Children, you are now dismissed to go learn about this guy named Jonah
and what happened in the stomach of a big fish.
Salvation belongs to the Lord, is what Jonah discovered, in the stomach of a big fish.
We're going to be hitting the book of Jonah next week.
We're going to do the book of Jonah in the month of June.
And so four sermons in Jonah in the month of June.
And today, of course, marks the last sermon out of the book of Ephesians.
We've been in this book for about a year and a half.
We started in October 2013.
And there was a very specific reason why we started our life together as a church in the book of Ephesians
because the book of Ephesians is all about unity.
If you would turn in the book of Ephesians to Ephesians chapter 6,
to the last two verses of the chapter, the last two verses of the book.
In verses 23 and 24, Paul writes to these Ephesians a benediction.
In verse 23, he says,
Peace be to the brothers.
And then in verse 24, he says,
Grace be with all.
Now if you would flip in your Bible in Ephesians to Ephesians chapter 1 verse 2,
you're going to notice something.
Paul starts the book with an introduction with the same two words.
Grace to you and peace from our Father and Lord Jesus Christ,
you saints who are in Ephesus.
So here we have a book that starts with grace and peace and ends with grace and peace.
And in between this grace and peace is a whole book about unity.
If I were to summarize the entire book of Ephesians with just one word,
it would be the word unity.
Oneness.
Togetherness.
We-ness.
And that's why we started with this book in our life together as a church.
To unite us together around what God has done for us in Christ.
It's no wonder then,
that Paul in the very last words of this book on unity,
closes with love.
So if you notice in verse 24,
Grace be with all who love.
Our Lord Jesus with love.
Incorruptible.
Peace be to the brothers in love with faith.
Love is at the heart of unity.
So to close our study of the book of Ephesians this morning,
I want to remind you afresh of all that God has done for us in Christ.
He has united us together in Christ so that we would live united for Christ.
United in Christ in order to live united for Christ.
So this morning, six unifying truths from the book of Ephesians.
Oh God, open our eyes.
Show us Christ.
In his name we pray.
Amen.
Unifying truth number one.
It's found in Ephesians chapter 1 verses 3 through 14.
We've been united by God's sovereign plan.
We are united by God's sovereign plan.
In 1.4 we read this,
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and blameless.
He chose us in him before the foundation of the world.
The plan that unites us is an eternal plan.
It was a plan that was in God's mind before the foundation of the world.
And this sovereign plan, not only is it eternal, but it's Christocentric.
I know you don't say that word that much.
Will you say it with me?
1, 2, 3.
Christocentric.
It's got some great kind of feel to it, doesn't it?
Let's say it one more time together.
1, 2, 3.
Christocentric.
What that means is that Jesus is at the middle of everything.
He's the focus of it all.
It's a plan for the fullness of time that's focused on Christ.
And we see that in chapter 1, verses 9 and 10.
He says,
Making known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose,
which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time
to unite all things in him.
Christocentric.
We're united by a sovereign plan that's eternal and Christocentric.
It's a plan that, through the Gospel, makes known a mystery.
God all along, from before the foundation of the world,
had a plan to unite a people for himself.
Made up of Jews and Gentiles.
It's crazy.
It's a mystery.
It was a mystery.
Revealed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
More on that later.
This plan, this sovereign plan of God is salvific.
It's a rescue plan.
It's an eternal Christocentric rescue plan.
A plan that prioritizes the redemption of sinners.
The rescue of men and women whose sin has separated them from God.
You know what?
God has addressed our greatest problem as human beings.
In Christ.
He's addressed it.
From before the foundation of the world,
God had the greatest answer, solution to our greatest problem.
In Christ.
We were redeemed by His blood.
And I just want to add to you,
salvation is just not just a rescue from.
It's a rescue to.
God called us out of darkness and sin
and brought us into light and life.
Before the foundation of the world,
He chose us to be holy and blameless before Him.
He called us to something.
This is a rescue plan from sin to Him.
God.
But it's just not about saving sinners.
This plan is a comprehensive plan for the fullness of time.
