The Gift of Faith

Gifts of Advent—2 of 4

December 8, 1991

Ephesians 2:8

Introduction

Last week the children and I reviewed the Old Testament story of the Three Hebrew Children. It may never be reviewed in quite the same way ever again!

To our modern ears, that story seems far removed from Advent and Christmas. Still, I would like to return to it this morning. How, do you suppose, is there any correlation between Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the coming of our Lord as a Babe in Bethlehem?

Advent is anticipation, Advent is hope. Advent is facing darkness with faith. Advent is living in a world that tries to pressure you to conform, in the confidence that God knows, and that God cares, and that God somehow is coming into that world, into that darkness.

[ Writing to the Christians in Ephesus, Paul reminds them of the darkness in the world, and also of the fact that before God broke into their lives they were very much engulfed in that darkness.]

I. A DARKNESS INTO WHICH GOD'S GRACE SHINES

THE NATURE OF SPIRITUAL DARKNESS has not changed, from the time of Nebuchadnezzar, to St. Paul, until the present:
In Ephesians 2:1-3 Paul calls it "THE FORMER STATE" - the way you used to be.
Here is how Paul describes it. It is spiritual death - it is an existence without the light of revelation. No word from God, heavens of brass, which is the essence of darkness.
It is a life of pressure to conform; lock-step conformity to opinion of 'them' - devilish - poverty - inheriting God's wrath
DARKNESS IS AGGRESSIVE; it threatens to engulf; it squeezes into conformity: That is why in another place Paul warned Romans 12:2) "Don't let the world squeeze you into its mold; but rather, be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
[STORY] The challenge of SPIRITUAL DARKNESS to the faith of the Three Hebrew Children seemed pretty bold and clear-cut. Our challenges somehow seldom appear that way.
They were asked to violate the First, or at least the Second Commandment. If that were to happen today how many people would even know the First or Second Commandment?
They were asked to put something ahead of their Jehovah God, at least for a little while; they were asked to publicly give respect to a pagan idol. Just a little thing? Shadrach, Meshach and Abdenego were willing to die for what they believed!
They were DEFIANT IN THE FACE OF KNOWN TEMPTATION TO EVIL!
What was it that enabled Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to stand firm in the face of certain punishment and death?
What was it that gave them courage to stand against the great majority? Do we ever face pressure to compromise?
I think immediately of
- (High school/ peer pressure/ slick media hype/ but they are not the only ones that feel the pressure: at every age there is the threat: "Get out of line and you will be shunned! Don't be the odd-ball!
- Mothers are criticized for NOT working— or, they may be criticized FOR having a career;
- people feel squeezed into social classes, as though it is a "second class" thing to be a carpenter or a laborer;
- academics have the pressure of the fear of being thought behind the times, academically)
WHAT GAVE THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN MORAL COURAGE TO SAY, "WE DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK: HERE WE STAND! BY GOD'S GRACE WE CAN DO NO OTHER!"???
The answer is: they could SEE what, seemingly, others could not. They had a vision that went beyond the moment.
It is vital, in times of spiritual darkness, to have some means of vision, of finding one's way. This VISION, or SIGHT is what Paul calls "a gift of God." It is a key, an enabling, that God gives to those who are saved, that enables them to grasp the truth.

II. FAITH, THE VISION THAT SEES THE INVISIBLE, OF THE GOD-LIFE SHARED

(Hebrews 11, 'Moses persevered because he saw the invisible')

