©2003 Larry Huntsperger Peninsula Bible Fellowship

01/05/03

A View To The Valley Below

Ephesians 1:3-14

1/5/03 A View To The Valley Below

 

We return this morning

      to our study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

 

It has been a full month since we were in this study,

      and, for most of us, it was the most hectic month of the entire year,

            so we will need a little review

                  to help get our minds back into this study.

 

When we were last in Ephesians

      we were studying chapter one, verses 3-14,

            a section of the letter in which Paul presents 6 gifts given to each of us at the time we come to Christ.

 

It is certainly not intended to be an exhaustive list of all that we receive.

      In fact, it is designed to be just a sampling

            of what Paul calls, “...every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ...”,

                  and it is intended to simply prepare our minds

                        for what we are going to encounter as Paul’s letter progresses.

 

We’ve done about as much as we’re going to do with most of these,

      but let me just list them for us one more time

            before we move on in the letter.

 

1. Paul begins by telling us

      that we have been chosen in Christ, “...before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”

 

2. Then he tells us

      that we have been predestined to share a Father/child relationship with God Himself.

 

3. He tells us that, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace...”

 

4. He tells us that in Christ He has revealed to us, “...the mystery of His will...”

      so that we can now share in an administration

            that is perfectly matched to this time in human history.

 

That, by the way, is where we were the last time we were in this Ephesians study,

      and, if you were with us,

            I’ll just remind you that the “administration” Paul is talking about

                  is a world system, a world view that places Jesus Christ at the center of all that is.

 

Paul describes it as, “... the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.”

 

I know I’ve already taught this concept,

      but I also know I continue to find myself frustrated

            with my ability to communicate it in a way

                  that truly enables us to grasp what Paul is saying.

 

The truth Paul is presenting to us here

      is a lot like the view of the valley below

            on that dirt road that runs along the mountainside

                  on the way up to the old fire lookout tower

                        just outside of Leavenworth Washington.

 

The Leavenworth valley sits at the base of the Cascade Mountains in Eastern Washington.

 

My parents had a vacation cabin in that valley during my teen years.

     

I had an 80cc Yamaha motorcycle back then,

      and one of my all-time favorite summer activities

            was taking that little bike

                  and exploring the endless miles of back roads

                        that threaded throughout those mountains.

 

There was one particular road that was my favorite.

 

It was carved into the side of the mountain

      on the east side of the Leavenworth valley,

            weaving for miles through the trees

                  until it finally reached the top of the highest peak in that area

                        and provided access to a fire lookout tower that stood there for years.

 

Along most of that road

      there was a fringe of massive evergreens

            that made it impossible to see the valley spread out below.

But, every once in a while,

      as I descended that road,

            I would reach a cleared area and suddenly see the most incredible view,

                  stretching from one end of the valley to the other,

                        with the tiny town and miniature cars and buildings all resting along the banks of the Wenatchee River.

 

That view would suddenly open up for just a few seconds,

      and then it would be gone again,

            and I’d have to travel on for some considerable distance

                  before it would suddenly open up again.

 

That’s what I feel like when I come to this truth

      being given to us by Paul in this 4th gift in the list.

 

Every once in a while

      my spirit sees it clearly.

 

Every once in a while

      I understand a little bit of what Paul means

            when he tells us that God has now put in place in this world

                  an administration perfectly fitted to the way things really are,

an administration in which all things find their center in Jesus Christ.

 

It has nothing whatsoever to do with church, of course,

      or with writing sermons,

            or being a preacher,

                  or anything like that.

It has everything to do

      with living in the presence of the love of God,

and seeing that His presence with me,

      and His love for me are the only real issues in every aspect of my life.

 

And then I move ahead a few paces in life

      and the view is gone,

            and I’m back to fighting the same flesh-based fears,

                  and insecurities,

                        and responses that so often blind me to the truth.

 

Last week we spent our time together

      listening to the Prophet Habakkuk

            as he allowed us to enter his mind

                  at one of those points in his own life

                        when he had a clear view of the valley below.

 

HAB 3:17 Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls,

HAB 3:18 Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

HAB 3:19 The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds' feet, And makes me walk on my high places.

 

And, as I taught that passage,

      I, too, saw the valley.

