A Beautiful Mess

 Alright, friends, if you have a Bible, and you're welcome to grab one as you walk in the gym door, open with me to Ephesians chapter one. You can take a seat for a minute. Let's help these men, uh, raise your hand if you want one of these, uh, ESV journals and they'll make sure that they, they get one into your hands.

Keep them up. There, they see you. They may have to reload, but they will find you. Let me invite you to open to Ephesians chapter one, and as you do, let me welcome you to the new series on the book of Ephesians. Paul does not write Ephesians to solve a problem. Unlike the book of Galatians or the book of Thessalonians, he writes instead to unveil the church as it really is.

It is a broken, it is a messy, it is yet a mysteriously beautiful place because it is rooted in the life of the triune God. And if you've been disillusioned by the church, and which of us hasn't? Ephesians invites you to see beyond the cracks into the deeper reality of a people who are being formed by the riches of God's grace for the sake of the world.

As you keep coming back in, raise your hand if you want those journals. They see you. They'll help you find one.

The American church, friends, often thrives on the energy of newness. New believers, new programs, new buildings, new year, new converts. But as Eugene Peterson observes, the church has often failed to cultivate a deep and mature discipleship. Has this been your experience? Instead we outsource spiritual growth to the gifted Sunday school leader, or to the para church organization, or to a whole host of conferences.

And many of you attend those.

And yet we bend the church to fit the world's noisy and busy and image conscious culture. And the result, what's the result? Is a church that looks almost completely indistinguishable from the world. The letter To the Ephesians invites us into the messiness of the church because it's into this mess even into this mess that God speaks The church, however broken or however disillusioning it may be, it is not defined by our perfection or by her efficiency.

It is, as Peterson writes, not what we do, it is what God does, and although we get the privilege of participating in it. The letter to Ephesians, friends, is a profound reminder of this truth. Please hear me. It is unique among Paul's letters because it wasn't written to address a major controversy or a moral failing.

Unlike the letter to Corinth, or Galatia, or Thessalonica, Ephesians doesn't work from problem to solution. Instead, it immerses us, it invites us, it draws us in to the wealth of God's resources, the riches of His grace, which forms the foundation for a mature life in the triune God. Are you with me yet?

This is not a romanticized view of the church. It is a biblical one. And if you've ever been disillusioned by the church, and most of us have, this letter is for you. Are you with me? If you've ever been tempted to dismiss the church altogether, if you're watching us from home and you're tempted to just stay home, this letter is for you.

We want you with us. And if you're still here, despite all the mess, and I know your list is long, this letter is for you because it reminds us that the church is not about us, amen? It is about God. As Peterson puts it, Ephesians is a revelation of a church we have never seen. It reveals the healthy soil and the root system of the triune God's work beneath the visible expressions of the church.

And the messiness of her lived life together. And it shows us that the church is a beautiful mess. It is a mess. Yes, of course, but it's beautiful because of God's grace. So in light of that, let's stand together, and let's read these first two verses of this glorious book, the book of Ephesians. Men and women have died to translate this book into our mother tongues, and so let's not take it for granted.

Please hear God's word. It is given to you in love. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but God's word, friends, stands forever.

And this is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. You may be seated. Please. Oh Father, what might you do in these first two verses of a book, the introduction. Might you use the introduction to change our hearts and to show us the good news that is too good to be untrue, that you have showered us with grace.

Oh, take our hard hearts and would you melt them by the beauty of your work for us. We pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. Hey, kiddos, before I start the sermon, I want you to listen for three things. I want you to listen for email, I want you to listen for the word invitation, and I want you to listen for the word welcome mat.

Email, invitation, welcome mat. See if you can find those words in this sermon. You ready? All right. Amen. Amen. Listen, we often skipped over the introductions of the books that we read. When you get an email, do you, I imagine that you don't spend a whole lot of time reading the opening lines, do you?

Probably not. You race right into the content of the email to figure out what is the point. But what if the opening line of a letter wasn't just a formality? What if it was actually the key to understanding who you are and why you're here? Because that's what Paul wants to try to unlock for you in these verses.

He's not just saying, hi, it's Paul. He's giving us a powerful reminder of what it means to belong to God. In just these brief sentences, Paul answers the questions that we're all asking, who am I and what is my purpose? And I want to tackle these with three headings, the history, the mystery, and the future of our beautiful mess called the church.

First, the history. The history of our beautiful mess called the church. The church has always been a mess.

