limits as to what I ultimately can do.

I think what Jesus is saying here. When you’re going into a town and you’re sharing the good news of the gospel, and people are not responding. And it might even be a close friend of ours, that we’re just sharing about Jesus, and they’re just not responding. We have no reason why they are not responding, reacting in the way that we’ve reacted to that. So, Jesus is actually saying move on.

There are other people who do actually welcome that, and don’t spend all of your time and your energy in some ways, trying to do something which in your own strength are not going to be able to do, but turn around. There’s maybe somebody else in that town or that community that’s really going to respond to the gospel.

And Luke calls these people the persons of, the people of peace, people in some ways who God has already prepared to receive the gospel. Bring that word to them. And ultimately, we’ll leave everybody in the hands of God here. God is a God of mercy and grace, but for those of us who are called to bear witness to the gospel amongst our friends and in our families, realize that we can’t raise the dead. But we’re called to proclaim the wonders of Christ.

And if some people are closing their eyes to that, it doesn’t mean we stop loving them, or we stop praying for them. But it does mean don’t get so uptight as though somehow, it’s up to us to try and bring salvation to these people. Move on to others who may actually be more responsive to the gospel.

[00:16:25] Anthony Mullins: Yeah. Go with those that want to go with you. And likewise, and I love what you said about the book from Purves, Crucifixion of Ministry. And another way I see that at work, you mentioned when you preach a good one, you think everybody’s going to receive this.

But on the flip side of that, I’ve given some real stinkers of sermons thinking, oh, I’ve just let everyone down. And that’s when people respond. It’s just an extraordinarily humiliating, but in the most positive way, thing to realize it’s Christ’s ministry. It’s not mine. His good purposes are going to prevail with or without me, but he chooses to do it with me.

Hallelujah. Praise God.

[00:17:10] Simon Dent: That’s brilliant. So good to know that Jesus is the one in control of his ministry and his love. And he invites us into that amazing gift of what he’s actually already doing. And just to put our trust and our hope in that means you can have a dud of a sermon or an amazing sermon, that ultimately doesn’t really matter because Christ is at work.

[00:17:34] Anthony Mullins: Yes, Simon, it allows you to exhale. And just be like, ah the pressure’s off. There is a response ability by the Spirit, if you will, we can respond to what God is doing, but that’s it. He’s already at work. So, Lord, give us eyes to see what you’re doing and the courage just to join in with our whole hearts.

Let’s pivot to our next passage of the month. It’s Ephesians 1:3-14. It is the Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 10 and Ordinary Time on July 14. Simon, would you read it for us, please?

[00:18:18] Simon Dent: Love to.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

[00:20:00] Anthony Mullins: Whew, man that’s some full-on good news right there. I tell you what, this pericope is a theological tour de force. So, I want to give you a few minutes here just to riff on the good news contained within. So, preach, preacher. Let us hear it.

[00:20:22] Simon Dent: When you gave me this passage, I was thinking, Oh man, this is brilliant, what a great passage to talk about.

And then I thought five seconds later, man, how can I ever do this justice? It is such a vision of the amazing grace of God that’s come to us in Jesus Christ. And the drawing in of us by the Father in all that Christ is in his relationship in the power of the Spirit. And it’s just a beautiful gift for those of us who don’t deserve such an amazing thing. And yet it is God’s heart and is God’s love upon us, which flows out of this.

One of the things that we’re preaching and teaching on a text like this — it’s so easy for us to pull out the component parts and somehow lose the fact that this is really just an overflow of Paul’s heart. It’s an expression of worship and praise to God, as God has revealed all that he has done in Christ. And we just need to join with him [Paul] in praise, in some ways.

And the challenge is trying to hold onto the fact that — maybe it’s not a challenge — actually the joy of this is that we get to hold on to the great joy of this relationship that God has given to us in Christ. It’s so big and in some ways, you have — how do we even start with this? But I’ll have a go.

One of the key echoes in all of this is that we are in Christ. We are joined together in the relationship that Jesus himself has with his Father through the power of the Spirit. And that’s staggering and wonderful. And Paul goes into some theological depth as to what ultimately that means.

One of the key words in the very first passage — of verse 3, sorry, speaks of “bless” three times. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. The word there for bless is eulogetos, and it’s the word that we get eulogy from — a eulogy at a funeral where you speak words of praise to the dead loved one who’s just passed.

And so, he uses this word as the blessing or the praises from us towards God, praising God for all that he’s done. But the second time, the same word of bless is used actually from the Father, that the father has blessed us, or in some ways, the Father has eulogized us in Christ.

In other words, the word that Jesus says that the Father says about us is a word of God’s praise. Because we’re actually in Christ. What I mean by that is God has eulogized or spoken a good word about us. God has noticed us. He said something about us. And we all desire to be noticed and loved and what a blessing that is.

And God speaks that good word to us. And the word that he’s spoken is the word of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1 says, “Long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days, he’s spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things.” [verse 1]

So, Jesus is the good word, the word of praise, the word of joy, that the Father actually speaks about us, speaks to us. Every spiritual blessing in Christ, every good thing that can be said in heaven, we have in Christ. His relationship with the Father, his dynamic of love and the Holy Spirit, the freedom that he has, freedom from our own sin and our own brokenness, all of that has actually been given to us in Jesus Christ.

That’s what ultimately that blessing is for each of us. It is incomprehensible, but it’s true. Particularly when we’re so aware of our own sin and our shame this is an amazing grace, but it is all a part of a plan, as Paul says. And the plan says for the fullness of time to gather all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

So, when you get up, you look around the world, you look at yourself in the mirror, you look at our churches, our families, we say God’s got a plan. He’s going to gather all of this up in Christ. And that’s ultimately where our hope is. And I think that’s part of the expression of life and joy that Paul expresses here.

So, it’s like he chose us even before the foundation of the world. So, we don’t think of ourselves according to our behavior, whether we think ourselves too highly so that God’s chosen me because I’ve done all the good things, or that God’s rejected me because I’m a bad person and therefore I wasn’t chosen.

Before the creation of the world, Christ was chosen, and we were chosen in him to be holy and blameless. And this idea of holy and blameless is set apart relationally in love. It’s not just about morality. It’s not just about doing good or doing the right thing. Although that’s certainly very much a part of it, but it is primarily about relationship. That God has drawn us into this relationship of love, and everything is removed. All unholiness is removed because we are set apart to be in relationship with the Father. And that was his plan before the foundation of the world. And it goes on, so much more — destined us for adoption as his children according to his good pleasure. I love, all through this, you get these moments where Paul is expressing: God has not done this begrudgingly.

He’s not just saying, oh, I’m a good God; it’s my job to save these people. I will say, this is according to his will and his good pleasure. He’s chosen us. And so, what a joy that is to be delighted in and chosen. And that word adoption, it’s just a beautiful family word: given full rights of sons and daughters in Christ.

And yeah, just a great gift of all that we have in Christ: redemption through his blood; that gift of being saved and healed in the death of Christ; the forgiveness of our sins. And again, it’s according to the riches of grace that he lavished on us. It wasn’t under compulsion that God forgave us. It was because of the riches of his grace.

And that word lavished — I just think of eating too much cream on a bun or something like that. It’s a lot of — an overflow of his love. And with that, he doesn’t just save us, but he’s included us into his own knowledge of that will and purpose and plan.

We read in other places where we’ve been given the mind of Christ in that. So, we become full participants really, on the knowledge of God in all of this. In Jeremiah, we read:

“No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.” [Jeremiah 31:34]

Yeah, we’ve been drawn not only into this relationship, he’s revealed not only himself and his love, but also his plan to gather all things up together in Christ. And finally — sorry, there’s so much here, isn’t there?

And finally, I’ll just say, all of this, ultimately, is for the praise of God’s glory. And say, what does that ultimately mean? It means as partners together with Jesus Christ, as participants in the divine triune life, being adopted as sons and daughters in Christ, we therefore become eulogizers of God so that many others may hear the good news of the gospel and be sealed by that down payment of our Holy Spirit.

To be eulogizers of God so that others may also be sealed with the down payment of our inheritance, the Holy Spirit. So it is all, great grace and love and that calling to bring glory to God is participating in that good work of bringing everything together in Christ (as Christ is doing it), by speaking good words about who God is and what God has done for us, because God has spoken a good word about us in Christ.

[00:29:17] Anthony Mullins: Yes. Thanks be to God that he is not reluctant in his salvation, that Jesus was not a reluctant Savior. But for the joy set before him, he went to the cross. And we know the atonement is just part of salvation, but it’s a significant part. And we’re so grateful for the words contained in it.

It’s almost like Paul is just bursting at the seams with good news. And it’s hard to contain the words in such a brief passage. And you pointed us to verse 4. God chooses us in Christ, the Father chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, which tells us something about us. But I think more importantly, it tells us something about the chooser, the God who chooses.

And that brings me to the next question I want to ask you. It just seems to me, Simon, that the big “C” church, the global church, has really emphasized the doctrine of justification. And thanks be to God that we are justified, right? But on some level, we have therefore de-emphasized or not emphasized our adoption as children through Jesus Christ.

And you alluded to it’s a beautiful familial term. So, is that a fair assessment? And if so, why should adoption take more, let’s say homiletic prominence in our churches?

[00:30:39] Simon Dent: Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that. And yes, I think the emphasis has been largely on justification and maybe not enough on adoption, partly because we see, again, perspective from our own views of what is needed. We see the glory of God. We read the Old Testament, and we see how God has provided means of justification for the Old Testament people through the sacrifices.

We read the New Testament. We see such amount of time given to the death of Christ on the cross — that is usually the pinnacle moment of our story. And yet, so little time really [given] to the resurrection and life beyond that. I think what Paul has given in this opening passage of Ephesians is, in some ways, a step back and actually see the ultimate purpose and the plan for what [inaudible].

And the plan actually is adoption. The plan is that they would be — that the whole world would be justified. That we can actually be in relationship with the Father and enjoy the joy that God himself enjoys as Father, Son, and Spirit in this dynamic of love and joy and all of that. It’s something that God wants us to participate in.

I think for a lot of us, we see through the lens of our own sin and our shame and our brokenness. And we look to the solution, and we see here on the cross is solution. And in many ways, some of our preaching has been about how do we get people to come to this moment of faith where they can put their trust in the fact that their sins are forgiven, and they’re brought into relationship with God.

And yet we fail in some ways to see what that life ultimately means, which is adoption and joy and delight. And maybe that’s one of the reasons why we haven’t emphasized adoption much because we feel as though we’ve got to get to the problem. Let’s get people saved rather than recognizing Christ has saved us.

Let’s just walk in the joy of what that means. And the more we can walk in joy, the more beautiful our proclamation ultimately will be about justification.

[00:33:02] Anthony Mullins: Well said, sir. Thank you.

Let’s pivot to our next passage of the month. It’s Ephesians 2:11-22. It’s the Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 11 in Ordinary Time, which is July the 21. And it reads:

So then, remember that at one time you gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision”—a circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, 15 abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. 17 So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 18 for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone; 21 in him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

Simon, for me, the two words “but now” are two of my favorite words in the entire New Testament, because it links what was to what is the reality in Christ. And verse 13 is one of those, “but now” bridges. Would you tell us about it, please?

[00:35:14] Simon Dent: Yeah, it’s a beautiful picture of looking back seeing what was, but looking who we are now in Christ.

I think of Karl Barth’s, “nevertheless of God’s faithfulness,” here. All that we can see about ourselves, all of our sin, all the ways in which we are not ultimately what we’ve wanted to be. And yet we hear that great word of “nevertheless.” You’re mine. I’ve chosen you. I’ve loved you. And I will do what I need to do to make sure that you are restored and renewed and brought into fellowship with me.

And so we just see all of the “was”’s there as well: dead in transgressions and sins (earlier in chapter 2), enslaved to the lusts and the desires of the flesh; deserving of God’s wrath; separated from God’s covenant people; outsiders of the promises given to Abraham without the fulfillment of the covenant in Christ, or not knowing that; aliens without hope and without God.

