ephesians 3 sermon

As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. Brothers, sisters - this is the most important fact that can be said of you, a fact that changes everything. Free shipping on books, Bibles, gifts, VBS and Church Supplies of $50 or more. Spring beckons new life everywhere in my back yard but here on this skeletal tree. Paul's intercessory burden 3:14-19. You are also "firmly established in love," says Paul, and this time he uses a word from architecture. "There's something in all of us that cannot be naturally loved. The Prisoner of the Mystery (Ephesians 3:1-5) Ephesians 3:1. Luke describes Paul’s return to Jerusalem and the subsequent imprisonment which would lead, firstly to Caesarea and then, eventually, Rome. IN PRAYER . "By the time I knew Pandy she was not a particularly attractive doll. Whether we are called to preach, teach, lead worship, work with the young people, serve others or evangelize, the calling and the ability is all a result of the grace and mercy of God displayed and poured out in and through Christ Jesus. When Barbie went to bed at night, Pandy lay next to her. In fact, to tell the truth, she was a mess. The cause that beckons forth "agape" is never found in the object of love. "Agape" is the love-word for absolute, un-self-centered, brutal sacrifice. It is true that Paul will elsewhere introduce himself as a slave (or bondservant) of Christ Jesus (e.g. Sign In. 3:14-21 (ESV) For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, [15] from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, [16] that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] … Ephesians Sermon Series Outline. The word for able describes focused effort that does not let up until the task is accomplished. THE POWER OF LOVE - A Short Sermon on Ephesians 3, Love, Destiny, and Time Travel A wild-eyed crazy scientist steals 2002 preaching technology, travels back in time to 1985 to give it to an earnest and sincere young preacher, right before whisking him back to the future 2013 to write a blog entry about Ephesians 3. Never miss a post. Paul is a prisoner of the state when he wrote the amazing words for the Ephesians and for you and me. The Dead Alive by Grace: A Beautiful Workmanship from Ephesians 2:8–10 At one time we were apart from God and on the outside looking in, but now, because of the cross, we are brought near and Jesus Christ establishes and becomes our peace. What is the mystery? Paul wants us to remember who we were before Christ radically intervened. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. My father turned the car around, and we drove from Illinois all the way back to Canada. If you are a believer this morning it is because he poured out grace and mercy. He is married to Leeanne and is the father of Joey and Craig. We will consider the first of these two unusual things momentarily, but should firstly note the way in which the first verse of this section points us back to the preceding passage (Ephesians 2:11-22). Love Barbie; love her rag doll. I have been looking forward to this day for months. [7] O’Brien, Peter Thomas. The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed . She loved her with a love that was too strong for Pandy's own good. These are the notes of a sermon preached by Andy Evans on the morning of the 23 January 2011 at Firwood Church. Bible Popular Verses John 3:16 James 4:7 Psalm 23:1 Romans 8:28 Matthew 6:34 Hebrews 11:1 Philippians 4:13 1 Corinthians 13:4 Bible Topics Verses on Love Verses … Sometimes there is a tendency to distance God from the difficult circumstances in our lives. [6] Most other translations (NIV, NET, NKJV, etc.) It is the unity of a body; various are the members of that body. Name. The Consecrated Life. Paul understands that his very Apostolic calling with all its requisite giftings is a further demonstration of the grace of God at work. It is important that we see that the call to Christ is the call to walk the way of the cross. The Pattern of Suffering – for Christ Jesus. Verse 18 opens by asking that you "may be able to comprehend." A personal, 9-page letter written to his daughter in 1875 sold for $33,000 back in 1991. In this sermon from Ephesians 3:17, … BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Perhaps he was regarded as of no great account by his Roman jailors, who could have known nothing of the secret of his greatness; but viewed in the light of Christian history, Paul is the most distinguished of men. Amplified: FOR THIS reason [because I preached that you are thus built up together], I, Paul, [am] the prisoner of Jesus the Christ for the sake and on behalf of you Gentiles— (Amplified Bible - Lockman) "When Pandy was young and a looker, Barbie loved her. Paul stood with an unshakable confidence that he was precisely where the Lord of the Universe had called him to be. Lloyd Stilley is pastor of First Baptist Church, Gulf Shores, Alabama. "Once we took a vacation from our home in Rockford, Illinois, to Canada. INTRODUCTION: [ Beginning of this sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14 ] A. First, they are "in the heavenly places" a. Paul’s Prayer (Ephesians 3:14-21) A. God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed." The glory Paul speaks of in verse 13 is reserved for believers. Reid, ‘Prison, Prisoner’ in Dictionary of Paul and his Letters, p. 753. Volume 3 — #4086 — Ephesians 3:17 How can you have an abundant life in Christ? It is the blazing light of the glory of God’s grace which inspires Paul to continue, it is ‘For this reason…’. Here in Ephesians 3:16, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on the profound importance of the transformed inner man. So in v. 18-20, he asks the Father to give you what it takes to make the jump from head to heart. Similarly, whether we have been called to serve in a way which is prominent or inconspicuous, our very calling is in itself a grace gift. Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:1-7 The Church: To God be the Glory (Ephesians 3) Intro. Lit., "in the heavenlies", a phrase found only in Ephesians - 1:3; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12 b. Ephesians)3:)Power! Ep 3:1; 4:1; 6:20 2. Satan would rather have me fellowship with other believers than pray. A. Your Identity: A New Creation from Ephesians 1:1–14. The Dead Alive by Grace: Mercy Interrupting from Ephesians 2:4–7. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. The good news of the gospel is not that we get to go to church, but that he makes us to be the church. Paul understood that he was not a victim of circumstance or chance, but rather he belonged to Christ Jesus. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. God’s New Creation. See Hoehner, p. 96. The Cosmic Church. Mar 27, 1994. Let’s see how he gets onto this parenthesis by looking at Ephesians 3:1. ), but concur with the ESV translators that the phrase here denotes cause. And yet, when it comes to the love of God, we are all charity cases. August 28, 2003. Ephesians 3 Commentary, One of over 110 Bible commentaries freely available, this 12 volume, chapter by chapter commentary of 4,800 sermon outlines and 24,000 homiletic references 1. The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed . In fact, God goes out of His way to let you know several important things about His love. The flash-point is Paul’s association with the Gentiles and the belief that Paul’s proclamation of the gospel in places like Ephesus to men and women like you and I (i.e. Ephesians 2 Ephesians 3 Ephesians 4. St. Paul prays, in his letter to the Ephesians (Eph.3:13-21), "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. [4], Luke gives us some details of Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome (the most likely location for the writing of the letter to the Ephesians) and although he is under house arrest with some freedom, he is still chained (Acts 28:20).[5]. We cannot be certain, but the most convincing arguments point towards Paul’s first Roman imprisonment.[3]. The second thing to note, however, is that Paul’s suffering here is incredibly purposeful, Paul explains to us why it ultimately does not matter whether he is imprisoned in Philippi, Ephesus, Jerusalem, Caesarea or Rome (and he was imprisoned in all of these places); ultimately Paul is imprisoned for Christ Jesus (Paul will later describe himself as ‘a prisoner for the Lord’ (Ephesians 4:1)).[6]. Sunday (Ephesians 3:1-4) Paul’s Relationship to the Divine Mystery. All of us, with Paul, are called to be stewards of God’s grace and ambassadors for the sake of the gospel. Paul understands that not only is his imprisonment a consequence of his devotion to and the purposes of Christ Jesus, but also that his present circumstances directly relate to his ministry to the Gentiles. How is it that Paul could continue in the faith knowing that a final imprisonment and execution faced him in Rome? There is some dispute as to which imprisonment Paul is referring to here, some arguing for imprisonment in Ephesus, some for Caesarea and some for Rome. Paul sees lives transformed and Christ glorified in it and concludes that the trials, the tribulations, the beatings, the imprisonments and the immense danger facing him daily is all worth it. Every discovery shook his soul. The beatings hurt, the discomfort was uncomfortable and the pain was painful (consider, for example, the catalogue of Paul’s trials in 2 Corinthians 11:16-28). 3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. Firstly, Paul’s circumstances are difficult and he is suffering. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. The Depth of Christ's Love: Its Cost. Scripture: Ephesians 4:32–5:2. In Ephesians 1-3, we’ve sat and learned at Jesus’ feet, just like Mary. a. At the time Paul wrote this epistle, he was awaiting trial in Rome - cf. 7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 1) Power through the Spirit (Ephesians 3:14-16) 2) Power through the Son (Ephesians 3:17a), and 3) Power through the Father’s Love (Ephesians 3:17b–21). John Piper Oct 24, 2004 75 Shares Message. "Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God's children…" (I John 3:1). "Husbands, love your wives, just as also Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her "(Eph. This is the first Sunday in the season of Epiphany. If you are into quick fix Christianity, with instant discipleship, you'll give up too early. So when Paul says we are rooted like a great oak in love and grounded like a well-founded building on love, let the truth of what that means strike you. Scripture: Ephesians 4:32–5:2. The church: Fullness of Christ (Eph. Mar 27, 1994. I have a tree in my back yard which has been noticeably shifted by Hurricane Ivan, its root snapped beneath the ground. I personally believe that: Satan would rather have me witness than pray. John Ortberg then makes this observation: "The measure of my sister's love for that doll was that she would travel all the way to a distant country to save her. The Gospel teaches that even a murderer and persecutor of Christians, like the Apostle Paul himself, can become a church planter and Pastor. Ordinary correspondence from the author of Tom Sawyer usually brings $1,200 to $1,500 a page. Browse . As we work our way, over the next four weeks, through this prolonged digression we will need to take care to both remember and look forward. Now add the second verb. remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. To recipients of grace, the gospel is glorious because the grace of God is glorious. Still Human! […] I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles. We ran back up to our room - no Pandy. But Paul goes further, later in this passage (and we shall consider this further in the coming weeks). John Ortberg tells the story of his sister Barbie and her favorite doll when she was growing up, a doll named Pandy. 1! Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for Ephesians 3:20 ← Back to Chuck Smith's Bio & Resources "HE IS ABLE" I. PAUL'S IMPOSSIBLE REQUESTS. ; these never entered upon this trust, never possessed this capacity; therefore, do not fall under the penalty of the wicked. The word used here is "agape," which is the NT word for God's love for us and our love for one another. What is the secret to living life to its fullest? When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help! b. Ps. Only now Paul, temporarily at least, shifts the focus to himself; but note that Paul does this with great purpose. Satan would rather have me preach or teach than pray. But this first verse also points forward. Discussion QuestionsVerse one starts with the phrase, “For this reason I, Paul…” What is the ending of this sentence? Ephesians 3:4 . Referring to the spiritual realm, as opposed to the physical 2. Our roots draw up the love God has for us all the time. It is the unity of a flock; various are the grades in that flock. As recipients of grace we are also custodians of grace. Paul's apostolic burden 3:1-13. When we face hard times and when life makes no sense whatsoever, we need to stop and say to ourselves, “Something big is happening here.” God never wastes anything. Ephesians 3:19b. Our Weakness - His Strength . There are three words that need to touch our minds and souls. Sermon: Powerful Praying (Ephesians 3:14-21) Posted on November 10, 2008 by Brian Evans. Jesus himself reminds us that to become his disciple is a risky and costly thing, Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me…”. 1:18) to the throne of grace. When Barbie could get away with it, Pandy took a bath with her. How can we continue in the way of Christ knowing that suffering, trial and persecution is inevitable? Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. Sermon. And walking always has the purpose of arriving at a destination. EXEGESIS: THE CONTEXT: In chapter 2, Paul talked about the Gentile Christians in Ephesus. Paul wants us to understand that now, in Christ Jesus, everything has changed. An epiphany is a moment when you suddenly understand something which has been hidden from your view. It goes far beyond the trite expressions of love we use when we speak of loving where we live or loving the hamburger our favorite restaurant makes. Your trusted source of Christian resources since 1891. 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 3:2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3:3 that by revelation the divine secret was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly. (Adapted from John Ortberg's Love Beyond Reason, p. 11-13). We were alienated and without a hope in the world. There are two conditions to moving from head to heart. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 8: "Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Paul wants us to remember all of this that we might feel the wonder of the gospel. Paul wants us to remember. We are not dead tumbleweeds, tossed about by whatever prevailing wind comes along. Videos. The Letter to the Ephesians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. She had remained behind at the hotel in Canada. Living Out the Mystery (Ephesians 3:9-10) and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. We don't use that word much these days, except to refer to those whose life and circumstances have made them indigent. Text: Ephesians 3:10 Sermon Series: Soul Food: Ephesians for the 21st-Century You might as well ask people to like the taste of rotten bread or the sound of a mechanical drill" as to expect that God would find something lovable in us. A. C. T. Language. At one time we were separated from God, the people of God and the things of God. All of this, again, like everything we have in Christ, is (at the end of verse 12) ours through faith alone in Christ alone. ), To be loved by God is an act of charity toward beggars and rebels. It works everywhere you sign in, even with the mobile app! And because of this, we are stronger than the storms that beat upon our lives. Ephesians 3:10 His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, Sermons Here is this professor of theology, the Apostle Paul, who studied deeply the implications of the cross, where Jesus became his substitute. Scripture: Ephesians 4:31–5:2. Ephesians 2 Ephesians 3 Ephesians 4. 2, p. 539-541 & E. Arnold, Clinton, ‘Epistle to the Ephesians’ in Hawthorne, Gerald F., Ralph P. Martin and Daniel G. Reid (eds. Subscribe to the Verse of the day. Given for our own benefit and personal enhancement - this is the unity a. Mercy of God displayed in the way of Christ Jesus his love ''! 20:17-38 D. writing now as “ an AMBASSADOR in CHAINS ”....... Author of Tom Sawyer usually brings $ 1,200 to $ 1,500 a page you suddenly understand which! Feel this way because God is an outrageous notion 3:17 how can you surely! Of souls and the glorification of Christ Jesus, everything has changed more they... And grounded in controversial and divisive fall short of the gospel of Christ 1:1, Titus 1:1, etc )., Gulf Shores, Alabama live, connected to our source of and... The secret to living life to its fullest and prayer minds and souls out Paul ’ acceptance... 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