Together in Christ

And you may be seated.

Will you bow with me in prayer this morning? Heavenly Father, we come to you on a holiday weekend and we are so thankful. That we live in a place. Where we can celebrate holidays, or we can live in a place country, that values work labor, and it values, Fair wages and Justice. We appreciate that, you're thankful for that. Got everything for the we can gather without fear of authorities breaking in and disrupting this worship of you. God we cry out for our brothers and sisters around the world who don't have such Freedom. May, we never forget to remember them in our prayers. Got2b look to your word this morning, we invite you through, Holy Spirit to teach us truths unchanged. From the dawn of time that will echo down through eternity. God, mysterious truths that we don't always understand. And yet, we fully put our faith in trusted.

Got to be a firm that we pulley fully put heart rate, faith, and trust in the person of Jesus Christ. The second person of the Trinity and in. So doing put our full faith and trust in God Almighty, the maker of heaven.

Will you be with us this morning? Be with us who aren't here this morning. But a part of this local manifestation of your body, those that are in the hospital. Those that have that are traveling seeing relatives, Enjoying the last bit of Summer.

Will unite our hearts and love for Jesus Christ. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

Howdy.

Greetings matter, don't they? If I've already come up to you and greet you on a Sunday morning with a frown on my face, and hands in my pockets and presumably not a micro at ion therefore not indicating in any way, but I belong here and therefore have no, right? Helping you to feel like you belong here. That would be a problem. That would be an issue, greeting is matter because they formulate the communication, the relationship that is going to follow. If you go up to someone and said, how are you doing and they burst into tears? If you was the questioner, how are you doing? Ignore that, then how?

Callos. Do you appear?

And out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. So how callous would you probably be in reality? Greeting is a matter in the most recent article of Christianity today, which is a publication that our church library subscribes to you. Can always go see the latest issue of both World magazine and Christianity Today, you can see that posted in the library on the left wall, right? As you walk in the door, the newest article issue is titled. They them there and make an argument

Or or rather brings up the argument of whether or not. We should put our genders in our email headers. In our email Footers, you know, Ben, Jordan. He They them it, we right. reading is matter because of the establish has

puts parameters on the discussion that is going to follow if you are identifying as he, they it, she we other Then it says something about you said something about your beliefs. It says something about what you're willing to compromise. That is the biblical definition a genders.

I did have a friend once who made it at trying to make it a mission statement of their entire organization and and end so trying to help the entire organization. Adopt the mission that he was advocating. He did put his gender as the entire mission statement. That was kind of fun. Ben Jordan. Richmond Bible Church compressor every time you say you have to say come groceries, otherwise you're you know, discriminating against me. That was a little bit tongue-in-cheek but it something you really did. when we greet people, when we put forth our title when we put forth our name, even if we're to put forth our gender it says something about who you're claiming to be In the opening verses of the book of Ephesians, we have the Apostle Paul putting out some very important greeting information so that we can best corporate the rest of the book. The book of Ephesians isn't incredible. Passage of scripture an Incredible Book. We're going to go through it verse by verse through the next several months, will of course take breaks during special times like Advent but we're going to go through this book chapter by chapter verse by verse and in some cases, weird, if I were to try to discern what God is telling us about himself.

About us in about each other. I've been titled the series together in Christ in and you can see this kind of poorly drawn out Church. But the whole point is that, as the lines intersect they represent relationships, because as well, see the aim of the book is about reconciliation to God and Reconciliation. For all of creation which certainly includes you. And I, as people most specifically the called out, once the church,

We're going to read the first couple of verses here, literally the first couple of verses on fight you to stand as we read. Out of respect for the word of God. Each week, we stand and read, and I asked you to respond. With a hearty. Amen. In response to the Declaration. This is God's word Ephesians 1 verse 1, Paul An apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God to the Saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus grace to you and peace from God. Our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is God's word invite you to take your seat. We're going to tackle a couple of verses here. And as we tackle, a couple of verses, we're going to also do kind of the, the pro legomena the stuff before the stuff for the book of Ephesians.

