Ephesians 1:1-2 - We are in Christ

Growing up a wrestling fan.

They were larger than life.

I would dress up as the wrestlers.

It wouldn’t be enough if there wasn’t as much detail as possible.

Wigs, paint, the right color pants—Everything had to match.

I would take on a whole new identity—become that character.

I was the Heartbreak Kid, the Deadman, Hacksaw Jim Duggan!

I’m still waiting to see camcorder footage of when I taped over my uncle’s bachelor party to cut a promo.

I had to look the part, act the part, be the part.

I took on a whole new identity.

We’re starting the book of Ephesians.

Ephesians is a letter from a man who had taken on a new identity because of an interaction with Jesus, to a people who had taken on a new identity because of Jesus.

The Ephesians just received a letter in the mail.

Questions to ask when you receive a letter.

Who wrote this?

Who did he write it to?

What we are going to learn in answering these two questions today:

Big Idea: We are in Christ

Stand to read

Ephesians 1:1–2 ESV

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

Leader: This is God’s Word

Everyone: Thanks be to God

Paul (v. 1a)

Over the course of our lives, have different identities.

I’m a husband/wasn’t always

Dad/wasn’t always

Pastor/wasn’t always

While Paul is writing this, he identifies himself in a way that was currently true of Him.

What we need to know is who was Paul before he became an apostle of Christ Jesus.

If you’re a Christian who has been transformed, we all have a before/after story.

Life before Jesus/life after Jesus.

Who is Paul?

We first learn about Paul at the stoning of Stephen.

Stephen was a deacon in the Church.

Saul believed he was a part of a toxic religious sect.

Saul was a Pharisee who thought he was doing God a favor and going to eradicate the world of Jesus’s name.

Stephen preached in the streets and was stoned—Saul approved.

This sent Saul on a mission to kill/imprison Christians.

Acts 9:3–6 ESV

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.”

Jesus identifies with His church

Saul isn’t persecuting Jesus directly, but Jesus identifies Himself with the Church to the point that if you mess with the Church you mess with Jesus.

Jesus blinds Saul, sends him into the city for Ananias to come meet him and Jesus tells Ananias: Acts 9:15–16 “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.””

Jesus saves Saul to use him outside the Jewish community—He uses him to take the gospel to the rest of the world (Gentiles).

Jesus called Paul to be an apostle/messenger.

An apostle is someone who has been taught/commissioned by Jesus Himself and given authority to speak on Jesus’s behalf.

There are no more “apostles” today

If you see someone with the title “Apostle” before their name… Pass them up.

This was not by Paul’s will or decision

He was on His way to murder and imprison Christians.

Jesus saved Paul and called him to make disciples and plant churches and take his name to the world.

Jesus gave Paul a new identity and set him on a new trajectory for His life.

When we have been saved/transformed by the gospel of Jesus like Paul…

Church,

We are given a new identity in Christ

A key theme you’ll notice throughout the book of Ephesians is the phrase “in Christ.”

You’ll notice a lot of prepositional phrases like “In Christ” “Of Christ” “For Him, In Him, through Him.”

God is forming a new humanity in and through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Randy has so many incredible stories.

One of the reoccurring themes of his stories is that he has been radically changed by Jesus.

He’s no longer who he was.

He and I went to get chairs that another church gave to us, and on the car ride he said, “I’m in my 70’s, and the reputation from my 20’s has followed me.”

People who knew Randy then have a hard time seeing Randy for who he is now.

His identity is not his 20’s—His identity is now in Christ.

The Lord called Randy to himself and made him a new creation in Christ!

No longer does he have to live in the reputation of the past.

He is free to live in the calling and the identity that Jesus has given him now.

When you trust in Jesus and are saved by His grace, you are made new.

You don’t have to live by the old reputation—You can live by the promises of God’s grace and the goodness of obedience to His Word.

We can live unified to Jesus by faith.

Some of those he’s writing to may have heard of Paul’s reputation

That’s not his identity anymore.

Now, who is Paul writing this letter to?

Transition

“To the saints in Ephesus” (v. 1b)

Who is this church?

The church in Ephesus began in a pretty extreme way (Acts 19).

Ephesus was a city on the west coast of Asian minor.

Most important city of the Roman province in Asia.

Ephesus was the city of the Temple of Artemis, or Roman: Diana.

Paul came into town and shook things up.

