Grace and Peace to You (Ephesians 1:1–2)

Introduction

Earlier this year, I was walking through a difficult season. Nothing dramatic, but I was struggling, and to be honest, I felt spiritually tired. Sometimes when we're not where we should be spiritually, we assume God is frustrated with us or distant. What I needed most was a fresh reminder of God's grace. In the Lord's great mercy and kindness, he led me to the book of Ephesians.

When I read through the book of Ephesians, the first three chapters overwhelmed me with God's grace. I started writing down how the Father lavished grace on us (Eph 1:6), how God has poured out his redemption on us (Eph 1:8), and how the Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance in Christ (Eph 1:14). I can’t wait to unpack all of these truths with you.

The first three chapters tells us how much God has done for us. The second half of the book tells us how to respond to the grace of God in living the Christian life everyday.

In writing about Ephesians, one commentator wrote:

Ephesians Introduction to Ephesians

This letter summarizes what it means to be a Christian better than any other book of the Bible. It clarifies the heart of the Christian faith, explores the dynamics of a personal relationship with Christ, sets forth God’s overall plan for the church, and draws out the implications of what it means to live as a Christian.

In Ephesians, we’ll get a clear vision of who God is, of what he has done, who we are in Christ, and how we are to live as God's people. Today, as we begin our series in the book of Ephesians, we'll be reminded of a simple fact: We are people who have grace and peace in Jesus Christ.

As I was thinking about the importance of us having grace and peace in Jesus Christ, I started thinking about my grandmother.

I grew up with my grandparents. They lived in the same house as us. Every Sunday night, my grandmother would cook us dinner. My Dad used to call it eating at Julia's kitchen. She would cook us some great Puerto Rican food.

Later in life, my grandmother got sick and was near the end of her life with us. I remember sitting in the hospital room with her, and when you know someone is near the end, that monitor that tracks the heartbeat becomes essential. I would sit there and watch every beep, beep. Every beep became super important.

My grandmother was Catholic. When the Catholic priest came, he did some Last Rites, and grandmother's heart monitor started reacting it. That didn't sit right with me. She was still conscious and could respond to you. There was no peace in those "Last Rites."

I sat next to her bedside, shared the gospel with her, and asked her if she wanted to trust in Jesus. She nodded that she did, and I got to pray a prayer of salvation with my grandmother. The heart monitor responded differently. There was a peace over my grandmother, and at that point, I was ready for whatever that heart monitor wanted to do. My grandmother passed away that night, and she went to be with the Lord.

Grace and peace in Jesus Christ is essential. We all need it. We need it not just at the end of life, but we need it today, right in the middle of life, right where we are. We all walk through things that drain us, tempt us, discourage us, and lie to us. The world's answers for peace never works. It never lasts. It's never enough.

When life is hard, when we’re feeling spiritually distant, we need real grace and peace. That's what God offers us in Jesus Christ. How can we be reminded of that today?

We are going to take our time with the book of Ephesians. We are going to start with the first two verses. In these opening lines, it reminds us that God calls us by his will, that we are in Christ, and we have grace and peace in Jesus. It says in Ephesians 1:1-2,

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 1:1–2 CSB

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray

Now, I want you to imagine that you are a Christian living in the first century in Ephesus. You’ll be surprised that living as a Christian in Ephesus is not that different from San Diego. Let me tell you a bit about Ephesus so that you can picture yourself there.

You are living in Ephesus, which is one of the largest, wealthiest, and most influential cities in the Roman Empire. Ephesus is a port city on the western edge of modern-day Turkey. It is a diverse city with a lot of people and business happening.

Ephesus is home to what we know of today as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis. The Temple draws a lot of business. It is a religious cash cow.

The Temple towers over your city, and a lot of worshipers, tourists, and traders come from all over the Roman Empire to do business at the Temple. There are a lot of superstitious people in Ephesus. They’re buying these little silver shrines, magic scrolls that they sell, and the people there wear charms to ward off evil spirits.

As a Christian in Ephesus, you’re in the minority. You don’t worship Artemis, and you’ve likely burned you’re magic scrolls. Read about the Christians at Ephesus in Acts 19:18-20,

Acts 19:18–20 CSB

18 And many who had become believers came confessing and disclosing their practices, 19 while many of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them in front of everyone. So they calculated their value and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread and prevailed.