Call claims to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God right off the bat, Paul is acknowledging that. He is an apostle of God, not because of his own choosing or his own will, but because of the will of God. And so, in acting as an apostle, this is not something that Paul is trying to do to gain support. This is not Trump saying, something Paul is trying to do to wield influence. This is simply Paul, being obedient Paul an apostle of Christ. Jesus by the will of God, notice the name Christ. Jesus, he is, he's using both of familial that for the familiar name Jesus, but also his title. Christ, Lord.

An apostle of Christ, the Lord by the will of God to the Saints who are in Ephesus. So right off the bat we can say that the author of Ephesians is the Apostle. Paul

This might be common knowledge to anyone who does cursory study of the book of Ephesians. What it actually doesn't go without some debate.

With the Advent of textual criticism. There were many, many opposition's raised to Paul being the author of the book of Ephesians in and you have a number of different arguments But one such prominent Ephesians scholar said, 80% of Scholars, disregard Paul. As the author of Ephesians in the wonderful commentary that I'm using that, I'll reference time. And again, probably try the book of Ephesians pushes back on that a little bit of 80% 80, per-cent of Scholars. And so, so he goes back and he lists every major efforts, Fusion scholar or all of the really major ones going back. Several hundreds of years and says, in fact, that is not true most Scholars have agreed dry history. That Paul is the author of a fusion, there's one that you might have heard of Desirous Erasmus, never heard of him, 9-15-19 thought Paul was indeed the author of the book of Ephesians a gentleman by the name of Martin Luther a few hundred years instead of a thousand years. John Calvin, definitely affirms Paul as the author of Ephesians In more, recent days are dozens of Scholars that I could tell you, you probably would never heard of their names. Most of the night, never heard of 1992, published a work Gordon fee in 1994 and Peter O'Brien to name, just a few of the great Ephesians Scholars. That would say that, yes, the Apostle Paul after having considered it very carefully after having considered the fact that there do not seem to be the personal greetings to the church in Ephesus. That one would expect having read some of Paul's other works there. Do not seem to be the personal. Greetings, that one would expect. Of an apostle living in a fascist for such a great amount of time.

They consider those arguments. I've considered those arguments and not dismiss them, but if considered that, the argument for Paul and authorship is much stronger. If you want greater information on this, I'd be happy to give it to you but I already icy eyes glossing over. So we're just going to move on and agree together that the Apostle Paul wrote the book of Ephesians. And if you want to talk about other Possibilities later, that would be a lot of fun.

So the author is a bunch of a see, if you want to write it down, the author is the Apostle. Paul. Next is the audience would think is pretty easy to discern as the church in Ephesus here in your English translation. But not quite so definitive and without alternative options. In fact, some of our earliest manuscripts do not include, The word emphasis here.

System, others have been advocated and argued for that. Maybe it wasn't Ephesus that really was the destination for Paul's letter. But again, when you consider all of the information available or at least you consider all of the summarized information available, you can see that there's a good argument. Internally within the text of Ephesians as well as externally to support, not only Paul and authorship. But if Fusion readership Probably the book of Ephesians was a circular letter, that is to say it was to be sent to the church in Ephesus, but just like some of you are from novinger and Brashear, if you were to describe where you live, you might just take her personal.

Because Kirksville is much broader of a place to know where it is, then some of the surrounding communities as well, joke. How can you Chicagoland? But sometimes I think you guys get tired of Chicago references so we'll just go with Kirsten for now.

