Sermon Tone Analysis
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Intro
In our text this morning Paul gives explicit instructions to the Ephesian churches on how to pray and live so that the Gospel would continue to be spread.
Pauls concern was about the false teaching that was taking place by folks like Hymenaeus and Alexander.
These false teachers were turning the church into country clubs that were more focused on myths and genealogies instead of the life-giving gospel.
Paul intends to drive home the point that God wants ALL people to be saved.
The Gospel is for everyone.
Not just the Jews but the gentiles as well.
Paul’s passion is the fact that the gospel is for everyone.
Read
Pray
v. 1-2
Prayer is intended to be expansive.
We as Christians think very little of prayer.
As we look through the bible prayer is central to believers.
The New Testament gives us a pattern that we need to learn from.
The book of Acts that records the formation of the Christ’s church we see them taking prayer seriously.
They prayed when they met together
They prayed about the selection and ordination of Christian leaders
They prayed during persecution
They prayed for healing
They prayed for the spread of the gospel
They prayed for the sick
They prayed for the sinners
They prayed for God’s servants
They prayed for the church
These weren’t selfish prayers either.
The early Christians gave us an example that believers should not only pray for their own needs but for others as well.
Even in the Old Testament we see
Moses praying for the Israelites
Samuel praying for Israel
Job prays for his good for nothing friends
Jeremiah praying for Judah
Jumping back to the new testament
Jesus himself prays for us and intercedes on our behalf
The Holy Spirit intercedes for us as well
But when it comes to us, what do we pray for?
Whoa! Hold on Pastor I don’t know about all that!
Now you’re going to far preacher!
I can’t let anybody disrespect me or call me out of my name.
You don’t like our president?
Paul is calling believers to pray for the governing authorities in their Roman imperial context.
Paul directs Christians to pray for these rulers because kings and governors are empowered to enact laws and policies that either protect Christians or make them a target for unjust treatment.
We are even called to pray for people who are in error.
This actually may be the utmost importance because the church should pray that God would call them to repentance as Paul discusses later in .
We need to pray so “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”
v. 1-2
Paul goes on to say that:
v. 3
As I consider the importance of prayer, it becomes more and more evident that the stagnation or slow progression of the gospel is due to the lack of prayer more than anything else.
We can do all the training, all the programs, all the vacation bible schools, and evangelism but will all fall flat without prayer.
God works powerfully through prayer!
Paul goes on to say that prayer for all people is pleasing to God who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Paul is directly addressing the country club mentality that was taking place during his time.
The mentality of “I’ve got mine!”
This kind of spiritual elitism feeds the evil spirits of classism, racism, tribalism and nationalism.
Please don’t misunderstand, Paul is not saying that all people will be saved.
God, The Father has made himself known to the world.
He wants people to know Him.
What we see is God’s divine desire to be known that was brought about by the incarnation of Christ’s death on the cross and salvation that will come only to “all people” who believe.
Knowing of God’s divine desire is what drove Paul to engage in worldwide mission.
It’s not our responsibility or capability to solve the puzzle of divine sovereignty and human responsibility.
It is our job to take the gospel to all nations, tribes and tongues regardless of class or rank.
It’s our job to proclaim what God wants us to proclaim.
By God’s grace some will respond but others will not.
We cannot know in advance who is going to respond to the message of the gospel.
God only commands us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...”
We are called to pray and teach the message of Christ so that they would repent, believe and be saved.
The results of that witness are left to God.
v.5-6
The is one God and one mediator.
There’s only one plan of salvation and that’s God’s plan.
there is no other god besides me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none besides me.
22 “Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
God appointed His son to be a mediator between himself and sinners.
Jesus is the only go between.
Because he is both God and man, he can represent both sides.
No one else is qualified to represent both God and mankind.
He is fully able to identify with God because He is divine, fully God.
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While at the same time, He is fully able to identify with humanity since He is Himself human.
Jesus was, and is, fully human, like us in every way “yet without sin”.
Jesus got tired, angry, loved, mourned, joy, disgust, sorrow, compassion, frustration, empathy and many other human emotions.
It’s also important to understand the wording Paul uses here.
He says Jesus “GAVE himself as a ransom.
He died in the place of sinners to pay the price owned by them for thier sins.
The price for this ransom was death.
Sin deserves judgment and Jesus took that judgment on himself when he died on the cross.
Because of his death, he provides forgiveness of sins.
Because of his resurrection, he offers eternal life.
Conclusion
Jesus as our redeemer is not just our mediator in the past through what he did on the cross.
As glorious as that is, He lives as our mediator right now at the right hand or our Heavenly Father.
Today at this moment, Jesus is interceding (praying) for us.
His standing before God on our behalf.
He is the constant and continual means by which we approach the throne of God in worship.
In the Great Commission, Jesus promises to be with us always, even “to the end of the age”.
He enables and empowers all we do.
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