Welcome to First Baptist Church - Ashland

Quick Links

Sermon for Sunday, August 23, 2009

“Thanks, Any Time, Any Place, Give Me a Break!”

Ephesians 5:15-20

This passage from Ephesians is loaded with words of guidance, direction, and wisdom for the church. These short five verses give enough “advice” for a Christian to make most of us pretty good followers. The opening words of chapter five set the tone for these verses, “Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children and walk in love just as Christ loved you and gave Himself up for us…” (v. 1-2)  Paul is writing a letter to a struggling, small group of people trying to make their way as Christians in the world. One of the words he says to them in this passage is to “give thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Give me a break! Maybe in the next few minutes we can discover what he was/is saying to us.

Paul tells the Ephesians to give thanks to God “at all times and for everything the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” How in the world could Paul say that to this little forlorn church, probably hanging on by its fingernails, filled with all sorts of conflicts and dangers? And to top it all off, Paul was in prison. He calls himself a “prisoner for Christ” (3:1), an “ambassador in chains” (6:20). It was in prison and near to the end of his life that Paul wrote Ephesians. It is in prison that he says “give thanks to God at all times.”

How is it possible, at all times and in every circumstance to give thanks? Give me a break.

If you ever read the novel or saw the play “Les Miserables,” Victor Hugo describes the downward descent of Jean Valjean. He was once a prominent young man, but now Valjean is a common laborer who is sentenced to five years to jail for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his hungry family.

Five years in prison takes its toll upon Valjean. Then the five years is extended to 19 years of hard labor in the galley ships of France. He continues an emotional and physical downward spiral. He becomes less of a man and more of a broken beast, void of emotion and heart.  Hugo writes: “Jean Valjean entered the galleys sobbing and trembling, he left hardened.  He entered in despair, he left sullen.”  Finally when he is released his troubles are far from over. Nobody will talk to him or give him work or shelter because of his criminal work.

Bitter and exhausted, Valjean comes to the house of an old bishop who greets him courteously and treats him, a ragged, forlorn beggar as an honored guest. Valjean is dumbfounded by the bishop’s graciousness and generosity.  He cynically lurks away from the house, stealing two fine silver plates from the bishop’s cupboard, fleeing into the darkness. The next day the police arrive at the bishop’s house with the criminal in tow along with the silver plates. In complete despair Valjean knows he faces the prospect of returning to a hellish prison.

Then a strange scene occurs. Confronted by the thief who returned the bishop’s warmth and generosity with thievery, the bishop astonishes the thief when he says to the police, “I’m glad to see you. But you must have misunderstood. I gave you the candlesticks, too. Which are silver like the rest and would bring 200 francs. Why didn’t you take them along with your plates when you departed?”

At the bishop’s almost incredible words, Victor Hugo says that, “Jean Valjean opened his eyes and looked at the bishop with an expression no human tongue could describe.” The police were forced to release their prisoner because of the bishop’s testimony. The police leave and the bishop hands Valjean the candlesticks, calling him “my friend,” embracing Valjean and sends him out with this blessing: “Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul I am buying for you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts…and I give it to God.”

In the very next scene, Hugo describes Valjean’s reaction. He weeps as he considers the horrible depths to which he has sunk. He not only weeps, but also begins to comprehend the possibility of a new world the bishop’s care has set before him. He regains a glimpse of his humanity. He has been given a gift; his own true God given self. Gratitude for the gift sweeps Valjean up into a whole new world.

It seems to me that something very much like that has happened to the church in Ephesus. We think that this church was made up of lots of Gentiles, former pagans, who had become Christians. They were Gentiles who had no claims upon the promises of God to Israel. Paul would say to them…2:11….”remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called ‘uncircumcision’ by the so called circumcision…separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenant of promise…”  And yet, by the marvelous embrace and love of Christ, these Gentiles had been brought into the family of God.

These outsiders had been invited in to the Body of Christ. Those who had nothing were given everything. They had been transferred to a whole new world. And to these people Paul said, “Give thanks always and everywhere for everything.”

It makes me realize that all too often we forget how we got here, in the church, saved by Christ.  We didn’t get here because we were so successful at loving Jesus. We didn’t get here because we were so good. We didn’t get here because of any achievement on our part. We got here as gift, grace. That’s why we sing. That’s why so much of our music tends toward praise and thanksgiving.

To those on the outside who have not received that grace, it may seem like Christians are those who must work hard to do good, to live moral, responsible lives in order to please God, in order to get in good with the Almighty.

How little the world knows! And hopefully how much you and I know. Christians do whatever good we do and live the lives we live in response to the God who has graciously given us so much. We have gotten our lives given back to us. We were invited to take up residence in a whole new world.  That invitation, that forgiveness, that gift makes thanksgiving possible at all times and places. That has to be why Paul just doesn’t say, “give thanks at all times and places.”  He says, “give thanks at all times and places in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

If you don’t remember anything else, remember this…if you are doing good things and living good lives just to get into a relationship with Christ, you misunderstand grace. We do what we do because of what has already been done for us. That is grace.

William Willimon writes that there are two kinds of persons in the world: Those who consider that their lives are their achievements, and that what comes to them is that which is owed to them by the world for what they have earned and achieved. And there are others who believe that their lives are gifts, and that what comes to them comes as an undeserved gift of God. This second sort are most properly called “Christians.”

When I was child and I bet it happened to you as well, that when someone gave you something, your mom, dad, somebody would be quick to say to you, “say thank you for the candy, money, etc…”

Paul says for us to be “filled with the Spirit” so that we might give thanks to God at all times and for everything.”

So here we are, sitting in a beautiful church building on a Sunday morning. Can we sit here and think about our lives, all the opportunities we have been given, all the grace that has been bestowed for no reason but love. What do we say?  Say “thank you” to the nice Savior for the salvation.

I guess that is why I put an offering in the offering. It not only helps to send missionaries around the world, pay for Sunday school literature, the electric bill, my salary and the list goes on but it is a way for me to say to Christ, “thank you.”

I don’t know where your life will take you this coming week. I don’t know all the challenges you may face, what pain or heartache may come your way. I don’t know all the ways you might be asked to serve Christ by some act of risk or love. But I do believe this: No matter where you find yourself this week, it is possible for you as a follower of Jesus, anywhere, anytime to give and to live, “thanks.” 

Thanks, any time, any place. Give me a break! You got it!

Contact Us

Address
First Baptist Church, Ashland
800 Thompson Street
Ashland, VA 23005

Phone
(804) 798-9014

Fax
(804) 798-9043

E-mail
fbcashland@verizon.net

Sunday Worship

  8:30 a.m. -  Worship Service
  9:45 a.m. -  Sunday School
11:00 a.m. -  Worship Service