Making A Difference!

Ephesians 4:20-21

How will you make a difference this week for Christ?

Last Sunday after I asked that same question to you, we went to Walmart and God afforded the opportunity with our cashier. I smiled big at her and asked if she was having a good day. She looked up at me and said I can’t afford not to. Then began to share a small portion of her life; how she spent 15 years in prison at Walla Walla. I didn’t get a chance to go any further because someone was behind us. But my prayer is that I’ll get speak to her again next time I’m at Walmart. People want hope. I simply said as we walked away that there is always hope. Don’t give up have faith.

The problem in our culture today is the word faith doesn’t carry the same meaning as it used to. The Barna Group asked a question of 100 people, the question was “do you adhere to a faith.” The majority answered: “I believe in everything – a little."

The Barna Group then did another survey that asked people about absolute truth, only 22% of the participants agreed that “there are moral truths that are absolute, meaning that those moral truths or principles do not change according to the circumstances".

But if you think about it, those who claim that there is no such thing as absolute truth make scores of decisions every day on the basis that they believe some things are true and some are false. We all do. I will not turn on a light without believing in the reality of electricity, or drive a car without believing in the effectiveness of the combustion engine. No one flying in a cloud through mountainous terrain would want to be directed by a navigator who did not believe in the truth of his instruments. No one undergoing brain surgery would want to be operated on by a surgeon who did not believe that some things about the brain were true and some not true.

But for some reason, when it comes to faith, most people don’t receive it as an absolute truth. Steve Turner described in his satirical poem titled “Creed” that sentiment:
We believe that each man must find the truth that is right for him.
Reality will adapt accordingly.
The universe will readjust.
History will alter.
We believe that there is no absolute truth, excepting the truth that there is no absolute truth.

Now the bible and Paul would have something to say about absolute truth. And, of course, that there is an absolute truth.
As you read through Ephesians 4:11-21, don’t you feel like you’re watching a tennis match? Paul keeps going back and forth as he describes the stark contrast between the life with Jesus Christ and the life without Him:

• Jesus gives gifted people to the church to help them mature and become more like Jesus (vv. 11-13)
• He does this so that His followers won’t be unstable and easily deceived (v. 14)
• We grow up into the head as each part does its work (vv. 15-16)

• You can’t live like the unbelievers because that lifestyle is futile (vv. 17-19)

Now in verses 20 and 21, Paul is going to wrap up this discussion by clearly pointing out to his readers exactly what, or, perhaps more accurately, who, determines which of those two paths that we end up on.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. Ephesians 4:20, 21 (NIV)

Let’s begin by focusing for just a moment on that last phrase – “the truth that is in Jesus.” Paul does something very interesting here. This is the only place in his letter where he uses the name “Jesus” without connecting with “Lord” and/or “Christ”. Every other time Paul refers to Jesus, he calls Him “Christ”, “Lord”, or some combination of those titles along with the name “Jesus.” But here, he simply uses the name that God gave his Son at the incarnation. I think that’s very significant. You have to come back tomorrow for more. You are loved!