Chosen by God May 26th, 2024
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength, and our redeemer. Open our ears, open our hearts, and open our minds to make us aware of Jesus Christ, the Living Word, in our midst. Amen.
A few weeks ago, we finally came to the end of our study of the book of Acts and while not every verse of it was easy to understand, I did feel it was a worthwhile exercise to study an entire book of the Bible from beginning to end. Studying a book of the Bible from start to finish allows for a more thorough understanding of the themes, messages, and context found in it and helps us appreciate the development of thoughts and narratives, which might be missed when reading individual verses or chapters by themselves. It will also give us a better idea of the overall theme of the book and why the author wrote it.
With that in mind, I thought it would be valuable to our understanding of scripture to start working our way through another book and see what we could learn from it. I started looking at suggestions and the book which was most frequently recommended was Ephesians. It is relatively short and the message it contains is easy to understand and has relevance to our every day lives. As Christians in our ever busy complicated world, we need guidance and encouragement, and we can draw this strength from God’s Word.
The title of the book of Ephesians is The Letter of Paul to the Ephesians and it was written by the Apostle Paul. As we learned in the Book of Acts, he was originally known as Saul of Tarsus and was a key figure in the spread of Christianity after Jesus’s crucifixion. Born around 4 BC in Tarsus, now part of modern-day Turkey, he was a Pharisee, a sect of the Jewish faith, and was initially a persecutor of Christians. However, after his extraordinary encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, he converted to Christianity. Paul is credited with writing thirteen books of the New Testament and establishing Christian communities across Asia Minor and Europe. His letters and teachings have had a lasting impact on Christian theology and the development of the church.
Because of his fervent support of the Christian faith, Paul was constantly being persecuted by both the leaders of the Jewish faith as well as the Roman authorities, who were afraid of losing their control over the people. Because of this, he was imprisoned at least three times. During one of those times, when he was under house arrest in Rome, he wrote a series of four letters, three to the churches in Ephesus, Colossae, and Philippi, as well as one to a fellow missionary, Philemon. These have become known as Paul’s prison epistles.
The Book of Ephesians is important as it offers insight into the early Christian church and its teachings. Written around 60-64 A.D., while Paul was under house arrest in Rome, this epistle is addressed to the church in Ephesus, a major city of an area of Asia Minor, which is known today as Turkey. The book’s six chapters are full of theology, emphasizing themes such as the unity of the church, the universal plans of God, and the spiritual blessings in Christ.
Paul’s first visit to Ephesus was when he was on his second missionary journey, this is what took place, “After staying in Corinth for a considerable time, Paul said farewell to the believers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. … When they reached Ephesus, he left them there, but first he himself went into the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. When they asked him to stay longer, he declined; but on taking leave of them, he said, ‘I will return to you, if God wills.’ Then he set sail from Ephesus. (Acts 18:18-21)
And God did will it, for two years later while Paul was on his third missionary journey he returned to Ephesus. He spent nearly three years there preaching and teaching, this is what the Apostle Luke, the author of the book of Acts tells us, “Paul entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.” (Acts 19:8-10)
Believing his work there was able to continue without him, Paul eventually left the believers in Ephesus to continue ministry elsewhere, but it seems that the Ephesian elders of the church were very dear to him. At the end of his third mission trip, while he was returning to Jerusalem, he made a stop in a nearby port city, Miletus, and he sent a message to the elders in Ephesus, asking them to come and see him. After giving them some final words of encouragement, this is how he left them, “When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.” (Acts 20:36-38)
Paul’s deep love for the members of the church in Ephesus was expressed by his closing words in his letter to them, he wrote, “So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus will tell you everything. He is a dear brother and a faithful minister in the Lord. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, to let you know how we are, and to encourage your hearts.” (Ephesus 6:21-22)
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is arranged in two main sections: the first three chapters focus on Christian principles, while the last three apply this to practical living. It begins by celebrating the spiritual blessings believers have in Christ, reminding them that God chose and predestined them for a purpose. Paul then delves into the mystery of the gospel, which reveals that through Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles are united into one new humanity, breaking down the barriers that previously separated them.
