Thank you.
To ask yourself.
say, what does this passage actually mean?
Why does it say it like this, in this place to these people?
Which is a question of significance, which gets you under the surface.
And that then begins to open up the application, so how are we going to do
what the intention of the writer is in teaching his
readers these things? If you want to think of it in another way
you could say it's the exegesis of the passage, drawing out what it says,
the exposing of the significance of the passage and then the
application to the will of the heart of the passage.
And Dr. Lloyd-Jones used to talk about that in his book Preaching and Preachers.
He talks about the truth going through the mind to the heart to activate the will.
And really every sermon and every study we do
should have that focus. What is there here for the mind?
What does it mean? How does that impact the heart? What is the significance
for my life? And how is it going to work out in my life?
How does it energise my will so that I put the word
in the spirit strength into practice?
So mind, heart, will.
And that's, I think, a good little model to follow
in any sort of Bible study, and I'll try and follow it
tonight as we look together at Ephesians.
The other principle at the beginning
is that the Scripture interprets the Scripture.
So I don't have to come to Ephesians
trying to interpret it.
I want the Scripture to interpret
its own meaning. To me, this is of course
the great principle of the Reformation,
that every individual believer,
given the gift of the Spirit,
can be illuminated by God
to understand the word of God.
Scripture itself is the interpreter
of Scripture.
And therefore, when I come to a passage
like Ephesians, or a section like Ephesians,
I want to ask myself, first of all,
well, does the Scripture give me any help
in coming to this letter
in a way that will open it up for me?
It is a letter written to the Ephesians,
verse 1 says, to the saints who are in Ephesus.
Though you may have a footnote in a modern version
that says some of the old manuscripts
don't have in Ephesus, in verse 1.
And there has been some discussion
as to whether this really was a letter
to the Ephesians,
because if you look at chapter 1, verse 15,
Paul says,
for this reason, because I've heard
of your faith in the Lord Jesus
and your love towards all the saints.
Well, he was in Ephesus for nearly three years.
And if he's talking to the Ephesians,
why does he say, I've heard about your love?
If he was actually there
for the longest period of settled ministry
that we know about.
So I think what we've got to say here
is that this is a letter that
was written to the Ephesian church,
but of course, Ephesus was the capital city
of the whole of the province of Asia Minor.
There's a seat at the front if you'd like one.
And the whole of the province of Asia Minor.
And therefore, from Ephesus,
all sorts of people would have heard the gospel.
We'll see this in a moment or two,
because when we study the Acts of the Apostles,
we find that it was a great center
at which Paul preached the gospel day by day,
and it went out to the whole area.
So I don't think there's any doubt
that the church in Ephesus is involved here,
but it's not just the little house churches in Ephesus.
It's those churches in Hierapolis and Laodicea
and Colossae,
which were all in that area of the Lycus Valley.
And so it's probably a widespread,
rather more general letter in many ways,
but to people who are living in this province
in which Ephesus is the dominant city.
Now, where do we go to find out?
Well, let's go to Acts 19.
Let's find out what Ephesus is like,
and we'll find it out from the Bible,
so that the scripture will help us to interpret the scripture.
Paul is on his missionary journey.
He comes to Ephesus,
and it begins with him finding some disciples of John
who have not yet really understood who Jesus is,
and they need to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,
which happens,
and they then receive the Holy Spirit.
And after that,
Paul enters the synagogue,
and verse 8 of chapter 19,
for three months spoke boldly,
reasoning and persuading them
about the kingdom of God.
But when some became stubborn
and continued in unbelief,
speaking evil of the way before the congregation,
he withdrew from them
and took the disciples with him,
reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.
This continued for two years,
so that all the residents of Asia
heard the word of the Lord,
both Jews and Greeks.
So,
Paul's usual customs start in the synagogue,
three months there,
doubtless some converts from that,
but by and large,
rejection.
And so he goes to an independent,
secular lecture hall,
probably in the lunch hour,
when the lecturer Tyrannus wasn't using it,
and so you have the first lunchtime services,
and here he is speaking
the word of God every day
to anyone who will come and listen.
And Luke tells us that the word
spread throughout the whole province of Asia
as a result of that.
Now,
what happened gives us a feel
of what life in Ephesus was like.
For example,
verse 13,
there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists
who undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus
over those who had evil spirits.
And you probably remember that the evil spirits
won't recognize the use of the name
because they don't know the Lord Jesus.
And the man in whom the evil spirits are dwelling
leaps on them and overpowers them
and they have to flee out of the house.
Look at verse 17.
And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus,
both Jews and Greeks,
and fear fell upon them all.
And the name of the Lord Jesus
was extolled.
And many of whom were now believers
came confessing and divulging their practices.
And a number of those who practiced magic arts
fought their books together
and burnt them in the sight of all.
And they counted the value
and it came to 50,000 pieces of silver.
That's 50,000 days' wages.
