1. It’s not often that we get to view the bookends of a church.
a. The BEGINNING… how it all started.
b. Toward the END… how it all ended up.
c. But with the church in Ephesus, we see it’s beauty and strength in the beginning… and it’s weakness at the end.
• Acts 18 - Paul spent some time in Ephesus and eventually returned for 3 years to plant and pastor a church…
• He taught fervently & performed great miracles.
• There was much spiritual growth…
• That is until those there decided to burn all their witchcraft and pagan books…
• A riot erupts as the idol makers could tell their business would be ruined… (20:1) Paul then leaves to Macedonia…
• In Acts 20:17ff, Paul calls the elders from the church to himself for one final moment of exhortation…
• He leaves the church strong and spiritually sound…
NOW… The END – Let’s turn to Revelation 3
• Just about 60 years later… Jesus writes the Ephesians a postcard.
• Things have changed… they were still working, still doing good things, still active… but one key area was missing…
2. Those that study such things tell us that there is a predictable pattern of God’s work upon the earth.
• It starts with a MAN, a calling on a person to minister to a specific people, in a specific time.
• From the man, there comes a MOVEMENT. Many catch the vision and begin to serve the Lord (together/likeminded)
• BUT something happens along the way… The movement becomes a MONUMENT to days gone by.
• No longer is it a MOVE of GOD, but a MONUMENT to MAN.
• It’s only a matter of time that that monument becomes a MAUSOLEUM
• AND the work of God passes on to another group willing to seek His face and serve Him wholeheartedly!
NOW, Calvary Chapel is in the MOVEMENT phase. God has assembled a group of people to serve Him throughout the world serving in and through the various Calvary Chapels.
• But if we’re not careful, if we’re not dependent, and walking in newness with the Lord, we too can become another movement God places on the shelf!
Mark 2.21-22 "No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins."
NOW… This letter to the Ephesians is one of 4 prison Epistles.
• Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were all written by Paul while in a Roman prison around 61 AD.
• Although it was written to the Ephesians, it was also a general letter shared and read throughout the churches in Asia Minor.
THOUGHT: What a joy it must have been to receive a personal letter, inspired by the Holy Spirit from Paul the apostle.
• “We have news from dear Paul.” How encouraging & exciting!
• And so the pastor, would get up and share the letter and read it before all who there…
• Yet… it wasn’t just for them but for us too! We are receiving fresh news from the Spirit through our studies in the Word.
2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
FOR DOCTRINE: What is right! - FOR REPROOF: What is not right?
FOR CORRECTION: How to make things right.
INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS: How to continue in what is right.
NOTE: And so although it had a specific context and audience, it is will change our lives as we learn and apply its truths!
By all accounts…
EPHESUS was a large pagan city…
• There were about 350,000 people there during Paul’s time.
• Centrally located on the west coast of Asia Minor, it was the place where the East met the West.
• It was a city corrupted by sin and controlled by evil.
• There was rampant immorality, sexual sin, and prostitution.
• It was rivaled only by the wicked city of Corinth in its day.
• ALL in the name of Diana (Artemis), the goddess of fertility.
• In the center of town was a large temple dedicated to her…
• Standing some 56 feet high, 342 feet long, and 164 feet broad it was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world.
NOW it’s interesting that in the most wicked of cities, Christianity spread like wildfire. It was welcomed and embraced.
• WHY? Well, Light shines so brightly in the darkness.
APP: That’s why God has spread you guys out all over Aurora and the Denver area with the message of the gospel.
• A lot of people are worried because of where they work and how hard it can be sometimes.
• No one knows the Lord. So much foul language
• People are cruel and just plain mean.
• YES! And that’s exactly why God has you there… to shine.
Matt. 5.16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
WHEN YOU READ THROUGH Paul’s letter to the Ephesians…
You can’t help but notice that Jesus is the central theme & focus.
• How he took the Jews and Gentiles and made them one.