Look at verse 10.
Verse 10.
Chapter 1.
As a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in Him in heaven and on earth.
Sin messed things up royally.
It separates sinners from God.
And then it separates a sinner from a sinner.
It has internal effect.
It throws us, doesn't it?
And then it separates us from others.
And then it brings hostility with our creation.
Sin is made a comprehensive problem of things.
But the gospel of Jesus Christ,
God's plan for the fullness of time,
is a comprehensive solution.
A solution that gets us right with God.
That brings peace within ourselves.
Peace with others.
And one day, peace with creation.
Jesus comes back and He makes all things right.
He recreates the heavens and the earth.
No more threats.
This sovereign plan which unites us is comprehensive.
I'm not sure if you noticed this.
This is a sovereign plan worked out by the triune God.
God the Father ordained it.
Verse 4.
Christ the Son accomplished it.
Verse 7.
The Spirit, verses 11-14, applies it.
If you just look at verse 3.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There's two of the three
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing.
That word spiritual,
you can say spirit blessing.
As in the Holy Spirit.
This sovereign plan
is a sovereign plan of the triune God.
And it's a plan that brings about blessing.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing
in the heavenly blessings.
Blessing upon blessing upon blessing upon blessing.
In Christ.
Blessing upon blessing upon blessing.
This plan for the fullness of time
is a plan of blessing
for all who would receive.
So here's what I want you to walk away with.
When we think about being united by
God's sovereign plan.
God doesn't fit into our plans.
God has fit us into His eternal plan.
And He's fit us into His plan
for the fullness of time
by uniting us to Christ.
That's who we are.
We are people united
by God's sovereign plan
for the fullness of time.
The second unifying truth
that I want you to see
is in chapter 2, verses 1-10.
We are united together.
We're united to Christ
by God's grace.
We were once dead.
Dead to God.
Last year,
almost to the day,
I was walking by Southport Beach House
and I saw a body in the water.
I ran down.
As soon as I touched the body,
I knew that this man was dead.
He was cold.
I dragged him out on the beach.
People ran.
Multiple people tried to perform CPR
to resuscitate this man.
He was dead.
No life.
No one on the face of the planet
was able to resuscitate him.
Dead.
No life.
Apart from Christ,
we are dead
to God.
No life.
We cannot resuscitate ourselves.
We cannot give ourselves life
to God.
We can't manufacture
from within ourselves
that which is pleasing to God.
You know what?
Chapter 2, 1 through 3
is not a pretty picture
for us apart from Christ.
Not only were we dead,
we were rebels.
Following the prince
of the power of the air,
the course of this world,
we were living for our passions
and desires.
We were by nature
children of wrath.
We were under God's just penalty
for our sin.
And then,
verse 4,
two words,
two little words.
It's like,
it's like the dawning
of the sun,
the darkest part of day,
of night.
Two little words.
But God.
But God,
being rich in mercy
because of the great love
with which He loved us,
even when we were dead
in our trespasses,
He made us alive.
He made us alive together
with Christ.
Christ,
for by grace
you have been saved.
God,
in His grace,
gave us life
to Him.
None of us could earn this grace.
None of us deserve this grace.
None of us solicited this grace.
None of us in this room
could merit the grace.
None of us in this room
could meet a condition
so that this grace
would then be poured out on us.
None of us.
God's grace is unconditional.
It's incomprehensible.
It's incomparable.
As Chris Tomlin would sing,
it's indescribable.
It's amazing grace.
Amazing grace.
Amazing grace of our great God.
And what He did for us
is that He made us alive
with Christ.
He united us to Christ.
He bound us to Him
and so His resurrection life
was granted to us.
And we were made new creations,
fully forgiven,
completely and forever,
accepted,
adopted,
liberated,
redeemed.
Objects of God's grace
for eternity.
He's going to pour it out on you
for eternity,
Christian.
He's lavish with His grace.
So here's what all this means.
In Ephesians 2.10,
we read this,
for we are His workmanship.
Literally,
poema
is the Greek word.
