Study guide written by Mike Watson, Adult Groups Pastor Copyright 2011 Life Change Resources Requests for information should be addressed to: Life Change Resources 6071 Highway 25 Brandon, MS 39047 Scripture quotations are taken from: New American Standard Bible (NASB) 1960, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation unless otherwise noted.
INTRODUCTION Few things have the power to haunt like unanswered questions. They rattle around in our subconscious, eating away at our resolve. Very much like the children s story of the princess and the pea, no matter what we fill our lives with to attempt to muffle the persistent refrains, the questions continue. Eventually, as the prominence of the questions increases, they drive us to find answers. Graciously, God has filled His Word with the wisdom we need to confront the most formidable of those haunting questions. As we continue our walk through the book of Ephesians, we will be looking at what God tells us about four of the major sources of wondering that we struggle with: IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR ME? DOES MY LIFE MATTER? WHY THE HATE? WHERE S THE LOVE? WHAT S THE POINT OF MY PAIN? In seeking the wisdom of God s Word in the book of Ephesians, these questions are confronted in such a way as to offer the Christ-follower revitalizing hope. This study guide will allow you, either in a small group or on your own, to process the Biblical lessons from the sermons within this series in the hope that you will be able to not only answer some of your own nagging questions, but also be equipped to be a source of light and hope to those whom God has placed in your life. 1
IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR ME? It s a scene that is played out in seemingly every single courtroom drama that hits either movie or television screens. However, for whatever reason, the instant I most remember it occurring in was the 1987 movie, Suspect. In that movie, a homeless, deaf-mute war veteran named Carl Wayne Anderson (played by Liam Neeson) is arrested for the murder of a federal judge s secretary. When he is arrested, his demeanor, appearance and inability to interact with other people leaves everyone around him intimidated and uncomfortable. He is assumed to be dangerous and unstable a threat to anyone around him. The police officers who arrested him were under that perception so much so that during his arrest he was severely beaten, having multiple ribs broken. As the investigation continues and his court date rapidly approaches, the common scene occurs. The scene is that moment when, in anticipation of the jury s initial impression of the homeless man accused of murder, he is given new clothing, a new haircut, and a good shave. The man the viewer sees after the transformation barely resembles the brutish man accused of murder that he has come to recognize. Why the drastic change in appearance? To attempt to make the jury, judge, media, and anyone else who might have a say in his perceived guilt or innocence believe that this is a man worthy of being declared innocent. The cleaned-up version of himself would hopefully avoid the preconception of guilt. Whenever I see that moment in the everpresent legal drama, there is a part of me rooting for this person who stands convicted and is trying to make his or her best case for restored freedom on the basis of his outward appearance. I believe the reason for empathizing with that person is that I have done that too. In fact, I think that most everyone does that until he is brought face-toface with a source of incrimination so strong that he can no longer escape its attachment 2
to him. This is particularly true in the sphere of our relationship with God. We know that we have all failed God at some point. In fact, any accurate self-assessment would reveal that we have failed God repeatedly maybe even repeatedly today. In the face of such incriminating evidence, we are left with no act of recourse; so we try to clean ourselves up so that maybe the One who has everything to do with our classification of guilt or innocence will cut us a break. Ultimately, though, we cannot stay cleaned up. We will fail again and again, probably in a short amount of time. At the point of exhaustion of trying to stay cleaned-up and frustration with needing to be cleaned-up, hopelessness sets in. We begin to wonder if there is any hope for us at all. In his letter to the Romans, Paul tells us that there is a no answer to that question and a yes answer to that question. The no answer is that there is no hope for us if we look to our own efforts, shrewdness and cunning as the source for that hope. Now, read Romans 5:6 11 for the yes answer. REALIZING OUR CONDITION The letter to the Roman churches was sent by Paul as a Theological treatise a theology 101 course for what Christianity is all about. The Roman churches were not founded by an apostle, so the collection of house churches varied widely on the belief systems they taught in conjunction with their new faith. One of the critical issues Paul addressed was man s condition apart from Christ and the transformation that takes place through Christ. Paul explained it this way in verses 6 8: For while we were still helpless at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 3