Does a circular letter probably sent to the church in Ephesus but also intended to be read by others about letters in general. Epistles during this period of time. First of all, is that is that the Romans would always read aloud so if you were, if you were in a room, all by yourself in and you were reading something, you wouldn't simply

Yuri loud. Behold the Lamb Keith Getty. Kristyn Getty. Stuart Townsend. Kisi time for 4 verse 1 Behold the Lamb G, right? And so to consider that a letter, would be sent privately to a group of people, or even to an individual would be to misread the johnra. There Chandra is the type of literature that this is, it's an epistle. It's a letter written from Paul, that is important know who's sending it and to the church in Ephesus. We even have some accounts of many different Roman individuals who attend Epistles one to the other or letters one to the other and it would even indicate every once in awhile that this is private information that follow. So please do read it in the hearing of certain individuals because it was assumed that would it would be read quietly or Silent, not silently, but allowed so we can be fairly certain that as this letter was passed around. The community around ever since that, the people would gather together and it would be read aloud because receiving a letter is something of significance. It was like you were on my mind turn on a on a football game or a TV show or a movie when we have friends gathered together, we even know from history that often times during Gatherings during social events, Romans would pull out a letter that they had received. Presumably from someone important or well enough known that everyone present would recognize the name like Pliny the Younger and and then would read for everyone to hear what has been said. So it wasn't gossip. It was expected that this letter would be read. And so if you want a great practice as a small group, Try reading through the book of Ephesians allowed together. Either the whole thing, it doesn't take that long. It's only 6 chapters are or maybe one chapter at a time, just to get a little bit of a sense of what would it have? Been like to hear these words. These thoughts for the first time because these are not insignificant.

This is described as the very epitome of Pauline theology. Only rivaled by Romans in the New Testament with the if you want to call it. Evolution of Paul's thinking to the height of this high and lofty, theological language. And I agreed it, I've read it so many times before and I read it, I still do. Can you imagine only hearing it once or twice in your lifetime? Even then it was only allowed.

We considered the audience, we've considered before that the author. Now, let's consider the AIM. What is the aim of Ephesus? The book of Ephesians? I want to build a quote. Peter, Thomas O'Brien here, who in turn is probably referencing, that is referencing Max Turner to great. Scholars. He says this. Cosmic reconciliation and unity, and Christ are the central message of Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

Right leg with a kid Cosmic.

The book of Ephesians is only about everything. Everything everything, Cosmic everything created reconciliation things. Being brought together, things be made made, right, and be made healed and unity. Reconciliation and unity. Go hand-in-hand, you cannot be unified for someone. Someone you that you have not been reconciled to. If there's a disagreement How does that reconciliation and Unity come to be true in Christ? In Christ, that's the central message of Paul's letter to the Ephesians as we go through. If you want to write that down, that might be a good thing to come back and reference as we go through the book of Ephesians. There's some other major themes here,

Unity. In love.

Victory in Christ, over spiritual forces, the Ephesians 6, right? Social Unity book about the Jews in the Gentiles. There is no Jew, there is no Gentile, this this reconciliation, but it's, it's not just the radical, its social, it's real, it's awkward.

In Christ, the whole universe is United reconciled and brought together by him. Let's read Ephesians 1, 9 and 10, for a minute, to hang our hats on this. Making known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. Has a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in Christ, all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. There's this juxtaposition to this Cosmic view of existence of things above. That is things in heaven and things on earth. And in this Cosmic view, everything is operating in one of the other, in all of these things are united in Christ. How much more are you? And I to be United in Christ, not as random pieces of the universe, but as image bearers of Christ.

Let's read. Ephesians 2 11 through 18. Together.

Kind of doing an overview today. If you haven't figured that out, kind of remind you, therefore remember that? It one time you Gentiles in the flesh. Call the uncircumcision by what is called circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands. Remember that you were at time separated for priced alienated from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenant of Promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now In Christ, Jesus. You who once were far off, have been brought here by the blood of Christ. Doesn't that just excites you? I hope it doesn't. If you were in Christ, you were 14 off but you have been brought near

What becomes the emphasis the emphasis becomes about? The goodness Grace and love that. God lavishes upon all who will believe.

