Ephesians Recap and Refresh

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Look in the mirror.

So this morning I want to start off by asking, when you look in the mirror, what do you see?

Well, some of you might be saying, well, I see me when I look in the mirror.

Who are you?

Who are you?

If I were to answer that question, I would say, well, I'm a white, middle-aged man, married, father of four, got a dog.

I've got an Italian background, Calabrese.

And if I were to be honest, I've got a lot of miles on this chassis.

Who are you?

When you're looking in the mirror, what's going through your mind?

Maybe here's the most important question of the morning.

When God looks at you, maybe while you're looking in the mirror, what does He see?

What does God think when He sees you?

Christian, who does God say that you are?

How does God define you?

What does God say is true of you in Christ?

Brother, sister in Christ, did you know that when God saved you, He gave you a whole new identity?

You are a new creation in His sight.

You're not who you used to be.

And it changes the way that you live your life.

Last October, we started the study of the book of Ephesians.

And we took a break from it in July and August to get into Psalm 119,

in which we just kind of simmered for two months.

It was wonderful.

And so this morning, we're back into the study of Ephesians.

We're resuming the study.

Now, Ephesians is like an 18-hole golf course.

There's the front nine, and then there's the back nine.

And so the front nine of Ephesians, the first three chapters, is all about who we are in Christ Jesus.

Passage after passage, God is saying, this is who you are, Christian.

This is who you are.

And then the back nine of Ephesians, chapters 4-16,

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

is how we are to live out our identity in Christ.

And so what we're going to see is, who we are determines how we live.

You've got to know who you are.

And in order to know that, you've got to know what this book says.

So the first half of Ephesians, who we are in Christ.

The second half of Ephesians, how we live as new creations in Christ.

And we've turned the corner.

We've turned the corner into the back nine of Ephesians.

And so here's what I know.

I know that many of you weren't around for the first half of Ephesians.

And I know, taking two months out of Ephesians in Psalm 119,

we may lose our bearings a little bit in Ephesians.

So this morning, what I'd like to do is review the high points of chapters 1-3

in order to position us to enter the back nine.

I want to remind you, brother and sister in Christ,

of who you are in Jesus.

You're a new creation with a new identity that results in a new way of walking.

You've been made alive in Christ.

And now we live for Him.

Who we are determines how we live.

So this morning, three points that will help you understand who you are in Christ Jesus.

Three points, three realities of our identity in Jesus.

And so here they are.

Christian, you are eternally loved by the triune God.

That's the first thing you need to understand about yourself.

It's who you are.

First, you're eternally loved by the triune God.

Second, you've been radically changed by Christ.

And third, God has very purposefully knit you into a body of believers.

You belong to a people now.

The Christian life is living out who God has already made us to be in Christ Jesus.

So now let's turn to this first point.

Christian, you are eternally loved by the triune God.

If you return in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 1, I'm going to draw some things out of chapter 1 verses 3 through 14.

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

3 through 14, these verses picture God doing a work in us.

He loves us from eternity past.

And He loves us for eternally into the eternal future.

Each member of the Trinity loves you, brother and sister in Christ.

Let's look at it.

God the Father has loved you from eternity past.

Look at Ephesians 1, 4 through 5.

Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,

that we should be holy and blameless before Him.

In love, He predestined us.

He predestined us in love for adoption through Jesus Christ.

Before the foundation of the world,

God chose us.

Before God created the earth and the fullness thereof,

God knew who would be His own.

In love, He predestined some sinners to become His sons and daughters.

Now this is begging a question.

How did God do that?

What was the basis of His choice?

Did He make His choice based on what people in the future would decide?

Or did He base His choice on a sheer act of His sovereign will now?

Well, you know what?

We're not going to answer that question this morning.

We're not going to dwell in how God made that choice.

We're going to dwell on why God made that choice.

And if you look at verse 4,

at the end of verse 4 into verse 5,

you see why.

In love, He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ.

In love.

Here's what I'm getting at.

From eternity past,

God has loved you, brother and sister in Christ.

The Father has loved you.

He sought you from eternity past.

It's no accident.

You weren't in the right place at the right time.

You didn't get lucky.

God sought you.

He loves you from eternity past.

And the effect that should have on us is this.

What an amazing God we got.

He knew who you are,

and He was pursuing you from eternity past.

God the Father chose us.

He loves us.

So God loved you, brother, sister,

from eternity past.