I have never had a conversation with someone who enjoyed feeling helpless. Actually, the response is the opposite to helplessness. Terror, anger, rage, hopelessness and depression are the more typical responses to feelings of helplessness. Nevertheless, that is exactly the way that Paul describes every person who has ever lived apart from Christ. What does helpless refer to though? Many people would respond that they feel very capable and even powerful in life, business, society, relationships, etc. So how is helpless an accurate description? Paul is referring to our ability to remove our failure before God we call it sin. There has never been anything we can do as human beings to remove sin. It has and will always be a Godinitiated act of grace. Apart from Christ we are helpless. The incredible thing is that Christ died for the ungodly. Because there was no possible way for us to restore a shattered relationship with God of our own effort, no matter how good or sacrificial, Christ died for those who did not and could not deserve it. Any effort to reestablish a relationship with God on our part would result in those symptoms of helplessness: terror, rage, anger, depression, etc. To relieve the anguish of futility, Jesus came and died. Paul s qualification in verse 7 helps us to understand the immensity of his previous statement. We could probably all think of at least one person for whom we would feasibly lay down our lives a parent, a child, a spouse, a sibling. On that level of personal intimacy, we could understand laying down our lives for someone. But that is not what Jesus did. BUT GOD Paul often uses a two-word conjunctional clause in his letters. They are two of the most powerful words in all of existence because everything changes when they enter a conversation: But God. Those words signify that whatever self-destructive path humanity has taken to that point is about to be completely restored. As verse 8 points out: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Do you feel it? Man was helpless and hopeless, devoid of any ability to help himself from the doomed predicament that he was in. There was no light. There was no other 4
option. But God In man there is no hope. With God, hope lives and is dispensed graciously. Christ came and died for those who, in spite of their best efforts of cleaning up, were completely evil. That s every single person who has ever lived. That is our condition apart from Christ. But God wanted us in relationship with Him so greatly that He did not even withhold His own Son in an effort to offer restoration. Christ came and died so that we could be restored! WAIT THERE S MORE Having spent the last few verses revealing and explaining the implications of the miracle of Christ s atoning death on the cross, Paul moves in verses 9 11, to what lies ahead for the one who has been reconciled to God through Christ. Even though the atonement for sin, which Jesus accomplished through His death on the cross, was lavishly gracious, to stop the praising of God s goodness at that point would be incomplete. The reason it would be incomplete is because Christ is not dead, but alive! Just as there was a crucifixion and burial, there was also a resurrection and ascension! Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. In verses 9 10, Paul informs his readers of the rest of God s blessing through Christ. His death covered the sin of those who call Christ their Savior. The fact that He lives offers eternal life to those who call Christ Savior. Paul s eye here is on saving the believer from rightful punishment at God s final judgment. There are not only present implications from a relationship with Christ for the believer, but grace immeasurable awaits the believer at the end of time. As the believer reflects upon the magnitude of God s gracious salvation to a people described as enemies, the response is one of worship: And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 5
When Paul speaks of being an enemy to God, the reader can better grasp the radical identity transformation a relationship with Christ brings. Have you ever had an enemy that was indifferent to your life? No. An enemy by nature is one that aggressively maneuvers for your detriment or destruction. That s what we were to God. Apart from Christ, not only does man not care about God man is actively against God. The grace of Christ moves us from against Him to finding our joy in God because we have been reconciled. Christ is the mediator who brings us to peace with God, though it cost Him His life. FOR US TODAY When we ask whether there is any hope for us, that question originates from a faulty view of who is in charge of providing hope. We look at our failure and wonder how we can ever fix it. When we do that, we are heading down a path that is filled with further failure, greater frustration and perceived hopelessness. The hopelessness, though, is a lie. God is not surprised by our failures or our sinful nature. Paul tells us that plainly. God knows everything that is in our hearts and minds. If you ve thought it, God knows about it even the stuff you would not even acknowledge to yourself that you thought. He also knows the things that we haven t thought yet that will enter our minds from sources we can t determine that are so vile we shudder and would most certainly never act upon. You know what? He knew them when He sent Jesus to die, too. That is what it means to be an enemy of God and what it means for Christ to die for those who are ungodly. That is hope. Depending on your spiritual background, it may be extremely difficult to believe that God could forgive some of the things that are in your past or even your present. The truth, though, is that while it might be extremely difficult for man to forgive, God lavishly forgives the one who seeks Him and asks for forgiveness. 6