The latter half of the book encourages believers to live out their faith in practical ways, promoting a life of love, purity, and mutual care. This includes the famous passage on the Armour of God, which uses the metaphor of a Roman soldier’s armour to describe the spiritual defenses Christians must employ against all evil that tries to find its way daily into our lives.
One of the key messages of Ephesians is the concept of the church as the body of Christ, with Christ himself as the head. This imagery serves to illustrate how all believers are interconnected, regardless of their background. The book also addresses the relationship between grace and works, emphasizing that salvation is a gift from God, not a result of human effort, yet it leads to a life of good works prepared by God for believers to do. This can be a paradox to many, but basically it indicates that God gave us the gift of salvation but that doesn’t mean once we have it, we should do nothing. Once we receive this incredible gift, we are called to good works to encourage and help others in their journey of faith with God.
Ephesians has been influential in shaping Christian thought and practice throughout history. Its teachings on the unity of the church have been particularly significant in ecumenical movements, and its rich theological content continues to be a source of study and reflection for scholars and laypeople alike.
The Book of Ephesians provides a thorough background on the spiritual heritage and responsibilities of Christians, encouraging them to live in unity and holiness, and to engage with the world from a place of spiritual strength and understanding. It remains a cornerstone of New Testament theology and an essential guide for Christian living.
There are at least three good reasons for studying Ephesians. First of all, it deepens our understanding of the gospel, Ephesians helps us to understand, in Paul’s words, “the boundless riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8). Secondly, it provides grace-filled encouragement. If you feel tired, discouraged, lonely, or confused, then this is the book which will help you. Our souls need to see this description of the glorious grace of God. And thirdly, Ephesians offers practical answers to basic questions about the Christian life. It is a “mini theology book” which every Christian would benefit from studying.
This morning, we heard the first six verses of the first chapter of Ephesians. In this passage, Paul speaks to the believers in Ephesus, offering grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He speaks of the spiritual blessings bestowed in Christ, emphasizing themes of grace, selection, and predestination.
Paul addresses his readers with these words, “To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus.” Paul called the believers in Ephesus “saints.” These are individuals who belong to God, and as such are – “God’s people.” Saints are not a super-elite group in the church. The Bible calls all believers “saints.” God’s people are called saints because they have been set apart by God, for God. That is, they belong to him, for the focus is not upon a particular state of holiness, but upon a special relationship with God.
He then said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” God’s purpose from the very beginning has been to create a family; one that would bring joy to himself and his people; one that would never end. You see, God’s purpose in bringing you to faith was not just to bring you into relationship with himself, but also, to bring you into relationship with other believers. And that’s what he’s doing, through the church. He’s building a family, which you and I and everyone who trusts in Christ are a part of. It’s often challenging in these times, but definitely no more so than in the early times of the church. This can be a great source of strength for us, as times change but the need for a relationship with God never does. So, we continue building our faith and our church family to not only bring glory to God but his divine love to others.
Ephesians 1:3-6 is a passage that examines the themes of spiritual blessings and divine predestination. It speaks of the blessings that believers have received in Christ, emphasizing that these are not earthly or material, but spiritual in nature, existing in the heavenly realms. The passage also touches on the concept of being chosen by God, suggesting that this choice was made even before the creation of the world, and that it was done with the purpose of believers being holy and righteous in his sight. This section of Ephesians concludes with a focus on the grace of God, which is described as glorious and freely given, underscoring the theme of his generosity and love.
As we work our way through Ephesians, we should always keep in mind these words from the old hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, “All I have needed Thy hand hath provided, great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!” Indeed, we have been brought from death to life and given everything we need for the daily relationships and responsibilities we have and the spiritual battles we face. As we walk through this world, we never walk alone.
Let us Pray:
Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the spiritual blessings bestowed upon us as followers of your Son, Jesus. May we live in praise of your glorious grace, which you have freely given us, and continue building your church family through our faith in your Son. Amen