And He's also demonstrated that love in the present.

We can see that in verse 7.

In Him, we have redemption through His blood.

So, God chose us.

The Father chose us.

The Son redeemed us in the present.

God demonstrates His love for us

by redeeming us.

Jesus delivered us

from slavery to sin,

from slavery to guilt,

from slavery to fear and death,

and He delivered us to holiness

and joy and confidence.

And He did it through His blood.

Now, you hear the word redemption.

I don't know what goes into your mind,

so let's get on the same page

with this word redemption.

When you hear the word redemption,

you need to be thinking slavery.

Now, slavery was a common practice

in the Greco-Roman culture

that this letter was written in.

But you know what?

It was a different kind of slavery

than what we think of

that took place in the United States

for so long,

which was an atrocity, by the way.

So, the slavery taking place

in the first century Greco-Roman culture,

though it wasn't the same

as what happened in the United States,

it was a kind of slavery nonetheless.

Now, what Paul is doing here,

he's taking a common practice

that all his readers would have known about

and all of them would have experienced.

They would have seen it being played out

day after day,

and he's using that practice

to paint a picture

of what God has done for us in Christ.

Christ has redeemed us.

To redeem is to purchase a slave

out of slavery into freedom.

And the purchase price

to pay for a slave's freedom

was called a ransom.

And Jesus paid our ransom.

And He didn't pay it with His credit card

so that He can get extra miles.

Jesus paid our ransom with His blood.

In Him, we have redemption through His blood.

He gave His life

so that we can be ransomed from slavery.

Remember Mark 10.45,

Jesus says this,

I came not to be served,

but to serve and to give my life,

to shed my blood

as a ransom for many,

as a ransom for you, brother,

for you, sister.

Now technically,

Jesus paid your ransom

2,000 years ago

on the cross.

And that ransom price

was applied to you

the moment you believed in Jesus.

At that moment,

you were set free.

Why would Jesus do that?

Because He loves you.

But God demonstrates

His own love towards us

in that while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

He shed His blood for us.

He loves us.

He loves us.

Here's what Ephesians 1.3-14

has taught us so far.

We've been chosen by the Father

from eternity past.

He loves you.

He's always loved you.

You were redeemed

by the precious blood of Jesus

in the present.

And the last thing

I would like you to see

is that you were sealed

by the Spirit of God,

guaranteeing in eternity

in the loving presence of God.

He will always love you.

You've always been loved.

You are loved right now.

And you will always be loved.

Would you look at

verses 13 and 14 of chapter 1?

In Him you also,

when you heard the word of truth,

the gospel of your salvation,

and believed in Him,

were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit

who is the guarantee

of our inheritance

until we acquire possession of it

to the praise of His glory.

The moment a sinner

believes in Christ,

at that moment,

they are sealed

by the Holy Spirit,

the third person of the Trinity.

Now when you hear the word sealed,

don't think ocean mammal.

Or, or, or.

Not that.

And when you hear the word sealed,

don't think your kitchen sink.

You know when you drop

a kitchen sink in,

you kind of put a silicon seal around it

so it doesn't leak in underneath that.

Paul's not talking about

silicon caulk right here.

He's not.

He's writing of an authoritative mark

that is impressed upon

an official document

that signifies its legitimacy.

It's authentic.

We see that mark in all sorts of things.

Birth certificates.

Marriage licenses certificates.

I think car titles have them as well.

You know, those kind of raised seals

that you feel

to make sure that this document

is legit.

What Paul is saying here

is that the Holy Spirit

is impressed upon a Christian

the moment that they believe.

Legitimizing the fact

that that Christian

now and forever

belongs to God.

Do you see the extent of this?

Verse 14.

Who is the guarantee

of our inheritance

until we acquire possession of it.

The Holy Spirit

indwells us

the moment we believe

and makes us

God's own

guaranteeing

an eternity

with God.

Jesus is coming back.

And we live

in between the comings.

Jesus has already come

the first time.

And now we're sitting

on G

waiting for O

from the Father

for Jesus to come back.

and when He comes back

He's going to make

all wrongs right.

And so right now

we await

His second coming.

He's going to come

like a thief in the night.

Now I know

that for some of you

in that room

that can kind of

stir up some fears

in your heart.

But brother,

sister in Christ

we don't have to be afraid

of His second coming.

We don't need to be afraid

of Jesus' return.

And here's why.