We know how the story turned out: Someone like unto the Son of God came into the heat and the pressure with the men who would not compromise their faith. It was a miracle that convinced even the pagan king himself!
And it is no less a miracle when God Himself comes into the darkness and pressure where we live, in 1991, where people do not usually physically martyr Christians, but a time in which it probably is as difficult to live a godly life as at any time in human history!
Paul says to the Ephesians Christians: GOD WALKS IN THE FIRE WITH YOU! He calls it, in verses 4 - 7 "THE PRESENT STATE." He describes it like this:
(You were dead to spiritual things;) NOW you are alive unto God!
Not only that, but (You were condemned, worthy of death;) NOW you are made one with Jesus, and by that identification you are exalted with Christ Jesus to heavenly realms.
I know this sounds too good to be true. But there it is! We are members of God's family! We have the incomparable riches of grace. We have the eternal prospect of all that Adam and Eve lost in the fall from grace, and more!
All this salvation, all this grace, all these promises are because Jesus, Messiah, came to us in our darkness— and bled and died on a cross for the sins of the world. All this miracle is available because God still comes near to those who see the light, and follow that light. We call that ability to see, to believe, to follow FAITH!

III. THE VISION MADE POSSIBLE, SPIRITUAL SIGHT (Ephesians 2:8 - 10)

God's GRACE is available to all. But Paul makes it clear that GRACE IS SOMEHOW CONNECTED WITH FAITH. Grace can never, ever be taken for granted. Grace is connected with FAITH, or the ability to "believe." (Text: For by grace are you saved, THROUGH FAITH, which is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast.) FAITH IS A GIFT OF GOD WHICH MUST BE USED TO RECEIVE GOD'S GRACE!
WHAT IS THIS 'FAITH' THAT IS GOD'S GIFT?
1. FAITH IS A MYSTERY. Like sight itself, most of us know precious little about how it works; but we know how precious it is! The gift of spiritual sight is even more precious.
2. FAITH IS LIKE A SEED. Jesus spoke of faith as being like a grain of mustard seed.
3. FAITH IS, IN AND OF ITSELF DYNAMIC AND POWERFUL. It is a power which may be subverted at times to selfish ends. But it is NOT FAITH THAT SAVES! Faith ultimately cannot rise above its object. (Power of positive thinking)
4. FAITH CONNECTS US TO THE LOVE OF CHRIST! Ultimately, faith is God-given ability to SEE spiritual truth (passing mere explanation). Faith is the ability to BELIEVE, to RELY, to see God's INTEGRITY and act upon it to everlasting gain.

IV. COME TO BETHLEHEM AND SEE

Why didn't everybody find Jesus when He was born in the manger? Why were just "certain shepherds" able to find the Christ Child? How come more Wise Men didn't follow the Star?
How about Simeon and Anna in the Temple?
Could it be that the people then were just like now? That they lived in a darkness that kept them blinded to spiritual reality all around them?
WHY DON'T MORE PEOPLE TODAY LOVE JESUS CHRIST? Can it be that they are spiritually blind? Or have they neglected the gift of spiritual sight?
You have this gift! You can begin to use your gift— with it you may see the Christ! You may find God's life.
But it will take almost as much courage as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had when they would not conform to their evil world. YOU WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LIGHT UNTIL YOU COME TO KNOW THE CHRIST!

Conclusion:

In our world good is called evil, and evil is called good. The commandments of God have been replaced by our own "human values." We are taught "QUESTION AUTHORITY!" And the credo of our age is "WHAT IS GOOD FOR ME IS RIGHT!"

So we even ask "What good will come to me if I have no gods before Jehovah God? " What will it profit me if I worship products made with human hands, whether they be idols that look like idols, or idols that amuse us, or that pander to our pride?"

Instead of standing under the judgment and authority of God's Word, our society, and all too often even we who claim to be in the church itself, (we) stand in judgment on God's Word; (we) pick and choose which of God's commandments we shall keep and which we shall ignore!

GOD WILL HONOR FAITH!

OUR GOD WILL COME, EVEN IF IT HAS TO BE IN THE FIERY FURNACE!

When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego honored their God, and took their stand, they not only were vindicated themselves, THEY MADE A PROFOUND DIFFERENCE IN THEIR WORLD, IN THEIR GENERATION!

Our sick world needs Messiah! And Messiah will come! He will come, NOW, to His children who look to Him with FAITH! And one day He will come so all the world will see Him!

Prayer: For the ability to SEE Your face!

#182 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear