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Ephesians 3:1-3  -  For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles – assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.

In chapter 3, Paul gives an account of himself to the Ephesians.  He stresses the fact that he was appointed by God to be the apostle to the Gentiles and that he was called to reveal the ancient mystery of the gospel.  Why do you think he did this?  Why did Paul feel this was necessary?

[Hum your favorite game show music now. Possibly the theme to 'Jeopardy'].

Do you have your answer?  There is a clue in verse one.  Paul was in prison.  For the purposes of our study, the reason for his imprisonment is most significant.  Paul is not in prison for committing a crime or for being a debtor or a war captive; he is in prison for sharing the gospel with Gentiles.  Specifically, Paul asserted that the privileges of justification and salvation through Christ belonged to the Gentiles as well as the Jews, even though the Gentiles were uncircumcised in the flesh and they did not adhere to the law. 

Many Jews were consumed with anger over this issue.  As we discussed in prior lessons, they were unwilling to accept the Gentiles into the family of God.  Beginning in Acts 21, we find an account of the Jews attempting to lynch Paul.  When they were prevented from beating him to death, they changed tactics and brought formal charges against him.  Eventually, this led to Paul being imprisoned in Rome. He wrote the letter to the Ephesians from the Roman prison.

Therefore, Paul gives an account of himself to the Ephesians so that they can know with certainty that God called him to be the apostle to the Gentiles.  He wants to make sure that they fully understand that God has welcomed them into his family not as second class citizens, but as full sons and daughters. Paul will also make it clear that inclusion of the Gentiles was God's intention from the very beginning.

Did you correctly answer the question of why Paul gave an account of himself to the Ephesians? If so, enjoy your reward as you continue reading. If not, don't worry - another quiz question is coming soon!

Who do you think was driving this separation of the Jews and Gentiles?  The obvious answer is Satan [that was not the quiz question.  Put the candy down and back away slowly].  Only Satan could be fueling the hatred that we see tearing these two groups apart. 

Do you have an answer?  Compare it to what Jesus says in Mark 3:24-25 - If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand and if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

That means that Jesus, who is head of the church, would have two bodies!  Have you ever seen two bodies that shared the same head?  Of course not!  A person like that would soon die.  Likewise, the church would die if it did not unite as one.  That is why Satan fought so hard to divide the two groups. 

What are the implications of that today?  I believe that Satan still tries to divide the church by pitting different denominations against one another.  Personally, I believe he is at least partially successful in getting us to fight each other instead of uniting to fight against him!  Let's try to remember that we may differ from others in minor beliefs, but as long as we all believe in salvation through the blood of Christ, we are brothers and sisters!

Sadly, we even have disputes and divisions within individual churches!  Satan has not changed – he still seeks to divide and conquer, but if we allow a bond of love to unite us, we can overlook our differences and serve Christ in harmony.

Ephesians 3:4-6 -  When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.  This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

The mystery is that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in the kingdom of heaven. Both are heirs of Christ.  Both are included in the body of Christ.  Both are entitled to the same spiritual benefits including salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The really mysterious part (to the Jews at least) was that the Gentiles could be included without the works of the law.  The Gentiles did not need to be circumcised or keep the Sabbath day or observe any of the Jewish festivals, or dietary laws, yet they still were equal in the kingdom! Admittedly, this is not much of a mystery to us, but during the early days of the church, this was a shocking revelation. 

Paul says that the mystery was "not made known" or in other words, it was hidden from earlier generations. This seems odd to us, because clearly God always intended to include the Gentiles in his plan of salvation.

Psalms 22:27 – All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.

Daniel 7:13-14 – I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.  And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

John 10:16 – I [Jesus] have other sheep that are not of this fold.  I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.  So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Well, the mystery was not so much the fact that it would happen, the mystery was how and when and in what manner it would come to pass. 

Until it actually happened, the Jews had no clue that God was going to repeal the ceremonial law, tear the veil in two and allow all believers access to his presence.  They believed that God was going to make all the Gentiles into Jews first, then, once they were established in the law, they could receive salvation.  When it didn't happen that way, the Jews were angry and confused.  Little did they realize that God's plan was so much greater and deeper and more magnificent then they could understand!   

So then, God revealed his astonishing plan to his prophets and apostles (including Paul) by the revelation of the Holy Spirit.  It was their job to instruct or explain this mystery to the church.

Ephesians 3:7-9 - Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power.  To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things.  

I am not sure what your opinion is, but I don't see Paul as the "least of all the saints".  Nevertheless, as he abases himself, the grace of God becomes more highly exalted.  He does not want the Ephesians' attention on himself, but on the gift of God. 

Also, we want to note that Paul's humility essentially disarms his enemies.  You can easily picture the hostile Jews pointing to Paul and saying, "Who does he think he is?  Why would God reveal mysteries to him?" But since Paul admits up front that he is unworthy apart from the grace of God, his enemies have no point of attack against him.

Ephesians 3:10 – so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

The overall meaning of the verse is this: The church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, is a mirror in which angles behold the astonishing wisdom of God, displayed in a manner previously unknown to them. 

Ephesians 3:11-13 – This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.  So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

 Now, what about you?  How does it feel to know that God thought about you in ages past, and he wanted to give you an opportunity to be joined to him?  He wanted it so much, that he died for you.  Does this fact make you feel a certain boldness to approach him?  It should!  Do you have confidence that he hears your prayers?  You should! Does this fact cause worship to rise up within you?  I sure hope so!

Let me ask you this:  Do you think there are other mysteries that God will reveal to future generations?  Does the scripture speak of other things or events without revealing how and when and in what manner they may come to pass?  Please write and share your insights with us!   

 

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Ephesians 2:11  - Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands –

I admit, it seems awkward to begin a Bible study with the sentence “Let’s talk about circumcision”, but since I cannot think of any really good way to introduce the topic, we’re just going to move ahead with it!   

Back when God chose Abraham to be the father of the Jewish nation, he made a covenant with him.  The Jews, for their part, were to be God’s chosen people.  They were to worship and serve him only, obeying and adhering to the Law.  God’s part of the bargain was to be their God, to give the Jews the Promised Land, to make them a numerous people and to use them to bless all the nations of the earth (because the Messiah would come through the Jews).  Circumcision of the flesh was the token of that covenant.   

Thus, circumcision became the way to access the privileges of the covenant, but it also obligated the Jews to fulfill the duties which the covenant imposed. 

At the time the covenant was instituted, every male in Abraham’s household (including Abraham himself) were circumcised.  Going forward, every male child was to be circumcised on the 8^th day of life (they also named the boy at the same time). 

So in the Old Testament, circumcision of the flesh did two things:  it clearly separated God’s people from the heathen/Gentile nations, and it consecrated them to God.  Jews would often refer to the heathen or Gentile nations as ‘the uncircumcised’, which was a term of contempt.  Not surprisingly, in the time of Christ, circumcision had become an issue of national pride and national identity to the Jews.

Whereas circumcision of the flesh was a part of the old covenant, circumcision of the heart is the symbol of the new covenant which Jesus brought about by his death on the cross. 

Romans 2:28-29 – For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.  But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter…

In other words, Paul is saying that under the New Covenant those who belong to God circumcise their hearts, not their bodies.  Circumcision of the heart is putting (cutting) off sin and living a holy life unto God.  It separates us from the heathen world and consecrates us to God.  

With this background in mind let’s look at the next verses in Ephesians chapter 2:

Ephesians 2:12-13  - …remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  

In these verses Paul is reminding the mostly Gentile Ephesian church that in past times, when circumcision was a fleshly covenant, the Gentiles were excluded from it.  They were without God and therefore without hope, stuck in their sins, as we discussed last lesson.  When they compare where they were with where the now are, spiritually speaking, it should humble them and also cause thankfulness and love for God to rise up within their hearts. 