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER 1. Describe a time when you felt helpless. How did you respond? What was your mental state like? 2. Who was the first enemy you ever remember having? What was the cause of your rift? How did you treat one another? 3. Is there anyone in your life that you think you might die for? If so, why is that person important enough for you to do that? 4. What are some ways that people try to clean themselves up? Can you think of a time in your life when you did that? 5. How does it make you feel knowing how thoroughly God knows the thoughts of your mind and motivations of your heart? 6. In light of this passage, how would you define hope? 7
DOES MY LIFE MATTER? We love heroes. From very young ages, we identify the people in our lives who seem to have a sense of importance about them. There is something about them that seems larger than life. We long to be like them and begin to imitate them, whether that person is a parent, an older sibling, a favorite athlete or even Batman. We dress like them, tie blankets around our necks as capes, walk like them, talk like them anything we can do to emulate the person we hold in such high regard. As we grow older, though, our sights tend to lower from the lofty goals that dwelled in our younger heart under the weight of responsibility, perceived expectations and sometimes just basic common sense (let s face it it s hard to follow in the footsteps of Batman). However, in the process of maturing, growing older and accepting responsibility, it is easy to feel as though life is essentially a treadmill. We begin to agree with the writer of Ecclesiastes when, toward the end of his bountiful and productive life, he wrote, Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me this too is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 2:18 19) In other words, eventually working really hard and acquiring a lot of stuff isn t enough to satisfy the deep longings in our souls. It falls short of the feeling of watching our heroes when we were younger, which is a feeling we never quite forget. In his book, Volunteer Revolution, Bill Hybels speaks to the God-placed desire to change the world this way: The desire to be a world-changer is planted in the heart of every human being, and that desire comes directly from the heart of God. We can suffocate that desire in selfishness, silence it with the chatter of competing demands or bypass it on the fast track to personal achievement. But it s still there. Whenever we wonder if the daily eight-to-five grind or our round-the-clock parenting tasks are all there is to life, that 8
divine desire nudges us. Whenever we feel restless and unsatisfied, the desire whispers to our soul. Whenever we wonder what a life of real purpose would feel like, the desire calls us to something more. What God has placed in our souls is a desire for our lives to count eternally. We want to change history in some way. We want the world to be different because we were in it. Sometimes, however, in the midst of daily life, we begin to wonder if our lives really matter at all. Paul granted clarity for that question in 1 Corinthians 12:4 11. STRIVING FOR SIGNIFICANCE The Corinthian church was one of those congregations that no pastor in his right mind would have pastored. Their culture was elitist, superficial and greedy. The city of Corinth was extremely affluent, being a commercial epicenter of the day due to its location along trading routes. The people of Corinth were well-educated, placing premium importance on discussions of the latest philosophies. They were widely diverse in their religious practices and paganisms. But the most descriptive characteristic of the Corinthians was their appalling immorality. In fact, to Corinthianize had become a widely used euphemism around the region for fornication and a variety of sexual deviance. Alarmingly, all of these aspects had found significant footholds within the Corinthian church as well. It comes as no shock, then, in such an elitist society, that ranking and perceived importance was incredibly important. Paul spoke to the Corinthian congregants about a number of practices of the church that had been mishandled due to such a mindset. The practice Paul refers to in this passage is spiritual gifts. The Corinthian congregants had ranked spiritual gifts, using them as a hierarchy through which standing within the church could be determined according to a 9
person s demonstrable spiritual gifts. The most important gift, according to the Corinthians system, was speaking in tongues. Only those who had that particular gift were deemed worthy of leadership. This was the method through which they derived their sense of significance as believers. OUR INDIVIDUAL PURPOSE IS EMPOWERED BY GOD In verses 4 6 of our text, Paul uses a series of contrasts to demonstrate the importance of difference within the Body of Christ. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. Through the three verses, Paul acknowledges the variety of gifts, ministries and effects. In doing so, Paul is explaining to the Corinthian congregants the indispensable difference that God has creatively interwoven throughout the church. Not everyone has the same gifting, which determined how God had enabled them to carry out their callings. Not everyone was created for the same ministry, which was informed by the gifting God had allotted to them. And certainly God did not bring about identical results or effects in the lives of every believer. Rather, the multiplicity of God s unique design is used by God to accomplish His purposes in the world for His glory. As Paul has explained it, there is an additional item of importance. None of the individual s unique design is intended to be carried out in isolation. While each believer is uniquely created as God s craftsmanship, the difference of each believer is unified in the body of Christ, which is the Church. In Paul s statements, the use of the word varieties is quickly qualified by the larger sameness of God. The giving of and use of the variance of God s craftsmanship in each believer is for the glory of God. THE FOCUS OF OUR PURPOSE After spending three verses unifying the differences of the fragmented church by helping them see that they were all a part of the same body, Paul turns the focus of the Corinthian congregants onto who is intended to benefit from their unique gifting in verse 7. 10
