Mary’s Song pt.2

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. If Jesus was the "Son of God" and the "Son of the Most High" then why did he commonly refer to himself as the "Son of Man?" (Hint: read Daniel 7)

2. What are some of the other old testament prophesies about the coming messiah that Jesus fulfillined?

3. Verse 33 says that Jesus would reign "over the house of Jacob forever." How do we know that Gabriel is not talking about Jesus ruling over the Jews only?

4. What does it mean to be a "servant (or bondservant) of the Lord?"

5. Mary told Gabriel "let it be to me according to your word." How do we discern what God's word is for us today when we don't have any angels appearing to give us specific instructions from God?

Mary’s Song pt.1

TEXT:

“[5] In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. [6] And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. [7] But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

[8] Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, [9] according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. [10] And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. [11] And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. [12] And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. [13] But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. [14] And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, [15] for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. [16] And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, [17] and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

[18] And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” [19] And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. [20] And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” [21] And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. [22] And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. [23] And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

[24] After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, [25] “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Why is the birth of John the Baptist important to the story of Jesus?

2. Read verses 6 and 7. What do these verses teach us about trials and suffering?

3. In verse 13 we see Gabriel tell Zechariah that his prayers have been heard. What does this teach us about the Christian life and prayer?

Ephesians 3:20-21

“[20] Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Ephesians 3:14-19

TEXT:

"[14] For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, [15] from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, [16] that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, [19] and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What does Paul’s prayer here in these verses teach us about how we should pray?

2. How should we balance confidence and humility within the Christian faith?

3. Why do you think Paul prays that the Holy Spirit will give their inner being strength?

SERMON MANUSCRIPT:

The book of Ephesians has a lot to say about many different things. It addresses a variety of topics, one being the topic of prayer. But, the book Ephesians doesn't necessarily address the topic of prayer as Jesus did in Matthew 6, where he explicitly said, "Pray like this." Instead, Paul (in Ephesians) teaches us how to pray by showing us how he prays. In this week's passage, Paul (once again) allows us to peek behind the curtain of his prayer life, hopefully teaching us how to become better praying people.

Today will remind us that if we want to be a healthy church, we must be a praying church. A key element of the Christian faith is prayer. You show me a healthy church, and I will show you a church that prays for others and is prayed for by others. You show me a strong believer, and I will show you a believer who prays for others and is prayed for by others. Therefore, developing a healthy rhythm of bowing before the Father and lifting others in prayer would serve us well.

Let's dive in.

"[14] For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, [15] from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, [16] that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, [19] and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

A KEY ELEMENT TO PRAYER IS HUMILITY

Many commentaries I read this week highlighted how the standard posture of prayer amongst the Jews during this time was standing. Kneeling in prayer was not a common practice. Yet, here we find Paul going against the grain, bowing his knees before the Father. As Paul approaches the Father in prayer, he bends his knee in reverent humility, which teaches us that humility is a key element of prayer. When we approach the Father, we humbly bow our hearts before him.

Now, suppose you look back to verse 12. In that case, you will find Paul reminding the church that they have bold and confident access to the Father through Jesus. This means we don't have to hide from God in shame like Adam and Eve in the garden after they sinned; instead, we can go to him confidently, with no fear or shame, as if we've never sinned. So, through Jesus, we can confidently go to God in prayer. But, in the kingdom of God, confidence isn't the absence of humility. We go to the Father boldly yet humbly.

Let's think about this for a moment.

In the world, confidence and humility are opposites. In the world, confidence is often demonstrated through arrogance. And in the world, those who demonstrate humility are often those who have no confidence. But that must not be the case in God's kingdom. Gospel confidence is a humble confidence. Biblical humility is choosing to kneel when you have the right to stand.

As believers, we walk humbly because our confidence doesn't reside in anything we've done for God. Instead, our confidence as believers resides in what God has done for us in Christ. Therefore, as we confidently approach God in prayer, we do so in humble meekness. We humbly bow before God, knowing that it is only by his grace, mercy, and love that we can confidently come to him in prayer.

Paul says, "For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father." This tells us that humility is not a means to an end but an expression of gratitude. It is a response to something.

This is so important for us to understand because we're transactional people. We think, "If I do X for you, then you will do Y for me." And, if we're not careful, we will begin to think this way with God. If we're not careful, we will begin to think that outwardly demonstrating humility will manipulate God into doing what we want him to do on our own terms. As a kid, for example, I always thought that if I made myself look sad and said, "Pleaseeeee," maybe my parents would give me what I wanted.

But that's not how things work with God. A posture of humility is not a means to an end but an expression of gratitude. It is a response to something already freely given. We don't bow our knees in prayer to pull on God's heartstrings. No. We bend our knees as a humble response to what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. We bow our knees before God in prayer because He is God, and we are not. He is the Sovereign Lord over all things, the one by whom "every family and earth is named." In other words, nothing falls outside of God's sovereign control: not a fallen leaf, a word uttered, or a child named. God has been and always will be on the throne, and he invites us to come to him in prayer. So, we do so with humble and grateful hearts.

Now, when we pray, we can certainly pray for ourselves. We see Jesus, at times, praying for himself. We should cast all our cares and desires upon the God who loves and cares for us. But, Paul here demonstrates to us the importance of praying for other people, primarily those within the church. We should make a habit of praying for other Christians. Part of being a Christian is praying for other Christians. So, who in the church are you praying for regularly?

PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL STRENGTH

But what should we pray for when we pray for other Christians? Well, Paul begins to answer that for us in verse 16, Paul begins to pray for strength for the church. He says, "According to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being." Paul doesn't pray for physical strength; he prays for inner strength.

The unfortunate reality of life is that our bodies are wasting away. So, devoting all our time, effort, and resources to acquiring physical strength would be unwise, like chasing after the wind. Instead, we should understand that spiritual strength is far more important and doesn't fade. As our bodies waste away, our inner being can strengthen through the power of the Holy Spirit, who resides within our hearts.

This is what Paul is praying: that the all-powerful God of the universe will grant the church inner strength. This is a lofty prayer that is worth repeating. One of the greatest things we can pray for one another is that our inner being might be strengthened.

The Bible makes it clear that the heart is the wellspring of life. Everything we do flows from it. It drives our every action and steers our every word. Therefore, to be faithful Christians, we need the Holy Spirit to do a mighty work within our hearts.

Think about what Paul is praying this way.

We have an old boat that we've been fixing up, trying to get it ready for the water. I've done a ton of work on it and still have much more to do. I've sealed holes, added seats, wired lights, and added rod holders. But I still want to paint it, add a live well and a fishing deck, and connect a trolling motor.

Here's the unfortunate state of our boat: the motor is old and isn't running well. So, it would be absolutely ridiculous to spend all of my time, energy, and money on cosmetic work while neglecting the technical work on the motor. A pretty boat with a dead motor is a useless boat. If I want to use the boat how it was designed to be used, I need the motor to function correctly.

Well, the same is true of the Christian life. Our motor is our heart, our inner man. And we need our motor, our heart, to function properly. For the Christian life to work, we must be strengthened in our inner being.

Addressing our actions without addressing our hearts is like adding a fresh coat of paint to the boat with the hope of the motor starting up. Who we are on the inside is more important than who we are on the outside. The person that only God can see is more important than the person our friends can see. As Christians, we don't simply concern ourselves with our actions; we care about our words, thoughts, and desires. So, Paul is praying that their inner being will be strengthened through the power of the Holy Spirit "so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith."

Now, Paul isn't praying that Christ will move into their hearts. As we see in Chapter 1, the Holy Spirit already resides within their hearts. Christ already lives in them. So, Paul isn't praying that Christ will move into their hearts for the first time; he is praying that Christ will take up residence and settle into their hearts to control and strengthen them.

Maybe another illustration might be helpful.

Perhaps you've purchased an old home before that needs a lot of work. The floors are old, and they creak. The walls are stained and dirty. The roof is decrepit and leaking, and the appliances needed to be replaced in 1946. Your new home is in need of a renovation. So, when you move in and take residence in your home, you begin to change your home, making it your own. You paint the walls, scrub the floors, repair the roof, and fix the appliances. Over time, the home begins to reflect the likes and desires of the one who resides within it.

If Christ moves into our hearts, the deed has been signed, and our hearts belong to him. Your heart is his home. Therefore, he has the exclusive rights and freedom to do with his home as he pleases.

It would be foolish for the previous owner of your home to come knock on your door and say, "I see you bought some paint. Please don't paint the walls blue."

When the deed has been signed, you can do with your home as you please. Well, the same is true with our hearts. Your heart no longer belongs to you; it belongs to Jesus. When you placed your faith in Jesus, you handed over the keys to your heart and life and said, "Lord, do as you please with my life. Transform my heart in any way you see fit. The only thing I ask is that you give me the strength to obey what you call me to do."

This is what Paul is praying will happen for the believers in Ephesus. He is praying that the Holy Spirit will strengthen their inner being so that Christ will reside in their hearts, making them more and more like Jesus. When we pray for one another, this is something we should pray for. We should pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen others to become more like Jesus.

PRAY FOR LOVE

Paul then begins to pray that the church will be "rooted and grounded in love." Both of these phrases (rooted and grounded) imply security and stability. For a tree to withstand the strong winds of a storm, it needs to have strong roots that seep deep into the ground. For a house to withstand the strong winds of a storm, it must be built on a firm foundation. The same is true for you and me. Love is the foundation by which the church stands. Love is the root that keeps us from collapsing when the winds of life come rushing through. When Christ dwells in our hearts, love is where he directs us. When Christ moves into our hearts, he rips up the old floor of hate, envy, and jealousy and lays the new and better foundation of love.

Love is central to the Christian faith. It is an action inspired by an encounter. It's an action that flows out of an experience. We love because God first loved us.

Look at what the apostle John says in 1 John 4:7-12, "[7] Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. [8] Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. [9] In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. [10] In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [11] Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. [12] No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."

So, brotherly love is central to the Christian faith. If we know God, we know love. If Christ dwells in us, we will begin loving one another. We know we love God by our willingness to love one another in a way that reflects God's love for us. When we pray for one another, we should pray that we will love one another. We should pray that other Christians will be loving.

And here's the beauty of Christian love. Christian love is something we actively live out, and it's something we actively cling to. It's something we give, and it's something we receive. To love well, we must know love well. To extend the love of Christ, we must be able to comprehend the love of Christ. And this is what Paul is praying for the church. Paul is praying that they will be able to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. He's praying that the church will be able to comprehend the incomprehensible love of Christ. Look at this, "that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Paul is praying that the church will be able to (together) comprehend all of the vast dimensions of God's love for his bride. God's love for his bride is unending. It stretches farther than you could ever see, deeper than you could ever go, and higher than you could ever climb. So, as we pray for one another, we should pray that we can know the love of Jesus.

It's when we know the love of Christ that we can truly begin to live out the love of Christ. Gospel doctrine shapes gospel culture. The healthiest churches are those who can comprehend the incomprehensible love of Christ. The incomprehensible love of Christ fills us with the fullness of God, transforming us into loving believers.

As we close, I once again want to direct our attention to the importance of the church and the necessity of walking through life with other believers. Paul prays that the church will be able to comprehend this love with all the saints. As John Stott puts it, "The isolated Christian can indeed know something of the love of Jesus. But his grasp of it is bound to be limited by his limited experience. It needs the whole people of God to understand the whole love of God, all the saints together, Jews and Gentiles, men and women, young and old, black and white, with their varied backgrounds and experiences." As the church, we have the privilege and honor of growing in our knowledge of Christ's love by extending the love of Christ to one another.

Ephesians 3:7-13

TEXT:

“[7] Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. [8] To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, [9] and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, [10] so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. [11] This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, [12] in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. [13] So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. How does Paul’s example in verses 7-9 demonstrate Christian humility?

2. Why is grace so essential to the Christian faith?

3. In what ways does verse 10 highlight the beauty of the church?

4. How do we have “boldness and access with confidence through our faith in [Jesus]?”

SERMON MANUSCRIPT:

In today's passage, we find Paul continuing to unravel the threads of God's mystery surrounding the gospel and all of its implications. If you remember, as we unpacked Paul's words at the start of chapter 3, we learned that God revealed to the apostles and prophets his mysterious will hidden from past generations. This mystery surrounded Jesus, primarily how the Gentiles would be grafted into the family of God by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. What was once hidden has now been revealed to us through the apostles. What was once foggy has now been made clear to us through the prophets. We can now see clearly that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Since Paul learned of this mystery, he has taken it upon himself to take it to all people. "If God loves the world, I gotta take this message to the world," Paul is thinking. By God's grace, Paul has been made a minister of the gospel. God has called and equipped him to go into the world proclaiming the mysteries of Christ to the nations. So, as we unpack these verses, we will be afforded the opportunity to peek behind the curtain of Paul's mission, allowing us to discuss the life of a healthy missionary.

Now, there's a temptation to check out when we hear the word "missionary." There's a temptation to think, "I'm not a missionary, nor will I ever be a missionary. Therefore, this message doesn't pertain to me, a non-missionary."

But that's the farthest thing from the truth. The reality of the Christian faith is that we are all called to be on mission for the gospel. It doesn't matter who you are or where you are. We are all called to be modern-day missionaries. Jesus calls us to "go and make disciples of all nations." Therefore, "missions" are something we're all called to.

So, today, we will further unpack what the life of a healthy missionary looks like. What does Paul's example in Ephesians 3 teach us about the mission we are called to as believers?

Let's dive in.

"[7] Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. [8] To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, [9] and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, [10] so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. [11] This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, [12] in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. [13] So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory."

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A LIFE OF HUMILITY

If you were to take your mouse and double click on the word "minister," you would see that this is the Greek word "diakonos," a term used to convey lowliness and service, similar to a servant or slave. It's the same word used to describe a deacon of the church. In its most literal sense, it refers to a servant or a waiter/waitress, someone who tends to the needs of another.

We see this word used in John 2 in reference to the servants (diakonos) present at the wedding at Cana. These were individuals responsible for tending to the needs of those at the wedding. Their primary responsibility was ensuring everything at the party went smoothly.

This teaches us that there is no position of prominence within the church. All appointed leaders within the church, Paul included, are nothing more than formally recognized servants. There are no ladders to climb up within the Kingdom of God, only ladders to climb down. The Christian life is a humble life of lowliness where we commit ourselves to serve in a way that reflects the humble service of Jesus.

Paul, however, describes himself as a minister/servant "of this gospel." He is a servant to a particular message for a specific people. Gospel means good news, primarily the good news surrounding Jesus' death on the cross for the salvation of the world.

Paul is saying that his responsibility and calling in life was to cater to the needs of this gospel message. His master is the gospel. And oh, the gospel message is a good master to serve. The gospel is not an oppressive ruler who seeks to destroy his attendants. The gospel is a loving master who takes good care of his servants. The gospel's greatest need is to be heard and embraced. It only has one desire, one rule: trust in Jesus so that you might be saved. Therefore, as a servant of the gospel, Paul must give his life to proclaiming its message boldly.

Church, listen. We may not be ministers of the gospel in a formal sense like Paul, but we're all called to be ministers of the gospel in a general sense. We're all called to humbly and boldly take the gospel to the ends of the earth. We should be servants of the gospel message, proclaiming it to those who need to hear it. The Christian life is a life of humble service to the gospel.

Now, look at how Paul describes himself in verse 8. He views himself as the least qualified person to be put in the position he's in. He says, "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints…"

He's essentially saying to the church, "Listen, I can think of a million people who would be a better fit than me. But God had a different plan and called me to this work."

In saying this, some believe that Paul is likely thinking about the many heinous sins of his past here—remembering how he actively persecuted the church, how he drove Christians out of their homes, how he killed Christians, and how he forced Christians to denounce their faith.

Listen, nothing can make you feel less qualified for the work of ministry than reflecting on who you were before Christ. There's nothing that can keep you up at night more than remembering all the people you hurt before you embraced Christ as Lord of your life. Thinking about your past hurts, and it makes you feel grossly unqualified for anything related to the Christian life. Nobody knows this feeling better than Paul.

Others think Paul could be reflecting on the sinfulness of his heart now— how he still doesn't do the things he wants to do and does the things he doesn't want to do. Nothing is more humbling than having to confess your sins to your brothers and sisters. Nothing keeps you grounded more than honestly surveying your heart and life and being honest with yourself about the sin in your life.

Whichever it may be, Paul is hyper-aware of his unfitness for ministry. Brothers and sisters, listen to me. A key element of humility is having a sober view of yourself. In fact, I would argue that those most unfit for Christian ministry are those who are most confident in themselves. Every one of us should scoff at Paul's words here and say, "You wouldn't say that if you had met {insert your name}."

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A LIFE OF GRACE.

We're all, like Paul, unfit to be servants of the gospel. We're all, like Paul, bottom-of-the-barrel Christians. The only thing that qualifies us is the grace of God. We are here today by God's grace, and by God's grace, we have a purpose today.

Look at the driving factor of Paul's words: "Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ…"

These verses teach us that all of the Christian life is a life of grace. We never outgrow our need for grace. Grace is undeserved favor from God placed upon one's life. In Chapter 2, we see that believers are saved by grace; in Chapter 3, we see that we are called to a life of ministry by grace. Paul was called out of darkness into the light by God's grace. But he was also uniquely gifted and called by God's grace to preach the particular work of the gospel.

We have God's grace resting upon our lives to live a life effectively for his glory. We're all so unworthy, yet God has called us to himself, and his undeserved grace rests upon our lives for the work of ministry.

Grace breeds humility. Those who are humble are those who understand grace. Those who are humble are those who have experienced grace. Those who are humble are those who have received grace. Those who are humble are those who seek to extend grace.

The Christian life is a life of grace. By God's grace, Paul was made a minister of the gospel, and, as a minister of the gospel, Paul understood that his responsibility was to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. He knew he was to (verse 8) "preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ," and (verse 9) "to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things."

The word "preached" means to declare or bring good news to someone. So, Paul knew that part of his responsibility as a gospel minister was to bring good news to the entire world. What was once believed to be only for the Jews is now understood to be for Jews and Gentiles. What was once understood to be for only one group of people is now understood to be for all people.

THE CHURCH IS BEAUTIFUL.

Now, let's look at verse 10 for a moment. There are a couple of things I want to unpack.

The grace of God was given to Paul so that he might preach the mystery of the gospel to everyone, "so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places."

Let's try to wrap our minds around what Paul is saying here.

First, he's saying that the fruit of the mystery of the gospel being proclaimed will be a diverse church. Paul describes the wisdom of God as manifold here. Manifold means multicolored. The root of this word was used to describe the coat of many colors that Jacob gave Joseph in Genesis 37:3. So, the wisdom of God that has been revealed through the church is multicolored. I believe Paul highlights the church's beauty that resides in its multicultural and diverse nature. Like a multicolored bouquet of flowers, the church is beautiful.

God's wise and mysterious plan was for the church to consist of folks from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The church's beauty comes not from our similarities but from our differences. In the words of John Stott, "The church as a multi-racial, multicultural community is like a beautiful tapestry. Its members come from a wide range of colorful backgrounds. No other human community resembles it. Its diversity and harmony are unique. It is God's new society. And the many colored fellowship of the church is a reflection of the many-colored wisdom of God." God's manifold wisdom for the church to be a diverse and united people in Christ.

Now, notice to whom this manifold wisdom is being revealed— "so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places." It seems widely agreed upon amongst scholars that this revelation is to spiritual beings such as angels or demons. God uses the church to teach spiritual beings his wise and mysterious plan.

If you're like me, this is likely a foreign concept to you. You have probably never heard anyone mention angels and demons when preaching on the importance of the church. In fact, the topic of angels and demons is a bit taboo within the church. It's a topic that "normal people" steer clear of to avoid being weird. Because of this, we likely don't have much of a theology of spiritual beings. Therefore, it might be helpful for us to spend a couple of minutes looking at what we can gather here about this topic.

First, we can safely conclude that angels and demons are real. This is an obvious and elementary point. But it's a point worth making. Sometimes, we would rather set aside and dismiss what we cannot see. But, the Bible is clear. A battle is going on in a place we cannot see. There are rulers and authorities in the heavenly places that we have not laid our eyes upon.

Second, we can safely conclude that angels and demons are spiritual beings. There are exceptions to this in Scripture (Heb. 13:2, Gen 18), where angels appear to take on human bodies and walk amongst humanity. See Hebrews 13:2, for example— "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." But, despite examples like these, it seems clear that there are cosmic powers and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. There are elements of the Christian faith that we cannot see. Paul tells us that we don't fight against flesh and blood; instead, we fight against the cosmic powers and spiritual forces in the heavenly places. In Psalm 91, for example, God commands his angels to "guard [his people] in all their ways."

Third, we see that angels and demons are not all-powerful. We often fear what we can't see. Therefore, we're afraid of demons. But we don't have to fear them because they don't possess all power; God possesses all power. Demons possess a power that can be withstood with the armor of God (Eph. 6).

Fourth, we see that angels and demons are not all-knowing. Here, we see that the manifold wisdom of God is being revealed to angels and demons through the church. Therefore, his mysterious will was being carried out without their knowledge.

The church is a declaration to the demons that they're fighting a battle that they will not win. What they intended for evil, God has intended for good. He is on the throne, and they are not. And the church is a declaration to the angels that Christ has emerged victorious. God's plan of redemption will ring true throughout all of history.

The mystery of the gospel was indeed a mystery. Not even the angels in the heavenly places could see what was coming. The spiritual rulers and authorities are now finally able to peek behind the curtain of God's mysterious will, which is that he created diverse and united people in Christ Jesus. As John Stott puts it, "History is the theatre, the world is the stage, and the church members in every land are the actors. God himself has written the play, and he directs and produces it. Act by act, scene by scene, the story continues to unfold. But who are the audience? They are the cosmic intelligences, the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. We are to think of them as spectators of the drama of salvation. Thus 'the history of the Christian church becomes a graduate school for angels.'"

This reminds us once again of the importance of the church. The church is beautiful, and the church is necessary. But the church isn't just beautiful and necessary for you and me. It's beautiful and necessary for the spiritual beings in the heavenly places. Therefore, we should always maintain a high view of the church. God is revealing his divine plan to the spiritual powers through the church.

CLOSENESS WITH GOD.

Then, in verses 11-12, he says, "This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him."

God's eternal plan for the church was for his people to have direct access to the Father through Jesus. Through Jesus, we can have a relationship with God.

In Genesis, one of the first things we see Adam and Eve do when sin enters the picture is hide and cover themselves from God. Sin brings forth death, causing us to run and hide in shame. But, in Christ, our sins have been cleansed and removed far from us. Therefore, if we are in Christ, we don't have to hide in shame from God fearfully. Instead, we can go to him boldly in prayer with confidence.

There's no greater call one can have on one's life. There's nothing more extraordinary that one can devote one's life to than to take the gospel to those who need it. Therefore, Paul says, "So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory."  We must never forget that suffering for Jesus is worth it.

Ephesians 3:1-6

TEXT:

“[1] For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—[2] assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, [3] how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. [4] When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, [5] which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. [6] This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Paul is suffering in chain on behalf of the Gentiles. Have you ever suffered in some way for the sake of the gospel? How should verses like this comfort us in the face of such opposition?

2. Paul was acknowledged God’s sovereignty over his suffering by saying he was a “prisoner of Christ Jesus.” How should this shape the way we view suffering? How should this shape the way we walk through suffering?

