Welcome back to VBVF Tuesdays…tonight we continue with our study of the book of Ephesians, which some scholars have called the “crown of Paul’s work” -- a magnificent book that tells us more than any other about the Church as the Body of Christ

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Tonight we continue our journey through this book that was undoubtedly read and addressed to the church at Ephesus, but almost certainly also circulated to other churches in Asia Minor, the region we would understand today as the nation of Turkey; the site of ancient Ephesus is located 2-3 km southwest of the modern city of Selcuk, and south of the district capital of Izmir, known in ancient times as Smyrna, which was the home of the famous teacher and martyr, Polycarp, and the early church father, Irenaeus

Let’s read our passage for tonight -- Ephesians 1.15-23

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Pray

By way of a short review of verses 3 through 14 of chapter 1, after a very brief salutation, the Apostle Paul, begins a virtual song of praise, a doxology of sorts, as he praises the work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in the salvation of humankind

As you’ll recall, God the Father chooses and predestines for salvation from “before the foundation of the world” those who are His, then He sends God the Son, Jesus Christ, to carry out that plan of salvation, as He redeems and forgives those chosen by the Father and prepares for them an inheritance, and those same believers are sealed with God the Holy Spirit, as a deposit or guarantee of the Father’s faithfulness to complete His saving work in them, and assure them of their eventual possession of all that He has planned for them, “to the praise of His glory”

And as we progress into the next section, let’s take a moment and consider the relationship between the two parts of chapter 1

The first is praise -- the second is prayer

The first is benediction -- the second is intercession

Paul models for us a balance -- praise God for His many blessings, then ask Him to help us walk in them in fullness

We should not continuously ask for more blessings while we are not living in the ones we already have, nor should we be so content with what He has given us that we become complacent and don’t fully embrace and walk in the blessings we’ve already received

An appropriate thought might be: “Thank You, God, for all You’ve given me -- now help me, Lord, understand and walk in these blessings.”

I. Thanks and Prayers                           1.15-16

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 

We begin with Paul’s affirmation of the Ephesians, as he tells them that he has heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus, even as he is under house arrest in Rome. This wouldn’t be surprising, as the only personal name we find in the book is that of Tychicus, who is mentioned here in Ephesians and four other times in the NT; he is a “beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” (6.21) and seems to be a courier or messenger to and from Paul to the churches, particularly those in Asia Minor, and most particularly to Ephesus. It seems likely that Paul’s knowledge of conditions in Ephesus are provided by Tychicus

What did Tychicus tell Paul of the Ephesians?

Paul refers to two wonderfully encouraging reports -- the first is that the Ephesians were remaining faithful in the Lord Jesus. Despite the difficult circumstances in Ephesus which we read in Acts 18-20, the Ephesian believers were not yet falling away from their professed faith in Jesus. Paul’s three years of work in the city was still bearing fruit…despite temptations to idolatry from the Temple of Diana/Artemis, and economic incentives to engage in the prosperous trade of producing idols and pursue the intangible idols of wealth, status, fame and power, the Ephesian believers were holding tightly to their faith in Jesus. 

Tychicus also assured Paul that the believers were exhibiting love toward all the saints, most likely those in their own church, but perhaps also to the believers in the smaller surrounding communities inland from Ephesus -- Laodicea, Colosse, and Hierapolis, the cities of the Lycus River valley to the east. One would expect mutual support, maybe financial help when needed, and certainly prayer would be shared among the believers. And while we don’t know details about the relationship between the Ephesians and Paul at this point, we can hope they were supporting him, too.

Paul responded to the news from Ephesus in two ways: he gave thanks for them, and continued to pray for them. 

That’s how church leaders, especially pastor-teachers, respond to the congregations whom they love so much.

Philippians 1.3-8

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

The best news pastor-teachers can hear of the churches in which they serve, or have served, is that the believers are holding firm to faith in Jesus Christ -- the vertical relationship -- and showing love toward all the saints -- the horizontal relationship. And when we hear that news -- our response is the same as that of the Apostle Paul -- we give thanks to God, and we pray for you.