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. In this concise verse, Paul makes a couple of vitally important distinctions about the use of spiritual gifts. First of all, he refers to them as the manifestation of the Spirit. By referring to their spiritual gifts in this way, Paul is making it extremely clear that, while the outward appearance of spiritual gifting could be imitated, only those who have received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit when they accepted Christ as their Savior actually have them spiritual gifts are for believers only. Second, Paul makes it equally clear that the exercising of the gifts was to have as its end the common good. This was in stark contrast to the way in which the Corinthians had customarily been displaying their spiritual gifts. Because their spiritual gifts had become yet another way of competing with one another for position in society, albeit the church s society, the use of their gifts was all about their own glory. Such a tainting of God s gracious blessing was deplorable stewardship at best, and perhaps fostering idolatry at worst. Rather the purpose of the spiritual gifts was the service of others (Ephesians 2:10). Peter echoes Paul s sentiments in 1 Peter 4:10 11: As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. GOD HAS YOU IN MIND Finally, after listing a sampling of some of the gifts of the Spirit in verses 8 10, Paul ends this section of the letter in verse 11 by somewhat restating his initial argument. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. There is no doubt at the end of this verse that God is mindful of every individual believer. Each is created and gifted to fit in a specific and unique way into the body of 11
Christ according to God s will. Spiritual gifts, then, under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, give the believer great insight as to how each is to fulfill his God-given purpose in life. FOR US TODAY Many of us resonate with the words from Ecclesiastes. The things which we have worked so hard to obtain have left us feeling unfulfilled. The things we thought would bring us a sense of significance leave us feeling desperate for the next shot of diminishing satisfaction. The accumulation of those experiences frequently leaves us wondering if our lives matter. The problem is that our default is to find purpose in our own strength, with our own goals, in our own agenda for our own sake. However, all of those are temporal and fleeting, unable to satisfy. used for the common good, which means the good of the body the Church. Our spiritual gifts are not intended for attaining our own glory. Rather, the by-product of our faithfulness to God is an abiding joy of being at work with God for His glory. For application, it is important that we examine our lives and prayerfully begin discerning how God has created us. Paul s writing to the Corinthians tells us not only that our lives matter, but that God has uniquely designed each believer to play a critical role in His eternal plan. Here are some questions to help guide you in realizing the purpose your life has in Christ. By examining Ephesians 2:10, we know that God created each of us for the purpose of good works. The way in which we accomplish those good works, and through which we derive joy from those works of service, is through the Biblical use of our spiritual gifts. The Bible is clear that every believer has a spiritual gift and that it is to be 12
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER 1. What do you do that gives you such joy that you would do it even if no one ever noticed and you never got paid for it? 2. What issues or causes do you see in the world around you that create a strong desire for change in you? 3. If you were leading a church, what is the number one, non-negotiable thing you would want to see it do? What can you do right now to start achieving that goal? 4. When you approach tasks, do you tend to be extremely detail-oriented or do you prefer to spend more time building relationships with the people on your team? 5. Describe the first time you sensed God using you in some way. What were you doing? What was especially unique about that moment? 6. What in your life seems to come rather naturally to you that others seem to struggle to understand or accomplish? 7. What have been the most formative experiences in your life? 8. If you could pick one way for the world to be different because you are in it, what would that way be? Why is that so important to you? 9. Think of the events leading up to your accepting Christ as your Savior. What aspects stand out to you? (It may be helpful to write down the details of your conversion experience). 13
