Download All Saints Sunday (11/4/07 – (1587)

All Saints Sunday (11/4/07 – (1587)
November Theme: “FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST”
In My Daily Tasks – Ephesians 2: 8-10
Theme: GOD TURNS THE MUNDANE INTO MAGNFICENT!
1. All works are worthless for salvation.
2. All works are precious through faith in Christ.
Dear Friends in Christ Jesus,
Did anyone dress up as a prince or a princess this past week? Have you ever dreamed of living a
life of honor and respect? You’d dress up in the finest of clothes and people would be excited to see you
come through town. Your purpose for life would be clear. You are to represent the crown. You are in
training to take care of the kingdom someday.
But then we look at our own lives and poof, reality hits! Our lives may not seem very special. Do
you ever wonder – “What is the purpose?” You get up, eat, go to work, come home, sleep. Maybe you run
the kids from one place to another or deal with the constant barrage of unexpected demands or disasters.
What are you getting out of it? Where is it going? Who even cares?
In these next three sermons we want to take a look at your calling and how it affects your view of
life. Today we look at Ephesians 2:6-10: And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the
heavenly realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches
of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can
boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in
advance for us to do (live).
GOD TURNS THE MUNDANE INTO MAGNFICENT!
Our text brings out two important teachings Martin Luther emphasized. Both have to do with
tasks or work. The first says that: All works are worthless for salvation. But all works are precious
through faith in Christ. Ephesians unfolds a lot of the mysteries about our daily life. Paul shows that the
world isn’t spinning out of control as sometimes it may seem. Neither are you the captain of your life.
And that’s good!
I know some of you are planners and can appreciate good planning – constantly checking your
pocket calendar, your PDA or Blackberry. God is a planner too, and you are very much in his plans. In
chapter one the Apostle Paul explains that the plans God has for us individually began even before he
created the world. He created the world in 6 days. And now in the center of it all he places you and me.
Our purpose is partially lived out in the tasks he places before us. Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took
the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work and care for it.” Everything Adam and Eve did in
caring for the garden was a facet of their calling. Even simple tasks brought joy and honor because God’s
world was perfect.
But today terms like “jobs” or “work – housework, homework” – don’t sound so lofty and
spiritual, do they? And what emotions emerge when people mention Monday? For some that is the worst
day of the week because it’s the day they have to return to work or school after a weekend of freedom. We
get caught in the complaining and weariness of doing the same old thing day in and day out. What was
meant to be a joy now seems like a struggle. Adam and Eve’s disobedient actions in the Garden of Eden set
off this negative chain reaction for the rest of humanity. Now our tasks are laced with pain, and
interruptions and weariness. We are tempted to say, there must be more to it than this. And there is more to
it. God is not removed from his world. Nothing happens without conforming to his greater purpose and
will for us.
Don’t forget the devil continues to be active behind the scenes. Stop to look how he affects you.
Has your approach to the tasks of your daily life been so pure? Have you displayed “godliness with
contentment” in them? Do you approach them with joy instead of complaint? Truth be told – God’s
justice demands that he punish those who do don’t willingly and perfectly obey him as they carry out their
task (Gal 3:10).
Before we go on, let’s get something straight. We don’t gain any favorable standing before God
by our type of job, our tasks, our positions or even our performance of them. Our works are really
worthless when it comes to being saved. God could point out the fault with all of them – no matter how
spiritual they may seem on the outside. “There is no one righteous, not even one…No one will be
declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of
sin.” (Ro 3:10, 20). But if you go into Scripture you also discover the heart of the one who Calls you.
Eph 2: 8 “For it is by grace you are saved through faith – this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God –
not by works, so that no one can boast.” God had a plan. Apostle Peter told the crowd at Pentecost, “This
man (Jesus) was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of
wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” (Acts 2:23). Because of his grace toward us,
God set up a plan to condemn his own Son in our place in the heavenly court of justice. We were merely
spectators as Jesus took on himself the full punishment for all our miserable failings. He snatched us from
the curse of hell itself. The most important task for our lives – to find favor with God – is finished; finished
for us by someone else – Jesus. John 17:4 “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you
gave me to do.”