• How He blesses believers with every spiritual gift.
• How He provides all of our needs for our work, our home, our marriages, our church life… everything!
• The emphasis in this letter is the Body of Christ, how Jesus relates to His Body… the church.
Rightly so, Ephesians has been commonly called the Alps of the NT.
• The view from Eph is breathtaking, inspiring, and motivating.
• Indeed, we climb up to the heavenlies and see our lives in Him.
• When we see and grasp what Jesus has done for us… we change, we melt… we follow closely after Him!
• We begin to get fired up in Jesus and want to give back to the One who has given up so much for us and to us…
NOTE: The first 3 CH deal with DOCTRINE while the last 3 chapters deal with our DUTIES as believers.
• The first 3 CH have much to say about what He has done.
• The last 3 CH have much to say about how we are to respond.
I. (1:1) Paul’s Opening Greeting.
1. (1) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ.
• Greek word ‘apostolos’ lit. a messenger or one sent.
• Originally it referred to a representative of a king.
• In a very GENERIC & BROAD SENSE it describes a believer, ONE who is sent out by God.
BUT Paul was not just one sent, but also an apostle in the strict…
• He was an apostle of Jesus Christ… replacing Judas.
• Chosen by Jesus, seen the risen Lord, miracles… etc.
NOTE: Calling Himself an apostle is not a popular title Paul uses.
• Most often he uses the title: a BONDSERVANT of Jesus.
Romans 1.1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
Gal. 1.10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
Titus 1.1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,
NOTE: A bondservant, Greek: ‘doulos’, was a person who voluntarily gave himself up to another’s service…
• Paul was keenly aware that his life existed not to please himself but to please his master, Jesus Christ.
APP: How often the opposite message is preached & proclaimed in churches across America and the world today.
• Come to Jesus and you’ll be blessed with health, wealth, and prosperity.
• Well, He might and He might not… But that’s not why we preach the gospel.
• Come to Jesus and He will forgive you of your sins!
• He will wash away the barrier that stands between you and Your Maker! He will use you, change you, and keep you in His love.
Matt. 16.24-26 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
2. (1) Paul is An apostle by the will of God!
a. Paul’s calling and apostleship was directly from Jesus.
b. It wasn’t a group of men or an organization but the Lord Himself who enlisted Paul into the ministry…
Gal. 1.1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),
NOTE: I don’t believe that man can ordain anyone in the ministry.
• Leaders and overseers can say ‘Yes & Amen’ to what God has already done in a person’s life but we cannot ordain or lift up.
• No laying on of hands will ever profit a person unless they are first called and ordained by God.
Psalm 75.7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.
BUT… What a confidence we have when we know God has called us!
God has a will, a plan, a purpose for your life.
2 Peter 1.10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
APP: It’s so important that we know the will of God for our lives.
• He has so uniquely equipped and gifted you to be in a particular place in this world.
• WHY? Because it is extremely difficult to try to be something that God did not call you to be.
• Let’s turn to 1 Corinthians 12:12-18
Q: Can you say with certainty this morning that what you’re doing, and where you’re serving is by the will of God?
• I am a stay at home mom, by the will of God.
• I am an attorney, or a businessman, or a programmer…
• I am looking for work by the will of God…
• Those are all great and mighty callings of God!
3. (1) He writes… To the saints…
a. A lot of things come to mind when we hear the word ‘saints’.
b. Unfortunately, too many unbiblical doctrines have floated around that diminish this important word…
c. Over the years the word ‘saint’ has come to mean someone special, who has done great works beyond the call of duty.
THE BIBLE says that all believers are SAINTS.
• The word, ‘hagios’, simply means ‘set apart’ or ‘separated’.
• It comes from a word referring back to the Temple.
• All the utensils, pots, and bowls were set apart for use to the Lord – They were HOLY.
NOTE: There are basically two types of people in the world today.
