| Introduction The year is A.D. 57 or 58. Nero is the emperor, and has been for a couple of years. Things are not so bad for Christians as they will become in another 6 years. Paul just arrived in Rome and is settling in for his two years of house arrest while he waits to come before the imperial court in order to have his appeal heard. Paul is not the type to sit around doing nothing while he waits. He knows that there is much to be accomplished. The churches that the Lord saw fit to plant through his efforts need help. There is that new church in Colossae that he hasn't yet visited. And there are the Philippians. That is really a good bunch of people. He also needs to talk with Philemon about Onesimus. Where to start? Being in prison can be so busy! He decides that he will start with the Ephesians. That church is very near and dear to his heart. It has now been 5 or 6 years since the Ephesian church was planted. There are lots of people who have never met Paul. They too need to be instructed. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what gave occasion to this letter. Paul doesn't address particular issues that the church was going through. It is, really, much more of a sermon in letter form. What do we know about the Ephesian church so far? · It was planted by the apostle Paul during his third missionary journey. · He spend nearly three years in Ephesus. · He planted the church through persistently preaching that Jesus is the Savior and God is God and we are not. · He established a Presbyterian form of church government where a group of elders oversees and shepherds the church. Today, I would like to answer one question: what is this book about? I. This Book Is about Long Sentences. A. More than any other book of the Bible, Ephesians contains sentences that just go on and on. B. This is not as apparent in English, but Paul really wanted to keep his thoughts together. C. So, he used paragraph long sentences to show the unity of what he was saying. 1. God predestined his people for salvation in Jesus Christ before the anything was even created, 1:3-14. 2. Because God saved the Ephesians, Paul prays for them, 1:15-23. 3. The mystery of Jews and Gentiles as part of the same body revealed as a parenthetical note, 3:1-7. II. This Book Is about Prayer. A. About half of the book of Ephesians is related to prayer and praying. B. It includes prayers reports, prayer requests, invitations to prayer, and even outlines of prayers that Paul prayed for the Ephesians. C. Ephesians simply demonstrates what should be a common element in the life of a Christian and an essential part of a relationship between Christians: prayer! III. This Book Is about Evangelism. A. Chapters 1-2 speak to us of the missionary God doing his redeeming work. 1. Setting forth a plan from before anything had been created. 2. Accomplishing that plan in the person of Jesus Christ. 3. Applying that plan through the person and work of the Holy Spirit. B. He is the one who reaches out to a multitude that no man can number, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, men and women, boys and girls, with this saving work of Jesus Christ. 1. The plan is first displayed in his Church in chapters 3-4. 2. Then through his ambassadors, the God works in the world, 5-6. IV. This Book Is about Being United to Christ. A. It is written to the faithful in Christ Jesus, 1:1. B. God the Father has blessed us in Christ Jesus, 1:3. C. Our redemption is in Christ, 1:7. D.The Father is gathering together all his people in one in Christ Jesus, 1:10. E. We have obtained an inheritance in Christ Jesus, 1:11. F. We have been made alive together with Christ, 2:5. G.God the Father has made us sit in heavenly places in Christ, 2:6. H.The kindness that we receive from God the Father is because we are united to Christ, 2:7. I. We were recreated in Christ, 2:10. J. In Christ we become citizens of the commonwealth of Israel, 2:13. K. Jews and Gentiles are made heirs together of God's covenant promises in Christ, 3:6. L. We have a gospel boldness in Christ, 3:12. V. This Book Is Supremely about the Church and Her Lord. "Clearly, the writer wants his readers to catch the splendid vision of one church, thoroughly united in the Lord, though it contains members of various races and is equipped by God to render significant service in this world." Carson and Moo A. Chapter 1 is about the entire plan of salvation from the eternity past to its completion in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ – more than any other book of the Bible, the fact that Jesus ascended to his throne on high is central to Ephesians. 1. Chapter 1 ends with the declaration that the eternal plan of salvation was put in place so that Christ could be the head of the Church, 1:22-23. a. The Church is the fullness of him. b. The Church is the completeness of Christ. 2. Christ and the Church bring all things together. B. The Church is the Body of Christ, 1:23. C. The Church declares the wisdom of God even to mighty spiritual beings, 3:10. "… so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places." ESV D.God in Christ is to be glorified every, but he is to be specially glorified in the church, 3:21. E. The Church is the bride of Christ who he loves and cherishes, and who he is purifying for himself, 5:27. F. Each segment in the church should live redeemed lives in relation to each other and in relation to the world, 5:22-6:4. Be about in your life what this book is about: · Be about prayer – you have a listening ear in God. "A praying man can never be very miserable, whatever his condition be. For he has the ear of God; the Spirit within to indite [write, compose], a Friend in heaven to present, and God Himself to receive his desire. It is a mercy to pray, even though I never receive the mercy prayed for." William Bridge · Be about evangelism – God has empowered you with his Spirit and his Word. "When an opportunity for edification presents itself, we should realize that a door has been opened for us by the hand of God in order that we may introduce Christ into that place and we should not refuse to accept the generous invitation that God thus gives us." John Calvin · Revel in your union with Christ – you are in him and him in you. "… in Christ there is a perfection, to which nothing can be added." John Calvin · Be about the Church – Jesus is!
"Elect from ev'ry nation, yet one o'er all the earth, her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth; one holy Name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with ev'ry grace endued. Tho' with a scornful wonder, men see her sore oppressed, by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed, yet saints their watch are keeping, their cry goes up, 'How long?' And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song." Samuel Stone
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