EPHESIANS: Rich in Mercy
Jesus is the Ark
Jesus is the Testimony
Jesus is the Word of God
Jesus is the Atonement and Propitiation
Jesus is the Mercy of God, full of grace and truth.
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EPHESIANS: But God
We may wonder if someone is beyond hope. We may find their attitudes and actions repulsive. What they do might turn our stomachs. It might make us furiously angry. We may be hurt by their obstinate and stubborn refusal even to hear the truth.
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EPHESIANS: Disobedience and Wrath
Scripture paints a picture of humanity as deriving from one of two sources. One source is characterized by independence, opposition, disobedience, rejection of the Love of God. The other Source is characterized by dependence, fellowship, obedience, and acceptance. All people are children of one or the other. Independence results in evil and spiritual death. Dependence results in righteousness and spiritual Life.
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EPHESIANS: The Evil Prince
Every day we see and hear things the world wants to promote. We are bombarded with ideas the world would like to foist upon us. We hear of intractable problems and dark predictions about our future. All these things should be red flags. They come from the earthy mindset of those who remain as we once were. Without hope and without God in the world.
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EPHESIANS: The Quick and the Dead
With our earthly minds we find this concept difficult to grasp. We were born, we grew, and we have clearly been alive the entire time. How is it then that scripture continually insists that we were dead? What sort of death is this?
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EPHESIANS: Biblical Headship
The head is never separated from the body. The cornerstone is never displaced from the building. If either of these things were to happen, life and building would cease. The Lord Jesus is preeminent. He is the head, but not in the way of the world which makes the preeminent into dictators, tyrants, and oppressors.
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EPHESIANS: Raised and Seated
The Lord Jesus is seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly realm. This seat of power is, we are told, “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.” Far above. ALL. And we are in Christ. Where He is, there we are.
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EPHESIANS: Hope Glory Power
Looking with physical eyes, we are prone to judging by appearance. This is true whether we are speaking of other people or of the Lord Jesus Himself. Seeing in this way gives us only the earthly perspective of the flesh. But there is a better way, a higher way, a more excellent way.
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EPHESIANS: Wisdom and Revelation
Paul is careful in several places to point out the faith and love of the believers in the fellowships to which he writes. This is very significant. It would seem that Holy Spirit wants to ensure that we are reminded that it is faith which pleases God. It is dependent living borne of trust that He is our Life.
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EPHESIANS: Guaranteed Inheritance
The Spirit of God, the self-same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead (see Romans 8:11), has been given to us as a down-payment, or deposit in earnest, guaranteeing our inheritance.
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EPHESIANS: A Word if I May
A word, if I may, about “dispensation.”
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EPHESIANS: Mystery Solved
God has predestinated that all who are in Christ will be saved. He has not only included the chosen Hebrew people, but He has included the outcast Gentile people who had been without hope and without God in the world. This is the grand mystery.
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EPHESIANS: Wisdom and Insight
He has placed His Spirit within us. It is in this way that He has abounded toward us, or lavished upon us, these tremendous blessings. He has given us Himself!
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EPHESIANS: Redemption and Forgiveness
Can’t you almost hear your heart leaping for joy at this incomprehensible truth? Saints, we are forgiven completely.
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EPHESIANS: In the Beloved
A theme central to the book of Ephesians, and indeed to all of Paul’s teaching, is that we should know that we are “in Christ.” These words, “in Christ” or “in Him” reverberate through this epistle 19 times.
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EPHESIANS: Newness and Acceptance
Acceptance by God can come about in only on way. We must be holy as our Father in heaven is holy.
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EPHESIANS: In Love
Remember that I mentioned that verses 3-14 are a single sentence in Greek? The next two words in our text bring that into the forefront. They are “in love.”
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EPHESIANS: Chosen to be Blameless
He chose that all who would agree to be reconciled, would be forgiven of their sins and wickedness and placed into relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
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EPHESIANS: Bushels of Blessings
The Kingdom of God is within us. We carry in our being the heavenly realm.
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EPHESIANS: Threefold Praise and Blessings
Ephesians 1:3-14 are all contained within a single very lengthy sentence in the Greek. Notably, there are three sections we might observe. Each section ends with praise for God and each highlights a different Person of the Trinity.
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EPHESIANS: Grace and Peace
I find it difficult to read the word “saint” without commenting on the Greek behind it. (Okay, I find it hard not to comment on the Greek much of the time.) But “saint” translates a Greek word that I think we would all benefit from committing to memory.
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EPHESIANS: Introduction
As is Paul’s way, he presents us first with the doctrinal truth upon which his practical instructions rest. First he tells us what God has done for us and who He has made us. Only when this has been established does he instruct, admonish or command.
