In case you haven’t noticed, humans are a rather self-centered
folk. Child psychologists tell us we are born that way and only as we leave
infancy do we recognize that the world does not revolve around us. Well … most
of us do, even if we struggle with that notion from time to time. Some of us
never do. “Narcissists,” we call them.
As we grow and mature, we become aware of others (parents,
playmates, teachers), Others (groups, society, ethnicity), and begin to recognize
our moral obligation towards others. We marry and begin to realize that living
for ourselves is incompatible with healthy relationship. Many bear and raise
children – now we must work hard to support, protect, and nourish others.
Eventually, we age, recognize our time from the stage is done, and work to
mentor and coach the young punks to take their developing place on the stage.
Yet, still, during all that time we are still enamored of ourselves.
That leads me to one of the beloved tenants of Evangelical
Christianity – which I strongly affirm: that Jesus’ mission was to die in our
place for our sins so that we might have a vibrant relationship with God.
Here’s where that tenants goes off the rails: that the ONLY reason
Jesus lived was to eventually die on the cross for us. Why is that a problem?
Well, this narrative completely ignores Jesus’ teaching work, his prophetic
ministry, his ministry of physical and mental healing, and … wait for it … his
resurrection. The basic outline of this notion is that Jesus’ death on the
cross was the culmination of God’s work in creation. Everything before was
preparation; everything since is working out the details.
This gets worked out in another misunderstanding in the pews: that “Getting
Saved” is The Big Point. We are sinners (true!) alienated and hostile to God.
We confess Jesus (yay!) and are saved from the spiritual consequences (death)
of our sin (Yay! Yay!). After that, we can coast in our saved status and go to
heaven where it will be nice (no, you don't get to coast).
Both of these narratives are misleading, seems to me. God has a far
greater project going on than our personal salvation. Do not get me wrong: our
personal salvation seems to be a big part of that project. From our
self-interested perspective, the substitutionary penal atoning work of Christ
is the start of my spiritual healing! My hope in Christ is not merely that I am
saved, but that there is a new life for me now AND there is a New Life for me
for the rest of eternity … an eternity where there is a new Heaven and a new
Earth.
Consider our text for today:
“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" (Eph.
1:18-19 ESV)
“Know
what the hope which he has called you …” We need to understand The Hope to
which God has called us. We are part of his big project to redeem all of
creation. Yes, it seems to me that we are a big part of that big project. More
on that later.
So
what this text reminds me of is that my personal, eternal, God-effected hope is
not only good news to me but also that God’s work in my life is part of
something much greater: when Jesus
brings Heaven and Earth together. That is THE Big Goal, not my personal salvation (which is true, but merely a part). The Big Goal is the cosmic rebuilding; and of
which God has called me to participate – both now and then.
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This
gives me a sense of perspective – all that this life is - as busy and challenging
as it seems now – is intended as preparation for our hope: a new life to come. This
understanding is helpful because it gives a perspective to my day. My routine and practical life, here and now, has a purpose that feeds into the ultimate Purpose that God is working out.
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