Introduction to Ephesians

Intro:

Some names in history we identify immediately.

1. If I say George Washington, you know who I am talking about.

2. Abraham Lincoln

3. Martin Luther King Jr.

a. Paul is one of them.

i. His name was originally “Saul” (Acts 7:58); and, since he was from the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. 3:5), it is likely he was named after the first king of Israel (1 Sam. 9).

ii. Unlike his namesake, however, Saul of Tarsus was obedient, and faithfully served God.

1. Written to the “saints.”

The dictionary defines a saintas a “person officially recognized for holiness of life.”

1. Who makes this official recognition? Usually some religious body, and the process by which a person becomes a saint is technically known as canonization.

1. The deceased person’s life is examined carefully to see whether he qualifies for sainthood.

2. If the candidate’s character and conduct are found to be above reproach, if he has been responsible for working at least two miracles, then he is qualified to be made a saint.

2. I found this article this week.

1. Italian teenage computer wizard set to become the first saint of the Millennial generation.

2. You can look it up if you want.

3. Nine times in this brief letter, Paul addresses his readers as saints.

1. The saints Paul was writing to were alive, not dead, though once they had been “dead in trespasses and sins” like us (Eph. 2:1–3).

2. And it is clear that they had never performed any miracles, like us, though they had experienceda miracle by trusting Christ as Saviour (Eph. 2:4–10).

4. The word saintis simply one of the many terms used in the New Testament to describe “one who has trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour.”

1. The person is “alive,” not only physically, but also spiritually (Eph. 2:1).

2. You will find Christians called disciples (Acts 9:1, 10, 19, 25–26, 36, 38),

3. people of the Way (Acts 9:2)

4. and saints (Acts 9:13, 32, 41).

2. How did these people at Ephesus become saints? The answer is found in two words: “faithful” and “grace” (Eph. 1:1–2).

a. Let’s look at these two words.

b. Faithful

i. When Paul addresses his letter to the “saints … and faithful in Christ Jesus” he is not addressing two different groups of people.

ii. The word faithfulcarries the meaning of “believers in Christ Jesus.”

iii. These people were not saved by living faithful lives; rather they put their faith in Christ and were saved.

iv. We see this in Ephesians 1:12–14, 19.

c. The word graceis used twelve times in Ephesians, and refers to “the kindness of God toward undeserving people.”

i. Grace and mercy often are found together in the Bible, and they certainly belong together in the experience of salvation.

ii. Grace and faith go together, because the only way to experience grace and salvation is through faith (Eph. 2:8–9).

3. The phrase “in Christ Jesus” is used twenty-seven times in this letter! It describes the spiritual position of the believer: he is identified with Christ, he is in Christ, and therefore is able to draw on the wealth of Christ for his own daily living.[1]

[1]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 8–9.