The same is true for all of us.  We need to remember that God has forgiven all our debt and that fact should cause us to be thankful, joyful and grateful.  I recommend taking two minutes, right now, and giving Jesus praise for paying the price for your sin.

I suspect that right now, all of us are thinking warm, fuzzy, happy thoughts about being forgiven.  But how will we feel tomorrow when the car breaks down, or our girlfriend/boyfriend breaks up with us, or someone else gets the promotion you wanted?  The truth is, we will still have cause to be thankful, joyful and grateful because despite unfavorable circumstances on earth, our eternal position has not changed! 

We don’t always have control over what happens to us in daily life, but we always get to choose what our response to life will be.  When things don’t go our way, will we get crabby and mean or will we deal with our circumstances in a mature way remembering that this world is not our final home?  If we keep our eyes on Jesus and remember that he has forgiven us, it becomes much easier to overlook petty faults in others. Keeping our eyes on Jesus means keeping our joy and peace. 

Now, moving on to chapter 2, verses 14-16, Paul continues to speak on the topic of unity in the body of Christ.  You might think that these three verses seem a bit strange, but they begin to make sense when we look at the ancient relationship between the Jews and the Gentiles.

Earlier in this study, we alluded to the fact that there was a definite separation between the Jews and the Gentiles.  Let’s consider this for a moment.  God chooses a nation of people and purposely separates them from the rest of the world.  He gives them his favor, his blessing and his law.  He gives them religious ceremonies and observances that were clear symbols of their separation to himself.  He does the miraculous on their behalf.    

As a result, over time the Jews developed an attitude of pride and arrogance; they despised the Gentiles. They considered themselves holy people, superior to others who did not have the law. They believed that they alone were the children of Abraham and they alone would find peace with God.  Every holy day (Passover, Day of Atonement, Feast of Weeks, etc) was like a brick that built a wall around them, keeping the Gentiles out.  Every sacrifice made at the temple added another brick to the wall of separation.  Every circumcision and every reading of the Torah made yet another row of bricks upon the wall.  Soon the wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles was formidable indeed, and that was fine with the Jews.  

The Gentiles are no better.  They have long scorned the Jews and their belief in a single, almighty God.  They have taken every opportunity to persecute, rule over and take advantage of the Jews whenever possible.

Of course, you and I know that God ordained this temporary separation in order to bring the Messiah who would die for the sins of ALL men, Jew and Gentile alike. But the Jews and Gentiles lost sight of this great plan (assuming they ever really understood it before Jesus died, which is a topic of discussion for another day).

So, Jesus dies and rises again.  He ascends to heaven and sends the Holy Spirit down to his people on the Day of Pentecost.  The church is born.  The gospel goes forth and people are added to the church daily.  For those Jews willing to accept it, the Messiah has finally come.  The Jews are being vindicated for their beliefs in God.  Things are looking good - until Acts chapter 10.  Because in Acts chapter 10, God gives a vision to the apostle Peter and says to him ‘what God has made clean, do not call common’.  Immediately afterward, Peter is called to visit the house of a Gentile name Cornelius.  Peter shares the gospel, the Holy Spirit falls, people are baptized with water and the Spirit, and thus another miracle has occurred… God is now adding Gentiles to the church! 

The wall of separation between the Jews and the Gentiles was smashed on the cross.  The coming together of the two groups into a single united body (the church) under the headship of Jesus Christ begins to manifest itself at the house of Cornelius.  So we see that God both set up and tore down the wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles. But this new found oneness was difficult for both parties to accept, in fact, only through the blood of Jesus could reconciliation occur.  This is what Paul was speaking of in verses 14-16:

Ephesians 2:14-16 – For he himself [Jesus] is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in the place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.    

Paul continues to speak of this unity in the remainder of chapter 2.

Ephesians 2:17-18  - And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.  For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 

In this instance the Gentiles are the group referred to as ‘far off’ and the Jews are the group referred to as ‘those who were near’ (the Jews were nearer to God than the Gentiles, because they had a relationship with him).

The Greek word for “access” refers to the custom of introducing persons into the presence of a prince, or any other person greatly their superior.

So, the meaning of the verses is plain.  Jesus came with a message of peace/salvation, which is for both Jews and Gentiles.  The whole church, united as one body, has access or is introduced to the throne of God because of the blood of Jesus, with the help of the Holy Spirit.  These verses are a clear teaching on the Trinity, or triune nature of God.

Ephesians 2:19 -  So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Anyone who accepts the sacrifice of Jesus is welcomed into the family of God.  Jews and Gentiles are brothers in Christ.  There are no strangers, no aliens, no step brothers or second class citizens; we are all entitled to the same privileges and inheritance in Jesus.

Consider your own family for a minute.  While no one in your family is a stranger, some of them may still be strange, am I right?  Trust me, I have a family too!  

I am sure it has not escaped your attention that the members of any one family are often very different.  They have different looks, different tastes, different gifts, different ideas and different interests, yet the members of the family are bound together in love (at least that is the ideal situation).  So it is with the body of Christ.  Believers in America are different from believers in Africa, yet we are brothers and sisters in Christ.  We both have a future home in heaven and we both have access to the same throne of God. 

However, we don’t need to look halfway around the world to find differences in the body of Christ, do we?  Even in your own local church there is much diversity.  How do we handle that?  The same way as we do in the natural family.  We love one another and celebrate the different talents and skills of our body.  We overlook faults because we love one another. 

But before we link hands and sing ‘Kumbaya’, let’s admit that loving each other isn’t always a feeling, it’s a choice. Obviously, there will be times we disagree about what shade of paint to use in the lobby, or how often to mow the grass.  We may not like every Bible study teacher or the new bulletins.  These differences can cause loving feelings to disappear, but if we make love a choice, we can get through our differences with our family intact.  God’s love for us, which is central in chapter 2 of Ephesians, is the example for us to love each other.  God chose to love us, and his choice even included the death of his son.  Surely, we can choose to overlook minor differences within our group!

Ephesians 2:20-22 …built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being jointed together grows into a holy temple in the Lord.  In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God by the Spirit.

The comparison of the church with a building is common in the scriptures.  The comparison was probably taken from the temple which was a building of great beauty, expense and majesty.   Also, before the Messiah, it was the sacred place on earth where God dwelt.  Now that Jesus was resurrected, the people of God (the church) are now the places were God dwells.

The concept is a simple one. The OT prophets and NT apostles both reveal the true foundation of the church, which is Jesus.  In fact, Jesus is both the foundation and the cornerstone of the church.  He is the one who binds together and unites the Jews and Gentiles, just like the cornerstone unites different walls together into a cohesive building.  All Christians, including the Ephesians and ourselves, are a part of this structure.

 

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Ephesians 2:1-3  - And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Chapter two divides itself into three sections.  Verses 1-3 deal with our natural spiritual state of death, verses 4-10 speak of our change from death to life by the grace and power of Jesus, and verses 11-22 deal with our new life in grace. 

Speaking of death, have you noticed how many popular movies, television shows, books, comics and video games contain zombies?  I see them everywhere.  And, yes, I admit to being a fan of some of them!  [Do you have a favorite?]  What’s that - is it possible that some of you aren’t familiar with the concept?  If that is the case, you should know that a zombie is a fictional undead being created through the reanimation of a human corpse.  The term comes from Haitian folklore in which a zombie is a dead body reanimated through various methods, most commonly magic. 

