Sunday, February 3 9:30 a.m. class Ephesians: The Glory of God in the Church #1 An Introduction AUTHOR: Paul. Few critics deny this. His ministry at Ephesus is covered in Acts 18:18-21; Acts 19:2-41; Acts 20:17-35. Paul wrote with the authority of an apostle, which means sent one and in the New Testament is used as an official title of the men God uniquely chose to be the foundation layers of the church and the receivers, teachers, and writers of His final revelation the New Testament. The apostolic duties were to preach the gospel (1 Cor. 1:11), teach and pray (Acts 6:4), work miracles (2 Cor. 12:12), build up other leaders of the church (Acts 14:23), and write the Word of God (Eph. 1:1; etc.). Besides the original twelve and Matthias (Acts 1:26), who replaced Judas, Paul was the only other apostle, as it were one untimely born (1 Cor. 15:8). Yet he was not inferior to the other apostles, having met all the requirements for that office (1 Cor. 9:1). Paul s credentials were not his academic training or his rabbinical leadership but his being an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Paul did not teach and write by his own authority but by the dual yet totally unified authority of the Son (Christ Jesus) and of the Father (God). In stating that truth Paul was not boasting of personal merit or elevating himself above other believers. He well remembered that he had been a blasphemer, a violent persecutor of the church, and an unworthy and ignorant unbeliever; and he still considered himself the foremost of sinners (1 Tim. 1:13, 15). Like every Christian, he was first of all a bond-servant of Christ Jesus his Lord (Rom. 1:1). By mentioning his apostleship, Paul simply established his undeserved but divinely-bestowed authority to speak in God s behalf which he states at the beginning of each of his epistles except Philippians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians. DATE: Probably between A.D. 60-63. The letter was written while Paul was in prison in Rome (Ephes. 3:1; Ephes. 4:1; Ephes. 6:20). Paul probably arrived in Rome in the spring of A.D. 60 or 61. He was under house arrest for two years (Acts 28:30). During his two year imprisonment (either A.D. 60-62 or A.D. 61-63) he wrote the letters that are usually called The Prison Epistles : Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. PURPOSE: Paul writes Ephesians for at least two reasons. 1. To reveal the purpose of God for the whole universe. God has shown His purpose through His Son, Jesus Christ, and He is working out His purpose through the church, which is His body on earth. 2. To encourage the church to walk in a spirit of oneness and unity: to be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ s sake hath forgiven you (Ephes. 4:32). The Glory of the Church The church is the most precious institution on earth today. Ephesians has more to say about the church than any other New Testament letter. We need to picture the church in our minds as the glorious church described in Ephesians. The word church occurs nine times in the letter ( 1 :22; 3:10, 21 ; 5:23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 32). The term body (referring to the church) occurs nine more times ( 1:23 ; 2 :16; 3:6; 4 ;4, 12, 16 (twice) ; 5:23, 30). Consider the glorious church described in Ephesians: Christ loves her. 5:23. Men may despise and belittle her, but Jesus Christ loves her. The church shall be Presented to Christ. 5:27. What will the people who are not in the church do then? God s wisdom is demonstrated by the church. 3:10. If you are not in the church, God sent Christ to die all in vain, as far as you are concerned. You make God s mercy to appear to be foolishness. God is glorified in the church. 3:20-21. Out in the world you cannot glorify Him. There is one body, one church. 4:4. Because of the divisions among those who believe in Christ, the world does not believe that God sent Him. John 17:20-21. Pray to God that men will abandon their loyalty to denominations and sects and be members only of that glorious church to which God adds all saved people. Acts 2:47. 1
Christ is the Head of the church. 5:23; 1:22. Our opinion of the church will be just as high as our opinion of Christ. The church is the fullness of Christ. 1:22-23. If we love Christ, we shall love the church, for it is filled by Christ. Christ is the Savior of the body. 5:23. All saved people are members of the church. You cannot be saved and not be a member of the Lord s church. She shall be holy and without blemish. 5:27. No man can excuse himself by saying, There are too many hypocrites. The church is the beloved bride of Christ. 5:31-32. Don t you want to be married to Jesus? And what will the Lord do to those who hate and hurt His bride? Historical Setting (for your private study) In the Book of Acts, the history of church at Ephesus begins with the ministry of Paul on his second missionary journey, as recorded in Acts 18:18-28. Paul, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila, arrived in Ephesus. Paul went to the synagogue in Ephesus and proclaimed Christ, and was asked to stay on and teach further. Paul declined, promising to return later in the will of the Lord, leaving behind Priscilla and Aquila. During Paul s absence, Apollos arrived, and began to preach those things which pertained to Jesus, based on the Old Testament and on the preaching of John the Baptist. Apollos seems to have been an Old Testament saint, but does not seem to have known about or trusted in Jesus Christ personally. Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside and filled him in on that which was lacking in his preaching. In time, he was sent to Achaia, where he powerfully and publicly refuted the Jews, showing that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah. After strengthening the believers in the Galatian region and Phrygia (18:23), Paul returned to Ephesus, where he spends nearly three years, preaching and teaching. For three months, Paul taught in the synagogue, but then opposition caused him to change his meeting place to the school or Tyrannus, where he reasoned daily for two years (Acts 19:8-10). During this time, God gave supernatural witness to the ministry of Paul by empowering him to perform many miracles (19:11-12). As a result of the chastening of the seven sons of Sceva, many in Ephesus renounced their magical practices, which was demonstrated when they publicly burned their magical books, worth a considerable amount of money. This, in turn, had a great impact on the city (Acts 19:13-20). Paul planned to leave Asia, planning to visit Macedonia and Achaia, where he would gather a collection for the poor in Jerusalem and Judea, and then deliver the gift to the church in Jerusalem, and then press on to Rome. He sent Timothy and Erastus ahead, staying behind in Asia for a while (19:21-22). It was during this brief stay that a serious crisis arose in Ephesus, as a direct result of the preaching of the gospel. The gospel had not only caused many to turn from their magical practices, it also turned many from the worship of Artemis, the goddess whose elaborate temple was constructed in Ephesus, over a period of more than 200 years. This specifically impacted the idol-making industry which had developed in the city. A near riot was instigated by Demetrius, which was finally dissipated by an appeal from the town clerk. This incident caused Paul to move on to Macedonia (Acts 19:23 20:1). On his way to Jerusalem, Paul s travels took him to Macedonia, and then Greece, where he spent three months (Acts 20:2-3). His eagerness to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost caused him to sail past Ephesus and to make port at Miletus, not far from Ephesus. And so he called for the elders of the church at Ephesus, giving them a final word of encouragement and admonition. After a tearful farewell, Paul sailed on toward Jerusalem (Acts 20:17-38). As Paul had purposed, he did reach Jerusalem, and then Rome, but not in a way that we would have anticipated. When Paul reached Jerusalem, he took the advice of the (Jewish) leaders of the church there, and as a result was arrested on false charges. Through a sequence of events, Paul felt compelled to appeal to Caesar, and thus he was taken to Rome for trial. There in Rome, he was granted considerable freedom of access, and thus he continued to minister. It is here, in Rome, that the history of the Apostle Paul (and the church) ends in the Book of Acts (see chapter 28). While in prison, Paul penned several epistles, which came to be known as the prison epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Philippians was delivered by Epaphroditus, who was sent home by Paul after his recovery from a serious illness (Philippians 2:25-30). Tychicus (see Acts 20:4), accompanied by the returning slave, Onesimus, would deliver the Epistle of Colossians and the letter to Philemon (Colossians 4:7-9), and also the Epistle to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:21-22). 2
PAUL S WORK AT EPHESUS 1. Brief visit during the closing portion of his second missionary journey (A.D. 53) Acts 18:18-21. 2. Main ministry in Ephesus: (lasted three years, A.D. 54-57) Acts 20:31 ; 19:1-20:1. 3. Paul baptizes twelve disciples. 19:1-7. 4. Paul preaches three months in the synagogue. 19:8. 5. Paul preaches in the school of Tyrannus. 19 :9-10a. 6. All Asia hears the word of God. 19:l0b; cp. Rom. 16:5. 7. Paul works special miracles. 19:11-12. 8. The sons of Sceva fail to duplicate Paul s miracles. 19:13-17. 9. Magic books are burned and the Word prevails. 19:18-20. 10. I Corinthians and Galatians written at Ephesus. 11. Paul sends Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia. 19:21-22. 12. Demetrius stirs up the silversmiths against Paul. 19:23-28. 13. Riot at the theater. 19:29-34. 14. The town clerk quiets the riot. 19:35-41. 15. Paul departs, 20:1. 16. Farewell mes.mgc to the Ephesian elders (at Miletus). (A.D. 58, closing portion of the third missionary journey. ) Acts 20:17-38. 17. Paul was arrested at Jerusalem (A. D. 58) when Jews from Asia (Ephesus perhaps) falsely accused him. Acts 21:27-29. Sunday, February 3 10:30 a.m. worship Beliefs Matter Sermons from Ephesians #1 The Glory of the Church With all the uncertainly in our world today about the individual need for the church as compared to a person simply believing at home, I want to begin with a statement of conviction that I hope can receive a hearty Amen from all who participate today. What is needed is a ringing affirmation that the church is God s idea, that it is the living incarnation of Christ in the world, that for all its flaws and faults it is God s instrument to reconcile the world to Himself. There is a serious need for those of us who call ourselves Christians according to the New Testament pattern to reaffirm the church s place in the plan of God and in our own lives. There is no doubt that some congregations have lost their calling and sense of mission. But if that has occurred, we have allowed it to occur and we are partly to blame. At least, it is something we can change. We should respond to the leadership of Jesus Christ, and keep our attention on people s hearts and souls and away from brick/mortar, and personalities and politics. While every member is part of the universal church, failure to be part of a particular congregation is failure to obey Christ as a member of a local body that carries out the work of the church in the world. It s in the context of a congregation that we commit ourselves to intimate relationships with fellow Christians and submit ourselves to accountability, duties, and responsibilities. We must remember that the one talent man, who viewed God as a demanding, angry God, was condemned to eternal damnation because he did not use that one talent. When you look at the book of Acts: Individuals confessed faith in Jesus, were immersed in water for remission of sins, and became part of a local congregation. It is at the very heart of what it meant to be part of God s kingdom. 3
