Ephesians 4:17-24

The NBA trade deadline is coming up on February 8, which means that if a team wants to trade any of their players, they have until the 8th to do so.

Here's what that will mean for some players in the league: February 8 will be the last day they wear their team's uniform. On February 9, they will have a new jersey to wear. On February 9, they will have new responsibilities and a new identity. Someone will no longer be an LA Laker; they will now be a Chicago Bull. They will remove that old Lakers jersey and put on a new Chicago Bulls jersey.

In our passage today, we will find this "taking off" and "putting on" language being used. We put off our old self, and we put on our new self. When we place our faith in Jesus, our team changes. We were once on the world's team, but now we are on God's team. And now that we are on God's team, our responsibility and identity changes. We take off our old way of living and put on our new way of living. We take off our old way of thinking and put on a new way of thinking. We take off our old desires and put on new desires. As Tony Merida summarizes this passage, "When we put on Christ, we receive a new spiritual identity and new corresponding responsibilities. Having put off the corrupt garment of the old self (4:22) and put on the new garment (v. 24), we must live in light of our new identity."

Let's dive in.

"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

DIFFERENT THAN THE WORLD

At the beginning of this section, Paul says, "Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds."

Walk is a term used throughout the gospels to describe the act of stepping one foot in front of the other— the act of making one's way through a town or place. Remember, there weren't cars during this time, so "walking" was a term that encompassed all of one's life.

Paul, however, often uses this word to describe the conduct of one's life. It's an individual's lifestyle. In saying, "You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do," Paul is saying, "You must no longer live as the Gentiles do." Put simply, how you live your life as a Christian ought to be drastically different than the Gentiles.

But what is a Gentile? A Gentile is a term used to describe 'the nations' or 'non-Jews' or 'the pagan world.'

So, Paul is saying Christians should live differently than the rest of the world. There are things the world will endorse that we should no longer endorse. There are things the world will do that we should no longer do. There are things the world will say that we should no longer say.

The language we use and the conversations we're a part of should stand out at work. How we do business, as a business owner, should be different than our competitors. How we care for our neighbors should be different than everyone else in our neighborhood. How we interact with the opposite sex should be different than our partners at the gym.

DIFFERENT THAN YOU

Your lifestyle should look different from the world. But not only should your life look different from the world, it should also look different from how you used to live. "No longer" implies that the church did, at one time, walk as the Gentiles walked. So, Paul says that those who have experienced salvation will also experience transformation. The way you live now as a Christian should be different than how you lived before you were a Christian. To confess Jesus as Savior is also to acknowledge him as Lord. To say, "Jesus has saved me from my sins" is also to say, "I'm willing to let Jesus lead me away from my sins."

There should be a distinction between the church and the world, and there should be a distinction between your new self and your old self.

You're missing this fundamental aspect of the Christian faith if your justification for snapping at a co-worker, bickering with a neighbor, or arguing with your spouse is, "Well, I've always been a short-tempered person. Short fuses run deep in our family."

The way you live now as a Christian should begin to be different than how you lived before you were a Christian.

HEART & MIND

Now, I want us to look at how Paul describes the world's ways, "...you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity."

Notice the primary emphasis here is on what's on the inside, not the outside. Paul doesn't summarize the world's way as "drinking, smoking, and cussing." No, he summarizes the world as a people who are darkened in their understanding and have a hard and calloused heart toward God.

I believe this teaches us that God cares about our hearts more than our actions. It's possible, at times, to look morally clean with religious actions and still be alienated from the life of God. It's possible to cover up a greedy heart with actions that appear to be selfless. It's possible to look like someone who loves God when, in reality, you hate God.

The heart of the problem is the heart of the person— "Futility of mind, darkened in their understanding, ignorance that is in them, hardness of heart, calloused."

Futility is a term that implies emptiness. It's a word used in the Old Testament 54 times (mostly Ecclesiastes) and three times in the New Testament. It's a term that signifies vanity, purposelessness, absurdity, or worthlessness.

Vanity, vanity, everything is vanity," says Solomon in Ecclesiastes. Similarly, Paul says in 1 Corinthians that our faith would be futile and worthless if Christ had not been raised from the grave (1 Cor. 15:17). In Romans 8:20, he tells us that creation had been subject to futility due to the fall (Rom 8:20), meaning it was created to produce fruit to preserve life, but was thwarted due to the curse of the fall. Similarly, Peter tells us that false prophets utter loud boasts of complete folly (2 Pt. 2:18).

So, here in Ephesians, Paul is saying that there is something fundamentally wrong with the mind of the world; it's unable to function the way that it was intended to function. There's a way that might seem right to the world, but in reality, it's empty and worthless apart from God. There was a way that seemed right to us before Christ, but in reality, it was empty and worthless apart from God.

Paul adds that they are "darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart." So, they walk in the futility of their minds because their understanding is darkened. But not only are they darkened in their understanding, they are far from God.

