Ephesians 2:1-10; Luke 15; Ps 1,110; Acts 19 and Rev 2.
Intro; Ephesians series ‘SIT; WALK; STAND’ based on a book by Watchman Nee of the same name. Eph 2 Sit;5 Walk,6 Stand. John Tovey is going preach on Eph. 3
The importance of the letter to the Ephesians:
It’s one of the key documents by Paul about the Church in the NT. It was written to be read and studied by churches. It should be read in conjunction with Acts 19 which describes Paul’s 3 year ministry in and around Ephesus where he founded the church and developed it. Ephesus was a key provincial capital and trading town and religious centre of the Roman Empire and became the place where St Paul established a leading early Christian church. In Rev 2 it is the first of the 7 churches of Asia (modern Turkey) given a message by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle John when he had an amazing experience of God while confined for his faith in Jesus Christ on the Island of Patmos. John the youngest Apostle spent his last years at Ephesus where he looked after Mary the mother of Jesusas he had been asked to at Jesus crucifiction.
Eph. 2:1- 10.
A. What we were B.C !
1. DEAD v.1,5. spiritually dead to God like “you’re a dead man” bone pointed at you
2. DISOBEDIENT just following the desires of our bodies and minds with no thought of God who has created us and all creation
3. WORLDLY following the world’s evil way Psalm 1:1
4. DEMONISED controlled by the spirit of the air (Satan) fallen angles
5. DOOMED TO SUFFER GOD’S JUDGEMENT(wrath)
B. What God has done for us !
He has shown us:
Ÿ His abundant mercy while we were still dead in our sins
Ÿ His great love toward us
Ÿ His amazing grace and favour to us
1. He has made us alive in Christ.. Born anew as his sons and daughters (see John 1:12)
2. He has saved us from God’s wrath and judgement we deserve
3. He has raised us up with Christ…like putting us in a lift with Christ to the heavenly top floor executive suite. Eg. Hope Gibbons and sons with the first high rise building in Wellington with the executives on the top floor
Or like rising up to resurection life from the burial of baptism
NOW BY FAITH HE HAS SEATED WITH CHRIST SEE Ps 110
C. Seated us with Christ in Heaven
1. to reign with Him above every name that can be named. Eph. 1:18-23 eg in the city above every name on the concrete and glass buildings. Bnz, vodafone, microsoft
2. It’s by faith which is freely given to us by God
3. So we have nothing to boast about because it’s not by our own efforts but entirely by grace (like Rev. 4 in heaven there is only praise to God and the lamb who was slain)
4. We’re created for good works that He has prepared for us to do and to be our way of life.
Eg. the 72 in Luke 10 going out to proclaim the kingdom and heal the sick. They went out and witnessed Jesus authority and the power of his name. He rejoiced and said their names were recorded in heaven. The opposite to that happened to the Jewish exorcists at Ephesus in Acts 19 whose names were not recognised by the demons who overpowered them.
Some of you have been discovering something of those purposes that God has for you by doing the gifting course and I encourage you to step out in the gifts and motivations and talents that you are discovering in yourselves.
Finish with a time of Sitting and being still and listening to what the Spirit may be saying to us…
