The Way of Grace & Peace

Ephesians 1:1-2. "The Way of Grace & Peace". Everton Community Church. Sunday February 15, 2015. Ephesians 1:1-2 [1:1] 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. (ESV) If there is a common factor of many quarantined in their homes during this pandemic, it is an increase in TV watching. If you are a fan of the game show: " Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? ", you may be familiar with a famous contestant named Justin. He said: "I got to $250,000. It was a life-changing sum. It was mine, and I could’ve walked away with it. But I was never going to walk away. Before the show I had promised myself that I wouldn’t act tentatively—that I would answer the questions on stage as if I were sitting at home, with no money on the line. I had come to a soundstage in Stamford, Connecticut, to play the game, and, God help me, I was going to play it until I reached either damnation or glory. I didn’t get to glory. When I lost $225,000 in a single second, it was like a needle had been pushed through my cerebral cortex, pinning me to the spot of my failure. I walked off stage in a daze, my mind still affixed to that cataclysmic moment. I didn’t know the answers to most of my questions with absolute certainty, but they were all written in such a way that I could figure them out. The trick was to trust my instincts, and not let self-doubt force a premature exit". (http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/06/i-went-on-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-and-lost-225000-in-10-seconds-it-almost-ruined-me/ The book of Ephesians is written to Christians who might be prone to treat their spiritual resources much like Justin treated his financial resources. Such believers are in danger of suffering from spiritual malnutrition, because they do not take advantage of the great storehouse of spiritual nourishment and resources that is at their disposal. This beautiful letter tells Christians of their great riches, inheritances, and fullness in Jesus Christ and in His church. It tells them what they possess and how they can claim and enjoy their possessions. The first three chapters of Ephesians emphasize doctrine, and the last three chapters emphasize behavior. The first half is theological, and the second half works out that theology in practical ways. The letter to the Ephesians is a marvelously concise, yet comprehensive, summary of the Christian good news and its implications. Nobody can read it without being moved to wonder and worship, and challenged to consistency of life (Stott, J. R. W. (1979). God’s new society: the message of Ephesians (p. 15). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.). The greatest resources that we possess are useless if we don't use them. If we don't know what they are, how to access them and effetely utilize them at critical junctures, then we risk living shallow, meaningless lives. Through the book of Ephesians and this beginning section in particular, the Apostle Paul is going to introduce us to the resources that are available to use. In his salutation, Paul presents the dual resources of Grace and Peace through 1) The dual source of his apostolic authority (Ephesians 1:1a), 2) A dual description of believers (Ephesians 1:1b), 3) A dual blessing for believers (Ephesians 1:2a), and 4) The dual source of those blessings (Ephesians 1:2b). First, we see the dual resources of Grace and Peace through: 1) The Dual Source of Authority (Ephesians 1:1a), Ephesians 1:1a [1:1]Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, (To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus) (ESV) All Paul’s letters begin in a similar way. Following the style of the letter-writing of the day, he mentions first the writer, then the readers, and then comes the greeting. Letter writers in Paul’s day typically used scrolls made of papyrus. The recipient of a letter would have to unroll it to discover the sender’s name unless the name was put at the beginning. Thus all the New Testament letters that designate an author begin with that author’s name, along with some personal characterization appropriate to the contents (Liefeld, W. L. (1997). Ephesians (Vol. 10, Eph 1:1). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.). The conventional manner of the time is now lifted to a higher level. Writer and readers are described from the standpoint of their relationship to God in Christ; and the conventional greeting has become a Christian benediction (Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10, p. 51). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.). Paul (his Gentile designation) also know by his Hebrew designation Saul was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, (and probably was named after Israel’s first king and her most prominent Benjamite.). He was raised as a strict Pharisee, (right and was a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling Jewish council at Jerusalem) (Philippians 3:5). He grew up in Tarsus, and was educated under a well-known teacher, Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). However, he was also a Roman citizen, a fact that he used to great advantage at times (Acts 22:27–29). Out of this diverse background, God formed and called a valuable servant, using every aspect of Paul’s upbringing to further the gospel (Barton, B. B., & Comfort, P. W. (1996). Ephesians (p. 2). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.). Please turn to Acts 9 Before his conversion, Paul became probably the most ardent anti–Christian leader in Judaism (Acts 22:4–5). He passionately hated the followers of Jesus Christ and was on his way to arrest some of them in Damascus when the Lord miraculously and dramatically stopped him in his tracks and brought him to Himself (Acts 9:1–8). Paul explains this call to faith in Acts 9 Acts 9:1-8 [9:1]But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest [2]and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. [3]Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed 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." [7]The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. [8]Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. (ESV) • In spite of being a persecutor, Saul is shown grace resulting in peace from God. Paul was convinced that God had a plan for his life. Are you? Like Jeremiah, who heard God say, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5, rsv), Paul knew himself set apart before he was born (Gal. 1:15). His Damascus Road experience brought a dramatic and drastic upheaval in his experience and thinking, but it was a part of the working of God’s purpose in his life (Dunnam, M. D., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Galatians / Ephesians / Philippians / Colossians / Philemon (Vol. 31, p. 144). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.) After spending three years in the desert of Nabataean Arabia, Paul jointly pastored a church in Antioch of Syria with Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen (Acts 13:1). During this earlier ministry Saul came to be known as Paul (Acts 13:9). The new man took on a new name. From Antioch the Holy Spirit sent him out with Barnabas to begin the greatest missionary enterprise in the history of the church. Paul has an immense challenge before him. He is to be an apostle—a chosen messenger of the Lord Jesus to the Ephesian Gentiles (Eph. 1:1a and Eph. 1:2a). Not only is their culture historically opposed to the message of God’s covenantal love, but the covenant people—the Jews—were opposed to the Gentiles receiving that message. Immense barriers of cultural, historical, and racial differences confront the apostle. And what can he do about it? He is in prison under Roman guard (cf. 3:13; 4:1; 6:20).. We would understand if Paul simply said, “I give up, Lord; the obstacles are greater than I. You’ll just have to find someone else.” Yet Paul refuses to quit because he recognizes that his strength to face the obstacles lies in provisions beyond him: God’s Word and God’s will. (Chapell, B. (2009). Ephesians. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (pp. 4–5). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.) • The wonderful beauty of studying Ephesians is that we will see the overwhelming spiritual resources at our disposal for fighting current problems. The more we see resource upon resource, the more we will realize that we have an overwhelming powerful spiritual resource at our disposal to tackle any difficulty we may face. Paul wrote with the authority of an apostle. Apostolos which means a “sent one” and in the New Testament is used as an official title of the men God uniquely chose to be the foundation layers of the church and the receivers, teachers, and writers of His final revelation—the New Testament. The apostolic duties were to preach the gospel (1 Cor. 1:17), teach and pray (Acts 6:4), work miracles (2 Cor. 12:12), build up other leaders of the church (Acts 14:23), and write the Word of God (Eph. 1:1; etc.). (For their audience) they wish to strengthen, comfort, and admonish them; they rejoice with them and share their sorrows Besides the original twelve and Matthias (Acts 1:26), who replaced Judas, Paul was the only other apostle, “as it were … one untimely born” (1 Cor. 15:8). Yet he was not inferior to the other apostles, having met all the requirements for that office (1 Cor. 9:1). (Koehler, J. P. (2000). A Commentary on Galatians and Paul’s Rhapsody in Christ: A Commentary on Ephesians (p. 179). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House.). • If we are honest with ourselves, one ongoing, nagging doubt in our minds is our qualification as co-ministers of the Gospel. We tend to doubt if we know enough, have enough wisdom or are doing enough. What the calling and message of Paul can teach us is that it is through God's grace that we can have peace on our qualifications and calling. God will give us what we need to do what He asks. Paul’s credentials were not his academic training or his rabbinical leadership but his being an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Paul did not teach and write by his own authority but by the dual yet totally unified authority of the Son (Christ Jesus) and of the Father (God). Paul is an apostle of Christ Jesus. “Christ” is from the Greek word for “anointed,” and is the equivalent of the Hebrew word “messiah.” In the Old Testament reference is made to the anointing of prophets (Isa 61:1), priests (Exod 29:7), and kings (1 Sam 15:1). The long-awaited Messiah or Christ was anointed by the Father as our great Prophet, Priest, and King. By decree of the angel, the human name given to this Anointed One was “Jesus” (Luke 1:31). It is the same as the O.T. name Joshua, and means “Yahweh is salvation.”( Boles, K. L. (1993). Galatians & Ephesians (Eph 1:1). Joplin, MO: College Press.) For Paul to state that his calling is by the will of God he was not boasting of personal merit or elevating himself above other believers. He well remembered that he had been a blasphemer, a violent persecutor of the church, and an unworthy and ignorant unbeliever; and he still considered himself the foremost of sinners (1 Tim. 1:13, 15). Like every Christian, he was first of all “a bond–servant of Christ Jesus” his Lord (Rom. 1:1). By mentioning his apostleship, Paul simply established his undeserved but divinely–bestowed authority to speak in God’s behalf—which he states at the beginning of each of his epistles except Philippians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians. To speak of himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus not only signifies that he belongs to Christ, but also that he is a messenger who is fully authorized and sent by him. He had not appointed himself to this position; God chose him. Hence the words by the will of God have overtones of God’s unmerited grace, and emphasize that there was no personal merit on Paul’s part either in becoming an apostle or continuing as one. (O’Brien, P. T. (1999). The letter to the Ephesians (p. 84). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.) Illustration: Will of God The Apostle Paul mentioned here that he was an Apostle by the will of God. The consideration of God’s will is particularly relevant in a time like this. In scripture, God is said to speak to His saints in “a still, small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), which may partially explain why we find it hard to hear him when he speaks. It’s much like receiving a phone call in a house with the T.V. going, the stereo blaring, and a house full of people chatting with one another. To understand the caller, it can require the people in the house to be quiet and turning down the stereo and T.V. So, it is with hearing God. It may well require removing those distractions, those areas of sin that deafen our ears to the voice of the Lord. (Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 394). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.) • Although it may not seem like a blessing right now, when so much of our lives is on hold, the quietness of this time can give us a unique opportunity to hear the voice of God in His word and be used by His Spirit to follow His will. Second, we see the dual resources of Grace and Peace through: 2) The Dual Designation of Believers (Ephesians 1:1b) Ephesians 1:1b [1:1] (Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,) To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus. (ESV) The biblical meaning of the word "saint" is different from what the Roman Catholic church or even general secular society has made it. In the Roman Catholic Church a saint is a particularly holy person who is exalted to be a saint by ecclesiastical procedure. The person is nominated for the position. Then a trial is held in which one advocate pleads the virtues of the nominee (showing among other things that he or she was responsible for at least one miracle) and another advocate, called “the Devil’s Advocate,” tries to tear the person down. When the person’s worthiness is properly established he or she is officially declared a saint. Similarly, the world looks upon a saint (if it sees one) as a particularly good person. (From God's point of view, according to scripture) to be a saint means to be set apart. It is something God does quite apart from human merit... A Christian is set apart when God reaches down through the person and power of the Holy Spirit, regenerates them, and thus draws them into the company of God’s church. Every Christian is a saint, because every Christian has been set apart and made holy through the perfect righteousness of Christ that has been placed in their account (Rom. 3:21–22; 1 Cor. 1:30; Phil. 3:9; etc.). (Boice, J. M. (1988). Ephesians: an expositional commentary (pp. 4–5). Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library.). Please turn to Romans 3 When a person responds to the Gospel in faith to receive Christ, God acts in grace to give that person Christ’s own righteousness. It is Christ’s perfect righteousness—not a person’s own character or accomplishments, no matter how great they may seem in people's eyes—that establishes every believer as one of God’s saints through saving faith. By placing “believers” after “saints,” both nouns after the one article, Paul shows that “saints” includes all that makes us Christians. “Believers” adds what is most essential in this sainthood, namely faith. The thought is: you who are separated unto God, separated thus as true believers (Lenski, R. C. H. (1937). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians and to the Philippians (p. 345). Columbus, O.: Lutheran Book Concern.). Paul explains this relationship in Romans 3 Romans 3:21-26 [21]But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- [22]the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: [23]for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24]and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, [25]whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. [26]It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (ESV) • In the cross of Christ, God has shown himself to be just (utterly holy, so that the penalty demanded by the law is not removed but paid for by Christ). He also shows Himself to also be the justifier (the one who provides the means of justification and who declares people to be in right standing with himself) and the Savior of all those who trust in Jesus (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2163). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.) • By Grace through faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Rom. 5:1-2). Sometime between AD 60 and 62, Paul wrote this letter from prison in Rome (cf. Eph. 3:1) to the believers whom he had pastored. Ephesus was a harbor city located in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and the capital of the Roman province of Asia. Paul went to Ephesus on his second missionary journey and spent roughly three years there (Acts 19:1) (Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Eph 1:1). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.). Because the phrase who are in/at Ephesus is not in many early manuscripts, and because there is no mention of a local situation or individual believer, many scholars think this letter was an encyclical, intended to be circulated among all the churches in Asia Minor (including those in Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, and Sardis, as well as Ephesus). It may be that the letter was sent first to Ephesus and therefore became especially associated with that church. It seems better to consider “in Ephesus” an addition to the text. … after the Greek phrase “who are,” a blank space was left which was to be filled in with the locality to which that particular copy was to be sent. Copies survived which had “in Ephesus” written in at that place, but it is difficult to account for the fact that some copies survived without any place name, and that no copy has survived with another place name in it. (Bratcher, R. G., & Nida, E. A. (1993). A handbook on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (p. 4). New York: United Bible Societies.). The address to: The faithful (pistoi), is a term often used for Christians in the New Testament, which may mean those who have faith, or those who show fidelity. Here both ideas may be included; they are believers and their calling is to faithfulness (Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10, p. 52). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.). From God’s side believers are those whom He has made holy, which is the meaning of saints. From humanity's side believers are those who are faithful, those who have trusted in Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It means more than just believing on Christ or being saved by his atonement. It means being joined to Christ in one spiritual body so that what is true of him is also true for us. (Boice, J. M. (1988). Ephesians: an expositional commentary (p. 6). Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library.) • There is the implication that wherever Christians may be, in whatever difficult environment, threatened by materialism or paganism, in danger of being engulfed by the power of the state or overwhelmed by the pressures of non-Christian life, they are in Christ. This is not mysticism, but is intended to express the very practical truth that Christians, if faithful to their calling, will not try to be self-sufficient, or to move beyond the limits of the purpose and control and love of Christ, nor will they turn to the world for guidance, inspiration and strength. They find all their satisfaction and their every need met in him, and not in any other place nor from any other source (Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10, p. 53). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.). Illustration: 3926 Faithful In Menial Task The Apostle Paul addressed the Ephesians as the faithful in Christ Jesus. There was once a man who had walked the streets of Philadelphia searching for employment. One day he happened to go into the office of a well-known businessman by the name of Girard. When he asked for a job, Mr. Girard answered, “Yes, I can give you work. See that pile of bricks out there? Carry them over to the other end of the yard and stack them up.” By nightfall, the man reported that the project was completed and received his pay. When asked if there would be more work the next day, his employer said, “Yes, come in tomorrow and carry those same bricks back to where you found them.” The following morning, he came in early and got busy without a word. For more than a week he was instructed to carry bricks back and forth until it was evident that he could be trusted to do exactly what he was told. Then he was given a new and bigger responsibility—to go downtown and bid on a large quantity of sugar. Not recognizing him, the people at the auction were surprised by the bid of this total stranger. When it was accepted, the auctioneer asked who would pay the bill. “Mr. Girard,” the man replied. “I am his agent.” He had earned this position by being faithful in a menial task. ( Our Daily Bread as found in Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (pp. 909–910). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.) • God has given us a time of relative simplicity. For us to be counted as the faithful in Christ Jesus He desires that we get back to basics of knowing, loving and serving Him in the simplicity of our situation. If we can be found faithful in our present calling, He promises to use us in greater and greater endeavors. Third, we see the dual resources of Grace and Peace through: 3) The Dual Blessings of Believers (Ephesians 1:2a) Ephesians 1:2a [2] Grace to you and peace (from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ). (ESV) “Grace to you and peace” was a common greeting among Christians in the early church. Charis (grace) is God’s great kindness toward those who are undeserving of His favor but who have placed their faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. To greet a Christian brother or sister in this way is much more than a wish for their general well–being. It is also an acknowledgment of the divine grace in which we stand and which has made us mutual members of Christ’s Body and of God’s divine family. The daily greeting is transformed into a godly greeting by the church’s use of grace and peace as qualities essential to the Christian life and by reference to their source in God and in his Son Jesus (Anders, M. (1999). Galatians-Colossians (Vol. 8, p. 91). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.) Please turn to Romans 5 Grace is the fountain of which peace (eirēnē) is the stream. Because we have grace from God we have peace with God and the peace of God, “which surpasses all comprehension” (Phil. 4:7). Peace is the equivalent of the Hebrew shālôm, which, in its highest connotation, signifies spiritual prosperity and completeness. Paul’s readers have already experienced, in some measure, God’s grace and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle recognizes this, and in his salutation he expresses his desire that these twin blessings may be understood and experienced in greater measure, especially through the letter itself, for these two major themes are taken up again and again throughout Ephesians (O’Brien, P. T. (1999). The letter to the Ephesians (p. 88). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.). Paul explained this relationship in Romans 5 Romans 5:1-11 [5:1] Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. [2]Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [3]More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [4]and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [5]and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. [6]For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. [7]For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- [8]but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. [9]Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. [10]For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. [11]More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (ESV) • The grace in which we stand refers to the secure position of the believer’s standing (as a blessing of justification). The peace with God, is not merely a subjective feeling but an objective reality (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2165). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.) “Grace” expresses God’s steadfast love toward (believers) and “peace” shows the relational state as a result of that grace (Hoehner, H. W. (1985). Ephesians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 615). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.) The world can never know peace until it knows the grace of God. The interesting thing is, you don’t see the word grace around very much. ...Peace is peace with God because our sins are forgiven. Our sins can never be forgiven until we know something of the grace of God (McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed., Vol. 5, p. 211). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.). Illustration: John Newton’s “Amazing Grace” captures Paul’s gratitude for God’s grace. After wasting his youth as a hard-drinking, hard-cursing sailor, slave, and ne’er-do-well, Newton was rescued from a storm at sea and a stormy life by his merciful God. When he returned to England, he forsook the sea and became a minister of God, never forgetting that "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind but now I see." As an old man, Newton met a longtime friend on the streets of London. He told him, “My memory is gone. But I remember two things: I am a great sinner. And Jesus Christ is my savior.” Newton even expressed his gratitude for God’s grace on his memorial stone: " John Newton. Clerk. Once an infidel and libertine, A servant of slaves in Africa was by the Mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Preserved, restored, pardoned, And appointed to preach the faith he had so long laboured to destroy "/(Lawson, L. (1987). Galatians, Ephesians: Unlocking the Scriptures for You (pp. 132–133). Cincinnati, OH: Standard.). Finally, and only briefly, we see the dual resources of Grace and Peace through: 4) The Dual Source of Blessing (Ephesians 1:2b) Ephesians 1:2b [2](Grace to you and peace) from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV) The dual source of blessing is the same as the dual source of authority—God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Those are not separate and distinct sources but two manifestations of the same Source, as indicated by the connective kai (and), which can indicate equivalence, and here indicates that the Lord Jesus Christ is deity just (as much as) God our Father. The term "Father" is not used in the sense of sexual generation nor chronological sequence, but of intimate family relationship. God chose family terms to reveal Himself to (humanity) (Example: Hosea 2–3 as passionate, faithful lover, Hosea 11 as loving father and mother). (Utley, R. J. (1997). Paul Bound, the Gospel Unbound: Letters from Prison (Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon, then later, Philippians) (Vol. Volume 8, p. 71). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.) The word, God, taken by itself might convey the impression of One who is infinitely high and unapproachable. The name, Father, on the other hand, speaks of One who is intimately near and accessible. Join the two by the pronoun, our, and we have the staggering truth that the high and lofty God, who inhabits eternity, is the loving Father of everyone who has been born again through faith in the Lord Jesus (MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1906). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.). The title “Lord” (κύριος, kyrios) has an interesting background. Originally it was used for the owner of a piece of property. Later it was applied to the master who owned slaves and had the authority to demand their obedience. Then it came to be used as a common title for the gods of the mystery religions. Last of all, shortly before the coming of Jesus, the word “Lord” became the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name “Jehovah” or “Yahweh” in the Septuagint version of the Scriptures. All the implications of the term apply to Jesus: He is our owner and master; He is God. Paul’s message throughout this epistle is that believers might understand and experience more fully all of the blessings granted by their heavenly Father and His Son and their Savior, Jesus Christ. (Boles, K. L. (1993). Galatians & Ephesians (Eph 1:2). Joplin, MO: College Press.). We can know “The Way of Grace & Peace” because of the blessing “from God our Father.” That God the Father is our Father should be seen as the most extraordinary privilege imaginable. Both the OT and NT testify that God acts as a Father to his people in the most persistently loving fashion: “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; … As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him” (Psa 103:11–13). The Sovereign God of the universe intimately and tenderly identifies with us his adopted children, who were once “children of wrath” (2:3). This is all brought about through the mediation of the second person named in the benediction: “grace to you and peace from God our Father and from Jesus Christ.” ( Baugh, S. M. (2015). Ephesians: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary. (W. H. House, H. W. Harris III, & A. W. Pitts, Eds.) (p. 60). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.) (Format note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1986). Ephesians (p. 3). Chicago: Moody Press.) 007 Benediction Now to you from Him Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come … from Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth, May Grace and Peace abound. (cf. Revelation 1:4, 5) In the blessed name of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ we pray. AMEN.