So the word of the Lord continued to increase
and prevail mightily.
Well now this fits in with what we know
not only from scripture but elsewhere
that Ephesus was a hotbed of occult religion.
There are all sorts of spells and incantations,
all sorts of magic forces at work.
These books that they burn
are magic books,
how to call up spirits,
how to put curses on people.
The whole area was controlled
by the religious life of the temple
which was at the heart of the city of Ephesus,
the great temple of Diana,
the goddess of the Ephesians.
But not only of the Ephesians,
it said that she was worshipped
more than any other god
other than the Roman emperor,
and that was always by compulsion,
but more than any other god in the Roman empire.
So Diana, or Artemis as she's called,
her temple right at the heart
of Ephesian life,
it was the centre of the financial prosperity,
it was the centre of the tourist industry,
everything really revolved around
the temple of Diana
and its occult worship practices.
And this is the city into which Paul now comes,
preaching the gospel of Christ.
Not surprisingly,
God accompanies the preaching
with remarkable signs.
You see back there in verse 11,
God was doing extraordinary miracles
by the hands of Paul.
So that even handkerchiefs or aprons
that had touched his skin
were carried away to the sick
and their diseases left them,
and the evil spirits came out of them.
Now that is extraordinary,
there is nothing else like that
in the Acts of the Apostles.
Because Ephesus is a city
that knows about magic.
And Ephesus needs to know
that there is a name
that is stronger than any other name.
And Paul here does these extraordinary,
I mean miracles are wonderful,
but extraordinary miracles,
in order that the name of Jesus
may be seen to be more powerful
than any other name
amongst the people of that city.
Well, there is a riot,
as you remember,
because the temple trade declines.
The silversmiths who make
the little souvenirs
that everybody bought from the temple.
If people are not going to go
to the temple now,
and people are going to worship
this unseen Jesus,
then their trade is in jeopardy.
And there is a riot,
you remember,
and in the end,
Paul leaves,
but he leaves behind
a church
which has been well taught
by him
for two to three years,
and lots of little churches
in the area around,
which have been planted
from his lunchtime ministry
in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
Now,
obviously you could spend
a lot longer on that.
My problem tonight is
knowing what to say
and what not to say, really,
because there is so much
you could say.
But I think it helps us
to see what the situation is.
See,
put yourself into the shoes
of one of the converts
of Paul's ministry in Ephesus.
Suppose you're a young man,
and you hear what he says,
and you go,
you know,
for several weeks every day
to the lecture hall of Tyrannus,
and you pick up this gospel
about this Jesus Christ,
and how this is the fulfillment
of all the monotheistic tradition
of Judaism
coming to its peak
in God himself
revealing himself
in human form.
And as the Holy Spirit
opens your eyes,
you come to faith in Christ.
And you go home
and you say to your parents,
well,
I'm not coming to the temple
of Diana anymore.
She's just a fiction,
just a creation
of human minds.
She, of course,
had a huge statue,
which they say
was carved out
of a meteorite
that fell from the heavens,
so she was thought
to have come from heaven.
And if you look at
the secular evidence
about Ephesus,
you'll find that she was called
the Queen of the Cosmos,
and the Saviour of the World.
Fascinating titles.
Now he's proclaiming
a new Saviour,
and a king
over all the earth.
And so you say,
well,
I'm not having anything
to do with that,
it's just pagan superstition.
And before you know
where you are,
your father's going
down the road
to hire somebody
to curse you,
because our city
depends upon this temple,
it's the centre of everything.
We can't have you
turning your back
on this.
You're a threat
to our whole community,
you and your friends
who start to believe
this nonsense.
Now,
if you're a young Christian,
you've got to know,
is there any power
in that curse?
Can you actually
be separated
from Christ?
Are you still vulnerable
to these forces,
these hostile powers?
Or,
does your new faith
give you a strength
and an ability
to resist,
and to grow,
and to develop?
And it's something
like that,
you see,
that is in the background
of writing this letter
to the Ephesians.
Because,
the letter
picks up
these very themes.
So let's turn back
to Ephesians.
And what I would do
myself,
if I'm starting again
to work on a book
of the Bible,
is obviously to read,
read,
and read again,
but you wouldn't
really feel you've
got any money's worth
if we read it through
twice tonight
and did nothing else.
So I'm going to presume
that we've read it
and that we know
a bit about it,
but that we want to
sort of pick up
the clues
as we go.
Now,
the thing about
reading the Bible
is to read it
with your antennae up.
That is to say,
read it
looking
for the things
you don't understand
and the things
that surprise you.
The more you build
your Bible study
on what you think
it was,
why does it say that?
I wouldn't have
put it like that.
Why does it put it
that way?
The more we do it
like that,
the more you will find
you get out of the
Bible study.
If you open it
and say,
oh Ephesians 1,
I know that.
Oh yes,
it's all the blessings
we have in Christ.