Paul, in Romans 1, tells us that "what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen."

So, God has made himself known to the world, yet the world has rejected him. They did not honor him as God. They've distanced themselves from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them. Therefore, God has given them up to the lust of their hearts. Their hearts are hard. Using Paul's language, they have become "calloused and have given themselves us to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity."

This is the world; this was you. Their minds are futile; your mind was futile. Their understanding is darkened; your understanding was darkened. Their life is far from God; your life was far from God. Their hearts are hardened toward God and full of ignorance; your heart was hardened toward God and full of ignorance. They are calloused and greedy to practice every kind of impurity; you were calloused and greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

LEARNING CHRIST

"But!" Paul says. Something has changed in you! He says, "But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus…"

Learned is an academic word. It's a word that implies one being taught something. So, Paul is telling us that when they learned Christ, transformation began to take place, which teaches us that teaching and learning are fundamental aspects of the Christian faith. They heard about Christ and were taught in Christ.

Community is important. Being present in one another's lives is essential. I think a healthy church does things together. We want to be friends with one another. We want to laugh with one another; we want to cry with one another. But, we short-change community if we neglect discipleship. Jesus called his disciples to go into the world to make disciples, and teaching is a fundamental element of discipleship. Discipleship is teaching a Christian how to think, feel, and act like Jesus. So, to be a disciple of Jesus, we must learn about Jesus.

There's something interesting here that 99% of us will miss. Paul, in his writings, often refers to Jesus as "Jesus Christ," or "Christ Jesus," or "Lord Jesus," or "the Messiah, Jesus." But, here in Ephesians 4:21, we find the only mention of just the name Jesus in Ephesians. So, Paul seems to be intentionally drawing his reader's attention to the historical person, Jesus. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The life of Jesus isn't a fabricated story; it's a historically accurate story about the person and work of Jesus. A fundamental aspect of discipleship is teaching one another about Jesus. Jesus is the subject of Christian teaching.

But our teaching isn't merely intellectual; it's also relational. As we grow in our knowledge of Christ, we should grow in our relationship with Christ. The fundamental difference between the world and the church is our proximity to God. The world is alienated from God; we are with God in Christ. The world worships man; we worship God. The world loves self; we love God. The world serves its own desires; we serve Christ. As we commit to learning about Christ, we commit to walking with Christ. We want to know him both intellectually and relationally.

NEW CREATION

Paul then says that we are to put off our "old self, which belongs to [our] former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds."

To embrace Jesus is to adopt a new way of life. We're taking off that old jersey and putting on a new one. And this new way of life starts with our hearts and our minds. When we trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit moves into our hearts and gives us new desires.

Think back to when COVID was running rampant through our world. One common effect of having the virus was a change of or a lack of taste. Things that we once loved, we no longer love. Things we once craved, we no longer have a taste for. Some of us, for example, were addicted to coffee, got COVID, and then no longer liked coffee. No one could explain how it happened, but something happened inside us that changed our tastes and desires.

Friends, this is the Christian life. Something changed within us when we learned Christ and placed our faith and trust in him. Our thinking changes. Maybe not instantly, but over time, our desires should begin to change. As our minds are being renewed, our affections are transformed. Things we once craved no longer sound appealing. Things our hearts once longed for don't quite have the same hold on us as they once did.

We put off our old self, and we "put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." Church, when we trust in Jesus, we become a new creation. Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Colossians 3:1 says, "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God."

We are a new creation. Our old self has died, and we have been raised with Christ. And this new self has been created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

In Christ, you are declared righteous, truly righteous. You are justified before God, meaning you will stand holy, blameless, and above reproach in his presence. And, now, those whom the blood of Jesus has made righteous should begin to pursue righteousness by the power of Jesus in them. In Christ, you are made holy, set apart from the world. And, now, in Christ, you are called to pursue holiness.

Ephesians 4:12-16

TEXT:

"[12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, [14] so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. [15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

SERMON MANUSCRIPT:

"They grow up fast" is a phrase most parents will say at some point in their life. One moment, you're in the hospital, and the next moment, you're in a college dorm room. One moment, you're sleep-deprived, waking up every two hours, and the next moment, you're fighting to get your child up every morning for school.

Growth, maturity, and development may take time, and it may seem like they will never happen. But they're inevitable. As long as there's breath in their lungs, the immature will mature, and the undeveloped will develop. Your little boy will one day become a man, and your little princess will one day become a queen.

They grow up fast. You grew up fast. One moment, you're climbing hills; the next, you're paying bills. One moment, all you want to do is play, and the next moment, you're wondering why your hair is gray.

Growth and maturity are common to the human experience. And what our passage today teaches us is that growth and maturity ought to be common Christian experiences. When each of us trusted in Jesus for our salvation, we were immediately adopted into the family of God, making us members of the body of Christ. And when each of us trusted in Jesus for our salvation, we immediately became spiritual infants. But, as we each grow, we grow together, becoming more and more like Jesus as we walk through life together. Like a young child, the church is to grow together into mature manhood.