And then, but now we have that moment. Once we were far away, now we’ve been brought near by the blood of Christ. We’ve been raised up with Christ by grace, not by works, but just by his amazing grace. And now we’ve been given good works to do. So not only have we been saved and brought into this relationship, we participate by the Spirit in what God is doing.

And ultimately that means that we have peace, deep peace with God, but ultimately that calling of peace to one another where what separated us has been broken in the death of Christ. And ultimately that’s the wall of our judgment of each other, according to the law.

But we’ve all been judged in the death of Christ now. And we’ve been justified in his resurrection. And so that’s the peace we have with God. Therefore, we see each of us on the same plane in that. And the calling then is to walk in peace with one another.

[00:37:33] Anthony Mullins: Verse 14 tells us that Jesus himself is our peace. And we read about, as you just talked about, this one new humanity, the dividing wall of hostility has been crushed in Christ. As I look about me, there’s wars, ideological differences, sectarian strife, suspicion of neighbor and nations, political rancor, and just a general lack of respect and civility for the other.

One new humanity living in peace and reconciliation, it can seem like it’s pixie dust or a fairytale instead of Christological truth. And yet we trust that scripture is pointing us to the truth. So, tell us about that. What’s going on? And what do we do in light of this gospel proclamation?

[00:38:27] Simon Dent: Yeah, I think we live in the now and not yet, where all of this is true about us. And yet our own minds still need to be further transformed by the Spirit so that what is ultimately true about us can be something that is demonstrated in a way that we live and accept one another.

In many ways, you look at the world and you see everybody is either ruled in or ruled out according to some kind of law, whatever that might be — a way of seeking to have power over others. But the reality of what Christ has done in actually coming and saving sinners, lifting them up to, be adopted in Christ and to know the joy of the Father, and therefore be those who demonstrate peace is something that takes a while for our brains and our hearts and our minds to really understand.

And so, we continue to go back to the gospel, we continue to hear this truth, we continue to listen to podcasts like yours, so that the Spirit can take what is true to that reality, bring peace to our own hearts. When we have peace in our own hearts, then we can extend that peace to one another.

But yeah, you look at the world and this vision of union, even within churches and within our own families, even in ourselves, when we look at the mirror, this is not ultimately what I see, but we live in hope.

And the hope is there is an objective reality that’s happened to us in Christ. And if we fix our minds on that, fix our minds on him, the author and the perfecter of our faith, we find that the Holy Spirit does bring us a deeper freedom in that. So, we are enabled to deal with issues, face the difficulties that separate people, and seek to bring a word of peace in that situation.

But it is a vision for really the end of time as well. Ultimately, we long for that day when Christ will actually put an end to all types of division with people. And that is the day that’s coming.

[00:40:41] Anthony Mullins: Hallelujah. Praise God that it is, and we do long for it.

And I appreciated what you said about, I’m talking about what I see about me on the exterior, but you also identified this warring is going on internally that way. I want to believe; I am a believer, but help me in my unbelief, Lord.

And I think of what Bart said, “I was, and I am the old man. I am and will be the new man.” There is still this tension as we long for the not yet aspect. Yeah.

[00:41:18] Simon Dent: Yeah. Amen. And that gives us hope, doesn’t it? To make sure that there is a not yet, means that you can look at this world and actually say, but the yet, it’s coming.

[00:41:31] Anthony Mullins: Amen. We’re in the home stretch.

We’re moving to our final pericope of the month. It’s Ephesians 3:14-21. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 12 and Ordinary Time, which falls on July 28. Simon, we’d be grateful if you’d read it.

[00:41:49] Simon Dent:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

[00:42:47] Anthony Mullins: I want to read that again. “He is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can dare ask or imagine.”

And I’ve got a pretty vivid imagination, Simon, but that’s astonishing that this is the God who we’re in relationship with. Verse 19 gives a prayerful statement from Paul that all would know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. And a little insight on me, my faith tradition as a youth held up knowledge, especially biblical knowledge, as the pinnacle of Christian life.

For those in our listening audience who may have had a similar experience as the one I described, share with us how the love of Christ is superior to the factual comprehension of the scriptures.

[00:43:38] Simon Dent: Yeah. It’s not to deny that knowledge and having good information about Christian faith, about who God, is not important. We read in Proverbs that call, “Get wisdom, get understanding.”

But we see that it’s a problem that has happened throughout history. We see that in Jesus’ own reaction with the Pharisees. In John 5, he speaks to the Pharisees and said, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think in them that you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.” [verse 39]

So, Jesus is clearly saying the scriptures don’t actually have the eternal life. I am eternal life, and these scriptures actually testify about me, and you need to come to me to actually experience eternal life. One of the problems about a community that’s so focused on knowledge is that relationally you can tend to rule people in or out according to whether they fit within your particular understanding of what you’ve gained.

I was once in a community that was all about preaching the grace of the gospel. And often what they taught was just so beautiful and life-giving, it made your heart sing. But I never really felt safe amongst those people, in case, I suddenly maybe had a slightly different take on something that was in some ways the accepted norm.

And it just made me realize maybe even in preaching the good news of the gospel and understand the good news of the gospel, we can, in some ways, rule people in or out because we are trusting more in our knowledge and our understanding and our theology — of getting it all right rather than actually allowing that theology to actually lead us to Jesus Christ and his expansive beauty that embraces us all, that gives us the freedom to maybe explore a little, play a little with our understandings of the scriptures without that sense of necessarily being ruled in or out because we haven’t actually got it right.

So yeah, unless knowledge leads us to a relationship with God, then it’s not the knowledge that comes from the Spirit.

[00:45:59] Anthony Mullins: That’s right. If theology or understanding of God and the scriptures, they don’t lead us to worship, something’s wrong. If they don’t lead us to love, something’s amiss, right?

[00:46:10] Simon Dent: Yeah, that’s right. That’s right. And it’s not just love for God. It’s ultimately that love for one another and expansive openness towards one another as well.

And I think in the tradition that I grew up, there was very much a lot of love for God, but there were barriers, and we were wary about other people, particularly people who might think a little bit differently. So, it didn’t necessarily lead us out to that love of one another.

[00:46:35] Anthony Mullins: Yeah, that’s so well said.

I’ve met people (and I’ve done this on some level myself) where because the scriptures were held up as the pinnacle and knowledge of them — and again, like you so well stated, we need to know the scriptures for sure, because they do point us to Jesus — but I’ve known people that had spent hours and hours studying their Bible every day, but they didn’t allow the Bible to study them.

And what I mean by that is to examine their lives, to call them to have an unction to go out and love their neighbor. This has got to get expressed somehow to your fellow brother and sister. And if it doesn’t, then again, we need to go back and allow the word to examine us, as we read the written word for sure.

Simon, as a final request before we end our podcast episode. I’m just going to ask you to share how you’ve personally experienced the gospel glory that God is able to accomplish abundantly more than you could ask or imagine.

[00:47:38] Simon Dent: This is a very special verse for me because it was a verse that I shared at my wedding day, when I looked at my beautiful wife. And I just was thinking, man, who am I to be blessed in such a way to have such a beautiful person to journey life with?

And I was just struck by this first that God knows us and gives us more than we ever ask or imagine. And so that was a joy for me, particularly for me coming from a family where there was a fair bit of dysfunction. There was love there for us, but I grew up as a child feeling pretty insecure and unsafe because there was a bit of violence in our family.

And to be brought into a place, a home, if you like, where you’re actually deeply free and loved and accepted as you are and delighted in (as the first few verses of Ephesians tell us), it’s quite transforming.

I used to be a TV cameraman and before I was a believer, I had this desire of actually being a news correspondent where I’d travel the world and do all these amazing things. And my whole identity was really built up in my success. When I became a believer in Christ and I discovered Christ’s love for me, I said, I don’t really want to do any of that. I just want to give my life completely to Jesus and do whatever Jesus wants to do, because this is the most amazing news for me.

And basically, the job that I had finished up, so I started going to look for some freelance work and I knocked on the door of one company that was making videos. I had no idea about this, [inaudible] some videos for Christian mission organizations overseas. So, I traveled for five and a half years with this company making prayer videos, promotional videos for mission organizations based overseas, and traveled to 75 different countries.

And it was as though Christ had given that desire that I had before I knew him to travel the world, and he just magnified it and used it for his glory. And that was beyond what I asked or imagined. I thought I was just giving it up, but he actually just provided such a way that I could just use my gifts and serve him and love him.

The very final thing I’ll say on that, and this is a special story for me. From that moment, I felt the call of God to be a pastor. Other people fed into my life and communicated that. We have a number of processes to be ordained in the Uniting Church. And I was at one of the last processes where I was going to sit before the panel that would make a decision as to whether I would go through or not.

And I was at a church near the bush, and I was just walking around in the bush beforehand. It was quite early, and I was full of concern. I said, oh Lord, are you actually calling me to this? I want to say, I don’t think I’m able to do all of this.

And as I was walking through there, I was in the bush and I said, oh, Lord, I’d love to see a koala. It was just this side point. And as I was walking through there, I saw a koala going up in a tree. I said, oh Lord, that’s fantastic. Thank you for that.

And then I turned around. Seriously. Three seconds later, there’s another koala in the tree there. Oh, wow. That’s cool. Four steps down the track — this has seriously happened — a mother koala with a baby on its back walked across the path in front of me and then up the tree. And I suddenly just took that as a word. This wasn’t just something that was happening.

This is God saying, this is my call for you. I’m going to provide for you. But more than that, I’m going to provide for you abundantly, give you more than what you ask or imagine.

And I went into that process with a deep confidence of God’s calling for me in this ministry. But more than that, his own provision for me to do what he’s calling me to do. So, a great grace.

[00:51:45] Anthony Mullins: I’m so thankful you shared that. What a beautiful expression of the goodness of God, the tenderness of God, the closeness of God.

And it points us to the reality of the incarnation that God comes and meets us. It’s like a friend of mine says, he didn’t just write us a letter. He paid us a visit. He shows up even in the bush, right?

[00:52:06] Simon Dent: Yeah, that’s right.

[00:52:08] Anthony Mullins: In burning bushes and in the bush in Australia, he shows up. And oh, thank you.

Thank you. That was just a fitting way to close this podcast. I’m so glad you joined us, Simon. It’s a joy. We have never met personally, but I hope our paths will cross one day and that would be so lovely.

And I want to remind our friends that are listening: Jesus Christ is the sermon God is preaching. So, let’s keep listening to him. Let’s keep pointing to him and let’s keep heralding the good news of his gospel.

I want to thank Simon. This was so sweet. I also want to thank our team because this podcast couldn’t happen without the likes of Reuel Enerio, our producer and our digital content creator, and also my beautiful wife, Elizabeth, who does the transcription, so you can read every word that Simon has said.

Thanks again, Simon. We’re so grateful. And as is tradition, we’d like to close with a word of prayer. So, would you please pray for us?

[00:53:09] Simon Dent: Yeah, I’d love to. Thank you, Anthony.

Father, we bless you. We thank you, Lord, for the revelation that you’ve given to us, that you have loved us in your son, Jesus Christ. And more than that, Lord, you have joined us in him, into this amazing dynamic relationship of peace and joy. You’ve granted us the gift of your Spirit, so Lord that we may know you, but also Lord that we may walk with you in the world.

And Lord for all of those who are listening to this, those who are preparing to teach on these passages, we ask Lord that they may know in the depths of their being that you are the one who has called them, you are the one that has adopted them into your family. And Lord, that you’re the one that’s given them the gifts of the Spirit so that others also may hear and have the types of experience that Paul himself had.

And Lord, we bless you for your amazing goodness to us. Bless all of those who are listening, those who are teaching and leading. And we pray, Father, for great fruitfulness from all that they do through the work of your Spirit. In Jesus’ name and we pray. Amen.

Thank you for being a guest of Gospel Reverb. If you like what you heard, give us a high rating, and review us on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast content. Share this episode with a friend. It really does help us get the word out as we are just getting started. Join us next month for a new show and insights from the RCL. Until then, peace be with you!