3. What is the mystery of the gospel? How was this something “predicted and fulfilled” and “hidden and revealed?””

Ephesians 2:11-22 pt.2

TEXT:

“[11] Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—[12] remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. [13] But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. [14] For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility [15] by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, [16] and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. [17] And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. [18] For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. [19] So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, [20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, [21] in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. [22] In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the significance of the church being portrayed as God’s kingdom, a place where we are “fellow citizens with the saints?”

2. What is the significance of the church being portrayed as God’s family, a place where we are “members of the household of God?”

3. What is the significance of the church being portrayed as a holy temple, a place where we are being “built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit?”

SERMON MANUSCRIPT:

If I were to give Ephesians 2 a theme, it would be the theme of reconciliation. Ephesians 2:1-10 shows us that we have been reconciled with God through faith in Christ's death on the cross. Ephesians 2:11-22 shows that the church has been reconciled with one another through Jesus' death on the cross. Reconciliation with God leads to reconciliation with God's people. Peace with God leads to peace with one another. A relationship with God leads to a relationship with God's people.

Today, we will continue looking at Paul's words regarding our peace with one another. And as we look at these verses, I want to ask, "What do these verses teach us about the church?"

We live in a day and age where many are leaving the church. I read a statistic early this week that three out of every five young Christians (59%) disconnect permanently or for an extended time from church life after age 15. Another Barna study estimates that roughly 3,500 people leave the church each day, and over 1.2 million people will leave the church in the next year. Barna cited a multitude of contributing factors. But, the most significant factor is an overall sense of disconnect from the local church.

So, I think now, more than ever, we need to know what the Bible says about the church. Now, more than ever, we need to establish a robust theology of the church. When we properly understand what the church is and what it's intended to be, we can begin to actively live out a healthy church.

So, what is the church? What does the Bible say about the church? Is the church optional when it comes to loving Jesus? Can we have a healthy relationship with Jesus without a healthy relationship with the church? Can we deconstruct our faith, step away from the institutionalized church in America, and maintain a healthy love and relationship with Jesus?

These are the questions I want us to wrestle with today. And I'm confident we should walk away with a reasonably straightforward answer to these questions after studying our verses today.

The main point of our passage today is that the church is important to God. Therefore, the church should be important to us.

Let's dive in.

"[11] Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—[12] remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. [13] But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. [14] For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility [15] by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, [16] and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. [17] And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. [18] For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. [19] So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, [20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, [21] in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. [22] In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."

JESUS PEOPLE

At the start of these verses, we see that the church is a united group of people who cling to Jesus as their only hope for salvation. This is the most foundational element to who and what the church is. The church has been and always will be about Jesus. We are a Jesus people. If you take away Jesus, you have no church. We are individual disciples of Jesus who gather to worship Jesus and who seek to teach and encourage other disciples of Jesus.

Remember what we learned last week as we unpacked verses 11-17. In addressing Gentile Christians, Paul teaches the church that Jews and Gentiles are now one in Christ.

Notice all the separation language used at the start regarding the Gentiles: uncircumcision, separated, alienated, strangers, no hope, without God. But, notice the language change that occurs because of the cross: brought near, peace, made us both one, one new man, reconciling us both, killing the hostility, both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

So, now Paul is saying, "Ok, you were once far off, but now you're close because of Jesus. There was once distance between you and God, but now there's nearness. There was once hostility between you and God, but now there's peace. You were once without God, but now you have access to God through the Spirit."

Jesus changes everything. The cross is transformative. God is creating for himself a redeemed people who are united in their love and allegiance to Jesus. The church is not a building; it is a people. And it is not a divided people; it is a united people.

We are united in Christ. And if we are united in Christ, then that tells us that a critical element of the church is peace. Living peaceably with God's people is not optional for God's people. We love, serve, and honor Jesus with our lives together.

So, to stir up conflict within the church is to wage war against the gospel. To build up walls within the church is to wage war against the work of Christ. To abandon the church is to abandon Christ.

Together, we have been reconciled to God in one body through the cross. If you love Jesus, you will love his bride. If you love Jesus, you will care about what he cares about.

As we see in verse 18, it is through Jesus that we have access to the Father. The church is a Jesus people because Jesus is our only way to the Father. I said it last week, but it's worth repeating. Jesus isn't a good way to heaven or the best way to heaven. Jesus is the only way to heaven.

HOLY SPIRIT PEOPLE

But, not only are we a people who cling to Jesus as our only hope for salvation. We are also a united people filled with the Holy Spirit— "For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father."

The Bible teaches us that those who are in Christ have the Holy Spirit in them. The third person of the trinity resides within the hearts of His people. The Holy Spirit is the one who comforts us in trials and calamity; he is the one who convicts us of sin and teaches us truth; he is the one who strengthens us to proclaim the gospel in power; he is the one who gives us the power and ability to put sin to death and walk in righteousness; and he is the one who extends to us unique gifts that we are to use to build up the church.

One of my greatest joys in being a pastor is seeing the Holy Spirit work in and through your lives. Sometimes, this may be seeing the Holy Spirit working through you as you share the gospel with a nonbeliever. Sometimes, this may be listening to you confess difficult sins. Sometimes, this may be watching you serve others within the church. Sometimes, this may be watching you experience comfort in the midst of trials.

It's such a joy knowing that the same Spirit that resides within me is the same Spirit that lives within you. You and I are no different. We are the same. We are one. The church is a united people, filled with the same Holy Spirit, who possess the same access to the Father.

A HOLY KINGDOM

Next, we see the church portrayed as a kingdom to reside in. The church is a holy kingdom. In verse 19, Paul says, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints…"

The root word for fellow citizens here is the Greek word "politēs," which means to inhabit a city or country (Acts 21:39, for example). It's to say that a particular location is your home.

The term "saint" doesn't refer to those who are holy or set apart. It's an expression that was first applied to Israel as the 'holy nation.' But it is later extended to the Christian community, the Israel of God. "Saints" is a term used to describe all of the church. If you have trusted in Jesus for your salvation, this title is bestowed upon you. If your faith resides in Jesus, you have been set apart as holy, belonging to God as a prized possession.

So, together with all of the saints, we are residents of God's kingdom. And just like any kingdom, city, or country, there's a distinct culture found in God's kingdom.

I just recently got back from Boston, and Boston is very different from Mobile. People talked, acted, and lived differently in Mobile than in Boston. This is true all over the world. The language people speak in America is different from that in Russia. The food people eat in Mexico is different from the food people eat in India. Transportation is different in Mobile than it is in New York. The clothes people wear are different in Hawaii than in Iceland.

The same should be true of God's kingdom, the church. There ought to be a unique culture within the society of God's kingdom that you shouldn't be able to find anywhere else. We should be a city known for kindness and love, not rudeness and hostility. We should be a kingdom known for peace and hospitality, not hatred and divisiveness. We should be a holy people known for righteousness, not wickedness. The way we live, the way we talk, and the way we act should stand in stark contrast to the rest of the world.

The culture of every kingdom should begin to reflect the character of their king. Therefore, the culture of Harbor Community Church should begin to reflect the character of Jesus. The culture of the churches in Mobile, AL should begin to reflect the character of Jesus. The culture of the churches in America should begin to reflect the character of Jesus. The culture of the [C]hurch throughout the world should begin to reflect the character of Jesus.

We are fellow citizens with the saints. We are residents of God's kingdom. Therefore, we walk in submission to the King. We have a good King and should love and worship him together.

GOD’S FAMILY

Next, we see the church is God's family— "…you are…members of the household of God."

The term "household" is oikeios in the Greek. It's a phrase that entails close familial intimacy. It means to belong to a house or a family related by blood.

In writing to Timothy, for example, Paul says, "But if anyone doesn't provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Paul tells Timothy that a critical element of the Christian faith is providing for your family, especially your immediate family. And in Ephesians, Paul describes the church as God's immediate family. The church is not a distant relative to God; they are a part of his immediate family that he will provide and protect. This is unbelievably beautiful imagery. If God calls us to provide for the members of our household, how much more will God provide for the members of his household? God will always take care of his children. He will always take care of you.

It's important for us to understand that sometimes God cares for his family's needs through the love and care of those in his family. In Galatians 6, for example, Paul says, "As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially those who are the household of faith."

So, as members of God's household, we are responsible for doing good to those in God's family. The church is a kingdom in which we reside together. But, the church is also a family. We are not simply neighbors that we pass by on the streets. We are brothers and sisters who sleep under the same roof and eat at the same table. We are a family.

A HOLY TEMPLE

Then, lastly, we see the church described as a holy temple, a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Verses 20-22 say, "…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."

I don't want to assume that we all understand the evolution of God's dwelling place throughout Scripture. So, let me quickly unpack that for a moment. In the book of Exodus, God dwelt with his people in the wilderness through the Tabernacle. Then, once they made it to the promised land and built the temple, God dwelt with his people through the temple. But, in the gospels, we see God became flesh and tabernacled (dwelt) among his people— Jesus was Immanuel, God with us. But now, in Ephesians, we see God lives with his people by residing in his people. God is with us by being in us. We, the church, are the body of Christ, the new temple of God (Eph. 2:21-22; 2 Cor. 6:16). Those who are in Christ have Christ in them.

Now, when it comes to temple imagery in the New Testament, there's a personal and corporate aspect to it.

In the book of 1 Corinthians, for example, we see Paul highlight the personal aspect of this. In his letter, he points to individual believers twice and says, "You are the temple of God."

One instance is in 1 Corinthians 6:13-20, "[13] "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. [14] And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. [15] Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! [16] Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two will become one flesh." [17] But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him. [18] Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. [19] Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, [20] for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

What one moment do we see Jesus express his righteous anger? Jesus expressed his anger when the religious leaders defiled the temple by selling oxen, sheep, and pigeons. After he made a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple and said, "Take these away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."

So, listen to me. You are God's temple, and God cares about you and what you do with your body. Your body is not your own. So, be careful what you do with your body. The marriage bed is a good gift to be enjoyed within the confines of marriage and marriage alone. So, do not make his temple, your body, a house of trade. Jesus is zealous for his house, and you are his house. So, glorify God with your body.

The New Testament also describes the corporate church as the holy temple of the Lord that is still being built together— "you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." We are a temple where Christ is the cornerstone, and the apostles and prophets are the foundation. In simple terms, this means that the teaching of the apostles and prophets, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, served as a solid foundation for the early church.

The imagery here is that we are essential stones placed around and upon Jesus, the cornerstone. The cornerstone would have been the most important stone laid in constructing a building. It would have been the stone that led and guided the workers in the building process. Once the cornerstone was set, it became the basis for determining every measurement in the remaining construction; everything was aligned to it.

So, upon Christ, you and I are essential to the structure of God's dwelling place. We are being built into a holy temple in the Lord, the dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:11-22 pt.1

TEXT:

“[11] Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—[12] remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. [13] But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. [14] For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility [15] by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, [16] and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. [17] And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Why is remembering who we were before Jesus important for us as believers?

2. What does it mean that those who were far off have been “brought near by the blood of Christ?”

3. How would you respond to someone who says that they “love Jesus but not the church?”

Ephesians 2:1-10 pt.2

TEXT:

“[1] And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [2] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—[3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—[6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What are we saved from?

2. What does “this” refer to in verse 8 and why is this significant?

3. What does it mean that God created us for good works He prepared beforehand?

4. How should we live in light of this passage?

Ephesians 2:1-10 pt.1

TEXT:

“[1] And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [2] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—[3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—[6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Spend a few moments sharing with one another your testimony.

2. Why is it important to see the gospel in light of our depravity? Put another way, “Why do we need to understand the bad news before we understand the good news?”

3. Spend a few moments discussing the beauty of verses 4-7. How is the message in these verses good news?

SERMON MANUSCRIPT:

At the end of chapter one, we find Paul praying for the church. He prayed specifically that the church would grow in their understanding of God and that they would know God better. He prayed that they would know the hope to which God has called them, that they would know what the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and that they would know the immeasurable greatness of his power toward those who believe.