The Holy Spirit

in us

guarantees

that when Jesus

comes back

He will claim us

as His own.

It's guaranteed.

I guarantee it.

When we talk about

seeing Jesus

when He comes back

it rightly has the effect

on our hearts.

It stirs a longing

doesn't it?

When you think about

Jesus coming back

you're like

I can't wait to see Him.

I can't wait

to be in His presence.

I am so looking forward

to that.

But let me float

something by you guys

this morning.

Brothers and sisters

in Christ

could it be

could it be

that your risen Savior

longs to see you

face to face

more than you long

to see Him

face to face?

Is it possible?

Oh yeah.

He has put His Spirit

in you

to seal you

for Himself

guaranteeing

that He will see you

face to face.

You know what this means?

He longs to see you.

He longs to be with you.

He loves you.

God the Father

has loved you

from eternity past.

God the Son

loves you.

He redeemed you

in the present.

And God the Spirit

has sealed you

guaranteeing being

with God

for eternity

experiencing His love.

Now you might be

sitting in your pew

right now

and you're like thinking

does God really

love me like that?

Does He really

long to be with me

like that?

Based on what

the Bible says

oh yeah

He does.

He does.

He longs to be with you.

Now if you're not

a Christian in the room

let me ask you

this question.

Are you aware

of your sin?

Are you aware

that when you sin

when you do wrong

that it is against God?

Are you aware

of that?

And if you're aware

of that

and you're wondering

what you should do

here's what you do.

You cry out

to Jesus

who shed His blood

for you.

That's what you do.

So brother, sister

in Christ

tomorrow morning

you're looking in the

bathroom mirror

you're asking yourself

who is this person?

Chosen by God

the Father

from eternity past

you're loved.

Redeemed by the Son

in the present

you are loved.

Sealed by the Spirit

for eternity

you are loved.

Loved by God.

Eternally loved

by the triune God.

Is it true?

Is it true?

It's true!

God's Word says so.

So now

our response is

we believe it.

We trust it.

We trust

that what this says

is more true of us

than the way

we may feel.

This is what God's Word says.

So the first thing

that you need to know

about yourself

brother and sister

in Christ

is that you've been

eternally loved

by the triune God.

The second thing

I want you to see

is that you've been

radically changed

by Jesus Christ.

If you just look

at Ephesians 2

1 through 10

if you look in there

there is a radical

change described

right there

of a Christian.

Radical.

What kind of radical change

are we talking about?

You were

dead to God

and God

made you

alive to Him

through Christ.

That is

a radical change.

This past June

I was walking

my dog

by the

Southport

Beach House.

And I was walking

my dog

and I happened

to look

out onto the water

and I noticed

something floating

on the water

four or five feet

out from the shoreline.

Instantly

I knew something

wasn't right.

So I started

hustling down

to the water

and as I came up

on the water

my eyes

saw this.

I saw

an elderly man

floating on his back

face in the water.

I ran into the water.

I pulled him over

and as soon

as my skin

touched his skin

I knew

this man was dead.

I pulled him

out of the water

onto the shore

and I was just

surveying him

I was looking

at his face

I'm looking for

any signs

of life.

No breath

no heartbeat

no movement

in his eyes

this man

was lifeless

unresponsive

this man

was dead.

God wants us

to understand

our spiritual

condition.

He wants us

to understand

that before

we became

Christians

we were dead.

We were dead.

And what Paul

is saying here

he's not speaking

of a physical death

he's not saying

let's see here

he's not saying

and you were

physically dead

in your trespasses

and sins

he's saying

you were

spiritually dead

in your trespasses

and sins.