Sermon for July 7, 2024 – Proper 9

Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWFUY24FxrA

Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/SpOL/SpOL3032-MF-Watching-and-Waiting.mp3

Welcome to this week's episode, a special rerun from our Speaking of Life archive. We hope you find its timeless message as meaningful today as it was when it was first shared.

Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWFUY24FxrA

Program Transcript

Speaking Of Life 3032 | Watching and Waiting
Michelle Fleming

If you’ve ever had the chance to eat at a fine restaurant, you may have noticed the wait staff is very particular about how your food is brought to you and how the empty dishes are taken away. Most formal restaurants train their wait staff how to serve, which includes never reaching across in front of a guest. Servers are taught to serve the food from the guest’s left side, making sure the part of the plate with the protein is facing the guest. Plates are removed from the right side of a guest. Your server may have even taken a moment to remove breadcrumbs from the table in between courses. The wait staff stands and watches, alert to when a guest might need another beverage or something to make their experience more enjoyable.

Most of us don’t observe other people that closely. Unless we’re a server at a fine restaurant, we don’t often pick up on subtle cues that other people give us. It’s easy to miss out on the feedback and wisdom others might give to help us navigate life better. Sometimes we miss out on opportunities to do good to others. This pattern of not paying attention can also carry over into our relationship with God. But Psalm 123 gives us a solution:

To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
until he has mercy upon us.
Psalm 123:1-2 (NRSV)

Paying attention to what God is doing and where God is working is much like developing the attention of a fine restaurant’s wait staff. Our antennae are up, and we’re noticing the opportunities and difficulties that come across our paths. We’re in constant conversation with God about what’s happening around us, ready to participate with what he is doing.

When the Psalmist says “our eyes look to the Lord,” he is not talking about always looking heavenward, but looking around so we can see what God is doing in the lives of people around us. When we see those around us, we can join God in loving them as he does. That’s what Jesus did. He didn’t have to go looking for people to heal or sinners to encourage; he lived his life with full awareness, paying attention to the needs around him and responding with love when the opportunity arose.

Jesus invites us to join him by learning to pay attention to others. Like a fine restaurant’s wait staff, when we are in tune with the needs of others, we find ways to share God’s love with them. By figuring out how we can best love those God brings across our paths, we develop the attention and awareness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at work in our lives.

May you be ever watchful, looking for those opportunities to do good to someone else and showing the love of the Triune God.

I’m Michelle Fleming, Speaking of Life.

Psalm 48:1-14 • 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 • 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 • Mark 6:1-13

This week’s theme is when God comes near. In our call to worship Psalm, praise is given to the God who dwells in Zion. 2 Samuel recounts David’s anointing as king and links his greatness to the God of hosts presence with him. In our reading from 2 Corinthians, Paul learns of the sufficiency of God’s grace where Christ’s strength comes to dwell in our weaknesses. The Gospel reading from Mark recounts Jesus’ rejection from his hometown, followed by Jesus sending out his disciples to find a receptive hearing of the gospel.

At Home with Jesus

Mark 6:1-13 ESV

Today we have two sections of scripture that at first glance may seem to have nothing to do with each other. Some may argue that we should have two sermons, one for each. But that is not how Mark has structured it, so we are tasked to find how they fit together. As we do, what will emerge is how we are to be at home with Jesus. In other words, we are looking to see what is a fitting posture of being in Jesus’ presence. If he is who he says he is, we cannot relate to him in the same way we relate to anyone else. So, towards this end, we will cover each section in turn, and in the end, note the overall connection they have.

Let’s start with the first section as a whole:

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. (Mark 6:1-6 ESV)

In this section, we find that Jesus is back at home with his relatives, but clearly his relatives are not at home with Jesus. Surprisingly, those we would assume would be the most receptive of Jesus’ words are the ones who reject him. They were “astonished” not at his words or works, but that they came from Jesus, the one who grew up in the neighborhood. It seems the obstacle for them receiving Jesus’ teaching was the fact that they thought they knew who he was. In their “astonished” state, they asked a “where,” a “what,” and a “how” question, but never honestly asked a “who” question. For them, that question was settled. Jesus was one of them. Moreover, the way the folks of his hometown asked, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary” is an especially derogatory remark.

To exclude any reference to Joseph would have been an intentional slight and insult in Jewish society. It may be that this is a reference to Jesus’ apparent “illegitimate” conception. (The other gospel writers asked if Jesus was the son of the carpenter, Joseph (Matthew 13:55 and Luke 4:22), but Mark chose to include this question about Jesus’ lineage from his mother to fit Mark’s purpose of his gospel of describing Jesus as fully human with all the humiliating innuendos incurred by his chosen humanity.) It seems that the ears of these town folk are more attuned to the local gossip than the words of Jesus. Like being fixated on current news outlets, some would rather hear bad news over good news, whether they know it’s true or not. These folks would rather hold to their own conclusions about who Jesus was rather than trust Jesus’ own words to them.

One observation in two of their questions may shed some light on their hesitancy to accept Jesus for who he is. They ask, “Where did this man get these things?” and “What is the wisdom given to him?” Both questions are aimed at the source of Jesus’ teachings. They know Jesus is getting his words from somewhere, but they don’t know where. But since they are so astonished at his teaching it is safe to say they know where he didn’t get his teachings. He clearly didn’t get it from his hometown. There is no claim the locals can make on Jesus’ rise to fame. They can’t sit back and say, “That’s my boy, I taught him everything he knows.”

Since Jesus didn’t receive his teachings from them, they were not about to receive anything from Jesus. It seems they were not in a posture to receive. In fact, Mark lets us know that they “took offense at him.” It seems their pride is offended. And is that not what keeps us from receiving Jesus’ words also? Do we also get offended when Jesus teaches something that is foreign to anything we would teach? Who does Jesus think he is, God or something? Maybe we think Jesus should check with us before he opens his mouth. After all, we know what’s really true. We got the nitty gritty down at the water cooler.

While we are at it, we should analyze their third question, “How are such mighty works done by his hands?” This is a question of challenge. If we don’t know “how” mighty works are done, then our trust in him remains questionable. This question seems to claim that Jesus needs to prove or explain himself to his hometown. “How” questions give us a sense of control. If we know how something works, then we can control it. In this way, his hometown does not have to trust in Jesus’ works. They can remain as judge over him, regardless of what he does. Ultimately, all three questions serve as a rejection of who Jesus is as the Word of God. They can’t receive anything he has to offer.

As a result of their rejection of Jesus, on his return trip home, Jesus only has a few descriptive words to share with them. Basically, know-it-alls can’t receive what they don’t know. Also, Mark lets us know that Jesus “could do no mighty work there,” except for a few healings of sick people. That may be a clue also to what was hindering everyone else. Sickness has a way of making you more receptive to the words of another than does vibrant health. It’s the “healthy” that see no need to rely on another. Sickness is usually a guard against self-sufficiency.

In the end, Jesus’ lack of “mighty work” in his hometown is not Jesus rejecting Nazareth, it is a consequence of Nazareth rejecting Jesus. Their rejection was on account of their unbelief. Jesus even “marveled” at their unbelief. Jesus’ hometown could not trust Jesus was who he said he was. They couldn’t trust in his words or his works. That is an unbelief that handcuffs you from receiving from the Lord. You won’t receive from one you don’t trust. However, Jesus is the one who receives all things from his Father—his words and his works. He does nothing on his own. He trusts the Father in all things, and therefore, receives all things from him.

In this way, Jesus shows us in his own posture with the Father how we are to be at home with Jesus. We are to be receivers of his grace. We are to trust him and thereby receive his words and work in our lives. The best way to be at home with a giver is to be a receiver. The best way to be at home with someone who is trustworthy is to trust. When Jesus’ hometown rejected Jesus, they were in a very real way rejecting home. Jesus is where we belong and in him there is healing and words of life. We reject him at our own peril. Notice that Nazareth’s rejection did not prevent Jesus from continuing to teach. Mark concludes the episode with, “And he went about among the villages teaching.” He is among the village you find yourself in today, in this moment, hearing his teaching. He is seeking those who will receive him. He is calling you to trust him. In this trust, you too can receive the healing words of life he gives.

Now that we have established the posture that is fitting to be at home with Jesus and his Father, we can probably more readily see why Mark connects this second section of our reading.

Let’s take a look:

And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. (Mark 6:7-13 ESV)

Jesus is sending out the twelve to do the very thing he has been doing, proclaiming the gospel in word and deed. And they are not to go out and do this in their own power. Jesus gives them authority to do so. So, the first thing Jesus does is to give the twelve something to receive. That’s the posture that launches them into ministry. And so it is with us. We can only give what we first receive. Today we are reading from Mark’s Gospel because he was one of the twelve who received the words of Christ and passed them on to us to receive as well. This story certainly alludes to that future ministry of the early church.

Notice how the posture of trusting and receiving is echoed in Jesus’ charge to the disciples. They are to take nothing except a staff. They are not to rely on providing their own food or money or bags to carry such things. This puts them in a posture of receiving every step of the way of their journey. Interestingly, the one thing he does allow them to take is a staff. Perhaps that serves to remind them every step of the way that they are to lean on something other than their own strength. The Lord will be their staff.

Also, the twelve are told to respond in much the same way Jesus did in his hometown upon being rejected. Jesus tells them that if any “will not receive you,” move on and don’t even take the weight of their dust with you. Don’t let your own pride turn their rejection into a hindrance to sharing the good news. Go search for those who are in a posture to receive. Otherwise, you are simply wasting your time. As a result of receiving Jesus’ charge, “they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.” I think Mark worked in the word “many” twice on purpose. There are many the Father has made ready to receive the gospel. It is to those whom we go, not the ones who are not yet ready to hear the gospel. As we go, we go as receivers of God’s grace, trusting him all the way. If we are rejected, oh well, that is the one thing we don’t have to receive.

Simon Dent—Year B Proper 9

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Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/GReverb/GR050-SimonDent-TheFullnessOfGod-W1.mp3

Mark 6:1-13

 

Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/GReverb/GR050-SimonDent-TheFullnessOfGod-W1.mp3

July 7, 2024
Mark 6:1-13, “Shake It Off”

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Program Transcript

The Fullness of God w/ Simon Dent W1

Anthony: The first passage of the month is Mark 6:1-13. I’ll be reading from the New Revised Standard Version, the updated edition. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 9 in Ordinary Time, July 7.

He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown and among their own kin and in their own house.” 5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff: no bread, no bag, no money in their belts, 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Simon, Jesus was on his home turf in Nazareth, and the thought process is that the locals will receive their homegrown prophet, right? And yet, they found him offensive, and as a result, they didn’t experience his power full on.

What should we know and learn from this?

Simon Dent: I think one of the main things we need to know and learn from this is we just take Jesus on his own terms and not just to look at him through the lens of our own weakness. There’s a phrase we will know: familiarity breeds contempt.

And I think I’m particularly challenged by verse 5, which says, Jesus could not do a deed of power there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and cured them. Man, if we were doing that, we would be pretty amazed, wouldn’t we?

But he was amazed at their unbelief. I think they had such a low expectation of Jesus because they saw him through their own shame. And they desperately needed him not to show up their own weakness. He was one of them. We have this idea that we know what people from Nazareth are like and what they should do.

And to have a guy who stands before them doing these amazing deeds of power with the anointing of the Holy Spirit (as Luke picks up in his version of this story), to proclaim the good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, setting the oppressed free. Oh, absolutely amazing!

But guys from Nazareth don’t do that. And so, his glory, his humanity really showed them up. We probably understand this from my cultural context in Australia. We have a very high value on egalitarianism, but we also have this phenomenon called the tall poppy syndrome. And we basically can tend to criticize or cut down people if they’re too successful, primarily because they show the rest of us up.

We don’t like being shown up by their success. I went to high school, and we had a nine-year-old who was doing year 12 maths. And he was this amazing guy. And man, did I look dumb next to him in terms of maths ability.

So, I think the beauty of Jesus’ humanity here really showed the ugliness of theirs, and they had a real problem with that. And they couldn’t see that, like all of us, they’ve got two choices. They can either give themselves to his beauty, to his grace, by him taking them in all of their brokenness. Or they could just push Jesus away. And they either see Jesus through the lens of their own failure, or they try and take him from his own word as to who he is.

