Life Ministries

“Empowered”   Matthew 7:7-14

    Being an electrician, it is easy for me to draw on the analogy of a “light” in the physical sense. One thing I know is that a light needs some source of power.  And, if not connected to the right source, the light may be very dim, or not work at all.  We, as Christians, have the greatest and most powerful source available to us to make our spiritual light shine like the “stars in the universe”…However, some Christians try to make their light shine by attempting to generate power by some other means…maybe works, or talents, or knowledge, but  the key words here are  “trying to make” their light shine. We ought to stop trying to make our light shine, and start “allowing” God’s light to shine through us. We are called to reflect God’s light, not try to create our own.

    Paul tells us in our text for today, that it is “God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” …the problem is that we don’t always  “allow” Him to do so.
    As I read and re-read this scripture, I asked myself the question - “How does God work in me?”  Does the Bible give us some idea of how God works in us to will and to act according to His good purpose?  And of course, the answer is yes.  So this morning I would like to give you a few of the things I found.
    The first has to do with empowerment;  It is found in Ephesians 3:16-20 and it may be very familiar to you;  “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with POWER through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have POWER together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and how long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His POWER that is at work within us… to Him be the glory!”  Three times he mentions “power”…So, first of all, God works in us to “empower” us.
    The Christian life is not the easy life.  It is not easy because it goes against the flow of the world. It’s like trying to paddle upstream! In fact, I would say it is the most challenging lifestyle one can choose.  When you “go with the flow, when you go downstream, you can just let the current of the world “float your boat”! 
    Not too far from where we lived in northern Wisconsin, is the Nemakagon River. One of the best things to do on a warm summer day was to float the river. It was about a three or four mile trip that took about 4 hours to complete. You could just sit back in a inner tube, and just float the day away! The current of the river would just take you downstream…Now, Jesus said;  “Seek to enter the narrow gate, for narrow is the road and difficult is the path that leads to life and there are few who find it.” Do you know that when the river is narrow - the current is stronger - and the paddling much harder! (That is if you are going upstream…against the flow)   
    One thing I have learned about this Christian lifestyle is that God will always call us to go beyond our limitations and step outside of our comfort zone… He will always call us to rise above our faults and our character flaws and weaknesses… And it’s only by God’s empowerment that we can live this abundant, fulfilling, rewarding life He offers. And, when we choose to go upstream, He will work in us and empower us to will and to act according to His good purpose! Because, greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world! God empowers.
    Secondly, I find that - like a potter, God works in us to form us, mold us, and make us into the vessel He created us to be. In my book “Jars of Clay” I wrote about this subject.  Some of us are created to be beautiful vases and some of us are created to be jars, and some are created to just be plain old POTS! However we must remember that there are many different kinds of pots, and each has a unique purpose.  The story is of course found in Jeremiah 18 - God sends Jeremiah to the potter’s house to learn a lesson as he tells him “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so you are in my hand”  God is at work within us to mold us and make us to will and to act according to HIS good purpose…not ours!  While a crystal vase may be beautiful, it can’t strain spaghetti!  My point is this, we can only be useful to God if we allow Him to work in us to become what He intended for us to be. 
    Third, I find that God gives each one of us Spiritual gifts, and talents and skills. And, God works in us to use those gifts to fulfill our part in the ministry of his church.  1 Corinthians 12:4 - “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”  And, in Ephesians 4:11 - “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”  …and this is just a partial list… Each one of us has a part to play in the ministry of the church.  And, God has enabled us to do our part, whatever that may be.
    Paul also uses the analogy of the human body to show that the church is made up of many parts… all of which are needed for the body to function properly.  God does not desire for us to ever be envious of someone else or their role in the church…nor does He desire for us to be critical of others in the church…and we especially should not be critical of someone else if we are not fulfilling our role … In fact, we ought to remember that if one part of the body is not functioning, the rest of the body has to work twice as hard to overcome the handicap!  (Think about it.)
    So, let’s look at this whole thing, this whole scripture  together… God has created us to be a part of the body of Christ; and He has also given us a purpose in the body of Christ; Therefore, He is forever working in us… molding and shaping our lives… through circumstances and experiences to prepare us to fulfill that purpose…however large or small that purpose may be…and, He also works in us to empower us and enable us with gifts and talents and skills, to will and to act according to His purpose… AS WE WORK OUT OUR SALVATION…in order to get the very most out of life as we possibly can; and Shine! Shine! Shine in the world around us. You see, it’s a partnership. As we “work out our salvation”, God works in us at the same time…and, the result is - we reap the greatest potential possible from this short earthly life.