And here's

what that means

you were dead

to God

dead

to God

flat lined

cold

you didn't care

you didn't give

a rip

didn't matter

you were

dead

to God

you may have

been physically

alive

but you were

spiritually dead

you were

cold to God

unresponsive

to Him

you were

lifeless

here's the deal

if you don't

understand your

spiritual condition

before you become

a Christian

who you were

you were

dead

in your trespasses

and sins

if you don't

understand that

you're not going

to really fully

appreciate

who you are

now in Christ

what God has

done for you

through Christ

that you were

dead and now

you are alive

you were dead

to God

but through Christ

you are now

alive to God

in Christ

Jesus

so Ephesians 2

1 through 3

show us that

we were dead

and not only

just dead

we were in

danger

we were under

God's wrath

you see that

in Ephesians 2

3

but here's what

God did

here's the

radical change

you were dead

but God

made you alive

look at 2

verses 4

and 5

but God

being rich

in mercy

because of

the great

love with

which he

loved us

think of

an eternal

love of

the triune

God

right there

but God

being rich

in mercy

because of

the great

love with

which he

loved us

even when

we were

dead

in our

trespasses

made

us alive

together

with Christ

by grace

you have

been saved

by grace

you have

been saved

we were

made alive

by God

with Christ

better yet

we were

made alive

to God

through Christ

God

united us

to Christ

in his death

and in his

resurrection

we are

united to

Christ

and we

were even

seated

with Christ

in the

heavenly places

it's amazing

of what God

has done

for us

it's a

radical change

it's all

by his

grace

unmerited

unconditional

we were

unresponsive

he did

something

in us

radical

change

dead

to God

in danger

of his

wrath

and then

God

in Christ

made us

alive

seated us

with him

in the

heavenly

places

in that

moment

you believed

you were

eternally

changed

your

eternities

changed

right there

done

awesome

but not

only

your

eternity

changed

you were

changed

you were

dead

and then

God

made you

new

the basis

of this

this radical

change

is

Christ's

radical

love

he died

in your

place

for your

sin

and then

was raised

so that

you too

could live

a new

life for

God

that's

awesome

who

were you

you

were dead

to God

who are

you

now

now

you

are

alive

to God

and you

have

Christ

Jesus

alone

to

thank

for

that

Paul

says it

this way

in 2nd

Corinthians

517

you're a new

creation

the old

has

gone

the new

has

come

in Ephesians

210

we see

that

this

this is

all

moving

in a

certain

direction

God

made

you

alive

for

a

purpose

to

walk

in

the

good

works

which

God

prepared

beforehand

for

you

Christian

to

walk

in

he

gave

you

new

life

so

that

you

could

live

for

him

that's

how

dead

you

were

now

we've

got to

remember

that

who

we

are

determines

who

we

live

and

if

we

were

dead

and

were

made

alive

it

changes

the

game

we

now

can

live

for

God

all

praise

to

Jesus

Christ

this

is

who

you

are

now

you

were

dead

you're

dead

no

longer

Christian

now

by

God's

grace

you've

been

made

alive

and

now

we're

called

to

walk

it

out

to

live

out

who

God

has

made

us

to

be

radically

changed

we've

been

radically

changed

new

creations

so let

me ask

you the

question

is it

true

is

Ephesians

2

1

through

10

true

of

you

is it

true

believe

it

trust

it

you're

a new

creation

in

Christ

that's

who

you

are

now

the

third

thing

I

want

you

to

see

to

help

you

understand

who

you

are

you've

been

eternally

loved

by

the

triune

God

you've

been

radically

changed

by

Christ

made

alive

in

him

and

the

third

thing

I

want

you

to

see

is

that

God

intentionally

sets

you

into

his

body

he

knits

you

into

the

body

of

Christ

we

see

in

Ephesians

2

11

through

4

16

this

big

stretch

of

Ephesians

it's

all

about

the

church

it's

all

about

the

church

those

people

that

Jesus

has

redeemed

and brought

together

as

one

new

people

there's

just a

few

things

I

want

you

to

see

here

it's

really

this

is

really

amazing

in

Ephesians

2

11

through

22

here's

what

we

read

here's

what

it's

getting

at

the

blood

of

Christ

that

united

us

to

God

the

same

blood

that

united

us

to

God

has

united

us

to

one

another

how

about

that

blood

that's

thicker

than

water

man

and we've

got some

differences

in our

midst

don't we

we've

got some

differences

in this

room

some of

us have

European

backgrounds

some of

us have

African

backgrounds

some of

us have

Asian

backgrounds

some of

us have

Indian

backgrounds

some of

us have

Central

or South

American

