Thursday, April 3, 2014

Thursday, April 3 ~ Miriam

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 31-32; Psalm 67; Luke 23.
Today's scripture focus is Ephesians 1:19-23

19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

I find these verses speaking about Christ being raised from the dead fitting, as we are moving towards Easter.  I found this portion of Mr. Legge's sermon, Paul's Prayer List for You, Part 2, interesting:

If I were to ask you what you believe the greatest demonstration of God's power was, you might say to me: 'Well, it must be creation. That in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and the universe. He created all the angelic beings, the whole solar systems, everything! Was that not the greatest? In a word it all came into being'. You might say: 'Well, it must be the Red Sea, where God parted the sea for His children to deliver them from Egypt'. You might say it's the plagues that hit Egypt, every one representing one of their false gods, to curse them and to let the people of God go from them. You might even say it's the incarnation - God manifest in flesh, great mystery of godliness: God, contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man. You might say that is the greatest thing. No! Paul tells us that the greatest demonstration of the power of God is found here: He wrought, He demonstrated His power in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in heavenly places.

Why is that the greatest demonstration? Do you know why? Because all of hell, all the demons, all the devils and principalities and powers were massed, united together to frustrate the plans of almighty God. They wanted to keep Christ in the grave, but God triumphed - Hallelujah! God triumphed and pushed Him, by the power of His almighty being, out of the ground, out of the burying place, and brought Him back to life. Christ's resurrection, Christ's glorification and exultation were a shattering blow to Satan and all his hosts on that glorious day when He rose Him again from the dead. God's victorious power was displayed as never before! As I've said, no one can describe or explain such power, but Paul tries to do it - and he uses several words with the same idea. He uses the words of the vocabulary of dynamics. Look at the verse - verse 19: 'what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead'. According to the working - note that word, 'working', of the 'strength' - the second word - of His might - the third word - which He 'energised' in Christ - the fourth word - when He raised Him from the dead.

He wants to see, incomparably, the great power for us who believe! You see, Paul isn't just demonstrating all this so that we can be theologians, so that we can be 'biblical clever-clogs' and know everything about the power of God. But he is demonstrating to us, through an illustration of this great power in the resurrection of Christ, that this dynamic, dynamite power is available to us who believe. It's available in salvation, isn't it? Isn't that what Romans 1 verse 16 [says]? 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power' - the 'dynamus'  - 'of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek'.

Is there a temptation, my friend that you can't get over? Is there a trial? Is there a burden? Is there an obstacle that you feel that you cannot face? Think again, for we have the powerful Christ! Glory to His name!

Tomorrow's scripture focus:  Ephesians 2:1-7
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage:  Deuteronomy 33-34; Psalm 68; Luke 24.

1 comment:

Tammy said...

What a mighty God we serve!