Executive Editor’s Note: This is the President’s Message that was preached in the opening session of the national meeting on April 16, 2024.
It is at this meeting that we gather to conduct the business of the Baptist Missionary Association of America, and we are able to do that because of the historical and redemptive realities of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But since the resurrection happened, what spiritual significance and real-time difference does it carry for our churches today? Do we just get to walk around with the resurrection card in our pocket, holding it there until the day Jesus returns and show it to all the world and say, “See! We were right! We told you so!” Or does the most significant, monumental, powerful event in all human history, all cosmic history, carry any bearing on us as Christians, as churches today, right now, that sets us apart from any other institution the world has ever known?
If the world is not to overwhelm us, if the current culture is not to capsize onto us and drown us, if we are not to be caught in the slippery and subtle drift of compromised churches, we must learn, know, believe and act upon the reality that the church is the most powerful institution in all the land — that there is a greater reality unfolding around us than we can see.
Paul made clear to the church at Ephesus, and I pray the Holy Spirit will make clear to us, that there is a spiritual reality much broader, deeper and more powerful than what is initially seen by ordinary sight. In Eph. 1:15, Paul detailed the goals of his prayer for the believers in Ephesus (vs. 17). He desired for them to receive, or perhaps increase, in their spiritual wisdom and understanding.
Now I want us to ask the question, “What is the purpose of spiritual wisdom? What is the purpose of obtaining and deepening our understanding of God?”
Wisdom and understanding are two types of knowledge that are meant to be employed for the daily rhythms of life — daily use. Spiritual wisdom that is not unleashed into the every day is not true wisdom. Having an understanding of God that is not brought to the surface of our lives is not a fulfilled understanding. Spiritual wisdom and understanding that does not affect the controlled and chaotic moments of our lives, of our churches, is not completed understanding.
In order for that increase in wisdom and understanding to happen, Paul prayed that these believers may know some particular truths:
• To know the hope to which believers have been called (vs. 18),
• To know the riches of the glorious inheritance in the saints (vs. 18) and
• To know the immeasurable greatness of God’s power toward believers (vs. 19).
It is this last truth that I want us to dwell upon for our time together — the immeasurable greatness of God’s power toward believers. Beginning at verse 20, Paul painted for us descriptions and results of the immeasurable greatness of God’s power that is being worked toward us. And those descriptions and results should inform our daily realities as pastors and members of churches.
Those realities and results are the resurrection and enthronement of Jesus as King over all things (vs. 20-22) and also the giving of that King to the church (vs. 23) for His grand purpose.
No King Over the World but the Resurrected Christ
The descriptions of the immeasurable greatness of God’s power that is toward us, as believers, is described as being of the same nature of that power that raised Jesus from the dead and then placed Jesus at God’s right hand. So, two features to consider here — resurrection power and reigning power.
• Resurrection Power (vs. 19-20) — “…According to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead…” (ESV)
If we are going to grow in wisdom for this life as Christians, if we are going to be fulfilling our purpose as churches, we must know that the power that is at work on our behalf and through, that has come toward us by the love of God, is of the same caliber as the power that brought a dead Jesus back to life.
If we do not know that and remember that, we will walk around defeated, lackluster, uninspired and unmotivated, or we will run head long into a battle for souls, into a work to make disciples and plant churches ill-equipped with our own strength, and faulty earthly wisdom. What we must remember and rejoice in today is the resurrection of Jesus. The wages of our sin were given to Christ, and that being death. What we owed for our sin, He paid for by His death. There is no hope, no confidence, no joy, no power, no redemption in a sacrifice that remains lifeless in a tomb! That is only an example to follow of self-sacrifice, but not a victory to triumph in of redemption over sin. There is no cause to follow in obedience to a dead man.
There must be something more, something greater than Jesus taking on the power of sin. And that something greater is the author of life Himself, God Almighty, bringing resurrection power back into the dead body of Jesus. And it is because of the resurrection that we know that we have redemption, and resurrection life ourselves, to live beyond death in eternal life starting now!
Listen to me churches of the BMA, the power that is ours from God is an indescribable, unworldly power. So, we should be rejoicing in the fact that not only was Jesus raised from the dead by the immeasurable power of God, but the power that accomplished that very feat has come toward us who believe in giving us new life in Christ! We can be certain of that new life, that our sin is destroyed, no matter how great the sin, because of the power we see in the resurrection of Christ!
We not only see a resurrection power, but we also must take notice that this power is a reigning power.
• Reigning Power (vs. 20-21) — “That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.”
I want you to take notice of the lengths the Holy Spirit goes through to show us the absolute nature of this reign of Christ. Jesus is not just above some rulers and authorities, but Paul says that Jesus has been placed far above all rulers and authority. And if we didn’t get the point by that statement, Paul continued with every possible realm he could think of — above all power and dominion. And if that wasn’t enough, he covers individuals — every name, and every possible time period — not only in this age but in the age to come.
The power and reign of Christ is absolute. Everything falls under His dominion. It all belongs to Him for Him to do with as He pleases.
His resurrection reign is not limited in scope. His resurrection reign is not confined by geographical boundaries. His resurrection reign is not subject to a committee or a vote or term limits. His resurrection reign is not threatened by attacks from lesser thrones. His resurrection reign is not reduced by world events. His resurrection reign is not diminished by political ploys.
He reigns over every nation, over every kingdom set up on earth, visible and invisible. Jesus reigns over church, no matter how large or how small. He reigns over every pretend church. Jesus reigns over every institution, no matter how moral or corrupt. Jesus reigns over all things, and His reign brings blessings and consequences, depending upon whether His reign is recognized and yielded to or not.
But His reign is questioned, mocked and disregarded in this world. If we are not convinced of His reign over all things, satisfied in His reign over all things, drawing comfort from His reign over all things, leading our churches and departments in the confidence of His reign, then we, as individuals and churches, will cower back in fear. We will be bullied out of the public and pushed into the quiet corners of culture.
Hear what Paul is pleading for — the growth in spiritual wisdom and the understanding of God — the wisdom to live lives of holiness, godliness and effectiveness, the wisdom to operate and function as churches in the way God designed and the spiritual wisdom of leading and running institutions that are extensions of the church’s ministry. If that is to happen, we must know, believe, revel and live in the resurrection power of God and the reigning power of Christ, because it is that same power that is aimed at us in the church.
