Ephesians: A Life-Changing Letter, Part 3

Trouble trusting God with something we can understand and we do stuff all the time by trust today from Chuck Swindoll. We trust the airline schedule. We trust that the pilots not drunk. We trust that they know where they're going to take us trust.

Time to get there. Trust the person said is going to meet us to meet us and he goes on and on and on. Don't wait you can understand to believe. Believe you'll never grow selectively hand wrote a letter obtained by authorities. There's no doubt that his epistle to the Ephesians originated well under arrest only the spirit of God.

Work history such irony theological essay in change today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll provides helpful context profound lessons on grace woven throughout Paul's letter and Paul's attention as a political prisoner is all the more reason to trust his portrayal of freedom in Christ. In case you missed Monday's program get started with helpful Paul was taken under arrest in Jerusalem at the end of the third missionary journey and they discovered that he is a citizen of Rome. He says I I claim my rights as a Roman citizen. I demand an audience before the authorities of Rome and an audience. He got so they took him across the sea across the Mediterranean withdrew shipwreck found his way all the way up. See Rome. That's where we are.

When we read acts 28, 30 and 31 were all the way to Rome.

Paul's an older man. It's now about 6080 60 look at acts 2830 is what happened to him. He stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness unhindered with that what he is under house arrest, which means a Roman soldier is stationed right beside him ESCAPE the soldier can't escape these on-duty and so we believe the soldiers to Christ, and he writes to the Philippians, and he says well there's a whole group of people in Caesar's household who have heard because of the so while he is chained to the Roman soldier as it were. The apostle sees himself not as a victim of terrible circumstances, but as an ambassador for Christ and changes that wonderful, great attitude. The letter to the Ephesians. The six chapters full of great theological terms would frighten and intimidate you, unless you could see the whole letter in one city, the life-changing letter. It begins with the believer's position in Christ. That's threefold chapters that turn our attention heavenward. I think of it as the vertical part of the letter to the Ephesians. I've studied this letter as some of you have and every time I think of any part of chapters 1 to 2 or three I think of an arrow pointing toward heaven, and that same arrow pointing back to earth. It focuses on God what God has done for us. Chapter 1 what Christ has done in us. Chapter 2 the whole story of the mystery of the body of Christ. Chapter 3 God's work in and among Jew and Gentile alike, bringing us together into one body, which became Paul's message to Jew and Gentile alike, especially Gentile because the Jews rejected, but the grand message of the mystery was the goddess of families putting together and in grace he is bringing us into this one family in Christ under God to be live for his glory, and ultimately in his eternity. Chapter 1 emphasizes God's sovereignty. You question that listen to words like this, verse three chapter 1 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly's in Christ, just as he chose us that wonderful. We got the arrow coming from heaven to earth. This is not what we do for God.

This is what God has done for us. He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless for him in love he predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the kind intention of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the beloved. Great writing you imagine doing that on your knee with a Roman soldier sitting next to you under house arrest, not knowing what the future held the spirit of God, ignited the panel. Paul, who could sit and write some of the deepest theological truths found in any of the end of the New Testament. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished on us. One of my favorite words grace which he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. He made known to us the mystery of his will according to the praise of his glory three times the praise of his glory appears in chapter 1 and chapter 2 revolves around the subject of reconciliation for God made things right between himself and man by sending Christ. This is what Christ has done for us because of the cross. I love a couple of sections of chapter 2 and they are contrasted in nature, verse one talks about how we were dead were chapter 2 now we were dead in trespasses and sins.

Verse four but God is not great verse 11.

Remember that formerly you were Gentiles of the flesh called on circumcision.

Remember verse 12 that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel strangers to the covenant of promise, having no hope and without God in the world but now in Christ Jesus, look at that contrast but God verse four, but Christ. Verse 13.

It's a chapter of great contrast as it tells us what Jesus Christ is done in in the chapter 3 puts it all together as we come in Christ into one body with arms around one another in harmony and unity. That's the first part of Ephesians is a wise so much time spent on those subjects.

Nobody can really fully understand what the world of they put such a deep foundation on those tall skyscrapers just scrape off the dirt and start building first story want to just go ahead and build a second-story since it first came out so good nothings cracking the third story you say I would never going to building it didn't have a foundation, nor could you ever live a life that didn't have a doctrinal footing. It's deep and it's profound, and I will tell you before we get into chapter 1, I cannot explain a lot of it to your satisfaction.

So I've learned in my 65 soon to be 66 years on this earth, not to try.

I just present it and let you argue with God about it. Don't write me I'm just a messenger I'm just I'm just reading his letter. You don't like it. I don't care you're going to take it and you're going to hear it and you're gonna wrestle with it and some of it you're going to say I can't get it will welcome to the club. Neither can I and since we both can't get it we might as well fall on our knees and say Lord since it we trust you to take care of the details that we don't understand you know how your computer works, you don't. Do you use it.

