Paul has been admonishing the church to walk what they know. Since

Christ has broken down walls, we should walk together. Because Christ

has removed us from the bondage of sin, we ought to walk away from sin.

Now, at the beginning of chapter 5, Paul kicks it up a notch with the

most shocking of admonitions; we must imitate God. Walk like God.

Knowing are spiritual position and vast spiritual possessions in Christ

should lead us to walk together and walk away from sin. God's grace does

not give us license to sin, but rather motivation and power to move

overcome it.

The first half of Ephesians deals with doctrine, the

second half, deals with duty. The first

half deals with riches in Christ; the

second half deals with responsibility in Christ. The first three chapters of

Ephesians, Paul is stressing the importance of understanding in sound,

essential doctrine; the second half beginning in chapter four begins to help us

understand how we are to walk that out in

our daily lives.

Easter changed everything. Imagine the first Easter. It would not have begun as the celebration that we experience. It was full of doubt, worry, fear and confusion, but with an angelic message everything changed.

Paul begins his second "prison prayer" here in Ephesians 3. It is a

prayer that the Holy Spirit would empower the church that God has

created. This is a message that the church desperately needs to hear.

The divine mystery in Christ has revealed that believing Gentiles are on

the very same footing as Jewish believers:  equal family, equal heirs, and equal partners in the promise. This was a big deal to Paul, to the Gentiles, to the Jews, to God and therefore should be a big deal to us today.