What comes next?
So you're never
going to get anywhere.
So read it
with your antennae up.
Answer the questions.
Think the thoughts.
Now,
you come to verse 3.
Blessed be the God
and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ
who has blessed us
in Christ Jesus
with every spiritual
blessing in the
heavenly places.
What's that mean?
I mean,
it's a straightforward
sentence,
but where are these
heavenly places?
And what does it
mean to be blessed
in the heavenly places?
Does it mean heaven?
Well,
that's where Jesus is.
He's ascended to heaven.
Well,
if our every spiritual
blessing is in heaven,
do we have it on earth
or do we have to wait
to get to heaven
in order to receive it?
What are these
heavenly places?
If you look at
other translations,
you'll find it's
sometimes translated
to heavenless
and that's a more
literal translation.
But the other thing,
of course,
with any Bible book
is to see
what vocabulary
in the book
is used more
in this book
than in any other book.
So if you've got
a concordance,
which I hope you do
have in the back
of your Bible
or maybe Strong's
exhausting concordance
or somebody else's
concordance,
Young or whoever,
if you've got a concordance,
look up heavenless
and you'll find
that in Ephesians
it's used more
than in any other letter.
Now,
when you find
something like that,
that one particular book
has some vocabulary
in it
that is distinctive
to that book,
you will find then
that you're on
to a bit of a clue
as to what the
distinctive ingredient is
in terms of the message,
in terms of the theme tune,
in terms of where
it's going.
So I would chase
heavenlies,
which of course
I have done
in studying it
and let me just
take you through,
it's quite interesting.
So we've got
the heavenly places
which is the source
of every spiritual
blessing in Christ.
Then in chapter 1
verse 20,
the great power
which he worked
in Christ
when he raised him
from the dead
and seated him
at his right hand
in the heavenly places
far above all rule
and authority.
Okay,
well that seems like
Jesus ascended
to the right hand
of the Father
in heaven.
When does it occur next?
Verse 6
of chapter 2,
and raised us
up with him
and seated us
with him
in the heavenly places
in Christ Jesus.
Yes,
but we're not in heaven
at the moment.
I mean it's a great
joy to be here
but if this was heaven
it's a letdown,
isn't it?
We're not there yet
but are we seated
with him?
Well,
you may say
positionally we are.
We've been raised
with Christ
and so where Christ is
we are
and Christ
who is our life
will appear
and we'll appear
with him in glory.
Okay,
so perhaps
that is what it means.
But what do we have
here and now
in this world?
Well,
chapter 3
verse 10
God's purpose
is that through
the church
the manifold
literally the many
colored wisdom
of God
might now be made
known to the rulers
and authorities
in the heavenless.
So who are these
rulers and authorities?
Angels,
yes,
certainly
but are they simply
the angels
that are in heaven
around the throne
of God
into the book
of Revelation
or is there
more to it
than that?
Well,
you've probably
already got ahead
of me
to the most
famous reference
to this
which is
chapter 6
verse 12
for we do not
wrestle against
flesh and blood
but against
rulers,
against the
authorities,
against the
cosmic powers
over the
present darkness
against the
spiritual forces
of evil
in the heavenly
places.
it can't
mean heaven
then,
it can't
mean the
place
where there
can be no
evil in the
presence of
God.
These are
forces which
are fighting
against God
we're wrestling
against them
in the
spiritual battle
and the
spiritual battle
is being conducted
in the
heavenless.
So clearly
what Paul's
interested in
here is
not a visible
kingdom
but an
invisible
context
in which
a spiritual
warfare is
being waged.
And what he
wants these
young Christians
in Ephesus to
know is that
in that context
there is one
supreme name
above every
other name.
There is one
who has been
exalted to the
position of all
authority and
power, far
above all rule
and power and
authority and
dominion and
every name that's
named.
And that is the
name of the
Lord Jesus.
And so what
Paul is
proclaiming is
that Christ is
supreme in
this spiritual
battle.
We are all
involved he says
in the wrestling
but it's not
against flesh and
blood.
It's against the
spiritual opposition
that fights against
the will of God
and against the
gospel in the
spiritual realms.
And in that
realm Christ is
utterly supreme
over all those
hostile forces.
So that when
your father goes
to get the curse
from the wizard
down the road
that curse can
have no power
on you if you
are in Christ.
Which is why
the letter begins
I think with
all these verses
in chapter 1
1 to 14 that
we read and
I'm sure it
struck you as
we read it.
That Christ
comes in almost
every verse and
in nearly every
verse it says
either in Christ
or through Christ.
It's absolutely
striking the way
that happens.
An apostle of
Christ Jesus to
the saints who
are faithful in
Christ Jesus
grace to you
and peace from
God our Father
and the Lord
Jesus Christ
blessed be the
God and Father
of our Lord
Jesus Christ
notice the full
title used twice
in successive
verses who has
blessed us in
Christ with every
spiritual blessing
in the heaven
of the Lord.