For he himself, this is verse. 14 is our peace who has made us both one and is broken down in his flesh, the dividing wall of hostility

By abolishing the law of Commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself. Using the crystal Centric language, it's all about Jesus. Price is another one big surprise at the main theme to The book of Ephesians. It's about exalting and glorifying Christ for, he has himself, Are pizzas made us both one and its broken down. In this flesh the dividing wall of hostility find polishing the law of command and it's pressing the word has it that he might create himself one new man in place of the two so making peace. It might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross thereby killing the hostility.

And he came and preached peace to you were far off and peace to those who were near for through him. We both have access and one Spirit to the father as we go through the book of Ephesians, we are going to see

Now we're going from aim to Arrangement. We're going to see the structure of the first three chapters being Doctrine heavy. The first is that the outline, the arrangement of the book of Ephesians in this next slide that you can see the arrangement.

Is that is about Theology and chapters 1 through 3.

And then the focus on chapters 4 through 6 is the application. Of that theology.

Hope that most of you have had the chance to sit in a theology class. Can I just get a show of hands? What what you would consider not what you think I would consider if you have sat through at least one theology class.

We can do a Galaxy Class B dump.

Is the bassist I'm getting excited about this. Guy's can you tell me the phases of practice in Christian Church? What we want to be about so much with good reason is practice, tell me what to do, tell me what not to do. How do I do this? How do I not do that? What about my marriage? What about my parenting? What about end of Destiny? Really, what about before life? We have these really practical theology. Kind of questions we want to know about practice. But all good practice is based. I'm good, the ology. Good theology or doctrine. Proceed. Good practice.

Bob Schaffer was my predecessor here, Grace, and he had an exit interview with with the be interim. Pastor and in that exit interview. He listed just a few things about where he thought the direction of the church should go. you want to know one of the few things that Bob Schaffer said after 27 years that Grace Church should do

and I agree with you, wholeheartedly He said, we must establish.

Catechisms. And he said, specifically, for middle, schoolers, he said, from middle schoolers to teach good Doctrine.

We can teach our children to memorize the Bible. But without good theology to hang the Hat of good Bible memory. Then when not, if, when they encounter other people who also know, the Bible who have bad Doctrine, they will simply get other verses quoted out of context to them, that will cause them to doubt the Bible. This has happened over and over again, repeatedly in my own experience. I've seen it happen.

And so that's what we have kids in Christ where we are. Unapologetic Lee teaching our children good Doctrine because good next next flight if we can good practice follows correct Doctrine. So it's it's kind of the same statement but the other we want our children children, don't have sex before marriage. We don't want our children to do that. Don't have sex outside of marriage, men, have sex with only one woman in the context of marriage, right? That's a big obviously, hot-button topic for us, as parents for us as a church, do you want to know what Percy that? Good practice. Good Doctrine 5 talking about and why I think this is a great mystery and it is what I am talking about Christ and the church. And so when we have good practice, it has to come from somewhere. It has to come from good. Correct. Doctrine.

I'm so that's what we as a church or about that. We want to be about is learning reading studying the Bible, unapologetically looking at Chandra and context an original languages we want to pull sources from 5 years ago in in from 500 years ago in from 1500 years ago and compare them in to say how is this going to turn? We want to look at the diction different textual variants and say well this is the oldest text that we'd have within the Dead. Sea Scrolls. We found older text. We find other super biblical sources that say all the things that we do, we struggle, we study the word of God, but then what comes out of that Doctrine Circle. If you are in your mind thinking, well Bible studies over here and theology. I eat coming up with doctrines over here than, that's not the case. Good Bible study must lead to good doctrines, which will lead to good practices when those doctrines are lived out. So you can look and you can see after 1. So I went through all of the fusions this morning and it was just so rich you can you can see each after 1 in the spiritual blessings that we have in Christ. By grace through faith, right? That's that's famous, Ephesians passage, for by Grace, you have been saved through faith. In this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, not a result of work so that no one may boast. Unity in the body of Christ in verse for the mystery of the Gospel revealed which that whole chapter feels like a mystery. Did you just read through to go find all? This is amazing, but then you get to 4:1 after this kind of concluding sort of statement. It sounds like the end of the book. Now to him, who is able to do far more abundantly in all the weave ask or think, according to the power at work within us to him, be the glory in the church in Christ. Jesus. Throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Close the book but it's only halfway through. It's the close of the theology. Now comes the outworking of the theology, the practice. I therefore a prisoner for the Lord urge you to what walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, For first one in that starts the rich practical. Putting shoe leather on the theology.

