As part of our weekly What-a-Study men’s group on Wednesday mornings, we’ve been chewing on Ephesians for the last several weeks.
We’ve been taking it chunk by chunk, roughly 10-15 verses at a time and chewing on the passages with the symbol study that Aaron suggested a while back.
So this past week we were focused on the first portion of Ephesians 2 (Eph 2:1-10).
I start looking over the passage and read:
Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. (Eph 2:5-6)
And then it hits me – this all takes place at the exact moment we become disciples of Jesus.
Paul isn’t writing this as someone who’s left the earth, seen heaven and comes back to report about it. He’s writing this while still here on earth and says, “He picked us up and set us down in highest heaven.”
He’s experienced heaven and continues to experience heaven while still living his life here on earth.
We are living in heaven the minute Jesus transforms us!
While I still believe in a literal new heaven and a new earth — this puts an even greater perspective on things I’ve been chewing on for some time.
The NKJV says:
…and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
MADE us.
Not going to make us.
Not going to take us.
Not in the future we will.
But he MADE us.
Already are.
Past tense.
So when put our faith in Jesus, become his disciple – we are living the eternal abundant life (John 3:16)!
And we are heaven!
We’re living heaven in our own lives!
And we bring heaven to those around us!
While they’ll be nice some day — who needs to worry about streets of gold — we’re living in heaven right now when we become the hands and feet of Jesus!
And as I thought through this more and more, I thought about how we tell kids (and try to convince others) all day long, “It’s better to give than to receive.”
Why is that? It’s because in giving we’re most fulfilled. We’re most satisfied. We’re most happy.
Accepting the call of Jesus on our lives means we’re giving of ourselves daily. We’re giving away our wants, our desires, in place of helping others.
And in doing so, we’re spreading heaven to those around us!
No wonder we’re meant to live sent…
“Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done — on earth as it is in heaven.”
Wild!
Guys, if you’re in the Ellis County area, we’d love to have you come join us on Wednesday mornings. We meet every Wed. morning from 6:30 to 8ish at the What-a-Burger on Ovilla Rd. and I-35. Come join us on your way into work (or for some – your way home from work).