The apostle Paul talks about the offense of the cross. I think the similar thing is going on here. If we live in the denial of our corruption or our need for God to remake humanity in Jesus’ death, then his death is going to be an offense and a good reason, ultimately, for us to reject Jesus. The writer of Hebrews in chapter 2 says, “He had to become like us, his brothers and sisters, in every respect, so that he might become the merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of people.” [verse 17]

So yes, we can see familiarity can breed contempt, but familiarity saves us. And thank God that Christ has become one with us. And his kindness and his knowledge of our humanity, his familiarity, what it meant to be human and his death on the cross — in all of that, leads us to repentance and a change of mind about who Jesus is.

Romans 2 also says, “Do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” [verse 4] What might we hear in this? I think we need to hear something in terms of our expectations of what Jesus can do amongst us.

That we take Jesus on his own terms and not just look at him through the lens of our own powerless humanity. And in many ways, just start seeing him as he is. And allow our expectations to rise as what Jesus might actually do through us and in the world as we just see him, rather than just see him through the lens of our own human brokenness.

Anthony Mullins: Well said. Can anything good come out of Nazareth, right? The very best thing can. And I can remember feeling as a young kid, because I came from a small town in the hills of Kentucky, feeling less than. But what matters is the power and presence of God at work in the lives of people, regardless of where we’re from.

And I tell you what, it’s a sport over here, Simon, where we love to build people up, but we love just as much, maybe even more lustily, to tear them down. And you’ve pointed out that was at work here in this passage.

Simon, Jesus told his disciples to shake off the dust as a way of showing that their testimony, the good news wasn’t received. And as I was thinking about this, I thought of the contrast of Jesus, who is the embodiment, the fullness of good news, when he spoke the words of forgiveness from the cross, he wasn’t received by his own. So, in thinking of that, help us understand and maybe reconcile, as it were, the difference and how it impacts our participation in God’s mission to the world.

Simon Dent: Yeah. Because the question behind that is, will Jesus dust off his feet to me, in a sense, if someone’s not [inaudible]. And so, I think we really need to make a distinction between who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for the whole world in his death and resurrection, and ultimately what the disciples are called to do as witnesses and proclaimers of what Jesus has done.

I don’t think we are saying here that Jesus is going to see anybody in the world and say, you are the ones that I’ll accept, and you are the ones I won’t, because before the foundation of the world he died for us. None of us are worthy of God’s mercy and grace. It was just his pure unadulterated love for all sinners in the world.

So that Jesus’ own reality to the people, those who receive him, those who reject him is not a sign necessarily of his love or what he’s done for them on the cross.

So, I think what Jesus is ultimately saying in that phrase (if they don’t receive you, dust wipe the dust off your feet), he’s basically saying to the disciples, just this is a warning for them. It’s, in some ways, a symbol for them that they’ve got to put their faith and their hope in Christ because they can’t save themselves according to their own efforts.

But it’s also to the disciples to recognize your own responsibility and what is actually possible for you. What are the limits of what you can actually achieve?

I was really helped some years ago by a book by Andrew Purves, The Crucifixion of Ministry. You may have read it. One of the things that’s so profound from there is as soon as I take up my ministry as my ministry Jesus will gladly crucify us on that. It’s a mercy where he says, no, it all belongs to me.

And sometimes we can look at our friends and we can — even every Sunday when I get up and I start preaching the gospel, I think this is amazing. Everybody’s just going to bow down and worship God and hear this. And often there’s just dull faces where, yeah, we heard this before.

And I sometimes think, man, if I know I could take the power of the Spirit that is in Christ and allow people to see these things and their lives is suddenly going to change. And I just realized there are limits as to what I ultimately can do.

I think what Jesus is saying here. When you’re going into a town and you’re sharing the good news of the gospel, and people are not responding. And it might even be a close friend of ours, that we’re just sharing about Jesus, and they’re just not responding. We have no reason why they are not responding, reacting in the way that we’ve reacted to that. So, Jesus is actually saying move on.

There are other people who do actually welcome that, and don’t spend all of your time and your energy in some ways, trying to do something which in your own strength are not going to be able to do, but turn around. There’s maybe somebody else in that town or that community that’s really going to respond to the gospel.

And Luke calls these people the persons of, the people of peace, people in some ways who God has already prepared to receive the gospel. Bring that word to them. And ultimately, we’ll leave everybody in the hands of God here. God is a God of mercy and grace, but for those of us who are called to bear witness to the gospel amongst our friends and in our families, realize that we can’t raise the dead. But we’re called to proclaim the wonders of Christ.

And if some people are closing their eyes to that, it doesn’t mean we stop loving them, or we stop praying for them. But it does mean don’t get so uptight as though somehow, it’s up to us to try and bring salvation to these people. Move on to others who may actually be more responsive to the gospel.

Anthony Mullins: Yeah. Go with those that want to go with you. And likewise, and I love what you said about the book from Purves, Crucifixion of Ministry. And another way I see that at work, you mentioned when you preach a good one, you think everybody’s going to receive this.

But on the flip side of that, I’ve given some real stinkers of sermons thinking, oh, I’ve just let everyone down. And that’s when people respond. It’s just an extraordinarily humiliating, but in the most positive way, thing to realize it’s Christ’s ministry. It’s not mine. His good purposes are going to prevail with or without me, but he chooses to do it with me.

Hallelujah. Praise God.

Simon Dent: That’s brilliant. So good to know that Jesus is the one in control of his ministry and his love. And he invites us into that amazing gift of what he’s actually already doing. And just to put our trust and our hope in that means you can have a dud of a sermon or an amazing sermon, that ultimately doesn’t really matter because Christ is at work.

Anthony Mullins: Yes, Simon, it allows you to exhale. And just be like, ah the pressure’s off. There is a response ability by the Spirit, if you will, we can respond to what God is doing, but that’s it. He’s already at work. So, Lord, give us eyes to see what you’re doing and the courage just to join in with our whole hearts.

Small Group Discussion Questions

  • What are some of the reasons that Jesus’ hometown rejected him? Can you think of ways we can do this today in our relationship with Jesus?
  • Why was Jesus not able to perform a mighty work in his hometown? Can you think of times this applies to you?
  • What does it say about Jesus that he continued teaching in other villages after being rejected by his own?
  • How would you describe the posture of being at home with Jesus?
  • Discuss the connections between the two sections of the reading in Mark? Was there anything in the sermon that stood out to you? Were there any additional connections you saw that the sermon didn’t cover?
  • Why does Jesus tell his disciples to shake off the dust from their feet when they are not received?
  • Do you have any lingering questions you would like to discuss from the passage?

Sermon for July 14, 2024 – Proper 10

Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yhSGhZ-i08

Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/RSB/RSB017-OrdinaryTimeEphesians.mp3

Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yhSGhZ-i08

Program Transcript

Ordinary Time: Ephesians

Through life’s changing seasons we witness countless transformations—seeds bursting forth into vibrant blooms, caterpillars emerging as butterflies, and the changing seasons painting landscapes anew. Each transformation whispers a tale of renewal, of shedding the old and embracing the new.

Yet, amidst these natural wonders, the most profound transformations occur within the human heart. It is here, in the depths of our souls, that the Spirit of God moves, shaping us into new creations, united in our devotion to Jesus and to one another.

As we journey through the second month of Ordinary Time, we are reminded that our identity is in Christ. In him, we find our truest selves, united in a bond that transcends all barriers and divisions. This truth is echoed in the words of Ephesians, which calls us to form ethnically diverse communities unified by our devotion to Jesus and to one another.

God’s vision for the new humanity is one of unity—a unity that transcends barriers of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and cultural identity. It is a vision of reconciliation and restoration, where every person is valued and embraced as a beloved child of God.

And so, Paul calls us to “Put on Your New Humanity,” to live and love like Jesus in every aspect of our lives. Through the power of the Spirit, we are equipped to stand strong against divisive forces and spiritual evil, bearing witness to the transformative power of God’s love.

As we journey through this season of Ordinary Time, may we be reminded of our call to transformation—to become new humans, clothed in the love and likeness of Christ. And in our transformation, may we reflect the beauty of God’s vision for a unified, diverse community, where all are included and cherished.

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Let us, therefore, embrace our identity in Christ, united in love, and committed to building a community where all are valued and included. For in our transformation, we reflect the very heart of God’s kingdom on earth.

Psalm 24:1-10 · 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 · Ephesians 1:3-14 · Mark 6:14-29

This week’s theme is living in the blessing of God, and the readings for today range from David’s delight in bringing the ark of God to Jerusalem to the story of John the Baptist’s beheading at the hand of King Herod. Our lives often feature highs and lows, joys and great grief, so we can understand that living in God’s blessing does not mean that we will never suffer. Psalm 24 sings to the “King of Glory,” encouraging us to seek the Lord. 2 Samuel tells how David and all Israel danced “with all their might” as the ark of God was brought to Jerusalem. Mark 6 recounts King Herod’s distress over John’s beheading, believing that Jesus was John reincarnated. The sermon text comes from Ephesians 1:3-14, and its focus is delighting in our status as God’s dearly loved children.

God’s Candy Store

Ephesians 1:3-14 (NRSVUE)

Have you ever watched a kid in a candy store? How did they behave? [wait for responses] You probably noticed them, wide-eyed and pointing at some treat to show their brother or sister, only to stop and point, mouth agape, at another treat that looked delicious or interesting. Though their parents probably limited them to one treat, they would have loved to taste them all. Our scripture reading from Ephesians shows the apostle Paul with much the same attitude as a kid in a candy store. He can’t believe our good fortune: the malted milk balls of adoption, the licorice twists of inheritance, and the bubble gum seal of the Holy Spirit. Paul is so excited to tell us how we are whole in Christ and able to live a life of love now, that our scripture passage is actually one long continuous thought! Let’s read through it together, picturing Paul pointing out all the blessings that God has given us through Jesus Christ.

Read, or have someone read, Ephesians 1:3-14.

The Context of Ephesians 1:3-14

The book of Ephesians was written to a mostly Gentile audience to share the good news that they are loved by God and inheritors of God’s promises. Notice what Paul has written in Ephesians 2:14:

For he is our peace; in his flesh he [Jesus Christ] has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us (Ephesians 2:14, NRSVUE)

Paul goes on to explain that living in diversity was God’s plan all along. He tells them, though, that loving someone that you’ve been taught to hate or despise doesn’t come easily. Living in diversity takes hard work:

With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:2-3, NRSVUE)

So Paul’s letter, which explains to the church at Ephesus about God’s plan of loving one another despite differences, starts off with a long, lyrical sentence (verses 3-14) praising God for even thinking of such a wild, grace-filled challenge for human beings. The length of the sentence alone helps convey the urgency that Paul seems desperate to get across to his readers. This passage is a metaphorical stream of blessings, one right after the other, and Paul is that kid in the candy store running from glass case to glass case. Let’s look at some of the “treats” God has blessed us with in Jesus Christ as we take in Paul’s extravagant explanation about what Emmanuel means for us:

We were destined for adoption.

God decided, from before “the foundation of the world,” to bless all human beings by adopting us through Jesus Christ. This blessing is not individualized, carving out just one or two “special” people, but a communal blessing for all through Jesus Christ.

How this works is a mystery to us, one that we accept gratefully:

He has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:9-10, NRSVUE)

We are gathered up and held in Jesus Christ. And if Jesus Christ is the full expression of God incarnate, writes Luther Seminary theologian Karoline Lewis, then “in Christ, God is making God’s self known to the world…in a new way.” This new way is demonstrating God’s commitment to us as a treasured part of the divine family.

We are given gifts that enable our understanding of God’s love for us.

