What does this mean we are IN CHRIST?
Because we cannot stand in these sinful mortal bodies before a holy God of heaven, He has to clothe us in the sinless body of Christ.
• In II Cor. 5:21 when we accept His sacrifice on our behalf, that is we give Him our filthy righteous and He gives us His righteousness.
• In II Cor 5:17 this Divine Exchange takes place at the foot of the cross: our old sin nature for His perfect one.
What a wonderful deal God has made with us!!!
We who were FAR from Christ now we are IN CHRIST.
You cannot get any closer to Christ than that!!!
IIlus: If we had the privilege to talk to Paul when He was here on earth, we would hear in his conversation these words IN CHRIST frequently.
In Paul’s thirteen epistles, he used the term “In Christ” or some form of it 164 times!
• Some folks love to talk about politics
• Some folks love to talk about sports
• Some folks love to talk about Hollywood
• Some folks love to talk about business
But Paul loved to talk about as BELIEVERS WE ARE IN CHRIST.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN WE ARE IN CHRIST?
When we came to Christ for salvation with our rap sheets which contained every-
• Sinful thought,
• Sinful attitude
• Sinful action
We have ever committed.
To enter the presence of a holy God, we must be hidden in the righteousness of Christ.
Why?
Because the Bible tells us OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS AS FILTHY RAGS.
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
I like that verse, before we were saved, we were FAR OFF FROM CHRIST but now since we have been saved by the BLOOD OF JESUS WE NOW ARE “IN CHRIST”.
That is, every born-again believer is now living IN CHRIST DUE TO THE BLOOD CHRIST SHED TO WASH AWAY OUR SINS.
But here is a problem we all have as believers!!!
This same body that we lived in as sinners we still live in this same body as Christians.
One day we will receive a different body, a glorified body and it will not have that sin nature.
The Christian life is made difficult because we still live in this fleshly body with a sin nature.
Illus: This reminds us have you ever been in a two leg race with two legs in the same croker sack where two legs or tied together. It is difficult to say the least.
One day as believers we will receive our glorified body that will be free from sin, but in the mean time we Christian still live in a body that desires and is tempted to sin.
So there is this constant battle that is taking place between God and Satan who is going to be in control of these bodies.
We make the decision!!!
I HAVE TO DENY THIS OLD FLESH I LIVE IN EACH DAY, AND ALLOW CHRIST TO LIVE WITHIN IN THIS FLESHLY BODY!!!
Our reputation depends on who we yield our bodies to as Christians.
Illus: Someone said a man had a white dog and a black dog and he said they fight all the time. Another man said, which one wins? He said the one I FEED THE MOST!!!
Illus: A little girl heard the preacher talk about Christ is bigger than the devil. When she got home from church she said, “Mommy, If Christ lives within these bodies of our and He is bigger than Satan shouldn’t Jesus being sticking out in our bodies!!!”
Can the Lost world see Christ sticking out of your live?
2 Corinthians 3:2 ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men
• Every day your co-workers see you as an epistle and they are reading you like a book. CAN THEY SEE CHRIST!!!
• Every day your children see you as an epistle and they are reading you like a book. CAN THEY SEE CHRIST!!!
That brings us today to these precious verses, Ephesians 1:15-23, we read, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
In these verses I want us to look at THREE things about these Ephesian Christians.
If we are in Christ others know us by…
I. OUR REPUTATION
One thing we all have in common is that we all have a REPUTATION.
WHAT IS A REPUTATION?
Our reputation depends on what we do, as individuals.
Illus: When I was growing up I heard older people say when someone died, they had already preached their own funeral.
We preach our funeral every day that we live – in living color.
Proverbs 22:1 "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold."
Reputation is defined as the estimation in which a person has earned based on their actions.
In other words, it is what others believe about you based on the deeds that you have done or believed to have done.
When people hear your name what do they think about you?
For example, let me give you a few names of people and what thoughts will pop in your mind…
• Judas had a reputation. Do you immediately think about the disciple who betrayed Jesus?
• John Wilkes Booth had a reputation. He was a famous actor who assassinated President Lincoln.
• Peter had a reputation…He denied Christ three times.
• Hitler Had a reputation---evil dictator
• Einstein had a reputation---genius
• Moses had a reputation---deliverer
• Michelangelo...great artist
• Rockefeller had a reputation …money
What do people think of when they hear your name? THAT IS YOUR REPUTATION
Our actions, what we do today and in the future, will determine what people think about us as well as how we will be remembered. THINK ABOUT THAT!!!
• There are people today if they were to die it would take only a few days that people knew them will forget about them. They wasted their life away and left no legacy behind that others will remember they once lived here.
• But there are others who lived a productive life and centuries have gone by and people are still talking about their productive life.
Illus: Recently it was on the national news of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. He lived a consistent Christian life proudly professing his life IN CHRIST. He will go down in history as a wonderful servant of God.
These Christians in Ephesus had the REPUTATION at this time they LOVED THE LORD JESUS.
Look at verse 15, we read, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto the saints.”
Genuine faith is not something you can hide. If you have it, it is going to manifest itself.
