Ephesians Week 3
Eph 1:1-3
“A People of Praise”
Intro: The Majesty of Ephesians
“This letter is pure music… What we read here is truth that sings, doctrine set to music.”
“Ephesians is today the most contemporary book in the bible, since it promises community in a world of disunity, reconciliation in place of alienation and peace instead of war.”
“The Whole letter is thus a magnificent combination of Christian Doctrine and Christian duty, Christian faith and Christian life, what God has done through Christ and what we must be and do in consequence.”
Here we have a shorter Romans with a compounded punch.
Vs 1-2 Greetings
From Paul. He planted the church. Spent two years with them.
To The Saints-The Church in Ephesus.
Important to understand. This was to Christians. The contents of the letter are important for believers.
Ephesus was a major cultural metropolitan center.
Grace and Peace to you. We need grace and peace this morning. We need grace and peace for our church.
Vs 3: Intro: “We Enter Through a Magnificent Gateway”
3-14 is one sentence in the original greek.
A sentence that is eternally high and eternally deep.
The Colorado Sunset.
Rivers of delight
It’s like Mary Poppins bag. More and more stuff comes out! It just keeps coming!
We learn of the Love of God the Father, what it means to be In Christ, and how the Holy Spirit gives us assurance.
The goal of the sentence is evoke deep outbursts of joy and adoration.
It’s goal is to drowned out the glory of self in the flood of the Glory of God.
The goal is that this would be like smelling salt to the heart!
vs 3 Paul shows us the way.
Vs 3a: Praise be to God! Vs 3 easy to miss
Proper response to the content that is provided? Praise
vs 6 “To the praise of his glorious grace”
vs 12 “To the praise of his glory”
vs 14 “To the praise of his glory”
Paul models for us “Praise”. Paul leads the way
Praise be to God!
Why?
Vs 3b: Who has blessed us in Christ. (Spiritual Blessings Intro)
God has blessed us in Christ.
In Christ 27 times in the letter.
In Christ, God has done something for us!
Blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places! Stott
What!!!!!!
God has not held back on us!
This should evoke praise!
1 Pet 2:9-10
Vs 9a:What are we?
Chosen Race, Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation
What for?
Vs 9b-10: For a Purpose
That! You may proclaim!
His excellencies!
He called you out of darkness and into marvelous light
He gave you and identity
He had mercy on you!
God saved you from yourself and to the praise of his glorious grace!
We are a people of praise!
We say with Paul “Blessed be God!”
We say with Peter “God is excellent!”