Do you want to have your kids memorize, some good stuff about how to live in the world chapter 4 5 and 6 of Ephesians would be a great place to go. But without the understanding of what precedes it, you have the what in the what not we have to. Why?

We are mostly just us this morning. Check out of anticipated right holiday weekend, students are gone. Got a lot of new visitors. I want to say and I've said it before, but let's think about this for a minute. How many of you talked to post church people? People that are done with the church.

People say I used to go to church and I'm done with that now.

So much of that, we would call those the done. The nun are the people that you know, they say, what religion are you in the same? None, I don't have a religion. The done. Are the ones that have been there post to church.

and what done people often say, or if you drill down deep enough, what you'll find Is that they are tired of the hypocrisy of the church. you say one thing and you do another, but that's because so much of the time as an Evangelical Church, we live right here in practice Here's what you should do. Here's what you shouldn't. Do. The list of do's, it's a list of don'ts and you know what friends? Every single one of us is not up to the task.

Every single one of us when we're trying to be faithful to the call of scripture will fail. We have the power to say yes to Christ. We have the power to live in obedience but every single one of us at some point in our life, most of us some point in the day or the hour will choose to live outside of the power that has been granted Us in the person to Spirit.

And at that point time we become hypocrites. I'll become a hypocrite. I'm the first to tell people, right? I'm a hypocrite. I say one thing and I do another The Caucasus.

when we don't, I think most people can look past that if you're a great person, Let's go. Eat together. That's us, right? A holy Community by his gift of grace and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And he said this about the Judy or ethics of chapters 4 through 6. So after laying out profound theological truths in the first half, the book Paul made his purpose clear. He expected that this Community of Faith would walk in accordance with its Heavenly calling

Good theology, precedes. Good. Practice good, practice, follows. Correct Doctrine. Let's not be satisfied. By trying to get a shortcut. That's a first for our kids to get practice.

You join with me in prayer this morning. Heavenly father, thank you for these truths that have been unchanged from the dawn of time that have been revealed to the prophets written down and reveal to us. They've been revealed by the authors of scripture. From your spirit inspired to write down the words of life that we might live in Christ. Brady will help us to submit to your will for our lives. Joyfully each day. Thank you for the chance to gather together in Freedom, this holiday weekend. Celebrate that. We are a people that care about Justice even Justice that says, we care about the people who labor in factories long hours. Restaurants universities that deserve equal pay God. We thank you for a special holiday weekends like this where we can gather together. We don't have to fear the authorities, interrupting our service and shutting it down. Forgot. We remember our brothers and sisters around the world who don't have that freedom. Pray for them. I pray, you will sustain them. We pray for changes in governmental structure to protect them. Had ultimately, we pray that through the words Deeds. Have your people around the world will glorify yourself today, and everyday. Those that have been in the hospital this week struggling. Pray that you will encourage in the melting point of lead.

Audi. Hope you're doing okay today. Greetings matter. Don't they the way you greet? Someone kind of sets the context for the the parameters for a conversation. The way you introduce yourself makes a difference. If I were to come up to on a Sunday morning, and I had my hands in my pocket and my countenance was falling and I probably didn't have a mic on or maybe a tie there for identifying myself, informally, as somebody who belongs there and therefore here and there for helping you feel like you can belong here and vice versa. How to set the tone for a conversation? A greeting does. Christianity, Today at the publication that I recommend. I've got some good content did. In fact, the library subscribes to it. You can go back here. Three, four doors down. Turn to your left. There's the library and on your left, you'll find the latest issue. Let somebody else is taking it of Christianity Today. And there you will see the title of the current Issue. They them their discussion of whether or not Christians should use in their email and therefore in their everyday conversations other genders or pronouns.