BRIEF RECAP

Last week, we saw where Christ had given four unique gifts to the church:

• Apostles: someone who was personally taught and sent by Jesus into the world to teach his message.

• Prophets: a mouthpiece or spokesman of God.

• Evangelist: someone gifted with the ability to share their faith with the lost.

• Shepherd/pastor: someone responsible for caring for God's flock, the church.

And we saw that Christ gave these gifts to the church to equip the church for the work of ministry. And today, we will continue looking at God's intentions for the church.

So, let's dive in.

"[12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, [14] so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. [15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

HUMBLE SERVICE

We're not going to spend too much time here. But, in verse 12, we see that Christ gave these gifts for the purpose of equipping the saints for the work of ministry.

Saints is a general term that describes the entire church, which tells us we are all ministers. We all have a unique role and gifting for ministry within the life of the church.

The word used here for "ministry" is the Greek word "diakonia." It means attending to the needs of another. It's the idea of serving another by applying intentional relief, which teaches us that proper church culture is one of humble service.

Every member of the church is called to ministry, and ministry is humble service. Each member of the church is called to empty their tanks, using their gifts to serve one another selflessly. A healthy church is a serving church. The heartbeat of the church should be lowly and humble Christ-like service and love.

GOAL OF CHRISTIAN UNITY

As we continue to read, we will discover that one of the primary goals of the Christian faith is unity in Christ— "for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God…"

This is a bit of a paradox when you think about it. On the one hand, we are positionally one in Christ. Upon belief in Jesus, we have been given an involuntary unity in Christ. We have been adopted into the family of God. We have been grafted into the people of God. We are now members of the body of Christ. But, on the other hand, we are responsible for working toward unity. Unity is something received, but it is also maintained (v.3) and attained (v.13).

The unity we seek to maintain is a unity that revolves around knowing Jesus— "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God…" Jesus is the glue that holds the church together. The moment we abandon knowing Jesus is the moment Christian unity comes out of reach. The moment we forsake learning about Jesus is the moment fractures will begin to creep into the body of Christ.

What unites the church ought to be that which ignited the church. What ignited the church? Individuals coming to know Jesus. What unites the church? Individuals knowing Jesus. Jesus is what holds us together.

GOAL OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY

In addition to unity, one of the primary goals of the Christian faith is Christian maturity— "to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and from by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."

Notice that the maturity he is referring to here is corporate, not personal. He's speaking about the church, the body of Christ, growing up together into mature manhood. But, for the church to mature corporately, it must be filled with individuals maturing individually. As we grow, we grow together.

As you watch a child grow, they sometimes grow awkwardly. Perhaps their feet, for a time, grow faster than the rest of their body. And, for a few months, they look like a duck. But, eventually, the rest of that child's body will grow with their feet. This is Christian discipleship. As we grow individually, we ought to grow corporately. As we mature personally, we ought to mature corporately. We use our gifts, talents, and resources to build up one another into mature disciples of Jesus. And, as we mature as disciples of Jesus, we are building up the body of Christ.

Christian maturity coincides with Christian unity. The more we grow in our walk with Jesus, the closer we should grow with one another. Immaturity pushes us away from one another; maturity pushes us closer to one another. We are intended to grow in our walk with Jesus together.

So, you show me a mature church, and I will show you a united church. You show me a united church, and I will show you a mature church. A key element to Christian discipleship should be teaching young believers the importance of Christian unity.

Now, I want you to notice what happens when the church matures. As a church matures, it will be able to recognize false teachings and withstand the deceitful schemes of the enemy. Paul says, "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."

I want you to see the imagery Paul is using here.

I grew up at the beach, and I love to surf. We are a beach family. The Parazine family is happiest when the air is warm and sand is between our toes. But going to the beach with young children can sometimes be nerve-racking, especially when the waves are big. When the waves are big, and the current is strong, you're afraid to let your children get close to the water. No matter how much they beg, you won't allow them to get close to the water because you know the danger before them.

As a parent, you know that what might be safe for you isn't safe for a child. You are taller, and you are stronger. The same current pulling at your waist would be pulling at their neck. The current you might be able to withstand would easily carry your child out to sea. So, as a parent, you must diligently protect your child from the dangerous currents of the ocean.

Well, church, I'm here to tell you that cultural and doctrinal currents are ripping throughout our society today. There are false doctrines that sound compelling and will easily pull young Christians away from Christ. There are false teachers who, like Satan himself, have intentions to confuse, trick, and deceive the church. There are men and women who, like Satan himself, are seeking to plant seeds of doubt into our hearts and minds by asking, "Did God really say that?" There are men and women who, like Satan himself, are unbelievably good with their words that will lure the spiritual infants into embracing teachings that are contrary to the true gospel.

