Have you ever imagined what your life would be like if you were royalty?
Cinderella is one of the most iconic of Disney’s animated classics. Just about everyone is familiar with the story of the poor young maid who wins the heart of the charming prince. And we all know about how Kate Middleton’s life changed when she married Prince William; but these things just don’t happen in real life to most people. Or do they?
Before we tackle that question, let me welcome you to “Mornings with Bishop Robert,” thanks for joining me. My goal is to introduce people to the Jesus they never knew, and help them get to know Him and His word personally – and better ! If our time together today speaks to your heart, then click the like button, subscribe and share today’s message with a friend !
Today’s verse speaks about God doing MORE THAN ALL WE ASK OR IMAGINE, and the context is going to blow your mind. This is NOT just a story of ordinary women, born in ordinary circumstances finding some prince who took them away from their ordinary existence. First of all, it has nothing to do with gender. But most important, it has everything to do with you and me!
Here’s the astonishing “context” I referred to.
Worse off than Cinderella or any poor servant, you and I were dead in our trespasses and sins. We weren’t sick, weak or simply decrepit – we were DEAD. The ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience, had us under his control more surely than any wicked stepmother. And we weren’t going anywhere; dead people are pretty much stuck were they lay. Now the “Sons of Disobedience” is not some street gang or motorcycle club; it’s the society of dead people getting deader by the moment. All of us also lived among them at one time, and some of us still do; fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath. Not a good place to be.
Then the King noticed.
It wasn’t at a garden party, like the one where Crown Prince Haakon of Norway happened to notice a commoner with a storied past … twice. Mette-Marit was a girl who had a tough time finishing high school and a tougher time protecting her virtue. But the prince imagined a different life for the single mother who’s crowning achievement to date had been holding down a job in a cafe. The first time they met, she could not imagine the offer that would come from their second meeting. But his determination and love changed her heart, her manner of living and her destiny. He replaced her shame with a crown royal. Today she is Her Royal Highness Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway.
But though our story with the King begins in a garden, the party is over. We were already dead, remember?
But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our sin. Stop for just a moment, and think about that! He took what was DEAD and MADE IT alive again when we came to Him. It’s the kind of miracle you expect to see in an animated movie. And it’s TOTALLY His action; there’s no way for someone who is dead to decide to make themselves alive. It is by grace you have been saved! Total grace. The King noticed, and then imparted life.
But, like Prince Haakon or Prince William, He didn’t stop there. After we had His life in us, God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. US !!! You and me !! He raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms.
When Haakon announced that he would marry Mette-Marit it was scandalous. There was a massive public outrage concerning her past. As we are seated beside Christ in heavenly places, our enemy is screaming accusations from our past. All of our failures put on display. Every one of the times we caved to the cravings of our flesh and indulged its desires. But Christ stands up for us. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He has spoken “GRACE” – He has paid the price, judged us as holy; and as King His decision is beyond protestation. And so we are seated beside Him.
And do you know why He has done it? Because there are royal duties to perform. There are people to be met and spoken with, there are gifts from the royal treasury to be dispensed. And just as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth has appointed members of the royal family to carry out these responsibilities on her behalf; so God Almighty has prepared good works for you and I to do. It so that He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
It’s beyond all imagination. Like a servant at a royal event, being raised to the throne is MORE THAN ALL WE ASK OR IMAGINE. And yet, it is true; no fairy tale is this.
One parting thought. Consider the contempt Harry and Meaghan expressed for their position when they abandoned the responsibilities of the royal family. And the scorn they face having rejected such a high calling, the title the relinquished. Let’s not make the same mistake, shall we?
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. He has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. You and I who follow Christ, we have been filled in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority. He’s placed it into our hands to use for His purposes and His glory.
Imagine that !!