And it opens and it has a good discussion about how Christians should or should not engage in that realm. Different Christians have different ideas on that but what it certainly does say it's something, it doesn't say nothing. It says something. If you say my pronouns are this, I was born as a, as a as a man of phone is it?

Want her? It says something about me, says something about my beliefs. It says something about the things I prioritize and care about. It says that I'm willing to engage Where the texts of scripture seems to definitively condemn.

Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ uses a greeting and it says something about himself. It says something about the book which he is about to pain for this epistle, this letter to the church in Ephesus. So we're starting a brand new series. You can expect to be in the book of Ephesians for several months. We're almost out of Ephesians journals but there's still some left on your way out if you haven't grabbed one, pick up one of those if you want to follow along taking notes through the book of Ephesians the series intitle together in Christ. Together in Christ course. The graphic is sort of at a church, right? Church building. But any, you see, all these lines at all? These intersections of those lines because part of the point of the book of Ephesians is about reconciliation. From God to man. and in fact, among all things, all of creation, being redeemed, the head of all things as Christ.

Invite you to stand for the reading of God's word. We're only going to go through two verses. Today we're going to do some Pro, legomenon some stuff before the stuff, that's how I like to call it.

I'll declare this is God's word and if you'll respond to the hearty, Amen. In response, Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God do the same to our in Ephesus and our faith in Christ Jesus grace to you and peace from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus. This is God's work. Invite you to take your seats.

Right here at the beginning right here. At the outset of the book. As in most Epistles, most letters in the ancient day, you would have the signature of the sender. So, you know, who it's from. There's no envelope on the front so, to speak that. You can see, there's no text message popping up with with the sender so that the sender would have to identify themselves. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God,

We're going to go through a few different things here at the office at the outset of our series, all of them. Start with a first author. The author is I can say with a very high degree of certainty. Is the Apostle Paul

There are many authors today in in the last couple of centuries that would dispute balaenoptera shipping. And one of them said up to 80% of Scholars for the book of Ephesians Paul line.

What do they have popular commentary on the book of Ephesians goes through the major infusion Scholars going back, several hundred years and he actually compiles up a pretty robust list of those who do not support call line authorship. And so let me just to name a few and is Much higher than 20%.

That support pollen authorship. 1519. Name of the name of Erasmus.

Maybe somebody you've heard of in 1530, Martin Luther the fort at, Pauline Arthur ship. 1548 a man by the name of John Calvin supported Paul on. Authorship it more recent times jumping for the few hundred years and probably several dozen Scholars names that you wouldn't recognize but jumping for modern times John start in 1979 his publication supported Fraulein, authorship a little further. Douglas J moo in 1990 to Gordon C in 94 and more recently, Peter O'Brien.

There is great academic. Authenticity and supporting Paula and often should we could go through a lot of the specifics, but I think I would bore you to tears and so if you want to just say, take my word for it, do that. And if you don't want to, I'll give you some good sources to look at. And we can explore some of the things together just to name a couple. Someone say that Pauline Arthur ship is in authentic because Paul is every personal in the book of Ephesians. If you read, my Paul's Epistles, you'll see that Paul often has greetings to specific household, people like Chloe and it will Paul. Wouldn't he have said hello to everybody who? He knows. He even lived in Ephesus for a serious amount of time. There's a high degree. There's a high chance that he was in Ephesus in prison during the writing of this epistle. Wouldn't he greet? People personally if he knew them if he was the author.