Paul could've pointed to many different things to demonstrate God's power. He could have pointed to creation. He could have pointed to the parting of the Red Sea. He could have pointed to the fact that God's holding all things together at this moment in time. But instead, he points to the resurrection, ascension, and eternal reign of Jesus. So, we know God is truly powerful because the one who died on the cross for our sins has risen from the grave and is now seated at the Father's right hand. The empty tomb is the ultimate display of power for us who believe!

Well, at the start of chapter 2, Paul connects the dots between the resurrection of Jesus and the resurrection of our hearts. We will begin to see that what we have experienced upon belief in Jesus is no small feat. Your testimony is miraculous. Today's passage teaches us that God possesses the power to change us.

As a pastor, I hear people say all the time, "I just don't have a good testimony." Well, our passage today exposes that statement as a lie. The testimony of every believer is good. You were dead, but now you are alive. You once had a heart of stone, but now you have a heart of flesh. You were far from God, but now you are close to God. You were following your own flesh and desires, but now you deny your flesh. You were once walking in sin, but now you are walking in righteousness. The power that resurrected Christ from the dead has resurrected you from the dead. The power that has seated Christ at the Father's right hand in the heavenly places has seated you in the heavenly places.

Now, I'm going to assume there will be two camps of people here today: those who have never read these verses and those who have read these verses 1,000 times. I'm doubtful there's any in between for us today.

In my humble opinion, no ten verses in the Bible more clearly lay out the message of the gospel for us than these. No ten verses more clearly describe what occurs within the heart of those who believe in Jesus. So, my prayer for us today is that these verses will deeply grip our hearts in a way they never have before. I pray that we will walk out those doors with a sense of awe and wonder because we understand the immeasurable greatness of God's power toward us who believe.

So, let's dive in.

"[1] And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [2] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—[3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—[6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

As I look at these ten verses, I see three different sections:

• Section one: who we are/were before Christ (vs. 1-3).

• Section two: what God has done for us in Christ (vs. 4-9).

• Section three: who we now are in Christ (v. 10).

Today, we will look at these first two sections: who we were before Christ and what God has done for us in Christ. Then, next week, we will unpack who we are now in Christ.

So, let's first answer the question, "Who were we before Christ?"

AND YOU WERE DEAD…

In verse 1, we find Paul pointing his finger at the church and saying, "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked…"

So, we see right from the jump that before Christ, we were dead. Before we trusted in Jesus, we were dead in our trespasses and sins. In the original language, believe it or not, the word dead means to be without life. It is to be lifeless. Dead means dead.

My brother and sister-in-law bought my children two goldfish a few years ago for Christmas. Flo and Phil were their names. For goldfish, they lived a long and healthy life. But, unfortunately, the day came for them to breathe their last breath. I came home to Flo and Phil floating upside down in their bowl.

At that moment, did anything visually change about the fish? Yes and no. They still possessed all of the vital organs of life; there was just no life within the fish anymore. They still had eyes, but they couldn't see. They still had a nose, but they couldn't smell. They still had a mouth, but they couldn't eat. They still had fins, but they could no longer swim.

Paul is saying the same is true of us spiritually apart from Christ. We possessed everything we needed to walk in life and godliness. There was just one minor problem: we were dead. As John Stott puts it, "[We were] blind to the glory of Jesus Christ, and deaf to the voice of the Holy Spirit. [We had] no love for God, no sensitive awareness of his personal reality, no leaping of [our] spirit towards him in the cry, 'Abba, Father,' no longing for fellowship with his people. [We were] unresponsive to him as a corpse."

This highlights the reality that we are entirely incapable of experiencing life (or salvation) through our efforts because we were dead in our sins. I could put food in Flo and Phil's bowl, but I shouldn't expect them to eat what's before them. Those who are dead cannot walk in life, nor can they bring themselves to life.

IN YOUR TRESPASSES AND SINS…

We were dead "in our trespasses and sins."

"Trespasses and sins" are two words that highlight different nuances of the same truth. Tony Merida summarizes these words by saying, "'Trespasses' draws attention to acts of sin. 'Sins' is a more comprehensive account of human evil. We were dead, committing trespasses, in a sinful state."

A trespass is intentionally going past a set boundary. It's you knowing you should not do something and choosing to do it anyway. It's you seeing the "do not fish here" sign and still choosing to fish there. It's you choosing to hop the fence and walk past the no-trespassing sign. On a deeper, more spiritual level, it's Eve eating from the tree that God told her not to eat from. It's David calling up Bathsheba when he knew better. It's you knowing you should honor your father and mother and choosing not to honor them. It's you knowing you should not murder and still pulling the trigger. It's you knowing you should not commit adultery and going to her house anyway. It's you knowing you shouldn't pull up that website and pulling it up anyway.

God has placed good boundaries in our lives for our joy and protection. Yet, we don't always see them as good. Therefore, we decide to hop the fence and give in to temptation. A trespass is you intentionally walking past the good boundaries God has placed in your life. We've all done it, and we're all guilty. Therefore, we are dead in our trespasses.

A sin is the act of missing the mark. It's you falling short of a standard. It's you going in the wrong direction.

When Kayla and I first married, we were still in college, and I played baseball. I had a game in Pensacola, which is where I'm from. So, Kayla and her sister decided to come watch. On her way home, she gets on the interstate, and instead of turning west, she turns east, going in the opposite direction. Thirty minutes later, she begins not recognizing anything on the highway, leading her to realize she's going the wrong way.

This is us in our sinful nature. We've missed the mark, and we're driving the wrong way. Kayla was driving well. With both hands on the wheel, she was driving safely. But there was one problem: she was moving in the wrong direction. Similarly, we were all driving in the wrong direction in our sinful nature. We were all driving away from God. We may have been doing good things while navigating life's roads safely. But we were safely driving in the wrong direction: away from God.

FOLLOWING THE PRINCE OF THE AIR…

As we continue to read, we find that in our depravity, we followed Satan. Before we trusted in Jesus, we were following Satan.

Many people in this life pride themselves in being leaders, pioneers who go against the grain. But the reality of life is that we're all followers. We're all following someone.

As Christians, we now follow God, submitting to his will and word. But, before we surrendered to Christ, Paul is saying that we all once followed the course of this world that is being ruled by Satan— "following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience…"

Years ago, we visited some friends who live in North Carolina. While there, we went fishing at the bottom of the Hiwassee Dam. Every day, the dam would turn on or open up, causing the current of the water to move swiftly downriver. The power of the river's current hinged on the dam's power. The same is true of this world. Satan is the leader of this world. So, the current of this world is driven by the prince of the air. The world pursues, celebrates, and loves what Satan pursues, celebrates, and loves.

CARRYING OUT THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH…

The master plan of Satan is to lure and entice us into carrying out the desires of our flesh. Satan wants us to do what we want to do instead of what God wants us to do. He wants us to carry out our desires, not God's desires. So, before we trusted in Jesus, we served ourselves. We were carrying out the desires of the body and the mind. The lord of our life was ourselves. We did what we wanted, not what God wanted.

We live in a society that celebrates all desires/wants/cravings as a good gift from God. Satan and this world want us to view our desires as something worth giving into. But these verses teach us that not all of our inherent desires are good and godly. Not all things that come naturally to us are actually good for us. Not all things that our hearts race for should be pursued.

So, to rightly understand the power of God, we need to understand our depravity. Before we get to the good news of Christ, we have first to understand the bad news of ourselves. If you want to see a diamond's full beauty, it should be placed against a dark backdrop. In the same way, the beautiful diamond of Jesus' death and resurrection must be observed against the dark backdrop of our depravity.

The hope of the gospel is not simply that Christ came to save us from an outside oppressor. Yes, Christ did defeat sin, death, and Satan. But he also saved us from ourselves. The hope of the gospel is that God saved you from you. You were the offender of God. You were dead. You were the one following Satan and this world.

BUT GOD…

In verse 4, we find the biggest but in all of the Bible, the greatest but of all time. You were dead. But God... You were a transgressor. But God... You were a sinner. But God… You were running from God. But God…

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…"

What we see being highlighted here is God's mercy, love, and grace toward sinners. God hasn't loved you at your best; he loved you at your worst. It was while we were dead that God made us alive with Christ. It was while we were mocking him that he blessed us. While we were running away from him, he chased us. While we had nothing to contribute to God, he offered us hope.

This tells us that salvation is from God and God alone. Our salvation rests on the shoulders of God's grace. By grace, you have been saved through faith.

Mercy is the act of someone not giving you something you deserve; grace is the act of giving someone something they don't deserve. Mercy is not punching someone in the face when they deserve to be punched; grace is buying that same person dinner. God is rich in mercy, meaning he's more than willing to not give us the judgment we rightfully deserve. But he's also rich in grace, meaning he's more than willing to offer us life and blessing. God loves you; he wants a relationship with you, and he's taken extreme measures to make that happen through the atoning death of his Son on the cross.

Your dead heart was fascinated with darkness. Your flesh yearned for wickedness. But God, being full of love, mercy, and grace, made you alive with Christ. When you heard the call of God on your life and decided to trust in Jesus for your salvation, you were joined together with Christ. You have been made alive together with him and seated with him in the heavenly places.

Where is Christ at this very moment? At the Father's right hand, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named. So, if we're seated with Christ right now, in the heavenly places, then that tells us we have a position of superiority and authority over the evil powers. In other words, Satan does not have control over us anymore! We don't have to submit to him. You can walk in life and godliness by the power of the Holy Spirit within you.

The power of God is so miraculous that it not only resurrected Christ from the dead it also resurrects the heart of every believing Christian. In the same way Christ was dead in the tomb, we were dead in our sins. But in the same way that Christ was resurrected, we were resurrected. In the same way Christ is seated in the heavenly places, we have been seated in the heavenly places. And God has done this so that in the coming ages, he might "show the immeasurable riches of his grace." God has called you to life so that the world can stand in awe of the riches of God's grace! As John Stott puts it, "For as living evidences of his kindness we shall point people away and beyond ourselves to him to whom we owe our salvation."

Ephesians 1:15-23

TEXT:

"[15] For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, [16] I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, [17] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, [18] having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might [20] that he worked 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 one to come. [22] And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, [23] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all."

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. While suffering in prison, Paul celebrates how God is working through the churches in Ephesus. Do you find it difficult to celebrate the life of another believer whenever you’re suffering? Why? How can we combat this jealousy in our hearts?

2. How should Paul’s prayer here shape the way that we pray for one another?

3. In communicating God’s power, there are a multitude of things Paul could have pointed to. But he chose to point to the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. Why do you think he did this?

SERMON MANUSCRIPT:

If I had to go out on a limb today, I would assume that many of us understand the importance of prayer while feeling guilty over our lack of prayer. We know that we should pray, yet we don't pray.

If I were to take a poll asking why we don't pray, I would assume I would receive a wide variety of answers.

"I'm just too busy."

"It's boring."

"It's hard."

"I forget."

"I don't know how."

Many of us learn best by watching. We learn how to do math by watching the professor do math. We learn how to fix our cars by watching YouTube. We learn how to hit a baseball by watching Ken Griffey Jr.

So, could it be that, when it comes to prayer, we do not know how to pray because we haven't watched anyone do it well? Could it be that we simply don't know how to pray? And we need someone to teach and show us?

As we work through the book of Ephesians, we will encounter different moments of Paul showing us how to pray. He's going to show us how to pray by demonstrating to us how he prays. In Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul allows us to peek behind the curtain of his prayer life, which should hopefully teach us how to pray. We can learn best how to pray by watching those in the Bible pray.

Before we dive into these verses, let me be clear: although these verses can teach us how to pray, that is not their purpose. The purpose of these words is to encourage, prepare, and comfort our hearts regarding what we have in Christ. Paul is praying the church will grow to know God better.