 

I saw the security that can only come

      from knowing the truth -

that my God holds my life,

      my future,

and the lives and futures of all those I love in His hands.

 

I could feel the warmth of His love on my face,

      and the solid footing that comes from knowing

            that God Himself has now put in place

                  an administration exactly right for all that I hunger for the most -

an administration in which all things find their center,

      their purpose,

            their life through Jesus Christ.

 

And then, two days later,

      I get a phone call about noon

            telling me that my friend, Paul Moses, is in the hospital with heart problems.

And a few hours later

      my daughter calls telling me that she and her husband, Matt,

            are violently sick,

                  and she thinks she may have to take Matt to the Emergency Room.

 

And all of the sudden

      the view of the valley is gone,

            and all I see are the trees closing in on me,

                  and faith becomes once again something I must choose

                        in the face of a whole flood of emotions

                              that are telling me there is no valley,

                                    there never has been,

                                          and there never will be in the future.

 

And for several more miles

      I ride down the road,

            not because I can see where it’s taking me,

but simply because my God has told me that,

      whether I can see it or not,

            the valley is there,

                  and the road He’s given me to travel

                        will take me into His love,

                              and His truth,

and, eventually, into a panoramic view that will never end,

      a view of this world as it really is,

            a world in which all things find their center in Jesus Christ.

 

When we pulled out of our Ephesians study about a month ago

      I gave you the impression

      that it was because we were approaching the holiday season

                  and I wanted us to focus on some more season-appropriate themes.

 

That was partially true.

 

But there was something else going on in me at the time, as well,

      something that made me want to get away from Ephesians.

 

It was my frustration with knowing how to effectively teach this one statement:

... with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.

 

You see, that is the valley stretched out below us.

 

That is what is really there.

 

We live in a world

      in which the God who created us

            has placed our relationship with the Person of Jesus Christ

                  as the central issue in the life of every human being,

                        and every choice we make.

 

But even that does not say it accurately.

 

The central issue is our trust in the Person of Jesus Christ -

      our trust in His love for us,

            our trust in His words to us,

                  our trust in His ability

                        and His willingness

                              to do in us and through us

                                    those things that need to be done.

 

Do you know when those trees part

      and our spirits see the valley below?

 

It is at those times

      when we know in our spirits

            that our Lord Jesus Christ truly is adequate to bring us through whatever we face,

                  and that He has made us adequate

                        for whatever He calls us to go through.

 

Now, what I just said

      is not just a hope.

It is a fact of our lives as God’s people.

 

It is more real,

      more solid than the Leavenworth valley.

 

The problem we face

      is that so often the trees get in the way

            an we forget it’s there,

we forget it’s true.

 

We forget that this One who is now

      and will forever be the center of this created world

is also the One who calls us His brother,

      His sister,

            His friend.

 

I know now why I got so frustrated with teaching this truth.

 

I got frustrated

      because what I wanted

            was to find some way

                  of fixing in our minds and spirits

                        a view of the valley on a permanent basis.

 

I wanted some illustration

      or some approach to teaching this passage

            that would forever fix in our minds

                  the truth that everything in this world

                        and every issue in our lives

                              will ultimately find it’s center in Jesus Christ.

 

And there is simply no way I can do that for you.

 

I can’t do that for myself.

 

There are far too many trees

      lining the edge of this road we’re called to travel

            and most of the time

                  we gain only glimpses of the way things really are.

 

But there is something I can do.

 

I can keep reminding us of the truth -

      whether we see it or not,

            whether we feel it or not,

even if all the other voices in our society

      seem to be telling us it’s not true,

            the valley is really there.

 

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the central figure in all of creation,

      and our relationship with Him

            is the central issue

                  in every aspect of our lives.

 

Let me see if I can explain what I mean by that.

 

It’s a pretty safe bet

      that everyone of us who came in here this morning

            brought with us something we’re worrying about.

 

Typically our worries fall into just a few broad categories -

      money,

            people problems,

                  and possibly health issues.

 

It’s the first week in January,

      so money concerns are probably high on the list with some of you.

 

There is a credit card bill coming in the mail before long,

      or perhaps several credit card bills,

            and just my reminder of it this morning causes you anguish.

