Author: newlifenarrabri

Ephesians 5:18

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Here is my commentary on Ephesians 5:18 I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 5:18

“Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.”

Many people coming to Christ through the ages have had to wrestle with the various addictions and practices that were a part of their old life. There is no doubt that alcohol and other drugs have an appeal for many people to alleviate the misery of lives marked by abuse, neglect, failed relationships, or purposelessness. People medicate to relieve emotional pain and to give some sense of joy.

The Bible nowhere forbids the consumption of alcohol, except for those who have taken a vow. Paul indeed encourages the temperate use of wine, especially as a treatment for some ailments. Jesus himself was accused of mixing with drunkards, and we know that he created very good wine for a wedding.

However, the Bible does warn consistently about excessive consumption of alcohol. This turns something that is a gift from God into something destructive.

The word translated here as “debauchery” means both the lack of self control which drunkenness brings, as well as the waste of time and money that it entails.

Drunkenness is first condemned for the destruction of self-control which it involves. Every part of life can give us indications of what can go wrong when a person is drunk. Everyday, road fatalities and injuries occur because of alcohol use. The rate of domestic violence spikes during summer when alcohol consumption also increases. Footballers and celebrities go on rampages when under the influence of alcohol and other drugs.

Christians are required to put to death the old nature. However, being under the influence of alcohol seems to amplify the sinful nature and reduce the moderating influence of the Holy Spirit. It seems that the driving force behind these drugs is not just chemical but demonic.

Drunkenness is also condemned because of its wastefulness. Clearly, what we spend on drugs we cannot spend on productive things. What seems to be a relatively cheap form of entertainment comes at the cost of keeping people in poverty.

Of course when the substances go to their logical destination, they waste a person’s life with unemployment, homelessness, and destroyed families just a part of the human cost.

Each christian needs to come to their own conclusion about the role of various drugs in their life, and ensure that they are a positive factor in their walk with Christ.

Instead of seeking a chemically induced high, Paul says we should be “ filled with the Spirit.”

It is interesting that Spirit fullness should be contrasted with drunkenness. This goes right back to Pentecost. Then, the disciples receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit were speaking in tongues and praising God. While some people recognised that this was an actibvity of the Holy Spirit, others cynically said they were drunk (Acts 2:13).

The tense of the verb “ be filled” is a continuous imperative. This means that it is a command that is to be continually or repeatedly obeyed. We are to be regularly filled with the Holy Spirit.

There is a one-time experience for Christians often called the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. This is an occasion when we receive the power of the Holy Spirit in us. it is often accompanied by the gift of speaking in tongues, usually interpreted as a unique prayer language that comes by the inspiration of the Spirit and not through human learning. The Baptism in the Spirit is an entry point for the gifts of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:1-11).

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be inundated by the Spirit, equipped for ministry, and empowered to do the works of Christ. We see this expression used often in the book of Acts (see for example Acts 4:31, 9:17).

We might think from the use of this expression in Acts that being filled with the Holy Spirit was something that people had no control over, indeed no say about. The Holy Spirit filled them uninvited.

Paul says we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a continuous imperative that indicates that we have some agency in the process. Clearly Paul thought so, and expected that the Ephesians did too

How can we be filled with the Holy Spirit?

Pastor Che Ahn suggests 4 steps add we can take daily to be filled with the Holy Spirit

  1. Decide everyday to walk in obedience to God. In Acts 5:32 we are told that God freely gives the Holy Spirit “to those who obey Him.”
  2. Ask the Father daily to fill you again with the Holy Spirit
  3. Focus on the harvest that God wants to bring in, and on the way you can be a part of God’s great work
  4. Be intentional about receiving an impartation from people who carry the anointing of the Holy Spirit, for example pastors and other leaders.

These are by no means prescriptive instructions. They do put us into a place of expectancy and receptivity to the Holy Spirit.

I would add to this regular times of praise and worship, so that our hearts and minds are soaking in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Key points in this verse:

  • Christians are not to be dominated by alcohol or other drugs to the point of losing self-control
  • We are free to use alcohol, but we must allow this to be under the direction of the Holy Spirit
  • Being filled with the Spirit is similar in some ways to being drunk
  • We must seek to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 4:1-9

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Scripture

My conscience is clear, bu that doesn’t prove I am right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

Observation

Apollos and Paul are just servants of Christ. Paul does not worry about how he might be evaluated by any human authority. It is the Lord who will judge Paul.

We must not make judgements about anyone before the Lord returns. Then the Lord will judge everyone, giving whatever praise is due.

We should not boast about one leader at the expense of others because we do not have the right to make these judgements.

Application

The heart is deceitful above all things. We are told to follow our heart, but this is a disastrous idea.