So this is going
to be a letter
then about Jesus
and his exaltation
and the fact that
you can put your
faith and confidence
in the one who
is exalted above
all the hostile
powers who has
triumphed over them
all.
And you are he
says the faithful
in Christ Jesus.
He chose us in
him verse 4
he predestined us
in love for
adoption through
Christ verse 5
it's to the praise
of his glorious
grace because
he's blessed us
in the beloved
verse 6
in him redemption
verse 7
he made known
to us the mystery
of his will
which he set forth
in Christ
verse 9
and then verse 10
the climax of
the whole paragraph
what is the mystery
of his will
a plan for the
fullness of time
now this is very
important
to unite all
things in Christ
things in heaven
and things on earth
that is what he
describes in
verse 9
as the mystery
of God's will
so the secret
that has now
been revealed
because mystery
doesn't mean a
puzzle that you've
got to solve
it means something
that you would
never know if
God had not
revealed it to you
a mystery is
something where
God pulls back
the curtains
and he says
look there it is
and the mystery
of his will
that was hidden
for ages and
generations
he's pulled back
the curtain
and he says
look here it is
it is that in
Christ
everything ultimately
will come together
in the fullness of
time
things in heaven
things on earth
everything under
Jesus
and what is the
evidence for that
well he's going to
explain it in his
prayer that comes
later in this first
chapter
because the evidence
for it is the
mighty power by
which he raised
Jesus from the
dead
if you have a look
at verses 19
and 20
and seated him
at his right hand
in the heavenly
places far above
all these authorities
and powers
now look at verse
22
and he put all
things under his
feet and gave him
as head over all
things to the
church which is
his body the
fullness of him
who fills all
in all
it's magnificent
isn't it
so everything
comes to its
fulfillment in
Christ
he's the purpose
of the whole
universe
the whole of
creation is by
him and for
him
everything will
come together
under his feet
and already
the fact that
he's been raised
from the dead
in the power of
an endless life
ascended to the
right hand of
the father
seated in the
heavenly glory
already that means
that everything is
under his feet
and that he is
head over everything
for his people
the church
now in some
countries if we
were talking
like that we'd
be standing on
the seats clapping
our hands and
saying isn't that
marvelous I mean
we don't do that
sort of thing here
of course but it
is marvelous isn't
it it ought to
move us
this is what Christ
has done for us
my friends we're not
caught up in some
sort of minority
religious group
interest
this is the purpose
of the universe
this is what it's
all about
this is what we're
caught up in the
great purposes of
God and well he
wants us to know
just how great
those purposes are
in the Lord Jesus
Christ so that's
what this first
chapter is talking
about and it's
interesting that
Paul not only
teaches them but
he prays for them
because you see
it's not just a
matter of information
for the head it's
the heart being
warmed it's the
will being shaped
to do God's
will and that
will only happen
when we pray
that's why he
says you see
I don't cease to
give thanks to
you verse 16
and I remember
you in my prayers
that the God
of our Lord Jesus
Christ the Father
of glory may
give you a spirit
of wisdom and
revelation in the
knowledge of him
having the eyes of
your hearts
enlightened that you
may know what
is the hope to
which he's called
you and what are
the riches of his
glorious inheritance
and what is the
immeasurable greatness
of his power
well there's a
good bible study
there isn't there
when you get to
that prayer there's
a terrific amount
to be unpacked
there but you
see what he's
saying this is a
wonderful thing
isn't it
that this is what
God has done for
us in Christ
and he is praying
that they will
understand it
so let's pray for
one another
that we will know
this not just know
it in the sense of
writing it in a
notebook and giving
our affirmation to
it but know it in
our hearts
know it as the
controlling factor of
our lives
knowing it as the
thing that dictates
how we look at our
life day by day
at work and at
home and in the
community
so that we are
really Christian
it was John
Wesley who said
that he used to
pray
Lord cure me of my
intermittent piety
and make me
thoroughly Christian
and that's what
this letter will do
it will cure us of
that sort of
well sometimes I
feel it sometimes I
don't
and make us
thoroughly Christian
because we see
from God's word
through God's
spirit who Jesus
really is
and what the
Lord Jesus has
really accomplished
and the fact that
there is no power
on earth or in
the heavens
in the heavenlies
or anywhere else
that can overcome
his authority
all things under
his feet
now that's the
first strand
let me suggest
to you that
there's another
strand that's
running parallel
with it
and that comes
out in verses
11 to 14
of chapter 1
the book is
often divided
into two
very neatly
1 to 3
4 to 6
and it's often
said 1 to 3
is the doctrine
and 4 to 6
is the practice
and that's not
wrong
but it's not the
last word on it
because the practice
is in 1 to 3
and the doctrine
is in 4 to 6
as well
but it's not wrong
to look at it
like that
1 to 3
is mainly
doctrine
4 to 6
is mainly
practice
but let's just
pick up this
second theme
from verse 11
in him we have
obtained an
inheritance
having been
predestined according
to the purpose
of him who
works all things
according to the
counsel of his
