What’s your plan for 2020? For some 2020 might hold excitement and new possibilities — a new school, a new job, new adventures. For others, perhaps 2020 has started off on the wrong foot with severe weather events (like drought or bushfire), and death, loss, or grief.
However we think 2020 might turn out, I think we all desire God’s blessing for the New Year. And our New Testament reading seems to promise this, ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us … with every … blessing in Christ.’ (Ephesians 1:3). Bring on the blessings for 2020!
Except I’ve missed out an important word, haven’t I?! ‘Spiritual.’ ‘Praise be to God who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing.’ God promises to bless us with something much more important than material blessings (which are temporary and transient). Our bodies, houses, this whole material world is like grass or flowers, here one moment and gone the next. So God gives us spiritual blessings that are permanent and everlasting.
God does more than give these spiritual blessings, he lavishes them upon you. ‘Through the blood of Christ we have the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of God’s grace, which he lavished upon us.’ (Ephesians 1:7–8). I love this word ‘lavish.’ It’s the word that stood out to me the most as I meditated on our Ephesians text during the week. ‘Lavish.’ It means ‘fullness’ or ‘superabundance.’ Our gospel reading says the same thing in a different way, ‘We have all received one blessing after another. God’s grace has no limit.’ (John 1:16). Some translations have ‘grace upon grace.’ God heaps grace upon grace.
Picture an empty dam. Now imagine a neighbour shows up with a 15,000L water tanker. It doesn’t do much. But ten more trucks arrive and start dumping their water into the dam. As the dam slowly fills, suddenly the heavens open and rain buckets down. Water is lavished not just on the dam, but everywhere around it. Water washes in from all directions. Within 30 minutes the dam is overflowing down the hill onto neighbour’s property. This is the picture of God lavishing his grace upon you. Grace upon grace.
Was there a time in 2019 you felt empty? Tired, emotionally drained, spent? Whenever we’re empty, God wants to fill us with his grace and love. These are not mere words. But God demonstrates his grace and love with action. God gave himself in the person of Jesus. God shed his blood on the cross to show you what ‘grace’ and ‘love’ mean.
But what are these spiritual blessings that God lavishes on you?
(1) You are part of God’s plan since before creation. God has chosen you before the foundation of the world. Before a single atom was brought into existence, God put you and Christ together in his mind. You are predestined according to his plan. God is working out everything according to his will and purpose.
Really?! Everything? For some 2020 has not started well. People affected by bushfires have lost everything, they are hurt and angry. Is this really God’s plan?! This week I sat around the kitchen table of a family planning the funeral of a loved one who had a tough final few years of life. Is this God’s plan?! Also this week, I sat in a hospital room as tears of pain and struggle flowed. Is this God’s plan?! Perhaps you can fill in your own story. Is this really God’s plan?!
We do good to remember that God has blessed us with spiritual blessings. We are placed in the heavenly realms. This means we can glimpse things from God’s perspective. We might see hardship, suffering, and pain in the material world. But from the heavenly realms we see God working in everything to redeem us and bring us closer to him. All things work to strengthen our trust in him, to empty ourselves of pride, to turn us from self-reliance toward God. Our good good heavenly Father works out everything according to his will and purpose, as viewed from the heavenly realms.
(2) You are adopted to sonship. In our politically correct times, being adopted to sonship can sound contentious. Women might rightly ask, “Am I adopted as a son?” And the answer is yes! We are not adopted as generic children of God, but as sons of God. In New Testament times, the historic reality was that women and daughters were not afforded the same rights as men e.g. they wouldn’t inherit property. But Paul says that everyone — Christian men and women — are adopted as God’s sons, with full rights to the inheritance.