Picture some of those zombies in your mind.  They have rotting flesh.  Some are missing big clumps of hair or teeth.  Some are missing arms or legs. These disfigured corpses wander aimlessly, attacking the living.  They do not love or work or create.  They do not enjoy music or the beauty of nature.  They do not feel pain or pleasure.  They do not have relationships.  They have no plan for the future and no idea where they are going. They just exist in a state of death and seek to bring death to others.  They are oblivious to anything else.

If we could look into the spiritual realm, I think we would see a lot of zombies.  In fact, we used to be zombies ourselves!  All of us were born into sin which is a state of spiritual death; we were alienated from God who is the fountain of all life.  To be dead in trespasses and sin is another way of saying that we ‘walked following the course of this world’.  We were under the authority of Satan, here referred to as the prince of the power of the air. 

In verse 3, Paul is very clear that “we all” – meaning Jews and Gentiles alike - once lived in this state of spiritual death, where we indulged in whatever thoughts and activities we wanted to, regardless of whether they were right or wrong.  As I am sure you would agree, the depravity of man knows no limits. 

To make matters worse, we are completely unable to raise ourselves from the dead.  We can no more rescue ourselves from sin, than a zombie can turn itself back into a normal human.  Man, due to his own actions, was rushing towards inevitable ruin, misery, death and eternal hopelessness.  

In order to get the full impact of this scripture, I want you to consider your own sin, not just sin in general.  Each one of us has lied, gossiped, lusted, cheated and a whole host of other vile things we would rather not mention.  Despite what we may think, the Bible does not divide sin up into “big sins” and “little sins”.  Sin is sin and we are all guilty. Each one of us deserves death. 

Ephesians 2:4-5 – But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.

BUT… God intervenes on our behalf. Hallelujah!  Our hopeless situation is reversed.  Man’s utter futility becomes God’s opportunity.  In due time, God reveals his great, all inclusive plan of salvation. 

God’s plan of salvation reveals two of his amazing attributes, those being Mercy and Love, as mentioned in this passage. 

Mercy is compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; it is compassion, pity, or benevolence.  It includes acts of kindness or favor. The noun denotes compassion and love, as expressed in tangible ways.

God is not just merciful, he is mercy.  He has all the rights and all the power needed to punish us and hold us accountable for sin, yet he has so much compassion that he gave his only Son that we might inherit eternal life. I can’t think of a more tangible expression of mercy!  Clearly, God’s mercy is not stingy; it is rich and full and it overflows onto each one of his children.  

Titus 3:4-5 – But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness but according to his own mercy…

1 Peter 1:3 – 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 loving hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  

The other attribute from which the plan of salvation sprang is God’s love.  Again, this is misnomer; God does not possess love, He IS love! His love is inexpressibly great and inexhaustibly rich. It knows no bounds.  It is a great love, an everlasting love, an unchanging love, a perfect love, and an invincible love.  

Romans 5:8 – But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Paul goes on to say that we have been ‘made alive together with Christ’.  In other words, God has given us a complete resurrection from the death of sin, just as the body of Christ has been resurrected from the grave.  The same divine power was at work in achieving both resurrections.  Further, our amazing resurrection was obtained by grace; which is the unmerited or undeserved favor of God towards us.  There can be no pride or glorying in ourselves.

Ephesians 2:6 - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

When Jesus rose from the dead and ascended up into heaven, he did not do so  merely as an individual.  He was raised as the head of the church (see chapter 1).  Therefore, when the Father raised and glorified Christ, all believers were raised and glorified with him.  What He has done, the believer may be said to have done, because he is the head of the body.  Notice verse 6 does not say “and will raise us up with him and will seat us with him”, it says “raised us up and seated us with him” which is in the past tense.  

Now, the scripture tells us that God sees the end from the beginning.  So even though we have not seen the entire manifestation of this yet, God has.  In other words, God already sees us raised from the dead and seated in Heaven with Jesus.  Eventually, the day will come when you and I experience the fulfillment of what God already sees.

Isaiah 46:9-10 – Remember the former things of old; for I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying ‘my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purposes’.

I don’t know about you, but I cannot help but be astonished by this!  By the sacrifice of Jesus we were changed from the hopeless zombies in verses 1-3 to people who are a part of the body of Christ, raised to life with him and seated in heavenly places with him!  Stop for a minute and consider how great God’s love for you truly is.  If you have ever doubted God’s love for you, this should settle your questions forever. 

Ephesians 2:7 – so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Verse 7 tells us that God poured out his great love, mercy and grace upon the Ephesian believers, and this is an everlasting example of his mercy.  It shows that his love is perpetual and unchanging; we also have this same love bestowed upon us.  We also have an opportunity to be forgiven and be seated with Christ in heaven.  As believers, we also will become monuments of God’s love and mercy for future generations.

We can draw a couple of conclusions from this passage.  One, as previously mentioned, the conversion of each and every sinner is living proof of the mercy and goodness of God. 

Two, the conversion of every believer is an encouragement or a testimony to all those who are still spiritual zombies.  It is very important that, as Christians, we live our lives in a matter that reflects the love of God.  If we call ourselves Christians, but we still lie, gossip, hold grudges, are unforgiving, etc, what does that say to the lost about the love of God?  Please pause and remember – YOU represent God to the lost world.  What kind of representative are you?

Three, this monument to God’s love is eternal.  At some point, all believers will be seated together in Heaven with Jesus.  This will exhibit the most impressive proof, for all eternity, of the goodness of God.  Think about the countless numbers of people who were once dead, vile, hopelessly doomed creatures, alive forevermore because of his great love.  All life created by God (whether angels or other beings we know not of or even those not yet created) will see in us this monument to God’s love.  Aren’t you glad to be a part of that?

Ephesians 2:8-9  – For by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Here Paul clearly and concisely states an important truth, which is kind of a recap of what he has been discussing so far.  We could not save ourselves, it required an act of God.  Since that is the case, there can be no boasting by believers.  

Interesting side note:  God’s salvation is a free gift, but God does not ever force it upon us without our consent.  We must purposely and knowingly accept the gift through faith.  Sadly, there will be people who know of the gift and know that it can be theirs for the asking, but they will die without it, remaining slaves to sin.

Good works are not the cause of our salvation; they are the result of it.  Again, since that is the case, there can be no boasting. 

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Do you realize that YOU are God’s workmanship?  He has created YOU for a purpose and he has a plan for YOU.  There are people in this world who will say that you don’t count for anything. They will say you are worthless or unimportant.  These lies may have been spoken to you by someone close to you or someone in authority over you, and thus you are tempted to believe them, but they are still LIES.  

You are an integral part of what God wants to do in this age.  You are an irreplaceable piece in the body of Christ. No one can offer praise to God like you do.  No one prays like you do.  You have a sphere of influence that no one else can penetrate.  God wants YOU to be his representative in that place.  God did not create you on an assembly line.  The bible says he breathes the breath of life into every person.  You are a unique creation that God wants to use for good works.  So, lift up your head.  Be glad that God has redeemed you. Reading this blog is a sign that you are spiritually training yourself.  When those good works show up, you will be ready to seize the opportunity for Christ! 

 

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Ephesians 1:19b-20   - ...according to the working of his great might, that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

What do you picture when you read this?  Do you picture God on a magnificent throne with Jesus sitting on another throne at his right side?  What if I told you that mental picture may not be entirely accurate?

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Here on earth, in bygone days, it was the highest honor to be seated at the right hand of the king or the right hand of a prince. Hence, our mental picture of two side-by-side thrones.  However, what the phrase truly signifies is someone who is in a position of supreme honor.  It is entirely possible (and many scholars say probable) that the right hand of God is not a particular place and Jesus is not sitting there as we think in the natural realm.  Rather, the phrase is used to give earthly men an understandable picture of the honor, respect, dignity and authority that has been bestowed on Jesus. 

