Ephesians 4:7-16

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The Love of God

Ephesians 3:14-21

1. From His Love Comes Spiritual Strength (vs 14-16)

a. Paul knows he can go to the Lord because He loves

b. Paul knows God can help because He is sovereign

c. Paul knows he can ask of the Lord because He loves

i. “according to the riches of His glory” vs 16

ii. Isaiah 41:10, “I will strengthen you”

2. From His Love Comes Spiritual Security (vs 17-18a)

a. Paul knows that eternal security comes through Christ

b. Paul knows that relationships point to our security in Christ.

c. Psalm 95:6, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!”

3. From His Love Comes Experiences of His Love (vs 18b-19a)

a. Paul wants them to comprehend God’s love

b. Paul wants them to experience God’s love

i. 2 Types of knowledge

1. Objective: The Bible teaches that God loves me.

2. Subjective: I have experienced God’s love for me.

a. The truth doesn’t come from experience. But the truth is, God gives us experiences of His love.

b. Psalm 34:8, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

ii. “Paul is not asking that his readers might become more able to articulate the greatness of God’s love in Christ Jesus or to grasp with the intellect alone how significant God’s love is in the plan of redemption. He is asking God that they might have the power to grasp the dimensions of that love in their experience.” -Carson

4. From His Love Comes His Fullness (vs 19b-20)

a. Paul wants them to know God fully

b. Paul wants them to be in awe of God’s nature

5. From Our Love We Glorify Him (vs 21)

The Man, The Mystery, The Mission

Ephesians 3:1-13

1. The Man

a. Paul

i. “Prisoner” (vs 1)

ii. “Apostle” (vs 5)

1. “One who has seen the risen Christ, is a witness of His resurrection, and, is commissioned by Him to preach the gospel.” -ISBE

iii. Humble “Minister” (vs 7-8)

iv. Shepherd (vs 13)

b. Christ Jesus (vs 1)

2. The Mystery

a. What is the mystery?

i. verse 6, “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.”

b. His Word is Sufficient and Final

i. “mystery was made known to me” (vs 3)

ii. “Has now been revealed” (5)

iii. “was given” (vs 7)

iv. “might now be made known” (vs 10)

v. God’s Word changes people and culture, people and culture don’t change God’s Word.

vi. “Accordingly, the establishment of peace between Jews and Gentiles in the church is a signal to all powers in the universe. For Paul, there is no more basic division in the human race than that between Jew and Gentile. That they can be united with each other in Christ and be at peace in the church displays the profound wisdom of God, and it proves even to supernatural powers that Jesus is Lord of the universe.” -RC Sproul

3. The Mission

a. Follow God’s Will

b. Understand The Word of God

c. Be Captivated by His Blessings

i. “I am bold to tell you that my Master’s riches of grace are so unsearchable, that he delights to forgive and forget enormous sin; the bigger the sin the more glory to his grace. If you are over head and ears in debt, he is rich enough to discharge your liabilities. If you are at the very gates of hell, he is able to pluck you from the jaws of destruction.” (Spurgeon)

d. Tell Others of His Love

e. Go to Him in Prayer

Ephesians 2:11-22

Ephesians 2:1-10

1.      Thanksgiving(vs 15-16)

a.      Why was Paul Thankful?                                                           

1.      “I have heard of your faith in the Lord

2.      “I do not cease to give thanks, remembering

2.      Intercession(vs 17-20)

a.      Paul recognizes who provides spiritual

1.      “The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of

1.       “may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him”

iii.     What does the Spirit do?

1.      “eyes of your hearts enlightened” vs 18

b.     Paul prays for their spiritual growth                                                            

1.      “It is amazing that God should so treasure as His

1.      “immeasurable”

a.      The form of this Greek word means “a degree that

b.      The greatness of God’s power is beyond measure.

3.      Praise(vs 20-23)

a.      Paul praises God                                                               

1.      “that he worked in Christ when He raised Him

2.      Resurrection

3.      Ascension                                                            

1.      “Far above all rule and authority and power

2.      “Above every name that is named”

3.      “not only in this age but also in the one to

4.      “He put all things under his feet and gave

a.      “to the church” (or “for the church”)

b.      “Christ’s supremacy and preeminence over

5.      “which is His body, the fullness of Him who

4.      Application

a.      Grow in Thankfulness

b.      Grow in Knowledge of God

c.      Grow in Worship

Praising Him for our Spiritual Blessings

Introduction to the new series based on Ephesians

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