So, let's dive in.

"[15] For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, [16] I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, [17] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, [18] having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might [20] that he worked 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 one to come. [22] And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, [23] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all."

A POSITIVE REPORT

Paul first says, "For this reason…" So, what he's doing is linking what he's going to say with everything he's just said. In verses 3-14, we see God's sovereign and gracious work on our behalf in Christ, and now, in verses 15, we see the church's response to this work. They have placed their "faith in Jesus" and are "loving all the saints." Therefore, Paul is excited over what the Lord is doing in and through the lives of God's people!

The language Paul uses to describe the churches in Ephesus reminds us that faith and love go hand in hand. Faith is not a loveless action. The fruit of faith in Jesus is love for Jesus. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus love Jesus, and those who love Jesus will love His people.

So, the churches in Ephesus are seemingly doing well. They're not unraveling at the seams like the churches in Corinth (who are suing each other and sleeping with their dad's wife) or Galatia (who has forsaken the gospel). The talk of the town is that the churches in Ephesus are doing well. Their faith in Jesus is strong, and they are loving each other well.

Brothers and sisters, what would they say if someone were to report on the state of your life? Would they say they've heard of your faith in Jesus and your love for all of the saints?

If someone were to report on the state of Harbor Community Church, what would they say? Would they say they've heard of our faith in Jesus and our love for all of the saints?

If someone were to report on the state of the churches in Mobile, what would they say? Would they say they've heard of our faith in Jesus and our love for all of the saints?

What is our reputation? Are we known as faithful and loving people?

PRAYERFUL THANKFULNESS

Things seem to be going well in Ephesus. And in response to this positive report, Paul thanks God for them. I think this teaches us that prayerful thanksgiving is the proper response to hearing of God's work in another believer's life. A key element of prayer is thankfulness. When we see God save someone, we shout with prayerful thankfulness. When we see God working in and through other believers, we shout with prayerful thankfulness.

Brothers and sisters, as we pray, we should make a habit of thanking God for the work he's doing in the lives of other believers. We should never stop giving thanks for the work God is doing in and through the lives of other believers.

Now, a threat to thankfulness is jealousy and pride. When things aren't going well for ourselves, it's hard to thank God for his work in another believer's life. When we lose our job, it's hard to celebrate our friend who just got a promotion. When we're sick, it's hard to celebrate our friend's health. When our church doesn't seem to be growing, it's hard to celebrate another church's growth.

Do you know where Paul is writing this letter from? Prison. So, while in chains, Paul is writing to those who are free. While he suffers, he celebrates another person's blessing.

Church, listen to me closely. The mark of a mature believer is found in their willingness to celebrate God's blessing on another person's life, even while they suffer. When you see God's blessing on someone else, do you shake your fist at God because you're not the one being blessed? Or do you throw your hands up in prayerful thankfulness?

PRAY FOR THE HURT & HEALTHY

I believe Paul's words here also teach us that prayer isn't only for those who are struggling. Prayer is not only for those who are hurting.

Chances are, if someone asks you, "How can I pray for you?" you immediately start thinking about ways you might be struggling. You think, "Okay, works good, so I don't need prayer there. Our family's okay— everyone's healthy— so we don't need prayer there. Everything is fine." Therefore, you turn down the offer of prayer because everything seems to be okay. Yet, here, Paul prays for those who are seemingly doing well.

Yes, we pray for the sick. Yes, we pray for those who are brokenhearted. Yes, we pray for those who are hurt. But prayer isn't only for the ill but also the healthy. Prayer is for all people in all seasons.

TRANSPARENT PRAYER

Notice what Paul does here. He tells those that he's praying for that he's praying for them— "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…"

So, although prayer is often private, our prayers shouldn't be secret. Letting people know you're praying for them is a good practice. Paul picks up his cell phone and calls the church to say, "Hey, I just want you to know I hear what God is doing in your life. I'm thankful for you, and I'm praying for you."

The Bible tells us that "open rebuke is better than hidden love (Prov. 27:5)." So, a healthy practice for a believer is to voice your love and appreciation for others. Who are you thankful for? Do they know you're thankful for them? Who do you love? Do they know you love them? Who are you praying for? Do they know you're praying for them? Our prayers shouldn't be secret.

PRAY WE KNOW GOD

Look at what Paul prays. He prays that God will give them "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him." In other words, he prays that they will grow in their knowledge of God. This is knowledge based on experience and understanding, the type of knowledge that seeps deep into the heart of a believer. I heard it once described as a knowledge of taste.

Up until college, I hated coffee. I had a sip of it at the age of 10, and I hated it. So I never drank it again.

But, when I graduated college, I accepted a job at a cafe. At this cafe, we sold coffee. So, to be a good employee, I needed to learn the menu. I needed to learn the ins and outs of each beverage so that whenever someone had a question, I could answer it.

But, at that time, I could only answer questions based on intellect alone.

Customer: "How's your vanilla latte?"

Me: "Many love it. It's two shots of espresso, steamed milk, and two pumps of vanilla?"

Customer: "Tell me about your house blend.

Me: "It's roasted locally. It's two parts Honduran and one part Nicaraguan, with notes of chocolate and nuts."

My knowledge of coffee was only intellectual. It was only based on what I had read and heard.

But here's the thing. Over time, I slowly began to drink coffee, and I began to realize coffee is good. So, my knowledge of coffee shifted from intellectual to experiential. My knowledge of flavors had transitioned from my mind to my heart. I had tasted and seen that coffee is good, and I had grown to know coffee in a way I never knew before. The words I read about coffee took on a new meaning because of my experience with the flavors.

This is what Paul is praying will be true of the church. He's praying that they will grow in their knowledge of the God they already know. He's praying that they taste and see that the Lord is good. He's praying that what they learn on paper will impact their hearts and shape the way they live. He's praying that they will know God better.

Church, this should be a prayer we pray often for one another. We should pray that others will know God better. We should pray that we will be a people who understand God, not just with our minds, but with our hearts. True knowledge should impact our hearts and minds. Paul prays that the eyes of their hearts will be enlightened. That the words of Christ will dwell in them richly and that they will know God more fully.

KNOW HOPE

But what does he want the eyes of their hearts to be enlightened to?

Well, first, "to the hope to which he has called them."

Often, in our day and age, hope has a question mark attached to it. I hope Florida State wins on Saturday. I hope I get this job. I hope this sickness goes away. It's a term closely attached to something we look forward to in uncertainty.

But hope in the Bible doesn't have a question mark attached to it. It's a term of certainty. God has called us to something we look forward to in confidence. The Christian life is a life of confident assurance.

As we survey the Scriptures, we see that everything God has said will happen in the past has happened. Therefore, we know that everything God says will happen in the future will happen.

We know how the story ends for us because God— who is faithful and true— has called us to Himself. God has called you. He has saved you. He has redeemed you. He has sealed you. Therefore, you have hope.

So, as we pray for one another, it would be helpful to pray that our hearts will be comforted by the reminder of the hope to which God has called us.

KNOW THE RICHES OF HIS INHERITANCE

The second thing we see Paul pray is that their hearts will be reminded of the "riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

There's a divide among commentators here. It's one of those divides where both interpretations are theologically true. So, I believe there's freedom to disagree. Perhaps it's a both/and situation?

Some believe this refers to an inheritance we will receive in heaven one day. The New Testament talks about this often. In chapter 1, for example, Paul says, "In him we have obtained an inheritance." So, an inheritance— something far more significant than anything in this life— is kept in heaven for us. It is an inheritance described as imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. So, some believe Paul is building off this point by praying that the church will remember their inheritance in Christ. He's praying that the church will remember that heaven is better.

Others, however, point to the language used here and say, "No, Paul isn't speaking of our glorious inheritance. He's speaking of God's glorious inheritance— "and what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

This would mean that Paul highlights that the saints— the church, you, and I— are of significant value to God. We are his glorious inheritance. The richness of God's glorious inheritance resides within his bride; the church is his prized possession. Therefore, you are numbered in God's glorious inheritance. You are of significant value to God. You are a part of God's people that he looks forward to being with for all eternity. Paul is praying that the church will understand that they are God's prized possession. He is praying they will know that God desires to be with his people for all eternity. He desires to be with you forever and has taken extreme measures to purchase you as his own.

While praying to the Father, Jesus, in John 17, says, "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world." Jesus allows us to peek behind the curtain of his desires, allowing us to see that he wants us to be with him so that we can see his glory. So, God desires for us to be with him for all eternity so that we might declare his glory for all eternity. You and I are a part of God's glorious inheritance in the saints.

KNOW HIS POWER

He then prays that their hearts will be reminded of the "immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe."

If your faith resides in Christ, if you have believed upon Jesus, then you have access to the immeasurable power of God that resurrected Christ from the dead and seated him at the Father's right hand.

Friends, we are weak, but he is strong. And his strength now resides within us.

How strong is this strength? It is… "according to the working of his great might 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 one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all."

Paul could have pointed to a multitude of things to signify God's power. He could have pointed to the creation of all things. He could have pointed to the parting of the sea. He could have pointed to the fact that he's holding all things together at this particular moment in time. But, he chose to point to the death and resurrection of Jesus. The death and resurrection is the ultimate display of God's power toward us who believe. It's not a moment of defeat; it's a moment of victory. It's not a moment of weakness; it's a moment of power. It's not a moment to scoff at; it's a moment to stand in awe of.

Christ did not simply die on the cross; he was resurrected from the grave. And Christ did not merely resurrect from the grave; he ascended back to the Father, where he sits and reigns over all things right now at this very moment in time.

Brothers and sisters, you and I have the opportunity to walk in power, not weakness. The one who possesses power over all things resides within our hearts today, and Paul is praying that we will know this power.

We have been given the power to proclaim the gospel with effectiveness, speaking life into lifelessness, and hope into hopelessness. We have been given the power to put sin to death. We have been given the power to endure pain, hardship, sickness, persecution, and death. We don't remain steadfast throughout our lives by our own strength but by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

As we close today, I want to direct our attention to Revelation 2, where the Lord speaks to the church in Ephesus, "[2] I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. [3] I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. [4] But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. [5] Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. [6] Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. [7] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

I think the life of the church of Ephesus and the prayer of Paul is an essential reminder for us today. It's easy to drift from our first love. Those who once loved well had developed calloused hearts and forsaken that love. They had abandoned the love they had at first. So, may we be intentional in praying for one another. May we pray that we know God deeply and intimately.

Holy Spirit, help our hearts to remain tender. Help us to know you and the hope to which you've called us. Help us to know the richness of your glorious inheritance in the saints. Help us to know what is the immeasurable greatness of your power toward us who believe.

Family Discipleship (Psalm 78:1-8)

PASSAGE:

“[1] Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

[2] I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings from of old,

[3] things that we have heard and known,

that our fathers have told us.

[4] We will not hide them from their children,

but tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,

and the wonders that he has done.

[5] He established a testimony in Jacob

and appointed a law in Israel,

which he commanded our fathers

to teach to their children,

[6] that the next generation might know them,

the children yet unborn,

and arise and tell them to their children,

[7] so that they should set their hope in God

and not forget the works of God,

but keep his commandments;

[8] and that they should not be like their fathers,

a stubborn and rebellious generation,

a generation whose heart was not steadfast,

whose spirit was not faithful to God.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What do these verses teach us about God?

2. What do these verses teach us about ourselves?

3. How should this impact the way we live?

Ephesians 1:15-18

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Why would Paul be thankful for hearing of their faith and love for the saints? John 13:34-35, 1John 4:20-21. How does thankfulness bring about joy?

2. What is a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God, and why should we want to have it?

3. Has God ever revealed an aspect of Himself to you that surprised you, or challenged your thinking of Him?

4. Since becoming a believer, has your faith, your love for the saints, your wisdom and knowledge of God grown? If so, how? If not, why not?