He asked some disciples, “Have you received the Holy Spirit?”

Didn’t know there was one.

They were disciples of John the Baptist.

Paul prayed for them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit

He spoke in the synagogue and spoke boldly about the kingdom.

Seven sons of Sceva

Hypocritically preaching Jesus to cast out demons

Then this demon calls out their hypocrisy (Acts 19:15 “15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”)

They claimed the Jesus Paul preached without knowing the Jesus Paul preached.

They wanted the power of Jesus without Jesus.

There is no power over the enemy without Christ.

There were rumors in hell about Paul.

I want to have a reputation for being with Jesus—I don’t want to work for Jesus and not be known by Jesus.

A demon beats them so bad they ran away naked and bleeding.

If you get into a fight with pants/get out w/o—You lost.

The city hears about this, and revival happens.

Acts 19:17–20 ESV

17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Thus, the church at Ephesus is born.

This city was once the epicenter for worship of Artemis, the goddess of fertility.

They engaged in witchcraft and sexual immorality.

Now has been turned upside down.

The entire socio-economic status of the city flopped.

Sexual immorality and worship of Artemis was threatened and they burned all their magic books and threw away their statues.

Could you imagine what a victory that would be for our area?

If Concepts Strip Club closed and people threw out all their drugs?

If people turned from worshipping themselves and turned to the Lord?

This church was born and the city felt the impact.

The people that Paul is writing to is part of a massive culture shift because they are faithful in Christ.

They heard the gospel and received a new identity in Christ, just as Paul has!

Once a hub of evil, now Paul refers to them as faithful saints.

Church,

Be faithful in your new identity.

Can you imagine the impact that we can make in this area if we were simply faithful as Jesus’s people?

The church in Ephesus was born and the city was shook.

We’re preparing for a brand new season in ministry.

Will the community notice that Graceland Church/Harvest City Church was ever here?

The city of Ephesus was turned upside down because Jesus changed Paul’s life.

If you’re a Christian, you’ve been given a new identity, new freedom, and a new life in Christ

To steward and to serve

To make much of Jesus by proclaiming the gospel and making disciples.

How will you leverage your life as an act of worship because you have a new identity?

Jenna is a wonderful example of this.

She use to struggle with addictions.

Then she interacted with Jesus and He has changed her in incredible ways.

She’s often leading us in worship through her shouts of praise and amens!

At one time, her addictions brought her guilt and shame, but now in Christ, she serves as an sponsor for those struggling with addictions!

What use to trap her is now her platform to showcase Jesus’s grace in her life!

That’s what I love about this church.

We don’t attract churchy people.

We attract people who are broken and need restored.

hurting and need healed

sinners in need of a Savior.

We have the perfect candidates for grace.

No one is better than another.

No one should take themselves too seriously

But we can all take Jesus seriously because we know what we’ve been redeemed from.

We have a new identity in Christ.

Gospel presentation

How do I receive a new identity?

First—Recognize you need a new identity.

You and I are enemies of God and sinners by nature.

We have rebelled against God and broken His law.

In ourselves, we cannot change.

You’ve tried everything and can’t seem to fix the problem.

There’s only one way to pay for sin—Perfect blood.

God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to provide the perfect blood.

He was completely God/man.

His divinity was perfect, His humanity was perfect.

Jesus was an unbroken human.

He never sinned.

God put Him in our place as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Jesus died on the cross so we can be forgiven of our sins.

Jesus took your guilt/shame and rose three days later to give those who believe His righteousness!

Christ’s righteousness is now our new identity!

This changes everything!

When we turn from our sins and trust in Jesus for salvation, we are given a new identity and new life!

You don’t have to maintain the identity people know you by.

The greatest witness is a changed life.

When we’ve been changed by the gospel to the point people notice, the Father receives all the glory!

Will you turn to Jesus and live the new life in Christ?

Will you receive a new identity today?

If you’ve never surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ

Confess your need for a new identity.

“I’m a sinner in need of a Savior.”

Lay it on the altar and give it to Christ.

You will receive a new identity in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Will you take a next step?

Take the Next Step

Receive a new identity in Christ.

Write down a plan how you’d like to be faithful as a believer.

Invite someone else to have a new identity.

If you’re not sure how to share the gospel with them, bring them here.

I promise they will hear the gospel each week and be called to Him.

Communion

Communion—We get to celebrate as a family of believers our new identity in Christ.