will
so that we
now who is we
so that we
who were the
first to hope
in Christ
might be to the
praise of his
glory
in him
you
who is you
also
when you
heard the
word of the
truth
the gospel
of salvation
was sealed
with the
promised
holy spirit
I want to
suggest to you
that we
is the Jews
and you
are the
gentiles
and what
Paul is
saying is
we who
were the
first believers
in Christ
those to whom
Christ came
he came to
his own
and his own
received him
not
but those
who did
receive him
were predestined
according to
the purpose
of the
loving
will of
God
to be the
first believers
in Jesus
and to
hope in
Christ
first
then he
says you
gentiles
because of
course
most of
the people
that he's
addressing
are gentile
converts
you heard
the word
of the
truth
the gospel
and you've
been incorporated
into this
body of
Christ
now the
we and
the you
is going
to be
really
important
when we
come to
chapter 2
explores
how the
salvation
works
in verses
1 to 10
famous passage
I'm not going
to dwell on
that tonight
but
2
1 to 10
at the
personal level
this is where
you were
when Christ
found you
this is what
God has done
for you
in Jesus
this is how
you were to
live as a
result of it
we are his
workmanship
created in
Christ Jesus
for good works
so chapter 2
1 to 10
is a wonderful
passage about
the gospel
by grace
you're saved
through faith
and it's all
about where
you were
how Christ
has changed
you
and the
implications
of that
but the
second half
of chapter 2
verses 11
to 22
is all about
the corporate
expression of
that
so it's not
just you
as an
individual
that's important
we all come
into the
kingdom of
heaven
one by one
it's a
narrow gate
you go
through it
as an
individual
repenting
and believing
but then we
find we're
members of
the body
of Christ
he's the
head
and we're
the body
as the
letter is
going to
teach us
and the
body is
made up
of Jews
and Gentiles
so just
as he
says at
the beginning
of chapter
2
you were
dead
in
trespasses
and sins
so he
says in
verse 11
of chapter
2
therefore
remember
at one
time
you Gentiles
in the
flesh
remember
that you
were separated
from Christ
and alienated
from the
commonwealth
of Israel
and you
had no
hope
because you
were without
God in
the world
but now
in Christ
Jesus
you've been
brought near
so in
chapter 2
1 to 10
you were
dead in
sins
but God
raised you
up to
life
chapter 2
verse 11
you Gentiles
had no
hope
you were
alienated
from God
you had
nothing
to plead
but in
Christ
you've been
brought near
through his
blood
for he
himself
is our
peace
now look
at what
he's done
he has
made us
both
that is
Jews
and Gentiles
one
and has
broken down
in his
flesh
the dividing
wall of
hostility
now the
biggest
division
in the
Mediterranean
world
was between
the Jews
and Gentiles
the Jews
had no
dealings
with them
the Jews
regarded them
as inferior
dogs
outside the
law
they weren't
given the
law of
God
they had
none of
the privileges
of the
covenants
they were
scum
really
and the
Gentiles
returned the
compliment
to the
Jews
and the
two groups
of people
were constantly
in friction
with one
another
if God
is going
to do
something
to show
in time
what will
happen
in eternity
i.e. that he
will bring
everything
together
under Jesus
Christ
then would it
not be likely
that what he
would do
would be to
bring people
from the
widest
divided
hostile
social
communities
and unite
them together
as one
body
under the
authority
of Jesus
Christ
rhetorical
question
answer
yes
of course
that's what
he's going
to do
so you see
the unity
of the
Jews
and Gentiles
in the
church
where all
those old
divisions
now are
broken down
is the
proof
that Christ's
supremacy
unites
together
what otherwise
would always
be separate
and always
apart
now for us
in our
21st century
Jews and
Gentiles
division
is not so
classic
but there are
plenty of
divisions
in our
society
social
divisions
ethnic
divisions
racial
divisions
all sorts
of divisions
I mean
the newspapers
and the media
are full of it
all the time
the church
is the one
place
where those
divisions
should not
matter
the one
place where
Jews and
Gentiles are
one in
Christ Jesus
where there is
neither male
nor female
bond nor
slave
bond nor
free
but we are
all one
in Christ
Jesus
so
you see
what he's
saying
is this
that the
church
is the
outcrop
in time
if you like
the sort
of prototype
in time
of what
God is
going to
do
in eternity
he is
going to
bring
everything
together
under the
supremacy
of the
Lord Jesus
Christ
and he's
demonstrating
that he can
do that
by bringing
the most
disparate
groups of
people
together
as one
united
body
one
family
in
Christ
here
and now
I was
talking to
a young
man
just this
week
his father
was Jamaican
his mother
was Sri
Lankan
and I was
asking him
about how he's
getting on in
his church
and he said
oh it's an
evangelical church
he goes to
he said
oh I'm running
into the black
problem
so I said
what do you
mean by that
he said
well
you know
people sort of
think oh he's
a black young
man he doesn't
know much
he hasn't got
very much
ability
and they talk
down to me
all the time
actually he's a
very able young
man and a
very godly
young man
and I thought
to myself
yes you see
Jews and
Gentiles
those sorts of
divisions are
there all the
way through
because unless
Christ changes
us we'll all
be like that
that's human
nature
but the church
is the place
where the change
is seen
where what Christ
can do
as sovereign
lord over
everything
should be seen
you should be
able to say
if you want
to see that
the gospel
is true
look at the
church
because the
church is
the prototype
in time
as F.F.
