It’s Not About You
Ephesians
Dr. Roger W. Thomas, Preaching Minister
First Christian Church, Vandalia, MO
Introduction: “It’s not about you. The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind and your happiness.” That’s how Rick Warren begins his classic The Purpose Driven Life. Warren’s book has become so popular in part because that basic premise gets our attention. It contradicts everything we have been taught to believe.
Individuality thrives in our society. We are born and bred to believe that we have an inherent right to be our own person, make our own rules, and pursue our own dreams. “I did it my way,” sang the crooner. But we all believe it. Even in the church.
The notion of individuality has helped create a consumer mentality in churches. Folk in our day shop for churches like they shop for a new car or a new pair of shoes. We look around. We try on different models. We compare costs. Finally, we settle on a model we like. We choose based on how it fits and meets our needs. How could it be otherwise? After all, it’s all about me.
What’s wrong with that picture? The whole process assumes that church is about us, our needs, our wants, and our desires. Most of us are so deep into this mentality that we find it hard to even conceive of a different perspective. This system turns faith on its head. Worship becomes about my fulfillment rather than God’s worship. Church music is about what I like.
This consumerism has doctrinal consequences as well. We can treat the Bible and Christian doctrine like a big smorgasbord. Nobody eats everything on the buffet. We pick and choose what interests us. That’s how many approach the Bible’s teaching. We can take what WE like and just leave the rest. It’s all about me, what I like or am willing to accept.
Individuality or consumerism affects how we relate to others in the church as well. A lot of us attend church for what we get out of it. A small minority lead, teach, serve. The rest receives what others provide. That’s the way it’s supposed to be—if it’s all about us.
But it isn’t. That’s a big part of the message of Ephesians, our next stop in our journey through the New Testament. Ephesians will tell us again and again that the life of a Christ-follower is not about us but about him. Paul makes that point in a variety of ways in every chapter.
First a bit of background. Ephesians is one of Paul’s prison letters. He wrote the book later in his ministry after he had been arrested in Jerusalem and transported to Rome for trial before the emperor. It is addressed to Christians in Ephesus, an important city in what is now western Turkey. The Romans called the province Asia. Paul made the city a center of ministry for the entire region. He traveled to nearby communities. He then set up a ministry training center in a school in Ephesus. For three years he preached and trained leaders there, longer than in any other location. His ministry had an impact. Eventually, he was forced to leave because of protests from the city’s silversmiths. So many Ephesians were converting to Christ and abandoning the worship of the idols that idol makers’ business fell off.
Paul visited with the elders of the Ephesian church as he made his way to Jerusalem where he was eventually arrested. Acts 20 tells what happened. His words offer an insight into Paul’s ministry and his relationship with these believers. “For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 32“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (20:27-32).
Like many of Paul’s letters, Ephesians divides into two parts. The first part (chapters 1-3) lays down a doctrinal foundation. The second part (chapters 4-6) outlines how these teachings apply to the Christian life. This is an important principle. Behavior always follows belief. Doctrine and duty cannot be separated. Stated in theological terms, the first half of Ephesians explains the believer’s salvation. The second part describes the believer’s sanctification or the quality of life that distinguishes the believer from the unbeliever.
But unlike many of Paul’s letters, Ephesians doesn’t address a particular problem. Galatians, Corinthians, and even Romans, spoke to specific situations. The Ephesian church seemed to be healthy and stable. Paul is not so much correcting as he is reminding. Ephesians is about every day faith and every day living for all Christians for all time. The theme of the letter comes near the middle. “This grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (3:8-11).
The church is God’s “test plot” to prove what he can do anywhere, anytime, in anyone who places their faith in Jesus Christ. That’s his plan and eternal purpose. Let’s walk through Ephesians and see how these themes tell us “it’s not about me; it’s not about you.”
It’s not about you; it’s about God’s Grace. The Christian message is about what God has done for us in Christ and not what we do. Most religions are about how people can reach up to God. Rituals, ceremonies, and right behavior capture the god’s attentions and earn their favor. The Gospel turns normal religion on its head. Our salvation is God’s idea not ours. He sought us. He reached down to us. He made the sacrifice.
Listen to the opening section of Ephesians. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding” (1:3-8).
It’s not about you or me. It’s all about God’s gracious favor shown us in Jesus Christ. This means two things. First, none of us can boast about our standing with God. We didn’t earn it. We didn’t deserve it. Ephesians 2 emphasizes this truth. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (2:4-10).
This is also Paul’s appeal at the beginning of the application section of Ephesians. “… Live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (4:1-6). There is only one way to God (by grace through faith). All people, no matter who they are or where they come from, come to God in the same way. No one is better than anyone else.
It’s not about you; it’s about ministry together. We are one because we are saved in the same way. We also need one another. Our individualistic world convinces us that we can be Lone Ranger Christians. The Bible says we can no more survive as a believer apart from other believers that an ember can stay hot once removed from the fire.
God designed the church to function as a team. Each player depends on the others. No single part is unimportant. No part can live, and grow, and minister independently. It’s not about you or me. It’s about us—together.
Listen to Ephesians 4. “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (4:11-16).
Finally, it’s not about you; it’s about living for Christ. The Christian life is not about making us feel good. It’s about making Christ look good. Our lives are to be lived in such a way that our behavior makes others want to learn more about Christ. That’s what Jesus meant by his disciples being salt and light in the world. Our way of life should make those around us thirsty for the water of life.
Lee Strobel, former atheist and award winning writer for the Chicago Tribune tells how this principle worked in his life. All was going well. Strobel was succeeding professionally and personally. Then it happened. After attending Bible studies with some friends, Strobel’s wife Leslie announced she had become a Christian.
Lee says, “I braced for the worst, feeling like the victim of a bait-and-switch scam. I had married one Leslie—the fun Leslie, the carefree Leslie, the risk-taking Leslie—and now I feared she was going to turn into some sort of sexually repressed prude who would trade our upwardly mobile lifestyle for all-night prayer vigils and volunteer work in grimy soup kitchens.
Instead I was pleasantly surprised—even fascinated—by the fundamental changes in her character, her integrity, and her personal confidence.”
His wife’s change started Strobel on a personal investigation. He wanted to know what she believed and what had happened to her. He set out to find out what was real and true and what was not. The bottom-line—months later Lee Strobel became a believer. He now serves on the staff of the Saddleback Church in California and uses his journalistic talents to point others to the grace he found in Jesus Christ. He insists it all started with the Jesus-like life Leslie lived.
Listen to Paul instructions for Christ-like living. “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ….20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (4:17-5:1).
Conclusion: It’s not about you. It’s not about me. It’s not about what we want or what we get out of following Jesus. It’s about glorifying God. It’s his pleasure, Paul says, not ours that matters for eternity. That’s the point of Paul’s great prayer for his readers (and for us):
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen”(3:14-21).
***Dr. Roger W. Thomas is the preaching minister at First Christian Church, 205 W. Park St., Vandalia, MO 63382 and an adjunct professor of Bible and Preaching at Central Christian College of the Bible, 911 E. Urbandale, Moberly, MO. He is a graduate of Lincoln Christian College (BA) and Lincoln Christian Seminary (MA, MDiv), and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary (DMin).