So what is the content of Paul’s prayers? That takes us to the next part of the passage…

II. “That you may know…”                           1.17-19a

Paul now speaks of his strong desire for the Ephesian believers…

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 

There are some keys in this prayer of Paul for the Ephesian believers…he wants these things for them:

Spirit/spirit -- pneuma (4151); breath or wind; signifying man’s spirit or the Holy Spirit (likely)

Wisdom -- Sophia (4678); wisdom, skill, expertise

Revelation -- apokalupsis (602); source of our word apocalypse; having a spirit which can fathom and unfold the deep things of God; found now in Scripture, we still need a heart to listen and respond to the revelation of the Word of God

Knowledge -- not gnosis, but epignosis (1922); more intense; knowledge which powerfully influences faith and life, but which is progressive and experiential

Ephesians 4.13

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge (epignosis) of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 

Understanding -- dianoia (1271); thought, intellect, intellectual faculty, the mind

Enlightened -- photizo (5461); to give light, illuminate, make one see or understand

Know -- eido (1492); to intuitively and innately know completely; to know in a flash, all at once; contrasted with the more common word, gnosis, which means progressive, experiential learning; used of knowing God, not knowing about God

John 7.29

29 “I know (oida) him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 

I John 5.19-20

19 We know (oida) that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

20 And we know (oida) that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know (gnosis, learn through progressive and incremental experience) him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Hope -- elpis, 1680; desire of some good with the expectation of obtaining it

Calling -- kletos, 2822; closely linked to “called” in Romans 8.29-30

Riches -- ploutos, 4149; abundance, material or spiritual wealth or possessions

Glory -- doxa, 1391; to think or suppose; true apprehension of things as God does

Inheritance -- kleronomia, 2817; an inheritance, making one an heir

Paul desires that all believers would know three things:

The first thing for us to know is:

that you may know the hope to which he has called you, 

We must know the hope of God -- one of the trinity of Christian virtues mentioned together ten times in Scripture -- faith, hope, and love. 

Paul writes in Colossians,

Colossians 1.25b-27

I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 

That hope is that to which we have been called; the word “called” -- kletos -- takes us back to the beginning of our Christian experience in this life…in Romans 8.29-30, it’s the first thing that happens in our earthly lives; preceded by foreknowledge and predestination, but those are in God’s sphere alone, and accomplished “before the foundation of the world” 

What is our hope? A multi-faceted blessing: fellowship with God the Son and His people, inclusion in covenant, salvation, and the family of God; peace; a part and a place in the Kingdom of God…….it is to this that we have been “called”

And secondly, we are to know our inheritance.

what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 

Now we go from the beginning -- our calling -- to the end -- obtaining our inheritance in Christ. 

Colossians 1.12

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 

Peter describes it this way:

I Peter 1.3-5

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Stephen’s teaching on Revelation underscores this truth -- we have an inheritance with all the saints, secure and awaiting us. 

There is yet a third thing that Paul wants us to know:

   19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,

If our calling is the beginning and our inheritance is the end, then in between we experience the “immeasurable greatness of His power” -- how we live each day in this world, the air we breathe, in a sense…the power of God working in and through us in each moment

But beyond the daily walk in Christ, if we go back to the beginning of journey, to the moment we came to faith in Him, we discover this: the gospel itself is the power of God…the truth claims of the Bible contain more power than we can possibly imagine…it is how we came to faith in Christ

Romans 1.16

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

What is this power? It’s the Greek word dunamis (1411) -- power, especially the ability to act, achieve, perform works

Remember the hymn? “For there’s power, power, wonder-working power, in the blood, in the blood, for there’s power, power, wonder-working power, in the precious blood of the Lamb!”

So what is Paul’s prayer? 

That we, those who are the beloved of Almighty God, those He chose for Himself before the foundation of the world, those whom He has loved with an everlasting love, that we would be blessed with the spirit of wisdom, with which we can understand the deep things of God, that we would have knowledge of Him that shapes every facet of our lives, from beginning to end, in every moment and in every circumstance; that we would understand with a mind devoted to God, renewed by Him and immersed in His word; that in our heart, our very center and the core of our being, we would be given divine light in every dark, demonic, and confusing situation; and that we would know -- intuitively, completely, revealed by God Himself in an instant, the sure calling that is ours in Christ, the superabundance of blessing and glory, that is our rightful inheritance as the saints of God, and that we would walk in the immeasurable greatness of the power and ability and strength of the Almighty God. 

Amen and amen.

Why do we believe Paul’s assertion that God has assured us of the hope of our calling and our glorious inheritance? “According to the working of His great might” -- and that’s the transition to the third section in this passage…

III. “…Jesus…”                              1.19-23

19 …according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

We understand the scope and scale of the power of God when we see Jesus.

As Jesus is now the firstborn from the dead, the firstborn among many brethren, the One who goes before us into the heavenlies, what shall we say of what God the Father and God the Holy Spirit have done for God the Son? 