Let's examine some of the finer points involved in the exaltation of Jesus. We know that Satan did not take Jesus' life from him; Jesus willingly laid it down for us of his own accord.

John 10:17 & 18 – For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.  No one takes is from me, but I lay it down o my own accord.  I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.  This is the charge I have received from my Father.

  Once his sacrifice was complete, Jesus was raised from the dead by the immeasurable greatness of God's power, mentioned in verse 19.  His resurrection took him from the deepest humiliation of hell to the highest honor of heaven.  The scripture tells us that the announcement of Jesus' earthly birth was accompanied by "a multitude of the heavenly host praising God" (Luke 2:13-14).  If heaven was so excited at the prospect of Jesus' sacrifice and temporary humiliation, can you imagine how it rocked with his praise when God's immeasurable power raised him from the dead and brought him home to heaven?  

Jesus' resurrection is a miracle.  It is incontestable evidence of the truth of Christianity.  It is the basis of our assurance that his blood cleanses us from sin. The power of God not only converts us from Satan's slaves to co-heirs with Christ, it carries on the work of grace until we are called home to heaven.  His power is supreme; therefore, his power is greater than any force that might try to stop the work of grace in our lives.  His power is greater than Satan, the world, sin, death and our own failures. His power never runs out; it extends through all eternity.  His power works in us by the mighty Holy Spirit.  Oh, that we would willingly give the Spirit control in our lives!

We have already mentioned that Jesus now occupies the position of supreme honor, respect and dignity in heaven.  Paul also tells us that ultimate authority has been bestowed upon him.

Ephesians 1:21 - ...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. 

The phrase 'rule and authority and power and dominion' is intended to include all possible forms of power, including things in heaven, things in earth and things under the earth (Philippians 2:10-11).  This would cover all the governments of the earth, the authority of Satan and all angelic beings whether good or evil.  Not even the collective authority of all these could come anywhere near the authority of the Son of God; his authority is FAR above them.  This state of ultimate authority will never end.  It is true in this age and will be true in eternity.  The name of Jesus is above every other name that will ever be named.  

Ephesians 1:22-23 - And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body; the fullness of him who fills all in all.

What does it mean to have all things under his feet?  Our first thought would be a victorious king who actually put his foot on the necks of his defeated enemies.  But the apostle's language goes deeper than just that.  It includes the whole of creation and all that is found in it; not just earth but all of the universe.  This means that all of creation is at his disposal to use as he sees fit, regardless of whether it/they submit willingly or unwillingly.

God has also honored Jesus by making him the head of the church, which is his body.  This is a common theme throughout the New Testament scriptures.

And so Paul enumerates for us four of the glories of Christ:

• His resurrection.
• His exaltation to God's right hand.
• His supreme dominion.
• His headship of the church, his body, which is filled with his fullness. 

These glories were all obtained by his death on the cross.  Clearly, he abased himself that he might be exalted.

  Hebrews 12:2 - Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

In conclusion, we find that Paul prays that each individual believer might have his/her spiritual eyes opened so that we can begin to perceive the incredible hope we have in Christ, the eternal unmatched riches of our inheritance in him, and the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe.

If our eyes were truly opened to these truths, it would affect the way we think, talk and live.  It would influence the way we treat our fellow man, how we spend our time and what we do with our money.

Are you willing to take a step towards spiritual maturity?  Do you desire to know Christ in a deeper more intimate way?  Can you pray this prayer for yourself, until you notice a change?

What are your thoughts on this prayer?  How does the hope of a future with Christ give you strength in this life? Have you seen a demonstration of God's incredible power in your life?  Please write in and share your thoughts and experiences with us, so that others may be encouraged! 

 

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Prayer, continued

So - did you have a chance to meditate on prayer for a while?  Before we begin today's lesson, stop and consider your own prayer life. 

• How often do you pray?
• Do your prayers focus mainly on you and the things you are asking God to give you?
• Has there been any kind of change/maturity in your prayer life over the last year, or are your prayers still basically the same?

Ephesians chapter one gives us some wonderful insight into prayer.  Please consider these verses carefully and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you about your own personal prayer life.

Ephesians 1:17-  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...

Previously, under the Old Testament covenant, God was commonly known as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But notice the way Paul refers to God in this verse – as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This title reflects the change of covenants that took place when Jesus rose from the dead.  In this instance, the focus is on Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant and the one who intercedes for us with the Father.

Now, let's start by looking at what Paul did NOT ask God to give them.  He did not ask God to keep them from persecution and trouble.  He did not ask God to give them fame or wealth.  He did not ask God to grant them happiness or an easy life. 

What he DID ask God to give them was the Holy Spirit who bestows to the believer wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God.  In other words, Paul prays for these believers that their spiritual eyes would be opened and focused so that spiritual realities will be clearer, more easily seen and more understandable by their minds.  Likewise, he prays for the Holy Spirit to quicken our spirits making them more sensitive to spiritual things. 

Well for one thing, if we are honest, we will admit that we can be easily distracted.  Our every waking moment is a constant barrage of things from the physical world that compete for our time and attention.  Personally, I think the situation is worse now that it has ever been.  Modern electronics like the cell phone, hand held video games, electronic readers and computer tablets spew entertainment and information like an active volcano.  It literally never ceases.  If we are not careful, our spiritual eyes and ears will become dull and useless.  We will lose our sensitivity to the voice of God.  We should regularly be praying that the Holy Spirit quickens our spiritual man.

For another thing, no matter how mature we have grown in Christ, we have still not arrived at perfection.  No matter how much we know of God, no matter how much we have experienced of him, there are still unfathomable depths of wisdom and knowledge to be found in him.

Ephesians 1:18-19a – 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, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,

The 'eyes of your heart' refers to your mind or your understanding.  Our understanding of God and spiritual principles have been blinded or distorted by sin.  Unless it is touched by the Spirit, the mind cannot comprehend spiritual truths. If you are a Christian, you have already had your mind/understanding enlightened by the Spirit to some degree; it was a revelation of sin that prompted you to accept Christ as Savior.  However, the entire Christian life is one of gradual maturing.  The revelation of truth that we experienced during salvation is not the full revelation of God.  Our understanding needs to be further enlightened because there are more and deeper spiritual truths to be understood.   

1 Corinthians 2:14 -  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Paul prays for the Spirit to enlighten our minds, that we might discover three great truths.

One, that we may know what is the hope to which he has called us:  Christianity is the hope to which we are called.  Hope is a powerful thing; in fact, it's a game changer.  It spurs us on during difficult times, it calms our sorrows, it lessens the effects of persecution and temptation, it renews our focus on the prize and it sustains us during the long haul of life.  Hope makes our work and sacrifice worthwhile.  Paul wants the Spirit to give us a greater understanding of the hope to which he has called us, so that it can work powerfully in us during our time on earth.

Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.     

Two, that we might know what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints:  In other words, the glorious abundance of spiritual things to which you are entitled as a consequence of being children of God.  As discussed earlier in this chapter, we are not completely sinless, painless, perfect, righteous, etc, right now, but someday we will be.  At this time, we can enter into God's presence through praise and worship, but one day we will behold his face as we sing praises around his throne. One day we will rule and reign with Christ.  The more we understand the riches of our inheritance, the more motivated we will be to serve our King and the more joy we will have during our service here.   

Was there ever a time in life when you longed to have something and you wanted it so much that you constantly daydreamed about it? When you finally got it, was it all that you expected or were your daydreams better than the real thing?

Sometimes we disappoint ourselves because the thing we long for winds up being less than we imagined it would be.  In the case of our inheritance in Christ, the opposite will be true.  No matter how wonderful we imagine heaven to be, it will be infinitely better!

1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.

Are you excited about the prayer that the apostle Paul prayed for you?  The things he asks God to grant you are far, far greater than anything earthly that we could ask for.

