A New Kind of Wealth

                                                                             By Donald E. Williams

                                                                            Sermon Passage

                                                                             Ephesians1:3-14

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,⁴just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. ⁵ He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹ he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, ¹⁰ as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. ¹¹ In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, ¹² so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³ in him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴ this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.

     What gift do you buy for a rich man or millionaire who has many of the riches money can buy? What gift can you give someone who seemingly has it all?

This morning I want to take you on a journey back in time to the ancient city of Laodicea in the province of Asia in the Roman empire. The city was originally known as Diospolis, the City of Zeus, the chief of the Gods in the Greco-Roman world. Founded in 261 B.C. by the Seleucid King Antiochis II, he named the city after his wife Laodice. However, there is one major thing you must know about Laodicea, it was one of the wealthiest cities in the Roman empire[1]. Its wealth was so great that when the city was destroyed by an earthquake in the 1stcentury, the town refused assistance from the Roman emperor to rebuild, and rebuilt it with their won wealth. Laodicea was also a major manufacturing center for fabrics made from the famous black sheep in the surrounding area. It was also known as an important center for medicine[2].

     Many theologians believe the Paul's letter addressed to the church in Ephesus was intended for the church in Laodocia. The earliest copies of the letter to do not contain the superscription Ephesus. Certainly, the Laodiceans were a self-reliant group, a prosperous demographic well acquainted with the luxuries and blessings of the elite society. From an outsider looking in, the Laodiceans seemed to have it all-worldly wealth, cultural prestige and a beautiful city replete with impressive Greco-Roman architecture. So how does the Apostle Paul seeks to encourage this affluent community of Christian s in Laodicea? He appeals to their cultural sensibilities, class and economic sensibilities. However, he tells them about a new kind of wealth and prosperity, beyond their wildest imaginings:

              Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in

              Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴ just as he chose us in

              Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.

The Apostle begins with the bold assertion that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. He speaks of the ineffable abundance of God, who provides blessings that are so abundant that like overfilling a cup, they spill over into our laps. But what may you ask are these incredible blessings?Paul no doubt speaks of the abundant spiritual riches of the kingdom of God, spoken of by our Lord and his disciples:

• Perhaps the greatest of these gifts is the gift of eternal life, immortality. Did you know as Christians that through the cross of Christ that the Lord has made you immortal? This is what Jesus meant when he said "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will never die. And even if he dies, he will live forever." When this mortal life is over, we will continue to live forever and will receive resurrected bodies. According to the book of Revelations, during the Millennial reign of Christ on earth, we will reign with him as immortals[3].
• Among these spiritual blessings is the revelatory and life giving word of God. As God's children and heirs, the Lord reveals to us the mystery of his will, his great plan of salvation for humankind. Beginning with Abraham we see God begin to implement his salvific plan to redeem his fallen creation and draw all thing to himself. Before the beginning of time, God not only elected Israel, but also the Gentiles to be his people, that we all might walk in the light of truth.
• My friend, the blessings of God continue. We are also the recipients of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete who not only convicts the world of sin, righteousness and the judgement, but also guides us into all truth, bringing to our remembrance the words of our Lord. This is the same spirit of Pentecost, that dynamically empowers us to live for God and be witnesses for Christ in the world. The Holy spirit is also given as a seal of our inheritance in Christ.
• One of the greatest gifts given to us by the Lord is the gift of hope. Theologians refer to this our eschatological hope-hope of what lies beyond. We know that our destiny is heaven and an eternal reign with our Lord on earth. This present life is but a prelude for eternity that lies ahead.

You see my beloved, there is a new kind of wealth, not made from the temporal riches of this corporeal existence, it consists of the eternal riches of the kingdom of God, that money cannot buy and moth cannot destroy. It is an inheritance that will make you rich spiritually, in all the ways that truly matter. It is an inheritance beyond all we can imagine or think.

     Interestingly, the Apostle Paul doesn't just appeal to the Laodicean's sense of wealth and glory. In an ironic twist, he identifies their former spiritual poverty and the ransom paid by Jesus' sacrificial death to save them from their slavery to sin and the spiritual forces and powers of wickedness:

              In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,

               according to the riches of his grace ⁸ that he lavished on us.

The Greek word in this passage for redemption is apolutosin=a release on payment of ransom. The idea Paul is describing is the bondage of a prisoner who is powerless to obtain his freedom. It is only through the benevolence of an outside agent (Christ) that a ransom is paid for our release, our release from the curse of "death", Adam and Eve's punishment for sin. Interestingly, this view of atonement stands in contrast with Anselm's atonement theory. Anselm was the Arch Bishop of Cantebury during the 11thcentury in England. Thus the writers of Theopidia asserts:

                       Anslem believed that humans could not render to God more than what

                       was due to him. The satisfaction due to God was greater than what all

                       created beings are capable of doing, since they can only do what is already

                       required of them. Therefore, God had to make satisfaction for himself. Yet if

                      this satisfaction was going to avail for humans, it had to be made by a human.

                      Therefore only a being that was both God and man could satisfy God and

                       give him the honor that is due him.

Regardless of what perspective of atonement we embrace, we must remember the quintessential truth of the passage is that Jesus died that we might not perish, but have everlasting life.

     Once upon a time in the ancient Laodicea that was a servant named Linus who served a benevolent lord named Theoros. However, Linus was in great financial debt to Theoros and feared he would never be able to pay off his great debt to his lord. One day while Linus lamented over his overwhelming debt to Theoros, another servant knocked on his door and asserted "Theoros has summoned you." Linus, certain that his lord was going to demand payment for all the money due him, embraced himself for the worse. When Linus entered the lord's study, Theoros welcomed him warmly and asked him to have a seat. Then Theoros asserted:
"Linus, thank you for meeting with me on such short notice. As you know, I am a man of great wealth and influence. I am grateful for all the work you have done and continue to do in helping to manage my estate. Therefore, to show my gratitude, I have decided to completely pay off all your debts, to include the money you owe me. Also, because of my love for you, I am adopting you as an heir to my estate. You will have the same rights and benefits of any blood heir of mine. You will inherit my vast riches and financial holdings upon my death. In the meantime, I am giving you a large deposit of your inheritance to sustain you before you partake of your full inheritance."

Linus was dumbfounded and sat in awe of his lord's kindness and love. "But why me" Linus humbly asked. Because I love you Linus-because I love you". We are like Linus in the parable. Our sins represent a great debt owed to our heavenly Father and Creator. However, through Jesus' atoning work on the cross, our debt is completely paid and erased! We have been adopted as co-heirs into the Kingdom of God- our inheritance is eternal and royal. We were given the seal of the Holy Spirit as a down payment of our inheritance. Indeed, one day we shall dwell and reign with the Father in his millennial and eternal reign over the earth.     

     My friends, in many ways 21stcentury society in America is like ancient Laodicea. We are one of the wealthiest nations in the world, with a multitude of luxuries at our disposal. As a wealthy society our intense consumer driven society, we receive constant messages that materialism is what will make us happy, bring meaning to our lives. However, worldly wealth cannot solve humanity's quintessential problem-death. Jesus solved this problem this through his atoning work on the cross. There is a new kind of wealth, not made from the temporal riches of this corporeal existence, it consists of the eternal riches of the kingdom of God that money cannot buy and moth cannot destroy. It is an inheritance that will make you rich spiritually, in all the ways that truly matter. It is an inheritance beyond all we can imagine or think.

      So where is your treasure? It is in the temporal things of the world, material riches and treasures? Jesus said "seek first the kingdom of God and the wealth of His righteousness... for where your treasure is, there will you find your heart."