WHY THE HATE? WHERE S THE LOVE? One doesn t have to read many headlines or watch 24-hour news channels to realize that we live in a fragmented world. Through the increase of social media and global news availability, the accessibility of information and opinion about affairs around the world has become as simple as turning on the electronic device of your choice. Unfortunately, the news and opinions of those events and happenings, whether global, national or local, continually spiral toward the negative. Rumors and innuendo of conspiracy, corruption and other forms of self-serving dishonesty are abundant. The growing awareness of the world s condition takes its toll on people in different ways. Some become outraged, taking up the fight in the arena of the cause that is nearest to their heart. Others use the systems that are currently in place for self-advancement. Still others retreat into a realm of self-induced ignorance of such events due to their belief that their actions, votes, petitions and general involvement are powerless to affect any real sense of change. Regardless of the nature of the response, it all furthers the fragmentation of our various levels of society. With fragmentation comes an escalated sense of distrust of those who are not in the same camp we are in on any particular issue. Ultimately, all of these scenarios lead many to wonder: if God is love and He created everything, why is there an apparent absence of love all around us? Seemingly all we confront is hate, enmity and accusatory bitterness. The reality is that this has always been the condition of the world since the tragic decision in the Garden of Eden. The world has been contaminated by sin. Everyone feels the effects of this sin even if they do not realize it. The difference for the believer is that the Spirit of God dwells within and so does the power to live in a thoroughly countercultural way. The presence of God empowers 14
believers to offer the world a glimpse of what the goodness of God looks like. Living lives characterized by the love of God is so foreign to the way of the world that throughout Scripture those who have done so have stood apart from their peers. While not perfect in any way, those who sought to follow God have historically been ostracized and seen as different. Immediately we think of Lot living in the areas of Sodom and Gomorrah; Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego living under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar; Elijah facing down the prophets of Ba al on Mount Carmel; Jeremiah preaching for over 40 years without a single convert; and, ultimately, Jesus walking among those whom He created who would eventually condemn Him to death. The love of God is so distinctive that Jesus told His disciples in John 15:12 17 that it would be the very thing that made it obvious to everyone around them that they were His friends. THE STANDARD FOR LOVE The verses we are examining take place as part of Jesus Farewell Discourse a conversation that He had with His disciples on the way to His betrayal at the Garden of Gethsemane. During that conversation, Jesus was teaching the disciples about how their lives would be radically changed in the coming hours changes that would last the rest of their lives. In John 15:12 17, Jesus is speaking to them specifically about what should characterize their relationships with one another. There are a number of lesser reasons why this particular part of the conversation was important. First, the disciples were from a variety of backgrounds. Some of them were fishermen, who would have been uneducated and living slightly above poverty level. Contrarily, Matthew was a former tax collector who would have been viewed as a traitor to his own people prior to his decision to walk 15
with Christ. His fortune was made by cheating the Jews he collected taxes from, giving the required amount to the Roman government and keeping the extra for himself. Simon (not Peter) was a religious and political zealot, a revolutionary in all that he did. He and Matthew would not have gotten along at all, being at completely opposing sides of the political spectrum. James and John were ambitious, selfish and part of Jesus three closest disciples. Their personalities were so volatile that they were nicknamed Sons of Thunder. All that to say, even with Jesus physically walking among them, there were disputes and quarrels among them. Second, the days that lay before them were going to be more difficult than they had ever known. They would be confused, under the threat of death, tasked with overseeing the birth of a rapidly-growing movement at the beginning of Christianity. Such stress and pressure would threaten the closest of friendships. For men who were as different as they were from one another, the call to love would go against their natural response. Jesus words calling it to their attention were critical. The greatest reason for their being commanded to love one another is given to us in verses 12 13. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. Loving one another is the model that Jesus had spent the last three years demonstrating for them. Jesus even added the qualifier that the manner they should love one another should be just as He had loved them: with complete selflessness and grace. The circumstances surrounding their conversation were the moments before Jesus allowed Himself to be betrayed, and ultimately crucified. None of that surprised Jesus He knew exactly what lay ahead of Him. That knowledge is why the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) contain the soul-wrenching prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus pleaded with God that if there be any other way to accomplish His work without having to be crucified, to please let the cup pass. Nevertheless, in obedience to God and for the love 16