I encourage you to begin to earnestly pray this same prayer for yourself over the next few weeks.  See how the Holy Spirit changes your life!

 

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Ephesians 1:11-12 – In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the council of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

I hate to beat a dead horse (where do some of these expressions come from?), but since Paul did it first, I am going to follow suit.  These verses say that we have obtained an eternal inheritance in Christ, which was planned in advance, before the world was created.  As adopted children we are the praise of his glory in two ways.

One, in a passive manner.  This involves us being the undeserving recipients of grace.  We are a testimony to God's grace, because we did nothing to deserve it. Praise and worship should be our natural reaction to this gift.  

Two, in an active manner.  This involves personal holiness, obedience to God's commands and the bearing of fruit for the kingdom God.

Paul speaks of those who were the first to hope in Christ.  We would assume that the apostles were among the first to believe, having heard the gospel from Jesus himself. They spread the good news first to their own countrymen (the Jews) and then the gospel went out to the Gentiles as well. The scripture describes the gospel as radiating out from Jerusalem until it reaches the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

While the apostles may have been the first fruits of faith in Jesus, they were certainly not the last!

Ephesians 1:13-14 – In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

These verses start by saying that the Ephesians (and later you and I) have also believed in Jesus, after we heard the word of truth/gospel of salvation.  Note that the same gospel produces salvation in all men, whether Jew or Gentile, whether born in 1 AD or 2019 AD. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.  His word is a firm foundation that will stand for all time.  It does not change. Just as all men believe and are saved through the same gospel, so all believers have a share in the heavenly inheritance, and all believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit, which was promised long ago. 

Let's examine the idea of being sealed.  Webster defines a seal as "something that confirms, ratifies or makes secure:  A guarantee, an assurance". 

In our culture, we seal documents to prove or confirm they are authentic.  Have you ever taken a legal document to a notary?  Normally, you sign the document in the presence of the notary, who then signs and places a seal on your document.  The notary is confirming, guaranteeing or assuring others that the signature on the document is authentic.

Another example of sealing would be a brand.  Have you ever seen a cow that has been branded by its owner?  The brand creates a permanent mark that distinguishes that particular animal as belonging to a single, specific owner.  Even if the animal is mixed with other cows, a simple glance can identify who it belongs to; the mark is a guarantee or an assurance of ownership.

The scripture tells us that when we accept Christ as savior, we are sealed or branded by the Holy Spirit, which confirms that we belong to Christ. 

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now he which establishes us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Ephesians 4:30  And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  

We can see from these scriptures that the Holy Spirit seals or marks us as belonging to God.  However, according to verse 14, he does so much more!! 

We are using the English Standard Version of the Bible in this study, but in this case, I think the King James Version is clearer.  It says:

Ephesians 1:14 - Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Pop Quiz:  Do you know what earnest money is?

Earnest money, also called good faith deposit, is a sum of money that a buyer pays to the seller at the time of entering a contract. Its primary purpose is to make sure that the buyer is serious about following through on the contract. Typically used in real estate transactions, earnest money may be used to give the home buyer more time before closing. It provides the seller with incentive to continue with the transaction.

When God redeems us, he buys us back from sin.  When we accept his offer of salvation, he gives us the Holy Spirit as an earnest, which is a piece of our spiritual inheritance.   It shows that he is serious about following through with our redemption contract.  The earnest of the Holy Spirit is upon us until God 'closes the deal' of our redemption, which will occur when he returns for us at the second coming. At that time, we will receive our entire inheritance.  The Holy Spirit gives us incentive to stand firm until our redemption is complete.

We all recognize that our redemption is not complete at this time.  But rest assured, a day will come when God will deliver us from all sin, evil, temptation, sorrow, pain and frustration.  

• A day will come when we hear 'well done, good and faithful servant'. 
• A day will come when we inherit eternal life. 
• A day will come when the church will be presented to Jesus as a bride, without spot or wrinkle.
• A day will come when we sit with him at the marriage supper of the lamb.
• A day will come when we see our redeemer face to face.
• A day will come when we stand around his throne singing his glorious praise.  
• A day will come when we receive a new body and home (and a job) in heaven. 
• A day will come when the old will pass away and all things will become new!!   

I  Corinthians 2:9 – ...no eye has seen nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.

Notice that verse 14 also tells us that these things are "to the praise of his glory".  We did not earn any of these things; God freely gave them to us because of his great love and grace.  Therefore, redemption is an eternal testimony of God's great love to mankind.  All created beings (including us) should forever be praising and glorifying him for this indescribable gift! 

I encourage you to dwell on these thoughts for a while.  You may find that you are encouraged.  You may find that life's momentary difficulties pale in comparison to what God has in store for you! You may find yourself bursting with praise for his mighty name!  Allow that praise to well up inside you and come forth audibly.  Pray and ask the Father to fill you to overflowing with the promised Holy Spirit!

Ephesians 1:15-16 – For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

Paul gives thanks to God for the Ephesian church.  He also prays for them.  Next time we will examine this prayer, which is found in verses 17-23.

 

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Ephesians 1:5-6 – In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

In times past, God had chosen one man, Abraham, as the father of the Jewish race [Genesis 12].  God made three distinct promises to Abraham regarding the Jewish nation.  Do you know what they were?

1. The Jews would be a great nation; that is, in terms of numbers.  Genesis 12:2, Genesis 15:4-5.
2. They would inherit a promised land. Genesis 12:5-7, Genesis 15:7.
3. They would be a blessing to ALL the families on earth. Genesis 12:3, Genesis 28:14.

Did you answer correctly?  If so, award yourself a piece of candy!

Now, it is this third promise that we want to consider.  How were the Jews to be a blessing to all the families on earth?  They were to be an example of God's love to mankind.  They were to exemplify or display God's provision, his grace, his forgiveness, his great power, his love, etc.  Their relationship with God was to be a living example to all the nations of the earth of the love of God.    

The culmination of that love and promised blessing was a savior or messiah, who would be a member of the Jewish race, and who would die for the sins of man.  Through this messiah, ALL men could be freed from the bondage of sin and be restored to a right relationship with God.  Through the savior Jesus Christ, ALL men (not just the Jews) could be adopted as sons and daughters of God.  God had predestined or predetermined to do this in ages past. (Predestine means 'to set bounds beforehand', or 'to predetermine').  God gave us glimpses of this great plan numerous times through the prophets.  For instance:

Isaiah 49:6  - And he [God] said, It is too small a thing that you [the Messiah] should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the ends of the earth.

So, we know that from the very beginning, God planned, or intended, or predestined to redeem mankind; to adopt ALL men, Jews and Gentiles alike, as sons and daughters.  This is what Paul refers to when he says "he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ". 

This was done 'according to the purpose of his will'.  In other words, it had nothing to do with any merit on our part.  In times past, God chose the Jews, not because they had any outstanding merit in themselves, but because of the purposes of his will.  In the same way, Gentiles are now called to salvation/adoption as sons of God, not because of any outstanding merits on the part of the Gentiles, but according to God's will and purpose.

This was a very radical and somewhat controversial idea in the early days of Christianity.  The Jews were convinced that they had exclusive rights to being the sons of God.  Even after Jesus died and was resurrected, they felt it was only for them.  It was extremely difficult for them to embrace the idea that the Gentiles could be admitted into the kingdom of God.  As you recall, God made his intentions crystal clear in Acts 10 when he calls Peter to preach in the house of the Gentile Cornelius.  All the Gentiles in that house were saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and baptized in water.  Peter proclaims:

Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:   But in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him.

Thus, there can be no stepchildren in the kingdom of God.  All who accept him are equal sons and daughters; all are coheirs with Christ.  

