Sermon Central
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The Balancing Act Series
Contributed by Jonathan Busch on Dec 8, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: Ephesians Series #3 Position determines access. We like access…but in the Kingdom of God access is restricted only to those who are in the right position.The key to staying on that straight and narrow path is in being well balanced.
A Walk That Is Worthy Part 3
"The Balancing Act"
Text: Eph 1:15-23
Intro:
We have just come through another Thanksgiving Holiday. I trust everyone had a blessed time whether with family or friends, being able to return thanks to the Lord for what He has done in our lives. I ran across a cute little thanksgiving story this last week I would like to share with you before we begin.
Illus:
Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an enraged bull. Immediately they ran toward the nearest fence. The storming bull ran after them in hot pursuit, and they realized that they were not going to make it. Terrified, one man shouted to his friend, “Say a prayer, John. We’re in trouble ” John said, “I’ve never prayed out loud before. I don’t know what to say. “But you have to ” yelled his companion; “The bull is catching up to us.” “All right,” said John, as he ran with all his might; “I’ll say the only prayer I know. My father used to say it at the table: Oh Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful.”
This morning I would like to continue on with our series in Ephesians entitled “A Walk That is Worthy”
Specifically I would like to share a message entitled “The Balancing Act” Now remember I have said several times that in the first part of Ephesians Paul is trying to lay down an argument of our position in the Kingdom of God. Position is vital, because position determines access. We like verses such as Hebrews 4:16 where scripture tells us “come boldly to
the throne of grace.”
We like access.
All you have to do to get strangers to go somewhere is put up a “Do not enter under any circumstances sign.”
If you put up a wet paint sign, just watch and see how many people have to feel if the pain is wet. We like access…but in the Kingdom of God access is restricted only to those who are in the right position.
Now many times we treat this as a balancing act.
We read passages of scripture like…
Matt 7:13,14
We read passages like this and say boy if I can only walk the tight rope…if I can only stay on that straight and narrow.
Once again we are speaking of access. If we want access we must walk the path that is worthy of our calling. The key to staying on that straight and narrow path is in being well balanced.
1 Peter 5:8 (Amp) Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.
Be well balanced. This morning I would like to speak of three things that must be in the right position in order for us to have a walk that is worthy.
1) The Fulcrum v 22
I said just a moment ago that we like access. Don’t tell an American that they cannot go somewhere…or they will! We like access…but in the Kingdom of God access is restricted only to those who are in the right position.
That position is resting upon Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 3:11
If we want access to the Kingdom of Heaven we must have the proper foundation under our feet.
To perform this balancing act of walking a straight an narrow path in a world that is pushing an pulling from all directions, we must be balanced on Christ.
Position is everything, and our position in Christ is everything.
1 Tim 2:5
If we are not found in Jesus Christ we do not have access to the father. There are no Short cuts in the Kingdom… Jesus is the fulcrum we must balance our lives upon.
2) The Lever
The lever on which we balance is the activity of our lives. Now I believe there are two ways in which we can look at this lever
a) Our Activity
It is our daily routine, the things that consume our time upon this world. Jesus also calls it our fruit.
What are we accomplishing with our life? Is the byproduct of our life in line with what God wants to accomplish in His Kingdom?
b) Our Challenges
Sometimes God allows things to come into our lives to see how we will balance. Several weeks ago in bible study I presented some thoughts from a passage
in Judges.
Sometimes God brings challenging things to us by way of this lever. He does so in an effort to see where our foundation rests.
Make sure that your foundation is unshakeable.