Ephesians 1:11-14

Let's pretend you moved to a distant city to pursue a new career. You went through the interview process and landed a promising job that should set you up to flourish financially for the rest of your life.

You move into your new home and quickly begin your new job.

For the first few months, you love your new career. But, one day, your employer calls you into his office, and things quickly change for the worse. Your boss unexpectedly fires you, leaving you in a difficult spot.

You quickly go home and start filling out applications. But this is the middle of a pandemic, and times are tough.

Months go by, and you still haven't found a new job. Your savings are quickly dwindling, and you're beginning to panic. Soon, you can't pay your car note, so you have to sell your car to pay for rent and groceries. Soon, you're unable to pay for utilities. Then you're no longer able to pay for rent.

Next thing you know, you're on the streets. You're bankrupt; the only thing you have to your name is a cardboard box, and you're living under a bridge.

One day, as you're sitting under the bridge, you see a car pull up to the bridge. The door opens, and a gentleman in a suit walks toward you with an envelope. He comes to you, sits on the ground, and hands you the envelope. In it is a letter explaining how a distant relative has passed away, and he's left you his entire inheritance.

Everything he owned will belong to you if you sign the letter. Next week, all of his money will be deposited into your bank account. His car will soon be yours. His house will soon be yours. His business will soon be yours. All you have to do is sign the papers in the envelope.

So, you do what any logical person would do. You joyfully sign the papers.

And, at that moment, staying under the bridge doesn't seem too bad because of the hope of your newfound inheritance. The despair of the cardboard box doesn't seem so bad when you know you will be in a mansion next week. A lofty inheritance inserts joy in the midst despair, hope in the midst of hopelessness.

Brothers and sisters, this is where we find ourselves today as believers. We were all sitting under the bridge, bankrupt in sin. But God, being rich in mercy, has sent His Son to redeem us from sin through his death on the cross. And those who sign on the dotted line by believing in Jesus have received an inheritance far greater than anything we've ever imagined.

Upon belief, the remaining life of a believer is that week in between, where we sign the dotted line and move into our inheritance. Although we're still under the bridge, sleeping on a cardboard box, we have an inheritance kept in heaven for us that we look ahead to in hope. Things will one day be much better than they are right now.

At the conclusion of this opening statement, Paul directs our attention to the future, showing us what we will one day experience because of God's faithfulness in Christ Jesus. And, as he's leading our attention ahead to our future inheritance, he's answering the question of how do we know this is true? How do we know that this inheritance is ours?

In the following verses, the flow of Paul's argument is as follows: if you have believed in Jesus, you have received the promised Holy Spirit, who will never leave you, and who is the guarantee of our inheritance in heaven.

Let's dive in.

"[11] In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, [12] so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. [13] In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

As we bring this section to a close, we see Paul point ahead to the future, telling us that "in Christ we have obtained an inheritance." An inheritance speaks of something of value that you will one day acquire. It's something we look forward to possessing.

But, notice the language used here by Paul— "In Christ we have obtained an inheritance." The language here assures us the inheritance we look ahead to is already ours. That which we look forward to already belongs to us. It's something we anticipate in confident assurance.

This brings us to our first point: Christians look forward to heaven because heaven is better. In Christ, we have obtained an inheritance, something of far greater value than anything we currently possess.

This life is good and worth living. It's a gift from the Lord that we should cherish and steward well for God's glory. But, make no mistake about it; heaven is better. It's something we should look forward to with great anticipation.

In Exodus 6, God promised his people deliverance from bondage. He said, "I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment."

But, right alongside that promise, God points ahead and says, "I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession."

So, right alongside the promise of redemption was the promise of an inheritance. They were brought out of one land with the hope of residing in a better land together with God. With an outstretched arm, God would set them free, take them as his people, and lead them into the land that already belonged to them because of the promise he gave their forefathers. Those whom God redeemed had something to look forward to.

Many of us are likely familiar with how the story plays out. Upon their deliverance, did they immediately make it to the promised land?

No. They wandered through the wilderness for forty years. Yet, as they wandered, God remained with them. Therefore, the basis for their hope never dwindled. If God makes a promise, we can trust that he will fulfill that promise. After 40 years of wandering, God's people made it into the land God promised them. God remained faithful to the promise he extended to his people.

Church, the life of a believer is a wilderness journey. It's a life of wandering through the wilderness with the hopeful anticipation of making it to the promised land.

And the beauty of the Christian faith is that God is with us in the wilderness journey. God will be with us in our pain and distress. Therefore, our hope will always remain steadfast. We have an inheritance that we look forward to in confidence because God is with us.

The hope of our inheritance doesn't rest in anything we've done for God; it rests in the sovereign election of God, the fact that we have been "predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will."

In Exodus 6, what does God tell Moses? He says, "I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession."

So, God was saying, "I will bring you into the promised land because I said I would do so long before you were ever born." God was simply carrying out the purpose of his will.

So, how do we know that we will make it to heaven and dwell with God forever? We know this because God is faithful to finish what he started. He will always be faithful to carry out the purpose of his will.

So, we can go all the way back to Abraham and see God promise to bless all of the nations through the seed of Abraham. We can go all the way back to Adam and see God promise to crush Satan on our behalf. We know we have an inheritance waiting for us in heaven because God is carrying out the plan he put in place before the world was created. We know we have an inheritance because God has chosen us in Christ Jesus. It's God's sovereignty that gives us hope as believers. You and I can rest tonight knowing that God is on a throne carrying out his divine will at all points throughout history.

Then, in verse 12, Paul does something interesting that has led to a division among commentators. He says, "So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

Here, in a very inclusive passage, Paul carefully distinguishes himself and his readers. So, who are the "we's" and "you's" of verse twelve? Who is Paul making a distinction between?

There are two interpretations here.

The first interpretation is that Paul is making a distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles. In the book of Romans, we see Paul talk about salvation being offered first to the Jews and then to the Greeks. When Paul would go into a city, he would often go to the temples in the city and preach to the Jews first and then branch off and go to the Gentiles.

So, Paul is saying, "Hey, we (Jews) placed our hope in Christ first. But, you, too, heard the gospel and believed and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Our timing may differ, but the testimony is the same. We heard the gospel, believed in Christ, and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, to the praise of God's glory."

The second interpretation is a bit more straightforward. This interpretation simply differentiates Paul (and those with him) and the church. So, the "we" would be Paul and those with him, and the "you" would be the church (Jews and Gentiles). Paul believed in Christ first, then he went to Ephesus and shared with them the gospel, and they, too, believed in Christ.

I lean toward the first interpretation here. I think Paul is alluding to the distinction between the Jews and Gentiles to show that there's, in fact, no distinction. In Chapter 2, Paul revisits the distinction between Jews and Gentiles to show that they are one in Christ.

But either way, the main point remains the same. Although the timing of our conversion may be different, the testimony of our conversion is the same. We are all in the same boat. We are all saved by grace through faith; we are all sealed by the promised Holy Spirit, and our salvation is ultimately for the glory of God.

This reminds us that there's no favoritism in the kingdom of God. There's no elitism in the church. We are all uniquely different. But we are all also the same. You may be older in the faith, and I may be younger in the faith. But, we are both in the faith. We're both in Christ, sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

Now, look at verse 13. In verse 13, we see a progression of hearing leading to believing, which leads to sealing. Only those who have believed in Jesus will be sealed with the Holy Spirit. And to believe in Jesus, you need to have first heard the gospel of Jesus.

There are two things I want to draw our attention to here.

First, I want us to see how the Bible balances the tension between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Throughout these verses, we've seen God's sovereignty highlighted. We have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, predestined, and elected according to the purpose of God's will. But, here we see that those who have been predestined are those who have believed. Those who have believed are those who have been predestined. God's sovereignty and man's responsibility are not at odds with each other. God is both King and Judge.

So, God's sovereignty is never an excuse not to evangelize. Instead, it should be an excuse to evangelize. If God has elected to save sinners, we should preach the gospel so that sinners might believe and be saved. That brings me to the second thing I want to highlight here: the importance of gospel proclamation. You cannot believe in Jesus unless you have first heard the truth about Jesus. Those who have believed have heard. Therefore, we need to tell others about Jesus so that others can believe in Jesus.

Living out the gospel is important, but preaching the gospel is essential. If we want to see men and women come to know Christ personally, we must be willing to open our mouths and preach. If we want others to believe in Jesus, we must be willing to tell others about Jesus.

There are people all throughout this world who have never heard about Jesus. So, I think a healthy goal for us this upcoming year as a church would be to introduce people to Jesus who have never heard about Jesus, both in our city and to the ends of the earth. We must be willing to go and take the gospel to those who have never heard.

When was the last time you shared with someone the word of truth?

Next, I want to draw our attention to what it means to be sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Paul says that those who have believed have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. If you've believed in Jesus, you've received the promised Holy Spirit.

For something to be promised, it needs to have been spoken of beforehand. In John 16, Jesus promised his disciples another helper would come whenever he left. He said that it would be to their advantage if he left them. The promised Holy Spirit will come and convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He will guide his people into all truth and glorify Christ.

We find Paul also telling us here that the Holy Spirit seals us. All who have believed have become sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. The word sealed can mean two things: closure and belonging.

In Matthew 27, for example, the soldiers seal Jesus' tomb with a stone, which implies closure and security from outside dangers. No one could get in and take the body from the tomb. So, your salvation is as secure as a sealed tomb. You're unable to lose it. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.

In Revelation 7, we see an angel ascending from the rising of the sun with the seal of the living God. With a loud voice, he says, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." This seal was a marking placed upon someone for the purpose of making a distinction. So, God has set us apart to belong exclusively to God.

Think of a king sealing a letter. We know the letter belongs to the king because of the seal placed on the envelope. Think of a married couple who wears a ring. We know someone is married because of the seal placed upon their finger. In the same way, we know that we are wholly and authentically God's because the Holy Spirit has sealed us. We have been marked with the Holy Spirit, signifying our exclusive belonging to God. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is how we know we have an inheritance in heaven.

Now, how do we know we have the Holy Spirit? What must we do to receive the Holy Spirit?

The answer is simple. We don't have to go through a three-month course to receive the Holy Spirit; we must simply believe upon Jesus. Those who are sealed are those who have believed and trusted in Jesus.

Those who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit will experience conviction of sin; they will experience comfort amid calamity; they will experience power whenever they share the gospel; they will begin to walk in freedom from sin; and they will begin to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.

As these verses come to a close, we see that the ultimate purpose of our salvation is God's glory... to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:7-10

The verses we will be looking at today are wedged in the middle of one of the longest run-on sentences in the history of humanity. The grammar junkies would twitch at the structure of these verses. But, as I mentioned last week, the poor structure doesn't lend to poor theology. These verses are carefully precise and theologically flawless. They are precise words written with intentionally poor structure to convey the majestic beauty of the gospel.

Overwhelmed with excitement, Paul is doing two things in these verses: (1) describing the many blessings we have in Christ and (2) calling us to worship Christ.

When we read these verses closely, we will be reminded of the sovereign working of God on our behalf, which should lead us to throw our hands up in worship.

Gospel doctrine should lead to gospel worship. The truth about Jesus should lead us to worship Jesus. We worship what we love and sing about what has impacted our hearts the most. These verses show that God has invited us into his kingdom. Therefore, we bow in worship to our King and Lord. God has adopted us into his family. Therefore, we sing about our good and loving Father. We have been set free from the bondage of sin. Therefore, we throw our hands up in freedom.

As believers, the more we learn about God, the more we should worship God. Worship is the only appropriate response to grace. When we understand our extreme blessing in Christ, the only adequate response is exhortation and praise! If you have experienced God's love, you will worship God with a happy heart. A gospel-centered church is a singing church.