But it's also quite probable that he would not reveal so much personal info information. One of the most intimate letters that Paul pens about himself. If he did, not know personally, many of the people in Ephesus, he didn't need to kind of create that. Hi. Two relationships. So that to build authenticity to build support, among the people of Ephesus because they knew him, he didn't have to go. By the way, I know we all know those people. No, no say-so, like always doing that. He's establishing Rapport in many of his Epistles with a place like Rome where he had never before been to the best of our understanding. And yet he knows people in in Rome and he drop some names that helped to establish some credibility. He doesn't need to do that. in the book of Ephesians, because they know who it's

So I can tell you with a great degree of certainty. That Paul is the Apostle of the Paul. The Apostle is The author of the book of Ephesians Paul. An apostle of Christ Jesus noticed his use right from the bat, right from the get-go, be the title, not just the name Jesus, but also the title Christ that key from the first verse is, creating exaltation for Jesus Christ. In this will be a key theme all throughout the book of Ephesians, the exaltation of Jesus Christ by the will of God. Paul is not writing to try to, to drum up his own support or to establish himself. As somebody important rather, it's God's will. God is the one who has made following a possible and it's by his will that Paul is writing this letter to the church and episode do the same to our analysis of first. We have the author's, the Apostle Paul second, we have the audience as the church in Ephesus in the surrounding Community. It was almost certainly a circular letter. One that would be received by someone or multiple people in Ephesus probably read by 1 and then continuing to be delivered or delivered to one and then passed around Tyga kisses Ephesians 6:21 is the person that we presume delivered the letter.

Takis goes, he carries the letter is handed to one person or perhaps even reads it to one group and then it starts to get passed around the community. Some people here might be from novinger from Other surrounding communities, maybe even from unincorporated, Kirksville, that's technically where we live. But when somebody says, where do you live, I just say Kirksville. Because who knows where Tamarack Trail is know how to spell it to the church in Ephesus and probably the surrounding communities. This is who the letter is written to. And look at the encouragement, be the reason for the writing doesn't seem to be chastise when it doesn't have the urgency of. So many of Paul's Epistles where he says, I'm concerned about this, you have to be warned, you have to be careful, rather they are faithful in Jesus Christ.

How great is that? I hope you were encouraged by that. I know sometimes I feel like I come to the word of God and it and it just is so frequently is opposing me because of my own sin in my own waywardness and I read the word of God and opposes me and encourages me. But sometimes, to be honest, it's a little discouraging. and how encouraging is it, that that God inspired Paul to write a letter in the purpose doesn't seem to be to chastise or to correct, but to Simply instruct Courage. When does the letter was delivered, it would have been almost certainly read aloud in the first century you wouldn't have had someone go to a book or a, or a letter or even a set of laws and read quietly to themselves. Rather weather is by themselves or in a room full of people. They would have read it aloud and so there wasn't an expectation of privacy when you wrote an epistle or wrote a letter. So first we have, Paul is sitting himself as the author in any state in the recipients of the church in Ephesus. In our faith in Christ, Jesus of people who are in Christ, people were saved people who are participating in the church. Is that the expectation Ravenna unallowed? Reading by whoever's pressure to whomever is present there at the church. Examples in the first century of people who would read a letter and and I think it was Pliny the Younger, he said, this part is private. So please, please do read this hearing. And so there's an expectation that the letter would have been read aloud and read too many people. So if you want a great practice for your family or for your small group, but I suggest just reading through the book of Ephesians aloud, whether it's all in one setting or maybe it's over six weeks to read a chapter and to just get a sense of what it would be like to be the original audience. To hear these Concepts that speak of the supremacy of Christ that speak to our Oneness in Christ, Our Union with Christ that speak to God's power and deliverance over in from the powers and principalities of darkness. When you hear these great faults, and all you have is a moment to listen to take it in because it's being heard, not just read with your eyes.

Just imagine the encouragement in the instruction and the sense of all, as you hear these Concepts, probably for the first time.

