Opening Salutation (1:1-2)
Ephesians: Anatomy of Christ's Glorious Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Good morning, as we begin our study in the amazing, life changing book of Ephesians, I would like to begin with a couple of sets of questions. The first is, what is the church, and what is its purpose? I ask these together since we cannot appropriately define the church without knowing and understanding its purpose. In other words, the church is not a statue or monument that is static or a work of art, but is a living, breathing living organism. Next question, is the church necessary, and if so, to what extent? The truth is, our answer to the first set of questions will undoubtedly help answer the second set. These questions are foundational to all we do here on planet earth. For I believe that scripture makes it clear that the answer to these questions will change our behavior as Christians and provide the only lasting effect on our world.
The title/theme, Ephesians: Anatomy of Christ’s Glorious Church, is founded on the idea that the church is Christ’s body with Christ as the head. We shall see this clearly shown to us with prepositional phrases like, “in Christ”, or “in Him”, which are used 21 times in the epistle, with 8 of them in the first 13 verses. The epistle is split into two major sections, in chapters 1-3, we are given the indicatives or facts of what it means to be the true church, and these indicatives set the ground work that enables us to fulfill the imperatives or commands of chapters 4-6, thus showing how we, as Christ’s body, are to function in this world.
We are also introduced to the deeper, overarching plan of God in redemption, in that, His church explains the mystery (used 7x) kept secret in the Old Testament; the mystery that Christ’s church would be made up of both Jews and Gentiles from every race, tongue, and people. This mystery so presently revealed shows God’s ultimate purpose to unite all things under Jesus Christ, both in heaven and earth, for the praise of his glory.
So with that as our introduction to this wonderful epistle, turn with me to Ephesians 1:1-2, as we look at Paul’s Opening Salutation.
Text: Ephesians 1:1-2
Text: Ephesians 1:1-2
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Main Idea: Because God’s plan of redemption was founded in His will, we who have been called His saints will receive His graces to live as His saints.
Main Idea: Because God’s plan of redemption was founded in His will, we who have been called His saints will receive His graces to live as His saints.
The book of Ephesians follows the form of Hellenistic letters which had three major components: an opening, body, and conclusion. The opening and conclusion were primarily concerned with the personal relationship between the correspondents, and their language can reveal much about that relationship.
This morning we shall look at the first component, the opening, which we will begin with the,
I. Author: Paul an Apostle (1a)
I. Author: Paul an Apostle (1a)
As we look at the author, the apostle Paul, we need understand a few helpful facts surrounding this letter; facts like it was probably written by Paul around AD 62, during his imprisonment (AD 60-62) in Rome (3:1, 6:20; along with Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, all 4 of which are rightly called the prison epistles). You may remember from the book of Acts, that Paul had a rather arduous journey as a prisoner to Rome, who, as a Roman citizen, had appealed to Caesar during his trial in Jerusalem. In route to Rome, he was shipwrecked, but finally arrived and as he waited to appear before Caesar, he was kept under house arrest with a fair amount of freedom in Acts 28:
14 There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. 16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.
A. An Apostle of Christ Jesus
A. An Apostle of Christ Jesus
Paul - So who is Paul?
paulos - means little
his credentials:
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Paul was no pushover, he was extremely zealous, highly educated, and very influential, putting his passion into action, which was to seek out and destroy all followers of Jesus Christ. We see him at Stephen’s stoning:
58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
So what changed all that? He met the risen Lord Jesus Christ!
1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
The miracle of the new birth had come to this zealous, passionate man, and the Lord Jesus chooses him in that same chapter:
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
an apostle - Here he is called an apostle…what significance is there in his title?
apostolos (noun)- means one who is sent forth or commissioned with a message or specific task.
Note: though this is the literal definition, the word apostle in the New Testament meant something unique and exclusive for the early church, specifically, an apostle had to have met the risen Christ, and had to be able to do signs and wonders that authenticated his apostleship.
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?
12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.
Therefore, though we are commissioned by Jesus with a message and the specific task of making disciples, we believe that the office/gift of apostle died with the 1st century apostles.
of Jesus Christ (genitive case) - this prepositional phrase shows who owns the apostle Paul. Jesus Christ is the one who commissioned Paul for the office of apostle, and therefore owns everything that flows to and from that commission.
B. An Apostle by God’s will
B. An Apostle by God’s will
Here we see that this was not a spur of the moment decision, but as we will see next week, this commission began in eternity past.
