The book of Ephesians - carefully, reverently, and prayerfully considered - will change our lives. Perhaps no other book in the New Testament elaborates on the victory we have in Jesus so eloquently as does the book of Ephesians. It is not so much a question of what we will do with this book as we go through it, but what will God do with us as we go through this book? That is why I am excited today as we begin a consideration of the message of this letter of the Apostle Paul.
The structure of this book has been outlined in a variety of ways:
1. Doctrine (chs. 1-3) 2. Duty (chs. 4-6)
1. Wealth (chs. 1-3) 2. Walk (chs. 4-5) 3. Warfare (ch. 6)
Then there is the outline of this book made famous by the late Watchman Nee:
Sit (chs. 1-3) Walk (chs. 4-5) Stand (ch. 6)
Paul begins this letter, of course, with a greeting (READ TEXT). In his greeting . . .
1. Paul introduces himself - v. 1a
A. He was on mission for God - “an apostle of Christ Jesus”
The word, “apostle” means, “one who is sent.” In a sense, all followers of Christ share in the calling of Paul, for we are each sent into our own respective worlds to live our lives on mission for Jesus.
“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” - John 20:21 (NIV)
Paul was a servant of the Savior, not a servant of self. Which are you?
It has been said that there are two ways for people to form a circle.
One way is to form it by facing in; the other way is to form it by facing out.
Now, as we think about the circle of fellowship that is the church, the natural way of forming the circle is to form it by facing in.
But Christ calls us to a supernatural way of living, which means that He calls us to form the circle of fellowship as a church by facing out.
Let’s deny self and submit to serving the Savior by responding to His call to be sent into our world to share His redemptive message.
A national survey by Barna Research found that one out of four unchurched people would gladly attend church if a friend would only extend an invitation.
This means on any given Sunday morning, 14 to 20 million adults are sitting home because nobody took the simple step of asking them to attend a church service. Twenty million people are as many as in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Diego, and San Francisco put together!
Can you imagine what would happen if we really got serious about evangelism and invited all those people to church one Sunday? The pews would be packed!
“I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” - John 4:35 (NIV)
Paul lived his life on mission for God, and so should we.
B. He was being molded by God - “by the will of God”
Paul daily yielded himself to the will of God, allowing the Lord to mold and shape his life. Paul elaborated on his commitment to let his life be shaped and molded by the will of God in Philippians 3:7-14.
1) Paul’s decision - “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” - Philippians 3:7-8 (NIV)
2) Paul’s direction - Shaped by three things:
A. His devotion to the person of Christ - “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” - Philippians 3:9 (NIV)
B. His dependence on the power of Christ - “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection” - Philippians 3:10a (NIV)
C. His dedication to the passion of Christ – “and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” - Philippians 3:10b (NIV)
3) Paul’s determination - “and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from (from among) the dead.” - Philippians 3:11 (NIV)
Paul was determined to live in such a way as to rise above the deadness of this world.
Paul was a man who hadn’t achieved perfection, but was committed to heading in the right direction - “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)
Notice how Paul’s commitment to be molded by God related to his living on mission for God.
“Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!” - 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (The Message)
If we are going to accomplish our mission for God we must be willing to be molded by God; and that means we must be a church in process, open to whatever changes might be necessary to enable us to more effectively accomplish our God given mission.
When King James authorized the printing of the translation bearing his name, it was done to put the bible into the language of the people so that God’s Word might be spread - AND SOME DIDN’T LIKE THE CHANGE!
When Isaac Watts wrote the first hymns for congregational singing instead the accepted practice of the day of singing only Scripture, he did it in order to allow people to express their joy and love for God in a more personal way, and to help them better connect to God through worship - AND SOME DIDN’T LIKE THE CHANGE!
When John & Charles Wesley wrote their hymns for worship, many of which are found in our hymnals today, they borrowed tunes of songs sung in the pubs of England, for they knew the people would be more familiar with them and sing them easier. They did this to reach more people for Jesus - AND SOME DIDN’T LIKE THE CHANGE!