• The saints and the aints.
• Saint Ed… I like that… It has a ring to it.
• Saint Glenn… Saint Dawn… Saint Carolyn, all set apart for God.
• You and I as Christians are ‘set apart’ for use by the Master.
NOW, because you’re separated unto God…
• That doesn’t mean that you should look a certain way, or talk a certain way, or walk a certain way, or dress a certain way.
APP: It’s amazing how often we place the emphasis in Christianity on the outward rituals while Jesus is always pointing us inwardly!
• Man looks at the outward… but God knows our hearts.
• Let’s turn to Luke 18:8ff
• Whoever exalts himself will be humbled… God knows our hearts.
4. (2) Grace to you and peace…
a. Paul uses the word grace some 12 times in Ephesians.
b. So often He puts these two words together.
c. Because grace and peace are ours in Jesus Christ.
d. GRACE: ‘charis’, ‘that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, loveliness…’
• God’s unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor upon man.
• NOTHING stands in between you & your heavenly Father…
• You are, RIGHT NOW, in Jesus Christ RIGHTEOUS.
• Why… Because of His GREAT GRACE TOWARD YOU!
John 1.17 For the law was given through Moses, but GRACE and truth came through Jesus Christ.
b. PEACE: ‘eirene’ I-RAY-NAY, ‘state of national tranquility, exemption from the rage and havoc of war’.
c. That my friends is where GRACE will lead us.
d. Peace never precedes the GRACE of God, it always follows.
5. (2) In Christ Jesus…
a. That’s where a person will find great grace and peace.
b. In Christ… you’ll find this all over, some 35 times.
6. (3) Blessed by the God and Father… who has blessed us!
a. Oh that’s so true! He has blessed us!
b. Get in your mind the picture here…
c. As Paul breaks out in blessing, where is he? IN PRISON.
d. He’s writing to his spiritual family while sitting in a horrible, terrible prison and all he can do is get excited about God’s blessings…. How can this be?
Q: In this terrible situation, why isn’t he moaning, or complaining, or feeling sorry for himself?
• Because Paul knows something… firsthand. God has blessed us!
• Maybe not materially… maybe not physically…
• But He has blessed us… spiritually… in Jesus Christ.
• We are blessed in the heavenly places…
But you say… I want the material blessings… show me the money!
Well… it was in October 1916, that Hattie Green died…
When she died she left a fortune of over 100 million dollars.
When she died she was buried, and not a single person came to her memorial service. NOBODY. The priest read a rote prayer over her but nobody was there, not even her own son! WHY?
Well Hattie was a shrewd business lady… She knew how to stretch and pinch a penny. It enabled her to amass a fortune!
After she read the morning paper, she would roll it up again and made her son take in the streets to sell it again.
She didn’t burn any wood to heat her home. Wear a jacket.
She was so miserly that when her son broke his leg in the park, she took so long trying to find a free clinic to treat him that his leg had to be amputated because of an advanced infection!
The material, the physical, the riches… they won’t satisfy you.
They won’t bring peace, joy, or grace…
Ask John D. Rockerfeller who founded Standard Oil.
For the last 35 years of his life, all he could eat was milk and saltine crackers because of the serious ulcers created by his worrying over all his money…
Just a few moments… using spiritual eyes to see the rich and famous so utterly hopeless.
Just ask superstar Brad Pitt who just spent 18 months in therapy…
AP: Nov. 2001 - Sometimes it’s hard being Brad Pitt. "My week consists ... five days out of the seven I’ve got at least three cars of paparazzi on me that I’ve got to either lose or whatever," Pitt says in the December issue of Vanity Fair magazine. "That’s why we all end up hiding and creating communes or compounds, because it’s work when you go out there in public. You can’t just go to the doctor, sit in a waiting room, and read a magazine. You can’t go to the airport and wait for your flight, because you get mauled. So there are these little shortcuts." MATT 6:33