You hear the word poem?
Poetry?
We are His craftsmanship.
We are His workmanship.
For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
for good works.
Created,
made alive,
regenerated
in Christ Jesus
for good works.
Here's the walk away.
Good works
does not save us.
We were saved
for good works.
Good works
could never save us.
But God in His grace
did save us
in order to
walk in the good works
that He has prepared
for us
in advance.
So if you're not a Christian,
today's the day.
God is offering you
this fullness
and wonder
of salvation
freely.
And all you need to do
is receive it by faith.
take it.
Take it.
And if you are a Christian,
do you know how
we respond to this?
We rejoice.
We say,
Amen.
I was dead
and now I'm alive.
I was blind
but now I see.
I was lost
but now I'm found.
Amen.
We are in darkness
and He brought us
into light.
We were dead in sin
and He made us
alive with Him.
We are united
by God's plan,
sovereign plan
and we are united
to Christ
by God's grace.
It's who you are,
Christian.
It's your identity now.
Unifying truth number three.
We are united
to each other.
Look around.
We are united
to each other
by the blood
of Christ.
We are bound
to one another
by the blood
of Jesus.
In chapter 2,
verses 11
through chapter 3,
verse 21,
Paul makes
a seriously,
seriously crazy claim.
It's incredible.
See, up to this point,
a good Jew like Paul
would kind of
consider all of humanity
in one of two camps.
Everybody's either,
you're either a Jew
or you're not.
It's that basic.
You're either Jewish
or you're not Jewish.
You're a Gentile.
But God's plan in Christ,
this Gospel
about Jesus
makes known
a mystery
from before
the foundation
of the earth.
God has always planned
to do something amazing.
And His plan
was to take
sinners from the Jews
and take sinners
from Gentiles
and unite them together
into one new people group.
Christians.
The church.
That's His plan
for the fullness of time.
The mystery made known.
It's incredible.
He's made us
a new people.
chapter 2,
verse 22.
We are the new dwelling place
of God
by the Spirit.
The church is not a building.
I mean,
if like
an army of bulldozers
came one day
and just plowed
this building down,
you know what?
We wouldn't be over.
We would just find
another place to meet
and glorify Jesus.
Jesus.
The church is not a building.
The church is a blood-bought
people.
We the church.
And we've been united together
through the blood of Christ.
You see,
what God did
in order to unite a people
is to unite them
through something
of incredible value.
And that's the precious
blood of Jesus.
We read this
in chapter 2,
verses 13 and 14.
But now in Christ Jesus,
you who were once far off
have been brought near
by the blood of Christ.
For He Himself
is our peace
who has made us
both one
and has broken down
in His flesh
the dividing wall
of hostility.
And He did it all
through the cross.
God unites a people
of various backgrounds
together
through Jesus.
through His blood.
If Jesus' blood
was able to unite
Jews and Gentiles
who really didn't like
each other,
His blood is able
to unify
black and white,
rich and poor,
the haves and the haves-nots,
Republicans and Democrats,
Packer fans and Bear fans,
men and women,
older generations
and younger generations,
the blood of Jesus
is able to unite us all.
All.
God purchased our unity
through Christ
and so our unity
as a church
is precious.
it's blood-bought.
We can't take it
for granted.
It's something
we've got to be
working at.
It comes through
the cross.
It's God's gift
to us.
So let me try
to help us
think about this.
Each of us,
before we became
a Christian,
we probably thought
of ourselves
through a particular lens.
kind of a primary way
of saying
this is who I am.
You know,
this gives me worth.
This gives me meaning.
This way of thinking
about myself
is the way
that I define myself.
When you become
a Christian,
that thing
that once defined you
now takes a back seat
because Christ
now defines you.
He is the primary
definition
and definer
of who we are
as people.
Everything else
takes a back seat.
So let's get specific.
Think about your
ethnic heritage.
Hey, there's no denying that.
I'm a Paisan.
I'm Italian.
Hey, yo.
Maybe you're Italian.
Or maybe your
ethnic heritage
is Mexican
or Nigerian
or Kenyan.