So, we need to grow and mature in our faith so that we can begin to recognize and discern what is true or not. As we grow in our knowledge of Christ, we mature. And as we mature, we will become rooted and grounded in truth. We want to be a mature church full of men and women who can stand firm against the currents seeking to pull us away from Christ.

GOAL OF CHRISTIAN LOVE

Then, finally, we see that a mature church is a loving church. The more we grow in the knowledge of Christ, the more we ought to love like Christ. The more we embrace truth, the more we ought to ooze out love.

Have you ever seen one of those souvenir penny presses? You put the penny into the machine, crank the machine, and then out comes a newly shaped penny.

This ought to be the Christian's experience with truth. Upon belief, we enter into a relationship with Jesus. And the end result of being pressed by a knowledge of Jesus is a loving believer. The more we grow in the knowledge of Christ, the more we ought to love like Christ.

Paul says, "[15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

Part of Christian maturity is understanding, embracing, and proclaiming truth. But truly mature Christians will proclaim the truth in love. The mark of a mature believer is love. The mark of a mature church is love. Christian love is the blood flow to a healthy church. Without it, we will quickly die.

Ephesians 4:11-12

TEXT:

"[11] And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, [12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, [14] so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. [15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

SERMON MANUSCRIPT:

Depending upon your upbringing, sports can get a good or bad rap. Sports can undoubtedly become an idol we worship, leading to multiple painful memories. But sports can also be a good gift from the Lord, a common grace of God that teaches us many valuable lessons about work, life, and God.

Sports teach us the importance of hard work, they teach us how to handle success and failure, and they teach us the importance of teamwork. Sports teach us that we need our teammates just as much as our teammates need us.

Think about baseball or football for a moment. For a baseball team to be successful, you need nine players to play nine different positions well. Even though everyone might want to play shortstop, you can't have everyone play shortstop. Just as much as you need someone to play shortstop, you need someone to play the not-so-glamorous position of right field.

The same is true with football, as well. For a football team to be successful, you need 22 players playing 22 different positions. Even though everyone wants to be the quarterback, you can't have everyone play quarterback. If everyone played quarterback, you would have no one to throw the ball to. With a team full of quarterbacks, you would have no one to block the opposing defense or stop the opposing offense.

For a team to succeed, you need a group of individuals who are uniquely gifted in various ways who are committed to playing their position to the best of their ability. Well, the same is true of the church. For the church to function correctly, it needs to consist of a group of individuals who are uniquely gifted in various ways and who are committed to playing their position to the best of their ability. Today, we will look at how God has uniquely gifted different members of the body of Christ for the glory of God and the good of the church.

But, before we do so, I want to give us a brief overview of spiritual gifts in the Bible. The word "gift" is the Hebrew word "charisma." It's a word that is directly tied to grace. Perhaps it could best be understood as God's undeserved favor extended to his people. At times, this word is directly tied to the gospel and the free gift of salvation.

For example, Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift [charisma] of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." So, where we deserve death, God has extended the undeserved gift of eternal life through his Son, Jesus. Salvation is not something you earn through merit; it is not something you deserve through effort. It is something you receive through faith, an underserved gift [charisma] from God.

In addition to salvation, charisma is also used to describe spiritual gifts within the church. So, this isn't a saving grace but a ministry grace. A spiritual gift is a Holy Spirit-empowered ability given to a believer that they should use to build up the body of Christ.

There are four instances in the New Testament where spiritual gifts are mentioned: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Ephesians 4:11, and 1 Peter 4:11. In looking at these different passages, you'll notice some overlap in the described gifts. But, in addition to this overlap, significant differences are found among these lists.

The book of Romans and 1 Peter seem to lay out several essential and basic functions performed in the church. 1 Corinthians seems to be more of a matter of special abilities found within the church, and Ephesians 4:11 is a list of various offices within the church. Our passage today, therefore, teaches us that God has given unique leaders to the church for the purpose of equipping the church to be the church.

So, let's dive in.

"[11] And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, [12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, [14] so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. [15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

I want to spend our first few minutes unpacking the various gifts Christ gives the church to equip the body of Christ.

APOSTLES.

The first gift mentioned is the apostles. The word "apostle" simply means "one who is sent." So, in a very general sense, an apostle is a specific messenger with a specific title, taking a specific message to a specific people. In this general sense, all Christians everywhere are apostles because we have been sent into the world as Christ's ambassadors proclaiming his message.

But, in a more specific sense, the Bible speaks of [A]postles of Christ. These were a small group of men chosen and commissioned by Christ to proclaim his message to the world (the twelve disciples of Jesus). So, 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

In chapter 2, Paul tells us that the apostles and prophets were the foundation of the church-- you and I are "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone." This tells us that the apostles and prophets are profoundly important to the church.

