Dean Sherman is dean of the College of Christian Ministries for the University of the Nations. He is a respected international Bible teacher, having ministered in 49 states and more than 40 countries. I like what he wrote about Ephesians. He quotes Watchman Nee’s commentary Sit, Walk, Stand
1-3 = Sit – reigning, finished work, relaxed position (doctrine / exposition)
4: 1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, (Ch 4 – 6 = duty, exhortation)
Stand – We’ll hear more about this in my Ephesians 6 message.
Before we continue with the chapter I want to read a couple of quotes from Sherman’s book Spiritual Warfare for Every Christian (1989) p. 95 “Daniel Chapter 10 makes mention of the ‘prince of Persia’, a principality over Persia . . . He’s probably still there, functioning in much the same way. The book of Daniel also mentions the prince of Greece.”
Think about San Francisco and homosexuality, Las Vegas and greed, Bangkok, Thailand and prostitution, Amsterdam, Holland and drugs, etc. Some good news is on page 9: due to Christians praying, etc., Nepal had only 29 Christians in 1959, now there are 100K+. He recommends
1. Avoid the influence of evil
2. Pray against it (or for Jesus)
3. Live in the opposite spirit (greed / generosity) We need to remember Daniel addressed his prayers to God, not satan / demons, etc.
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Greeks - humility = crouching submissiveness of a slave
John Stott / Serendipity “gentleness not a synonym for weakness; On the contrary it’s the gentleness of the strong whose strength is under control. It is the quality of a strong personality who is nevertheless master of himself and the servant of others.” I could’ve gone off on someone who didn’t appreciate the military. There are good words from a prisoner to all of us in prison. We should try to be peaceful here.
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
Notice Paul uses the word “one” seven times in these three verses – it’s important to him. Could be a song.
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.
8 Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN."
9 (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) This is a controversial passage. Ps. 68:18
Matthew Henry wrote “As Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so was the Son of man in the heart of the earth. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens.”
John Wesley wrote “He triumphed over all his enemies, Satan, sin, and death, which had before enslaved all the world: alluding to the custom of ancient conquerors, who led those they had conquered in chains after them.” www.biblemaster.com
"Who, then, are the captives? From Ps 68 it is clear that they were the enemies of Israel who were defeated when Jerusalem was captured. In Ephesians some have interpreted the captives:
(1) as the enemies of Christ, namely, Satan, sin, and death; or
(2) as the people who have been the captives of Satan, sin and death, and who are now taken captive by Christ in redemption. The first interpretation seems to be more fitting. Christ had victory over Satan, sin and death and gives gifts of the Spirit to those who have been identified with him." Dallas Theological Seminary professor Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2002), pp. 529-530. Serendipity: Conquering Jewish king up Mt. Zion and into Jerusalem.
The king is followed by a procession of prisoners in chains. As he marches up the hill, he is given gifts of tribute and in turn disperses gifts of booty. Paul uses this verse to describe Christ’s ascension into heaven. The captives which follow behind him are the principalities and powers which he has defeated (1:20 – 22 & Col 2:15) v. 9 He may also be referring to Christ’s death & subsequent invasion of hell (1 Peter 3: 19, 4:6) John Stott – episcopal jurisdiction, pioneer missionary work, church planting, itinerant leadership
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, I did a whole message on this verse about a month ago.
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
Because I’m a teaching preacher, I tend to go chapter by chapter in books, to equip and build you up.
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
This service is an example of unity of the faith, since we have many denominations represented here.
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
I try to make sure we are balanced with the Word, church history, what we do, what we sing, etc.
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
Sometimes we need to show “tough love” to one another. We are the body of Christ, using our gifts for Him.
17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles (non Jews) also walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness (poros = marble) of their heart;
19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
Good song: Change my heart, O God, make it ever true; Change my heart O God, may I be like You.
20 But you did not learn Christ in this way,
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,
22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
In a similar way we see stated in Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.
26 BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. The Old Testament is quoted here – Zechariah 8: 16. This is good marriage advice, too. It doesn’t surprise me there has been more anger the last month.
28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.
This is a good word for us, as is 2 Thessalonians 3:10 if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. To quote Pink Floyd, "If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding. How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?"?
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
I’ve corrected people in the chapel.
30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Remember Paul wrote about this in Chapter 3. We need to give the Holy Spirit credit when it is due.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
June Thompson, wife of senior pastor Greg at the Smoky Hill Vineyard (who covers my ordination):
1. Pray / serve like John 17, Acts 4: 23 – 32
2. Ask God to provide inroads into the community or area (1 Thess 1: 8, 9)
3. Kingdom work – proclaim the gospel, heal the sick, reach out in acts of kindness, love and service
4. Unite with other churches in prayer; be humble
5. Using research from spiritual mapping, pray for others; repent of personal sin in areas pervasive in the community, and do the opposite (if there is greed, be generous, etc.)
6. Nurture a healthy fear by hating evil in your own life (Prov 8: 13) and repenting of sin (James 4:7-8)
God loves us and wants the best for us; Humankind sins; Christ died and rose again for us, so we must individually receive Him as Lord / Savior. We need the Holy Spirit’s gifts / fruit in our lives so we can fulfill the Great Commission