Another consistent theme that we will find in these verses is God's plan. Last week, we looked at words like "chosen," "predestined," and "purpose of his will." These words and phrases teach us that God's plan centered around the cross long before the earth was made. The cross was God's plan A, not his plan B.

In our verses today, that language continues. Here, we will learn that God's plan was always to forgive, redeem, and unite sinners through Jesus' death on the cross. The cross was God's mysterious will, his divine plan put in place before the foundation of the world.

Let's dive in.

"[7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, [8] which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight [9] making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ [10] as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

A REDEEMED PEOPLE

As we enter verse 7, we see the snowball of Paul's theological argument in this long sentence growing larger. Not only are we chosen in Christ to stand before the Father, holy and blameless, but we are adopted sons through Christ. Not only do we have a loving Father as adopted sons in Christ, but we are redeemed through the blood of Christ.

To redeem something means to "pay the price to recover someone or something from the power of another." Surprisingly, it was often used in the context of the slave market, describing the purchase price of a slave. To set a slave free, one would have to pay the purchase price of that slave.

But, on a much deeper level, the language used here by Paul alludes to the language used by God when speaking to Moses in Exodus 6. As the LORD prepares to free his people from captivity, he tells Moses, "[5] Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. [6] Say therefore to the people of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. [7] I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."

So, Paul uses this redemption language to show us what Christ has done for us. In the same way the Egyptians were oppressive and cruel toward the Israelites, sin is oppressive and cruel toward you and me. In the same way that Pharaoh was vindictive and harsh toward Israel, Satan is oppressive and harsh toward those who reside in his kingdom. In the same way God— with an outstretched arm— redeemed Israel from the captive's hand, he has redeemed you and me. In the same way God brought them out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, he has brought you and me out from under the burdens of sin and death.

Here, Paul is teaching us that the cross was the crushing blow that dismembered the power of our oppressor. The cross is what sets us free from the bondage of sin and death. In Christ, we have been liberated, set free from the oppressive power of sin, Satan, and death.

The inescapable condemnation and guilt holding us down by sin no longer own us because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. He has paid our ransom. He has paid the steep price for our sins. With an outstretched arm, he has redeemed us. Death and damnation no longer own us. We have a new master, and he is good. We have a new home, and it is safe.

A FORGIVEN PEOPLE

Our redemption resides in Christ's willingness to lay his life down on the cross— the shedding of his blood. Because of this, our sins have been forgiven. God's plan was always to FORGIVE sinners through Jesus' death on the cross.

Redemption and forgiveness seem to be often tied together in the New Testament. In Colossians 1, for example, Paul says, "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." The language here ties redemption and forgiveness so closely together that they almost seem like the same thing, as if our redemption is the forgiveness of sins. In reality, they're two sides of the same coin. If you've been forgiven, you've been redeemed. If you've been redeemed, you've been forgiven. You can't have one without the other. In Christ, you're free from both the stains and chains of sin.

Feel the weight of that for a moment. Because of the cross, your greatest sins can and will be forgiven.

Have you ever had a difficult time forgiving someone who has wronged you? What makes extending forgiveness so difficult? 

It's the hurt and pain that comes from the offense. When someone has deeply wounded us, we have a hard time forgiving. The magnitude of the offense heightens the difficulty of extending forgiveness. For example, forgiving someone for stealing your candy bar would be easier than forgiving someone who stole thousands of dollars from you.

Church, our trespasses against God are no minor offenses. We have deliberately and intentionally mocked God with our words, thoughts, and actions. Yet, he has taken extreme measures to extend to us freedom and forgiveness through the death of His Son. God hasn't just set us free from sin; he has forgiven us of our sins. And the forgiveness he extends to us is a byproduct of God's grace. It's "according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us."

ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE…

"Riches of grace" and "lavished upon us" imply an abundant oversupply, meaning God will never lack in the department of grace because he is rich in grace.

The word lavished is the same word used in the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in John 6. When the masses were hungry, Jesus miraculously fed them. After everyone ate and had their fill, the disciples gathered the leftover fragments, filling up their baskets. The disciples left with more food than they came with.

In the same way that there was an abundant supply of bread and fish that never ran out, there is an abundant supply of grace in Christ that will never run out. God will never run out of grace. The invitation of the cross is to come and have your fill of grace and know that God's grace will never run out. His basket will always be full, and he will never run out of grace and forgiveness to extend to sinners.

Friend, may this be water to your soul. Perhaps you feel downtrodden and weary. Maybe you believe the lie that you've exhausted God's supply of grace for you. May these verses comfort your weary soul and draw you to feast from God's rich supply of grace that he's willing to lavish upon you.

IN ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT…

As we continue to read, we see that his lavishing of grace upon sinners was not foolish or irrational. It was an action rooted in wisdom and insight. Our redemption, adoption, and forgiveness of sins are all a part of God's predetermined plan, which he outlined in Christ. It was all a part of the purpose of his will.

So, as we study the Bible, we now see how it all points to the cross, how Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and prophets. In all wisdom and insight, God has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, "which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

A UNITED PEOPLE

What does it mean that "all things are united in him, things in heaven and things on earth?" We will begin to see this phrase more clearly as we journey through the book of Ephesians. But I want us to understand this: God's plan was always to unite sinners through Jesus' death on the cross. The cross brings unity amongst his people, not division amongst his people. In Christ, God is creating for himself a diverse and united family. We walk in unity now as a church and look ahead to a future day of union, where all things in heaven and earth will be united in Christ. There is coming a day when all of the redeemed, those in heaven and on earth, will be united forever. There is coming a day when the entire universe that is groaning for its redemption will be united with the redeemed church under the good rule of Christ for all eternity.

Ephesians 1:3-6

Today, we will dive into the start of the body of his message. As we do, I think it would be helpful to point out a detail hidden in the shadows of these verses, something we will miss in our English translations.

In the original Greek, verses 3-14 are one run-on sentence. There's no punctuation here, leaving no room for the reader to take a breath. Overwhelmed with excitement over the words he's writing, Paul cannot pause for even a simple breath.

In my theological brilliance, I would call these verses a poetic ramble. When I say "ramble," I don't mean erratic jargon. These words are carefully precise and theologically flawless. They are precise words written with intentionally poor structure to convey the majestic beauty of the gospel. Like a snowball rolling down a mountain, each word is carefully constructed to build on the other, composing a hefty argument surrounding the beauty of the gospel and the worthiness of God's praise.

As we begin unpacking these verses, we will come across words like "chosen," "predestined," and "purpose of his will." Therefore, we will see firsthand God's sovereign hand in our redemption, his loving pursuit of sinners, and his flawless plan of salvation executed.

Now, these verses can be controversial and difficult to comprehend. Our finite minds have a difficult time fathoming God's divine choosing. But, the difficulty of these verses does not reside in their unclearness. These verses are abundantly clear. Paul could not write any clearer. The difficulty of these words stems from the complexity of the truths found in these words. Sometimes, I've found, it's the truths that are the most clear that are the most confusing.

Today we will come across the profoundly beautiful and complex truth that our salvation is a work of God, not a work of our own. We did not first choose God; God first chose us. The cross did not happen by chance; it was a part of his predetermined plan. Before the foundation of the world, God knew sin would happen. He knew he would send His Son to the cross. And he knew you would be a part of his family.

The main point we will learn today is this: before the earth was made, God had a plan to save sinners by sending his Son to die on the cross.

Let's dive in.

"[3] 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] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

Right from the jump, we see Paul worshipping God because of His role in our salvation.

As he begins to unpack the central doctrines of the Christian faith, he does so with a heart full of praise— "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ..."

One thing we often talk about as a church is being a gospel-centered church. We want to be a church that embraces the gospel in everything we do. We want to be a church that understands the gospel, believes the gospel, preaches the gospel, and lives out the gospel. And what we see here is the truth that gospel doctrine leads to gospel praise. If you have experienced God's love, you will worship God with a happy heart. Worship is the only proper response to grace. A gospel-centered church is a singing church.

Church, listen. Our willingness to sing hinges on our understanding of what God has done for us in Christ. If you have your arms crossed every Sunday morning, unwilling to sing, then the question has to be asked, "Have you experienced the blessedness described here in these verses?" Those whom God has blessed will bless God with praise. Singing is a practical expression of gratitude for the believer.

What does it mean to be "blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places?"

Well, heavenly places imply a location not here on this earth. So, that tells us that it's possible to be immensely blessed by God without physical prosperity.

While fishing with my family the other day, we drove past a large boat. As she admired the boat, my daughter asked, "Dad, what if we were rich?"

I chuckled and responded, "Baby girl, we are rich. We just don't have a lot of money."

I'm unsure if she could wrap her six-year-old mind around what I was trying to teach her at that moment. But I want us to understand that supreme blessedness doesn't reside in material wealth. God has blessed those in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. If you are in Christ, you are blessed. If you are in Christ, God has blessed you with the gift of redemption and adoption. If you are in Christ, God has blessed you with the gift of salvation. If you are in Christ, God has blessed you with the gift of a relationship with Himself. You have God with you and God in you. And God will comfort you in moments of despair, empower you in moments of weakness, and remind you of the inheritance being kept for you in heaven. If you are in Christ, you are immensely blessed.

In verse 4, Paul says, "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." Here we find the truth that we are blessed because God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world.

The word "chosen" is where some of us begin to squirm in our seats. But, in reality, it's a very biblical term, a word all over the Bible. It means to pick or select someone or something for your own possession.

Tony Merida, in his commentary on Ephesians, highlights several of the uses of this term throughout the Bible. He says, “God chose Abraham for the purpose of bringing blessing to the nations (Gen. 12:1-3). God chose to make Israel into a nation that they might be a light to the nations (Deut. 7:6-8; 14:2; Is. 42:6-8). Jesus chose his twelve disciples to follow him, bear fruit, and multiply (Jn. 15:6).” And, now, in writing to the Gentile believers in Ephesus, he's saying that God chose them, before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy and blameless before him.

Wrap your mind around that for a moment. Before there were stars to gaze at and an earth to walk on, God knew you. Before there were birds to admire, trees to climb, and water to swim in, God had a purpose for you. Before the foundation of the world, God chose you to belong to Himself.

This teaches us that God knew that we were going to sin and fall short of the glory of God. Sin did not catch God off guard. Jesus' death on the cross was not a scrambled attempt of God to make things right. It was God's predetermined plan A, not his backup plan B. Before the foundation of the world, God chose us in Christ "that we should be holy and blameless before him."

Now, who is Paul writing to? The churches in Ephesus. The saints in Ephesus. The faithful in Christ Jesus.

So, who does this apply to? The church, the saints, the faithful in Christ.

But, what is true corporately is also true personally. He is saying to the corporate church in Ephesus (a primary Gentile group of people) that God's predetermined plan was to create a redeemed people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. He chose to create for himself a diverse and united people in Christ. However, for there to be an "us," there has to be a "you" and "me." The corporate church is full of individual people. So, these verses must also be true personally for them to ring true corporately. For God to have chosen us, he has to have chosen you. God has called you to himself so that your sins can be forgiven, allowing you to stand before Him "holy and blameless."

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

This is what many call the great exchange. Our sin was placed on Jesus so that his righteousness could be placed on us. Therefore, if we have (in Christ) become the righteousness of God, then we will one day stand holy and blameless before the Father.

Feel the weight of that for a moment. If you are "in Christ," you will one day stand before God blameless. You, a natural sinner at heart tainted by sin and guilt, can stand before God without blame, guilt, or shame.

Those who are in Christ will one day stand before God, in his sight, holy and without fault because of God's predestined plan of election. Your cleanliness is not a result of your strength; it is a result of God's gracious work on your behalf.

Verse 5 goes on to add color to this truth by saying, "In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will..."

Not only do we stand before God holy and blameless, but through Christ, we also stand before the Father as beloved sons. We are not distant strangers who will stand holy and blameless before the Father; we are dearly loved children!

