Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Theme: There’s a bigger picture to life that we cannot escape and must see.

God has an all-encompassing plan to unite all things in Christ.

Introductory Matter to the Book

Author: Paul wrote the book (1:1)

This was the accepted position until the 1800’s, when many started doubting or rejecting Pauline authorship.

Date

Early 60’s A.D.

Paul’s first Roman imprisonment, when he was under house arrest

During this imprisonment it seems Paul wrote his prison epistles, which included Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon

Recipients

Some of the oldest manuscripts are missing the phrase “in Ephesus”

Apparently, those manuscripts still title the book as being to the Ephesians

Many manuscripts do contain the phrase

No alternate destination is given, and the phrasing would be awkward if not impossible in the Greek if the destination city was just left out

So it seems best to believe that this book was indeed addressed to the saints in Ephesus

Occasion

Paul had visited Ephesus on two occasions during his missionary travels

Short visit during the 2nd Missionary Journey mentioned in

Longer visit, over 2 years, during the 3rd missionary journey mentioned in .

Paul also called the Ephesian elders to him as he made his way to Jerusalem and his coming arrest

Called them from Miletus, another port city

The meeting is recorded in , and it was very emotional

After Paul is arrested, and as he is imprisoned in Caesarea for a couple years and then Rome for two years as well (), he seems to slow down finally, and his writing from prison yields at least the four prison epistles that we have today.

City Background

Paul, Apollos, Timothy, and John all spent time in this city

When Paul wrote the book, only Rome and Alexandria were bigger cities within the Roman empire

Population estimated to be around 200,000

Primary city in the richest region of the empire

Pluralistic—people there worshipped many gods—but the goddess Artemis held a special, exalted position

records the uproar that came in the city when Demetrius, a silversmith, stirred the people up because of Paul’s activities

The crowd ends up chanting “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” for 2 hours in their theater.

[insert picture of theater?]

The temple of Artemis was included among of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

[insert slide of temple?]

Main Themes of the Book

“Uniting things in heaven and things on earth”

This was probably a truth that was difficult for the Ephesian believers to visualize

“Twice every week, a procession was help in which adherents paraded her statues, marching from the temple, through the Magnesian Gate, through the whole city, out the Coressian Gate, and back to the temple” (Arnold, 31)

“Up to fifty other gods and goddesses were worshiped” (Arnold 33)

This area seemed to have been consumed with the spiritual realm

They needed strong leadership and solid teaching from Paul about the spiritual realm

Jesus has been seated at the Father’s right hand, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion...” 1:20-21

The believers had once served the prince of the power of the air (2:1) before God showed His rich mercy and great love to them, bringing salvation (2:4-5)

The believers are now “…being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (2:22)

God chose to reveal a mystery through Paul “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (3:10)

Paul challenged them not to become partners with the sons of disobedience,

Application:

Is it not difficult today to visualize a world that is united in Christ Jesus?

Recent trip to Toledo

Much different than Kansas!

Feel out of place—took the van, raining, learning a new city, pace of city life

We are seeking a city whose builder and maker is God

Some of you live in a world where every day you experience clear reminders that many people in this world do not recognize Jesus as Lord

Perhaps some of you don’t even do so

Too many millions of people in our own nation carefully worship on Sunday, but they worship false gods

In the sports realm, on location or at home

Many continue to serve the prince of the power of the air

Imagine with me for a moment though what the world will be like when all things have been brought together and united in Jesus Christ our Lord!

We cannot and must not fail to see the importance of the church within the Father’s plan to unite all things in Christ—this is part of the bigger picture!

The church is described in the book as the body of Christ and a holy temple, and in chapter 5 Paul explains that the husband and wife relationship refers to Christ and the church.

— through the death of Christ, God is creating in Christ one new man in the place of two—fellow citizens of the household of God instead of distinct Jews and Gentiles

This is not to say that nationalities do not matter, but it does show how grand God’s plan truly is for uniting all things in Christ

goes on to say...

The church is to be a visible picture of how powerful God is and how grand His ultimate plan for the world truly is, as says,

It is interesting to note that in Ephesians, Paul seems to use the term “church” on a much bigger scale than in other places, so that often and if not always the term is speaking of the universal church, not simply a local congregation

The universal church is to broadcast through its very existence the wisdom of God

This leads into the next major theme to highlight—“in Christ”

“In Christ”

“The expression ‘in Christ’ and its parallels occur thirty-six times in the Book of Ephesians, and if the other similar expressions listed below are included, the total is thirty-nine times” (Hoehner 173)

“This expression, which Paul uses thirty-four times in Ephesians in its various forms, is Paul’s definition of what it truly means to be a Christians” (Arnold 498)

What was the identity of the Ephesian believers before salvation?

dead in their trespasses and sins (2:1)

followers of the prince of the power of the air (2:2)

children of wrath (2:3)

the Gentiles—no hope and without God in the world (3:12)

“…at one time you were darkness” (5:8)

What was their identity as followers of Christ?

Consider the following list of descriptors: alive with Christ, saved, a new creation, brought near to God, given access to God, profoundly loved, God’s possession, sealed as God’s property, God’s inheritance, God’s heirs, adopted by God, beloved children, members of God’s kingdom, chosen by God, predestined by God, called by God, redeemed, forgiven, sanctified, cleansed, saints, part of the corporate body of Christ, members of the household of God, part of the new holy temple that God is building, possessors of the Holy Spirit, a dwelling place for Christ, a workmanship of God, light, and servants of Christ (Arnold, 499-500)

Application: what is your identity?

People will try to place many upon you, and perhaps you have latched onto some of them.

We must not let any descriptor come before the term “Christian”

Abandoned, abused, or neglected

Single, divorced, married, or remarried

Learning disability or a physical disability

In poor health or extremely fit

Avid sports fan or consuming hobby

Difficult or prestigious job or stay-at-home mom

Public, Christian, or home school education

Poor or rich

And we could go on and on and on

Who are we?

Our first and primary identity must be, “I am a follower of Christ!”

“Grace and peace”

“Grace and peace”

“In Christ”

The book begins and ends with Paul speaking of grace and peace (1:2; 6:23-24)

Grace

We have been redeemed through the blood of Christ according to the riches of God’s grace (1:7), and in the coming ages God will “show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (2:7)

It is by grace that we have been saved (2:5)