Ephesians 2.11-18 (6)
Pray Psalm 27.4-6.
One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
Sing Psalm 27.4-6.
(St. Denio: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise)
One thing we request but to dwell with You, LORD.
Your beauty to test and to think on Your Word.
In trouble You hide us secure in Your grace;
no foe may o’erride us: We sing of Your praise.
Read Ephesians 2.11-18; meditate on verses 17, 18.
Meditate on the word “access”. How many different images does that suggest?
Preparation
1. To what do we have access?
2. How do we have this access?
Meditation
The essence of Christian faith consists in having and enjoying access to the Father. The Greek word, προσαγωγή, proagogé, implies the “right or opportunity to address someone, implying higher status of the person addressed” (Louw and Nida).
The work of Jesus makes this access possible. He has taken away and paid the debt for our sins. He clothes us in His righteousness and provides the way through Himself to the Father. This also is the work of the Spirit, Who leads us to the glory of the Father in His Word and transforms us into the image of Jesus.
Access to the Father entails coming into His Presence and glory, experiencing His beauty, goodness, power and holiness, offering Him abundant praise and thanks, and seeking from Him all that we need of mercy and grace to fulfill our calling in His Kingdom and unto His glory.
The effect of this access is like Moses coming from the Presence of the LORD with his face aglow. We come in the power of God and the strength of His Spirit to enjoy access to the Father and to show Him, in Jesus, to the world. What could be more significant or thrilling than that?
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.In our times of traffic jams or waiting in line at various activities, turns out, there is a method to whizzing along without having to get stalled. One needs only to have a high occupancy vehicle to get in the fast lane to work; and to acquire a fast lane pass puts you in a speedier line at parks, concerts, cruises, and other such venues. Who knew?
But we who trust in Jesus have access to the Creator of the heavens and earth; we have speedy access to forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Through Jesus, all God’s children—of every race, nationality, and denomination— “have access by One Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2.18).
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through Whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand,
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5.1, 2).
Even from early on in the history of mankind God has voiced His desire for a covenantal relationship.
“For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you…
I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you.
I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.
I AM the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
that you should not be their slaves;
I have broken the bands of your yoke
and made you walk upright” (Lev. 26.9, 11-13).
But as we all know, man made a mess of everything, and we never managed to keep our part of the covenant.
We needed access to the promises of God—and Jesus brought that access from heaven to earth for us.
In our high occupancy vehicle, only One other Occupant is needed.
Full access is gained to the pathway with no traffic, no crowds,
and no impediments to reaching God, and entering His Kingdom.
All are welcome and there’s room for everyone.
All who call upon the Name of Jesus, for He is the only Way, Truth, and Life.
He is the only access pass to the Father. There is no other way (Jn. 14.6).
Then we, with this tantalizing access pass, will be God’s show of grace to the watching world.
“The effect of this access is like Moses
coming from the Presence of the LORD with his face aglow (Ex. 34.29-35).
We come in the power of God and the strength of His Spirit
to enjoy access to the Father and to show Him, in Jesus, to the world.
What could be more significant or thrilling than that?”
Really, what?
Reflection
1. You have access to God the Father through Jesus by the Holy Spirit. What use are you making of this?
2. Is that access limited only to certain times of the day? Or week? Explain.
3. How do you expect your access to the Father to affect your everyday life?
Through the person, sacrifice, and mediation of Christ, sinners are allowed to draw near to God as a Father, and are brought with acceptance into his presence, with their worship and services, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, as one with the Father and the Son. Christ purchased leave for us to come to God; and the Spirit gives a heart to come, and strength to come, and then grace to serve God acceptably. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Ephesians 2.17, 18
Pray Psalm 27.7-14.
Pray that God will give you a greater, more passionate, more constant desire to enjoy the access you have with Him. Pray that having access to God the Father will be the defining mark of your life.
Sing Psalm 27.7-14.
(St. Denio: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise)
Hear, LORD, when we cry and be gracious, we pray!
LORD, do not deny us Your favor this day!
Our help, our salvation, though others may fall,
preserve our good station when on You we call.
LORD, teach us; LORD, lead us because of our foes!
Hear, LORD, when we plead for release from their woes.
Had we not believed all Your goodness to see,
our heart sorely grieved and in turmoil would be.
Wait, wait on the LORD; persevere in His grace.
Hold fast to His Word; seek His radiant face.
Be strong, set your heart to abide in His Word;
His grace He imparts; therefore, wait on the LORD.
T. M. and Susie MooreIf you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we are immersed in the first of 14 studies on “grace economics”. This week our Read Moore podcast begins a tour of the exaltation of Christ and His work in the here and now from our book, What in Heaven Is Jesus Doing on Earth? Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