Christ is the center of the Christian religion and everything about Christianity is important because of its relationship to Christ. Apart from Christ the Lord s Supper would mean nothing. Baptism would have no significance whatever. The important work of evangelism would be an empty exercise. In short, the church would be unimportant. But what about my church?!# Faulty people, flawed preacher, flailing leadership, sinning saints. We can t get people to participate in ministry. I often feel lonely and isolated when I come to church. I always have a hard time finding a good parking place. Decisions are made I don t agree with. There is a great tension between the church of faith and the church of fact. There is a cantankerous bunch of stubborn, non-working people who attend some of our congregations. There are people who don t live as they should. Some ministries need some talent and enthusiasm added to them there is the shining, pure, beautiful, faithful bride of Jesus loving, harmonious, humble, and hard working! And then there is all of us! To live above with those we love, O that will be glory! But to dwell below with those we know..well, that s another story. (by Warren Wiersbe) One writer suggested that some churches are like Noah s ark. The stench inside is sometimes unbearable except for the storm that is always outside. God gave a person, then a proclamation, and then a people. This is both the historical and the theological order. God gave first a person, Jesus Christ. He gave a person and not a creed as the object of faith and basis of salvation. God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ is always a God of personal presence and a God who expects a personal response. The proclamation centers in the person. He is the content of the message preached. The early church proclaimed this Jesus and declared what God had done through him. This proclamation (found in our Bible today) calls for a response. The proclaimed word calls and gathers a people. The people respond to the proclamation of the person. The church is derived from the word of the gospel and from the Christ, who is the Word. The oral message about Jesus Christ gathered a people and so created the church. That message was put in written form for the use of the people and to aid them in their proclamation. In America, there are thousands of people who would classify themselves as Christians and yet they are not members of any religious body. To them, Christianity is something that you believe, something that you try to live at home and in business, but it does not entail being a member of a church. Why is that the case? 1. Because of divisions which have fractioned the religious world. There are more than 250 different religious bodies in the U. S. It is completely foreign to the please of unity, as prayed by Jesus in John 17. 2. Disparity. The practice gap (how Christians live as compared to the way Christ lived). People look at Christ and are drawn to Him...they look at the church and it is unappealing. There is a great struggle even in our fellowship between the church of faith and the church of fact. The church is the grandest and most glorious institution on earth!! 8 Reasons: 1. It s origin. The church began in the mind of God rather than in the minds of men. It was not an afterthought! Ephesians 3:8-11: "Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, {9} and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. {10} His 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, {11} according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." 2. It s foundation. 1 Corinthians 3:11: "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." 3. It s wonderful beginning. Spent even 10 minutes reading from the book of Acts: Prophecies that it would begin in Jerusalem...great day of Pentecost...great sermon by Peter...thousands heard him...3,000 souls added to the church that day. 4. Its relationship to God and to Christ. 4
The church is the people, not a building. Part of its glory lies in the relationship which Christians sustain to God and to Christ. 1 Timothy 3:15: "...if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth." The scriptures describe Christ as the bridegroom and Christians as his bride. A wedding is a special event...to see two people who love each other promise their love for life! That s the picture Christ has with the church: Ephesians 5:32: "This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church." 5. Its universal nature. There is no one on earth excluded from the church. John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Acts 10:34-35: "Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism {35} but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." 6. Its work. The church has three main functions, and each is vital for the individuals reached: evangelism, edification, and benevolence. 7. Its simplicity. It s wonderful to know that the organization of the church and the plan of worship are so simple that people can become Christians and serve God anywhere on earth on ships, on far-off military posts, as well as home in small towns and large cities. 8. Its destiny. John 14:1-3: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. {2} In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." Christians are on a journey. Earth is not our home. Sometimes it s frightening to read in those last chapters of Revelation of the books which will be opened at the judgment. No one will enter into heaven except those who are written in the Lamb s book of life. It need not be frightening, for it s within our power to accept God s grace and be certain that our names are written there. A response of faith that leads to baptism...and we become part of his church. May we never lose sight of its glory!!! 5