Okay, let's pray. You know it's true. There are 15 churches mentioned in the New Testament, and there are letters written to all but two, Antioch and Jerusalem. And of those letters that are written, of the 15 named churches, all of those letters were written because the churches were not thriving in perfectionism.

They were struggling. For example, the church in Thessalonica, they were so sure of God's imminent return that they stopped pushing out the kingdom into their culture. The Corinthians were divided over diets, sexual ethics. They were divided over worship practices. The Colossians were muddled in heresies about Christ.

The Roman church was struggling with Jew Gentile divisions, and so Paul had to write to them what one commentator says is a theological colonoscopy to help them recognize their gaps. Philemon had a runaway slave and Paul had to counsel him on how to treat him as a brother in Christ. Listen, even Timothy and Titus, these young church planters, had to be continually coached by Paul.

But it is interesting, in all of these churches, nevertheless, despite their mess, they are Christ's. They were messy, ah, but they were His.

When Paul arrived in Ephesus during his third missionary journey, he found the city teeming with spiritual confusion. You heard Pastor Mark talk about this last week in Acts chapter 19. In Ephesus, there was a temple to Artemis. It was one of the seven wonders of the world. It was there that they practiced divination.

There was this whole culture in Ephesus about magic. And Paul stays there for three years. And amidst the idolatry and the commerce and the magic and all this chaos, he preached the gospel and he planted a church. And for three years he discipled people in Ephesus. And Acts chapter 19 verse 9 says that people spoke evil of the way of the message that Paul preached.

They sneered at him. They laughed at him. They, they, they mocked him. In Greek it's kakalageo. It means that they spoke. Mockingly of him, it's like, you know, it's like Karl Marx once, what's famously said, what about the church? That the, the church is the opium of the people. And you hear that people don't make cogent arguments against the gospel, they just sneer.

They just laugh at it. And that's what they did to Paul in Acts chapter 19 verse 9. They spoke evil of the way, they just sneered at him. You have, for example, even, you know, emotional manipulation in the history of the church. Charles Finney in the Second Great Awakening fine tuned how to manipulate people's emotion so that they would come walk the aisle or sit on the anxious bench.

They would come and be converted during the Second Great Awakening on the frontiers, and it has given us a profound legacy of spiritual Shallowness. And we have not been discipled in the beauty of God's grace because we have been sneered at and manipulated. And yet, God's work in the church continues.

And God's work, despite the smears in Acts chapter 19, continued in this place called Ephesus. And the church grew, not because it was perfect, but because God was at work. And what's remarkable about the book of Ephesians is unlike Corinthians or Romans or Colossians or any of the other 13 books that were written about the church, only Ephesians was written.

Not because there was a problem to be addressed, but because there was something beautiful to be pointed to, and that was God's work in and among the lives of His people in His church. The history of God's, uh, our messiness amidst God's church is long. And for some of you, if I can just speak quite frankly as your pastor, it is deep.

And some of you are afraid to lean into the church again. But isn't it just like the Holy Spirit to say the way that you're actually healed is by leaning in again? That God has called us into community together, to grow in community, And I know some of you who are visiting or checking this church out, yes, we're going to be over there next door, sorry to disappoint you and be in the gym, but we have everything we need.

The Holy Spirit is here and He's changing you even now. Would you lean in? Would you see that these first verses of Ephesians are not just an introduction? It is actually an invitation for God to welcome you into His church. Because the history of the church is that it is messy. And that points us into the mystery of this beautiful mess.

And the mystery of the beautiful mess is that it shows us who we are, and it shows us whose we are. Notice Paul says, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Paul starts by introducing himself, and he doesn't just say, hey, it's Paul. This is an introduction. that extends to you an invitation to live as people who are loved, who are called, and who are secure in Christ.

He says Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Now think about that phrase for a second. Paul wasn't always Paul. Paul was once Saul, and he was the guy who hunted down Christians, and he killed them, and he tried to destroy the church. He was ambitious. He was angry. He was self righteous, and he was trying to make a name for himself, and yet here it is, written.

Paul, an apostle. Someone who was sent by Jesus himself. What happened in Paul's life? Grace happened in Paul's life. You can read about it in Acts chapter 9. The key insight here is that Paul didn't earn this title. He didn't sign up for this role as an apostle. He didn't climb the spiritual ladder to get here.

He was chosen by the will of God. And here's the thing, the same is true for you. Not the person next to you, for you. Do you own it? Who you are isn't defined by what you've done. or even what's been done to you, it is defined by what God has done for you. Hallelujah. I wonder if you know it. Let's apply this.