God never decrees by reaction, but by proaction. In other words, God is not troubleshooting humanity and making field engineering decisions, but has a predetermined will in which all things are being accomplished as he has planned them to be. More about this next week.
II. Recipients: Saints in Ephesus (1b)
II. Recipients: Saints in Ephesus (1b)
What about this city of Ephesus?
The capital of the Roman province of Asia on the west coast of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). It lay between the eastern and western halves of the Roman Empire and was among the top five cities of the empire in the first century.
It was important to the spread of Christianity. During Paul’s unusually long stay in Ephesus (Acts 19, three years - Acts 20:31), it became the center for evangelizing the western part of Asia Minor (Acts 19:10). Paul’s affectionate ties with this church are revealed in his farewell speech to its elders (Acts 20:16–38).
Ephesus’ most prominent civic monument was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the temple of the goddess Diana. In one inscription, the city describes itself as the “nurturer” of the goddess, and the goddess in turn makes Ephesus the “most glorious” of the Asian cities, sort of a symbiotic relationship. People from the area would appreciate the irony of Paul’s words about Christ nourishing His own body, the church (5:29). They would appreciate the point of contrast when Paul describes Christ’s church as a glorious or radiant bride (5:27).
It is also in Ephesus that Paul’s preaching of Christ comes into dramatic conflict with an important trade dependent on pagan worship (Acts 19:23–41), and that the gospel inspires a great turning away from the occult (Acts 19:17–20). Paul’s call to expose the deeds of darkness (5:8–14) and prepare for war against “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (6:12) would strike the original readers with special force.
Who are the Ephesians?
A. Called Saints
A. Called Saints
Paul calls the Ephesian Christians, saints, how so? - the Greek word for saint (hagios - adjective that functions as a noun), is the same word for holy, or holy one. This is a very common greeting by the apostles to those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, and born again. This adjective, saint, is extremely important as it describes all that embodies God’s Covenant of Redemption. For, we were:
chosen by the Father in eternity past, and
regenerated in time by the Holy Spirit, or made alive, and we were given
or imputed the righteousness of Jesus, resulting in God the Father,
declaring us righteous (or justified) through the cleansing blood of Jesus, and
therefore, made holy, thus becoming saints.
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
B. Called Faithful
B. Called Faithful
Notice the order, faithfulness is a result of the perseverance of holiness. However, both holiness and faithfulness find there origin in Christ Jesus, which is one of the 8 uses of the preposition in Christ here in the first 13 verses.
Just as Paul’s calling of apostleship flowed to and from Jesus Christ who owned him, so our holiness in action, seen as faithfulness, flows from and to our complete identification with Jesus Christ. The more we recognize and live out our identity with Christ, the more our faithfulness as saints will be reveled!
So what is there to help us implement this activity? This is what Paul shows us next in his:
III. Blessing: God’s Grace and Peace (2)
III. Blessing: God’s Grace and Peace (2)
A. Earthly Enablement
A. Earthly Enablement
Let’s understand something here, God doesn’t just throw us into the water and say swim or die, but he equips for the journey with:
Grace to you and peace
Grace - goodwill freely disseminated by God to the benefit of the recipient regardless of the benefit accrued to the disseminator. In other words, God‘s unmerited, unearned favor given to use although we do not deserve it and can do nothing to merit it.
Though we often associate this only with salvation, the reality is that we need God’s grace every day and in every situation providing us with enabling wisdom and power to function as his saints.
peace - this peace is not what we might think of in our view of the world, but it is peace within that translates into the true reality that all is well, and nothing is out of control, thus enabling us to carry on without fear.
But how do we know that these earthly enablements will always be there when we need them? It’s because these enablements are not earthly, but have a,
B. Heavenly Resource
B. Heavenly Resource
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
they flow from (preposition of source) - in other words, they are transcendent, not of this world and therefore are not subject to this world’s limitations.
God our Father - they come from the only true loving, compassionate Father, that knows us so well and is acquainted with our limitations:
13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.
and the Lord Jesus Christ - This full name for our Lord is meant to show that this resource provides the relationship we have with the Father in that it embodies the totality of Christ’s work and subsequent lordship...his incarnation, death, burial, and glorious resurrection, his ascension, his present intercessory work before the throne for his saints, and his soon return, and our final glorification with him.
So What?
So What?
Do we understand the significance of what it means to be called a saint?
Do we understand that to live as a faithful saint of God, we will constantly be in need of his grace and the reality of his absolute sovereignty that brings inward peace?