To understand how deeply we are loved, we’ve been given specific gifts that convey the grace-filled love God has for all human beings:

In him [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and insight (Ephesians 1:7-8, NRSVUE)

Our redemption and forgiveness as a part of the richness of grace through Jesus Christ permit us to know how deeply we are loved by God. God freed us from our shame and guilt and placed us on a path of grace. Barclay’s Commentary, referring to the words translated “wisdom and insight,” explains that the“the two words in Greek are sophia and phronesis…

The Greeks wrote much about these two words; if a man had both, he was perfectly equipped for life. Aristotle defined sophia as knowledge of the most precious things. Cicero defined it as knowledge of things both human and divine. Aristotle defined phronesis as the knowledge of human affairs and of the things in which planning is necessary…Cicero defined it as knowledge of the things which are to be sought and the things which are to be avoided…In other words, phronesis is the sound sense which enables men to meet and to solve the practical problems of everyday life and living.

Barclay goes on to say that Paul is claiming that Jesus brought sophia and phronesis to us, gifting us with the ability to understand the divine while living amidst the practicalities of ordinary life.

Our inheritance in Christ is shared with others who may be very different from us.

Paul discusses the way Christ unifies all peoples. He addresses the Jews as “we” in verses 11-12, the Gentiles as “you” in verse 13, and then ends the passage by using “our” in verse 14 for all humanity. This unified inheritance is “sealed” by the Holy Spirit as a “pledge” or foretaste of the fullness we will know of God’s eternal presence someday.

We read more about this inheritance by looking ahead to verse 18:

So that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may perceive what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints (Ephesians 1:18, NRSVUE)

The hope we are called to, connects with this inheritance. Since the context of the book of Ephesians is living with the messiness of human difference and diversity, we might speculate that part of this hope and inheritance is realized when we learn to embrace those who are different from us. Notice that embrace means more than tolerate. It means an active, loving “yes” to the beauty of another, whether that person looks, thinks, or behaves as you do.

Paul’s exuberance in today’s scripture passage should be felt. As we read the passage in its entirety one more time, let’s see if we can feel the excitement Paul is conveying for us and for all humanity. [Read Ephesians 1:3-14 by putting your name wherever it allows, or you may choose to have selected members of your congregation read portions of it]

Call to Action: This week, consider calling God “Abba” or “Papa” during your prayers as an expression of the intimacy we have through Jesus Christ. Include a prayer of thanksgiving for the mystery that is our adoption and ask for the love you need to be able to embrace the messiness of human differences.

For Reference:
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/second-sunday-of-christmas-2/commentary-on-ephesians-13-14-12
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-15-2/commentary-on-ephesians-13-14
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/second-sunday-of-christmas/commentary-on-ephesians-13-14-2
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/second-sunday-of-christmas-2/commentary-on-ephesians-13-14-7
https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/ephesians-1.html

Simon Dent—Year B Proper 10

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Ephesians 1:3-14

 

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July 14, 2024
Ephesians 1:3-14, “Chosen”

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Program Transcript

The Fullness of God w/ Simon Dent W2

Anthony: Let’s pivot to our next passage of the month. It’s Ephesians 1:3-14. It is the Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 10 and Ordinary Time on July 14. Simon, would you read it for us, please?

Simon Dent: Love to.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

Anthony Mullins: Whew, man that’s some full-on good news right there. I tell you what, this pericope is a theological tour de force. So, I want to give you a few minutes here just to riff on the good news contained within. So, preach, preacher. Let us hear it.

Simon Dent: When you gave me this passage, I was thinking, Oh man, this is brilliant, what a great passage to talk about.

And then I thought five seconds later, man, how can I ever do this justice? It is such a vision of the amazing grace of God that’s come to us in Jesus Christ. And the drawing in of us by the Father in all that Christ is in his relationship in the power of the Spirit. And it’s just a beautiful gift for those of us who don’t deserve such an amazing thing. And yet it is God’s heart and is God’s love upon us, which flows out of this.

One of the things that we’re preaching and teaching on a text like this — it’s so easy for us to pull out the component parts and somehow lose the fact that this is really just an overflow of Paul’s heart. It’s an expression of worship and praise to God, as God has revealed all that he has done in Christ. And we just need to join with him [Paul] in praise, in some ways.

And the challenge is trying to hold onto the fact that — maybe it’s not a challenge — actually the joy of this is that we get to hold on to the great joy of this relationship that God has given to us in Christ. It’s so big and in some ways, you have — how do we even start with this? But I’ll have a go.

One of the key echoes in all of this is that we are in Christ. We are joined together in the relationship that Jesus himself has with his Father through the power of the Spirit. And that’s staggering and wonderful. And Paul goes into some theological depth as to what ultimately that means.

One of the key words in the very first passage — of verse 3, sorry, speaks of “bless” three times. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. The word there for bless is eulogetos, and it’s the word that we get eulogy from — a eulogy at a funeral where you speak words of praise to the dead loved one who’s just passed.

And so, he uses this word as the blessing or the praises from us towards God, praising God for all that he’s done. But the second time, the same word of bless is used actually from the Father, that the father has blessed us, or in some ways, the Father has eulogized us in Christ.

In other words, the word that Jesus says that the Father says about us is a word of God’s praise. Because we’re actually in Christ. What I mean by that is God has eulogized or spoken a good word about us. God has noticed us. He said something about us. And we all desire to be noticed and loved and what a blessing that is.

And God speaks that good word to us. And the word that he’s spoken is the word of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1 says, “Long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days, he’s spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things.” [verse 1]

So, Jesus is the good word, the word of praise, the word of joy, that the Father actually speaks about us, speaks to us. Every spiritual blessing in Christ, every good thing that can be said in heaven, we have in Christ. His relationship with the Father, his dynamic of love and the Holy Spirit, the freedom that he has, freedom from our own sin and our own brokenness, all of that has actually been given to us in Jesus Christ.

That’s what ultimately that blessing is for each of us. It is incomprehensible, but it’s true. Particularly when we’re so aware of our own sin and our shame this is an amazing grace, but it is all a part of a plan, as Paul says. And the plan says for the fullness of time to gather all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

So, when you get up, you look around the world, you look at yourself in the mirror, you look at our churches, our families, we say God’s got a plan. He’s going to gather all of this up in Christ. And that’s ultimately where our hope is. And I think that’s part of the expression of life and joy that Paul expresses here.

So, it’s like he chose us even before the foundation of the world. So, we don’t think of ourselves according to our behavior, whether we think ourselves too highly so that God’s chosen me because I’ve done all the good things, or that God’s rejected me because I’m a bad person and therefore I wasn’t chosen.

Before the creation of the world, Christ was chosen, and we were chosen in him to be holy and blameless. And this idea of holy and blameless is set apart relationally in love. It’s not just about morality. It’s not just about doing good or doing the right thing. Although that’s certainly very much a part of it, but it is primarily about relationship. That God has drawn us into this relationship of love, and everything is removed. All unholiness is removed because we are set apart to be in relationship with the Father. And that was his plan before the foundation of the world. And it goes on, so much more — destined us for adoption as his children according to his good pleasure. I love, all through this, you get these moments where Paul is expressing: God has not done this begrudgingly.

He’s not just saying, oh, I’m a good God; it’s my job to save these people. I will say, this is according to his will and his good pleasure. He’s chosen us. And so, what a joy that is to be delighted in and chosen. And that word adoption, it’s just a beautiful family word: given full rights of sons and daughters in Christ.

And yeah, just a great gift of all that we have in Christ: redemption through his blood; that gift of being saved and healed in the death of Christ; the forgiveness of our sins. And again, it’s according to the riches of grace that he lavished on us. It wasn’t under compulsion that God forgave us. It was because of the riches of his grace.

And that word lavished — I just think of eating too much cream on a bun or something like that. It’s a lot of — an overflow of his love. And with that, he doesn’t just save us, but he’s included us into his own knowledge of that will and purpose and plan.

We read in other places where we’ve been given the mind of Christ in that. So, we become full participants really, on the knowledge of God in all of this. In Jeremiah, we read:

“No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.” [Jeremiah 31:34]

Yeah, we’ve been drawn not only into this relationship, he’s revealed not only himself and his love, but also his plan to gather all things up together in Christ. And finally — sorry, there’s so much here, isn’t there?

And finally, I’ll just say, all of this, ultimately, is for the praise of God’s glory. And say, what does that ultimately mean? It means as partners together with Jesus Christ, as participants in the divine triune life, being adopted as sons and daughters in Christ, we therefore become eulogizers of God so that many others may hear the good news of the gospel and be sealed by that down payment of our Holy Spirit.

To be eulogizers of God so that others may also be sealed with the down payment of our inheritance, the Holy Spirit. So it is all, great grace and love and that calling to bring glory to God is participating in that good work of bringing everything together in Christ (as Christ is doing it), by speaking good words about who God is and what God has done for us, because God has spoken a good word about us in Christ.

Anthony Mullins: Yes. Thanks be to God that he is not reluctant in his salvation, that Jesus was not a reluctant Savior. But for the joy set before him, he went to the cross. And we know the atonement is just part of salvation, but it’s a significant part. And we’re so grateful for the words contained in it.

It’s almost like Paul is just bursting at the seams with good news. And it’s hard to contain the words in such a brief passage. And you pointed us to verse 4. God chooses us in Christ, the Father chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, which tells us something about us. But I think more importantly, it tells us something about the chooser, the God who chooses.

And that brings me to the next question I want to ask you. It just seems to me, Simon, that the big “C” church, the global church, has really emphasized the doctrine of justification. And thanks be to God that we are justified, right? But on some level, we have therefore de-emphasized or not emphasized our adoption as children through Jesus Christ.

And you alluded to it’s a beautiful familial term. So, is that a fair assessment? And if so, why should adoption take more, let’s say homiletic prominence in our churches?

Simon Dent: Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that. And yes, I think the emphasis has been largely on justification and maybe not enough on adoption, partly because we see, again, perspective from our own views of what is needed. We see the glory of God. We read the Old Testament, and we see how God has provided means of justification for the Old Testament people through the sacrifices.

We read the New Testament. We see such amount of time given to the death of Christ on the cross — that is usually the pinnacle moment of our story. And yet, so little time really [given] to the resurrection and life beyond that. I think what Paul has given in this opening passage of Ephesians is, in some ways, a step back and actually see the ultimate purpose and the plan for what [inaudible].

And the plan actually is adoption. The plan is that they would be — that the whole world would be justified. That we can actually be in relationship with the Father and enjoy the joy that God himself enjoys as Father, Son, and Spirit in this dynamic of love and joy and all of that. It’s something that God wants us to participate in.

I think for a lot of us, we see through the lens of our own sin and our shame and our brokenness. And we look to the solution, and we see here on the cross is solution. And in many ways, some of our preaching has been about how do we get people to come to this moment of faith where they can put their trust in the fact that their sins are forgiven, and they’re brought into relationship with God.

And yet we fail in some ways to see what that life ultimately means, which is adoption and joy and delight. And maybe that’s one of the reasons why we haven’t emphasized adoption much because we feel as though we’ve got to get to the problem. Let’s get people saved rather than recognizing Christ has saved us.

Let’s just walk in the joy of what that means. And the more we can walk in joy, the more beautiful our proclamation ultimately will be about justification.

Anthony Mullins: Well said, sir. Thank you.

Small Group Discussion Questions

  • Have you ever considered how the book of Ephesians relates to our world today with its focus on the messiness of human differences? What words of wisdom from the apostle Paul might be applicable to gender or racial inequities as well as other challenges of difference?
  • Read the scripture passage from Ephesians 1:3-14 out loud. How did Paul’s long sentence effectively convey his excitement about the blessings we have in Christ? In other words, how did the form of a long sentence express the urgency Paul felt about this important topic?
  • Many of the Bible’s blessings are addressed to the community rather than the individual. We tend to view them, however, as applicable to individuals rather than the collective, in part due to the cultural influence of individualism. How does changing our focus from an individualized faith to a communal faith enhance our lives now? How does it create unity and a willingness to cultivate harmony with those who are different from us?
  • Barclay’s Commentary explains the gifts of sophia and phronesis as equipping us to live in this world in a practical sense while maintaining an understanding of the divine and our participation in that divine work. What connections do you see with these gifts and our inheritance in Christ? How do those connections require us to accept and embrace differences?

Sermon for July 21, 2024 – Proper 11

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Welcome to this week's episode, a special rerun from our Speaking of Life archive. We hope you find its timeless message as meaningful today as it was when it was first shared.

