New Life in Christ

Introduction to the book of Ephesians

Imagine with me for a moment, one morning instead of rising out of the comfort of your soft bed, you rose up to see you were trapped in a gloomy, dark prison cell chained together with a roman guard who was with you every waking second.

For the majority of us, we would consider this to be a nightmare situation, but for Apostle Paul, its another ordinary day serving Jesus. Previously before serving Jesus in prison and making converts to Christianity, Paul was a Pharisee, that is a religious order in Judaism.

He was convinced that anyone who followed Christianity was deviating from the one true religion. He even went as far as ordering the execution of those followed Jesus, until one day we met the resurrected Jesus on the road toward Damascus. There God spoke to Paul, told him to meet Ananias and then later Paul was baptized into the Christian faith.

After his conversion, Paul then planted new churches in Asia minor and made new disciples for Jesus. While in prison, Paul reconnects with his fellow Christian brothers and sister through letters. Which in this sermon series, we are looking at his letter to the Ephesians. The letter of Ephesians would have been written during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome around 60 A.D. This letter was not specifically written for one congregation, but was a circular letter, which is meant for all Christians. The letter of Ephesians would have been sent to church of Ephesus first and then forward to the surrounded churches in the local area.

Praising God overcoming the noise of distractions

Siting in prison, Paul had plenty of time to meditate and contemplate something interesting to write about to his fellow Christian brothers and sisters. Rather writing a letter complaining about his living conditions, the lack of food or the guard that his with his 24/7, Paul calls every Christian to a heart of praise.

I already know what you’re thinking, why is it so difficult for me to praise God every day?

It’s because of this one word - distractions.

We naturally struggle to worship and praise God the outside world is clamoring for our attention every moment of the day i.e., news, social media, family suffering, sin, etc.

Even when Paul is sitting in prison would had many distractions. Can you imagine Paul’s distractions that tried to prevent him from praise God? His growling stomach, the roman soldier that’s always looking over his back, the cold nights in his prison would have been valid reason for his praise to subside.

But how we break away from distractions and set our hearts on praising God daily?

We recenter a life of praise by remembering what God has already done for us. This is why Paul can praise God while remaining in prison. He writes in Ephesians 1:3-14 every reason why we can celebrate and praise his glory.

Ephesians 1:3–14 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Christian salvation is trinitarian in nature. The Father selects those who will adopted into his kingdom according by his divine will. The Son is the means of redemption. Through his sacrificial atonement, believers are forgiven and experience grace from Jesus, and the Holy Spirit seals our salvation until the day we possess our inheritance.

We praise God because he loved us so much that he saved us from our sin and united us into his Son and given us hope for eternity.

illustration (Envelope demonstration)

God the Father chose us - selecting an empty envelope. (Select a random envelope from the box)

God the Son redeems us - consecrating and opening the envelope. (Prepare it by opening it)

God the Holy Spirit indwells in us - Sanctifies and seals the envelope. (Insert paper and wax seal it)

These are the reasons why we can praise God daily regardless of what happening at home, school, or work. When we live a life of praise it organically takes us to a rich life of prayer.

Praise naturally leads to prayer

Removing these distractions entails realigning our gratitude not on what’s happening around us, but what God has accomplished for us through God.

This is why Paul can sit quietly in prison and pray for others, because he knows a life the belongs to God is filled with praise and prayer.

Ephesians 1:15–23 ESV

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

The church is to prays for the members of the body to be enlightened and to comprehend the riches of God's grace and glory. Jesus saves, and the believers life all point towards praising the one who is above every name.

The purpose praise and prayers is that we grow up into the head of the church which is Christ. The church’s bride, is to connect and thank God for everything. We especially thank God for what he has done for us through our union with Christ. Paul describes our spiritual condition before and after we knew Christ.

Significance of the union with Christ

Ephesians 2:1–10 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Paul's synoptists of life before and after we found Jesus Christ. God accomplishes salvation through himself alone, believers are the recipients of salvation. New life is provided by God's grace through the means of faith. Once we are in him, and he in us, we are to walk in good works.

Before we knew God we were living zombies, physical alive, but spiritual dead. Plus, we were following the prince of the power of the air, which is Satan and his kingdom. In doing so, we lived in death and we going to be judge according as children of wrath, but God saved us by placing us together in Christ.

The blessings come when we embrace God’s grace through faith which is expressed through belief, repentance, and water baptism. In doing so, God raises us up in Jesus. We experience a geographical change, not only are we here, but part of lives in Christ. Likewise, he now lives in me.

The benefits of our new union with Christ is adoption into the family, an inheritance waiting to be revealed in heaven, a new life that is filled with the Spirit of God and an eternal purpose of living for God daily. The gift of salvation is Christ living in you and you living in Christ.

No longer are we our own, but we have been purchased by God’s blood and are to know live our a life of praise and good works.

Adoption comes with privileges

However, the mistake is to embrace the new life in Christ and then to do nothing with it. God predestined us for a reason to praise and glory his name. Adoption includes the benefits of salvation, but also includes privileges.

conclusion illustration (filled envelope)

Taking the envelope and setting it aside accomplishes nothing, it was seal for a reason. To bring a message to be sent. Will I do something with my union or be an envelope that forget’s it life’s purpose?

We too as the church are envelopes sent out on mission. Praising the name of God and walking to the good works that God has created us to do.

Christians who are alive with Christ understand their salvation is a gift and in doing so we respond in love to God and serve him wherever we go. Be the envelope, filled with the Spirit, sent out on mission.