of His friends, Jesus willingly laid down His life. That is the kind of self-sacrificial love, the greatest love, that He commanded those who follow Him to show to one another. BEING A FRIEND OF JESUS In verses 14 15, Jesus elaborates on what it means to be a friend of Jesus. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. These two verses contain two crucial elements, which help to explain the revolutionary new relationship Jesus had established with His disciples. First, in verse 14, Jesus says that His friends do what He commands them. One of the worst things we could do in reading that verse is to turn a relationship with Jesus into one of following rules and commandments. The commands of Jesus are not a requirement for being a friend of Jesus. Rather, obedience to the commands of Jesus is a characteristic that His friends share. The difference between the two is vast. One uses obedience as a way to earn favor with Jesus. The second and proper explanation demonstrates the change that a friendship with Christ makes in a person s life. It is, among other things, a complete value system overhaul from selfishness and stubbornness to gracious devotion. Second, Jesus delineates between the relationship of a slave to a master and the relationship between a master and his friend. Nowhere in the Bible is God in any person Father, Son or Spirit referred to as a friend of ours. The believer is a friend of Jesus. It is not a mutual, equal relationship. Jesus confers the title of friend onto those who love Him. The difference between a slave and a friend, then, is that a slave simply does what he is told with no insight or relationship with his master. A friend, though, is brought into the confidence of his master, understands his thinking, and is treated with favor. A PRIVILEGE WE CANNOT TAKE CREDIT FOR After telling the disciples, who have a history of ambition and pride in positioning, that they are His friends, Jesus shortcuts any tendency they may have had to think highly 17
of themselves for the place of privilege that Jesus had just given them in verse 16. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This particular verse might seem a bit out of place in a passage that had started discussing the love they are to demonstrate toward one another. However, it serves notice to the disciples, as well as to believers today, what the focus of the love shared among believers is to be fruit, or more specifically the birth of new believers. Jesus tells the disciples that they did not earn the honor of being His friends, rather they were chosen by Christ Himself. Furthermore, they were chosen so that they would take what they saw in their travels and life with Christ and make it part of their own lives. The fruit that Christ appointed the disciples to bear was the birth of the Church, and that fruit would last. The nature of the love of Christ is such that it reaches out to others to bring them in. The means through which the fruit will be realized is prayer in Jesus name. FOR US TODAY Verse 17 sums up the previous verses, but also stands in stark contrast to the next set of verses which speak to the hatred in the world. This I command you, that you love one another. When we look at the world, or our own neighborhood, we should not be surprised to find evidence of evil. It is populated with people who are infected with sin crawling over one another trying to build their own little kingdoms like ants whose bed has been recently demolished. Where we see the evidence of God is in the love His people demonstrate toward one another as they seek to draw others in. Look in Acts 2 as the New Testament Church explodes onto the pages of eternal history. Peter preached a brief, but powerful sermon, and 3,000 people were saved. Going forward in verses 43 47 of that chapter, it speaks of God s people selling property to provide for others, sharing meals, being together, being glad of heart and having favor with others. There was no master evangelism strategy. What drew people to the movement was the beauty of the love of Christ lived out among His friends. 18
If that does not particularly sound like the church today, the question that demands to be asked is, Whose fault is that? Are we living out the self-sacrificing love of Christ, described beautifully in Philippians 2? If we are not, why? God still desires for us to bear fruit. The Spirit indwells the believer. Joy is promised to those who are in Christ. If the world is to see love, then, this must become a daily reality in our lives personally. 19
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER 1. How would you say that Christians today define self-sacrificial love? 2. Who in your life has best exemplified the love of Christ to others consistently? 3. What are some things that hinder you from having loving relationships with other believers? 4. Conflict will inevitably occur with other believers. What are some ways that you would recommend for restoring a harmonious relationship? 5. Who do you encounter in your regular pattern of life that you know needs to receive the self-sacrificial love Jesus spoke of? How can you help meet that need in the next week? 6. Do you think the Church s reputation in our country helps or inhibits the spread of the Gospel? Why? 20