Or maybe it's
Chinese
or Korean
or Irish
or German.
Scottish.
Whatever that is,
there's no denying it.
But you know what?
Now that you're in Christ,
you've got a different
heritage
that trumps it.
that puts it
in its place.
That brings
definition to that.
That prioritizes that.
Your spiritual heritage
in Christ
frames your
ethnic heritage.
It puts it
in its right place.
So we don't deny it,
but we don't elevate it
above Christ.
Think about your
financial status.
Hey, there's no denying it.
Maybe you're loaded.
Maybe you've got nothing.
Maybe you're like
the rest of us,
somewhere in between.
But the immeasurable
riches
of God
in Christ Jesus
that are ours
in Christ,
you know what that's like?
That's like a shared
bank account
that we all have
unlimited access to.
It's all ours.
It protects us
from being defined
by money.
Whether you've got it
or you don't,
we're defined by Christ.
He is our peace.
So here's what
Ephesians is teaching us.
What unites us
in Christ
is far more
greater than
and glorious
than all the
combined differences
we have between us.
We are a people
united to
and united by
Christ.
It's all according
to His unifying plan.
That's who we are.
We're a new people group.
And our Jesus heritage
trumps everything.
It changes the way
you live your life.
We have been united
to Christ
so that we would
live united
for Christ.
The first three points
that we've covered
are all about
who we are in Jesus.
The next three points
move towards
how we live that out.
This is who you are
in Christ
united
by a plan
united
in Christ
united
together
by Christ
and now
we move towards
being united
for Christ.
This is how we walk.
In chapter 4
we read that
we are united
as a body.
It's one of Paul's
favorite ways
to describe the church.
A body.
Christ is our head.
He's got all the authority.
We're dependent on Him.
He directs us.
We're accountable to Him.
Let me just be very clear
and frank.
I'm not the head
of this church.
Samir is not the head
of this church.
Daniel is not the head
of this church.
Any elder brought on
is not the head
of the church.
Even the elder team
is not the head
of the church.
Jesus is the head
of the church.
He's the head
of this church.
And so God
gives elders
to the church
in order to equip
the saints
to build them
up into the head.
Jesus.
We're not commanded
to build them
into us.
We build
into Christ.
We are members
one of another.
Jesus is our head
and we are members
one of another.
In chapter 4,
verse 7,
we see that
each of us,
each of us
has been given
a measure
of Christ's gift.
Each of us.
Christ is the head
and He's gifted
each of us.
And He's gifted
each of us
for the common good.
When we talk
about unity,
we've got to be
very clear
about something
and what we mean
by unity.
When we talk
about unity,
biblically speaking,
we're not talking
about uniformity.
We're not talking
about everybody
being the same
because that's not
how God
has designed it.
We are not
interested
in producing
clones
unless they're
of Jesus,
of course.
God has made
each of us
unique
and gifted
each of us
with a particular
gift
and this glorious
design of the body
is that there
are distinct
and diverse
members
with unique
functions
that work
together,
united
for the common
good.
So,
brothers and
sisters,
don't feel
like you've
got to be
something you're
not.
Don't feel
like you've
got to measure
up to something
you're not.
Diversity
is part of
God's design
for the body.
So,
I mean,
seriously,
we celebrate
diversity around
here
under the
headship of
Jesus.
God is
uniquely glorified
when diverse
members
are humbly
working together
for the
common good.
So,
brother,
sister,
in Christ,
what you need
to hear is
this,
God has
uniquely
gifted you
as a
Christian.
And so,
the question
is,
how and where
can you
contribute to
the common
good of
Christ's
body,
the truth?
God grows
in chapter 4,
verses 15
and 16,
when we're
rightly
positioned to
each other,
when we speak
the truth and
love to one
another,
and we're
living humbly
with each
other,
you know
what happens?
Growth.
God grows
us.
He matures
us.
He grows
us up into
the head of
our Lord.
God grows
us.
We become
more and
more like
Him.
That's His
design.