That holy work of Jesus not only meant death on the cross but was woven into every daily task
from birth until death. Each and every task was of utmost importance no matter how small or insignificant
it may have seemed around the house, neighborhood or synagogue. Willingly doing what was expected of
him was the spiritual obedience of Jesus that freed us because of our miserable failure to perfectly do so.
The main goal of his task, however was to bring glory to God for the grace that rescued us.
What a relief to know that our standing with God isn’t based on what we do, but on what Christ
did. That changes our whole perspective and focus on life! God has changed the mundane and boring into
magnificent. Think about it. He paid the price – we owe him our lives. Even more than that he IS our life.
He guarantees his plans for us unfolded at the proper moment – plans to keep us close to him; plans that put
us in touch with God himself; plans to accomplish his purpose for us. Like Paul our motto becomes: “For
me to live is Christ,” – even in my daily tasks. (cf. Philippians 1:21).
God changes the mundane existence of life into the magnificent privilege to live for Jesus Christ.
What a high position we all share! God has clothed us in the real clothing of spiritual princes and
princesses. Eph 2:6 God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in
Christ Jesus…” There are many callings in the world, but our calling as Christians raises us up into a
special union with Christ himself. Look back at the waters of baptism when you were “buried with him
and raised with him through our faith in the power of God. God made you alive with Christ.”
(Colossians 2:12-14). It makes us princes and princess of the King of the Universe. It gives us standing and
respect in the eyes of the one who counts. Colossians 3:1-2 “Since, then, you have been raised with
Christ…your life is now hidden with Christ in God…” This is what separates the tasks of the Christian
from the rest –we find our meaning and purpose of any task wrapped up in him and not in us! When our
lives are lived not for ourselves but for God, what seems to be menial, mundane, boring and routine,
everyday tasks turn grand and holy in God’s sight!
Ephesians 2:10 “for we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do”. Although we aren’t saved by our good works but Christ’s,
good works are what God had in mind for us. In fact he handcrafted each of us for specific tasks that he
prepared in advance for us to do – or as the Greek expresses it – prepared for us to “live” or “make our
daily walk.” Look at the tasks right in front of you. They are God calling you to respond with loving
obedience to him in the daily tasks. He gets as much pleasure in those done from your heart as your singing
hymns in church. Your obedient faithfulness to your tasks is setting you up for a grander purpose than you
can imagine in a time God has planned out for you.
In Ephesians 4:1 Paul says, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
The Apostle is not only talking about pastors, teachers or staff ministers and their public calling to serve.
He is talking about every Christian and the unique calling you are given by Him. Each one of us has been
given different sets of gifts to follow the calling God has “prepared in advance for us to live.” In a sense
we are all ‘called workers.’ The counting of money, the setting up of communion, the cleaning the rest
rooms – these too have a sacred value to them and bring God equal pleasure as the pastors tasks when they
are done in faith.
The tasks of God’s callings are not just what happens at church. They are also in the details of our
daily life. Our calling into Christ breaks down this fake barrier between the sacred and the secular tasks in
our life, weaving all of life into a seamless web of faith and love in action. Our calling gives to everyday
task a special dignity and spiritual significance under God. God takes care of people through your tasks.
Caring for children, doing housework, helping neighbors – are not routine and unspiritual, they are ways of
serving the Lord. Meals have to be prepared, floors have to be cleaned, garbage has to be collected – all a
part of God’s care for the world. Luther wrote that God and the angels smile when a man changes a diaper.
It takes on a whole new glory. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).
There isn’t one task at work or home that is removed from our attitude of worship. Your job is not
just a way to get a paycheck or recognition nor school just a way to get good grades or attention – they are
ways to glorify God with the gifts he has given you. Whether at home or work, Paul says, “Serve
wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward
everyone for whatever good he does.” (Ephesians 6:7)
Life makes sense when we accept our valuable place in his plan. Our daily tasks aren’t about our success
or comfort, but about something bigger – displaying God’s grace to others so they too might believe (2:7)
in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his
kindness to us in Christ Jesus. With that big picture in mind we have really one job description no matter
what the task: “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong,
they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12) In the morning
before all the parts of life rush at you, spend some time in quiet prayer grasping your calling in the daily
tasks ahead of you. Throughout your day in everything you do at home, work, church and community thank
God who turned the mundane into the magnificent through faith in Christ Jesus. Amen