Ephesians part 1
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1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Read Ephesians chapter 1
This prison epistle of Paul has been called the crown and climax of Pauline theology, One theologian even put it this way “the sublimest communication ever made to men.
The grand theme of Ephesians is CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH! And this theme is clarified when we compare it to the grand theme of Colossians. Colossians explains Christ’s person and work in relation to the whole universe. And Ephesians explains what the church’s role is as the body of Christ.
And when Ephesians is carefully , and prayerfully considered -will change lives.
Opening Verses: Paul’s celebration of self.
Not for the cause of look at me, but we know Paul’s story of his radical conversion on the road to Damascus. It was a miracle and nothing else that Paul would become an Apostle of Christ a sent one. We may know him to be the champion missionary or evangelist.
Paul once living the life under his own intelligence has now said
2 corinthians
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
And Paul’s song is our song maybe in a less dramatic way, but in an equally significant way. For in Christ, everyone of us has been delivered from self and given position, and purpose and authority in him. And that is something to continually celebrate.
It’s amazing to stop and think about being an new creation, you look back and think about all the wonderful things God had been doing in this Church. We are seeing people coming to christ, we heard testimonies of our young people a week ago about how God is doing a work in their lives and 1 young lady testified to being baptized in the Holy Spirit for the first time. And when you stop and think about how amazing it is that when we call upon Christ we are indeed a new creation- we may look the same and have so many of the same characteristics, but we are new, redeemed transformed, and we have literally been moved from death to life! And may we look to Jesus with a heart of gratitude for what we have and who we now are.
And Paul starts this letter so passionate, and he’s throwing all out there at once, swinging for the fences.
And if you are looking for a passage of scripture with some of the most heated debates, topics, theology of the bible. This co be your passage(Adoption,predestination,soverignty, riches, grace,inheritance,Holy Spirit it’s all there)
Now this predestination which means to decide on before-hand or to predetermine. This is the calvinistic theology, an election of the saints Calvinist believe God dictated who will be saved before that person was born and really that no man has a free will in this matter.
2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
I don’t believe this is where Paul was going with this. Paul’s use of predestination I believe deals with God’s predetermination of certain goals and callings for His people. That we may become members of His family through adoption.
Adoption signifies the great honor that it is for people who were once alienated from God and were his enemies, to join His family, no longer outsiders, strangers, they are now sons and daughters.
Why is Paul led to write this way? to lay it on so thick, so fast. After all they had never met the Apostle Paul, there is no doubt the Holy Spirit is working and writing through him. Because God has big plans for this growing young church in Ephesus. At the time this church is young, it’s healthy, but it’s nowhere near what it’s about to be.
It won’t be until a few years down the road that Paul will be there in person and will place timothy in a leadership position in the church. And the church will eventually thrive under his leadership. With thousands joining the church becoming followers of Christ.
And God will use this church to be a key factor in spreading the gospel to all of Asia Minor. God has big plans for this church in Ephesus, just as God has big plans for Our church at Man. 1st Assembly.
In this church at Ephesus you’ve got these young believers most who were Gentile, who didn’t know much about the Jewish Law, or that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. Their entire lives were mostly caught up in the worship of false god’s, A main goddess they would worship was Diana. Diana was considered a fertility goddess,along with woodland and hunting and wild animal goddess. And the temple that was constructed for Diana was considered to be one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. So you could say she was a pretty big deal,
The people feared that if they didn’t please her and follow he demands, they would become afflicted, or cursed with sickness and disease.
So you could imagine when the message of Jesus is brought to this city the love of Jesus. The change that swept this area . For so long they were living in terror and fear, and now they are experiencing love forgiveness and grace.
And Paul is getting across that this new life, this new creation isn’t all about you. But that God wants to work through you to reach more people (for his glory)
Not only does God want to protect you and give you peace and joy. But God want you to be carriers of this good news to everyone around. And what he desired for them he desires for us
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,
ephesians 1:15
16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
How long are we rejoining with a new believer or praying for a new believer?
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Knowing Christ is one of the New Testament’s way of describing saving faith. Jesus said
John17:3
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
What does knowing Christ involve? It involves more than knowing facts about Christ (Bill Maher example)
To truly know another, there must be a mutual knowledge and a mutual exchange. And knowing Christ goes even beyond this. Moses said to God I want to know you, it was more than just having a deeper knowledge of who God is. But Moses was crying out God, I want to experience you!
It’s so easy to throw around the term Christian, and don’t know Christ. Jesus even said
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Matthew 7
So the question which must be asked is : Do we really know Christ? are we in him? Is He in us? Does He know us? Is there that intimate exchange between us and Him?
Paul knew the ephesians knew Christ, but he was praying that they might know him better with a real, deep , full, thorough knowledge and his desire is that they go deeper and deeper in their knowledge of Christ.
And Paul knew that was the great need for the church and it is definitley the need for the church now.
Also it should be noted that Paul prays for the Holy Spirit to do this. “the spirit of wisdom and revelation” Deep knowledge of Christ can only come as the Holy Spirit ministers it.
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
,
Are we asking the Holy Spirit to build you’re knowledge of Christ who said, “how much more will the father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.”
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength
Ephesians 1
Paul prays that we would have our vision bettered regarding 3 things hope, riches, and power
That our hearts would be enlightened to the hope in Christ, The hope in the glory of God
17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Paul prays that our eyes would be opened to the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints
Think of it: he owns all the heavens and numberless worlds, but we are his treasures
Paul prays that our hearts may be enlightened to Christ’s great power. That the same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in us. That power changes us from children of hell to children of God and gives us practical victory over sin in our lives. And we will see it visibly one day in the ressuerrection of our bodies