| Introduction In 1953, Princess Elizabeth ascended to the throne of Great Britain and became Queen Elizabeth II. The coronation ceremony was stunning. Dignitaries from all nations were present. It was the first international, live broadcast in the history of television and the first coronation to ever be recorded. Queen Elizabeth wore a robe whose train was about 60 feet long (front to back of the church). Nobody in the audience was allowed to wear a robe that came even close in length to hers. The fanfare, the parades, the high church ceremony – all of if made obvious to everyone that a new monarch was ascending to the throne. A powerless monarch, but a monarch none of the less. What we read this morning is a very brief description of the coronation and ascension to the throne of another monarch, a King! This one was not powerless like the Queen of England. This one is all powerful. His coronation ceremony did not involve fanfare and parades. It involved a cross and an empty tomb. What we read here in Ephesians 1 is the ascension to the throne of King Jesus who is the Head of the Church. He ascended to the throne by the power of God on behalf of the Church. I. God's Power on behalf of the Church Is Clearly Displayed in the Resurrection of Christ, 19-20a. A. These verses are the tail-end of Paul's prayer for the church. 1. They are part of the request that the church would know the hope of God's calling in their lives. 2. Paul wants them and us to know that our hope, the Christian hope, resides in part in the power of God. 3. This power was demonstrated in the resurrection of Christ, and now dwells and is at work in us. B. Notice how Paul piles up the words for power and uses adjectives like "exceeding greatness" in order to try to get us to understand how powerful our God is, 19. 1. He created and preserves all things. 2. Kings and rules rise and fall according to his will. 3. The big issues of life and the most mundane issues of life are governed by him. 4. And none of it ever exhausts or even diminishes his power. C. But the apostle doesn't want us to just think of it in general terms – it is import that we notice the specific object of God's power – "… toward us who believe…." 1. God is all powerful in general, but here the emphasis is that he uses all that powerfulness, he directs it, to the believer. 2. It took all this power to redeem us. a. We are not mostly good, just needing a little nudge to in the right direction. b. It took this God that Paul is describing here and this Savior who was willing to die for us in order to redeem us. c. Anything less and we would not be redeemed. 3. Praise be to God that he is all powerful! D.And the greatest demonstration of that power is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 20a. 1. We often wonder where God is, where is his power. a. If only there was a miracle. b. If only there was a sign. 2. God gave us the most powerful and wonderful sign. b. It was the resurrection of Jesus Christ for our salvation. "If the death of Christ is the supreme demonstration of the love of God, as Paul wholeheartedly believed (Rom. 5:8), the resurrection is the supreme demonstration of his power." F.F. Bruce 3. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we who believe in him have been raised to newness of life. Rom. 6:4– Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 4. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we will be physically raised from the dead at his return and our redemption will be complete. 1 Cor. 15:50-57– Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal mustput on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" 56The sting of death issin, and the strength of sin isthe law. 57But thanks beto God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 5. Oh how we long for that day! Come quickly Lord Jesus! II. God's Power on behalf of the Church Is Clearly Displayed in the Ascension of Christ, 20b-21. A. Notice how Paul emphasizes Christ's ascension into heaven and his exaltation. 1. Recently Mr. Hoy's and Mrs. Hunter's classes learned about Christ's exaltation. 2. This is exactly what Paul is talking about here. a. When the Father raised the Son, he exalted him, elevated him, to a position of authority and prestige – the Father's right hand in heaven. b. The right hand of the Almighty is a position of power – that's where the orders come from. WLC 54– How is Christ exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God? Christ is exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God, in that as God-man he is advanced to the highest favor with God the Father, with all fullness of joy, glory, and power over all things in heaven and earth; and doth gather and defend his Church, and subdue their enemies; furnishes his ministers and people with gifts and graces. and makes intercession for them. B. Paul says that Christ is seated at the right of the Father, which means a couple of things. 1. Christ has been enthroned – he is officially the king! 2. He is done with his work and now rests (seating) much like God rested after his work of creation. 3. Christ is in session (the word sessionjust means sitting). a. When the king sat on the throne in the throne room, he was ready to rule over his kingdom. b. He was also read to hear the requests and pleas from his subjects. c. That is exactly what Jesus is doing right now. C. If it wasn't enough to say that Jesus was seated at the right hand of the Father ruling over all things, Paul specifies what Jesus is king over, 21 – EVERYONE and EVERYTHING. 1. In a sense, this verse is unnecessary because all it expresses has already bee said in the previous verse. 2. In another sense, this very is necessary so that we can comprehend the magnitude of Jesus's greatness and authority. 3. The Father has exalted the God-Man Jesus Christ to a position of authority over earthly powers (good or bad) and over spiritual powers (good or bad). a. There is no earthly power that is not subject to Christ. b. There is no spiritual power that is not subject to Christ. 