Even an apostle like Paul was nervous about trusting his own conscience. He says his conscience was clear, but in the end it is God who makes the judgement.

In all things, we should seek to be faithful to the Lord. I keep my eyes on my patch, doing the task that Christ has called me to. He will judge my faithfulness.

There is then no room for me to judge other people. I don’t see their motives or the reasons why they do things. Therefore I cannot judge them.

If a clear conscience proves nothing in me, how can I presume to judge others?

Prayer

Lord, please convert my conscience and all my thoughts to your purposes. Help me not to judge other leaders, but instead stay focused on the mission you have assigned to me. Amen.

Transcript From Flight 93

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Flight 93 was the plane that on September 11th 2001 crashed in Pennsylvania following an audacious bid to wrest control from the control of hijackers. Yjis brave act undoubtedly saved hundreds, maybe thousands of lives.

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The transcript from Flight 93

Eternity News | September 12th, 2021 11:40 AM | Comment Icon Add a Comment

Todd: Hello… Operator…listen to me…I can’t speak very loud. – This is an emergency. I’m a passenger on a United flight to San Francisco.. We have a situation here….Our plane has been hijacked…..can you understand me?

Lisa: (exhaling a deep breath to herself) I understand… Can the hijackers see you talking on the phone?

Todd: No

Lisa: Can you tell me how many hijackers are on the plane?

Todd: There are three that we know of.

Lisa: Can you see any weapons? What kind of weapons do they have?

Todd: Yes…. they don’t have guns….they have knives – they took over the plane with knives.

Lisa: Do you mean…like steak knives?

Todd: No, these are razor knives…like box cutters.

Lisa: Can you tell what country these people are from?

Todd: No…..I don’t know. They sound like they’re from the mid-east.

Lisa: Have they said what they want?

Todd: Someone announced from the cockpit that there was a bomb on board. He said he was the captain and to stay in our seats and stay quiet.

He said that they were meeting these men’s demands and returning to the airport… It was very broken English, and… I’m telling you…it sounded fake!

Lisa: Ok sir, please give me your name.

Todd: My name is Todd Beamer.

Lisa: Ok Todd….my name is Lisa…Do you know your flight number? If you can’t remember, it’s on your ticket.

Todd: It’s United Flight 93.

Lisa: Now Todd, can you try to tell me exactly what happened?

Todd: Two of the hijackers were sitting in first class near the cockpit. A third one was sitting near the back of the coach section. The two up front got into the cockpit somehow; there was shouting. The third hijacker said he had a bomb. It looks like a bomb. He’s got it tied to his waist with a red belt of some kind.

Lisa: So is the door to the cockpit open?

Todd: No, the hijackers shut it behind them.

Lisa: Has anyone been injured?

Todd: Yes, ..they…they killed one passenger sitting in first class. There’s been lots of shouting. We don’t know if the pilots are dead or alive. A flight attendant told me that the pilot and copilot had been forced from the cockpit and may have been wounded.

Lisa: Where is the 3rd hijacker now Todd?

Todd: He’s near the back of the plane. They forced most of the passengers into first class. There are fourteen of us here in the back. Five are flight attendants. He hasn’t noticed that I slipped into this pantry to get the phone. The guy with the bomb ordered us to sit on the floor in the rear of the plane……….oh Jesus.. Help!

Lisa: Todd….are you ok? Tell me what’s happening!

Todd: Hello…..We’re going down….I think we’re going to crash……Wait – wait a minute. No, we’re leveling off….we’re ok. I think we may be turning around…..That’s it – we changed directions. Do you hear me….we’re flying east again.

Lisa: Ok Todd…. What’s going on with the other passengers?

Todd: Everyone is… really scared. A few passengers with cell phones have made calls to relatives. A guy, Jeremy, was talking to his wife just before the hijacking started. She told him that hijackers had crashed two planes into the World Trade Center……Lisa is that true??

Lisa: Todd…..I have to tell you the truth…..it’s very bad. The World Trade Center is gone. Both of the towers have been destroyed.

Todd: Oh God —help us!

Lisa: A third plane was taken over by terrorists. It crashed into the Pentagon in Washington DC. Our country is under attack….and I’m afraid that your plane may be part of their plan.

Todd: Oh dear God. Dear God…….Lisa, will you do something for me?

Lisa: I’ll try….if I can….Yes.

Todd: I want you to call my wife and my kids for me and tell them what’s happened. Promise me you’ll call..

Lisa: I promise – I’ll call.