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Program Transcript

Speaking Of Life 3034 | Walls of Hostility
Heber Ticas

You have heard the adage, “Good fences make good neighbors.”

But hindsight says, “Bad neighbors, make good fences.”

Ever since Adam and Eve turned hostile against God, fences and walls have outlined the history of conflict between neighbors. Stories about Jericho and Jerusalem or Babylon and Berlin are not complete without the rise and fall of their walls.

Attempts at peace are often pursued but usually through this cycle of erecting and tearing down walls. Wars and walls go hand in hand. Some believe better walls will bring peace while others believe peace can only be achieved by their removal.

But the problem is not with the walls. It’s with the people on both sides of the walls. The walls of hostility are not built from earthen stone but from stony hearts. This is the true wall of hostility that needs to be torn down. And the Good News of Jesus Christ is that he has done just that. We no longer have to argue over which side of the wall to stand on. Jesus has created a new ground of peace in himself where all can stand as one. He breaks down the walls of separation that are so prevalent in our world. Everyone is invited to live in him.

The Apostle Paul was accused of crossing a cultural wall of hostility in his day and it landed him behind the walls of a prison. Yet, barricaded behind those walls he was free and at peace to write this about Jesus:

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.”
Ephesians 2:14-16

Thanks to our Triune God of Grace, there are no walls of hostility between us and God. The Father has made us his children in Jesus and therefore, brothers and sisters to one another. If you have grown weary of building and tearing down walls of hostility, Jesus calls you to himself to belong to a new family that lives without walls and in peace.

Mi nombre es Heber Ticas, Hablando de Vida.

Psalm 89:20-37 · 2 Samuel 7:1-14a · Ephesians 2:11-22 · Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

As we continue through Ordinary Time in our liturgical calendar, our theme for this ninth Sunday after Pentecost is chosen by God. Our scripture readings talk about the connection we have with the divine, emphasizing that this connection isn’t created by our efforts but God’s. Psalm 89 affirms God’s covenant with David, and more importantly, God’s never-ending love for him. Despite that great love and covenant relationship, God tells David in 2 Samuel 7 that his children would build the temple, rather than David himself. Mark 6 speaks of Jesus’ great compassion on the multitudes who followed him, “like sheep without a shepherd.” The sermon text comes from Ephesians 2:11-22, and it identifies our connection with God as much more than membership in a family or even a church.

God’s Family Tree

Ephesians 2:11-22 (NRSVUE)

Has anybody here ever had their DNA tested through a direct-to-consumer company, like AncestryDNA or 23andMe? [wait for responses] Did you find out anything surprising? [wait for responses]

Where we come from matters to us, and we’re shaped by the stories we tell ourselves about our ancestors. Think about how we as Christian believers have been influenced by the story in Genesis about Adam and Eve. For some Christians, the story of Adam and Eve, especially Eve’s enticement to eat the “forbidden fruit,” has resulted in church practices and doctrine that treat women unfairly at best and misogynistically at worst. This is just one example of the way ancient biblical stories can be interpreted to oppress some people, emphasizing “power over” rather than “power with.”

Other more modern examples of oppressing people might include US Supreme Court rulings in the early 1900s that restricted civil rights and even citizenship based on the “one drop rule,” which said that anyone with just one black ancestor would be considered black. This use of ancestry information prevented interracial marriage and upheld white supremacy. Other US laws were created to control Native American populations.

Since much of the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is an account of God’s relationship with the nation of Israel, you can see how those of Jewish descent might interpret the story as an indication of their superiority over other ethnicities. After all, other biblical stories, such as the covenant God made with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-4; Genesis 15) show God’s commitment to Abraham’s descendants. It’s easy to look at the “winners” in your genealogy and assume you’re special. But our sermon text this week challenges that assumption and points us back to Jesus.

Let’s read Ephesians 2:11-22

Read, or have someone read the sermon text.

The context of Ephesians 2:11-22

Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus to encourage unity while he was in Rome under house arrest. The church was made up of Gentiles and former Jews who lived in a wealthy port city known for its temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis as well as it’s citizens’ love of learning. We need to place ourselves in the historical and political scenarios of Ephesus at that time. Princeton Seminary scholar Sally A. Brown writes this about how “politically charged” Paul’s talk about peace would have been during that time:

Roman emperors, Augustus in particular, were hailed as the semi-divine inaugurators of an unprecedented peace that would settle the turbulent rivalries of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. This Roman brand of ‘peace,’ of course, was an enforced peace wrought through military dominance… ‘He [Christ] is our peace’ (verse 14) would be a pronouncement bordering on treason. What is being claimed, after all, is that despite all the swaggering claims of Rome’s emperors, true peace has been inaugurated by a man the empire crucified.

The first part of chapter 2 in Ephesians addresses how the readers (including us) have been lifted out of our broken manmade systems and selfish, egoic mindsets and then changed by the grace and love of God:

You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, doing the will of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else, but God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:1-5, NRSVUE)

We have been “made…alive together with Christ.” The first part of chapter 2 emphasizes that this aliveness was not our doing; it was God’s grace through Jesus Christ.

Not the result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:9, NRSVUE)

By reminding readers of Ephesians that we have been made alive in Christ without any effort on our part, Paul sets the stage for our sermon text and his argument for unity. Let’s examine three ways Paul argues that Christ has established unity among humanity: dividing wall broken, a proclamation of peace, and a holy temple.

Dividing wall broken

Paul makes the point that there were plenty of differences between the Jews and the Gentiles. One of the biggest differences was that of circumcision, which Paul describes as an act “made in the flesh by human hands” (v. 11). Paul contrasts the practice of circumcision with the power of inclusion wrought by the blood of Christ (v. 13), establishing that Jesus Christ is our peace. In some mysterious way, Christ has unified in his very body Jew and Gentile, and in a modern application, we can say Christ holds all together in unity: Blacks and whites (and all other colors), male and female, Israelis and Palestinians.

Paul goes on to elaborate how Christ has done this in v.14-16. The “dividing wall” of the law/commandments/ordinances has been broken down. No longer could the Jews have an air of superiority over the Gentiles, believing they were “right” and the Gentiles “wrong” when all were part of “one new humanity in place of the two” (v. 15). The Jews were not the only ones who put up walls. Barclay writes that “the ancient world was full of barriers,” citing an example from the writing of Cicero that said, “All men are divided into two classes – Greeks and barbarians.”

It’s easy for us to think poorly of the Jews’ snobbery over their traditions and customs, but as we seek to apply biblical principles to our modern lives, we need to ask ourselves these hard questions:

  • What group of people do I routinely criticize?
  • What group of people do I find it hard to see as human beings, worthy of respect and love?
  • Whom do I view as very different from me?

Instead, we must focus on bringing near those we feel are different from us, those we regard as “other.” Barclay’s Commentary says that “when the rabbis spoke about accepting a convert into Judaism, they said that he had been brought near.” For us, drawing near those who seem different from us might mean praying for them and blessing them, sharing meals, or working together on a project to improve community life for everyone.

A proclamation of peace

Jesus Christ proclaims peace to both Jews and Gentiles by creating a “new humanity in place of the two.” Notice that the Gentiles did not have to become Jewish converts but were fully accepted into Christ in their “Gentileness.” They were not expected to conform to Judaism (see Paul’s letter to the Galatians). This unity in Jesus is welcoming and hospitable, founded in peace because of the Holy Spirit’s presence and work.

The unity offered in Christ should give us a moment’s pause to reflect on how welcoming and hospitable we are to those who think differently or look differently from us. As the Director of Beyond Ministries Kyle Fever writes, “We in the church should not presume that those outsiders need to become like us. The church should be a light that paves the way by welcoming both Jew and Gentile and uniting them into God’s mission in Christ.” Fever goes on to note that many churchgoers are quick to label people as “conservative” or “liberal,” American or Muslim, and other binaries rather than recognizing the complexities of being human and focusing on loving others the way Jesus loved. In simpler terms, no one needs to become like me or us; Christ leads all to become more like him.

Jesus took those “who were far off and…those who were near” (v. 17) and reconciled them. Paul uses language his ancient audience would be familiar with, contrasting “strangers and aliens” with “citizens” and “saints,” to help them understand the depth of peace that could resolve such deep-seated hatred and distrust.

A holy temple

Paul tells his readers that they (we) are citizens and saints and “members of the household of God” (v. 19), part of a holy structure that has Jesus Christ as its key touchstone. Not only that, but this holy temple is a spiritual “dwelling place for God” (v. 22). We are not only part of this “household” as we attend worship services, but because the crucified Christ has brought peace by breaking down the walls that divide, we live into a life where love and kindness build bridges of unity. By remembering God’s constant presence with us, we grow in our ability to love others. 1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us this:

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19, NRSVUE)

Sometimes this verse is used to make us feel as if we are constrained by God, not permitted to embrace our personalities or gifts fully and authentically. But what if this verse is read and interpreted like this?

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not [on] your own?

As God’s holy temple(s), we are much more capable of loving others when we embrace who we are in Christ and understand that the Holy Spirit is always with us. We can trust the Holy Spirit to lead us toward greater kindness, hospitality, and unity.

God’s family tree isn’t an organizational chart. There’s no hierarchy with the Jews listed on a higher rung than the Gentiles. There are no special lines on God’s family tree for weekly churchgoers with only a faint dotted line for those who attend on Christmas and Easter. Our genealogy is found in Jesus Christ, and it’s not based on what we have or haven’t done, our ethnicity, or any other factors that typically divide. Based on our sermon text for today, there should be no comparisons, no “us vs. them” thinking. Instead, there’s only love and acceptance and peace for all.

Call to Action: Think about a group or an ideology that you consider to be wrong or that you believe is responsible for causing problems. With a prayerful attitude, ask God’s blessing on this group. Rather than praying for God to change them, instead pray that they might be happy, healthy, and at peace.

For Reference:
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-16-2/commentary-on-ephesians-211-22
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-16-2/commentary-on-ephesians-211-22-4
https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/ephesians-2.html
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/05/09/our-obsession-with-ancestry-has-some-twisted-roots-maud-newton-ancestor-trouble

Simon Dent—Year B Proper 11

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Ephesians 2:11-22

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July 21, 2024
Ephesians 2:11-22, “But Now”

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Program Transcript

The Fullness of God w/ Simon Dent W3

Anthony: Let’s pivot to our next passage of the month. It’s Ephesians 2:11-22. It’s the Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 11 in Ordinary Time, which is July the 21. And it reads:

So then, remember that at one time you gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision”—a circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, 15 abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. 17 So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 18 for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone; 21 in him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

Simon, for me, the two words “but now” are two of my favorite words in the entire New Testament, because it links what was to what is the reality in Christ. And verse 13 is one of those, “but now” bridges. Would you tell us about it, please?

Simon Dent: Yeah, it’s a beautiful picture of looking back seeing what was, but looking who we are now in Christ.

I think of Karl Barth’s, “nevertheless of God’s faithfulness,” here. All that we can see about ourselves, all of our sin, all the ways in which we are not ultimately what we’ve wanted to be. And yet we hear that great word of “nevertheless.” You’re mine. I’ve chosen you. I’ve loved you. And I will do what I need to do to make sure that you are restored and renewed and brought into fellowship with me.

And so we just see all of the “was”’s there as well: dead in transgressions and sins (earlier in chapter 2), enslaved to the lusts and the desires of the flesh; deserving of God’s wrath; separated from God’s covenant people; outsiders of the promises given to Abraham without the fulfillment of the covenant in Christ, or not knowing that; aliens without hope and without God.

And then, but now we have that moment. Once we were far away, now we’ve been brought near by the blood of Christ. We’ve been raised up with Christ by grace, not by works, but just by his amazing grace. And now we’ve been given good works to do. So not only have we been saved and brought into this relationship, we participate by the Spirit in what God is doing.

And ultimately that means that we have peace, deep peace with God, but ultimately that calling of peace to one another where what separated us has been broken in the death of Christ. And ultimately that’s the wall of our judgment of each other, according to the law.