Further, Paul tells us that this adoption of all men as sons was done not only according to the purpose of his will, but 'to the praise of his glorious grace'.  In other words, God is drawing attention to his Divine Grace.  He wants the world to see how rich, how deep, how boundless/abundant his grace is towards all men.  God's grace knows no limits! All sin can be forgiven!  All can be restored into relationship with Him!  All can experience the depth and love of Christ! All can be filled with the Holy Spirit!  

Maybe you are reading this and thinking that you are excluded from that grace for some reason.  I assure you, there are NO exceptions!!  The Bible says:

John 6:37  - ...he that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.

Romans 8:32 -  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?  

My guess is that as you meditate on the vast love God has shown to you personally, by forgiving your sin and adopting you as a son/daughter, you are feeling all warm and fuzzy on the inside, aren't you?  You are feeling special, aren't you?  Being one of God's children along with all its privileges is delightful, isn't it?  Kind of like a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows, after you've been outside shoveling snow. [If you live someplace warm, maybe it's like a cold shot of air conditioning after mowing the grass, but I live in Ohio, so for me it's more like the hot cocoa!]  I want you to hold on to that warm, fuzzy feeling as we take a closer look at how that manifests in our everyday lives.      

As we mentioned in an earlier lesson, praise is not limited to our mouths or our music.  We also praise God with our actions or conduct. We should be living lives that reflect and display our thanksgiving of God's glorious grace. 

So, since God freely forgave us without strings attached, we need to be forgiving others in the same way.  We are praising him when our conduct reflects his love and mercy!

  Uh oh... do I detect a cold silence in the air?  Have you lost the warm fuzzies already?  Do you instantly have the word "but" on your lips?  Please don't close your browser in my face.  Just hear me out.

I understand that forgiveness is probably the MOST challenging thing that we are called to do.  Some of you reading this have suffered abuse that would make the rest of us vomit.  Some of you have experienced unspeakable loss or a betrayal that reaches to your innermost being.  As far as I can tell, the violence of man knows no limits.  I can never understand what you have endured, but I assure you there is One who knows; our God, the same God who gave his only son for you, knows and understands.  He has healing for you.

Forgiveness does not happen instantaneously or easily for any of us.  However, I believe that when we are willing and when we seek to praise God with our conduct, we can take steps towards forgiveness.

The first step would be to acknowledge that God asks us to forgive others. This is well documented throughout scripture.

  Matthew 18:21-22 - Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto you, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.

I would encourage you to talk to God in prayer.  Tell him that you know you need to forgive, but you just cannot at this point.  He will lead you as you walk down the path of forgiveness with him. You may benefit from help from a Christian counselor.  Eventually, you will be able to do what seems impossible right now.  Be assured that the Bible also tells us "nothing is impossible with God" Luke 1:37.

For some of you, the problem presents differently.  Some of you, for your part, have forgiven and want to restore a relationship with someone else, but they refuse to do so.  Again, your best action is to go to God in prayer.  Ask him how to give you wisdom.  Pray that you can reflect God's love and grace to this other person.  God can make restoration of the relationship possible, although patience may be required. 

James 1:5 -  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally, and reproaches not; and it shall be given him.

Going back to our text, we have seen that God has planned ahead (predestined) for ALL people (Jews and Gentiles) to be adopted into his eternal family as the direct result of his will and loving grace (not according to anything good in us), so that we can reflect his praise (with our mouths and with our conduct).  Paul goes on to say that we have been "blessed in the beloved".  What does that mean?  It refers to Jesus, the beloved Son of God.  The meaning is that through Jesus the mercies and blessings we have been discussing have been conferred on us.

Ephesians 1:7-10 – In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

The mystery of God's will is salvation by faith through Jesus, apart from the law.  It was hidden in the law; not clearly seen or understood by those who came before Christ.  But now God has revealed his plan to unite all things in heaven and on earth under the authority of Christ. Aren't you glad to be a part of that?  The prophets of old desired to know these mysteries, but they were prevented from doing so. From our perspective, we can see all the types, shadows, prophesies and promises have culminated in the person of Jesus, the Messiah!  Let us be thankful for what God has done in the age of grace!

Are you especially thankful for God's forgiveness? Was there a time when you felt you could never forgive an offence but through the help of Jesus you did it? Please subscribe to our blog and share your comments with us!

 

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Ephesians 1:3-4 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.  

Verses 3-14 contain only five sentences. Personally, I find that Paul's exceedingly long and drawn out sentences sometimes make it difficult to focus on the point he is making, but if we break it down into phrases, the meaning becomes clear.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" – In other words, 'Praise and worship be to God, the father of Jesus'.  The rest of the verses in this passage tell us why God deserves our praise.     

"who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing" – Who does 'us' refer to?  It hearkens back to the Saints of verse one, and includes all those who belong to Christ.  It includes old and young, male and female, Jew and Gentile, believers in Paul's day, as well as you and I. 

What spiritual blessings do we enjoy as a result of being a child of God?  These would include forgiveness/redemption/justification through the blood of Christ, grace, our adoption as children of God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  They are not material or temporal things related to this physical world, but they are spiritual gifts which prepare us for our eternal home in heaven.

Do you give praise to God for blessings related to your earthly life, such as clothes, food, housing, etc?  You are right to do so, for all blessings come from God; but do you also give regular thanksgiving and praise to God for your spiritual blessings which make you fit for an eternal heavenly home? Or do we sometimes begin to take those things for granted?  The Christian would do well spend some time ruminating on our upcoming transition from life on earth to life in Heaven.  A renewed focus on the heavenly should affect the way we live on earth.  It also helps put a lot of things into proper perspective!

"in the heavenly places" – The word 'places' is not the best choice, when translating from Greek to English.  Maybe the word 'matters' or 'things' would be better.  The meaning of the phrase is that God blesses us in Christ with regard to things pertaining to heaven or things that prepare us for heaven.    

"even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world" –  Perhaps in the past, as you quickly read this passage, you missed the awesome significance of this phrase.  The blessings of salvation, grace, adoption by God and the illumination of the Holy Spirit were bestowed upon us before the foundations of the world! 

Salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit were never an afterthought.  They were not given to us by chance.  They were not given to us in a haphazard manner because God was caught off guard by the fall of man.  They are not crumbs from the table of God.  God is not 'going with the flow' and making things up as we race toward the end of this age.

Rather, these spiritual gifts are the direct result of intention and design on the part of God Almighty!  This means that God had planned to give them to us before he even created planet earth.  He planned to give them to us long before the fall of man.  He planned to give them to YOU before you were even born.  These gifts are priceless and they flow from God to us as a part of his eternal purpose and plan that was in place from ages past!

God chose to do this, which clearly implies that he had a choice.  He could easily have refused to grant these blessings, but because of his great love for us, he did not. 

"that we should be holy and blameless before him" –  The purpose or the end result of these blessings is that we become holy and blameless before God.  God did not choose us because we were holy; we are holy because God has chosen and redeemed us through Christ.  Only through the blood of Jesus can we stand blameless before God.

1 Peter 1:18-20 - ...you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.  He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you, who through him are believers in God. 

 So, given the astounding spiritual blessings that God has poured out upon us, and considering that we did absolutely nothing to deserve them, we should forever be in a state of praise and worship towards him (which is where Paul started in verse 3).

We tend to think of praise and worship as something we do with our mouths, or with musical instruments.  This is correct, but it actually only scratches the surface of praise. 

Webster's dictionary defines praise as this: To extol in words or song, to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works, to do honor to; to display the excellence of.

How do we do honor to God?  How do we display his excellence? 