Being adopted means your relationship with God is forever changed. Yes, being sons of God means having forgiveness of sins — you are forever washed clean, holy and blameless. But your relationship with God is so much more than your sins. Your relationship is now about your identity — you are adopted to sonship. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, because he poured out his blood for you, you are a son of God. Nothing you do, nothing that happens to you, no sin, no wrongdoing, no thought, no action, changes your identity. Because of what Jesus has done, you are always a son. What a spiritual blessing! No one can take this spiritual blessing away — it is eternal and permanent. If you lose your car, if your house burns down, if you lose your job, if you don’t get a harvest this year, whatever happens in this material world can not affect this spiritual blessing — nothing in all creation can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.
(3) You are an heir to an inheritance. The inheritance is not material. It’s not money, not a precious heirloom, not a house or property. But a spiritual inheritance. You are an heir to eternal life. A home with God forever. Unending love, joy, and peace.
You even get a down payment on this inheritance, a guarantee, a deed marked with a wax seal to make it official and binding. ‘You were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.’ (Ephesians 1:13–14).
You get to enjoy part of your inheritance already now! The Holy Spirit brings you love, joy, peace right now. He fills you when you are empty. When we hear God’s Word. When we are forgiven. When we take Holy Communion. When we gather with other sons of God. You are filled with the Holy Spirit. God lavishly pours out himself into you.
As we’ve heard he pours out so much that it overflows into the lives of those around you. He gives you so much spiritual blessing, that it overflows to others in your life. Love and forgiveness, hope and strength pours out. It’s like those champagne glass towers. God pours his abundant grace out into your life, and it flows down into the lives of others. Your family. Neighbours. Friends. Your work colleagues. Those you serve in the community. Your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
Let me tie everything together with a story. You know I like a good story!
There was a waitress working at a five-star restaurant. Sometimes when the bill arrived, the customer would struggle to pay. But in these circumstances the waitress would call over the generous owner who always waved the bill. As word got around, the waitress noticed an increase in poorly dressed, hungry customers who claimed they couldn’t afford the meal.
The waitress brought this up with the owner, saying this type of customer didn’t deserve free food and were taking advantage of the restaurant. She suggested they enforce a strict dress code and reduce the size of the meals as a cost saving measure. But the wealthy owner insisted he didn’t care about the money. Instead he made it policy to given an extra helping to those who looked like they were in need.
The waitress quit, not happy that her ideas were ignored. She worked a series of other hospitality jobs, each for a cruel owner who exploited her. But strangely and fortunately, after a few months each hotel or restaurant she worked at was sold and then closed. This impacted her resume and she began having trouble securing work. Her friends moved and the bank balance dwindled. She was hungry all the time and noticeably began losing weight.
One night, while dumpster diving for dinner, she recognised her old place of employment. The lights were on and she could hear laughter coming from inside. She went around the front and stepped into the light. A waiter welcomed her enthusiastically and seated her at a table.
Her stomach growled as she looked over the familiar menu. She ordered the smallest, cheapest dish. It wasn’t long before the owner arrived at the table with a mouth-watering plate piled high with the finest food. The old waitress shook her head, showing her empty purse. But the owner motioned to the kitchen and a stream of wait staff brought plate upon plate of delicious food to the table — far too much for the waitress to eat in a week, let alone one meal. There wasn’t even enough room on the table for all the plates!
After the waitress had had her fill, the owner came to the table smiling. He explained that everything that had happened was part of his plan. He had purchased and closed each of the restaurants she had worked at, to save her from the cruel owners and ultimately bring her back to his restaurant. In his hand the owner had an employment contract marked with his signature and a deed to the restaurant with a wax seal. These documents appointed the waitress as full partner and maître d’ (head of wait staff). The only condition was that she freely lavish meals upon any needy person who walked through the door, just as she had received.
This 2020 is a new year, but God has the same promises. In Christ, and by his blood, God lavishes his spiritual blessings upon you. You are a part of God’s plan since the creation of the world. You have been adopted as God’s son, with full rights. You are heirs to the inheritance of eternal life. And as a down payment you have been freely given the Holy Spirit. When you feel empty or struggle in 2020, remember that God freely pours out his grace upon you. Grace upon grace. He lavishes abundant spiritual blessings that aren’t merely material or temporary, but eternal and everlasting. May you live each day in these promises. Amen.