Yeah you use it. I would like a pharmacist from I'm working on my computer send, and you get it and I don't know how and I don't care I just want send word and it does with the click.

Amazing. We have some trouble trusting God with something we can understand and we do stuff all the time by trust. We trust the airline schedule. We trust that the pilots not drunk.

We trust that they know where they're going to take us. We trust the time were going to get there. We trust the person said is going to meet us to meet us and he goes on and on and on. That's chapters 1 to 3. Don't wait till you can understand it to believe it.

Believe it or you'll never grow and I'm saying am I saying it doesn't deserve serious study. Are you kidding me say that I spend my life doing that kind of thing said, studying it carefully and in detail but often saying this is beyond me, Lord, I can explain this fully to people about teaching and I leave it with you to help make sense. Chapters 1, two and three, full of Dr. I can't wait to get to chapter 4. Understand Chapter 4 Chapter 4 talks about walking the land, the light talks about being filled with the spirit look at verse two and chapter 4 humility and gentleness and patience all the things I'm not I can teach those kind of things, showing tolerance for one another in love. Being diligent to preserve the unity of spirit is not mysterious is not even profound. It is just beyond you to do on your own, which is why the spirit of God put such a major role in look at the chart again this is a believers practice on earth.

I love doing stuff like that. Lester stayed up to I would but the Cowboys are on and I can't do that because we got a you know, serious enough, we gotta get back to first things first look at the first section of chapter 4 is about humility and unity in maturity and honesty in harmony. The walk of the believer you what or how to walk, read chapter 4 still don't know read it again.

Still struggling with the whole issue of humility in maturity and not read it again and read it again. Again, it's not that it's full of commands chapters 1 and two and three in the indicative mode chapters for five and six in the imperative mode you see it right out of the chute.

Look at verse one chapter for the prisoner of the Lord, you know why he said that implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling that's imperative. I tell you I love this because it's balanced it.

We only had chapter 3 would have people you know, folding their arms and whistling Dixie and wait for God to do everything God to provide for my family because God is called me and predestined me and put it altogether is take care of everything. That's the end of chapter 3 is get into chapter 4 baby and you'll see you got a get a job and you gotta live a lie you got some responsibilities. Chapter 4 talks about how to live the Christian life. Chapter 5 I call it on the chart, the life of the imitator. Why would I say imitator because Paul said verse one chapter 5. Be imitators of God is beloved is I know so does God. So he commands me to do what I can do share he commands you to do it so that you will trust the Holy Spirit to do it through. This is not rocket some hands but we make it that way because we are so blame capable and we spend our life doing stuff for God is if he's going to be impressed. Chapter 5 gives you this layout of things that you must do and must not do and then it addresses. Verse 18.

Don't get drunk with wine, for that's dissipation, but be filled with the spirit. This is how to do it and I don't mean this to be insulting to a soul, but I do this and many audiences or many congregations. I've said this, if I gave you a 3 x 5 card and said put into sentences how to be filled with the spirit, could you do that. Probably not. That's a tragedy. I couldn't do it when I came to Dallas seminary and even when I learned how to do it. I didn't always do it if it was a mystery to me to be filled with the spirit of what I had the spirit. I do I'm commanded to be filled with what's that all about.

Well about May you're gonna find out until then struggle with it will be there but look at the result is the results of this is a result of being filled to speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks in all things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to God and you will be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. This is all the outcropping of the filling of the spirit and then it gets down to wives being subject to their husbands and husbands living the kind of lives. It would make a wife want to do that you come to the end of it and it is fabulous because it leads to a family that has children who are in obedience to one another that great.

Tell me another letter the teaches that kind of thing and that kind of order only Ephesians, Colossians, is a little like it but Colossians I think steps aside is Ephesians Dempsey the details here as it spelled out in Pauline logic, or just fabulous not only about children but look at slaves in verse five of chapter 6. Now it gets into the job market nowadays we call them employees but there's a little analogy slaves being obedient to those who are your masters employees pay attention to what your employers expect the fear and trimming in the sincerity of your hardest to Christ talks about how to be a good employee. The second section of this chart shows in the second part, the life of the imitator in the world around the home and on the job.

Terrific directions, terrific instructions and then all of a sudden it gets dark gets dark. Verse 10 of chapter 6 moves into a realm that we all sort of shutter about the demonic realm, but he tells me to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might and put on the full armor of God so that I may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Look at you mean I can step into the presence of demonic forces and I can stand firm absolutely how I do it.

