God is in control, Ephesians 1:1

Ephesians 1:1-2, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians begins with the most important and central theme of the entire Bible- God.

The Bible, including Ephesians, is the revelation of God. Like the beginning of Ephesians our understanding of life and all it entails must start with God.

It’s become common in preaching and teaching to build the message around our needs. Far too many Christians try and figure out how to live for God by focusing intently on their own lives, needs, and desires. But, as we see at the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians our starting point in life must be God and not ourselves.

Knowing who you are, what to do, and how to do it begins with knowing who God is, what he is doing, and how he is doing it.

The book of Ephesians begins with an introduction to God that includes his purpose and plan. Paul gives us a grand view of God’s glory and majesty in this book in the first half, and then with a solid grasp of the gospel and God’s good and perfect will Paul moves into the second half of the letter to talk about what life for those who belong to God looks like.

Our sermon series is New Life 101: Foundational truths for a faithful Christian life

The goal of this sermon series is to unpack the book of Ephesians in a way that helps each one of us to know the riches of God’s grace and kindness that are found in Jesus. My prayer is Ephesians 1:17-20, “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…”

The first foundational truth in Ephesians is that God is in control.

Foundational Truth: God is in control

This one of the primary themes of this book: and it’s actually a theme of the entire Bible. This truth is often a cause of debate and even concern… but I would ask you to consider the alternative… which would be a world in which God is not in control. And, before you wander off into a world of “what ifs” or even accusations against God…

First, this is a theme that we will unpack many times as we go through the sermon series, and I feel confident that the Lord will provide answers to many of your questions and even help solidify this truth in your life as we go forward. (It’s one of the goals of the letter to the Ephesians.)

Second, when it comes to walking through and doing deep study of the Bible I find it helpful to slow down and reflect deeply on the things that are deep. The truth that God is in control is a mystery that God has made known to us through Scripture… and though many will cry out in opposition to the words of the Bible, or even make accusations against God or the sciptures… Martyn Lloyd Jones said, “I advise you to put your hand, with Job, on your mouth, and to try to realize of whom you are speaking. Surely to object to the mystery is almost to deny that we are Christian at all. Is there anything more wonderful, more entrancing, more glorious for the Christian than to contemplate the mysteries of God?”

We must make sure that we come to the Word with open ears, eyes, and hearts, but when we come to scripture we don’t come to talk… we come with our mouths closed to listen to what God has to say. For who are we to challenge the one who tells the waves where to stop?

The theme of God’s soverignty, will, or control is found in the first few words of Paul’s letter.

For the remainder of our time today let’s look at the first few phrases in Ephesians 1:1

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.”

Here at the very beginning Paul makes it a point that we would know two things:

Paul is an apostle of Christ Jesus

Paul is an apostle of Christ Jesus which means he is an official ambassador of Christ with an official proclamation of the gospel. The title is not common among the NT and is only used for those who meet certain qualifications.

In Acts 1 Peter delineates the qualifications of those with the title apostle… An apostle is a man who has seen the risen Messiah and who was sent forth by Him. And, Paul meets this qualification due to his Damascus Road experience and his calling by the Lord to go.

Paul’s ministry and message carry the authority of Christ.

The title apostle stresses the authority of the sender and the accountability of both the one sent and the recipients of the message.

According to his letter to the Corinthians, Paul was, “not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 2:13

John Stott writes, “Paul claims the same title which Jesus had given to the Twelve,5 and whose background in both Old Testament and Rabbinic Judaism designated somebody specially chosen, called and sent to teach with authority. For this ministry he had not volunteered, nor had the church appointed him. On the contrary, his apostleship derived from the will of God and from the choice and commission of Jesus Christ. If this be so, as I for one believe, then we must listen to the message of Ephesians with appropriate attention and humility. For we must regard its author neither as a private individual who is ventilating his personal opinions, nor as a gifted but fallible human teacher, nor even as the church’s greatest missionary hero, but as ‘an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God’, and therefore as a teacher whose authority is precisely the authority of Jesus Christ himself, in whose name and by whose inspiration he writes.”

Paul’s conversion and calling are by the will of God

When it comes to scripture there are two clear and very different meanings for the phrase “will of God.” To make sure we understand this very first verse in Ephesians we need to know the difference. Truthfully we can’t understand the book of Ephesians without this distinction and the ability to discern the difference.

The two meanings for “the will of God” in the Bible are:

God’s will of decree (or sovereign will) God’s will of command.