Let's now try to put a definition to the term apostle for a moment. An apostle was someone who was personally taught and sent by Jesus into the world to teach his message. An apostle was an appointed messenger of Jesus. These 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 of Jesus.

Now, 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, the apostles were teaching, the church was listening, and the church was doing what the apostles were teaching them.

In addition to Mathias, we also see Jesus appear before Paul, save Paul, call Paul, and send Paul out as an apostle. So, at the beginning of many of Paul's letters, you find Paul introducing himself as an apostle of Jesus. In doing so, he's saying, "Hey, I have God's message for you."

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles were taught, commissioned, and sent by Jesus to proclaim his message. This was a small group of men who received authority to teach God's people God's message, which led to the church embracing their teaching.

With that being said, I believe that the gift of apostleship is still being enjoyed within the church today. But, I do not believe the gift of apostleship is still being distributed amongst the church today.

There's a fundamental difference between those two statements that I want us to understand.

In general, yes, we're all called to be [a]postles, meaning we're all sent into the world to be Christ's ambassador, proclaiming his message. But, in the specific sense of the word being used here, no one today has an apostolic authority to come and proclaim a direct and unique message of Jesus. Only a handful of apostles were sent to proclaim God's message in which the church would be built. So, church, you should politely run out of the building if I come to you next Sunday and say, "Church, close your Bibles. The Lord has given me a new message for you today."

Well, if the gift of apostleship isn't being distributed, how is it still being enjoyed? In God's providential goodness, we still can enjoy God's written message proclaimed through the apostles. In God's grace, the message of the apostles was written down and recorded. Therefore, we can still be equipped and edified by God's word spoken through the apostles.

PROPHECY

Like the apostles, the term prophet has varying degrees of application. In using the definition John Stott gives in his commentary on Ephesians, a prophet was "a person who 'stood in the council of God,' who heard and even 'saw' his word, and who in consequence 'spoke from the mouth of the Lord' and spoke his word 'faithfully.'" In other words, a prophet was a "mouthpiece or spokesman of God, a vehicle of his direct revelation." Like an apostle, a prophet proclaimed a direct message from God, saying, "Thus says the LORD."

Similar to an apostle, I do not think, in this formal sense, there are [P]rophets today. Like the apostles, the prophets served as the church's foundation, and fortunately, we still have their words available today that we can study and know. But, with that being said, I do think the gift of prophecy is different than the gift of apostleship in the sense that it is a gift still being given to the church today. When you look at the list of spiritual gifts in Romans and 1 Corinthians, you will find prophecy listed in both. So, although I do not think there are [P]rophets, I certainly believe there are [p]rophets.

But what does the gift of prophecy look like today?

Perhaps this could be demonstrated through a believer's ability to study God's word and then apply God's word to a specific person, people, or context.

Generally, we should all strive to handle the Bible carefully. And as we study the Scriptures, after we learn what the text means in its immediate context, we should ask the question, "What does God have to say to me (and us) today?" We should all seek to contextualize the Bible to our immediate life and context. But, there are undoubtedly some of us whom God has uniquely gifted to do this better than others. Some of us have a special gift for taking the Word of God and contextualizing it to where we are today. Some of us will be reading the Bible and feel the Spirit lead us to text someone and say, "Hey, as I was reading this morning, God laid you on my heart, and I want to let you know ______."

EVANGELIST

At the root of the word "evangelist" is the word "evangelize." In his book on Evangelism, Alvin Reid defines evangelism as "sharing the good news of Jesus Christ by word and life in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that unbelievers become followers of Jesus Christ in His church and in the culture."

As believers, we're all called to evangelize. We're all expected to share our faith with the lost. But, an Evangelist is gifted with a unique ability to proclaim the gospel and share their faith with the lost. An evangelist is someone gifted with the ability to share their faith with the lost.

As we all seek to share the hope of the gospel, there are undoubtedly some of us here today who have a special ability and passion to reach the lost. These are individuals who are more hardwired to think outward than inward. These are individuals who are always thinking through the lens of how to win the lost to Christ. These are individuals who can carefully walk with the lost without jeopardizing biblical conviction. These are individuals who can proclaim Christ crucified in a manner that is compelling and not abrasive.

A healthy church needs men and women who are using their gifts, talents, and resources to reach their neighbors for Christ. The church needs men and women to be praying, "Lord, help me leverage my entire life to make your name great in the world!"

SHEPHERDS AND TEACHERS

Next, Paul mentions shepherds and teachers. There's a difference of opinions here regarding whether or not this is one or two positions described. Some try to divide these into two roles or gifts (the gift of a shepherd and the gift of a teacher), while others lump them into the same role.

Those who put them in the same category point to the fact that there's just one definitive article separating in Greek here, indicating they're in the same position— "the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers." They would then say that one of the primary ways a shepherd takes care of his flock is by feeding his flock, and the way a shepherd feeds his flock is through the teaching of the word.