backgrounds

some of

us

we're

still

kind of

wondering

what

your

background

is

but

despite

all our

differences

in our

ethnic

backgrounds

we all

have

something

in

common

that is

far more

important

that is

far more

powerful

than our

ethnic

heritage

let me

put it

this way

being

Italian

doesn't

save

me

have

an

Italian

background

doesn't

save

me

it's

got

no

power

it's

Christ

that

saves

us

Christ

is

our

life

we're

different

but what

unites

us

is far

greater

than

any

differences

we

may

have

and

let me

just

add

this

when

God

brings

a

people

together

with

many

differences

and

unites

them

in

Jesus

he

gets

a

glory

that

is

unique

to

him

it

is

a

full

glory

when

people

of

diverse

backgrounds

come

together

and

we're

saying

it's

all

about

Jesus

he

is

our

life

that

gives

God

a

greater

glory

our

identity

now

is in

Jesus

he

saves

us

he

gave

each

of

us

a

new

identity

and

that

trumps

our

ethnic

heritage

so

does

that

mean

I

cease

to

be

Calabres

it

doesn't

I'll

be

Calabres

till

the

day

I

die

but

here's

what

it

does

mean

in

light

of

what

Christ

has

done

Christ

defines

me

now

I

use

my

Italian

background

for the

glory

of

Jesus

now

it's

all

about

him

and

he

has

united

us

together

we've

been

united

by

the

blood

of

Jesus

and

we're

now

a

new

people

that's

what

Ephesians

is

saying

we

look at

Ephesians

Ephesians 4:1–16

chapter 4

verses 1

through 16

and we

read this

that

God has

purposely

gifted

each of

us

and knit

us

together

as a

local

body

not only

have we

been united

together

by the

blood

of

Jesus

God

the

Father

has

purposefully

gifted

each

of us

and knit

us

together

as a

body

he

doesn't

make

mistakes

we

are

interdependent

members

of the

body

of

Christ

that's

who

you

are

now

we

have

a

corporate

identity

not only

do we

think

in terms

of

me

and

I

we

think

in

terms

of

us

us

we're

the

body

of

Christ

so

we're

united

by the

blood

we've

been

knit

together

as

a

body

this

is

who

you

are

it's

who

we

are

and

then

310

what I

want to

show you

is

this

God

made us

alive

united

us

knit

us

together

in order

to make

known his

manifold

wisdom

to

everybody

look at

310

will you

so that

through

the church

the manifold

wisdom

of God

might now

be

might now

be made

known to

the rulers

and authorities

in the

heavenly

places

we

exist

as a

church

to

make

known

God's

glorious

plan

for

the

fullness

of

time

and

that

plan

is

to

unite

all

things

in

Christ

starting

with

the

people

here's

what

that

means

we're

living

proof

we're

living

proof

that

the

triune

God

is

purposefully

saving

people

in

uniting

them

together

for

a

people

for

his

own

namesake

that's

what

he's

doing

we

exist

for

his

glory

who

are

you

tomorrow

morning

you look

in the

mirror

who

are

you

well

you're

a

gifted

member

of

the

body

of

Christ

you've

been

united

to

other

people

you

exist

for

the

glory

of

God

now

we're

defined

by

relationships

with

other

Christians

we have

a

corporate

identity

is

it

true

yes

it's

true

you

know

what

that

means

if

you

don't

have

a

church

family

you

need

one

God

has

designed

it

that

way

it's

part

of

who

you

are

so

let

me

wrap

this

thing

up

tomorrow

morning

tomorrow

night

tonight

you're

looking

at

yourself

in

the

mirror

what

are

you

more

aware

of

more

aware

of

the

crow's

feet

the

grays

or

are

you

more

aware

of

how

God

sees

you

we

forget

don't

we

we

forget

who

we

are

we

forget

what

God

and

Christ

has

done

for

us

we

forget

that's

why

he's

given

us

his

word

so

that

we

remember

and

remember

and

remember

remember

that

you're

eternally

loved

by the

triune

God

radically

changed

by

Christ

and

intentionally

knit

into

the

body

of

Christ

this

is

who

we

are

this

is

who

we

are

this

fall

what

we're

going to

do

is

this

we're

going

to

learn

how

we

live

out

who

we

are

together

as a

church

that's

where

we're

going

how

to

live

for

Jesus

who

we

are

determines

how

we

live

Christ

is

our

life

so

we

together

live

for

him

let me

pray

God

in

heaven

it's

amazing

what

you've

done

for

us

in

Christ

Jesus

it's

amazing

to think

about

your

love

for

us

and

as

we

do

as

you

think

what

you've

done

for

us

in

Christ

your

whole

hearted

devotion

to

us

our

response

is

all

our

hearts

all

our

ways

all

our

time

all

our

days

it's

just

that

simple

the

math

is

clear

God

we

love

you

we

want

to

give

you

it

all

we

pray

this

in

the

name

of

Jesus

amen