Incorruptible Gospel

INTRODUCTION

“If that was a snake, it would have bitten you.” Words that I heard my father say to me more times that I can remember. Have you ever gotten frustrated looking for something? You swear you put your keys down right there. I know I saw the Wheat Thins on this shelf in the pantry. Things hiding in plain sight. We get frustrated with our kids, don’t we. Don’t lie—you know you do. And you’ve probably said something like, “If you would just open your eyes you would have seen it!” There are spiritual blessings readily available to those who are saved that, unfortunately, all too often we miss—and we need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes.

SERIES RE-INTRODUCTION

Last Sunday, we began a 6 week series in the New Testament book of Ephesians. Paul wrote this letter to believers that he had a deep love for. He warned them, in Acts, while he was still with them that there would be “wolves” that would come up from among them who would teach false doctrine and lead many of the disciples there astray. Then, in this letter to them, at the very end, he praises them for the incorruptible love they have for Jesus but 30 years later, in the book of Revelation, Jesus says that they have abandoned their love.

What happened? How does our love for Jesus become corrupt?

Last week and this week—we fail to fully see and live in the reality of all that God has done for us through His Son, by His grace, and for His glory. Once we take our eyes off of this great and glorious gospel then the corruption of the world begins to set into our hearts.

A good friend of mine, this week said, “The greatest threat to the church today is boredom with the gospel.”

Ephesians 1:15–23 (ESV)

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 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, 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, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, 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’S PRAYER

In most of his letters to individual city churches, Paul includes a prayer for them. These verses are his prayer for the believers in Ephesus.

Paul’s first prayer for them in this letter is powerful…“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, having the eyes of your hearts ENLIGHTENED…”

Enlightened—the Greek word Paul uses is “φωτίζω”—“shine on//give light to//illuminate” — what is otherwise unseen or hidden—now revealed.

Only the Spirit can do this. Our vision is darkened by sin // Satan.

Question: What are you praying for? For yourself? FOR YOUR KIDS—BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, LET’S STOP AND PRAY…

“Father, my prayer right now is that your Holy Spirit—the Spirit of wisdom and revelation—would open and enlighten the eyes of my heart so that I would see the truth of the glorious gospel of Jesus—everything that you have done for me by your grace, through your Son, and for your glory.”

MAIN POINT

We need the Holy Spirit to illuminate our hearts to know the incorruptible gospel.

What is this incorruptible gospel?

THE HOPE TO WHICH GOD HAS CALLED US

EXPLANATION

There are two very important words, here… “hope” and “called.”

Let’s take these two things separately and then see how they’re connected.

A) HOPE

What is hope? It’s “a looking forward with confident expectation.”

We live in a hopeless world. In fact, you may be here today and you’re feeling hopeless (marriage, life, jobless, etc). So many people just give up and fall into despair because they don’t see or feel that there’s any hope for their situation.

We live in a hopeless world that is looking for hope.

You know, I watched a little bit of the presidential debate the other night—that’s about all I could stomach. There are a lot of people in our country looking for hope and a couple of candidates promising hope. Let me tell you something—I didn’t find any hope in either of them.

I’ve spent time this week with some hurting people. There are people hurting all around us looking for hope. There is a lot of violence in our city and we’re left looking around going, “Is there any hope?” Not very confident.

Hope is “looking forward with confident expectation.” Not blind. Not wishful.

Hope isn’t a ___________. Hope is a PERSON. Which is what Paul means when he says that this is a...

B) Hope…to which you have been called

Looking for hope (examples)…

Hope is looking for you. Hope is calling out to you. Hope is inviting you.

Again, HOPE is a person.

Romans 1:6 (ESV)

including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

FUTURE HOPE—hope in the resurrection and coming kingdom.

Paul’s prayer is that the Spirit would enlighten their hearts to see the hope to which they have been called.

APPLICATION

Marriage—hopeless // health situation — hopeless

If you feel hopeless, there is HOPE. May the eyes of your heart be enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

Second, Paul prays that the Holy Spirit would enlighten their eyes to see, secondly…

THE RICHES OF GOD’S GLORIOUS INHERITANCE

Last week, in the first half of this chapter, we saw the blessing of the eternally incorruptible inheritance that is ours through Christ—the future glory that we will share with Christ for all of eternity.

EXPLANATION

So, is Paul continuing to lay out for us the inheritance that belongs to us that, he says in vs. 11, the Holy Spirit seals us for until we acquire possession of it one day in heaven?

I don’t believe so. In verse 11, Paul says that “in him, we have obtained an inheritance” and, in vs. 14, he says that the HS is the guarantee of “our inheritance.” So, there is something that belongs to God that He now bestows on us.

But, here in verse 18, Paul says “the riches of HIS glorious inheritance IN THE SAINTS.” So, again…our inheritance is IN CHRIST. But, now, Paul is saying that GOD has an inheritance IN US??? We have something valuable to offer God? Is that what Paul is saying?

NO. In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel was chosen by God to be His covenant people. His special-relationship people. He blessed them, He rescued them out of slavery in Egypt, He gave them a land, He defeated their enemies, and they were special to Him.

Deuteronomy 7:6–9 (ESV)

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”

But, now, there is a new and greater covenant by the blood of Jesus and a new chosen and beloved people of God. This is why Peter says,

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession…

APPLICATION

Here’s the point—in Christ, you are loved.

You are a treasured possession bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. You are the object of God’s grace, mercy, and his unconditional love…and are saved for the praise of His glory. This is His inheritance!

>>MORE APPLICATION<<

There is hope. You are loved.

Paul prays that believers would have the eyes of their hearts enlightened to see the incorruptible hope they have…the incorruptible love of God for them…and…

THE IMMEASURABLE POWER OF GOD IN US

EXPLANATION

The “power of God” is one of the main themes of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. We’ll see it all throughout this series. And, here, as Paul introduces it, he uses several Greek words and adjectives to describe the power of God at work on our behalf and in our lives.

Just like there may be someone here today who—you know you’re saved/know you’re a child of God—but you’re struggling with hope. Or, you’re saved/you know you’re a child of God but you’re struggling with knowing the love of God…

There’s someone here today who is living in defeat.

Paul describes God’s power as “IMMEASURABLE.” Not limited and unfathomable.

He describes God’s power as his “GREAT MIGHT.” It’s unmatched.

And it’s this immeasurable, unlimited, and unmatched power that God works toward us and in us. It’s the same power, he says, that raised Jesus from the dead and gave him authority and supremacy over all things.

Romans 8:11 (ESV)

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

And Paul says that this immeasurably great power and great might are at “work” (vs. 19) toward us and in us. Now, what does this mean? The Greek word that Paul uses, here, is “energeo” — we get our word “energy” from it. It’s the life-giving/power-giving power.

1) THE POWER TO RAISE US FROM THE DEAD

2) THE POWER TO RESIST SIN AND TEMPTATION

APPLICATION

Are you struggling with sin? Maybe you’re struggling with an addiction. Maybe ____________ (examples).

God’s power is immeasurable. It’s unmatched.

And, it’s AVAILABLE. Paul says that God works his great might/his power toward those who believe—those who live by faith.

We need the Holy Spirit to illuminate our hearts to know the incorruptible gospel.

CONCLUSION

You know, the first thing that the Holy Spirit reveals to us is our guilt of sin and our need for a Savior.

There’s somebody here—I believe with all my heart—God has been dealing with you lately. He’s been calling you to Himself. REPENT AND BE SAVED.

If you are hopeless—Look to Jesus

If you feel like the love of God … —Run to Jesus

If you are defeated—believe on Jesus