Bruce said
of what God
will do
in eternity
now jumping
on then to
chapter 3
verse 10
it makes sense
of that very
important verse
doesn't it
what is God's
purpose
well it is to
reveal the plan
of his mystery
hidden for ages
but now revealed
in Jesus
chapter 3
verse 10
so that through
the church
the manifold
wisdom of God
might now be
made known
to the rulers
and authorities
in the heavenly
places
this is according
to the eternal
purpose
that he has
realised
in Christ
Jesus
our Lord
so you see
this is what
Paul's concerned
about
that these
hostile powers
when they see
the church
and the people
of God
loving one another
and caring for
one another
and being
Christian
with one
another
irrespective
of wealth
or lack
of it
status
or lack
of it
ethnicity
or any
of those
other divisions
when they
see how
these Christians
love one
another
the hostile
powers
know they're
defeated
the manifold
wisdom of God
is revealed to
them
they know
they can't
beat that
they know
that this
is going
to triumph
in the end
they have
to do
everything
they can
to resist
it
of course
but we
respond to
that verse
12
with boldness
and access
with confidence
through our
faith in him
that is to say
we come to God
in prayer
we ask him
for his power
to be demonstrated
we put our
confidence in him
and we go forward
trusting that he
will demonstrate
his many
coloured wisdom
as he unites
us together
in the Lord
Jesus
and then there
follows the
prayer with
which the
doctrinal
section
ends
this great
prayer for
love
the prayer
in chapter
1 was
for knowledge
and that's
really important
so if you
haven't got
your head
right
you won't
get your
heart
right
but now
it goes
from the
head
to the
heart
it's a
prayer
for love
that you
will know
the love
of Christ
that passes
knowledge
and that you
will be
filled
with all
the fullness
of God
chapter 3
verse 19
so you can
see where
he's going
with this
theological
argument
in this
point in the
letter
all these
blessings are
ours in
Christ
he has
come to
reveal the
father to
us
he has
triumphed
over the
evil one
he's been
raised to
the right
hand of
God
he is in
the position
of ultimate
authority
nothing can
overcome his
will and his
purpose
he rescued you
personally
he rescued us
corporately
and together
we demonstrate
as the body
of Christ
the new
community
the reconciling
love and
power of
the cross
of Jesus
and the
resurrection
power of
the new
life that
is in
Jesus
and that
is demonstrated
when Christ
dwells in our
hearts through
faith
316
and we are
rooted and
grounded in
love
love is the
ultimate proof
of the gospel
the Christian
love that we
have for one
another
that's what the
watching world
needs to see
Schaefer
you remember
wrote that book
the church
before the
watching world
in which he
said the
ultimate
apologetic
is love
love that
changes hearts
love that
changes lives
and to know
the love of
Christ that
passes knowledge
is what Paul's
praying for
we've got to
teach it
we've got to
believe it
we've got to
pray for it
it's not just
cognitive
it's at that
deeper level
of relational
dependence on
God
his great love
plan for us
and if you
think that's
a bridge too
far have a
look at verses
20 to 21
now to him
who is able
to do far
more abundantly
than all that
we ask or
think
according to
the power
that is at
work within
us that's the
power of the
risen Christ
to him be
glory in the
church and
in Christ Jesus
that's where the
glory is in
Christ and
because we're in
Christ it's in
the church
throughout all
generations
including this
one
forever and
ever
amen
I just love
that verse
because when
we hear these
things we think
oh yes wouldn't
it be wonderful
if
but verse 20
says no it's
not a wouldn't
it be wonderful
if
this is possible
God can do
this this is
what he's about
he's able to
do what we
ask what we
think and more
than that
abundantly more
than that far
more abundantly
more than that
and this book
is designed to
expand our
horizons and
to generate
our faith in
this great and
glorious saviour
now the second
part of the book
then and I'll
only spend five
or ten minutes
on this at the
most and then
we'll have our
questions the
second part of
the book is
the outworking
of this in
practice the
doctrine gets
threaded through
again but in
a much more
supportive role
as it were
but the first
verse of
chapter four
really sets us
up for the
second section
of the letter
I therefore
a prisoner for
the Lord
urge you to
walk in a
manner worthy
of the calling
to which you've
been called
so the second
part of the
book is all
about our
walk walking
in a way that
is honouring to
Christ and
worthy of this
calling and the
calling is that
we should
demonstrate the
love of God
in the world
through the
unity of the
church and
through our
care for one
another and
that love
overflowing to
others all
around us
now that
calling requires
as verse two
says humility
and gentleness
and patience
and forbearance
it's not easy
C.S. Lewis
said that the
first problem
with humility
was that you
have to admit
that you don't