“According to His great might that He worked in Christ when He…”

The first act of the Father was to raise Him from the dead

Paul tells us in the book of Romans that our faith will be “counted to us as righteousness”

Romans 4.24b-25

It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Issue with the word “for” -- ‘dia’ in Greek. When you find this word in English, it can mean two things, and which meaning it has is defined by the context. Two sentences will illustrate:

“I got a ticket for speeding.” “Because of”

“I got a ticket for the Spurs game!” “So that”

In Romans 4.25, the meaning is “because of” --- F.F. Bruce: “He was delivered up to atone for His people’s sins and raised to guarantee their justification.”

And we see the same truth in a familiar passage also in Romans:

Romans 10.9-10

if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.   

The resurrection of Christ is fundamental to our salvation. To believe that Jesus was raised from the dead is to acknowledge the truth of the witness of Scripture, and placing your faith in that completed fact is to “be saved” -- to be justified and made right with God. 

And that Spirit -- the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead -- now dwells in us.

Romans 8.11

11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Think about that -- the Holy Spirit of God now dwells within you, and indeed within all believers, giving life to our mortal bodies which before had known only death.

The second act of God the Father was to seat Him -- Christ -- at His right hand in the heavenly places.

What is the nature of this place in which God the Son is now seated?

It is “in the heavenly places,” the heavenlies, the very throne room of the Almighty God.

Colossians 3.1-4

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Jesus Himself, just before He went to the cross, described where He was going this way:

Matthew 26.63-64

63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 

“Seated at the right hand of Power” --- and Hebrews describes it as “the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in Heaven…”

Seen by Stephen in Acts 7…

Acts 7.55

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 

Notably, Jesus is standing, not seated. Much has been made of that -- some would say it was to welcome Stephen home to the presence of God; we don’t really know. 

Here’s what we do know from this passage in Ephesians: this place at the right hand of the throne of God is:

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet

That’s a fitting description of the Sovereign Lord. Whatever earthly or spiritual authority you can describe -- political, social, economic, religious -- angelic or demonic -- He is not just above it, beyond it, transcendent over it -- He is FAR above it -- above all rule and authority and power and dominion.

His Name is better, greater, more powerful, more authoritative, than any other Name -- on the earth, in the heavens, or under the earth -- both now and forever.

So it doesn’t matter what it is -- or who it is -- or when it is -- Jesus Christ is greater!

All these things -- lesser authorities, earthly or spiritual -- are “under His feet,” symbolic of His dominance, His power, the truth that He has defeated and conquered every foe, every adversary, every power that has ever, is now, or ever shall raise itself up against Jesus, the Christ, God the Son. From the first book of the Bible to the last, Jesus Christ is exalted over all!

In Genesis, we see the Son as the offspring of the woman, the One Who crushes the head of the serpent, the deceiver, betrayer, and adversary of humanity…

Genesis 3.15 (NIV)

And I will put enmity

     between you and the woman,

     and between your offspring and hers;

he will crush your head,

   and you will strike his heel.

And in Revelation, He is the conquering King, Faithful and True, the Word of God, the Captain of the armies of Heaven, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Revelation 19.11-16

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

He is truly the Lord of Glory, and the Father has truly put all things under His feet.

I Corinthians 15.24-28

24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

The third act of the Father was to set Him as Head over all things to the Church

Because of Who He is, What He has done, and Where He is now, He has the right and authority to be … “…Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all”   

And here again, we are not just His servants, though we are…we are not just His followers, though we are…but together we are the very body of Christ in this world. He is our Head as we are His body, and as we walk and serve and speak and reach, so does He…almost incomprehensible, but we are the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Charles Wesley, the great hymn writer of the 18th century and brother to John Wesley, penned one of the greatest hymns of the Church in the year 1739 -- set to the tune, “Easter Hymn” and titled, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.”

The fourth stanza reads:

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! 

Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! 

Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia! 

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

So what do we do with this?

Rejoice in Him -- serve Him in all diligence and faithfulness -- praise Him with our whole hearts -- and with the apostle Paul, we will humbly ask Him to help us understand and know more fully the height, and depth, and breadth of the blessings which He has given to us. We now know the extent of our salvation in Christ Jesus -- that we were saved from sin, death, and hell, and that we now have everything we could ever need for life and godliness -- let us now set about learning and embracing all that He has for us.

Amen and amen. Let us close in prayer.

Questions?

Thank you for joining us -- we’ll see you again next week.