Todd: Our home number is 201 353-1073…….You have the same name as my wife…Lisa….We’ve been married for 10 years. She’s pregnant with our 3rd child. Tell her that I love her…….(choking up)..I’ll always love her..(clearing throat) We have two boys.. David, he’s 3 and Andrew, he’s 1…..Tell them……(choking) tell them that their daddy loves them and that he is so proud of them. (clearing throat again) Our baby is due January 12th…..I saw an ultra sound…..it was great….we still don’t know if it’s a girl or a boy………Lisa?

Lisa: (barely able to speak) I’ll tell them, I promise Todd.

Todd: I’m going back to the group—if I can get back I will…

Lisa: Todd, leave this line open…are you still there?……

Lisa: (dials the phone..) Hello, FBI, my name is Lisa Jefferson, I’m a telephone supervisor for GTE. I need to report a terrorist hijacking of a United Airlines Flight 93….Yes I’ll hold.

Goodwin: Hello, this is Agent Goodwin.. I understand you have a hijacking situation?

Lisa: Yes sir, I’ve been talking with a passenger, a Todd Beamer, on Flight 93 who managed to get to an air phone unnoticed.

Goodwin: Where did this flight originate, and what was its destination?

Lisa: The flight left Newark New Jersey at 8 A.M. departing for San Francisco. The hijackers took over the plane shortly after takeoff, and several minutes later the plane changed course – it is now flying east.

Goodwin: Ms Jefferson…I need to talk to someone aboard that plane. Can you get me thru to the plane’s phone?

Lisa: I still have that line open sir, I can patch you through on a conference call…hold a mo…..

Todd: Hello Lisa, Lisa are you there?

Lisa: Yes, I’m here. Todd, I made a call to the FBI, Agent Goodwin is on the line and will be talking to you as well.

Todd: The others all know that this isn’t your normal hijacking. Jeremy called his wife again on his cell phone. She told him more about the World Trade Center and all.

Goodwin: Hello Todd. This is Agent Goodwin with the FBI. We have been monitoring your flight. Your plane is on a course for Washington, DC. These terrorists sent two planes into the World Trade Center and one plane into the Pentagon. Our best guess is that they plan to fly your plane into either the White House or the United States Capital Building.

Todd: I understand…hold on……I’ll…….I’ll be back..

Lisa: Mr Goodwin, how much time do they have before they get to Washington?

Goodwin: Not long ma’am. They changed course over Cleveland; they’re approaching Pittsburgh now. Washington may be twenty minutes away.

Todd: (breathing a little heavier) The plane seems to be changing directions just a little. It’s getting pretty rough up here. The plane is flying real erratic….We’re not going to make it out of here.

Lisa: Todd, what are you going to do?

Todd: We’ve hatched a plan. Four of us are going to rush the hijacker with the bomb. After we take him out, we’ll break into the cockpit. A stewardess is getting some boiling water to throw on the hijackers at the controls. We’ll get them….and we’ll take them out. Lisa, …..will you do one last thing for me?

Lisa: Yes…What is it?

Todd: Would you pray with me?

They pray: Our Father which art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive our trespassers,
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…
He makes me to lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside the still waters
He restores my soul
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for His name’s sake
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil, for thou art with me….

Todd: (softer) God help me…Jesus help me….(clears throat and louder)

Are you guys ready?……

Let’s Roll……

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 3:12-23

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Scripture

In the judgement day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.

Observation

Christ is the foundation that we receive, and we are meant to build on that foundation. We can use whatever materials we want to build with, but it will be tested with fire on judgement day. If the work survives, we will receive a reward. If it is burned up, we will be saved, but like someone barely surviving.

All of us together are the temple of God. The Spirit of God dwells in us. If anyone attacks this temple, God will destroy them.

We must not boast about following a particular leader. Everything belongs to us; we belong to Christ; Christ belongs to God.

Application

The Bible is very clear that we are saved by grace not by works. God is not impressed by any good works that we can perform in order to cancel out our sins.

The Bible is also very clear that once we are saved, we are meant to serve the Lord in whatever way He directs us.

Paul uses the analogy of a building. Christ is the foundation, and we are called to construct something on that foundation. We can use whatever materials we like, but it will be tested by fire. Some will be rewarded, while others barely get into heaven by the skin of their teeth with nothing of eternal value.

What is the difference between the two types of people? It is simply obedience to the Lord.

If God is calling you to give everything away to be a missionary or a pastor or an evangelist, and you do it, that is building with silver and gold. But if God calls you to establish some business that yields great resources for the Kingdom, and you do it, that is also building with silver and gold. If you pour your life into raising your children and loving your neighbours, that is also building with silver and gold.

It is obedience to the direction of the Holy Spirit that determines our reward in heaven.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to be faithful to you in everything, so that my efforts last into eternity. Amen.