I Peter 2:9-11 -  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Who in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as aliens and exiles, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

Peter explains that we honor God and display his excellence to the lost world by living a holy life; a life that reflects the holiness and love of Christ himself.  According to Colossians 3, we are to put off the deeds of the old man and, as in verse 12-14, we are to "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you.  And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection".

How are you honoring God and displaying his excellence to a lost world?  Please write and share with us.  Tell us about a time when you were 'God's hand extended' to another individual.  What was the circumstance?  What was their reaction?  How was God glorified?

We would also like to hear from those of you who were going through a rough time and a Christian showed forth God's praise by ministering to you.  What were the circumstances?  How did you feel before the person came along to help?  How did you feel afterwards?  Did it make a difference in your walk with God?

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Dear Reader,

   My name is Pat and I will be hosting this online Bible study for the Kipton church.  As with all my Bible studies, you will get the most out of it if you ask questions, share your experiences and, most importantly, take some time to meditate on the Word of God that is being presented. We are delighted to have you join us! 

For the next few weeks we will be considering the New Testament book of Ephesians.  Let's begin with some background information on this epistle.

 

INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS:     This book was written by the apostle Paul during his imprisonment in Rome, around 60-62 A.D.  It is one of four letters known as the 'prison' epistles.  Can you name the other three?

They are Philippians, Colossians and Philemon.  If you answered correctly, feel free to reward yourself with candy!

The letter was written to the church at Ephesus, although they may not have been its only recipient.  It seems that there are several early manuscripts that do not contain the phrase "at Ephesus".  This has led to the speculation that the book may have been a 'circular' letter, which refers to an identical letter sent to several different churches, each with a specific church's name inserted into it.  If this was the case, multiple churches would have received the exact same copy of the letter.  However, I would like to point out that this is only scholarly speculation, and in the end it really does not matter.  The Holy Spirit has preserved the book for us as a part of the Bible and it applies to Christians of all generations - including us!

What was the city of Ephesus like back in the time of Paul's writing?  It was one of the most celebrated cities of Asia Minor, located about 40 miles south of Smyrna near the mouth of the river Cayster (this would be the extreme western part of modern day Turkey).  Its position made it a busy center of commerce. The Pulpit Bible Commentary says "it was the highway into Asia from Rome; its ships traded with the ports of Greece, Egypt and the Levant". 

We would expect such a city to have abundant wealth.  As with many wealthy places, Ephesus was notorious for luxury and licentiousness (unrestrained by law or morality; excessive, immoral).  It is common for big wealthy cities to have a  number of poor and homeless people.  Wealthy communities also attract crime.  Therefore we would assume that these elements were present in Ephesus too.

 

What about the cultural and religious life in Ephesus?  History asserts that about half of the inhabitants of this area were Asiatic (eastern culture) and half Greek (western culture), although the noted historian Josephus tells us that a considerable number of Jews were also present in the city.  As we would expect, both the culture and the religious practices of that day were an amalgam of East and West.  While the practice of sorcery and magic was common, Ephesus was most famous its worship of the goddess Diana (also called Artemis).  This false god sprang from Western culture, however, the style of worship often incorporated mystical elements from the East.  As you probably recall, the temple of Diana at Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  More information about it is readily available, if you want to find it.

To summarize, Ephesus was a notorious city; it was wealthy, luxurious and excessive.  At the same time, we would expect to see homelessness, crime and sexual immorality.  It had a culturally diverse population.  Its religious practices were a combination of both eastern and western thought.  I don't know about you, but all this seems vaguely familiar to me - I think it could describe many of the cities we live in today.  We could probably take Ephesus, drop it in the middle of America someplace, and no one would really think it was that strange!  

This was the situation that Paul walked into as he began to spread the gospel of Christ in Ephesus back in the book of Acts.  Paul himself tells us that he spent 3 years in Ephesus, actively preaching the gospel (you might want to consider reading Acts chapters 19 and 20.  It will probably take less than 10 minutes and will provide you with some useful information).  He faced much opposition in that city but the scripture tells us in Acts 19:20 that "the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily". 

Of course, Paul could not stay in Ephesus forever.  In Acts chapter 20 he bids the Ephesians a heartfelt and tearful farewell as he heads off to Jerusalem. We will skip ahead in the narrative by saying that Paul winds up in a Roman prison where he is essentially under "house arrest".  He is confined and under guard, but he can have visitors as he awaits trial for some very serious charges.  It was during this time that he wrote the prison epistles, including Ephesians.  So, Paul has a history with the Christians of Ephesus.  He is well acquainted with them, their struggles and the opposition that Christianity faced in that area. 

Now that we have an adequate background for this epistle, let us examine it from the beginning.

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

The salutation of this letter reveals the authority on which Paul writes to them.  He does not write to them on his own authority, or indeed the authority of any man, but the authority of God the Father and his resurrected Son, who appointed him as the apostle to the Gentile world.  Therefore, his words should be taken as truth and should be used as a guide for living the Christian life.

The salutation also addresses the church as individual saints.  Webster's dictionary defines a saint as "a holy or godly person". 

Let me as ask you this:  Do you consider yourself a saint?  Before you blurt out an answer, let me give you something to consider: 

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle was considered holy.  What made it holy?  Was the goat hair in the curtains holy?  Was the acacia wood or the gold holy? No, the tabernacle was holy because it was the dwelling place of God. 

Was the grand and glorious temple of Solomon holy?  It sure was.  What made it holy?  Was it the cedar wood or the dressed stone or the gold and brass?  No, it too was holy because it was the dwelling place of God's presence.

Were the temple sacrifices holy?  Yes.  Was it because the ancient Jews actually found the original 'holy cow'?  Of course not!  The sacrifice was holy because it was dedicated to God. 

Were the Old Testament priests holy?  Yes - because they were divinely chosen and set apart by God for his service.  In the same way, the Sabbath was holy because those 24 hours were separated for God's use, while the rest of the hours in the week were for common use.

So, as a Christian, are you holy?  YES!!  You are the temple of the Holy Spirit of Almighty God.  Your life has been sacrificed to Him.  You are part of a chosen generation and a royal priesthood.  In a sense, your whole life is a Sabbath because it is set apart for God's use!   As a Christian, you are automatically a saint of God, not because of anything you have done, but because you have been set apart for him and his purposes.   

Now, just as a matter of clarification, I want to be sure that you understand that in addition to being a holy (set apart) saint of God, every Christian has a responsibility for personal holiness.  This issue will be discussed later on in Ephesians chapter 4, but until then, I want to point out that as a Christian, your pursuit of personal holiness will continue until the day God calls you home.  Personal holiness is an entirely separate issue from being a saint. Again, more discussion on this will follow.   

For now, let's get back to Paul's salutation.  Paul speaks of the grace and peace of God to each saint.  Grace and peace are both gifts from God the Father to his children.  They are gifts that Christ paid for with his death on the cross, which we can readily see from the following scriptures:

John 1:17 - For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 53:5 -  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Basically, grace should be understood as a state of favor with God which all Christians abide in.  Peace is the state of mind that results from being in right standing with God. 

Here then, is a big difference between the people of God and the people of the world. People of the world will lose or gain peace as their circumstances change.  As children of God, we can be at peace throughout any trial or storm of life, because our peace is not dependent upon circumstances, but upon that blessed relationship we share with our heavenly father.  Jesus himself says this to us: 

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Notice that this presents each of us with a wonderful door of opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ to the unsaved world.  When you endure a trial with peace, the unsaved will notice.  They will want to know how you are keeping it all together when you should be falling apart.  They will want to know how to obtain the peace that you have, and thus you will have a chance to share Christ with them. 