But,
what we learn
from Ephesians
is not only
does He
grow us
as a body,
we are a
body in
motion.
We are a
body that's
walking.
And so,
the fifth
point I want
you to see,
the fifth
unifying
truth,
is that we
are a
unified
united body
that walks
in holiness.
In chapter
4,
verse 24,
we are
told to
put on the
new self,
created after
the likeness
of God
and true
righteousness
and holiness.
We are to
walk in the
likeness of
God.
And I'm
not sure if
you remember
if you were
here when we
were preaching
through this,
but this is
a whole passage
about regularly
putting things
off,
things that
aren't true
of us
anymore,
and then
putting things
on that are
like Christ.
And so,
Paul just
hits us with
a flurry of
things that
can't be true
of us anymore.
And then he
says,
when you take
those off,
you've got to
put on these
things that are
like Christ.
So,
you put off
falsehood,
and you put on
speaking truth to
one another.
You put off
sinful anger,
and you put on
being quick to
make peace.
You put off
stealing with
your hands,
and you put on
working hard,
honestly,
with your hands
to be able to
help others
with your hands.
You're to put
off talk that
rots people
out,
and you're to
speak words
that nourish,
that build up.
We're to put
off grieving
the Spirit,
dividing,
disintegrating,
and we're to
put on pleasing
the Spirit,
uniting,
building.
We're to
put off
hardness of
heart,
and all
bitterness.
And we're to
put on
tenderness of
heart,
forgiving one
another,
just as God
in Christ
has forgiven
us.
You know
what?
We really
need to
depend on
our head,
Jesus,
in order to
live this
way.
In order for
us to
personally deal
with these
things,
and then help
each other
out with
these things,
can I just
let you know,
this past
Friday,
I had a
dear brother
and sister
come up to
me,
and they
love me
so well.
They're
helping me
see a
blind spot,
and I
got them.
They love
me.
They're
helping me
to walk
in the
likeness
of Jesus.
We're not
only to
personally
walk in
the likeness
of Christ.
We're to
help each
other walk
in the
likeness of
Christ.
We need
each other.
But not
only are we
to walk
in the
likeness of
God,
we're to
walk in
love.
Chapter 5,
verses 1 and
2.
We're a
body that's
walking together,
walking in
the likeness of
God,
walking in
love.
And in
verses 5,
1 and
2,
we read
that this
kind of
love is
an outward
and upward
kind of
love.
We love
others up
to Jesus.
We're
looking to
look out for
the best of
people,
and the best
for people
is to love
Jesus,
to follow
him and
obey him.
I mean,
that's how
Christ loved
us.
So, would
you just
imagine with
me for a
little bit?
What happens
if more and
more of us
as a church,
we were
loving each
other this
way.
We were
outward
focused,
and we
were loving
people to
Christ,
outward and
upward.
That's a game
changer right
there.
I want
to be a
part of
a church
like that.
Not only
are we to
walk in
love,
we are to
walk in
the light.
Chapter 5,
verse 8,
we are the
light in
the Lord.
We were
lit up by
Jesus to
light up the
world.
Another way
to think
about it is
we're like a
glowing body
of Jesus,
in a
luminescent
body,
in a dark
world.
You know
streetlights
at night?
You know
how they
light up
certain
sections of
the street,
and then if
you see
somebody walking
on the
sidewalk,
they'll walk
in the
light,
and move
in the
darkness,
and walk
in the
light again.
You know
what I'm
talking
about?
We're
like living
streetlights.
Wherever we
go, we
have this
radius of
light around
us.
You know
what happens
as God
adds to
our number?
He's going
to light
up
Kenosha
more.
And then
as God
adds to
numbers of
other churches
in town,
and we
want that,
He's going
to light
up our
city for
Christ.
And then
when we
as a
church
come
together,
there's
going to
be a
concentrated
lightness
in this
room.
But if
we're
kind of
being lit
up as
we're
supposed
to do,
it's
also,
verse
chapter 5,
11,
going to
expose the
unfruitful
deeds of
darkness.
