Saints

Background

Ephesians 1:1–3 LEB

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

So, we started studying this book of Ephesians, and said, in verse 1, we have “saints who are in Ephesus”. But the earlier manuscripts do not necessarily carry the phrase “in Ephesus”.

The book itself was a circular latter, written not to one particular church but to many churches that arose throughout what is now western Turkey (this is the region Rome and in the bible called “Asia Minor”), through Paul’s ministry there.

So, we started examining Paul’s Journey to Ephesus which was the Capital of Asia Minor, a very successful city.

Acts 19:11–14 NKJV

11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.

So, we see here Paul went to Ephesus and “God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul”

So, even though we had a city like Ephesus, with it’s developments and “glory”, what we find still found in that same city is “sicknesses, diseases, and even people possessed by the evil spirits.

Now, what followed was quite interesting;

Acts 19:16–20 NKJV

16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

Quite profound conversation here;

The Lord Jesus was magnified, and people brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.

Why was this the effect of Paul going to a city, and preaching the gospel there?

As we read on, we find out that it was a city, which was not only “successful” but also, a city, that was “TEMPLE-SHAPED”. i.e. its economy, identity, power, and security all flowed from the worship of Diana.

Let’s look at it;

Acts 19:21–27 NKJV

21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time. 23 And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. 27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”

So you can see — “whom all Asia and the world worship”.

So, if you pay attention closely, prosperity in the nation, was also tied to the worship of Artemis (the romans call her Diana).

Two things the effect of Paul was doing then in Ephesus;

Diana’s temple would become despised.

Diana’s magnificence destroyed.

That means therefore;

By Paul’s message, which wasn’t only in words but like we read earlier (in verse 17), in demonstration of Christ victory over all other gods by healing the sick, casting out of demons etc, that Paul was dethroning these gods, and magnifying Jesus in their place.

Notice, Ephesus itself was a wealthy area; Extraordinarily prosperous as a commercial center, it had numerous monuments, theaters, and temples, it was so profitable that its leaders opened the first world bank, Yet, Paul’s message there, wasn’t to challenge the economic powers, it was supernatural and the dethroning of the powers behind that economy, and OUR WORLD TODAY, IS NOT DIFFERENT.

Hence, this is the background to the book of Ephesians. A world, where there is the dethroning of other gods, and the exaultation of Christ Jesus. A world where we saw beyond the economy and saw the powers behind everything.

Turning to the true God

Now, we saw their concern, “Paul has persuaded and turned away many people”

Acts 19:26 NKJV

26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands.

The question is “turned from the worship of Diana (Artemis) to what? The worship of the true God.

Now, those who have turned to God, would be referred to as “Saints”.

Ephesians 1:1 NKJV

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

Before we examine further, that means, the term “Saint” is who we all are, hence, look at those he called “saints” ARE THOSE FAITHFUL IN CHRIST JESUS. (A phase we will come to understand even more as we study);

But it means to be marked out to be part of the people of God, by being a faithful follower of Christ Jesus.

What that means then, is this, since in Acts 19, we saw them abandon the worship of other gods to follow the one true God, they are now “Marked as the people of God” and are now called “Saints”

And this is true of YOU AND I; In our turning to the LORD, being faithful followers of Jesus, WE ARE SAINTS.

Studying Saints

Saints — ἅγιος (hagios) (pron. Haios) (an Adjective); Meaning it is describing a noun. — Concecrated; Devoted to service to the God of Israel or some religious ceremony or use.

The best way to understand what it is, is, “Concecrated” i.e. Made to be in service of God.

Meaning therefore that those WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, have been Concecrated to the SERVICE OF THE ONE TRUE GOD.

Hence, when you see yourself, you have to see that YOU HAVE BEEN MARKED OUT, TO BE PART OF THE PEOPLE OF THE ONE TRUE GOD, and you are concecrated for God’s purposes. In summary, you have been set apart to carry on God’s story in this world.

Meaning, irrespective of background, your story have been re-written, to now carry on THE STORY OF THE ONE TRUE GOD.

Look at verse 3;

Ephesians 1:3–4 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

Blessed — εὐλογητός -οῦ, ὁ; (eulogētos); Describes one who is blessed or praiseworthy. It is also an Adjective; God is “praiseworthy”

Why? Because he has blessed us with Every Spiritual Blessing in the heavenly in Christ.

Then, we see the first reason WHY God is praise Worthy;

— Just as He chose us in Him…

“CHOSE US IN HIM” — Think about that carefully;

What he didn’t say, was “Chose us TO BE IN HIM” rather, it is “Chose US IN HIM”;

E.g: I chose this house in this neighborhood.

Meaning, you didn’t bring the house into the neighborhood, rather, you chose THE HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

That means, What God has designed was that those WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME BEFORE HIM IN LOVE.

Say with Me;

God, has chosen us, In Christ, to BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME BEFORE HIM IN LOVE.

And this is the first thing Paul spoke about as OUR BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST.

This is why we give praise to God; God, has chosen us all in Christ, to BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME BEFORE HIM IN LOVE.

This in itself, we find in thesame story of the Old Testament, How Israel received God’s assignment “In Abraham”. (Genesis 12 … “In You i.e. desendants, all the families of the earth shall be blessed).

Adoption

He didn’t stop there, but let’s us see something;

Ephesians 1:5 NKJV

5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Who are the “us”? — Verse 4 told us; “THOSE CHOSEN IN CHRIST JESUS”.

So, the predestination here, speaks of the destiny of “those chosen in Christ Jesus” — So, the Predestination is about what happens to the chosen group, not who gets chosen.

What happens — “Adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself”.

Hence, God has done something ahead of time;

That those WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, ARE ADOPTED AS SONS TO HIM.

No wonder, verse 6 would say;

Ephesians 1:6 NKJV

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

“TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE” — By which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Why is God praiseworthy?

He has accepted us in the beloved. — He has bestowed his grace on us, IN THE BELOVED.

Hence, the greatest location to be for a man isn’t Ephesus, neither is it New York, neither is it Amsterdam as beautiful as these places are! The greatest place to be of highest blessing is IN THE BELOVED (IN CHRIST JESUS).

Which means, WE ARE NOW MARKED OUT TO BE THE PEOPLE OF GOD, CONCECRATED FOR HIS PURPOSE AND WILL, ADOPTED AS SONS OF GOD — These are all terms that we can look at in great detail.

We will examine more next week;