YOU’VE TRADED UP!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
YOU\u2019VE TRADED UP!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Recognizing The Wealth You Possess In Christ<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 1:15-23<\/p>\n\n\n\n INTRODUCTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Good evening! How\u2019s everyone doing tonight?<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I was a young boy (maybe around the age of six), a group of my friends and their dads went Camping. This wasn\u2019t just a small gathering of boys meeting up in our back yard. This was a massive gathering of boys and men from all over the state of Florida. It was officially called the Pen-Florida Pow-Wow<\/strong>. At this event, there were literally thousands of men and boys camping for 4 days<\/strong> in the wooded acres of South Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the unique things about this camping event — was its early American wilderness<\/strong> theme.\u00a0And so, most of the boys were dressed in calico shirts<\/strong> and wore coonskin caps<\/strong>.\u00a0Many of the attenders were covered with leather and draped with the gear of days long gone by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To accompany this theme and the attire, this camping even also provided the opportunity to experience many of the early American activities<\/strong>. So we engaged in things like tomahawk throwing, fire building, knife sharpening, trap making, out-door cooking, stringing long bows, and shooting black powder rifles.\u00a0It was an incredible experience, but the real highlight for me (and my buddies) was visiting the local Trading Post<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Trading Post was a series of open tents and lean-to\u2019s adorned with feathers and animal hides that had been skinned and tanned. And in front of these tents was a long lone of Native American blankets stretched out as far as the eye could see.\u00a0On these blankets, the owners of those tents and tee-pees would set out all of their goods. These included knives and blades, leather goods and tanned skins, beaded necklaces and naive chokers, bear claws, sharks teeth, and so much more. Well, when the Trading Post was open — the boys were invited to go around from place to place trading the items they brought for the items they found and wanted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The plan was, to try and leave with something better than you started with. Everyone wanted to TRADE UP!<\/strong> Since I was so young, I wasn\u2019t allowed to camp out. But my Dad didn\u2019t want me to miss out, so he carried me along for day trip, to visit my friends.\u00a0Well, when the trading began — I had nothing to trade<\/strong>. I hadn\u2019t prepared…I hadn’t brought anything with me of which I barter. Fortunately for me, one of the traders saw my dilemma and was gracious to me. He wanted me to experience the joy of trading, so he gave me an empty rifle casing. Just the metal shell.\u00a0Well, I loved it — but I was eager to trade it away for something better. And so I did.\u00a0That afternoon I went from spot to spot trading with any and everyone who would trade with me.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n My first trade was for a large feather. From there I traded for a small pocket knife. As my trading went on, I somehow managed to get a large sheathed knife, and then traded up from there to a very nice, and very large Bowie knife. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And you might think that I would have been satisfied with my great accomplishment — and would have stopped there. But I didn’t. Because what caught my eye was a small grass snake in a mason jar. To my dismay, in the end I lost it all…because my dad wouldn\u2019t let me take the snake home. He made me release it before we left that day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What I didn\u2019t understand as a 7 year old boy, was that…<\/p>\n\n\n\n What I already possessed was more valuable than what I thought I wanted.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, that story has me thinking — how often do we live our lives like that? How often are we will to trade what have for the possibility of gaining something better? The truth is as Christians, we\u2019ve already posses more than we could ever find in this world. We’ve been given the best gift ever IN CHRIST! <\/p>\n\n\n\n When we traded our old life for a new life in Christ, we traded something of diminishing value for something of increasing value. Simply put, WE TRADED UP!<\/strong> And what we now possess is something far greater. It’s better than life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n And yet, this world in which we live would tell us that we still need more. That what we have is not enough!\u00a0So, the temptation is…that we would trade away what we have for what we DON\u2019T NEED…and it happens subtly, little by little! But if we\u2019re not careful — we can quickly fall into the habit of trading the BLESSING of God for the SNAKES of this world!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This evening I really just want to remind you of the fact that — IN CHRIST you\u2019ve TRADED UP!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n MESSAGE:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve got your Bible, turn with me to Ephesians 1<\/strong>. We\u2019ll begin reading in verse 15<\/strong> in just a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, while you\u2019re turning there — <\/em>let me give you a little back ground<\/em> to the verses we\u2019re going to look at. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In this opening chapter of Ephesians<\/strong>, Paul<\/strong> takes considerable time to explain how we possess so much in Christ. It\u2019s only after having established the level of wealth we have in Jesus that the he then shares with us how he\u2019s been praying for those who are following Christ!