Stop letting your past define you. Paul's past didn't stop God's plan for his life and neither will yours. Some of you have carried the label of failure, unworthy, not enough, but here is the truth. God's grace is bigger than your past. And you are who you are because God says so.

Honest question. What label are you letting define yourself right now? How would your life look different if you let God's grace redefine you? In order to know who you are, you have to understand whose you are, oh Christian. Paul addresses his audience of believers by calling them saints. Now this isn't a title for super Christians.

It's a title for all believers. The word saints, hagios, means holy ones. It means people who are set apart. This holiness is not based upon personal merit. It is based upon their identity in Christ. Francis Foulkes, one commentator, writes, people are not saints in this sense by personal merit. They are set apart by God and thus the word hagios expresses at once the privilege and the responsibility of the calling of every Christian.

To be saints is both our identity and it's our calling. It is to live out as those who are set apart for God's purposes. And this is so amazingly freeing for us Christians. We want our holiness to be a direct reward for our effort. We want our holiness to be something that we earn. But our holiness, Paul says, is found because we are in Christ.

Think of it this way. Being in Christ is kind of like being on a team. When you're on a team, you're part of something bigger than yourself. When the team wins, you win. And when the team's identity is

And in the same way, when you are in Christ, His holiness becomes your holiness. And you are set apart because you belong to Him. And so therefore, live like you belong to Him. You're a saint, not because you're perfect, but because you're in Christ. And if that's true, then your life should reflect it. And this is not about trying harder.

It is about living out who you already are. Those of you, when I say that you're a saint, some of you are uncomfortable by that. You know why you're uncomfortable by it? Because in your heart of hearts, you are the elder brother. You are the one who is, you want to earn it. Oh, Oklahomans, labor omnia, wink it, work conquers all, the state motto.

You want to earn it, but it is given to you. And isn't it interesting that Paul, when he's writing to this church, right, not because of a problem to be addressed, but because of a beautiful truth to be given. He says, you're saints. Do you recognize yourself in that way?

This means living as citizens of God's kingdom in the midst of a broken world. Amen. And this is what makes the church different from every other social organization or group in our community. The church is not just a social club. It is not just a team. It is not just a community self improvement society.

Every human group, every club, every sports team, every organization you've ever belonged to. forms itself around a shared mission or belief. But the church is the only community where membership begins with the admission that we don't deserve to be in. We are only here because what Christ has done for us.

So look around. Those of you who are really good by default, by measuring your spirituality by how, stop. Just rest in Christ's grace He has given to you. He's called you a saint. And isn't it better to be in community groups where people are just so melted by grace, they can be honest. It frees us up as a church when we are melted by the grace that we are given the title of saints because of Christ's work for us to be honest about the human dilemma, namely sin.

And it doesn't claim to have come up with a solution. The church doesn't have to try to recreate through programs what the solution is. It points us to Christ, who Himself is the solution. And it means reversing the world's values. It means giving rather than taking. It means loving rather than resenting.

It means building rather than tearing down. It means living in Christ, the power of His Spirit. I wonder if you know Him. Question? What is one way that you can live like someone who belongs to Jesus this week?

Kiddos, maybe it's showing kindness to someone who is hard to love. Maybe it's choosing honesty when it's hard. What is the next step that you are taking to become part of this team? This beautiful mess called the church. And there's something even greater about being on this team, our future. We know the history, we revel in the mystery, and we appreciate the future of this beautiful mess.

Where is it that we're going? Well, in Ephesians chapter 4, he says in verse 1, it is the central exhortation of the book of Ephesians. Ephesians, walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. And this letter is structured around this theme of walking, walking in a worthy manner.

Chapters 1 to 3 talk about the wealth of God's grace, what He has done for us in Christ. Chapters 4 to 5 of Ephesians talk about the walk of faith, how we are to live in light of God's grace. And chapter 6 is the warfare of the believers. How do you stand firm amidst the spiritual battle? And this call to maturity is vital because the church is always in danger of losing its focus.

Revelation chapter 2, what happened to this church? They toiled and they endured and yet they what? They abandoned their first love. One of the reasons Mark and I pray for the future pastors of this church all the time is that in 200 years in that building next door. We want people to know, ah, our first love is Jesus.

And we want them to hold the gospel high, and to see the beauty of Christ, and continue to preach the gospel to a culture where people are always trying to earn their righteousness. We never want to abandon our first love, because we say a lot around here that grace, what, changes everything. I wonder if you believe that.