Others, however, would respond by saying, "Yes, all shepherds should teach. But not all teachers are shepherds. Some are gifted in teaching and will not be responsible for shepherding the flock in a pastoral role."

There are certainly valid arguments either way. And I, honestly, went back and forth on which camp I landed in this week. But I want to spend the next few moments discussing the role of a pastor/shepherd here.

Depending on your translation, your Bible will say "shepherd" or "pastor." The Greek word for shepherd here is "poimēn." It describes the act of overseeing and caring for the flock. So, a pastor is responsible for caring for God's flock, the church.

When you read throughout the New Testament, you'll find three different terms used to describe this same office of a pastor: presbuteros (elder), episkopos (overseer), and poimēn (pastor/shepherd). At Harbor, we will hold to the idea that these three terms are used interchangeably to describe the same office. So, an elder is an overseer, an overseer is a pastor, and a pastor is an elder.

Why do we think this?

We come to this conclusion because of passages like Acts 20:17-28. Here, Paul gathers the elders (presbuteros) of the church of Ephesus to give them a farewell message. Well, in verse 28, as he's giving a final commission to the elders, he says, "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (episkopos), to care for (poimaino) the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." So, the elders of the church of Ephesus were to watch over and care for the flock that God had made them overseers of.

I want you to notice that Paul addresses the elder[s], plural, of the church of Ephesus. Passages like this make us believe a local church shouldn't have one pastor. We hold to the belief that a church is best shepherded through a plurality of elders/pastors. So, as long as the Lord has me here, I will always be one of the pastors here at Harbor; I will never be the pastor. We have three elders/pastors here at Harbor: Wayne Cunningham, Brady King, and myself.

But why? Why a plurality of pastors?

Well, I can think of a multitude of reasons. For one, the Bible talks about wisdom coming through many counselors. So, pastors shepherd best with other pastors. But the fundamental reason why I think a plurality of elders is so important is this: it allows your pastors to be pastored.

Look back at that passage in Acts, "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock…" Before you find a call to shepherd the flock, you find a call to shepherd each other, themselves. A plurality of elders provides accountability to those who need accountability. It provides comfort to those who need comforting. It provides wisdom to those who need counsel. It provides prayer for those who need prayer. A plurality of elders keeps your elders grounded.

Although I am the pastor you see the most, I am no different than Wayne and Brady. This is not my church, and I am not the pastor. This is God's church, which he obtained by his own blood. I am simply one of the men God entrusted to shepherd his flock, and in that same breath, I am a part of the flock that the pastors of this church are shepherding.

As pastors, it's our responsibility to pay close attention to ourselves and to the flock God has entrusted us to shepherd. It's our responsibility to lovingly care for you and seek your growth in Christ (Heb 13:17; 1 Th 5:12). It's our responsibility to provide teaching, preaching, and counsel from the whole counsel of God (Gal 6:6; 1 Tim 5:17-18). It's our responsibility to help you in times of need (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35; Jas 2:14-17; Gal. 6:1-5). It's our responsibility to pray for you regularly (Jas 5:14). It's our responsibility to be on guard against false teachers/teaching (Acts 20:28-31). It's our responsibility to exercise redemptive church discipline when necessary (Mt 18:15-20; 1 Co 5; Gal 6:1). It's our responsibility to help you become equipped to serve Christ and his church well (Ep 4:11-13).

Look at verse 12, "he gave these gifts... to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain the the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."

It's not the pastor's responsibility to do the work of the ministry; it is the pastor's responsibility to equip the church for the work of the ministry. To be clear, that doesn't mean the pastors do nothing within the church. No, we ought to serve and be actively involved in the life of the church. But what I mean by that is this: the church is best served whenever the pastors are equipping the church to do the work of the ministry because we are all ministers.

The word used here for "ministry" is the Greek word "diakonia." It means attending to the needs of another. It's the idea of serving another by applying relief to them. It's the same word used in Luke 10:40 to describe Martha. When Martha welcomed Jesus into her home, her sister (Mary) was sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to his teaching. While Mary was listening, "Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Jesus and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?"

This teaches us that we are all called to ministry, and ministry is humble service. Ministry is a term of action. It's a term of selfless service.  We are all called to empty our tanks, using our gifts to serve one another selflessly.

Ephesians 4:7-10

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Spend some time reading as discussing the creed of oneness in verses 4-6. What does this creed teach us about what should be important in the church?

2. Why do you think Paul quotes Psalm 68 here when talking about spiritual gifts?

3. How is unity different than uniformity? Why is diversity within unity a good thing?

TEXT:

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

8 Therefore it says,

"When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,

and he gave gifts to men."

9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)"

SERMON MANUSCRIPT:

For Christmas, my in-laws bought my children an unassembled swing set (which, in my humble opinion, is an expression of love to the child who gets to play on the swing set and an expression of hate to the parent who has to assemble the swing set, but I digress).

