May 28, 2017
Morning Service

Last week we looked at the ascension of Jesus that came after His final transfer of authority to the apostles and His command to all of us to “Go and make disciples.”  The apostles took this very seriously and did spread the good news of the gospel message all over the world.   It was Paul on his second missionary journey that made disciples in the great city of Ephesus and established the church there.  On his third journey, Paul actually stayed there for 3 years teaching and edifying them.  He built a very strong relationship with them and on his final trip to Jerusalem he met with the elders one more time for an emotional farewell (Acts 20:17-38).

  It was while imprisoned in Rome that he wrote this letter back to them around the year 60 AD.  As we read this you can almost feel the love Paul had for them in the words he writes.  In reality, as we read our Bibles we should also feel the love in the words that come from the God who loves us more than we are able to understand.  This letter is how God has chosen to communicate with us.  These words are alive and through the Holy Spirit teach us the things we need to know to grow in our faith and to go and make disciples.   This is a letter of encouragement written to them but for us.  Paul describes the appearance and nature of the church and challenges us to flourish within its structure.

Ephesus was one of the five major cities in the Roman Empire at this time.  It was a commercial, political, and religious center.  The temple to the Greek goddess Artemis (Diana) was located there.  Her followers caused many trials for the new founded church there.  With all this in our minds let’s begin this letter.

Ephesians 1:1-2  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus.  (2)  Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

·         Paul had now been a Christ follower for over 30 years as he writes this letter.  He begins by describing them as being “faithful in Christ Jesus.”  This would be such an encouraging statement for them especially from him.  To be called faithful means they were doing it right, seeking God’s kingdom first in their lives and consistently making the decision to be obedient to their calling to follow Jesus.  He wishes them grace (unmerited favor) and a level of peace that can come only from God.

 Ephesians 1:3-6  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ;  (4)  according as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,  (5)  having predestined us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,  (6)  to the praise of the glory of His grace, in which He has made us accepted in the One having been loved.

·         Paul again gives a wonderful bit of encouragement here that God blesses us more than we deserve because He chose us to be His follower before the beginning of this world.  He even says we were “predestined” to be adopted as His children through Jesus because that brought Him great pleasure.  This statement affirms to us that we are loved and wanted.

·         We have been through the adoption process with our son Thomas.  It has been a wonderful experience that God has blessed us in so many ways.  As I took the stand in court to make this official, the judge asked me; “You do understand that an adopted child has all the same rights as a biological one?”  I understood that part but there was some doubt in my mind as to could I love another child as much as I loved my own son?  The answer is a resounding “Yes!”  I can honestly say I love my two sons equally.

·         This is such a great example of how God can look upon us as His children just as He looks upon Jesus.  Our adoption process begins with hearing and understanding that we need a Savior and is quickly followed by a time of repentance.  Baptism becomes the court hearing, the physical action, which brings this process together and makes it official.  It is then that we receive the name of Christian and are given a portion of God’s eternal Spirit along with our unworthy righteousness being replaced by Jesus’ perfect and acceptable righteousness.  It is not that we deserve this adoption, but that He chose us and makes us worthy through Christ.

·         It is through an understanding of this love God has for us that builds our foundation of love for Him and causes us to want to follow Him closer.  Our Christian life is to be driven by this love for our Heavenly Father and not a sense of duty or obligation. 

 

Ephesians 1:7-12  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,  (8)  which He caused to abound toward us in all wisdom and understanding;  (9)  having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,  (10)  for an administration of the fullness of times, to head up all things in Christ, both the things in Heaven, and the things on earth, even in Him,  (11)  in whom also we have been chosen to an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will,  (12)  for us to be to the praise of His glory, who previously had trusted in Christ;

·         It is only through the redeeming blood of Jesus that we are forgiven of our sins.  Everything in the OT pointed to the coming of the Messiah and the work He would do.  It was not until after the resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit that mankind was given the understanding of God’s plan for the salvation of “whosoever will.”  That was considered a great mystery in times past, but that has now been made known unto us.    

·         We are chosen for an inheritance by His will that the lives we live can be “the praise of His glory.”  Is there a greater encouragement than to be told that the God of all creation chose you?  Let’s let our light shine in this dark world!

 

Father, thank you for the saving and redeeming blood of Jesus Christ, and for choosing us to be your children.  May our lives bring praise to Your glory.