Part 1: Who are we called to be!

Opening

I want to begin this morning by saying that it has always been my desire to preach through a book of the bible. I believe that when we can focus on one particular book then we can get the full essence of the message that is contained within. I think this is especially true when we look at Paul’s letter to the various churches. We get a broad and a deep view of the message that Paul writes to this Christians living in those places as they faced what would be like to be a church plant as a new religious group.

What is interesting about the book of Ephesians is first it is believed that this book was not written to Ephesians alone but that it would be what is called a circular. Meaning that it was written to many churches there in Asia minor. So before we go into our text for this morning I want to give you view of the city Ephesus itself.

First here is a map of where Ephesus is seated in Asia Minor which again today is modern day Turkey. The city of Ephesus was said to be the 4th largest city in the world with a population somewhere between 250,000-300,000 people. The culture of the city was both Greek and Roman. At one time Ephesus was a port city so it is fair to say that it had a lot of travelers passing through. The god that was worshipped there in Ephesus was Artemis. She was the goddess of fertility and because it was under Roman control there was the goddess Diana. Unlike many other providence’s under Roman’s control Ephesus was a free city. Therefore it had its own governmental structure.

Basically Ephesus was a thriving metropolis city and with any city of any size there are going to be varying views and religious beliefs. Therefore, this letter to the Christian’s living in Ephesus a letter about who they were called to be then and as it applies now.

Finally, this book was said to have been written by Paul while he was in prison in Rome. Unlike some places Ephesus is place that Paul lived. Paul lived there 3 years as he preached the word and grew the church. It is the place that when Paul left he left Timothy to continue that which he had started. Unlike a lot of the other churches the Church at Ephesus is mentioned in several books of the bible. Acts, 1 Corinthians, 1&2 Timothy and then as one of the seven churches mentioned in the beginning of the book of Revelation.

One writer stated that the book of Ephesians was written to teach us three things:

Who we are in Christ

What we have because of our relationship

How to use what He has given us for the glory of God.

It will be from that frame work over the course of this book that we will identify the church then and how this message still applies to us the church now.

Here now our text this morning:

Ephesians 1:1–14 NIV

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 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, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 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, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.