Ephesians 1:1-14
Notes
Transcript
Prison Letters
We start this series this morning titled Prison Letters. For this study, we will be looking at Paul’s letters Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon he wrote while under house arrest in Rome.
So he is under house arrest writing these letters.
A while back as I was studying I came across this idea of prison letters and studying these books. It leaped out at me that we could preach verse by verse through these letters that Paul wrote while under house arrest.
(Prison Pic)
I saw this online. If you are not careful, then you can read this shirt and think that because these heroes went to prison then your trip to prison models their trip to prison.
The reason these guys went to prison was not because they were being bad or living in a state of rebellion against the Lord.
They went to prison because they were following the Lord. So this morning some of you might be able to relate to Paul because he went to prison and was under house arrest. You might not be able to relate because they went to prison for following the Lord and being faithful to him which landed him in prison and under house arrest.
This will help us navigate this series in scripture and one of my hopes is to see Paul’s attitude when he is writing letters as he is under house arrest for following the Lord.
I feel as though I can relate to Paul because sometimes you seek to do good and in seeking to do good and follow the Lord you keep being pressured or feel like you are being hit with attack after attack after attack and I want to see how Paul deals with this.
I was thinking about giving you a visual effect this morning by showing up to preach in an orange jump suit. I thought that might be a little distracting.
Funny story in our first years serving in Rockaway Beach we would lead the community 4th of July event. We wanted some shirts that would stand out and the community would be able to tell who the volunteers were.
As I was standing at the event, one of the volunteers came up to be with their bright orange shirt on and said to me. Why did we choose prison orange as our volunteer shirt. It looks like the church got a bunch of people out of jail and brought them here to help run this event. oops!
So I have not been to prison. I might now be able to relate to Paul in this sense but I really want to see his writing in trials for doing what is right.
Throughout this series I want to learn more about Paul.
He was one of the best known individuals of the ancient world.
He comes on the scene at the convergence of three worlds
The world of Israel; He was a Jew
Israel’s story had reached its climax/conclusion/fulfillment in Jesus
The Greek World
He is well-versed in the philosophies, the arts, etc of the world
The Roman world
He was Roman citizen and knew how the Roman world thinks
This Cult of Rome and Caesar was the fastest growing religion.
Paul was about building new communities and teaching people how to think in New ways in light of the Gospel.
With all this Paul was “at home” with the different languages and the different cultures. He was well versed or very flexible in these cultures.
I like this and thinking about the challenges we face in our current culture and community how versed are you in these or willing to understand them for the sake of the Gospel. Paul didn’t waver in His faith but he understood these cultures and communities he was ministering in.
So think about it for just a second, the Cult of Rome and Caesar is one of the fastest growing religions. All the gods little g of the Greek and Roman culture are lifted up.
Paul boldly stands against these and says they can’t bring peace and they can’t fulfill our deepest longings and they can’t save people from their sins.
These gods are a sham.
The One God Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the real God and true God.
One more thing that Paul was battling during this time. It was the teaching of Plato and Plutarch
Platonic Idealism - Plato believed that eternal truths exist in the realm of Ideas rather than in the natural, physical world. These eternal truths can exist in our minds, but they cannot be observed or perceived in the physical world. This belief is the foundation of Platonic Idealism.
In Contrast Paul taught
Jesus is Lord of this world, NOW
Eternity has come into the present
Jesus is making all things new NOW
Ephesians 1.
This letter is unique because the letter is addressed to Ephesus but it does not address things specifically going on at Ephesus. It reads more like a letter that was meant to be circulated among the churches.
The first 3 chapters are full of words of worship.
Again I love this because Paul is under house arrest for sharing the Gospel and He is writing this letter and it is full of worship in these first 3 chapters.
So think house arrest and worship together. He is praising Jesus in the house arrest.
I want this to be my default mode. When following Jesus and things don’t go as I think they should go, worship. Praise Jesus! Thank him! When I am striving to be obedient to the Lord, worship, praise Jesus! Thank Him.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Apostle: One sent
Paul views his calling is by the will of God. Paul also recognizes that this calling is not because of his own personal accomplishments.
It is by the grace of God and you are going to see that in these verses this morning.
It is addressed to the saints at Ephesus but again it reads more like a letter that was to be circulated rather than specific issues going on at Ephesus.
Saints:
How are they made saints? Is it by what they have done? In the same manner that Paul is an apostle by the grace of the Lord Jesus so to the “saints” he is writing to are saints not by what they have done but by what Christ has done for them.
In Christ:
Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary a. Greeting (1:1–2)
There is the implication that wherever Christians may be, in whatever difficult environment, threatened by materialism or paganism, in danger of being engulfed by the power of the state or overwhelmed by the pressures of non-Christian life, they are in Christ. This is not mysticism, but is intended to express the very practical truth that Christians, if faithful to their calling, will not try to be self-sufficient, or to move beyond the limits of the purpose and control and love of Christ, nor will they turn to the world for guidance, inspiration and strength. They find all their satisfaction and their every need met in him, and not in any other place nor from any other source
Grace: God’s undeserved favor.
Peace: Peace with God, Peace in their hearts and peace with one another.
Then
This one long sentence in the Greek of verses 3-14. These verses are worship! He is praising!
3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
Who has blessed us in Christ
How has he blessed us?
in Christ
With every spiritual blessing in the heavens
With every spiritual blessing suggests that from him comes one continuous flow of blessing, and this is to be conceived, not chiefly in terms of the material gifts of which we think most readily, but in terms of the spiritual that transcend but include the material, for the true appreciation of the things we see is dependent on our enjoyment of the things of the Spirit.
Francis Foulkes, Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 10, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1989), 54.
This is that idea of the here and now. We have received this Spiritual blessing that is from the heavens that also impacts our material world. This is not just something we are waiting to fully receive but we experience this blessing in the now.
This goes against the Plato line of thought that I am just waiting for some other reality. This is through Jesus we receive every Spiritual blessing now.
4 For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love
All the things God promised to Israel are now fulfilled in all who follow Jesus
For He chose us how?
In Him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and blameless in His sight.
5 He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will,
In love he predestined us to be adopted how
Through Jesus Christ for Himself
what is the purpose of your life?
As God calls you out and saves your life, you are purposed and called for Himself. According to His favor and will.
6 to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.
If your purpose in life of being saved for Himself gets lost in what you do.
Example: if my purpose in life is to be a pastor and being a pastor is greater than me being saved for Christ himself then what happens if I am no longer a pastor. I think I have lost my purpose in life. What happens if I lose my ability to talk? My purpose is in all circumstances to be for Christ and Christ alone and in all circumstances to the praise of His glorious grace.
In the beloved
7 We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
We have redemption
How?
In Him
We have been bought back and not only bought back or redeemed but also set free from our original slavery.
The forgiveness of our sins. according to the riches of His grace.
8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him
10 for the administration of the days of fulfillment —to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him.
This language has Old Testament imagery woven in it. The picture is God rescuing Israel from slavery in Egypt and bringing them into freedom.
This is the rescue that Christ came and forgives us of our sins and sets of free. Everything is brought together in heaven and things on earth how? In Him.
11 We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will,
12 so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.
13 When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the downpayment (an engagement ring) promising that the eternal, the spiritual, the godly work of His Spirit indwelling us guarantees that He will come again and finish His work on earth as it is in heaven.
14 He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.
inheritance is not future only. Inheritance has in mind God making all things new now and New Heaven and New earth.