 

So what in the world

      does this business of all things being summed up in Jesus Christ

            have to do with those bills?

 

Am I suggesting that you should tack another 10% tithe onto the bill?

 

No.

 

If that credit card bill coming in the mail is troubling you,

      it is very likely that the bill is not the problem,

            it’s only a symptom

                  of the real issue that’s going on between you

                        and your Lord.

 

When we have been able to work through the underlying money issues in our lives,

      the principles given to us by our Lord

            that govern a healthy relationship to money are not complicated.

 

At the top of the list

      is the understanding that everything we possess is on temporary loan to us,

            and that we are simply stewards of whatever God has chosen to place into our care.

 

Once that understanding is in place in our lives,

      the principles that govern wise stewardship are easy to recognize.

 

But the problem we run into here

      is that we frequently try to use our money

            to buy things that cannot be bought.

 

If you’re in agony over those bills that are on the way,

      let me ask you a question -

what is it you were trying to buy?

 

Were you trying to buy happiness?

      Were you trying to buy love?

            Were you trying to buy a sense of significance or importance?

                  Were you trying to buy a sense of security?

 

Did you get what you were after?

Are you happy now?

      Do you feel more loved?

            Do you have an enduring sense of your own significance and importance in this world?

                  Do you now have enough so that you feel truly secure?   

Do you know why?

 

Because none of those things are for sale.

     

There is only one certain source for all of them -

      this Central figure of creation, Jesus Christ.

 

He alone can place within our spirits

      a peace and a joy in life

            that is not tied to our circumstances.

 

He alone can communicate to us

      His own love for us,

and then teach us how to relate to those around us

      in a way that builds strong, secure human love relationships.

 

He alone can give us eyes to see our true significance in this world,

      a significance that is rooted not in what we do or don’t do in the eyes of those around us,

            or in our own eyes,

                  but rather a significance that is rooted

                        in our uniqueness as His creation

                              and our ability to express the reality of our God

                                    as no one else in history has ever done.

 

And He alone can give us

      the kind of security we long for,

            a security that grows out of the assurance

                  that the God who created all that is

is the One who holds our lives

      and our futures in His hands.

 

Worried about those bills?

     

You can do that if you want.

 

Or you can step back and ask yourself

      if you’ve been trying to buy

            what can only be found in Christ.

 

Or maybe it’s a relationship that’s causing you stress.

 

Have you got someone you’re mad at?

      Someone you’re at war with?

            Someone you’re trying to defeat,

                  or who’s trying to defeat you?

What in the world does Jesus Christ have to do with that?

 

Everything.

 

Restoring human relationships,

      and teaching us how to love

            is one of the many things He does best.

 

Let me offer you a prayer as a starting place.

 

“Lord, teach me what it means to love that person,

      and show me how to communicate that love to them.”

 

Maybe it’s fear over what may happen to someone you love that’s causing you anxiety.

 

Have you been trying very hard to control their life?

 

How’s it going?

 

Can I make a suggestion?

      Have you considered letting go of them

            and actively choosing to place them into the hands of the One who is at the center of all that is?

 

There is only one God,

      there is only one Savior,

            there is only One who can transform the human heart,

      and that One is not you.

 

Once you allow yourself to assume responsibility for another person’s choices

      you have taken onto yourself

            a burden that will ultimately destroy you.

 

We are called to love those around us.

 

We are not called to take upon ourselves

      the responsibility for their choices,

            or even the responsibility to make them happy.

 

And how about those health issues.

 

In some ways they are the easiest of all

      because those are the issues where we are most quickly driven to the truth -

we desperately, daily need our God.

 

And my point is simply this -

we live in a world

      in which the central issue in every aspect of life

            truly is Jesus Christ

                  and what is happening between us and Him.

 

Most of us, most of the time,

      gain only fleeting glimpses of the reality of that truth.

 

But our frequent blindness to that truth

      does not alter its validity in the least.

 

And the healthiest thing we can ever do

      especially at those times when the trees have blocked our view to the valley below

            is to remind ourselves of that truth we cannot see,

                  and then to aggressively seek to order our lives

                        in ways that are consistent with the way things really are.

 

EPH 1:9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him

EPH 1:10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.