But we’ve all been judged in the death of Christ now. And we’ve been justified in his resurrection. And so that’s the peace we have with God. Therefore, we see each of us on the same plane in that. And the calling then is to walk in peace with one another.

Anthony Mullins: Verse 14 tells us that Jesus himself is our peace. And we read about, as you just talked about, this one new humanity, the dividing wall of hostility has been crushed in Christ. As I look about me, there’s wars, ideological differences, sectarian strife, suspicion of neighbor and nations, political rancor, and just a general lack of respect and civility for the other.

One new humanity living in peace and reconciliation, it can seem like it’s pixie dust or a fairytale instead of Christological truth. And yet we trust that scripture is pointing us to the truth. So, tell us about that. What’s going on? And what do we do in light of this gospel proclamation?

Simon Dent: Yeah, I think we live in the now and not yet, where all of this is true about us. And yet our own minds still need to be further transformed by the Spirit so that what is ultimately true about us can be something that is demonstrated in a way that we live and accept one another.

In many ways, you look at the world and you see everybody is either ruled in or ruled out according to some kind of law, whatever that might be — a way of seeking to have power over others. But the reality of what Christ has done in actually coming and saving sinners, lifting them up to, be adopted in Christ and to know the joy of the Father, and therefore be those who demonstrate peace is something that takes a while for our brains and our hearts and our minds to really understand.

And so, we continue to go back to the gospel, we continue to hear this truth, we continue to listen to podcasts like yours, so that the Spirit can take what is true to that reality, bring peace to our own hearts. When we have peace in our own hearts, then we can extend that peace to one another.

But yeah, you look at the world and this vision of union, even within churches and within our own families, even in ourselves, when we look at the mirror, this is not ultimately what I see, but we live in hope.

And the hope is there is an objective reality that’s happened to us in Christ. And if we fix our minds on that, fix our minds on him, the author and the perfecter of our faith, we find that the Holy Spirit does bring us a deeper freedom in that. So, we are enabled to deal with issues, face the difficulties that separate people, and seek to bring a word of peace in that situation.

But it is a vision for really the end of time as well. Ultimately, we long for that day when Christ will actually put an end to all types of division with people. And that is the day that’s coming.

Anthony Mullins: Hallelujah. Praise God that it is, and we do long for it.

And I appreciated what you said about, I’m talking about what I see about me on the exterior, but you also identified this warring is going on internally that way. I want to believe; I am a believer, but help me in my unbelief, Lord.

And I think of what Bart said, “I was, and I am the old man. I am and will be the new man.” There is still this tension as we long for the not yet aspect. Yeah.

Simon Dent: Yeah. Amen. And that gives us hope, doesn’t it? To make sure that there is a not yet, means that you can look at this world and actually say, but the yet, it’s coming.

Anthony Mullins: Amen.

Small Group Discussion Questions

  • The ancient world had plenty of walls dividing people, including gender, ethnicity, and class. Does this surprise you? What similarities do you see in our world today?
  • How do you think Jesus Christ brings peace and breaks down walls that divide? Do you have a personal example or a biblical example that you’d like to share?
  • In Christ, Paul writes about the creation of a “new humanity in place of the two,” making it clear that the Gentiles did not have to become Jews to be included in Christ. In other words, they didn’t have to change who they were to be loved, welcomed, and accepted. How can the church create an environment where people feel comfortable being themselves?
  • Paul writes that in Christ, those “who once were far off have been brought near.” What are some ways we can “bring near” those who are different from us? In other words, what practices might be helpful to move our hearts from fear and criticism toward welcome and hospitality?

Sermon for July 28, 2024 – Proper 12

Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdYR3h7Jcmo

Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/SpOL/SpOL3035-GW-King-Davids-Foil.mp3

Welcome to this week's episode, a special rerun from our Speaking of Life archive. We hope you find its timeless message as meaningful today as it was when it was first shared.

Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdYR3h7Jcmo

Program Transcript

Speaking Of Life 3035 | King David’s Foil
Greg Williams

Don Quixote had Sancho Panza. Sherlock had Watson. The hare had the tortoise. This literary convention called the “foil” has been around since stories were told. The foil is not necessarily the enemy of the main character but is someone who brings out and exposes parts of that person.

The Bible is full of foil characters. From Cain and Abel to Jacob and Esau to Peter and Paul—these “foil” relationships expose and develop the people in these stories. One of King David’s many foils was Uriah.

The story starts in 2 Samuel 11, with this foreshadowing verse:

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.  
II Samuel 11:1

In the following verses, David takes Bathsheba to bed after seeing her bathing on the roof. She becomes pregnant so David brings her husband Uriah home to let nature take its course and cover things up.

Uriah refuses to sleep with his wife and sleeps in the doorway of the king’s house, ever the soldier on guard. He declares that as long as the army is sleeping rough, and as long as the Ark of the Covenant is in temporary housing, he can’t go home. David gets him drunk and again tries to get him to go home, and again his plan fails.

Ultimately, in one tragic final stroke, David tells the commander to put Uriah in the worst of the fighting, causing his death.

Indirectly, and without even much interaction, God uses Uriah in the story as David’s foil. In a short series of actions, probably constituting just a few weeks, David is exposed as a broken, hollow man in need of healing.

The story starts with David wandering the rooftops, away from the wars that Israel was fighting. He is on his own, at the height of his royal power, looking over his empire. He feels indestructible.

He sees Bathsheba on the roof, and everything changes.

And the juxtaposition with Uriah makes it worse. David uses unchallenged power to take another man’s wife and force a commander’s hand. David acts out of impulse and lust; Uriah acts out of loyalty and respect. David orchestrates a man’s death out of cowardice, Uriah is the man who died fighting bravely.

Through the course of these events, God brings vivid clarity into David’s.
And then by exposing David through the foil of Uriah, God heals him.

Has God ever sent a foil into your life? Maybe someone who challenges you to bring out your best? Maybe someone who annoys you and grates on your patience? Maybe someone who by sheer contrast gets your attention and shows you where you need a savior?

God’s goal is always to heal, to redeem, and to restore. Because of his love for us, he is faithful to bring foils into our lives. We are blessed when we pay attention.   

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.

Psalm 14:1-7 · 2 Samuel 11:1-15 · Ephesians 3:14-21 · John 6:1-21

On this tenth Sunday after Pentecost, our theme is comprehending God’s love. The readings for today help us see that our lack of understanding about the mystery of God does not impact God’s love for all creation, even as human beings inflict pain and suffering on one another. Psalm 14 talks about the refuge and comfort God provides those who must endure evil in this world. 2 Samuel 11 recounts the story of David using his power and position to take advantage of Bathsheba and his subsequent efforts to cover it up. John 6:1-21 tells the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and then walking on the stormy sea to the disciples’ boat. The sermon text comes from Ephesians 3:14-21, and it helps us understand the foundation where all our ministry efforts must begin.

How to Pray for Others

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NRSVUE)

Prayer is a critical part of a Christian life, and many might identify with the notion of prayer as a conversation with God. Author Richard Foster writes, “And so I urge you: carry on an ongoing conversation with God about the daily stuff of life, a little like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. For now, do not worry about ‘proper’ praying, just talk to God.” There are specific types of prayer we can practice that help us develop an ongoing conversation with God, such as breath prayers or centering prayer. But today we’re going to think about how we pray for others and what that looks like. First, we’ll look at some common problems that can sabotage our prayers for others, and then we’ll consider a broader foundational perspective based on our sermon text.

Though the motivation to have a prayer chain or designated prayer group is generally positive, unfortunately, church prayer groups can sometimes devolve into gossip. Instagram comedian Landon Bryant (@landontalks) shares his funny perspective on prayer chains from his experience growing up in the American South. Bryant compares prayer chains to “newsfeeds” and explains how this happens:

As long as you preface it with some sort of religious reason, you can say what you want and tell all their business because we’re praying for them. This is the Lord’s work; this is not the work of men and their flappy tongues. This is the work of the Lord, and I’m a servant of the Lord doing my very best to uplift those around me by listing off everything someone did that was incorrect. We want clarity with prayer requests – not one of us down here likes an unspoken prayer request – you know somebody’s gonna speak it so it might as well be you. But we don’t gossip – we will never – that is a sin. But we will put you on our prayer list, bless you.

Though Bryant’s comedic routine might be a caricature, it also should give us pause to consider whether we’ve participated in prayer groups in this fashion.

Another hazard of praying for others is prescriptively telling God how to fix someone or something. This issue is often connected to the idea of praying specifically or including prescriptive details to convey to God our fervency and faith. There’s an old joke about a preacher caught in a flash flood at his church. His church was surrounded by water, and so he prayed for God’s deliverance. Two boats and a helicopter came to rescue him, but he shooed them away, saying that God would deliver him. He ended up drowning, swept away by the rising flood waters, and in heaven, he asked God why deliverance never came. God responded, “I sent two boats and a helicopter; what else did you want?”

In this case, the preacher had a specific idea of what God’s rescue might look like, and because two boats and a helicopter didn’t fit that ideal, they were dismissed. The danger of prayer that is too prescriptive is that we will miss the miracles that we didn’t even think to ask, whether for ourselves or others. This is also true when we pray for others.

Our sermon text today allows us to eavesdrop on the apostle Paul as he prays for the believers at Ephesus. We’ll learn how we can approach praying for others from a bigger, more helpful, foundational perspective. Let’s read Ephesians 3:14-21: [Read sermon text].

The context of Ephesians 3:14-21

Looking back to the earlier verses of chapter 3, we read that Paul is writing of the great “mystery” that the Holy Spirit had revealed:

In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (Ephesians 3:5-6, NRSVUE)

Paul discusses his responsibility to bring this “gift of God’s grace” to the Gentiles and then states that this gift was “in accordance with the eternal purpose that [God] has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 11). Paul’s ministry to share the good news of inclusion in Christ with the Gentiles and Jews is the reason he offers the prayer found in v. 14-21.

Paul offers three big ideas that we can consider when we’re praying for others: being grounded, knowing the love of Christ, and trusting outcomes to God.

Being grounded

Paul begins the prayer emphasizing the unity of believers (“from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name” – v. 15), and then Paul makes his first request: that believers would be strengthened spiritually. The word used in v. 17 for Christ dwelling in us is katoikein, which implies a permanent residence rather than temporary.

This imagery of a permanent residence in us is furthered by the wording “rooted and grounded in love” (v. 17). The imagery of roots firmly entrenched in the soil of love offers a broader perspective to our prayers. Rather than praying that someone might change a behavior we find offensive, which is often subjective and relative, we can pray that their spiritual nourishment and stability comes from the love of God. For author Nadia Bolz-Weber, this grounding addresses the choices people make:

I recently heard someone say that [he’s] started to realize ‘God’s will’ for him is that he lives a life filled with compassion, love, and service. God’s will isn’t that he becomes an astronaut, or that he [is] single, or that he lives hand-to-mouth, or that he [is] super rich – God’s will is that no matter the path he takes, …he takes it with compassion, love, and in service to others. I haven’t stopped thinking about that. Maybe God’s will is more how than what.

Knowing the love of Christ

Next, Paul asks that the church might fully grasp how deeply loved each person is. Notice that there is no caveat assuming any transformation has taken place in them; we are loved and accepted by God as we are, warts and all. When we really grasp the “breadth and length and height and depth” (v. 18), we can’t help but be humbled. Princeton theologian Sally A. Brown writes, “The indwelling presence of God is a sheer and utter gift, not a reward for merit. God chooses to live among us; God’s glory fills us. This is sheer grace, unimaginable possibility, life-giving hope.” Paul uses the Greek uperballousan gvoseos, indicating a love that is beyond what we can comprehend on our own. This love is connected to the mystery of God, and by linking this mystery to our prayers, Bolz-Weber argues that God is both expansive and small:

Prayer is a blessed escape from the tyranny of my petty resentments and annoyances when I miraculously, and sometimes for the 100th time that day, get over myself and remember that God is bigger. And that is the mysterious part. The bigness of God is more unknowable than I used to think it was. And at the same time, God’s bigness infinitely folds in upon itself just enough to fit inside my smallness – like a divine nanobot, doing its redemptive work inside of me.

