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Book: Ephesians
 Print ( PC Only )
Ephesians 1:1
Intro. The book falls into three natural divisions. Ruth Paxon sees it as
the wealth of the believer. Chapters 1-3. The walk of the believer
chapter 4:1 to 6:9. And the warfare of the believer. 6:10 to end.
Watchman Nee saw it as the position of the believer, seated
together in Christ Chapter 1-3; our walk 4:1-6:9 and our stand
6:10 to end.
I. "Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God."
A. The scripture tells us to make our calling and election sure.
1. Paul was called to be an apostle. In his letters both
to the Romans, and the Corinthians, he said, "Paul
called to be an apostle."
2. That leads to the question, what has God called you to
be?
a. If you do not know, you should go no further
until you do not.
b. God has a plan for each of our lives, it is
important that we know God's plan for us.
B. Paul's calling was by the will of God.
1. It is not only important that you know what you are,
but that you are what you are by the will of God.
2. One of the most difficult and frustrating experiences
is to try to be something that God has not called you
to be.
3. For years I tried to be something other than what God
called me to be. Chuck the evangelist by the will of
the denomination that I served.
a. The primary emphasis was evangelization, over
and over they declared, "The primary purpose of
the church is the evangelization of the world."
b. As an evangelist I was a total failure.
c. I sought to be Chuck the exhorter, I tried to
exhort people to serve the Lord, to commit
their lives to serving Jesus Christ.
d. I had heard many inspiring speakers, men who
when they were through with their challenge,
you were ready to go save the whole world. We
would be so emotionally excited we could
hardly wait for the meeting to be over so that
we might go out and win the lost.
1. Many times I have been invited to
speak at large conventions for various
groups, I used to respond to the
invitations, but then I was embarrassed
because I realize that they thought I
was going to inspire the people by
bringing them into an emotional frenzy.
I have had the inviting committees call
me into special emergency sessions
letting me know they were really
looking for something else.
2. They assumed that I must be a great
inspirational speaker because I
pastored such a large church.
3. I will get their over the long haul, I
keep plodding along, but I am not good
at the sprint. I am sort of like the
tortoise racing the rabbit. In time I
will get there, while I often pass many
burned out rabbits along the way.
4. For this reason, I do not accept the
outside invitations any longer.
4. I realize that I am Chuck the pastor teacher by the
will of God.
C. If you were writing this epistle, how would you begin it? Your
name an by the will of God? Fill in the blanks.
II. To the saints which are at Ephesus.
A. Again in both his epistle to the Romans, and the Corinthians,
he declares that they are called to be saints.
1. It is tragic that the church has chosen certain special
people to confer sainthood upon them.
2. As far as the church is concerned, I could never make
their classification of saint.
3. As far as God is concerned, I am a saint. Saint
Charles, has a certain special ring.
a. As far as God is concerned, you are a saint.
b. God sees you in your perfected state in His
Son.
4. So many people are always putting themselves down, God
has elevated you to sainthood.
B. Ephesus was one of the commercial centers of the ancient world.
It claimed as its proud title, "The first and the greatest
metropolis of Asia." A Roman writer called it "Lumen Asiae" or
the light of Asia.
1. Paul's first recorded visit to Ephesus was in Acts 18,
when he came to Ephesus accompanied by Pricilla and
Aquilla, whom he left there, while he journeyed on to
Jerusalem for the upcoming feast.
a. Paul had gone into the synagog to reason with
the Jews who asked him to stay longer, but he
declared his desire to go to Jerusalem for the
feast.
2. After Paul had left Ephesus, a certain Jew named
Apollos, who was very eloquent and versed in the
scriptures came to Ephesus and began to preach in the
synagog. He was fervent in Spirit, and taught
diligently concerning the Lord, knowing only the
baptism of John.
a. Paul's friends Pricilla and Aquilla, took him
aside and taught him aside and expounded to
him the way of God more completely.
b. A group of believers was established there as
the result of the ministry of Apollos.
3. When Paul returned from Jerusalem he found the group
of believers, however there seemed to be something
lacking in their walk with Christ, so Paul asked them
if they had received the Holy Spirit when they
believed.
a. When they said they had never heard of the
Holy Spirit, Paul taught them concerning the
Holy Spirit and then laid hands on them that
they might receive.
b. Paul remained with them for two to three years
teaching them in home bible studies as well as
publicly until a strong body of believers was
established.
c. It was here that they took the sweat bands of
Paul to lay them on the sick.
d. It was here that they had the big bon fire as
they brought their books on magic and sorcery
to burn.
e. It is here that Demetrius the silver smith
stirred up the others of his craft telling
them of the menace that Paul had become to
their trade of making silver trinkets of the
goddess Diana.
f. The people were gathered into the great
theater there and began almost to riot.
g. Here Paul fought with the beasts.
4. Paul's last recorded visit with them was a memorial
one recorded in Acts 20. He was again on his way to
Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost, he did not come
to the city but requested the elders of the church to
meet him on the coast at the city of Miletus. There
Paul gave to them his impassioned plea for them to
watch over the flock.
C. Paul's letter to the Ephesians was written from Rome in about
64 A.D. About 30 years later Jesus wrote a letter to the
Ephesians. By the time Jesus wrote His letter, in Revelation
2, the church of Ephesus had left their first love, and were
just going on with the motions of Christianity, but lacking
the vital emotion.
III. Paul addresses his letter to the saints, which are at Ephesus and to
the faithful in Christ Jesus.
A. In the term "In Christ Jesus" you have the heart of the
message. All that God has done for us and to us is wrapped up
in Christ.
1. Vs. 3 in Christ.
2. Vs. 4 chosen us in Him.
3. vs. 5 by Jesus Christ.
4. vs. 6 accepted us in the beloved.
5. vs. 7 in whom we have redemption.
6. vs. 10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of
times He might gather together in one, all things in
Christ.
7. vs 11 In whom we have obtained an inheritance.
8. vs. 13 In whom you also trusted.
9. vs. 13 In whom you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of
promise.
10. 2:6 Made us to sit together with Him in heavenly places
in Christ.
11. 2:7 Through Christ Jesus.
12. 2:10 Created in Christ Jesus.
13. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far
off have been brought nigh.
14. 2:15 To make in Himself of two, one new man.
15. 2:18 For through Him, we both have access by one Spirit
unto the Father.
16. 2:21 In whom all the building is fitly joined together.
17. 2:22 In whom you also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit.
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