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WHAT IS THE POINT OF MY PAIN? Life is filled with a variety of crises of belief. While not the most uplifting of topics to discuss, if we are honest about our past experiences that have contributed to who we are today, how we view the world, and even certain beliefs we have about God, a large portion of those experiences would involve a crisis of belief. Crises of belief are those seasons in our lives when the stress and burden of our circumstances leave us at a point where the pat answers we have practiced in the past are no longer capable of calming the feverish questioning that swirls around in our souls. In those difficult seasons, our faith is forced to either struggle to grow deeper roots or wither. Crises of belief can take many forms and are as varied as the people who experience them. It might be the loss of a job. It could be the loss of a child or pregnancy. Sometimes it can take the form of a spouse at the unexpected end of a marriage. Maybe it s the pain of uncertainty during a life-defining decision. Maybe it is the despair of crushing loneliness. Regardless of the form the crisis takes, the occurrence of the crisis has the power to draw us to question what we thought we knew about God like no other experience can. There is pain in the crisis, and pain has a unique way of cutting through those who appear strong. Questions that we wouldn t even dare speak fly through our minds in an instant. The phrasing of the questions we ask God during the moments of anguish or uncertainty vary in their details, but the essence of the questions that seem to go unanswered is Why? In the midst of the crisis, we tell ourselves that we could make it through and persevere if only we knew why we had to endure in the first place. What possible reason could there be for such anguish? 22
The Apostle Paul came to know a thing or two about pain and anguish over the course of his missionary ministry. In 2 Corinthians 11:22 33, as part of the ceaseless effort of to justify himself as an apostle of Christ to the Corinthian congregation, Paul lists in bulleted format the number of different persecutions that he had endured since his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. His sufferings were not a surprise to God. In fact, in Acts 9:15 16, God tells Ananias, whom He has sent to restore a blinded Saul s (would become Paul) sight that Saul, who had become known for imprisoning and murdering Christians, was His chosen instrument for taking the gospel to the Gentiles. God follows up His glimpse of Saul s purpose to Ananias with, for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name s sake. Paul had not even started his ministry for God yet and God already knew the suffering that would befall Paul. True to His word to Ananias, suffering was an incredible part of Paul s ministry. Going back to the 2 Corinthians passage, Paul mentions being beaten times without number, shipwrecked overnight on the sea, flogged mercilessly, imprisoned repeatedly, and even stoned an act that typically resulted in death. In addition, Paul reports as lesser hardships: hunger, thirst, exposure to the elements and difficult labor. In light of all the relentless affliction and persecution that Paul faced throughout his ministry, when he penned the letter to the Romans he was extremely clear on the providential working of God. The text that we will look at in relation to the purpose in pain is a familiar one to many people and is found in Romans 8:26 30. GOD KNOWS OUR PAIN DEEPER THAN WE KNOW IT As we begin our section of Romans for this week, we get the sense that we are coming in halfway into a conversation. That is true 23
in some sense. In the preceding verses, Paul had been instructing the Roman believers in the theology of their identity in Christ; specifically that the one who believes in Christ is a fellow heir of Christ. For that reason Paul states that he considers the suffering of this world as nothing in comparison to the glory that awaits the believer in eternity. Paul has a profound understanding of what suffering means. His own suffering screamed praise for God in heaven who awaited him. Paul continues to tell the Roman believers how everything in creation in this fallen state suffers and groans for the return of Christ so that creation might be put right again. Existing in this fallen, putrid state is agonizing, even for creation. Picking up in verse 26, Paul offers a word of consolation to the believers in Rome, who faced immense persecution themselves. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Have you ever been so distraught, so confused or so completely overwhelmed by your circumstances that you did not know what to do or even say? Or that whatever you did say just did not seem to do justice to your angst or rage? What about those moments when you don t even know the right things to pray for, when you are spiritually speechless? In those seemingly endless moments, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness and frailty. Not only does the Spirit of God intercede for us, but He does so in utterances and groanings the depths of whose meaning exceeds our words. That means when we do not have the words to express our turmoil, God understands it deeper than we can even conceive. Have you ever had the patronizingly painful experience of someone telling you they understand how you feel when you know there is no possible way they can? God not only knows how we feel, He could teach us volumes about how we feel. 24
