Ephesians 1:15-23

Have you ever, out of curiosity, walked into an Eastern Orthodox church
building? Either Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox would do. In nearly
every one of their sanctuaries your eyes would be drawn to a commanding
piece of art. In many cases the art is in a dome high above the seats
of the people. The picture there is of Christ on the throne. This is the
resurrected Lord who has joined God in heaven, where he sits in majesty,
reigning over heaven and earth.

Most western churches do not show such symbols. We are more likely to
have a cross as the dominant symbol. I still recall conversations with
a church architect in which he said, one cross is a powerful symbol; three
crosses are just decoration. So we decided on the single cross at least
life size, on the wall behind the baptistery in our new sanctuary. Walk
into the sanctuary of a Roman Catholic church and you will see a crucifix-a
cross with the dying Jesus impaled on it.

These are not just architectural peculiarities. They indicate what we
emphasize in our preaching and teaching. Recently our seminary built a
village for student housing, and our development department found a family
who wanted to erect an artful cross in the village. The sculptor who designed
and built the cross did it with the imprint of the body of Jesus in it.
It is not a crucifix, but we call it „The Cross of the Resurrected
Lord.“ The body of Jesus is gone from that cross, but the crucifixion
did not leave the cross unmarked or empty. The evidence that Jesus died
is still visible. Most of us are comfortable standing with the Apostle
Paul in Corinth, as he described his preaching there as „to know
nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.“

We in the West concentrate on the meaning of the crucifixion, while Christians
in the East concentrate on the resurrection and ascension of Christ. We
do not totally neglect the resurrection, of course. Easter is still an
important holy day for us. However, we come close to neglecting totally
the ascension and enthronement of Christ. We too often preach our way
from Easter to Pentecost without recognizing that the infusion of divine
power among the Christians on that Pentecost in Jerusalem was, according
to our text and others, the direct result of the ascension and enthronement
of Christ.

So what we need is not a de-emphasis on the cross but an increasing emphasis
on the resurrection, ascension, and enthronement to complete the picture.
It seems to me that that is what our text, Ephesians 1:15-23, offers us.

15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love
toward all the saints, and for this reason16 I do not cease to
give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.17 I pray that
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a
spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him,18 so that,
with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope
to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance
among the saints,19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his
power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.20
God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead
and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,21 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.22
And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over
all things for the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of
him who fills all in all.

This passage tells us that the resurrection, ascension, and enthronement
of Christ is never just a cold fact of history, never just a theoretical
doctrine. Here it is embedded in a prayer. Thus for us it is an act of
worship. Notice that the prayer is that the Ephesian Christians may know
the power of God that is shown and made available in the ascension as
both a vindication of the crucified Christ and a power in the Church for
service in the world. This paradox of our Christian faith and understanding
has at least four facets. Let’s look at them one at a time.

1. Christ’s death as a sinless martyr means that God is working on behalf
of us sinners. Numerous times in the life of Jesus he reminded people
that God was at work both through him and in them. We need such reminders
daily. We tend to make decisions even in the church on the basis of our
own abilities and opportunities-our own energy. But the cross should remind
us that there is very little in our lives that is actually dependent on
our competency. When God found us in Christ we were sinners, alienated
from God and from ourselves. Anything positive we have become or will
do is God working on behalf of us sinners.

2. Christ’s resurrection nearly 2000 years ago means that God is still
working in the 21st century. By bringing Christ back from the grave God
has shown that death and time can not limit God’s divine presence in the
world or God’s power in the people of God. Too often we talk and act as
though our faith is relevant only in history. Too often we argue about
what God DID instead of showing what God IS DOING in our lives and in
the life of the Church here and now. God burst the bounds of time just
as surely as God released Jesus from the grave clothes. God is still at
work.

3. Christ’s ascension out of the world as we know it means that God
is working in this world as we know it-working to make it into a world
as we have never before seen it, a new creation. When I walk into an eastern
Orthodox sanctuary and look up at the representation of Christ on the
throne I feel pretty small. This is an appropriate first reaction to the
consideration that Christ is Lord of the universe. One of my students
recently made a presentation in class on preaching from Revelation. He
pointed out how subversive the book of Revelation really is. He noted
especially that to point to Christ on the heavenly throne meant that even
the Roman emperor was not ultimately in control. He went on to say that
Washington is not really in control, either. No theologian, no seminary
professor, no mega church is in control even of Christianity. The Church
is a monarchy and our headquarters are in another dimension of reality.
The throne and its Ruler are in heaven, and so God continues to work without
limits in this world that we inhabit.

4. Christ’s enthronement on a cosmic throne means that God is even now
working in the life of the earth-bound Church. Christ on the throne of
the universe means that we are not under the control of blind fate. Christ
on the throne of the universe means that we are no longer under the control
of human law. All other powers, whether political, economic, or spiritual
fade into insignificance in the light from the throne of Christ. The whole
of creation is now subject to power with a face-Jesus of Nazareth, who
knows our needs first-hand. The primary question that church leaders should
ask is, Where and how is God at work around us and in us? We can assume
that God is not just waiting for us to do something. God takes the initiative,
and we can but follow. Where is God working in [your city] this week?
With youth gangs? With the elderly? With these and more? Find God at work
and fall in line.

Then the power will come. God’s power is not limited, as human power
is. To plug into this transcendent power all we need is the ability to
see the reality of the enthroned Christ and putting ourselves to work
so we can actualize it in our lives. We live surrounded by power. It is
available everywhere, all the time, and in every situation of Christian
service.

Then we can experience the promise in the enthronement Psalm 110:

1 The LORD says to my lord,
„Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool.“
2 The LORD sends out from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your foes.
3 Your people will offer themselves willingly
on the day you lead your forces
on the holy mountains.
From the womb of the morning,
like dew, your youth will come to you.
4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind,
„You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.“

5 The Lord is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
6 He will execute judgment among the nations,
filling them with corpses;
he will shatter heads
over the wide earth.
7 He will drink from the stream by the path;
therefore he will lift up his head.

Prof. Bruce E. Shields
Emmanuel School of Religion
Johnson City, Tennessee, USA
E-Mail: BruceShi@msn.com