Paul is the author. Church in Ephesus Smyrna, comedians communities, the audience, to aim, the aim of taking from Peter, Thomas O'Brien, who kind of takes it from Max Turner if you know anything about Peter Thomas & Friends. Fantastic commentary on the book of Ephesians. It was actually banned for life and the book was removed from the publisher. All of the copies were destroyed that I sent a copy of screen. But because of that, I'm not just a tribute to Peter Thomas O'Brien, but he lists Max Turner's, helping him to come up with this idea. So I wanted to be sure to credit it comes from listed as the, the aim of the book of Ephesians. The reason that Paul is writing it or rather that the the key idea is a cosmic reconciliation and unity in Christ, are the central message of Paul's letter to the Ephesians So we're thinking Cosmic, the idea here is one of Earth, and one of Heaven, the powers above, and the powers here below, and there's this Cosmic battle going on. That is being weighed for your souls and from my soul. And in that is that the book of Ephesians only encompasses everything that all things. All things are going to be reconciled and unified in Christ. Jesus. Increase the whole universe is united in reconciled and brought together by him. Let's let's look at Ephesians 1:9 and 10 just for some good contacts to you. Making known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose. Which he set forth in Christ, as a plan, for the fullness of time to unite. Watch this. All things in him, things in heaven and things on earth, it is a cosmic theology that work being able to peer into hear that all things are going to be unified brought together in Christ and so we as Christians, there's that messy graphic, it's up on the screen as a as the series graphic and you'll see that the church around the cross. But there's all these intersections is all messy. Have you even looked even these little lines are not equal to each other and it's time for reconciliation is messy. When were different with each other. We have problems. We have angst. We have do we have hurts and pain. It's

It doesn't always look like a perfect box for like a parallelogram, you know, like the Box on its side.

Ephesians 2 11 through 18. Therefore remember that it one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision which is made and that flash by. And 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.

but now, In Christ Jesus you whor wants far-off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. I hope that gets your blood pumping a little bit that when you think of the reality that you are far off from cry, you had no inheritance in Christ because of your birth. You had nothing good that that Christ should desire you but because of his graciousness and goodness, you have been broughten nearby, the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace. Who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh. The dividing wall of hostility 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 p. And might reconcile us both to God and one body to the Cross, thereby killing the hostility and he came to preach, peace to you who are far off and peace to those who are near for through him. We have access in one Spirit to the father

I can kind of stepping back and looking at a fusion to the hole before we resume in and go verse by verse, even sometimes word by word for the next several months.

We're looking for that key theme. the key theme of this Cosmic reconciliation and unity in Christ, everything is together in him. We're looking for the the the key ideas of unity and love. We are united with Christ in love

And that is a single body. Christ's body the church. We are to love one another.

Do we have victory in Christ? Over the principalities of this Dark World. But their social Unity. The Jews in the Gentiles those who are opposed to one. Another historically have been brought together in Christ and unity in love. We have the Christian existence. What? What is it to be Christ that were elected 14. There were children, 15 and 51 set apart 11. + 118 We're playing with her forgiving, and 14 and 17.

That there is. Salvation in this book.

That you and I are as Believers. We are to be light. We are to 582. We're to be wise. 5:15, we're to have fellowship with Christ 2:13 to 5 and 3:17,

So, the aim is Cosmic reconciliation and unity in Christ. There are a lot of these subprime ideas is, well, that's the AIM. Now, the arrangement, how does Paul layout this book? What is the outline? The simple outline we can keep her. Head is just at the first three, chapters are Doctrine 30 ology, if you will and then chapters. Four through six are application of the theology that has come before.

Have you ever talked to someone who was a done person know? There's, there's the people who on a, on a survey would say, none, right? Like, my religion is now, and I don't have a religion.

And then there's people that are done for the people that have been in church and they're done with it. If you talk to a person done, just raise your hand has done. They've been to church, they're done with it.

Talk to a lot of sun.

What are you, what are you? Your experience with the number one reason that people are done with church.

Christians are a bunch of Hypocrites. They say they believe one thing and then they do another thing.

I would submit that amongst other reasons. The reason for hypocrisy is that we as Protestant evangelicals are very good at teaching, what to do, teach our children, what to do