have it and
that's too
big a step
for most of
us but when
you realise that
you don't have
it then you
can begin to
ask God to
give it to you
and those
qualities of
humility
and patience
and long
suffering
on how the
love works
out in the
community
so then there's
the stress upon
the one body
and one spirit
because of what
we've just seen
you see that's
why chapter four
is all about the
unity of the
church in Christ
the one spirit
who gives us
all sorts of
different gifts
remember those
lists in verse
11 of apostles
and prophets
and evangelists
and pastor
teachers but to
equip the saints
for the work of
ministry
that all
together
as the body
of Christ
we're living
out the
reality of
the gospel
equipped by
the gifts
that God
has given
the church
and therefore
we're growing
up no longer
children tossed
to and fro
but stable
growing into
Christ
and the whole
body
united in
Jesus
held together
by every
joint
is growing
up into
Christ
in maturity
as well as
growing out
in terms of
numbers
so 4.1-16
is the sort
of overture
to the second
half of the
book
now what does
this worthy
walk look like
well the word
walk is repeated
then a number
of times
so 4.17
now this I say
and testify in the
Lord that you
must no longer
walk as the
Gentiles do
so contrast
with what you
were and the
rest of that
chapter shows
the contrast
between the
old self
which has to
be put away
the new self
which has to
be put on
verse 24
after the
likeness of
God in
true righteousness
and holiness
and that
happens verse 23
by the renewal
of your minds
so there's an
old way of
living to be
finished
there's a new
set of thinking
which will issue
in a new
set of behaviour
true righteousness
and holiness
very practical
this
very clear
about what it
involves
no lying
no intemperate
anger
no stealing
no corrupting
talk
no bitterness
and wrath
but kindness
tender heartedness
forgiving one
another
and then 5.1
imitators of
God
and walk
verb again
in love
as Christ
loved us
so walk
worthily
don't walk
like the
Gentiles
that's what
he's rescued
you from
no going
back to
Ephesus
walk in
love
because Christ
loved us
and gave
himself up
for us
a fragrant
offering
and sacrifice
to God
and then we
get the word
the verb
repeated twice
more
chapter 5
verse 8
walk as
children of
light
in the context
there of
sexual purity
particularly
and then again
in verse 15
of chapter 5
look carefully
then how you
walk
not as
unwise
but as
wise
walk
worthy
walk
in love
walk
in light
walk
in wisdom
and each
of those
sections
explores for
us what
that looks
like
and how
it's to be
accomplished
and the
supreme way
in which it
is to be
accomplished
comes out
in that
famous
18th
verse
of chapter
5
don't get
drunk
with wine
but
be
literally
be being
filled
continuous
present
imperative
be being
filled
with the
spirit
so none
of these
things will
happen
unless I'm
being filled
with the
spirit
unless the
life of
god is
in me
transforming
me from
the inside
out
I won't
walk
with me
I won't
walk in
love
I won't
walk in
light
and wisdom
I'll go
back to
my old
gentile
ways
and I
will deny
the gospel
because I
will not
contribute to
the unity
of the
church
I'll be
a difficult
person
who in
one way
or another
seems to
deny
everything
that the
gospel
stands for
what a
tragedy
that is
and yet
that happens
in so many
churches
doesn't it
so many
congregations
it's only
by the
transforming
power
of the
spirit
be continually
filled with
the spirit
not get
filled once
and look
back on it
nostalgically
but every
day
let the
light of
the holy
spirit
flow in
and flow
out
from you
and that
will lead
to a
life of
praise
a life
of
worship
in the
fullest
sense
of that
word
verse 19
the psalms
and hymns
and spiritual
songs
but more
than that
giving thanks
always and
for everything
and submitting
to one another
out of reverence
for Christ
and then he
follows the
famous passages
about the
household code
as it's
sometimes called
what does that
look like
in the church
well of course
the family church
is the first
place to look
the home
church
in the most
literal sense
of that word
the relationships
of husbands
and wives
and so
521
following
is about
how wives
submitting to
their husbands
and husbands
loving their
wives as
Christ loved
the church
in that way
submitting to
one another
out of reverence
for Christ
because they
both fulfill
their Christ
ordained roles
and so
in the joy
of a united
loving
Christian marriage
the glory of
the gospel
scene
I'm talking
about Christ
and the church
that's what
our marriages
are to
demonstrate
because of
the transforming
power of
Jesus
and then in
6.1-4
still in the
home
obviously the
children there
who obey
their parents
and the
fathers who
don't provoke
their children
to anger
but bring them
up in the
discipline and
admonition of
the Lord
that's again a
way which the
gospel's fleshed
out in our
culture
loving Christian
marriages
and loving
Christian families
are going to be
enormously important
in the next few
decades
because all around
us they're collapsing