Over the years of building various things, I've learned that I'm not too fond of instructions; I would much rather skip the reading portion of the assembly and dive right into the building process. In doing so, I'm never able to assemble things correctly.

To build something properly, one must first consult the instructions. Well, the same is true with the Christian faith. As instructions are essential to assembly, gospel doctrine is essential to gospel living. Gospel doctrine shapes gospel culture.

We find the book of Ephesians teaching us this much. In the first three chapters of Ephesians, we find Paul teaching the church doctrine. He's been teaching the church theological truths surrounding who God is, what God has done for the church in Christ, and who the church is in Christ. But, here, in chapter 4, we find a transition taking place. In chapter 4, we find Paul shifting from the heart and mind to the hands and feet, from the vertical to the horizontal, from doctrine to application, orthodoxy to orthopraxy.

In the remaining portion of Ephesians, we will begin to learn that what we believe about God should shape how we live among men; correct thinking should lead to right living. If you want to build a sturdy play set for your kids, you need the instruction manual. In the same way, if we want to be a healthy church, we need sound doctrine. Gospel doctrine shapes gospel culture.

So, as we journey through the rest of this book, we will be building on top of the doctrinal foundation laid for us in chapters 1-3. In Ephesians 2, for example, Paul laid down the foundation of church doctrine. In chapter 2, he painted the picture of the church being a united people who cling to Jesus as their only hope for salvation. The church is a body, the body of Christ. It's a beautiful kingdom, a royal family, a holy temple. In Christ, we are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Well, in Ephesians 4, we find Paul stacking on top of that doctrinal foundation bricks of practical application regarding how the church should interact with one another on a day-to-day basis. Today, we will learn that although the church is one in Christ, we are not all the same in Christ. There is a diversity of giftings within the church that ought to be noticed and celebrated. You are one with the person next to you, but you are not the same as the person next to you. Unity is not the same thing as uniformity. The church is a united yet diverse group of people who seek to lovingly serve one another for the glory of God and the good of one another.

Let's dive in.

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

8 Therefore it says,

"When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,

and he gave gifts to men."

9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)"

A UNITED BODY

Before we dive into verse 7, let's look at verses 4-6 for a brief moment.

The declaration here in these few verses was likely a creed that the early church would corporately repeat together. Here in this creed is a theme of unity and oneness.

The word "one" is used seven times in these three verses. Simply put, "one" is the opposite of many. It's a word of singularity. It's a term of unity. There are not many bodies of Christ; there is one body to which we all belong. There are not multiple spirits; there is one Spirit who indwells all believers. There are not varying objects to which we can place our hope and faith; there is one place our hope and faith can reside: Jesus. We don't submit to multiple lords; we submit to Christ and Christ alone. There are not numerous places to which our sins can be washed away; there is one baptism to which we can partake and become white as snow. We don't have multiple fathers whom we trust; there is one Father who has lovingly adopted us into his family. We are one, united together as the body of Christ.

This is a foundational doctrine of the church, the oneness of the church. The imagery Paul uses here is the church is a body. The church is not a building, nor is it an organization; it is a living and breathing organism that is joined together as the body of Christ.

This is strategic imagery Paul uses to communicate our oneness. We must understand that the Christian faith is not a solo faith; it's a corporate endeavor that we enjoy with other believers. You are a member of the body of Christ in the same way an arm is a member of a human body. In the same way an arm best functions while joined to a body, you function best when you are joined to the church. A hand doesn't get to wander off from the body. You don't wake up in the morning and say, "Daggumit, my feet ran off again." You need the church, and the church needs you.

For a body to function properly, it needs all of its members. And for a body to function properly, it needs all of its members to follow the control and guidance of its boss, the brain. Similarly, for the church (the body of Christ) to function correctly, its members (you and me) must follow the control and guidance of our boss, Jesus. Jesus is the head, and we are the members of the church.

So, our unity as the church centers around Jesus. It revolves around his life, teachings, death, and resurrection. Together as the church, we proclaim that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. We are united in this proclamation. As the church, we aren't an all-inclusive club where anyone can bring whatever truth they want to the table. No, we are a people who have abandoned the many false truths that the world will offer for the one true hope of Christ crucified. What binds us together is a conviction to certain Biblical truths, which are of primary importance. Together, we are one body that rallies around one Lord, proclaiming one hope throughout the world.

Now, I want to speak on the local church for a moment. When I hear different pastors teach the idea of the church being the body of Christ, they unintentionally (or maybe intentionally) make it out that their church is the body of Christ. But I want us to understand that that's not what the Bible teaches here.

Harbor Community Church is not the body of Christ; it is a part of the body of Christ. Harbor is a [b]ody of Christ that is a part of the [B]ody of Christ. And in God's providential goodness, we are not the only [b]ody of Christ here in Mobile. Therefore, we are not in competition with other churches. In the same way that it would be crazy for an arm to despise a leg, it should be foolish for a church to despise another church. We are on the same team, members of the same body.