In your life before Christ, you used to believe that these magic books were all the power and protection you needed. But now, your life in Jesus is better than all the magic and treasure in the world.

Someone came to your city, a man named Paul, who told people you know about a man named Jesus he described as the Messiah. He said the Son of God came into the world, took on human flesh, dwelt among us, died for our sins, and ressurrected from the dead. He said if we believe in Jesus, we will be born again into new life.

That’s nothing like Artemis. The goddess Artemis was powerless. You used to fear evil spirits. Now, you’ve trusted your whole life to Jesus. Jesus has power that Artemis never had. You’re not the same.

One day, a friend of the church, a guy named Tychicus (2 Tim. 4:12), comes to Ephesus with a letter from Paul. It starts with a greeting to you, saying, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:2).

We are not that different from these Christians in Ephesus. Like Ephesus, San Diego is beautiful. It is wealthy and spiritual, but it is not surrendered to Jesus. We, too, are people in the minority.

And just like the believers in Ephesus, we need to be reminded who we are, where we are, and what we’ve been given in Christ.

As the letter of Ephesians opens up to us, the first thing we are reminded of is,

I. You Have Been Called by God’s Will

The first thing he tells us in Ephesians 1:1 is, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will.”

Ephesians 1:1 CSB

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.

The way this introduction is set up, he is not just giving us a title. Paul is giving us a theological reminder.

A. Paul’s Calling Was by God’s Will, Not Man’s Appointment

Paul didn’t choose this ministry for himself. He didn’t wake up one morning thinking, “Man, I really want to become an apostle,” and then go sign up for a school where he could major in being an apostle, get a degree in apostleship, and start an apostle ministry by getting an entry-level apostle job somewhere.

Paul didn’t choose to become an apostle; he was called to it by God. He says this in Galatians 1:1,

Galatians 1:1 CSB

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead—

Paul had other plans in life. He was moving up in the Jewish world and had gotten the okay from the authorities to wipe out the Christians, but God had another plan for Paul. In Acts 9, Jesus stopped him in his tracks and called Paul to follow him.

Paul didn’t need his resume to bring him to God. The only qualification Paul needed was Jesus Christ. There is no greater qualification in your life than being called by God to belong to Him. God’s calling on Paul’s life gave him the authenticity to share the good news of Jesus with others.

Listen to the words of our Lord Jesus to Ananias about Paul in Acts 9:15,

Acts 9:15 CSB

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.

Paul was a chosen instrument of Jesus Christ. This is amazing: God had a purpose for Paul before he had any idea of who Jesus was.

The same thing is true for every believer.

B. Your Salvation and Identity Begins with God’s Initiative

In writing to the Ephesians, he says in Ephesians 1:1, "to the faithful saints." The faithful saints aren't a subgroup of Christians in Ephesus. It wasn't saying, "Out of all the Christians in Ephesus, there is this great special ops force, the navy seals 'faithful saints' group."

Who were the faithful saints? They were that minority group in Ephesus, the people who believed the gospel. The faithful saints were the Christians living in Ephesus.

If you were to write to the faithful saints in San Diego today, you would mean every genuinely converted, Holy Spirit-filled believer in Jesus Christ.

What does it mean that they were faithful? By "faithful," he means those who believe and trust in Jesus. The Greek word here can mean "believing" or "trustworthy" (BDAG, 820). In this verse, it refers to those whose faith in Christ is genuine. It doesn't mean you're perfect, but it does mean that the gospel marks your life. Your life is grounded in Christ and shaped by God's grace. You are a genuine believer in Jesus Christ.

Is that you? Is your life grounded in Christ and shaped by his grace?

"Saints" are people whom God has set apart as his own. He is writing to every Christian in Ephesus. Therefore, every Christian is someone whom God has sovereignly, out of his own will and initiative, chosen to set apart as a person saved and holy in Jesus Christ.

Now that opens up a realm of questions. Questions like: Does God choose people? How do God's choosing and our responsibilities connect? What about people who don't believe in Jesus? Are they responsible for their unbelief? We’ll unpack those questions as we go through Ephesians.