there aren't any
marriages that are
very few marriages
that are lasting
and as marriage is
you know
redefined and
regarded as being
totally flexible
of course these
things will all
start to collapse
more and more
in our society
and more and more
the church will be
the place
and the only place
where you will see
the power of God
to create marriages
that reflect
the love of Christ
for his people
and family groups
that demonstrate
the reality of
Christ
now of course
that doesn't mean
we're going to be
perfect
it doesn't mean
we won't have
many many challenges
but he's able to
do exceedingly more
than we ask or
imagine
the trouble is
we don't really
ask
and then there's
slaves and masters
which has a sort
of equivalence to
employees and
employers
the whole of our
daily work
and in that too
we have to
demonstrate the
reality of God
just one comment
in passing
have you ever
wondered why
there's so much
about marriage
in Ephesians
and in none
of the other
epistles
I mean it's
mentioned in
Colossians
and there's
some references
in 1 Corinthians
of course
but the classic
marriage passages
are in Ephesians
I think it's
because of that
whacking temple
in the middle
of Ephesus
to the great
goddess Diana
totally feminist
dominated culture
and the one
thing that no
Ephesian
gentile
pagan woman
would do
would be
submit to
her husband
gospel is going
to change
things
going to change
the whole order
of things
and there's
nothing that a
pagan man would
do that is
equivalent to
Christ giving
himself up
for his church
as a husband
gives himself up
for his wife
transforming
this is how
the power
of the gospel
seems
and we need
to pray that
the Lord will
enable us
to live by that
and so he comes
down in the end
to saying
well it will be
a battle
we are wrestling
not against
flesh and blood
but against the
principalities and
powers
but look
the armour's
there
the resources
are there
the shield
of faith
the belt
of truth
and so on
all the resources
that are ours
because we are
in Christ
and that
greatest resource
of all prayer
that wonderful
verse that comes
near the end
verse 18 of
chapter 6
praying at all
times in the
spirit
you see again
we can't do it
unless the Holy
Spirit helps us
we won't be able
to use the word
of God unless
it's used as the
sword of the
spirit
with all prayer
and supplication
and to that end
keep alert with
all perseverance
making supplication
for all the saints
it's wonderful isn't
it
all times
all prayer
all perseverance
all the saints
and as we pray
for one another
like that
and love one
another like that
then maybe
our church family
will reflect
just a little bit
more
what God
has in mind
for us
as his
redeemed people
so yes
Ephesians is all
about the church
but not a dry
set of doctrines
it's all about
how the church
is formed
through the mystery
revealed in Christ
how the church
should live
how the gospel
shapes the church
and how the church
lives out the gospel
and I don't think
there's anything
more important
in our contemporary
context
than that we learn
those things
they sink into
our hearts
they control our lives
and by God's grace
we can more and more
live that way
are there questions
people have got
on a few years
that means one of two things
yes
I take it to mean
complete agreement
Marsha
so if somebody
asks me
or if I ask you
what is heavenly places
what's the short answer
I think the short answer
to that
is the
spiritual realm
in which the battle
the spiritual battle
against God
is conducted
by the devil
and all his
forces
and it is in that area
that we are seated
in Christ
so we are victorious
because Christ
is victorious there
and so we are not
to think that we are
fighting people
we do don't we
because
I mean
the way our media
present everything
is by human antagonism
this group against that group
that person against this person
it's all antagonistic
and it's easy for us
then to think
we've got to fight
these battles
against wicked people
he says no
it's not flesh and blood
it's spiritual forces
that are monitoring
and empowering
all these hostile
attacks
and we therefore
have to resist that
in Ephesians 6 terms
with the armour of God
the armour of God
the sword of the spirit
and all prayer
and knowing that we are
in Christ
and that he is
over all these things
we can
by faith
claim his victory
so I would say
it's the spiritual arena
of conflict
so I have every spiritual
blessing
in the heavenly realms
it's sort of like
the armour of the spirit
yes
I think so
I mean
it's all in the heavenly realms
because that's where
Jesus is supreme
all the blessings
from Christ
from our initial salvation
through our knowledge
of his will
through the power
of his spirit
all the things
that the letter
talks about
they are already
ours in Christ
so I don't have to go
on a quest
for some power
that's extra
or anything like that
Jesus is sufficient
in it all
I've got to trust him
obey him
draw my resources
from him
and
he will keep me
in the battle
but it will be a battle
so
thank you