Graduate 175: Advent & Ephesians, Day 3
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,..."
That really is a pretty radical statement--that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. It is so easy to get caught up in the craziness of our day-to-day lives. It's so easy to get distracted, by looking at what others have or what others are doing. It's so easy to become dissatisfied and discontented--to think that things would be so much better if only... . It is so easy to forget just how rich we are.
Now what do these blessings consist in? Paul will give us a list in what follows. In fact, days 3 through 14 of this series will all be focused on unpacking just one sentence. It happens to be the longest sentence in the Bible, and in it Paul lays out these various blessings, giving praise to God all-the-while--a veritable avalanche of theology and worship to God.
But for now, let's just unpackage this verse. The word "blessed" (eulogetos) is used only to describe God and those upon whom He has acted in a very direct way. God alone is worthy to be blessed and we are blessed when we receive His blessing. It's important to remember that the blessings of God are inseparable from God Himself. Sometimes our prayer habits and ways of interacting with God betray a forgetfulness of this truth. We may want God to do something for us or to help us in some way, but all the while we have been neglecting our own relationship with Him. The distance from God that we may feel at those times is not a result of His rejecting us or remaining aloof. Rather, it just reflects our own failure to draw close to God. He is always ready to receive us when we call on Him. But if we consistently refuse to call on Him or walk with Him or talk to Him, is it any wonder that we feel distant from Him.
The marvelousness of the Incarnation consists just in the completeness of the manifestation of God-with-us. Not just that God came down in the flesh and dwelt among us, but that in Christ the way was opened for God to commune with each and everyone individually by the indwelling of His Spirit. More on that another time. This is all just the tip of the iceberg after all. The main point that I want to emphasize, here, is that if you are not aware of those many blessings in your life, you might want to consider just how close you are to God. Some people interpret the feeling of God's distance just as evidence of His non-existence. What we should do, when we get that feeling, is to draw closer to God.
This theme of 'God-with-us' is also important for understanding Paul's reference to the "heavenly places." Does that mean that the blessings come from the heavenly places or does it mean that the blessings are being saved for us in the heavenly places? Unfortunately, many people think of the heavenly places as something necessarily distant and remote. But when Jesus began His teaching ministry, at the center of His message was the idea that "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." In other words, the realm of the heavens, where God rules and reigns, is here and now and accessible. It is not remote. It is not distant. The kingdom of heaven was brought here to earth in the person of Jesus Christ, and for those who believe in Him, they now live in Christ. (Recall the first mention of "in Christ" in day 1.) And those who live in that close, intimate relationship with Christ--those who are in Christ, share in that heavenly community and receive the blessings that come with that fellowship.
As we move into this holiday season, don't lose sight of how rich you are. It's easy to do amidst this chaos of billboards, advertisements, sales, parties, plays, relatives, shopping lists, and the current economy. But the reality is not limited to the physical, economical, and social circles that surround us. There is also a spiritual world, inhabited by God and His people, pervaded by His grace, love, and peace. And if you will draw your attention to that and to Him, you will receive that.
--
God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.
That really is a pretty radical statement--that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. It is so easy to get caught up in the craziness of our day-to-day lives. It's so easy to get distracted, by looking at what others have or what others are doing. It's so easy to become dissatisfied and discontented--to think that things would be so much better if only... . It is so easy to forget just how rich we are.
Now what do these blessings consist in? Paul will give us a list in what follows. In fact, days 3 through 14 of this series will all be focused on unpacking just one sentence. It happens to be the longest sentence in the Bible, and in it Paul lays out these various blessings, giving praise to God all-the-while--a veritable avalanche of theology and worship to God.
But for now, let's just unpackage this verse. The word "blessed" (eulogetos) is used only to describe God and those upon whom He has acted in a very direct way. God alone is worthy to be blessed and we are blessed when we receive His blessing. It's important to remember that the blessings of God are inseparable from God Himself. Sometimes our prayer habits and ways of interacting with God betray a forgetfulness of this truth. We may want God to do something for us or to help us in some way, but all the while we have been neglecting our own relationship with Him. The distance from God that we may feel at those times is not a result of His rejecting us or remaining aloof. Rather, it just reflects our own failure to draw close to God. He is always ready to receive us when we call on Him. But if we consistently refuse to call on Him or walk with Him or talk to Him, is it any wonder that we feel distant from Him.
The marvelousness of the Incarnation consists just in the completeness of the manifestation of God-with-us. Not just that God came down in the flesh and dwelt among us, but that in Christ the way was opened for God to commune with each and everyone individually by the indwelling of His Spirit. More on that another time. This is all just the tip of the iceberg after all. The main point that I want to emphasize, here, is that if you are not aware of those many blessings in your life, you might want to consider just how close you are to God. Some people interpret the feeling of God's distance just as evidence of His non-existence. What we should do, when we get that feeling, is to draw closer to God.
This theme of 'God-with-us' is also important for understanding Paul's reference to the "heavenly places." Does that mean that the blessings come from the heavenly places or does it mean that the blessings are being saved for us in the heavenly places? Unfortunately, many people think of the heavenly places as something necessarily distant and remote. But when Jesus began His teaching ministry, at the center of His message was the idea that "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." In other words, the realm of the heavens, where God rules and reigns, is here and now and accessible. It is not remote. It is not distant. The kingdom of heaven was brought here to earth in the person of Jesus Christ, and for those who believe in Him, they now live in Christ. (Recall the first mention of "in Christ" in day 1.) And those who live in that close, intimate relationship with Christ--those who are in Christ, share in that heavenly community and receive the blessings that come with that fellowship.
As we move into this holiday season, don't lose sight of how rich you are. It's easy to do amidst this chaos of billboards, advertisements, sales, parties, plays, relatives, shopping lists, and the current economy. But the reality is not limited to the physical, economical, and social circles that surround us. There is also a spiritual world, inhabited by God and His people, pervaded by His grace, love, and peace. And if you will draw your attention to that and to Him, you will receive that.
--
God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.
posted by Metaphysician_delta | 4:08 PM
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