Ephesians is going to take us deeper into questions about election and God's grace. But the main point for you here today is: If you are in Christ, it is because God, in the immensity of his grace and love, took the initiative to call and set you apart as his own. You are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Rest in the incredible grace of God. Your salvation didn't start with you. It began with God. That means the security of your salvation doesn't rest on your performance. The security of your salvation begins and ends at the cross, in Jesus Christ our Savior.

Not only does Scripture remind us of who we are, faithful saints called by God's will, but also where we are. It says,

II. You Are Located in Christ, Not Just Your City

He ends Ephesians 1:1 this way, “To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.”

Ephesians 1:1 CSB

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.

Your physical location is important because I know where to find you, but your spiritual location tells me where your heart is. Where is your heart today?

A. Your Spiritual Location Is More Identifying Than Your Physical Location

We live in San Diego; therefore, we are known as San Diegans. We develop an identity based on our location. Your physical location, where you reside, says something about your culture and your environment.

But your spiritual location in Christ defines how you persevere in your environment.

It is one thing to live in San Diego. It is another thing to be in Christ in San Diego.

It is one thing to live in a broken home. It is another thing to be in Christ in a broken home.

It is one thing to live in suffering. It is another thing to be in Christ in suffering.

It is one thing to live in a godless culture. It is another thing to be in Christ in a godless culture.

Being in Christ affects everything about how you respond to the world around you. Being in Christ gives you hope in darkness, strength in weakness, and purpose in confusion. Your environment doesn’t define you; your Savior does. Are you living as a product of your environment, or are you living in the power of Jesus Christ despite what is around you?

Your spiritual location in Christ is why the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17,

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

If you are in Christ, you are a new creation and have a brand new identity. You are no longer just a husband or a wife in your family. You are now in Christ as a husband or wife in your family. You are no longer just a worker in your job or career. You are now in Christ in your career. Everything about who you are is changed by Jesus Christ.

It also says this in Colossians 3:3,

Colossians 3:3 CSB

3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

The fact that your identity is in Christ means that you are under the power and protection of the almighty God. Being in Christ means that your identity is defined not by who you are, but by who Jesus is.

You may live in San Diego, but your real address is in Christ. You are in him.

I enjoy watching science-fiction movies because I’m fascinated by space. Astronauts going up into space is impressive. One of the most underappreciated aspects of going into space is the technology behind the spacesuit.

The spacesuit functions like a miniature planet. It gives you what you need to survive. It pumps in oxygen, releases carbon dioxide, regulates temperature, protects from radiation, and allows you to move. A spacesuit is amazing.

If someone went into space without a spacesuit, exiting the space shuttle and floating out in space, they would die in about 15 seconds. If you go out into the vacuum of space, you need a spacesuit to survive. It’s your life system.

That’s what it’s like to be in Christ. Being out in the world is like being in the vacuum of space without a spacesuit. The world is hostile to your soul, and after about 15 seconds, your life is over. But being in Christ is the covering we need that will allow us to persevere and thrive in this world. No matter what’s happening on the outside, being in Christ gives us real life for eternity.

So if you are in Christ, if that’s your true location, then certain spiritual realities are always accessible to you as a child of God. No matter what is surrounding you, no matter the pressure against you, the Bible says,

III. You Have Grace and Peace from God and the Lord Jesus Christ

He says this in Ephesians 1:2,

Ephesians 1:2 CSB

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This verse is more than just an introduction to a letter. Grace and peace is a theological truth for you to ingrain in your soul. Being a child of God means you have the covenant blessings of grace and peace in Jesus.

What is grace?

A. Grace Is God’s Undeserved Favor and Empowering Presence

Grace is not just about how you’re saved. Grace is about how you live. It’s not only the starting point of your Christian life. Grace is the sustaining power of your everyday.

You need God’s grace to come to Christ.

You need God’s grace to continue in Christ.

You need God’s grace to finish well in Christ.

Grace is not just a concept. It is the whole atmosphere of being in God that you must take hold of and cling tightly to in your soul.

God’s grace is part of every element of our Christian walk. Grace was part of your salvation. It says this in Titus 2:11,

Titus 2:11 CSB

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

Jesus, as God in the flesh, was the appearance and embodiment of God’s grace to us.