Recognizing God’s unknowability and mystery while being assured of the security of divine love is a blessing to pray for others. We can ask that they might understand the depth of Christ’s love for them, and we can ask that we might convey that same love to them, too. After all, Christ followers are Jesus’ hands and feet.

Trusting outcomes to God

Verses 20-21 are called a doxology or formal praise to God. In these verses, Paul acknowledges that God is able to achieve much more than we might ever desire or dream. While these verses are sometimes used to support the myth of productivity that is so common in the American culture, Paul is giving us an “out.” Without having us ask or pray, God is influencing people through the Holy Spirit toward more love, kindness, and goodness. We certainly can take part in promoting these qualities in the world, but the outcome is not in our hands. For reasons we don’t completely understand (remember the mystery of God), Paul encourages us to pray for others, knowing that the outcome of those prayers is not contingent on them, on our faith, or on the faith of those we pray for.

However, prayer for others ignites compassion in our hearts, which fuels social justice movements and change. Praying for those who suffer compels us to seek the flourishing of all, not just ourselves. We’re challenged to express this concern for others by taking concrete steps within our scope of influence, and in this manner, we are co-contributors with God in forging new systems and communities that are fair for all. In ways we can’t quite explain, prayer changes things.

When we focus on being spiritually grounded, comprehending Christ’s love, and trusting the outcomes of our prayers to God, our prayers are launched from a broader perspective rather than the nitty-gritty of personal or confidential details or prescriptively advising God on outcomes. Rather than dictating to God what we think should happen, we become agents of change in the world, co-contributors of flourishing, and participants in what God is doing in the world.

Call to Action: This week, ask the Holy Spirit to help you join in his prayer for others. Pay attention to your prayers for others and notice any tendency to devolve into gossipy details or prescriptively figure out a solution. If you catch yourself, try to reframe those prayers to ask for spiritual grounding, an awareness of deep divine love, and the most compassionate response from you toward that person. Ask God to help you see and love others as he does.

For Reference:
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-17-2/commentary-on-ephesians-314-21
https://thecorners.substack.com/p/prayer-and-gods-will
https://cepreaching.org/commentary/2015-07-20/ephesians-314-21-2/
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/quote-archive1/quotes-about-prayer#:~:text=Pray%20as%20if%20everything%20depends%20on%20God.%22&text=%22Give%20me%20faith%2C%20Lord%2C,me%20help%20others%20find%20it.%22&text=%22Love%20your%20enemies%20and%20pray%20for%20those%20who%20persecute%20you.%22&text=%22True%20prayer%20is%20neither%20a,exercise%20nor%20a%20vocal%20performance.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CqRJVd-giYX/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fumbling-change/200905/two-boats-and-helicopter-thoughts-stress-management

Simon Dent—Year B Proper 12

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Ephesians 3:14-21

 

Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/GReverb/GR050-SimonDent-TheFullnessOfGod-W4.mp3

July 28, 2024
Ephesians 3:14-21, “The Fullness of God”

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Program Transcript

The Fullness of God w/ Simon Dent W4

Anthony: We’re in the home stretch. We’re moving to our final pericope of the month. It’s Ephesians 3:14-21. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 12 and Ordinary Time, which falls on July 28. Simon, we’d be grateful if you’d read it.

Simon Dent:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Anthony Mullins: I want to read that again. “He is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can dare ask or imagine.”

And I’ve got a pretty vivid imagination, Simon, but that’s astonishing that this is the God who we’re in relationship with. Verse 19 gives a prayerful statement from Paul that all would know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. And a little insight on me, my faith tradition as a youth held up knowledge, especially biblical knowledge, as the pinnacle of Christian life.

For those in our listening audience who may have had a similar experience as the one I described, share with us how the love of Christ is superior to the factual comprehension of the scriptures.

Simon Dent: Yeah. It’s not to deny that knowledge and having good information about Christian faith, about who God, is not important. We read in Proverbs that call, “Get wisdom, get understanding.”

But we see that it’s a problem that has happened throughout history. We see that in Jesus’ own reaction with the Pharisees. In John 5, he speaks to the Pharisees and said, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think in them that you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.” [verse 39]

So, Jesus is clearly saying the scriptures don’t actually have the eternal life. I am eternal life, and these scriptures actually testify about me, and you need to come to me to actually experience eternal life. One of the problems about a community that’s so focused on knowledge is that relationally you can tend to rule people in or out according to whether they fit within your particular understanding of what you’ve gained.

I was once in a community that was all about preaching the grace of the gospel. And often what they taught was just so beautiful and life-giving, it made your heart sing. But I never really felt safe amongst those people, in case, I suddenly maybe had a slightly different take on something that was in some ways the accepted norm.

And it just made me realize maybe even in preaching the good news of the gospel and understand the good news of the gospel, we can, in some ways, rule people in or out because we are trusting more in our knowledge and our understanding and our theology — of getting it all right rather than actually allowing that theology to actually lead us to Jesus Christ and his expansive beauty that embraces us all, that gives us the freedom to maybe explore a little, play a little with our understandings of the scriptures without that sense of necessarily being ruled in or out because we haven’t actually got it right.

So yeah, unless knowledge leads us to a relationship with God, then it’s not the knowledge that comes from the Spirit.

Anthony Mullins: That’s right. If theology or understanding of God and the scriptures, they don’t lead us to worship, something’s wrong. If they don’t lead us to love, something’s amiss, right?

Simon Dent: Yeah, that’s right. That’s right. And it’s not just love for God. It’s ultimately that love for one another and expansive openness towards one another as well.

And I think in the tradition that I grew up, there was very much a lot of love for God, but there were barriers, and we were wary about other people, particularly people who might think a little bit differently. So, it didn’t necessarily lead us out to that love of one another.

Anthony Mullins: Yeah, that’s so well said.

I’ve met people (and I’ve done this on some level myself) where because the scriptures were held up as the pinnacle and knowledge of them — and again, like you so well stated, we need to know the scriptures for sure, because they do point us to Jesus — but I’ve known people that had spent hours and hours studying their Bible every day, but they didn’t allow the Bible to study them.

And what I mean by that is to examine their lives, to call them to have an unction to go out and love their neighbor. This has got to get expressed somehow to your fellow brother and sister. And if it doesn’t, then again, we need to go back and allow the word to examine us, as we read the written word for sure.

Simon, as a final request before we end our podcast episode. I’m just going to ask you to share how you’ve personally experienced the gospel glory that God is able to accomplish abundantly more than you could ask or imagine.

Simon Dent: This is a very special verse for me because it was a verse that I shared at my wedding day, when I looked at my beautiful wife. And I just was thinking, man, who am I to be blessed in such a way to have such a beautiful person to journey life with?

And I was just struck by this first that God knows us and gives us more than we ever ask or imagine. And so that was a joy for me, particularly for me coming from a family where there was a fair bit of dysfunction. There was love there for us, but I grew up as a child feeling pretty insecure and unsafe because there was a bit of violence in our family.

And to be brought into a place, a home, if you like, where you’re actually deeply free and loved and accepted as you are and delighted in (as the first few verses of Ephesians tell us), it’s quite transforming.

I used to be a TV cameraman and before I was a believer, I had this desire of actually being a news correspondent where I’d travel the world and do all these amazing things. And my whole identity was really built up in my success. When I became a believer in Christ and I discovered Christ’s love for me, I said, I don’t really want to do any of that. I just want to give my life completely to Jesus and do whatever Jesus wants to do, because this is the most amazing news for me.

And basically, the job that I had finished up, so I started going to look for some freelance work and I knocked on the door of one company that was making videos. I had no idea about this, [inaudible] some videos for Christian mission organizations overseas. So, I traveled for five and a half years with this company making prayer videos, promotional videos for mission organizations based overseas, and traveled to 75 different countries.

And it was as though Christ had given that desire that I had before I knew him to travel the world, and he just magnified it and used it for his glory. And that was beyond what I asked or imagined. I thought I was just giving it up, but he actually just provided such a way that I could just use my gifts and serve him and love him.

The very final thing I’ll say on that, and this is a special story for me. From that moment, I felt the call of God to be a pastor. Other people fed into my life and communicated that. We have a number of processes to be ordained in the Uniting Church. And I was at one of the last processes where I was going to sit before the panel that would make a decision as to whether I would go through or not.

And I was at a church near the bush, and I was just walking around in the bush beforehand. It was quite early, and I was full of concern. I said, oh Lord, are you actually calling me to this? I want to say, I don’t think I’m able to do all of this.

And as I was walking through there, I was in the bush and I said, oh, Lord, I’d love to see a koala. It was just this side point. And as I was walking through there, I saw a koala going up in a tree. I said, oh Lord, that’s fantastic. Thank you for that.

And then I turned around. Seriously. Three seconds later, there’s another koala in the tree there. Oh, wow. That’s cool. Four steps down the track — this has seriously happened — a mother koala with a baby on its back walked across the path in front of me and then up the tree. And I suddenly just took that as a word. This wasn’t just something that was happening.

This is God saying, this is my call for you. I’m going to provide for you. But more than that, I’m going to provide for you abundantly, give you more than what you ask or imagine.

And I went into that process with a deep confidence of God’s calling for me in this ministry. But more than that, his own provision for me to do what he’s calling me to do. So, a great grace.

Anthony Mullins: I’m so thankful you shared that. What a beautiful expression of the goodness of God, the tenderness of God, the closeness of God.

And it points us to the reality of the incarnation that God comes and meets us. It’s like a friend of mine says, he didn’t just write us a letter. He paid us a visit. He shows up even in the bush, right?

Simon Dent: Yeah, that’s right.

Anthony Mullins: In burning bushes and in the bush in Australia, he shows up. And oh, thank you.

Thank you. That was just a fitting way to close this podcast. I’m so glad you joined us, Simon. It’s a joy. We have never met personally, but I hope our paths will cross one day and that would be so lovely.

And I want to remind our friends that are listening: Jesus Christ is the sermon God is preaching. So, let’s keep listening to him. Let’s keep pointing to him and let’s keep heralding the good news of his gospel.

I want to thank Simon. This was so sweet. I also want to thank our team because this podcast couldn’t happen without the likes of Reuel Enerio, our producer and our digital content creator, and also my beautiful wife, Elizabeth, who does the transcription, so you can read every word that Simon has said.

Thanks again, Simon. We’re so grateful. And as is tradition, we’d like to close with a word of prayer. So, would you please pray for us?

Simon Dent: Yeah, I’d love to. Thank you, Anthony.

Father, we bless you. We thank you, Lord, for the revelation that you’ve given to us, that you have loved us in your son, Jesus Christ. And more than that, Lord, you have joined us in him, into this amazing dynamic relationship of peace and joy. You’ve granted us the gift of your Spirit, so Lord that we may know you, but also Lord that we may walk with you in the world.

And Lord for all of those who are listening to this, those who are preparing to teach on these passages, we ask Lord that they may know in the depths of their being that you are the one who has called them, you are the one that has adopted them into your family. And Lord, that you’re the one that’s given them the gifts of the Spirit so that others also may hear and have the types of experience that Paul himself had.

And Lord, we bless you for your amazing goodness to us. Bless all of those who are listening, those who are teaching and leading. And we pray, Father, for great fruitfulness from all that they do through the work of your Spirit. In Jesus’ name and we pray. Amen.

Small Group Discussion Questions

  • What do you think of comedian Landon Bryant’s observation that prayer groups or prayer chains can be an opportunity for gossip? Are specific details necessary to pray for others?
  • What do you think of comedian Landon Bryant’s observation that prayer groups or prayer chains can be an opportunity for gossip? Are specific details necessary to pray for others?
  • Have you ever had a prayer answered in a different way than you might have expected? If not, can you think of a biblical example where this happened? For example, Sarah had Isaac despite her advanced age, answering Abraham’s prayer for an heir.
  • How might praying for someone to be “rooted and grounded” in God’s love help them, regardless of their situation? In other words, how does establishing this foundation lead to better actions and choices made?
  • How would trusting outcomes to God help us focus on the big picture? At the same time, how do you see the practice of praying for others working on us to change our hearts and our world for the better?
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