If you are "in Christ," you are a part of God's family. You have a good father who loves and cares for you dearly. You have siblings that you didn't have before. You have a home and an inheritance that wasn't yours before but is wholly yours now. You are secure and safe in God's family.

In our culture today, adoption can be viewed as a backup plan. But that's not the case with God. Adoption was never God's plan B; it was always his predetermined plan from the beginning. Our adoption into God's family was birthed from a loving desire calculated and thought out beforehand. He knew what would happen, and he looked upon sinners like us and said, "I love them, and I want them to be in my family. I want them to inherit what is rightfully mine. I want them to become holy and blameless, and I want them to inherit every spiritual blessing found in the heavenly places."

Adoption was God's loving plan from the beginning. It was according to his will, and it was for his glory. Adoption is a work of grace and should always result in praising the Father.

Look at verse 6, "In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

God has adopted us into his family so that we might praise his glorious grace. The purpose of our salvation is God's glory. God's sovereign plan is, was, and always will be designed for the praise of His glorious grace.

Imagine an adopted child's newfound joys, walking into his/her home for the first time. "This is my home? This is my room? These are my clothes? I can eat whatever I want from our kitchen? You are my dad? You are my mom? You are my brothers and sisters? You're going to take me to school? You're going to take care of me when I'm sick? You're going to teach me to ride a bike?"

The doctrine of election shouldn't make us squirm; it should lead up to should to throw our hands up in worship. It shouldn't lead to pride; it should lead to humility and joy!

The only right response to grace is praise! A gospel encounter leads to gospel praise! We are a people who sing of grace because we are a people who have experienced grace!

Ephesians 1:1-2

Ephesians is, without a doubt, my favorite book in the Bible. As a young Christian in high school, the book of Ephesians gripped my heart for the Lord, causing me to abandon my love for the world and pursue Jesus wholeheartedly. As a Christian in college, I remember walking to class memorizing Ephesians 2:1-10, writing the gospel on my heart. As a young man pursuing ministry, the book of Ephesians was the first book I preached through on Tuesday nights in downtown Mobile. As I've sought to disciple people over the years, it is often the book of Ephesians that we first go through together. No book in the Bible has single-handedly impacted my life more than this one. It has been pivotal in shaping my life as a young Christian.

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY

In the book of Ephesians, God clearly lays out his mysterious plan of redemption. Here in Ephesians, God pulls back the curtain and allows us to see that the purpose of his will was set forth in Christ to unite all things in him. 

The book of Ephesians certainly isn't the longest in the New Testament nor the most complex. But, in my humble opinion, it's certainly the most clear. From the verbiage used to how Paul builds his arguments, there is no book in the Bible that more clearly describes the gospel and how it relates to the life of a believer. 

During this study, we will likely dive deeper into theology than we ever have as a church. Over the next few months, we will wrestle with the deep topics of the trinity, predestination/election, the assurance of salvation, identity, heaven, and much much more. 

But, in addressing these topics, what Paul does is beautiful. He simply doesn't allow us to discuss these topics while sitting in an ivory tower. Instead, he unpacks these complex topics in the streets of everyday life so we can practically apply them to our lives. The book of Ephesians teaches us that theology should impact our hearts as much as it does our minds, and a theology that affects the heart of a believer will soon affect the hands and feet of a believer. 

You will see this demonstrated in the way Ephesians is structured. For the first three chapters, Paul unpacks the vertical aspects of the gospel, how God relates to man through the death and resurrection of Jesus. But in the final three chapters, Paul will begin to unpack the horizontal aspects of the gospel, how God's people should relate to one another in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The outline of this letter teaches us that the vertical impacts the horizontal. What we believe about God should impact how we live amongst men. Gospel doctrine should lead to a gospel culture. The gospel story should impact our story.

We will spend most of our time today looking at the first two verses. In doing so, we will see three things: who wrote this letter, who received this letter, and God's purpose for this letter.

So, let's dive in. 

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, 

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Right from the jump, we see that the original author of this book is the apostle Paul— "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God..."

Later in church history, some began challenging the idea of Pauline authorship. In doing so, some point to the writing style, saying Ephesians differs from some of Paul's other writings. Others point to the generality of this letter, saying it's too impersonal for someone who lived in Ephesus for three years. Neither argument seems to hold much weight since (1) the early church widely accepted Paul as the author, and (2) Paul identifies himself as the author more than once in the letter (Eph. 1:1, 3:1). 

APOSTLE OF CHRIST JESUS BY THE WILL OF GOD

At the start of the letter, Paul identifies himself as "an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…"

The word "apostle" means "one who is sent." An apostle is a specific messenger with a specific title taking a specific message to a specific people. So, Paul is saying that the one who sent him is God, and the message he proclaims is Jesus' message. Simply put, the message of Ephesians is God's message. It's not man's message; it's God's message. It was God's will to use Paul as a messenger of Christ.

The word apostle is often used throughout the New Testament about the twelve disciples of Jesus. Where Jesus had many disciples who followed him, he chose twelve apostles responsible for preaching his message.

We see this in Luke 6:13 and Mark 3:14.

• "And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles…" — Luke 6:13

• "And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach…" — Mark 3:14

So, the apostles were men who personally walked with Jesus, who were personally called by Jesus, who were personally taught by Jesus, and who were personally sent out by Jesus to preach the message he had taught them.

Due to Judas' betrayal, we see Mathias become one of the twelve apostles in Acts 1, and in Acts 2:42, we see the early church devoted themselves "to the apostles teaching…." 

So, this small group of men received the authority to teach God's people God's message, leading to the church embracing their teaching. These would be what I would call [A]postles. 

In this context, the title "apostle" was given to a few specific men for the purpose of distinguishing them as God's appointed messenger. And here Paul is saying he's a part of that unique group. He was not commissioned and sent by man; he was commissioned and sent by God. He's not bringing his message; he's bringing God's message. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul is a [A]postle who was taught, commissioned, and sent by Jesus, the one who possesses power over life and death.

The title apostle isn't one of arrogance and pride; it's one of humility and lowliness. In calling himself an apostle, Paul is not beating his chest so that the church will stand in awe of him. He's calling himself an apostle so the church will embrace the message he's proclaiming. Because Paul is an apostle, the church could embrace his words confidently.

The same is true for you and me. The message of Ephesians is God's message. Therefore, we should read it and obey it. As we read this letter, we should listen to it with humble attentiveness. And, like the early church, we should devote ourselves to the apostle's teaching. The words of this book should impact our minds, transform our hearts, and mobilize our hands and feet.

***Most believe Paul wrote this letter during his first Roman imprisonment (3:1; 4:1), around AD 60-62. This reminds us that obedience to God is not always easy. Sometimes serving God may lead to freedom and wealth. Sometimes it may lead to chains and poverty.

SAINTS IN EPHESUS

The next thing I want us to see is who Paul's writing is to— "To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus…"

Ephesus was a Greek city found in the province of Asia, a place in modern-day Turkey. It was a capital city located near a harbor at the mouth of the Cayster River in Western Asia Minor. It was a popular city known for its significant trade center and the world's largest amphitheater that would hold up to 50,000 spectators. As we read the Bible, we see many things happen in Ephesus. 

• During Paul's time in Ephesus, all the residents of Asia heard the gospel preached (Acts 19:10). 

• While in Ephesus, God did many miracles through Paul (Acts 19:11) and a great revival took place through the new believers (Acts 19:19). 

• While in Ephesus, Paul and his disciples were brought in the amphitheater by a mob that rejected the gospel. 

• While in Ephesus, Paul wrote the book of 1 Corinthians. 

• While in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila discipled Apollos (Acts 18:24-26). 

• While in Ephesus, Timothy served as a pastor for the first time. 

Ephesus was an important city during the early church, a place where God did some incredible things. May the same be said of our city. May all the residents of Mobile have heard the gospel. May a great revival take place among the believers of Mobile. May we understand that with revival comes opposition. May we be home to gospel writers, faithful disciples, and humble pastors. May Mobile be a modern day Ephesus.

Now, in three of the earliest manuscripts of this letter, the name Ephesus is not found. This has led to some believing that this letter was intended to be read and passed along by different churches near Ephesus. To me, this seems most likely the case. And, if that's the case, that would explain the generality of the letter. This message was never intended to be hoarded but to be shared.

We could spend quite a bit of time here, but I don't want us to get bogged down on the location of his recipients and miss how Paul describes his recipients. Paul describes the recipients of this letter as "saints who are in Ephesus." 

The term "saint" doesn't refer to football players in New Orleans; it refers to those who are holy or set apart. It's an expression that was first applied to Israel as the 'holy nation.' But it later extended to the Christian community, the Israel of God. 

So, saints is an exclusive and inclusive term. It's exclusive because it only describes those who belong to God through Christ. But, it's inclusive in representing all who belong to God through Christ. It's not a term reserved only for the religious elite within the church; it's a term used to describe all of the church. If you have trusted in Jesus for your salvation, this title is bestowed upon you. You don't earn the title of a saint; you are given the title of saint. If your faith resides in Jesus, you have been set apart as holy, belonging to God as a prized possession. 

So, although this book was written to the saints who lived during a specific time in a specific place, it still applies to all saints today. The words of Ephesians still apply to us. 

FAITHFUL IN CHRIST JESUS

The saints here are described as "faithful in Christ Jesus." To be 'in Christ' is to be personally united to Jesus. As you read throughout the New Testament, you will find example after example of the believer being joined closely to Jesus. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. Jesus is the head, and we are the body. Jesus is the cornerstone, and we are the structure of the holy temple. 

Jesus is fundamentally central to the Christian faith, the lifeblood of the church. If you were to remove the vine, the branches would soon wither away. If you were to remove the head, the body would soon become lifeless. If you were to remove the cornerstone, the structure would soon crumble. You do not have the church without Jesus.

So, Christian faithfulness resides in our union with Jesus. It's not about what you can do to get Christ to you; it's being united to Jesus through faith. To be a Christian is to be "in Christ," meaning you have laid down your old life and now taken on Christ's life. You have a new Savior, a new identity, a new family, and a new home. Ephesus might have been where they lived, but Christ is where they resided. Mobile may be where you live, but Christ is where you reside. 

GRACE AND PEACE FROM GOD

Paul closes his greeting by saying, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

It is God's grace and peace that we all desperately need. God's grace and peace are the pillars that hold up the church. They are what breathe life into our dry bones. If you were to remove grace and peace from the Christian faith, you no longer have good news. If you take away grace and peace, the church comes crashing down. To understand God's mysterious will, you must start with grace and peace.

Grace is God giving you a good gift that you do not deserve. Where you deserve wrath, condemnation, and shame because of your sin, God (through Jesus) extends kindness, forgiveness, and mercy. Where you deserve to be cast out and ostracized because of your rejection of Him, God (through Jesus) extends to you peace and reconciliation.

Peace is harmony, tranquility, the state of well-being, and unity. The Christian message is a message of peace. Looking at the Bible, you will see that this peace is multifaceted. It is trifold. You will find the Bible talks about peace with God, peace with one another, and internal peace.

So, because of Jesus' death, we, most importantly, have peace with God. Once we have peace with God, we then have peace with God's bride, his church. Peace with God leads to relational peace with God's Church. Biblical community is a byproduct of having peace with God through faith in Jesus.

And once we have peace with God, we have peace within (inner peace). Amid the storms of life, we find inner rest and tranquility through a reconciled relationship with God. God's peace leads to peace with our neighbor and peace within ourselves.

I don't know who you are or where you are today. Perhaps you're struggling with sin and need to be reminded that God is a gracious God who is willing and desires to extend grace to sinners. Maybe your heart is hard toward someone today, and you must be reminded that God has pursued peace with you. Therefore, you should seek peace with your neighbor. Perhaps you're walking through a difficult season, and peace is far from you, and you need to be reminded that God is on the throne, working all things together for our good and his glory.

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the persecuted, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”