The Bible teaches NO MAN IS AN ISLAND UNTO YOURSELF.
Notice, Paul said, “…I heard of your faith….” These folks had a reputation of loving the Lord and each other.
Now what is sad about this THESE CHRISTIANS in Ephesus they had a reputation that they loved the lord and each other, but later in the Book of Revelation the Lord talks how THEY DESTROYED THEIR REPUTATION OF LOVING THE LORD. In the book of Revelation they had “left their first love.”
We all know people who once were ministers, deacons, Sunday school teacher, church members who had a wonderful testimony but they allowed Satan to destroy their testimony.
Illus: I know of a Christian lady that one time attended her church every time the church doors were opened. She had a wonderful reputation she loved the Lord. And later she started missing church regularly and now she no longer has a GOOD REPUTATION.
But her family and friends know (PARDON THE GRAMMAR); SHE AIN’T WHAT SHE USE TO BE!!!
One of the fastest ways of destroying a Christian’s testimony is to consistently miss church.
Frequently we see people who love the Lord but later in life they have destroyed their TESTIMONY.
It all begins when they began to slack in:
• Church attendance
• Daily Bible study
• Daily prayers
And soon the Lord Jesus, who was once first in their life, has been replaced with the things of the world.
Illus: The apostle Paul said, Demas hath forsaken me having love this present world.
But at the time Paul is writing to these Christians in Ephesus they loved the Lord Jesus.
• Do you have a reputation for loving the Lord Jesus?
• Do you have a reputation as one who once loved the Lord?
We have looked at THEIR REPUTATION, but let’s look at-
II. THEIR RELATIONSHIP
When our relationship is right with the Lord, our relationship with others also will be right.
Paul shows us these people had the right kind of FAITH in the Lord Jesus, because it was reflected in the fact that they had, “…love unto all the saints.”
Illus: Sam Allberry gives us three illustration That Help Us Understand What It Is to be “in Christ”
Let me explain by giving you THREE using Bible illustrations.
1. A Tree and Its Branches
In John 15:5 Jesus speaks of his people’s union with him as being like the relationship a tree has with its branches: “I am the vine; you are the branches.
We don’t need to be familiar with vineyards specifically to get the point
Illus: A huge branch can fall off a tree. What makes this branch immediately identifiable is its lack of color.
The woodland around it is alive in all shades of green, but the branch is a dull brown and its foliage withered and gray.
We know why!!!
When a branch is disconnected from its tree, it dies. It loses connection with its source of life. The same is true of our relationship with Jesus. We can’t expect to flourish spiritually if we’re apart from him.
Illus: As Michael Reeves puts it, “The Vine holds nothing back from its branches, pouring all its life into them.”
So, if we disconnect from the vine, we— like that giant branch—will wither.
2. A Body and Its Head
Trees aren’t the only thing that has limbs.
Bodies do too, and I’m depending on the relationship between a limb and my head.
Ephesians 4: 15-16, we read, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
• We are the body, and he is the head. And while every part of the body has its own contribution to make, the head is utterly indispensable.
• We have prosthetic limbs for those who lose an arm or a leg, but there is no such thing as a prosthetic head.
The whole body is involved— “each part is working properly”—but it is Christ alone who is behind the maturing and growth of the body.
3. A Spouse in a Marriage
The Bible repeatedly uses the language of a marriage to describe the relationship of God’s people to the Lord.
“Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” (Eph. 5:31–32)
While the church is the bride of Christ, Paul also uses marital related language to say something of the individual believer’s relationship to Christ:
Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.”
But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. (1 Cor. 6:16–17)
• In marriage, the man and woman become “one flesh.” The two become one physically.
• Similarly, Paul shows us that the believer and Christ become one spiritually.
Each of these illustrations1) branches, (2) bodies, (3) marriages—highlights a different aspect of this relationship to Jesus.
He is our source of life, our directing and defining head, and one who is closer to us than any other relationship we can enjoy.
Our CHRISTIAN FAITH in which Christ LIVES WITHIN US motivates us to LOVE OTHERS.
In Christ means we are BORN AGAIN, we now love everyone because we are in Christ and Christ is in us who loves everyone.
Look at verse 15, we read again, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of YOUR FAITH in the Lord Jesus, and LOVE UNTO ALL THE SAINTS.”
Faith always comes first, and then love follows!
We have looked at…
I. THEIR REPUTATION
II. THEIR RELATIONSHIP,
But also let’s look at-
III. THEIR REQUEST
Look at verse 16; he said I “Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.”
Paul is letting these Christians know he is praying one of the most important prayers we can pray as Christians, and that is a prayer for others.
You see when I pray for myself I have an ulterior motive, but when I pray for others I am only motivated by love.
It is Christ LIVING WITHIN ME makes me care about others.
WHAT KIND OF PRAYER DID PAUL PRAY FOR THEM?
That God would give them the full knowledge of who He is.
Paul had discovered the GREATNESS OF CHRIST LIVING WITHIN HIM, and now he is praying that others also will come to discover the greatness of Christ.
When was the last time you prayed for the spiritual growth and well-being of another Christian?
