A Place Of Grace
4-7-2024
- Your Love Awakens Me
- Good Good Father
- Psalm 139
- There’s a story of a family who was immigrating from Europe to the US,graciously they were given tickets on a cruise ship to come to the US.They were very poor and saved their money and brought cheese and crackers and things they knew could sustain them on the cruise.Every night they would hear people going to the dining hall and celebrating and being excited. The family was kind of discouraged: “We don’t have money to go to the dining hall, so we’re just going to keep eating our cheese and crackers.” Until the last night, the father said, “You know what? We are going to the US tomorrow. Let’s celebrate by going and eating like everybody else.”They got to the dining hall and began to eat, and he asked the maître d’, “So how much do I owe you for the food?” He answered, “Well, the food is free. It’s included. It’s part of the cruise.” The family had been denying themselves and eating only cheese and crackers the entire time throughout the cruise when the food was always available and already paid for.The letter to the Ephesians is written to saints IN CHRIST who are rich beyond measure… yet find themselves living in spiritual poverty, ignorant of the wealth they have IN CHRIST JESUS!Letter InformationPaul introduces this letter beautifully… Ephesians 1:1-2
Ephesians 1:1–2 NASB95 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.We are saints in our standing; faithful defines our relationship“Grace” expresses God’s steadfast love toward man and “peace” shows the relational state as a result of that grace.As we read we see “In Christ” is a key phrase. This is our position!!!We see this phrase “In Christ” or its equivalent 35 times in this letter.This is such a essential doctrine for the believe to understandYou and I are as close to God as His Son Jesus Christ positionally![Map] Ephesus is a pivotal city in Asia MinorPaul is writing this from Rome… one of his prison Epistles[Zoom Map] Paul spent 3 years with these folksTimothy is their pastorThis letter is carried to them with very little personal touch other than that Tyciccus will relay how Paul is doingMost likely this letter is entrusted with this church to be circulatedThis is a crucial and pivotal churchThe letter Paul entrust to this church is beautifully intertwined with deep theology and teaching and gives practical application for every believer in every age… Some have deemed this letter the most profound writing in the New Testament… Let’s explore it together!OverviewAs you read and study this letter it does not take much to realize that at its center is a very distinct shift… we read in Ephesians 4:1 the opening word… THEREFORE!!!Ephesians 4:1 NASB95 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,Ephesians 4:1 (NLT) “...beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.”THEREFOREThis verse is the hinge, it is the catalyst that applies the first portion of the letter.It is a very distinct “IF”… “THEN” conceptThe first three chapters deal with Teaching / Theology / DoctrineThe last three chapters apply this teaching,Puts our theology into practiceGives us 35 DIRECTIVES as we live out this DoctrineWe learn and discover our Position “IN CHRIST” in Chapters 1-3We learn what the Practice or working out of that Position should be in Chapters 4-6The first half deals with the believer's Calling and the second half deals with our Conduct or walkI want us to consider our standing in Christ… who we are according to the first three chapters of this letter...REDEMPTIONInterestingly enough verses 3-14 are one complete sentence in the Greek. It is the longest sentence in the bible.Paul lays out in this sentence the redeeming work of the Godhead, our Triune God…Vs 3-6 We are chosen by God the FatherVs 7-12 We are redeemed by the SonVs 13-14 We are sealed by the Holy SpiritPaul shares this with his readers to encourage, embolden, and assure them!!!Paul expresses a prayer for them after sharing these things… Ephesians 1:18-19Ephesians 1:18–19 NASB95 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His mightADOPTIONWe are adopted into His family… Chosen!John 3:16 God loved the world2 Peter 3:9 declares that God desires none perishAdoption was recieved by the one being adopted (usually one older)Adoption was PERMANENT!Adoption was sealed… (Holy Spirit)GRACEPaul clearly lays out that our redemption, our salvation is ONLY the work of God’s Grace to us…What is beautiful is that it is NOT based on us but rather Him!No work, no earning, and it is offered to allThis extending of GRACE TO ALL is what is to unify believersGrace draws us to GodGrace draws Jew and Gentile together as oneGrace draws us together as the BODY (SINGULAR) of ChristGRACE unifies us “IN CHRIST!”The closing of chapter 3 is Paul not able to contain himself as he ponders all God has done… truly God has given us “every spiritual blessing!”… THEREFORE!!!! This is the very essence of the key verse Ephesians 2:8-10Ephesians 2:8–10 NASB95 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.The application for this message is going to be a bit longer as it entails the second half of this letter...OUR WALK“therefore...walk in a manner worthy of your calling” The word walk here pertains to our conduct… how we engage in life.HumilityGentlenessPatienceCaring for one anotherUnitedIt is amazing how our walk or conduct reflects the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!ONENESSHe discusses the church as the BODY of Christ and how we are to use our gifts together for the purpose of “building up the body of Christ!”We build up the body in order that we can minister togetherWe use our gifts ministering building up!!!LIVING AS LIGHTAs we “walk” and conduct ourselves there should be a contrastAs light we are to REVEAL Christ to a dark worldWe are called to change how we liveOnce doing the deeds of the darkNow shining as we live for Christ as His child!HEADSHIP & RELATIONSHIPSPaul declares that in Christ we are part of His body and He is the Head… headship/authorityPaul deals with our relationships… first with Him and each-other as His church… then:Wives and HusbandsChildren and parentsSlaves and mastersIllustrating that in these relationships we demonstrate to a watching world OUR POSITION IN CHRIST!We are so RICH in spiritual blessings… we can live like no one else! Children of the King! however…One comes to this portion of the letter with these 35 directives… one can become overwhelmed.You’re saying this is hard!This is difficult and overwhelming even united!Paul closes with a directive with a militant tone…STAND FIRM!He defines our battle as one of spiritual nature NOT with others, NOT with each otherIn this mandate to stand firm we are given armorPaul stresses the importance of the WHOLE armor… !!!Paul closes not necessarily praying for them but challenging them to prayPray at all timesPray for alertnessPray for perseverancePray for each otherPray for boldnessPaul even ask them to pray for him...With that let’s close our time together in prayer… as ones who are so rich in blessing, may we understand our position to the degree that it is lived out and practiced in our lives daily!!! Ephesians 1:1–2NASB95
Ephesians 4:1NASB95
Ephesians 1:3–14NASB95
Ephesians 1:18–19NASB95
Ephesians 2:8–10NASB95
- Glory To His Name
A Place Of Grace
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