Well, we are going to stop here for today, but don't worry - We will be back soon! I want to take some time to hear testimonies from all of you. Revelation 12:11 says that the saints of God overcome by the blood of the lamb of the word of their testimony. So let me start a dialog with this:

Was there ever a time when you were in a trial and you felt God's peace overshadow you?  What was the end result?  Did others notice? Can you share a word of encouragement with all those reading this post who are currently in the midst of a storm?

 

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Lydia

Acts 16:11-12 – So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samorthrace, and the following day to Neapolis and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony.  We remained in this city some days.

In Acts 16, Paul is in the midst of his second missionary journey, accompanied by Silas and Luke.  Timothy also joins the group in Lystra.  This was not just another weekend event - this missionary journey lasted approximately 3 years and covered nearly 3000 miles!  That's a lot of travel!

In verses 11-12 the scripture tells us that Paul and company bypassed two smaller cities [Samorthrace and Neapolis] in order to come to Philippi. 

Goods and exotic item were brought into sea ports, transported to Philippi, then on to the rest of the Roman world.  Other goods went in the opposite direction – they left Philippi to be loaded onto ships and passed to other foreign countries.  So Philippi is a business hub and a center of wealth. 

There would also be a lot of people in Philippi.  The city would have a permanent population as well as a transient or temporary population of people who came there just for business and trade.  Because of this, we would expect a very diverse spectrum of people in that city on any given day.  These people could literally have come from anywhere in the known world. 

God desires for his love and forgiveness to be known in that great city.  He wants all of those people to find a personal relationship with him.  Also, if the gospel were introduced into this city, people would take it to the ends of the earth. So, how will the gospel be spread in this great city?

Well, things begin on the Sabbath.

Acts 16:13 – And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

On that day Paul and company went outside the gates of the city to the riverside, where they expected to find a place of prayer.  Why would they go there? Why do you suppose they did not go into the synagogue, which was their normal M.O.? 

Answer:  Most likely, because one did not exist.  It took a minimum of 10 Jewish men to open a synagogue.  Scholars assume that Philippi did not have enough.

Notice that they did not start rounding up people to open a synagogue.  They were not trying to network with the most influential people in the city. They did not post anything on social media (okay, I know they couldn't do that, but even if they could have, they wouldn't).  They began by earnestly seeking the place of prayer, because prayer is the key that would release the power of God in Philippi.

Lydia is from the Greek city of Thyatira in Asia Minor.  She was not born a Jew, but she is a proselyte, or a convert to the Jewish faith.  From this, we know that she must have felt a need for God in her life.  This is not unusual; God places a desire for him in the life of every person including you!  If you think back, you will probably remember when you felt that your life was lacking something and you recognized your need for God.  Then, the Holy Spirit led you to accept Christ.  This is what was happening to Lydia.

We know that Lydia was a seller of woolen fabrics dyed purple (Purple fabric was quite the rage at that time.  Funny how people are always obsessed with the latest in fashion).  Possibly she was the agent of some business in Thyatira or possibly she was an independent business woman. 

The scripture speaks of her household, though no mention is made of her husband.  Scholars have conjectured that she was a widow as well as a wealthy property owner and that she was well known in her community.

She also has a family to love and care for.  Perhaps some of her children or grandchildren need her help.  Maybe she takes care of her elderly parents.  Does any of this sound familiar? 

How easy it would have been for this very busy woman to find an excuse NOT to pray:  I'm so tired... there is so much to do. I will do it later. I need to relax for a few minutes, etc.  Yet we find that Lydia made time to be in the place of prayer.  She made it a priority in her life. 

What about you?  I know you are busy; we all are.  Have you made prayer a priority in your life? Remember, the battle for Philippi was not won in the natural realm.  It was won in the spiritual realm first (through prayer) then it manifested in the natural realm.  Do you want to see changes in your life and the lives of those around you?  Then pray!

Lydia sought out the place of prayer.  For her, it was a riverside location. Where is your place of prayer?  It could be your armchair, your bedroom, your car or on your daily walk.  It really does not matter.  You just need a time and place to be alone with God. 

What happens in the place of prayer?  You find God Almighty.  You enter into his presence with thanksgiving and praise.  You lay your needs and requests before his throne.  You bare your heart and soul to your heavenly Father.  You begin to wage spiritual warfare to free those around you from the strongholds of Satan. 

It's the place where you hear God's voice.  It's the place of power, peace, comfort and strength.  It's a place where faith is built and strengthened.  It's the place where your battles will be won; only then will you see those changes manifest in the natural realm.   

It's not a place you find by accident.  It's a place you find on purpose.  It's a place you have to create and make time for.  Think of a typical day in your life from morning until bedtime.  Don't you have more than enough stuff to occupy your time?  Don't you often go to bed thinking 'tomorrow is another day – I'll have to tackle this or that tomorrow because I ran out of time today?'

Prayer can and will be squeezed out of your life in a heartbeat if you let it. 

Consider this: God expects us to pray.  He is waiting for us to enter his throne room. He is waiting for your permission to act in your life. Talk to him!  We (this generation) have full access to God's presence – something that past generations longed for, but could not have. Let's use it! It is up to us to make prayer a priority.

So, busy Lydia expends time and effort to be in the place of prayer.  And sure enough, something happened to her and her family that day.  She hears the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ from the lips of Paul himself.   She accepts Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She becomes Paul's first convert in Europe! Her circumstances are permanently changed.  And apparently, it wasn't just her.  Her whole house was saved and is baptized. 

Acts 16:15 – And after she was baptized and her household as well, she urged us saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay."  And she prevailed upon us.

So what happened next?  Read the rest of Acts 16 and you will find the miraculous power of God at work in that great pagan city.  The kingdom of light confronted the kingdom of darkness in a very public showdown that confirmed God's power and authority. 

Here is the broad picture, though you really would benefit from reading it yourself:  Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown in prison for preaching Christ and setting a slave girl free of a demonic power. At midnight, they are PRAYING AND SINGING PRAISES TO GOD. 

All of a sudden there is an earthquake that opens all the doors.  They jailer is about to kill himself, but Paul steps in.  The jailer and his how household find Christ. The next day the city magistrates allow Paul and Silas to be set free, but Paul refuses.  He makes it a point that the magistrates were wrong and he wants a public apology – once again another opportunity to publicly declare Jesus Christ.  It had to be the story on the lips of every citizen and visitor to that area, from the lowliest slave to the highest magistrate.

The battle for Philippi and the great display of God's power began in the seemingly quiet and insignificant place of prayer.    

How does Lydia's story end? 

Acts 16:40 – So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia.  And when they had seen the brothers (new converts) they encouraged them and departed.

As more and more people heard about and saw the power of God, they believed the testimony of Paul and his fellow travelers.  They accepted Jesus as savior.  They came to regular meetings at Lydia's house.  Scholars agree that Lydia's house became the church in Philippi.   

She is considered to be one of the women mentioned in Philippians 4.

Philippians 4:3 – Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

So, if you have ever received guidance or wisdom or comfort from the book of Philippians, at least part of that credit would belong to Lydia.

What impact can her example have on our lives?  Let me stress my main point once again, in case you missed it:  Prayer is the key to change!

Prayer is the place to begin making changes in your life and the lives of those around you.  As you pray, God will do things that you could never do: 

- He will open up doors of opportunity.  

- He will give you guidance and instruction.  

- He will change your circumstances.  

- He will show forth his great power.  

- He will open people's hearts to the gospel.  

- He will confront the kingdom of darkness and give you victory over it.  

- He will use you in ways you never imagined.

I don't think Lydia realized the impact her home church would have on the entire kingdom of heaven.  What can God accomplish through you?  Why don't you renew your commitment to the place of prayer and find out!

Do you have a testimony about prayer that you would like to share?  We would love to be strengthened and encouraged by your testimony.  Please write in a share with us!