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, as we read what he has to say, I want to submit to you — that even though this letter was written long ago, to some people very far away…the intent of his prayer applies just as powerfully to you — because, if you\u2019ve accepted Christ…in essence, you\u2019ve TRADED your old life for a new life in CHRIST!<\/p>\n\n\n\n In light of all that we have, Paul says,<\/p>\n\n\n\n 15<\/em><\/strong> For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, <\/em>16<\/em><\/strong> I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And here\u2019s when the details of his prayer begins. He writes, <\/p>\n\n\n\n 17<\/em><\/strong> I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may <\/em>give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better<\/em>. <\/em>18<\/em><\/strong> I pray also <\/em>that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you<\/em>, the <\/em>riches of his glorious inheritance<\/em> in the saints, <\/em>19<\/em><\/strong> and <\/em>his incomparably great power for us who believe<\/em>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 1:15-19 (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n So, as I shared a few moments ago…Paul\u2019s purpose in this chapter is to remind us just how rich we are in Christ.\u00a0<\/strong>And to ensure that we don\u2019t mismanage this great gift — he remind us (that as believers) we\u2019ve definitely\u00a0TRADED UP!<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n So just how much have we TRADED UP for? More than you could imagine…in EVERY WAY!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ll allow me — I just want to walk you through the key aspects of this prayer. Because, in this prayer Paul makes some<\/strong> requests<\/strong> of God on our behalf — and these requests serve to remind us just how much we\u2019ve TRADED UP. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first thing that Paul\u2019s prays — reminds that…<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. We Really Ought to <\/strong>Know HIM Better<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/strong>17<\/em><\/strong> I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may <\/em>give you the Spirit of wisdom and <\/em><\/em>revelation, so that you may know him better<\/em>.<\/em>(NIV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n As believers, its imperative that we never become stagnant in our faith — but continue the adventure of KNOWING GOD.\u00a0So, what did Paul mean when he wrote that we ought to KNOW HIM BETTER?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n This idea of KNOWING GOD has less to do with information<\/strong> — and more to do with revelation<\/strong>. KNOWING (as a biblical concept) was not so much a transfer of details, but rather an experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider the implication of those Old Testament texts that speak of a man \u201cknowing\u201d a woman.<\/strong> They\u2019re not referring to so petty idea that somehow a man \u201cgot the number\u201d of the woman he was after…<\/em>or \u201ceven that he was able to connected with her \u201c…as a FRIEND on an ancient Hebrew version of <\/em>FaceBook<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The implication was that there was a high level of intimacy and interaction…a oneness between them.\u00a0It is in this sense of that word — which Paul prays for us to \u201cKNOW\u201d God.\u00a0What Paul understood was that — the more we grow in our knowledge of God — the more exciting and satisfying our spiritual lives become. So, Paul prayed that God would give us the spirit of wisdom <\/strong>and revelation<\/strong>. That we might know Him better…and that we will might become deepened and spiritually awakened by God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is one of the ways we (as Christ followers) have clearly TRADED UP!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n And Paul wants us to recognize what a rich gift this truly is! To be able to KNOW GOD! For no one else — outside the family of God has the privilege of KNOWING HIM like we do!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second aspect of Paul\u2019s request reminds us that…<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. We Really Ought to <\/strong>KNOW the Hope He\u2019s given<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Look again at verse 18<\/strong>. Paul says\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n 18<\/em><\/strong> I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hope<\/strong> is actually a very illusive<\/strong> aspect of life.\u00a0When addressing the difference between how a lost person and a Christian manages the pain of loss, Paul says in 1 Thes. 4:13.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201d<\/em><\/strong>But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Listen, fate, pain, and despair dominated the ancient world. They had a lot of those things…but not much HOPE. Hope was a rare commodity<\/strong>. And when it came to experiencing something better than what they were going through — well, it just wasn\u2019t on their minds! People had little hope of ever TRADING UP<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n A<\/strong> common epitaph <\/strong>of the day read: “I was not, I was, I am not, I don\u2019t care.” <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What a fatalistic view of — a life (and existence) without HOPE!\u00a0Hope was just a very rare a commodity in the first century world — and I might add that it is as well today. Doesn\u2019t it seem like Hope evades so many of the people we know. For all its advantages & technological advances — our society is plagued with problems — so many that it seems as if most people have just given up<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Crime, poverty, racism, terrorism, and the list goes on. Sometimes, even our word HOPE<\/em> <\/strong>is nothing more than a vague wish, dream, or desire. It many ways, it has no real substance. But for Paul, HOPE<\/strong> represented the certainty<\/strong> of something not yet present<\/strong>! His confidence was NOT based on empty optimism, but rather on the nature and character of God<\/strong>. His hope was based on the fact that God has promised not only to forgive our sin — but also<\/strong> to secure a lasting future with Him.