You will only read of the armor of God provided for the believer in the letter to the Ephesians you know that 1314 1516 1718 right there only place it's a unique section of Scripture, and it even puts the armor on you one piece at a time. It's like your bucket issue you went to the Marine Corps.

You got through the boot camp, to give you the bucket issue. The hit to the face with it. I should tell you that. But that's another subject.

Anyway, you get your uniform you get your boots, you get your bucket you get to toothpaste you get to toothbrush get everything survived with what you're Quonset hut with all the stuff stacked on you and it's like it's like what you're going to be using to get prepared to defend your country. You learn how to wear the uniform and how to wear boots for and you know how to how to shoot a rifle that you've never had your hands before etc. etc. is all part of the equipment you can't find if you're not equipped Christians. You can't fight if you don't know your equipment and if you don't use, especially verse 18 prayer petition, praying in the spirit. With this in view being alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf and he wraps it up in a great conclusion. He began with grace and peace. Now he ends with peace and grace.

Ever notice that verse 23 peace to the brethren. 24 grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ and Chuck that's up that's up hope and a lot of stuff I know that's what's so exciting that's what's so great you want to go to a restaurant that has two things on the menu hamburger and fries now you like a place it's got a big menu you can pull this out. You can get the can order that you get this.

This is a full, let me give you three thoughts to hang your week on K all related to Ephesians Ephesians gives us a reminder. It gives us a relief gives us a reassurance K put that down a reminder, a relief and a reassurance. The reminder is we are all under the headship of Christ as Lord were under the headship of Christ as Lord and so were to be submissive to be submissive will learn to be submissive as we study the first several chapters of Ephesians and relief in Ephesians we we discover we belong to a body we are not alone.

We are not like the Lone Ranger's taking on the demands of life were a part of the body we have brothers and sisters under God the father and Jesus Christ. If you will, our brother given to us as our guide and model were were were relieved to know were a part of the body and so were to be committed to this sense of body relationship to the first truth were submissive to the second truth were committed and then the third. We've already pitted this, we have the reassurance were able to stand firm against the assault of the enemy were able to stand firm.

We have the reassurance from Ephesians that we can stand firm against the assault of the enemy. So we need to be equipped, submissive, committed and equipped us what Ephesians will do for you in teacher submission. It'll handle the support, your whole thought of being committed to others in the body and it will give you a reassurance that you're not on your own, you can fight the battle with the right equipment great unless you don't know Christ changes everything. Remember this is to the saints to people set apart to God through Christ. If you're not that you're going to be miserable.

What a great day for you to say today I take Christ I come to the cross and I come submissive to his plan for me. He died for me. He shed his blood on the cross for my sins. I give myself to him in full faith and trust and I leave my future in his hands.

Otherwise I will assure you you will be increasingly more frustrated the deeper we get this letter but as a child of his. You will hardly be able to wait from week to week about together.

Please all believers around you are thinking of reading through this letter I speak to the few of you today have never met Christ and I say you need to meet the one who really offered this letter, Christ Jesus. He's the one who would change Paul's life and through Paul change Timothy's life through Timothy change the lives of people he pastored in Ephesus, and from those on whose shoulders we stand came the one who led us to Christ, may be that person in your life today. May I have that privilege of announcing to you that there is a life to live above the plane you've been living in in a power you've never known and with hope you've never had. Sin separates you from you from your God. You know that he's holy and you're not. But he's bridge the gap like these ladies saying for us. He spanned the great divide with the cross, you come to Christ through the cross.

You've come to God for all eternity. Do that now. We love you, our father. We love you with our hearts. We love you with our minds, deep into our soul's.

We love you for finding us for reaching down into the ranks of all this stuff, and stupidity of our lives and putting your arms around us, calling us to yourself will spend the rest of our days saying thank you thank you thank you for Jesus who loved us and gave himself for us. Thank you for giving us information dear sweet deep letters of love for us to guide our lives with.

Thank you for not throwing us back on this earth to make it on our own. But of all things, not only instructing us but empowering us to live it to do it to believe it. My heart goes out to all who've never come to your son today and I pray that you would make a miserable, just miserable. Give him sleepless nights disturbed days heartbreaking situations until they come in submission to the cross that they might see the light and be born Lord. The best I can. I've done my task and now I ask that your spirit would take it from here and burn it into our hearts from day to day encourages with it or convict us with it whatever they need me me until we're together again around your precious word. I ask you to Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord everybody's a man who did you catch the three outcomes that Chuck Swindoll mentioned a moment ago, an in-depth study in Ephesians will help us become submissive to Christ committed to the body and equipped for battle.

That's what Ephesians will do for you. You're listening to Insight for living in this concludes Chuck's first message in our comprehensive study in Ephesians. The series is called becoming a people of grace.

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