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Written by Pastor Darrell Cooper
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Friday, 06 March 2009 10:02 |
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Ephesians 1:17
November 23, 2008 - Lindsborg Cov.
“Back To The End”
(Knowing God)
Sermon
Ephesians 1:17
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
This is the shortest passage I will preach on all year. Many of you will no doubt be pleased to hear that this is the shortest message I will preach all year. It is the simplest message I will preach all year. And, ironically, I think it may be the most important message I will preach all year.
When I was in Bible college something strange happened to me. I was busy taking a lot of classes. I took theology classes. I took Bible study classes. I took biblical studies classes to learn how to study the Bible for my other classes. Strangely, it was often a very dry season for me spiritually. It seemed like a spiritual wasteland and at times it felt like I was dying on the vine.
Eventually the irony of it all struck me. How odd that I could spend all day every day thinking about God, studying about God, talking about God, and telling others about God, and forget to talk TO God. Those were all good things, of course, but they were supposed to be a means to an end, not an end in themselves.
It occurs to me that this can happen here too. We are a pretty busy bunch here. Every week you all gather here faithfully to worship God together. And every week we pastors stand up here and tell you all how to live your lives. We tell you that you should read your Bible every day. Pray every day. Participate in corporate worship every week. And also get involved in a small group on a regular basis. You should use your spiritual gifts to minister to the needs of others. And speaking of gifts, you should give generously of your finances in order to invest in God’s Kingdom work. You should serve on committees, teach Sunday School, volunteer in the kitchen, work with the moving crew, and on and on and on.
In all of that busyness, it would be easy for us to forget what the point is. All of those things are good things, but they are not the end. They are a means to the end. God IS that end. Even worship, which is one of the highest and most noble gifts we can offer to God, is not the end. God is the end. When any or all of those activities become an end in themselves, then what we are left with is religion. If we do all of those things but do not know God, then all we have is religion, and God knows there is more than enough religion in the world already. God is not interested in religion. God is interested in relationship.
God wants us to know Him, personally, by first hand experience. He wants us to know Him for who He really is. He wants us to feel His presence, experience His love, and enjoy His blessings. So perhaps for you, as for me, it is time to get back to the end, and the end is God.
So, I want to encourage you to seek His face. Press into God and pursue Him, seeking to know Him personally, by firsthand experience. Because those who know God, trust God. Those who trust God, obey God. Those who obey God, love God. And those who love God are keeping the greatest commandment of all.
I think this is why Paul placed this in the center of his prayer. In the first chapter of Ephesians, as he is praying for the believers in Ephesus, at the very heart of his prayer Paul prays, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” This is my prayer for you today as well. May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better.
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Last Updated on Friday, 06 March 2009 10:22 |