\u00a0 His hope<\/strong> was that God would do everything he had promised. And because of our faith IN CHRIST, we have been given this HOPE!<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s news we can build our lives around. And this HOPE \u2013 well, its ours\u2026because we\u2019ve TRADED UP!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, another aspect of Paul\u2019s prayer, reminds us that…(not only should we Know Him Better \/ Know the Hope that He\u2019s Given Us…but, <\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. We Really Ought to <\/strong>KNOW That We\u2019ve Been Called.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Look back at verse 18<\/strong>. Again, Paul says,<\/p>\n\n\n\n 18<\/em><\/strong> I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has <\/em>given to those he called\u2014<\/em>his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.<\/em>(NLT)<\/p>\n\n\n\n This word called<\/em><\/strong>is a very significant word in the Believer\u2019s vocabulary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you know — even the word for church<\/em><\/strong>is actually a combination of two Greek words that literally mean:\u00a0\u201ccalled<\/strong> out ones.\u201d\u00a0The apostle Paul<\/strong> again and again testified to the fact that his life was changed when God called<\/strong> him \u201cby his grace.\u201d (Gal. 1:15)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n When he writes to his young prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Timothy<\/strong>, he tells him, <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor God saved us and <\/em>called<\/em><\/strong>us to live a holy life<\/em>. He did this, not because we deserved it, <\/em>but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time<\/em>\u2014to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.\u201d <\/em>(2 Tim. 1:9, NLT). <\/p>\n\n\n\n This idea of CALLING is a big deal. And it\u2019s an added benefit or blessing that comes with our Salvation!God has called us by His grace and deep love to live for Him and labor for His purpose! This idea of calling<\/strong>, or responsibility, or purpose is something that so many people hopelessly search for in life. And yet, in Christ — we all receive the blessing of being given a higher calling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Warren Wiersbe <\/strong>tells a story in his commentary on Ephesians about the late newspaper publisher, William Randolph Hearst<\/strong>. (Wiersbe – Ephesians)\u00a0Hearst was known to have amassed a fortune in art which he kept in a large warehouse. One day he read about an incredibly valuable piece of art. Determined to own it, he sent his agent<\/strong> to look for it. Months went by before the agent reported that he had found it. When Hearst asked him where it was, he told him that he had found it in Hearst’s own warehouse. He had purchased it years before.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout this first chapter of Ephesians <\/strong>Paul is passionately trying to spare us of the frantic search<\/strong> for something that we already possess<\/strong>. Because in Christ — we have our CALLING<\/strong> — a purpose greater than all others!\u00a0The challenge<\/strong> in light of this — is to live for Him!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This too is one of the ways that we\u2019ve TRADED UP!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The last aspect of Paul\u2019s prayer reminds us that\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. We Really Ought to <\/strong>KNOW The Greatness of His Power<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Look again at verse 19<\/strong>. Paul continues his prayer by asking that God would make us fully aware of…<\/p>\n\n\n\n 19<\/em><\/strong> …<\/em>his incomparably great power for us who believe<\/em>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n You see, Paul is saying — another way we\u2019ve TRADED UP<\/strong> — is that now, Christ (in all of His power <\/strong>and authority) resides IN US!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul is explaining here how it is that we can know God better<\/strong>, how we can have the eyes of our heart opened<\/strong>. And it\u2019s all through the dynamic of His power and grace working in us! <\/p>\n\n\n\n And that same power that changed us — enables<\/strong> us<\/strong> to overcome the enemy in our own lives. Because… <\/p>\n\n\n\n This power that brings the dead to life, is the same power by which Christ (even now) rules and reigns. And the beauty<\/strong> of all of this — (which adds the greatest of VALUE<\/strong> and WEALTH<\/strong> of our lives), is that CHRIST<\/strong> and all His POWER<\/strong> resides<\/strong> in<\/strong> US<\/strong>!\u00a0Or as Paul<\/strong> would put it…<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this <\/em>mystery<\/em><\/strong>, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Colossians 1:27 (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CONCLUSION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s for this reason that (like Paul), I remind you — In Christ, YOU\u2019VE TRADED UP!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, choose to live your life securely<\/strong> in<\/strong> Christ<\/strong>… <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019d like to wrap up by just providing you with a few questions to reflect upon: So let me ask you…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Or like that story I told you earlier, are you seeking to exchange\n
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