The second part of Paul s sentence tells us God knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit prays to God. It is an incredibly deep concept to fathom. Essentially, though, the Holy Spirit ministers to the broken heart of the believer and prays to God as our Helper so that God knows with complete perfection the condition of our fragile soul. GOD IS AT WORK IN OUR PAIN When the reader comes to verse 28, the eyes fall across one of the most familiar passages in times of grief. There is great danger in uttering this verse flippantly as doing so can trivialize the sovereign work of God in our lives even during seasons of great pain. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. When spoken flippantly, this verse can take on a tone similar to the phrase well it s for the best. Nothing could be further from Paul s intent. Bear in mind that Paul concluded verse 27 by saying the Spirit prays to God on behalf of believers according to God s will. That does not mean that the Spirit tells God to make our pain go away. It much more closely means that the Spirit implores God to bring His purpose in our lives to pass. If Paul had stopped right there, the feeling for the distressed reader is uncertain. They are already being persecuted and are in pain. Maybe they think God wants that for their lives. Paul offers words of assurance by reminding the Roman believers and us that when the Spirit intercedes on our behalf for God s will to come to pass in our lives, that is a wonderful thing. The reason it is a wonderful thing is because God s will mandates that all things that befall a believer will ultimately achieve the goodness of God s perfect will. He is sovereign, trustworthy, and gracious. However, because the workings of His plan are not instant, Paul encourages the believer by assuring them that God not only has a purpose for the pain and difficulty, but He is actively at work in achieving that purpose. While the believer may not realize that purpose in the present, the long-term result is guaranteed to be good. 25
THE PURPOSE OF OUR PAIN Expounding on what God s purpose for us is, Paul continues following the incredible promise of Romans 8:28 to the difficulty and pain that we experience; this difficulty and pain has purpose far beyond the present moment of suffering. In verses 29 30, Paul draws the reader s attention back to the limitless sovereignty of God. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. The concepts in these two verses are extremely complex, but their aim is not. In teaching that God foreknew and predestined believers, Paul is driving home to the reader that God is the One who initiated relationship with believers. Not only that, He predestined believers to become conformed to the image of Christ. The image of Christ, of the many things it entails, is characterized by suffering that ultimately leads to surpassing glory. The reason that God conforms us to Christlikeness is so that Christ may ultimately have many brothers who are co-heirs with Him eternally. That means that our pain actually serves to make us more like Christ. In verse 30, Paul walks through a progression of sorts of how we become like Christ through pain or suffering. Believers were not only predestined for being conformed like Christ, but so that might take place, God called those who would believe to Himself. God initiates the relationship and draws us to Himself. God then justifies those who respond in faith to His drawing. Justification means that the sin that has separated God and the believer is removed through the sacrificial act of Christ on the cross. The curious ending of the chain of progression is that glorified is in the past tense. For the believer, he or she has certainly been called and justified. But from the believer s point of view glorification still lies in the future. From God s perspective though, the glory of the believer is assured and settled. FOR US TODAY The processing of the pain we experience in light of a relationship with a loving God can seem painfully 26
incongruent. However, there is consolation to be had in realizing that God understands the depths of our confusion, anxiety and even rage in the midst of it all. In fact, in the seasons when we experience such pain, we are actually becoming more like Christ who gave up His life in the most excruciating way possible for us. It was not pain that He deserved or wanted, according to His prayer immediately before His betrayal. Also like Christ, then, God will ultimately glorify us on the other side of our pain. That is not to say that knowing the purpose of our pain lessens the pain. Paul felt every hunger pang, every scourge on his back and the consistent plaguing of whatever the thorn in his side was. However, it does raise our eyes beyond ourselves in the difficulty of pain. We see a grander purpose, a faithful God that is sovereign over our circumstances, and the assurance of glory. Such certainty offers strength for perseverance and intimacy with God for the believer. 27
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER 1. How do you initially respond to pain in your life? 2. How does having a friend who has experienced the difficult season you are going through aid in the consolation process? 3. Do you think pain whose purpose is difficult to detect is more difficult to deal with than pain that you anticipate? Why? 4. According to Romans 8:29 30, if you are a believer, God thought about you specifically and started a relationship with you. How does that change the way you think about difficulty? 5. Read 2 Corinthians 12:7 10. What does Paul reveal about viewing suffering in the light of God s purposes? 6. Other than physical pain, what other types of duress have you encountered in your life that has turned your focus intensely on God? 28
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