GREETING

THE CALL OF GOD

-- { Ephesians 1:1-2 }  ¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus: ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  -- NRSV

Breath Prayer For The Week (A "breath prayer" is a brief sentence or simple phrase that can be repeated often to jesus in one breath.)

I serve at Your pleasure, Lord Jesus!

Dear Friend, grace and peace be unto you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ.  Amen.

Today we begin a great journey with the Apostle Paul.  We will journey with him as he expresses his faith in Jesus, the Christ, to the people of the Ephesus region – today Turkey – and to us.

He begins where we all begin, “The Call Of God” upon our lives.  There is nothing more meaningful to a person than to be called by God.  In our time together we will learn what that call means for each of us.

The Call Of God (1:1-2)  “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul clearly says that he was “an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.”  

This reveals four points:

1. Paul was greatly privileged.  There is no greater privilege in all the world than to serve Jesus.

I have shared with you once before that one of my favorite TV shows is “The West Wing.”  During one episode there is a crisis of direction and the staff members of the president say to him, “I serve at the pleasure of the President.”  All staff members say it, “I serve at the pleasure of the President.”  That is what Paul is saying, “I serve at the pleasure of my Lord, Jesus Christ!”  That is a statement we all must make, “I serve at the pleasure of my Lord, Jesus Christ!”

2. The word “apostle” (apostolos) means one called and sent forth on a very special mission.  The mission given Paul was that of a messenger.  He was called by Jesus to announce the message of salvation to the world.  And that message is: God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to save it.  And anyone who believes in the Son, Jesus, shall be given eternal life with God.

God needs messengers today like Paul and they are us.

3. Paul was possessed by Jesus.  The King of kings and Lord of lords had come to earth to save it.  Paul was confronted by Jesus in a very personal way.  Paul knew Jesus personally – knew Him as his Savior.  Because Paul knew Jesus, he surrendered himself to Him.  All he was and and all he had he turned over to Jesus.  He was possessed and obsessed with Jesus.  He lived for Jesus and Him alone.  Paul sought to do only the will of Jesus.  We are called to nothing less.

4. Paul was called by the will of God.  Paul had not chosen the ministry because it was a good profession or because he thought he would make a good preacher.  God only knew why he was chosen.  God only knows why we are chosen - we who are stubborn, rebellious, sinful human beings.  But we are!  Chosen to be God’s children for eternity.  Chosen to be messengers of God’s Good News.  

How many of us can say we are doing God’s will?  Are we right where God wants us?  Is that important to us?  Are we serving at the pleasure of our Lord, Jesus Christ, where He would have us?

God’s call to the Church and its believers (1:1-2)  “…to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul does not speak of himself but of the Church as a whole.  He covers the vast scope of God’s call to all who confess: “I serve at the pleasure of my Lord, Jesus Christ.”

1. God calls believers to be “saints” and “faithful.”  That is a big order.

1. In the Bible the word “saint” does not refer to just a few people who have done great works for God – like those canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.  It refers to all people.  The word “saint” (hagioi) means set apart, consecrated, sacred, and holy.  A saint is a follower of Jesus who has been set apart to live for God.  Believers are saints in two senses:

2. The word “faithful” (pistois) means a person who has placed his faith and trust in Jesus.  The faithful person is a person who has encountered Jesus and 

2. God calls believers to grace and peace. 

1. “Grace” (charis) means all the favors and gifts of God, all the good and perfect  gifts, all the blessing God can bestow.

2. Grace is God coming to us!  It is the most important word in the human language for God’s love of us.  It is God’s favor when we don’t deserve it.  It is undeserved love, unconditional love.

No other word can express the depth and richness of the heart and mind of God.  It is the word that leads Lutheran Theology – Grace.  

We need to understand the difference between God’s grace and human grace.  Human grace does favors for its friends.  God has done the unheard of and given His grace to His enemies – the sinful human race.  God sent His Son to die for His enemies.  

Let us remember these three things about grace:

1. God’s grace is not earned.  It is something completely undeserved and unmerited.

2. God’s grace is the free gift of God.  God extends His grace towards us – taking the initiative of reconciliation with His sinful creation.

3. God’s grace is the only way a person can be saved and become a member of His Forever Family.

Heavenly Father, by Your amazing grace you have sent Your Son, Jesus, to die for us in order that we might be Yours forever.  Just like with the Apostle Paul You have called us to Your service.  Empower us by Your Spirit to always confess, “I serve at the pleasure of my Lord, Jesus Christ.”