• You may pray for your children because they are giving you a hard time and that can be an ulterior prayer, but one of the things you need to pray for is that God will open their eyes to WHO HE IS.
Once they come to know WHO HE IS you will no longer have a problem as a parent.
• You may pray for your spouse about some marital problems, but you should also pray for them to come to know WHO HE IS and you will not have any marital problems.
• You may pray for people in the church that are not living as a Christian should live, but you should pray that God will open their eyes to WHO HE IS
One of the blessings in life that many do not recognize is the privilege we have of praying for those we love.
Paul prays for two things:
A. PAUL PRAYS THAT THEY MAY KNOW HIM IN A RELATIONSHIP
In verse 17, he prays that they might increase in knowledge. We read, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.”
Where does the word KNOWLEDGE COME FROM?
Knowledge comes from two words…
(1) “Know” – pray for something we do not know that will be revealed
(2) “Ledge” – something unclear
Paul is praying that God will help these Ephesians to KNOW the knowledge of him.
Illus: When you pray for me, please pray that God will help me to KNOW HIM in a greater way.
You see, God is so great it will take a life time to get to know Him and that will only scratch the surface.
Philippians 3:10-14 The apostle Paul said, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
WHERE IS THE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOD COMING FROM?
It is coming from God. Look again, he said, “…May give unto you the spirit of wisdom…”
You see the good God of heaven is not going to force anything on you. But if you are willing and desire it, God will give unto you the spirit of wisdom so you might come to know Him in all His fullness.
Illus: Have you noticed that among Christians that some are more excited about Christ than others.
Why?
Because some have more knowledge of Him and that is why they are more excited than others.
Christianity is a revealed religion.
It is based on the belief that God has spoken and continues to speak to His people. Paul wants them to have more than simply factual knowledge.
There is a great difference between knowing about someone and knowing someone!!!
Illus: It is not unlike the story of the civil war soldier who received a letter from his mother. It contained the horrible news that his brother and father had been killed in action. The soldier knew that his mother needed him. There was no one to take care of the younger children or the farm. He went to his Commanding Officer, who passed him up the Chain of Command. All his requests were denied. Finally, he took the little leave he had and went to Washington with the crazy idea of seeing the president. As he walked up the steps, he was met by a stern guard who asked him what he wanted. The Guard laughed and turned him away. He tried again, but the guard threatened to arrest him.
In despair, he began wandering around the city. Utterly depressed he sat on the ground outside a general store. After a moment he sensed someone watching him. When he looked up, he saw a boy. The boy asked, “What’s wrong mister?”
The soldier told his story to the boy. When he was done, he sighed and wiped a tear of anger from his eye.
The little boy said, “I think I can help.” The soldier was amused and thought the boy was kind but didn’t really believe he could help. After some convincing the boy got the soldier to get up and take his tiny hand, the soldier followed the boy back through the streets of Washington.
They went toward the White House, then through the gates. They went past the guards and into the house. The boy rushed the soldier into a room where Abraham Lincoln was seated.
Upon seeing the boy, the president said, “Yes Todd. How can I help you?” Todd said, “Dad, please listen to this man’s story”. The president heard his story, and the soldier received permission from the commander-in-chief to return home. (Relayed Story Source Unknown).
You see its one thing to know about someone: it’s another thing to know them relationally.
Illus: This is the mistake MANY or making in our Bible Colleges and seminaries and churches they teach them to all know all about God, but they do not teach them how to KNOW HIM INTIMATELY.
Paul wanted them to not just know ABOUT HIM BUT KNOW HIM.
Just as the boy ushered the soldier into the presence of the president Lincoln, so Jesus is the one who ushers us into a relationship with God.
PAUL PRAYS THAT THEY MAY KNOW HIM IN A RELATIONSHIP.
But also -
B. HE PRAYS THAT THEY MAY KNOW HIM IN HIS POWER
Look at verses 18-23, we read, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
This is not power in the sense we normally think of it, it not power “of” but power “for”.
God’s power in our lives is:
• The strength to live
• The strength to follow and obey him
• The strength that enables us
• It is strength to trust
• It is the strength to serve
• It is the strength to give
• It is the power to say, “Good morning, Lord!” instead of “Good Lord, its morning”.
When we get to KNOW CHRIST LIVING WITHIN US, it is no problem living
The Christian life.
Because then we live in the power of God within us.
Illus: If you ever wonder how those Christians died the cruel deaths they died as Christian.
Let me tell you how, it was the POWER OF GOD WITHIN THEM.
No human could be fed to lions praising the Lord. IT TAKES THE POWER OF GOD WITHIN US.
The apostle Paul said In, Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
For those who have come to know the Knowledge of Him who lives within us can do all THE THINGS THEY ARE CONFRONTED WITH through Christ.
Those who have not come to know Him Walk around…
Scratching their head saying I do not know what I am going to do.
Conclusion:
One of the greatest things we can know in this life is to really know that Christ lives within us and we live within Him.
We have seen:
I. THEIR REPUTATION
II. THEIR RELATIONSHIP
III. THE REQUEST