The future of the church is not about perfection, it is about perseverance. And isn't it funny how God says, you know what? I know they've been doing this for a long time. Ever since Ricky Jones and Jason Sheffield met at Quiznos a long time ago. We're gonna put you in more than a dozen places to worship, and we're gonna get you into the building and it's gonna be amazing, and then we're gonna make you go back to Barnes.

Because it's about endurance, and it's about spiritual muscles. And it's good for us. I don't know how, but I trust you. It's good for us.

And what does God want for you? Peterson writes, the church is not a humanly managed provider of religious goods and services. It is a congregation of embarrassingly ordinary people through whom God chooses to be present in this world. What does he want for you? He wants for you, verse two, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul gives us this powerful blessing. These aren't just nice words, they are the heart of the Christian life. Grace is God's unearned favor. It's his love and forgiveness given to us freely through Jesus. Everything we have, our salvation, our calling, our hope, even everything you think you've earned. Has been a gift for you to steward for his glory.

It all comes from grace and Peace is the result of grace. It's not just the absence of conflict, but it is the presence of wholeness It's peace with God, peace with others, and peace with ourself. All other religions turn those around. You find peace, you'll get God's blessing. You find peace, you'll get God's grace, but it's only in the gospel where Jesus says to us, receive my grace.

It is not a peace to be achieved, it is a peace to be received. Grace and peace are gifts. You don't earn them, you don't create peace, they come from God, and because they come from God, they are not dependent upon your circumstances.

So rest in God's grace and peace, O Trinity. We live in a world that's constantly telling us to earn our righteousness, our worth, prove ourself, fix everything, but Paul reminds us that grace and peace aren't something to achieve, they're something to receive. So take time this week to rest in that truth.

Maybe it's spending a few more moments in prayer, thanking God for His grace. Maybe it's letting go of something that you've been trying to control and trusting. Him with it instead. What is it for you? This week as we head back into the busyness of our lives and we enter 2025, let these truths stand with you.

Number one, you are called by grace. You belong to Jesus. 11 times in his first 14 verses it says, in Christo, in Christ, more than 200 times it's given to us in the New Testament. You are in Him. You're called by grace, you belong to Jesus, and you are number three, sustained by grace and peace. That is who you are.

That is whose you are. And that is the life that God is inviting you into. Listen, with this I'll close. Imagine walking up to a home and seeing a welcome mat that says, you belong here. How does that make you feel? It makes you feel confident to walk through that front door, that you are welcomed in that place.

And that is what Paul is doing here. He is saying, you belong here. You're part of my family. You are loved. You are chosen and you are set apart for my purposes. Lean in, join with us. If you're on the outskirts of Trinity, if you feel like you're on the outside, listen, lean in, jump in. We want you to be a part of us.

We want you to be on the team. The church is messy, of course it's messy. If you're looking for a perfect church, you will of course be sorely disappointed. But we are a messy church because we are messy. But it's beautiful because of God's grace.

The only place where we can bring our baggage, our sin, our hurt, our disappointment, is the church where we get to leave it all at the cross. But people will not feel free to do that unless you repent of your own self righteousness. And you admit that you are a complete mess and that you need God's grace now, more now even than you did in 2024.

Ephesians immerses us in the riches of God's grace and it causes, it calls us to live out of that wealth. It reminds us that the church is not this romantic idea, it is a beautiful mess, lived in real space and time in Tulsa, Oklahoma, today. We are held together by Christ, so let's fix our eyes on Him.

Let's live out of the retinal burn of His grace, seeing His beauty halo everything that we look at. And let us walk in a manner worthy of our calling, not because we are perfect, but because we are in Christ together. God's greeting of grace and peace is not an introduction. It is an invitation. It is an invitation to live as God's people, loved, called, and secure in Christ.

Hallelujah. You belong here. Let's live like it. To him be the glory and the church in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen. Let's pray. Father, would you help us to recognize that we stand in the midst of a history of a beautiful mess and yet it is such a mystery that you have called us into this beautiful mess to redeem us from the world and to be a foretaste of the coming kingdom.

If there are things we're trying to control, oh, would you be so gentle to reveal those to us and help us to confess those. If we're still striving to earn our relationship with you, Lord, would you even now melt our hearts to confess our need for grace and believe the gospel? And would you prepare our hearts now as we give as your stewards of our tithes and offerings in ways that honor you and then prepare to come with faith and repentance to the joy of your table?

We pray these things in Jesus name, amen.

Sermon transcript is computer generated.