Sermon 020898
Eph. 1:22-23 The Church is Christ Body & Fullness 2/8/98
ABCC
I. Introduction 609
Paul is expressing a burden for the church at Ephesus & likewise for us today. His desire is for them to see, know & understand some thing wonderful; something that will aid them is their Christian growth & maturity; that will stabilize them in times of trouble & struggle in the church. What this wonderful thing that he wants them & us to know? Verses 15-19 tell us!
q He longs for God to reveal the greatness of Christ, His calling, inheritance & POWER!
q Paul knows that it is essential for the church to know this power; but He likewise knows that God must reveal it to the church – this power that’s working among & within us.
II. The Power Revealed in Christ
A. Christ experienced the temptation, pain & agony of humanity (Heb. 4:15)
He faced life in this fallen & sinful world without a retirement plan, medical plan, w/o protection of government; He was despised & forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; deprived of many of the comforts & pleasures that we enjoy every day. But, this great power of the Holy Spirit kept Him thru all the suffering…
B. Jesus Christ died an agonizing and painful death (Mt. 27:25-50)
There was no sedative – extra strength Tylenol or morphine – no, wicked men had devised this kind of death to be torture. Yet, this amazing power was working in Christ so that He victoriously face agony & pain in life & death!
C. Jesus Christ was victorious over death by this great POWER (v. 19b-20b)
In all of creation, what could possibly resist the strength of God’s might WORKING? How could Satan, death & the grave hold Christ when the Almighty God plans to raise Him? God is limitless with power; He is the Omnipotent One; nothing, ABSOLUTELY nothing is too difficult for Him; nothing is impossible; all things are possible for Him!
The Church is Christ Body & Fullness, pg. 2
D. Jesus Christ has been supremely exalted by this great POWER (v. 20c-22a)
“far above” everything that He Himself created – in heaven, on earth or under the earth – there is no one, any where or at any time that is greater than Christ. His name is above every name, that at the name of Jesus…& Heb. 1:1-8
III. The Power Revealed in the Church
A. Redemption (v. 7-8a) – This great power from heaven has come among sinners who love sex, drugs, money, pleasure, lying, stealing, cheating & every other evil thing…Christ tracked us down & cornered us, convicted us of sin, granted us repentance & forgiveness of sin through the blood of Christ – all by this great POWER! When God declares that a sinner is forgiven by His great power, does anyone have power to make him guilty again? NO!
B. Adoption into the family of God & the church (v. 4c-6, 22b-23a) – we have been brought into this wonderful & incredible relationship with God. We who were once sinners have now been made saints; we have been brought together in a real & vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ & with each other by this great power. Collectively God has made us a living organism called the church which is the body of Christ. Christ is the head of the church & He is controlling us collectively from heaven by this great power of the Holy Spirit.
C. The Church is to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit (v. 23b)
The same power that kept Christ thru all His suffering, persecution & pain is to fill our lives & keep us. The same power that gave Christ joy without the securities of this world is to give us joy when we face crises as a church or individually. The same power that caused Christ to face his own death with courage & even joy is to fill our live so that we can face the dangers of this life. The very same power that raised Christ from the dead is to fill our lives so that we as a church actually live our lives as if heaven has come down to earth – because my brother/sister it has!
The Church is Christ Body & Fullness, pg. 3
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body. And I say to every Christian sitting here that we are the body of Christ & He is moving among us longing to reveal Himself & this great power to us. My brother/sister do you feel weak, insignificant, ineffective, unworthy? Look to Christ with His limitless power to enable you to go on in victory. Are you longing to see, know & understand this great power for yourself my brother/sister? Nothing keeps you from knowing Christ this way except unbelief? Paul prayed this for himself, “that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” (Php. 3:10) Why is the church so weak today? Why don’t we have this power in prayer, praise, teaching, preaching, love & forgiveness toward one another? Christ is here among us & the limitless power of the Holy Spirit is here, we are a blessed people – the church is the one & only group of humanity that is guaranteed to succeed by God Himself. Christ said I will build my church & the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. Why, because of His great power working in us. Paul again breaks forth in praise in Eph. 3 “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the POWER that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generation forever and ever.” What about you my friend, who is not a Christian? Do you want to know this Christ & His power to redeem you & forgive your sins? Do you truly want to know Him? Well, nothing keeps you from know Christ this way except your own unbelief? Won’t you believe my message today? Christ came into the world to save sinners and He can save you today by His great and awesome power – never to be lost again. You can have you future secure; face the uncertainties your health, finances, family relationships, economy & employment, government activities; uncertainty about the length of your life with confidence & joy because you will know that God loves you in Christ & by His great power will protect you! Are you secure today?