We are the Church- An Overview of Ephesians

Introduction

Background

Ephesus: On the west banks of the Aegean Sea, 200 miles across from Athens Greece was a 2,000 year old city. and in AD 61 it had become the cultural epicenter of blended races religions and cultures of the Roman Empire. The cityof Ephesus was second only to the the capital in size and influence in its day. The amount of money and culture that flowed in and out of this city was massive and the influence of Ephesus was seen around the world. When your ship would pull up to the port you would step out on marble roadways that lead you through the blended ancient and modern architecture of the buildings and into the heart of the city. It was one of the most desired places in the ancient world to live in, and to tavel to. Even the Emperors of Rome and other dignitaries would take their vacations to this beautiful region of Asia.

Dianna: At the center of this ancient city was one of the 7 wonders of the World. the temple of Artemis It was the largest greek temple ever constructed. This temple was built for the worship of the greek Goddess Diana. She was the goddess of Fertility and millions of people would travel each year to Ephesus to worship this man made god. The worship of Diana was very immoral and vulgar as people came hoping for the goddess to hear their request and to grant them fertility, profit, and gain.

The Audience- On Paul’s 2 Missionary journey he wanted to go to Ephesus to plant churches but the Holy Spirit put a road block up in his life and directed him north and to Philippi, Athens and Corinth instead. On His way home from Corinth the ship we was traveling on He ported in Ephesus. Paul met with a small group of Followers of John the Baptist and promised them that he would return to build the church. In Acts 19 we see this come to fruition. Paul brought the gospel to Ephesus on his 3rd missionary Journey. He began by preaching daily in the temple for 3 months and then taught in the School of Tyrannus for 2 1/2 more years, teaching and preaching the gospel of Christ to the people of the community.

Paul loved this church and ministered as its leader for longer than he did in any other city on his missionary journeys. This church had a special place in Paul’s heart because they were his spiritual children, men and women whom he led to Christ. The church grew rapidly and become one of the most visibly successful ministries from Paul’s recorded life. This church which included both Jews and Gentiles was in the heart of the Roman Empire .In a city that influenced the world.

Paul’s Imprisonment: 2 years after he left Ephesus He was arrested in Jerusalem for preaching the gospel. and a plot to assassinate him by the jewish leaders was foiled and the Romans ended shipping him to prison in Rome.

And now six years have passed since He ministered in Ephesus. Paul still imprisoned in Rome is where he wrote the Epistles Ephesians, Philippine, Colossians and Philemon. and gave the letters to four faithful men to carry them and deliver them to the churches.

e2w he sent Epaphroditus to his home church in Philippi with the letter to the Philippians, Epaphras was from Colosse and Carried the the letter to the Colossians, Onesimus was the run away slave of Philemon and he carried the letter to his master, and Tychicus was from Ephesus and he carried the letter to the Ephesian church.

The Book of Ephesians gives us a cosmic view of God’s plans for the world in light of Christ Death and Resurrection. Paul has been given the task of explaining the mystery of the gospel , and The concept of the Church- a body of born again followers of Jesus to the gentile world.

Ephesians paints the church as God’s Masterpiece, a mystery that was not revealed in the Old Testament.

The church is more precious than any temple made with human hand because it is constructed with living stones, redeemed people that are indwelt by the holy spirit .

This is the mystery of the church that Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is all about.

Because of Jesus’ death, all people both Jews and Gentiles can now receive the gift of forgiveness for their sins and be adopted into God’s chosen Family.

This is the mystery of the gospel- that Through the sacrifice of Christ, God shows no partiality to anyone. He accepts all who believe in His Sons name and adopts them into his family - the church.

The Big Idea: Theme of Ephesians:

Christ and His Church.

Christ is the head

Believers are the body

together we are the church

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is one of the greatest text on the church. It teaches us what the church is in the mind of God and how the church should act as the redeemed of God.

There is no other book in the bible that teaches more about church doctrine than the book of Ephesians.

Transition: I am excited to spend time with you in this precious book as we understand who we are in christ as his church and how that is demonstrated to the world around.

This morning I am going to attempt to preach the entire book of Ephesians so that we can see the big picture that Paul intended for the church to see.

2 PARTS TO THE BOOK Of EPHESIANS :DOCTRINE AND DUTY

Doctrine- First 3 chapters (1-3)

Definition: Doctrine is foundational truths about God. fundamental truths that can not change or waiver.

Ephesians teaches us the foundational truth that believers are blessed in Christ. I

When we become part of God’s family it comes with a great benefits package.

Chapters 1-3 speaks on these benefits we have in Christ.

Our Possessions Received through Christ

From The Father-

He Blessed us with every spiritual blessing (v.1: 3)

Through His grace He has given you what you don’t deserve.

He Adopted us into His family (v.1:5)

He didn’t just wipe your debt clean but he made you his child

He Redeemed us through His Son Jesus (v.1:6b-7)

He accepted us because of Jesus and loves us through Jesus

He Revealed the mystery of the gospel by giving us wisdom and insight (1:8-9)

Through Christ death the gospel in now offered to everyone who believes

From the Son

We share in his inheritance in heaven (v. 1:11)

We have a Living Hope (v. 1:12)

From the Spirit

Marks you with His permanent seal (v. 1:13)

This brings with it - Security, authenticity, Ownership, and Authority. God Himself indwells us as believers.

The Holy Spirit is also our down payment for our inheritance inHeaven (v. 1:14)

He secures your destiny - An eternal lifetime guarantee. backed by God Himself

As Followers of Jesus we have so much to be thankful for. God has given us so much. Abd these are doctrinal blessings that God gives his children.