To be clear, not all buildings with the word "church" on them are a part of the body of Christ. Wolves are certainly in sheep's clothing here in Mobile. Organizations are pretending to be organisms. False teachers are proclaiming false messages. There are "churches" wrapping Satan's gospel with the words of the true gospel. Some folks have replaced the gospel of freedom with the gospel of slavery.

But, friends, let me also be clear. We have a lot of brothers and sisters throughout Mobile who worship in different buildings on Sunday. So, as a pastor, I believe I am responsible for encouraging and praying for other pastors in Mobile. As a pastor, I think I have a responsibility to, at times, encourage folks to join and stay at other churches in Mobile. We are not in the business of building our church with the ruins of another church.

If we want to be a faithful [b]ody of Christ, we must be eager to maintain unity amongst the [B]ody of Christ. We may have differing opinions on how the church should be governed. We may have differing views on baptism. We may have different opinions on the end times. But, we do not have differing views on the Lordship of Christ; no, together, we all bow in submission to Christ as our Lord. We put our arms around our brothers and sisters and say, "It is in Christ, and Christ alone, that our hope resides. We may not see you on Sundays, but we will see you in heaven."

UNITY IS NOT THE SAME AS UNIFROMITY

Now, notice what Paul does after addressing this creed of oneness. He says, "But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift."

The term "but" is a literary record scratch. It's a term used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting with what has already been mentioned. So, what Paul is about to say contrasts with what was just said— "We are one body… but grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift."

The English word "grace" is the Greek word "charis." It implies an undeserved gift given to someone by another. It's a word often used in reference to salvation— we are saved by grace through faith (Rom. 6:1,14-17; 11:5-6; Eph. 2:8). But, it's used differently here. Here, it's used in reference to spiritual gifts. As Tony Merida describes it, "This is not 'saving grace' but 'ministry grace.' It is grace to serve and build up the body."

So, what this is saying is that although we are all one in Christ, we are also uniquely different in Christ. As the church, we cling to the singular hope of God's grace in Christ Jesus. Yet, we've also been graced differently by Jesus.

Unity is not the same as uniformity. Our ears are different than our noses, and our nose is different than our eyes. Each member of our body is different than the other, yet each member is a part of the same body.

To support this, Paul quotes Psalm 68 by saying, "Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men. (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? [10] He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)"

Psalm 68 is what some would call a victory hymn. God had gone in triumph before his people after the exodus out of Egypt. The mountains shook, the waters moved, and the kings were scattered. This Psalm was a reminder to God's people of God's victorious power and a call for God to act powerfully on behalf of his people in the future.

Now, what's interesting is that, over time, many Jews had begun to associate Psalm 68 with Pentecost, which was a Jewish feast that celebrated the giving of the law. It evolved into a covenant renewal celebration, a time for remembering God's covenant with his people on Mount Sinai. So, Moses ascended up Mount Sinai to receive the gift of the law and descended down with the gift of the law. Well, in Acts 2, we see that during the feast of Pentecost, the promised Holy Spirit came down on his people and filled them with power.

So, it could be that Paul is saying that Jesus is the greater Moses. Like Moses, Jesus ascended on high and returned to the Father after his death and resurrection. And he then gave the gift of himself (the Holy Spirit) to his people so that he might fill all things. So, the gift Christ gives to his people is the Holy Spirit. Each member of the church has been given a unique grace/gift of the Holy Spirit that they are to use to serve and build up the body of Christ.

Next week, we will begin to unpack some of the gifts the Holy Spirit gives. But, I want us to understand today that God has given everyone in the church different gifts that they are to use to serve the church. Although we are one, we are different. This teaches us the fundamental truth that everyone is essential in the church. You are important to the church. God has uniquely gifted you for the purpose of building up the body of Christ.

You may be an ear, and I may be the nose. She may be a hand, and he may be a foot. We are all vastly different in how God has gifted us. But, our differences are essential. As John Stott puts it, "Christian unity is enriched by the diversity of our gifts."

But, just to remind us, the words "gift" and "grace" are the opposite of "wage" and "strength." If you are prideful about how God gifted you, you are fundamentally missing the point. God has uniquely gifted you for the work of ministry. And this ought to breed humility, thankfulness, and selflessness. As you serve and use your gifts, you do so with a humble heart.

Ephesians 4:1-7

Acts 1:8

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. The disciples were “witnesses” of Jesus who witnessed under the power of the Holy Spirit. How should this help us trust their testimony surrounding Jesus in the Bible?

2. Why is it good news that effective witnessing hinges on the Holy Spirit, not our eloquence?

3. Do you find yourself becoming afraid or nervous when sharing your faith? If so, how does the apostle Paul saying that he preached the gospel in “fear and trembling” give us confidence that we can still be effective witnesses despite our fear?

Mary’s Song pt.4

Mary’s Song pt.3

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?