Not only is grace part of your salvation, it is also part of your sanctification, of the ongoing work of God within you to make you more like Christ. Look at the strengthening and sustaining power of God’s grace to get you through your everyday. In 2 Corinthians 12:9,

2 Corinthians 12:9 CSB

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

The grace of God is directly connected to the power of God working within you to bring God’s holiness and perfection in your life. The power of Christ within you is because of the grace of God. In 1 Corinthians 15:10,

1 Corinthians 15:10 CSB

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Three times in that verse, Paul boasts about God’s grace in his life. It is by God’s grace that we are who we are. Where I get me, and where God gets me, are two vastly different things.

Look at how precious the grace of God is to Paul. He wants to make sure that, in his life, he never at any point takes in vain the immense treasure of God’s grace. His service and his ministry are inspired and powered by the undeserved favor, or grace, of God.

Grace is the nature of God toward his children, and his undeserved power that gives us eternal life in Jesus Christ. That’s why the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 4:16,

Hebrews 4:16 CSB

16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

God’s grace does not have an expiration date. You can boldly approach the throne of God because his help never ends, his mercy is overwhelming, and his unending grace ensures our future in Jesus. The most precious words to a Christian are, “Grace to you in Jesus Christ.”

Not only does a Christian have God’s grace in Jesus Christ, but a Christian also has God’s peace in Jesus Christ.

Biblical peace is this.

B. Peace in Jesus Is Wholeness with God and Others

The world is desperate for peace, but it has no idea what real peace is. The world sees peace as the absence of violence. Our current president has been talking about the need for peace in the world, and by peace, he means the absence of war.

According to that understanding, as long as two nations aren’t killing each other, there is peace. While we don’t war, and we pray for nations not to be at war, that is not the full understanding of biblical peace.

At times that the world would call “peace time,”

Homes are still broken

Marriages are still falling apart

People are still isolated and lonely

Addictions are still growing

Souls are still lost

That’s not world peace. That’s spiritual chaos. True peace is not just the absence of conflict. True peace is being in Christ.

The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and it means more than just the absence of war. Shalom means wholeness. It’s when everything is in the right relationship: you with God, you with others, and even you with yourself. Shalom is harmony, not just quiet. It’s health, not just the end of conflict. It’s the flourishing of life as God intended it to be.

In Christ, we have been given true, biblical shalom, a peace that goes deeper than circumstances and lasts longer than anything the world can offer. That’s why the Lord Jesus says in John 14:27,

John 14:27 CSB

27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.

The world will offer you a peace that’s not peace at all. It will tell you to meditate and give you mantras. It will ask you to “quiet your spirit,” to “empty your mind” by repeating “ohm” until your thoughts go away.

Biblical peace doesn’t come from emptying your mind. Shalom comes from filling your mind and your heart in a restored relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

The world says peace is found by looking inward, by digging deep inside yourself to cure the restlessness in your soul. But Philippians 4:7 describes a better peace. It says,

Philippians 4:7 CSB

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Peace doesn’t come from inside of you. Peace comes down from God through faith in Jesus Christ and rules over your heart and your mind. Peace isn’t chanting mantras. Peace is in the presence of the Savior.

The peace of God doesn’t just calm you. It guards you. It stands watch over your heart and mind like the most impenetrable protective shield ever invented. The best defensive weapons in the world have weak spots, but there is no weak spot in the peace of God. The presence and power of Christ in your life are unstoppable.

That’s why the peace of God can get you through the most brutal storm. Worldly peace wants you to escape the storm. But when you’re in Christ, even in the darkest valley, the peace of God will guard you and carry you through, until he calls you home.

Conclusion

When you have Jesus, you have a restored relationship with God. You have the peace that Jesus gives. You have shalom.

Brothers and sisters, (Ephesians 1:2) “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” May you walk in that grace this week, and may the peace of Christ guard your heart and mind everyday.

Prayer

Communion

We will have communion, remembering Jesus and his sacrifice for us. Meditate on the Lord and where your heart is with him.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Last Song

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!

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Sermon Reflection Questions

What are the main themes discussed in the first two verses of Ephesians?

What does it mean to be a 'faithful saint' in the context of Ephesians?

Why is God's grace essential for living the Christian life?

How does worldly peace compare with true peace in Christ?