Because not
everybody wants
to live in
the light.
A lot of
people just
want to live
in darkness.
And they're
not going to
like it when
we bring our
light to
shine.
But you
know what?
We're just
taking after
Jesus, the
light of the
world.
Lord.
And if we
are to
suffer for
being the
living light
of our
Lord Jesus,
you know
what?
So be
it.
In the
words of
Paul, it's
just light
in momentary
affliction
preparing us
for an
eternal weight
of glory
beyond
comparison.
You know
that is?
When I
see my
Savior face
to face
and he
welcomes
me in.
The only
thing I
would add
is let's
just make
sure we're
picking the
right fight.
You know
what I
mean?
So we're
to walk
in the
light.
We're to
walk in
wisdom.
Chapter
5,
verse 15.
We are
to walk
wisely,
making the
most of
the time.
In order
to walk
wisely,
we walk
under the
influence
of the
Spirit of
God.
We're to
be filled
with the
Spirit.
And when
we're filled
with the
Spirit,
he fills
us with
the fullness
of Christ.
The Spirit
mediates the
presence of
Jesus in
us and
through us
and fills
us with
the fullness
of God.
And when
that happens,
we address
one another
in psalms,
hymns,
spiritual songs,
we sing and
make melody
in our hearts,
we give
thanks always
for everything
and we submit
to one another
out of reverence
for Christ.
And you know
what that is?
Submitting to
one another
out of reverence
for Christ?
That's called
unity.
That's called
unity.
And it's a
fruit of the
Spirit in
us,
filling us.
as a body
we're to
not only
walk in
wisdom but
walk in
roles.
Husbands
leading wives,
wives letting
your husbands
lead.
Remember the
dance?
Remember the
dance?
Parents loving
your children,
children obeying
your parents,
supervisors slash
masters,
exercising your
authority as
unto Christ,
and workers
working as
unto Jesus.
You see, I'm
not sure if
you remember
that but that
passage in
521-69 was
all about
Christ.
Wives submit
to your own
husbands as
to the Lord.
Husbands love
your wives as
to Christ.
Parents,
dads,
raise your
children in the
fear and
admonition of
the Lord.
Children obey
your parents
in the Lord.
Slaves,
workers,
as unto
Christ.
Masters,
remember you
have a
master in
heaven.
We're to be
united in our
walking out the
roles of
Christ.
It really does
separate us,
set us apart in
the way that we
live.
The sixth
unifying truth
and final.
I mean,
seriously, we've
been talking about
a lot of
walking.
Walk in
likeness,
walk in love,
walk in light,
walk in wisdom,
walk in roles,
and then in
chapter 6,
verse 10 and
forward,
Paul says,
stand.
We're united
in our stand
against the
schemes of the
devil.
Our enemy,
Satan,
is seeking to
devour.
But our fight is
not against flesh
and blood.
He will use the
world to tempt
our flesh in
order to bring
about doubt,
distraction,
distortion,
and division.
But Jesus triumphed
over the devil
through his death
and resurrection.
God set all
things under the
feet of Jesus.
Chapter 1,
verse 22.
He's defeated,
but he's on the
run.
And in the
meantime,
we put our
armor on.
And we're
strengthened and
we stand firm
against the
devil.
We are united
in our stand
against the
devil.
That unites
us.
So six unifying
truths this
morning.
Ephesians begins
with the greeting,
grace and peace
to the saints.
Ephesians ends
with the benediction,
peace be to the
brothers, grace be
with all.
And in between
is a book all
about unity.
We've been united
in Christ so
that we could
live united for
Christ.
And we are
united by a
love for Christ
that is a love
that's incorruptible.
Let's pray.
God, we do
thank you for
the book of
Ephesians.
There's a lot
in it.
And it's all
good.
God, we do
pray that the
truths that we
have learned over
the last year and
a half, that
God, you would
just press them
in, that Jesus,
you would be
glorified and that
we would live out
the unity that you
purchased for us
through your
blood.
God, we give
you all praise.
In the name of
Jesus, we pray.
Amen.