Sermon Tone Analysis

Position and Practice: This is basic to Christianity, you must understand who you are in Christ that and that alone is the foundation upon which you operate.

Paul is praying, oh God may they deeply understand who they are, may they get a grip on this incredible reality that they are one with the eternal God through Christ, that all of the blessings of the heavenlies are theirs, that this is the standard of their existence forever and may they live like it, see?

That’s what he’s after.

We are to make our POSITION our PRACTICE.

Chapters 1-3 is the Doctrine

Chapter 4-6 is the Duty

Paul shared in the first 14 verses the great, deep, rich truths of what is ours in Christ now he prays that we would understand it, he prays that we would get a grip on it.

And people I want you to understand this, Christian growth has nothing to do with your position in Christ, nothing.

When you were saved you were in Christ, how much of your sin was forgiven?

All, you received eternal life, you’re made perfect, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to you, God sees you as absolutely perfect and righteous, that’s your position Christian growth has nothing to do with it.

But your practice is where the growth comes.

I’ve often said that the Christian life is the process; watch this, of becoming what you are, okay?

Becoming what you are.

Constant exhortation without theology just brings people under guilt, it doesn’t motive them.

So the mature Christian understands his privileges, his possessions, checks out his resources, lives consistent with who he is.

In fact over in 4:1 Paul says,

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you,” now watch, “that you walk worthy of the vocation to which you are called.”

He has spent three chapters, now watch me, three chapters describing the calling and now he says, therefore here is how you live.

Ephesians 1:15–16 (KJV 1900)

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

What caused Paul’s Thankfulness?

This is a prayer of every pastor.

Of course, the wherefore, draws our attention back to the previous section of praise.

We are:

1. Chosen in His Love—v. 5.

2. Predestined in His Purpose—v.

5.

3. Accepted in His Beloved—v.

6.

4. Redeemed by His Blood—v.

7.

5. Sealed by His Spirit—v.

13.

All of this happened because of God’s Grace.

vs. 6

We simply heard the word of truth and believed.

Again, the Calvinists believe this gives us to much credit and takes away to much from God’s Sovereignty.

I say it is still all be His Grace and His Love.

Trusting and believing is not that great of work.

The Cause of Thankfulness

Paul has been writing about the way of salvation.

He has already told us that we are saved by grace.

Salvation is all God’s doing from start to finish.

He put us in His plan; He sent His Son to die for us; He called us to Himself; and when we came, he fully cleansed us from all our sins and saved us by His marvelous grace.

Paul wants these saints to know that, while they may not understand everything they have heard thus far, they have understood enough for them to place their faith in Jesus for salvation.

So, as he writes to these believers, he offers some words of praise regarding their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Trusting the Savior

Ephesians 1:15 (KJV 1900)

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

Is Simple:

Paul tells them that he has “heard of” their “faith in the Lord Jesus”.

When Paul refers to “faith”, he is not talking about mountain moving faith, or sycamore plucking up faith, he is talking about the simple act of believing the Gospel.

In other words, Paul commends them for having placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

He was glad they were saved.

• Just so we are clear today, and I know that I sound like a broken record, but believing the Gospel is the only means of salvation for any soul.

This is made clear in several passages of Scripture:

Paul is going to further relate this in the next chapter.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Why do I stress so much about the gospel?

Is Serious:

Unfortunately, many are not stressing the gospel of Christ.

Paul told the church at Corinth

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (KJV 1900)

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Paul told the church at Rome:

Is Significant:

See, the GOSPEL is very SIMPLE to receive and SERIOUS enough to be our main and only message and focus, but it is also very SIGNIFICANT.

Ephesians 1:15 (KJV 1900)

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

You have to decide.

You have to understand that Jesus is Lord.

Look back for a moment at

Romans 10:9 (KJV 1900)

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Acts 16:31 (KJV 1900)

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Both of those verses declare the truth that Jesus is Lord.

In the Gospels Jesus is called Jesus, Lord or Christ, or various combinations of those titles.

He is called Jesus about 625 times;

Lord about 200 times and Christ about 60 times.

Jesus is only called “Lord Jesus” once in the Gospels in Luke 24:3.

After the Gospels,

Jesus is called “Lord Jesus” some 117 times.

He is called “Jesus Christ” some 119 times.

I want you to see what Peter tried to get the Jews to see in

Acts 2:36 (KJV 1900)

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

The point of all that is this: Jesus is not a buffet!

You do not come to Him today and get Him as Savior, and then make Him Lord later.

You cannot make Him what He already is.

You see, He is Lord whether you bow to His Lordship or not.

No, when you come to Jesus Christ, you must be willing to bow to His Lordship in your life.

I know that most people who come to Jesus for salvation are just coming because they do not want to go to Hell.

They are looking for fire insurance.

They are looking to get out of the wrath they know they deserve; wrath that has been made clear to them through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.

However, a part of being saved is having a willingness to repent of sin.

When a lost sinner comes to Jesus under Holy Ghost conviction, that lost sinner knows that he is in serious spiritual trouble.

The Holy Spirit has made the sinfulness of the sinner very clear.

The Holy Spirit has brought that lost soul to a place where they are willing to turn from their sins and embrace a new life.

They are willing to turn their backs on Satan and yield to Jesus as the Lord of their lives.

• The bottom line is this: You cannot have Jesus as Savior, unless you are willing to have Him as Lord also.

You will not understand all that involves at the time, but there will a yielding of yourself to Jesus Christ and His dominion in your life.