For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:15–23, ESV)Grace and peace to you from Our Ascended Lord, Jesus Christ.
I love westerns. There is so much that is predictable. The good guys win. The bad guys get their comeuppance. One of the tropes of western movies is, at the end of the movie, with the corrupt sheriff dead, one of the heroes, usually not the main character, because he must continue wandering, takes his place and becomes the new sheriff. That is to say, “Now everything is going to be different, better.”
That’s kind of what this text is about. Paul, in almost a breathless, continuous sentence, says what is different now that Jesus has ascended. Verses 15-22 is one long sentence. The Greek grammar is very complicated. Something you can’t really do in English. It is subordinate clause after subordinate clause. Let’s look at what Paul is saying:
The main verb for this super sentence is found at the beginning.
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,” (Ephesians 1:16, ESV)Paul, first, gives thanks for the Christians at Ephesus and he remembers them in his prayers. The rest is the content of his prayer. He takes the admonition of Jesus,
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7, ESV)Because he has faith in Our Lord, Paul is bold to pray for these things, knowing that God will answer. He is simply calling upon God to do what he has promised.
His ask isn’t fruitless either, he emphasizes the calling all Christians receive,
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,” (Ephesians 1:18, ESV)Whan Paul talks about your “calling” anywhere in his writings, he is speaking about Holy Baptism. It is God’s action where he puts his name on you and makes you his own. It is where he makes all these things that Paul is asking true for you. In other words, Paul is asking for the Spirit to do what he does. Martin Luther also understood this clearly.
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise up me and all the dead and will give eternal life to me and to all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true. (McCain, P. T., ed. (2005). Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (p. 330). Concordia Publishing House.)The common word between the two texts is “enlightened”. That is the work of the Holy Spirit, a gift to the whole church.
Paul uses two phrases to bring it out.
• immeasurable greatness of his power toward us
• according to the working of his great might
All available to Christians because of the work of Jesus. His resurrection from death, and his ascension to the right hand of God. Made true for them (and you) in Holy Baptism. Finally in the second sentence of our text he brings out the “new sheriff motif”.
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,” (Ephesians 1:22, ESV)Jesus Christ is the head of the church. He is in control of all that happens. We may think it’s the Voter’s assembly, or the pastor, or the District President or even the Synod president, but all these falls under the authority of Christ. Jesus has earned his authority. He did it in his life, his preaching and teaching, his healing of the sick, and casting out demons. He did it in his keeping the Father’s will perfectly, even to death on the cross. He did it by bringing forgiveness to you and me and the whole church, through his act of sacrifice there. And the Father verified it through Jesus’ resurrection and his ascension to his right hand.
What does it mean to the church that Jesus has authority? His rule is in grace. That is his undeserved love toward us. Not only does he bring forgiveness of sins, but he also gives the Holy Spirit to guide and protect our faith. He gives these gifts through the work of the church. That is, the Word and the Lord’s Supper but especially, Holy Baptism, our calling to himself. That calling is full of promises. They are set out by Paul in our text today.
The Spirit of Wisdom, the Holy Spirit who work through the Word, the knowledge of Jesus and all that he has done for you. Enlightening of the eyes of your heart. To see the glorious inheritance set before us. By Jesus and his work for us, his cross, his resurrection and his ascension. In the church we hear also proclaimed Jesus’ final victory over sin and death, and a glorious place with Jesus our Savior forever. A place of no pain or suffering, no trouble or illness.
In the movies, “the new sheriff in town” is meant to give you hope for all the characters in town. Justice will reign, everything will be better. That’s the ascension for us. Jesus ascends to reign over the church with complete authority. That authority governs our lives through his grace. That authority puts his word into our ears, his body and blood for our forgiveness into our mouths, and the water on our head that is our calling into Jesus. Amen.
The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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