From the “Lord’s Prayer” Matthew 6:9-15 to life we are called to live in Ephesians 4:15-32: becoming what Jesus’ prayer, prays: that we would come to see God as our Father, and trust His goodness, His loving kindness, and His wisdom.
Daily, we face times and circumstances, and people that try us, that challenge us, and test our…, well, everything, including, our faith - our faith in God and His will, ways, wisdom, and purposes. Not only do these things test our faith in God, but also, our faith in His word - sometimes causing us to doubt whether it, or, He, will do what it, or, He, promises to do. So, very often, we balk at what it is He commands us to do in the face of such things and people - or - relationships.
Why? Because the things we face sometimes feel impossible to overcome, and His word, and commands, almost always seem to say, and command, the very opposite of what we feel, or believe to be so.
If we are to grow in Christ and bear the fruit of His life in us, we must allow Him to help us overcome what seems impossible, it is then our eyes are open to see His miraculous power to transform us…
Back to Jesus’ prayer…
We must come to Know and trust our Father and His goodness and His good provision; to trust His good wisdom and ways more and more. We do this by leaning into Him and His word - walking in step with the Spirit - to trust His guiding and prompting. Not “merely” hearing or reading His word, but, showing our loving trust by obeying it, doing what it says, and trusting its and His outcome in our lives - not holding onto what we have imagined and now believe is sure.
To live the life to which we are called, we must be careful to not say or insist that “I can’t”, “I won’t”, or “He cannot”, in so, making a determination in our hearts and mind of what the outcome of these times to be - that they are fixed and sure - everything I imagine it to be.
Instead, we must be willing to say and believe that “it is God working in me…” (Phil 2:12-13), He WILL work out all things - THIS THING - for the good, because I love Him (Rom 8:18,26,28); “...even if ‘I’ can’t, He can, for it Christ who lives in me… (Gal 2:20), God will finish His work in me that He has begun” (Phil 1:6); that though there is “trouble in this world, I need not be afraid, for Jesus has overcome this world and troubles. (John 16:33)”
Let us see and come to trust that these promises are not cliches, but the truth! Truth that can be trusted AND lived by.
With that, let us remember that these promises are ours because we have been made children of God by faith in Jesus - in so, we are a new creation, new creatures in Christ, created in Christ Jesus (2Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15). That “it is God who works in us to will and act according to His good purposes”. Thus, we are able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us” (Phil 4:13) - we are filled with His Spirit, empowered to lovingly obey the Father. And given one another to encourage and strengthen one another to life and godliness,
In this, we are not alone. We have been filled with the Holy Spirit, and placed in a body (1Cor 12), loved by God, we are then given one another to love and encourage one another to be more like the One in whom we are being created to be like - Jesus, the Head (Eph 4:12-16).
Jesus prayer realized, His word guides us in becoming all He intends for us to be… Ephesians 4:15-31
4:15-16 To grow in Christ, to overcome the seemingly impossible, we must do this together - cooperating with the Spirit who is in us, and walking and working with those with whom He’s placed us.
4:17-18 (remember, mercy, 2:1-10; Romans 1:18-; 2Peter 1:1-4)
4:19 - as they continue in their depravity they sink deeper into sin - remember again, “if were not for the grace of God, their go I, as they”
4:20 - “But… that is not how, or what, you learned about the Jesus, the Messiah” What is true about those outside of Christ, and what WAS true about you, is not what you are (by nature) today - 5:21 “...so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God”
4:21-22
4:23 “...being renewed in the spirit of your minds” - to think and believe differently, to see the “old self” for what it was - sinful and rebellious, contrary to God and what we are coming to know about Jesus… and to gladly remove it, everything about it.
And…
4:24 “...put on the new (now made like Jesus, righteous) self - the one created according to God’s likeness (Eph 2:8-10)
Practically, taking off what was, and putting on what is, and ought to be. 4:25-32: cleansing our hearts of what we were, to lay the foundation for what we are becoming - living and loving like Jesus.
4:25 Take off the old: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood…” Put on the new: “...and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”
4:26-27 Take off the old: “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.” Put on the new (implied): even if one’s anger is legitimate, put it aside, choose to not take offense, reflect on one’s own times of offending or angering another, look for an opportune time to resolve the conflict - do not entertain or indulge the rising feelings of resentment or the many imaginings that come with it, but, grant mercy and grace, guarding one’s self from the devil’s scheme - to separate and divide, to accuse and judge. (James 1:12-15, 19-21; 3:17-18; Numbers 20:11-12; Prov 10:19; 14:29; 15:18; 17:27; Ecc 7:9)
4:28 Take off the old: “28Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer…” Put on the new: A. “...but must work…,” B. “...doing something useful with their own hands…” good, legitimate, respectable work, bringing satisfaction of a job well done. C. “...that they may have something to share with those in need.” being generous with God and others.
4:29 Take off the old: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths…,” put on the new: A “…but only what is helpful for building others up…” B. “…according to their needs…,” (1Cor 13) C. “…that it may benefit those who listen.” (Col 3:16; 4:6; Matt 12:26)
4:30 By remaining as you were: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…,”. As you are a new creation, a new creature in Christ with the power to change: “…with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph 1:13-14; 1Cor 1:30; 2Cor 1:22; Rom 8:1-17; 12:1-2; Eph 5:10)
4:31 Take off the old: “31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”
4:32 put on the new: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Unmet expectations: whether accurate and reasonable or idealistic and unrealistic - either way, our expectations of another person are what we project onto them, and usually, without their realizing (or either of our realizing it) our expectations of another person will dictate how it is we see and feel about them - no matter what they do or say and we will judge them accordingly
Forgive from the heart, to release the person being forgiven from our ire - whether that be anger and resentment, or, one’s feigned affections that are meant to cover one’s true feelings. Certainly, it is never good to treat someone according to one’s anger, resentment, or bitterness - that is unloving, unkind, and rude. To be passive-aggressive - as to
But, neither is it good to be insincere, expressing affection, while secretly loathing them in the heart.
What is best then? To forgive. To truly see and recognize To release both of you from the bondage of unforgiveness.
They might not even know that there was an issue
They may know, but not receive your gesture of forgiveness, It is not up to you if they receive it
This does not mean that if you have been wronged, that your having forgiven them means that trust has been formed or reestablished and we are instantly restored as if nothing happened.
But it is that we must release the offender and be open to what God might do in you, in them, and/or between you both
Release them: granting them mercy and grace. Giving them the time and space to realize and repent,
one’s heart from the bondage of unforgiveness, which is sure to grow into resentment, and from resentment to an unforgiving and toxic bitterness infecting one’s heart with a stubborn unwillingness to forgive.
What is bitterness?
What is the cure for bitterness? Mercy, being in view of God’s own mercy.
Unmet expectations… what
We can imagine that Judas’ betrayal of Jesus had behind it a form of bitterness: a zealot who saw the Messiah as…, he had hoped He found the one who would not only liberate Israel, but thoroughly defeat and make subject all its oppressors, in particular Rome, and restore Israel to its rightful place, its former glory.
Judas had expectations established on inaccurate assumptions about the Messiah
Hope of the coming of the Messiah
Invitation to “join the band”
Three years, of waiting and anticipating
Growing discontent at the realization of Jesus’ not being what he thought he was
