June 14, 2015
Scripture:
Scripture:
Ministry:
Let’s turn to Psalm 110. These verses are a picture of the Lord arriving back in Heaven after accomplishing everything on earth. Read v. 1. Now let’s connect this with Psalm 16. He arrived back and He is sitting on the right hand. Read v. 11. We were reminded earlier, “We joy in our God” Think of everything that He went through, now it is all past and He has pleasures forever. What a portion!
Hymn 335 - I am so glad that our Father in Heaven
Prayer
Nehemiah had built the wall of Jerusalem; they had read the law and wanted to honour God in obeying it. Now the city was very big, but there were very few people.
Nehemiah 11:1 & 2
Everyone was figuring out where they were going to live. Some would live in Jerusalem while others would live in cities around. Jerusalem wasn’t the best place to live. It was all broken down. In the other cities, you could plant gardens, and raise animals, and produce your own food.
Some people drew lots to figure out where they would live. But others offered to live in Jerusalem, and we read that the people blessed them for it.
God’s house was in Jerusalem. Those who lived outside Jerusalem would have to come in to worship and offer sacrifices.
We are in the world, and yet we shouldn’t be of the world. Jerusalem is a type of Christian fellowship. The time spent together with others, and enjoying common fellowship of the Lord. At those times we’re inside the wall. But outside the wall is a type of the world. We are out in the world while at work, school, or other activities, but we can be a light to those around us.
Those who lived in Jerusalem would visit those outside, and those outside would visit those on the inside when the gates were open.
When they built the wall, enemies had tried to hinder them in their work. But with prayer and preparations for self-defence, they had continued, and had built it in record time. The wall was thick enough that you could walk on it. Now, they were going to dedicate the wall. They were going to show appreciation to God for the help He had given them. They were offering thanks to God. They were recognizing what God had done for them.
Nehemiah 12:27, 28, 31, 38, 40, & 43
They gathered the Levities to keep the dedication with them. They sang and played instruments to thank God for what He had done.
There were two groups of people on opposite sides of the wall. They moved along the top of the wall, and met at the temple. They were giving thanks to God while walking.
Nehemiah had come back and rebuilt the wall; they had opened the law. and had a desire to do what was right, and now they offered great sacrifices. And they did it all with great joy, and this made God rejoice. God wants us to be joyful. All the families there rejoiced and their rejoicing could be heard afar off. Others could hear their joy.
Can others see our joy? Can they recognize that the Lord is our Saviour? He is the One we can have joy in. We can rejoice in our Saviour.
Ephesians 1:15-23
It’s important to read Scripture in the spirit of prayer. Paul prays twice in Ephesians, and this first prayer has much to do with “His”. It’s His calling, His inheritance, His power, etc.
Paul wanted God to reveal something to these believers. Atheists don’t believe in revelations; they claim to believe in science. It’s precious to have revelations, though. Paul prayed that the eyes of the Ephesians’ understanding would be open. Darby translates understanding as “heart”. This is a heart issue. Paul wanted the eyes of their hearts to be opened so that they would “know”. It’s wonderful that we can know something for sure. We can have assurance of important truths.
What did Paul want us to know? Three things, and they are all connected to Christ. 1: the hope of His calling. 2: the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. 3: His power to us-ward who believe. Let’s look at the first point: the hope of his calling. He who called us has much to do with our calling. If someone calls you to be their spouse, that’s one type of calling; but if you were called to become the adopted child of a king, that’s another calling entirely. He who calls makes a difference. We have been called by God. We will fully enjoy that calling in heaven, but we can enjoy the hope of it here. However, our eyes can be dimmed by the things of this earth; and even at our best moments we can hardly enter into what awaits us. It’s wise to let temporary things go in order to enter more fully into these eternal things, for they can only be grasped by pondering them.
Even though the Ephesians were spiritually mature enough for this truth, Paul still had to pray that they would understand it: it was that deep.
Secondly, Paul wanted the Ephesians to understand the riches of the glory of Jesus’ inheritance in the saints. Christ died, and through his death we have been made co-heirs with Him. However, WE are His inheritance. It’s like the merchant man, seeking goodly pearls. The Lord saw that kind of value in us, and He wants us to enjoy, not our inheritance in Him, but His inheritance in us!
The third thing we need to understand is God’s power on our behalf. We may think that the greatest display of God’s power was at Creation, for there is so much order and complexity in the universe and He simply spoke it all into existence. Yet something went beyond that power, and it took Paul four words—power, working, mighty, and power a second time—just to mention it. Vv.20-21. There were powers opposed to the resurrection. Satan sighed with relief when he finally got the Lord into the grave, and his minions agreed with him. The Lord lay there, and yet rose again the third day. The same power that caused His resurrection then caused His ascension and glorification. He left all principalities, powers, mights, dominions, and names behind him. He is now above all, and all is under His feet. God has given Him superiority over everything. He is the head to the church, and is bigger now than when He created the world. What completes Him? His Bride, the Church; and we are kept by the same power that raised our Lord.
What a prayer this is! It leaves no doubt as to the power of God, and this is just the power He has toward us. It drew the Lord out of the grave, and has caused us to share His resurrection.
Hymn 161 – God moves in a mysterious way
Prayer