Prayer for the Spiritual Wisdom

Paul prays for the church to have Spiritual wisdom as they follow christ

Spiritual Wisdom and revelation (1:17)

Paul prayed that that the believers would have enlightenment towards the things of God.

That they will know the hope of God’s calling (18)

That they will see the wealth of hIs glorious inheritance(18)

that they will grasp the incomparable greatness of God’s power that is art work in them (19)

the same power that raised Jesus from the dead

He closes his prayer with putting Christ at the head of the Church- and the head over all of Creation V21-22

Transition- Because we recieved these possession through the work of Christ, we now have a new Position in Christ

Our Position Changed in of Christ

From death to Life (v.2:1-10) Read vs . 2:1-2

HE explains this transition in the key verse- 2:8-9)For it was by Grace you were saved..

From foreigners to citizens (v. 2:11-22)

vs 19- “therefore, (Because you believe in Jesus) you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God.”

Our position changed to full citizenship when we accepted Christ as our savior.

our identity is no longer a lost but found

IN CHRIST OUR POSITION HAS CHANGED FROM GOD’S EMENY TO GODS LOVED CHILD.

Prayer for Strengthened Love (v. 3:14-21)

v. 14 “For this Reason”

Because of the Possessions we have recieved through Christ, and Our new Position because of Christ, Paul has great motive for his prayer which begins with “for this reason i bow my knees to the father ”

Read (3:14-20)

because of our new identity in Christ as adopted Redeemed Sons and daughter of God, We can live out this doctrine because we know that God has given us everything we need to do His Work.. (3:16-19)

understand that Because Its God’s power that is working in you as a believer, There is no limit to what it can do in and through your life for the glory of God (3:20)

Transition: From Doctrine to Duty

Doctrine is the foundational truths about God.

Duty is how we live our lives according to these truths

Duty- The Believers behavior in Christ (4-6)

Definition: An Obligation or responsibility that someone is required to perform.

Our duty as a follower of Jesus is not optional. It’s who we are it’s who we are made to be.

Paul takes us from the Doctrine of who we are in Christ to what this looks like when it it is lived our in your life.

Paul said in Phil 1:22 we are to walk worthy of the gospel of Christ

Walk in Unity (4:1-16)

As a church we are unified with One body, one spirit, one Lord, One faith, One Baptism, and One God.

Our duty is:

to seek peace with one another,

to speak the truth in love with one another,

and to Show grace towards one another in everything we do.

Walk in Holiness (4:22-24)

Put off and put on

Put off the selfishness of the world

Put on the righteousness of God

Walk in Kindness (4:31-32)

We live out the doctrine of who we are in Christ by living lives the mimic Christ’s kindness and forgiveness he showed you on the cross.

Walk in Love (5:1-2)

Christ love towards you was sacrificial . He loved us even when we didn’t deserve.

Walk in the Light (5:8)

Walking in the light means that Christ is seen in your life. That others see the light of the gospel shining through your life.

Walk in Wisdom (5:15-16)

Living your life in light of eternity. Redeeming the time- Understand that eternity is so close for so many people who are in desperate need of Jesus .

Walk in Harmony (with one another)

Husbands & Wives (5:22-32)

walk in harmony together -loving one another, respecting one another and prefrencing one another.

Parents & children (6:1-2)

living out the doctrines of scripture means that children will obey their parents and parents will train their children up in the Lord.

Masters & Servants(6:6-9)

We have the opportunity to live out the doctrines of scripture in the way we live our lives with authorities above us and those who work under us.

The point that we can see in all of these relationships is to love one another, to preference one another, and to serve one another.

Walk in Victory (6:10-20)

Armor of God-"Be Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His might”(v. 10)

To walk in victory means that we are spiritually ready for Battle when satan attacks our lives.

Transition: the first 3 chapters of this book are all about Who the church is because of Christ- and the last 3 chapters are all about what that church should look like to the world it is in.

And now He closes His letter with a prayer requesting Gospel Boldness

Prayer for Gospel Boldness (v.6:19-20)

Pauls prayer is for boldness as he proclaims the gospel without fear of what man might do to him.

Paul wrote a similar statement to the church in Phillipi- Phil 1:20- It is my eager Expectation and Hope...

Paul is not just asking for confidence as he preaches but he is asking for divine infusion of strength and courage to make the gospel of Jesus clear as he preaches.

He is living out What he just taught in chapter 3: he understood that his identity was now in Christ as an adopted Redeemed Sons of God. and this new identity brings with it the same power that raised Jesus from the grave. The power That God uses to save lost souls from hell.

Conclusion

The Book of Ephesians is all about the church and who it is becauseChrist is its cornerstone and its head.

YOU ARE THE CHURCH -THE BODY OF CHRIST

when you put your faith in Jesus

God Brings you from death to life

He takes you from being a foreigner of his kingdom to an eternal citizen,

You become an adopted child of God, a co-heir with His perfect son Jesus

You no longer are a slave to sin and its penalty of eternal death. but are now free in Christ.

You are given a new purpose in life that brings with it a living hope, that can never be taken away -because it is secured by the stamp of the H.S.

When We gasp the magnitude of what God has given us as his church, Our lives will be a light in this community

When we understand the duty that comes with the doctrine of the church, We will want to walk worthy of the gospel that brought us new life

To walk worthy of the gospel of Christ means

We live our lives according to the truths of His Word

We strive for unity with our brothers and sisters in christ

We live Holy lives that shine brightly for God’s glory in a dark world

We show unconditional kindness that is overflowing with grace and love for one another.

And we put on God’s Armor so that we can stand firm grounded in these truths truths.

The book of Ephesians was written to the Church about the church , so that the church could be the church that God has called His church to be.

WE ARE THE CHURCH. ARE YOU acting like ?

PRAY