Knowing the difference between these two meanings of “the will of God” is crucial to understanding one of the biggest and most perplexing things in all the Bible, namely, that God is sovereign over all things and yet disapproves of many things. Which means that God disapproves of some of what he ordains to happen. That is, he forbids some of the things he brings about. And he commands some of the things he hinders. Or to put it most paradoxically: God wills some events in one sense that he does not will in another sense.

God’s “will of decree” (or “sovereign will”) is his sovereign control of all things that cannot be broken and always comes to pass.

As Daniel writes: “He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:35).

Or in Matthew 26:39, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” What does the will of God refer to in this verse? It refers to the sovereign plan of God that will happen in the coming hours.

In Acts 4 we see that the events of Jesus death were decreed by God. (Including those who were acting as enemies) Acts 4:2708 says, “Truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.”

So according to scripture: the “will of God” was that Jesus die. This was his plan, his decree. There was no changing it, and Jesus bowed and said, “Here’s my request, but you do what is best to do.” That’s the sovereign will of God.

And don’t miss the very crucial point here that it includes the sins of man.

Herod, Pilate, the soldiers, the Jewish leaders — they all sinned in fulfilling God’s will that his Son be crucified (Isaiah 53:10). So be very clear on this: God wills to come to pass some things that he hates.

Here’s an example from 1 Peter. In 1 Peter 3:17, Peter writes, “It is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” In other words, it may be God’s will that Christians suffer for doing good. He has in mind persecution. But persecution of Christians who do not deserve it is sin. So again, God sometimes wills that events come about that include sin. “It is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will.”

The other meaning for the will of God is “the will of command”

God’s will of command is what he commands us to do and we can disobey and fail to do it. The will of decree we do whether we believe in it or not. The will of command we can fail to do.

Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Not all do the will of his Father. He says so. “Not everyone will enter the kingdom of heaven.” Why? Because not all do the will of God.

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” Here we have a very specific instance of what God commands us: holiness, sanctification, sexual purity. This is his will of command. But, oh, so many do not obey.

Then Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” There again is a specific aspect of his will of command: Give thanks in all circumstances. But many do not do this will of God.

One more example: “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). Not all abide forever. Some do. Some don’t. The difference? Some do the will of God. Some don’t. The will of God, in this sense, does not always happen.

In Ephesians 1:1 and in the verses that follow we see Paul referencing God’s “will of decree.”

Paul’s conversion and calling are the result of God’s will of decree.

Let me read the account of Paul’s conversion and calling in Acts 9.

“Paul”- Acts 9:1–31 (ESV)

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. 23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

Ephesians 1:1 isn’t referencing an account of command but of decree. It says in Acts 9:15 that Paul is God’s “chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.”

Paul’s conversion and calling, as he writes in Ephesians are according to the undeterred and unchangeable will of God. And yet, the faithfulness of Paul in his life and ministry are his obedience to God’s commands to all Christians.

Paul begins his letter with the acknowledgement and declaration that God is in control.

I want to challenge you to commit to ordering your life according to the will of God in Jesus Christ.

Challenge: Commit to living your life by the will of God.

Trust God’s purpose and plan for your life by placing your hope and faith in Jesus Christ

God’s purpose and plan for your life is that you would trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Trust God’s control and timing in your life

We are reading through the OT right now in our Rooted in the Word plan and discipleship groups. Have you ever “wondered why it was that all those centuries had to pass before the Son of God actually came? Why was it that for so long only the Israelites, the Jews, had the oracles of God and the understanding that there is only one true and living God? The answer is that it is God who decides the time when everything is to happen… He determines the time for everything to happen. God is over all, controlling all, and timing everything in His infinite wisdom. At such a time as this I know of nothing which is more comforting and reassuring than to know that the Lord still reigns, that He is still the sovereign Lord of the universe, and that though ‘the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing’, yet He has set his Son upon his holy mount of Zion (Psalm 2). A day will come when all His enemies shall lick the dust, and become His footstool and be humbled before Him, and Christ shall be ‘all and in all.”

Fulfill God’s plans by being faithful to his commands

God’s plans for your life begin with trusting Jesus Christ and surrendering your life to Him. And, for all those who belong to him, he has commanded us to live by His will, and his will, including the mysteries of his will have been made known to us in the Word.

Again, Jesus is our example here… Jesus was faithful to the decree and to the commands. And, God has promised to help us in our need. (Hebrews, Romans, Matthew)

Get into your Bible… we release a podcast each week, we have our rooted journals to help give you structure as you read through the Bible each year…