4. In case someone might still think that there is something out there that is not under the dominion of Christ, Paul adds "…and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which in to come." 5. In other words, anything you can think of and in any time you can think of, Jesus has authority over that. Phil. 2:8-11– And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point ofdeath, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and thatevery tongue should confess that Jesus Christ isLord, to the glory of God the Father. 6. And it is because Jesus Christ has ascended into heaven and now sits enthroned as the King of kings and the Lord of lords, that we do (obey). Phil. 2:12-13– Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for Hisgood pleasure. D.We see how powerful God is in Jesus Christ, and it makes us feel very small and weak. 2. The strength of God is made perfect, that is, is best suited to and in our weakness. 2 Cor. 12:9– And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. III. God's Power on behalf of the Church Is Clearly Displayed in the Lordship of Christ, 22a. A. If all that Paul had said so far wasn't enough for us to understand that Jesus is Lord, he adds that the Father put everything under his feet. 1. This is a reference to Psalm 8. Ps. 8:6– You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all thingsunder his feet…. 2. Ps. 8 affirms man's dominion over the earth. 3. Here Christ as the perfect man has dominion over all creation. 4. The idea of putting under his feet is the idea of subjection. B. Paul links Jesus to the OT. 1. This Jesus is not some new invention. 2. He is the promised Messiah found in pages of the OT. C. No one can recognize that Jesus is Lord apart from the power of God. 1 Cor. 12:3– Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. IV. God's Power on behalf of the Church Is Clearly Displayed in Christ's Union to the Church, 22b-23. A. One of the things that this epistle is supremely about is the Church and her Lord – we see it introduced here. B. This Jesus that Paul has been describing – all powerful, enthroned in heaven, Lord over all things – God gave to the Church. 1. Notice that the principalities and powers are subjected to Christ, the implication is that they are subject by force. 2. But the church is given to him and he to the church. 3. It reminds me of the statement by the lover in the Song of Songs. Song 6:3– I ammy beloved's, and my beloved ismine. "Over her he exercises a supremacy only of sanctification and love…." L. Cerfaux quoted in F.F. Bruce C. It is this Jesus who is Lord over all who is the Head of the Church – being head means at least three things: 1. Christ is the source of the church's life – like the head of a river. 2. Christ is the boss of the church's life – like the head of an organization. 3. Christ provides guidance to the church before he goes ahead of her. D.This idea that Christ is the head of the church will have very practical implications later in the book, 4:4, 12, 16, 5:30. E. Paul, then, introduces the imagery of the Church as the Body of Christ, which goes right along with the imagery of Christ as the Head, 23. 1. This is an essential union. 2. Body and head go together and cannot be separated if the organism is to remain alive. "The union, therefore, which the church sustains, and which is the source of its life and blessedness, is not with a mere creature, but with Christ, God manifested in the flesh. Who pervades and governs all things by his omnipresent power. The source of life, therefore, to the church is inexhaustible and immortal." Charles Hodge. F. The next phrase blows my mind away – the Church is the fulness of him who fills everything, 23. 1. Christ is supreme, he is above everything, but it is the church that fills him. a. He is not complete as the Savior apart from the Church he came to save. b. Being sovereign over all things is not the ultimate purpose of Christ. c. He is made the complete Savior through his Church. 2. It is important for us to notice that Paul speaks these truths about the Church universal to a local church and expects them to be encouraged by and follow in obedience to the things he speaks. a. The reason for that that is that the Church universal doesn't really exist apart from the visible church in its local representation. b. In other words, the local church is the primary place where Jesus manifests himself as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Let me finish with a couple of thoughts as we apply what we heard this morning to how we live. The first one is this: you may not perceive everything in subjection to Jesus, but we see him crowned with glory and honor. Heb. 2:8-9– You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that isnot put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. It may not seem right now in your life that Jesus is king, that he has everything under control. · Bad family life – marriage not doing well, kids rebelling. · Struggle with sin – you prayed so many times, you are so tired of losing the battle. · Aging and body breaking down. The last thing you see in your life is Jesus as glorious king. But the truth of the matter is that he is! And if you can't see him right now as the exalted King, ruling in heaven, see him as the one crowned with honor and glory by the suffering of death for you. You look to the cross and the dying Savior and your eyes will be quickly drawn from the cross to an empty tomb and from the empty tomb to the glories of heaven. So, see Jesus. See Jesus on the cross. See Jesus ascending into heaven. See Jesus who is your head. See Jesus who finds his fulness in his Church.
The second thought is this. Paul starts this chapter in the mind of God in eternity past, before the universe and everything in it was created. Then he takes us on a cosmic journey of redemption and hope just land on this thought: Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and the Church is his fullness. What a thought! Christ is our Head and we are his fullness. There isn't a better union. There isn't a more fulfilling union.
http://olympiabp.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-power-of-god-in-christ-eph-119-23.html
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