When D.L. Moody introduced the “come forward” invitation, he did so to help seeking individuals have opportunity to immediately get spiritual counsel and thus, reach more people for Jesus - AND SOME DIDN’T LIKE THE CHANGE!
When the gas lantern was invented and began to be used in public places, preachers began conducting Sunday evening services, for they reasoned that people would come to see the lights burning in their church buildings - such was the amazement of people over the artificial light source - and they could preach the gospel to them. They did this to reach the unreached - AND SOME DIDN’T LIKE THE CHANGE!
Today, too many churches are trying to reach a 21st century world with methods that go back to the 1950’s. Unwilling to be molded by the will of god and make whatever changes might help them more effectively accomplish their mission of reaching their world with the Good News, they will die!
In his book, “Dying for Change: The Church in the 21st Century,” Leith Anderson says that while the church in Asia is seeing 30,000 converts per day, and the church in Africa is seeing 20,ooo converts per day, and the church in South America is seeing 10,000 converts per day; in North America, 50 to 60 churches are closing their doors every day.
Now, there is a sense in which we should not change. We should not change in our commitment to God’s will as guided by His Word and we must not change in our commitment to our God given mission. Oddly enough, if we are determined to not change with respect to these things, then we will find ourselves more discerning about change and more willing to change.
In this, Jesus is our greatest example of willingness to change in order to do the Father’s will and carry out the Father’s mission.
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges, he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.” - Philippians 2:5-7 (NLT)
If this willingness to be molded by God so that we might better fulfill our mission from God is going to be of us collectively, it must also be true of us individually.
How might God want to mold you so that you might better live your life “on mission” for Him? What needs to be “reshaped” in your life? Your attitude? Your finances? Your career? Your relationships?
May we be able to say along with Paul, “I am willing to be molded in whatever way is necessary to see God’s mission for my life fulfilled.”
2. Paul addresses the saints - v. 1b-2 He refers to . . .
A. Their position in Christ - “saints”
Paul affirms their calling. The title of “saint” emphasizes how God viewed them. They were called to be set apart for His service.
B. Their performance for Christ - “faithful”
Paul affirms their commitment. They were faithfully carrying out their obligation to the Lord.
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” - 1 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV)
The Good News has been entrusted to us and we need to seek to be faithful in sharing it with others. In other words, our lives are to be centered around knowing Christ and making Him known to others.
Years later, the Ephesians church forgot this and lost its focus, which led to their being chastised by our Lord.
“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first.” - Revelation 2:2-5a (NLT)
Yet at the time of Paul’s writing to them, this church had proven themselves faithful and Paul affirmed their commitment.
C. Their provision through Christ - “grace & peace”
Paul affirms their community. This blessing of “grace & peace,” was more than a desire for them; it was a declaration about them.
“As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace.” - Ephesians 4:1-3 (CEV)
Where did this unity, this sense of community come from? From the Father, as they sought to live a life worthy of the calling every child of God has received. And what is our calling?
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” - Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
This is the calling to which Paul responded.
This is the calling to which the Ephesian church had responded.
This is the calling to which our church must respond and will respond;
but only as it is the calling to which each of us respond!
When God told Noah to build the ark because He was about to flood the entire earth, it is said that Noah, at first, hesitated, and said, “But Lord, it will be too hard for me to build an ark!” To which the Lord said, “Don’t worry, I will be with you. Besides, consider the alternative. How long to you think you can tread water?” Noah decided that life was far preferable to death, and obeyed the call of God.
“Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.” - Deuteronomy 30:11-15 (NIV)
What is the word that makes the difference between our experiencing life or death, prosperity or destruction? “Yes, Lord!”
The words, “No” & “Lord” cannot be used together. If He is “Lord,” then the answer must be “yes.”
How do you need to say “yes” to God’s call today?
“Yes” to a personal relationship with Him through faith in Christ?
“Yes” to the molding work He wants to do in your life?
“Yes” to the mission he calls you to be part of?
Say “Yes” to the Lord today.
