Ephesians 3:1-7

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if you have heard of the stewardship of the grace of God which is given me toward you” let’s stop right there. That’s Ephesians 3:1-2. “For this cause.” For what cause? Well, for the cause he was talking about at the end of chapter 2, the building of the Church. Paul’s great concern was not the building of his reputation or the building of his bank account. Paul’s great concern was the building of the Church. What is Jesus doing in the world today? He’s building His Church. What is the Holy Spirit doing today? Building the Church. Why is God answering prayer? To build His Church. What is it God wants us to do to help build His Church? Not just a local assembly, that’s important, but His Church throughout the world, what Paul calls “all of the saints, the whole family of God.”

Well, Paul was interested in building the Church. That’s why he was a prisoner. “For this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.” Paul had been in the temple. He was giving a defense of his life there in the temple and he uttered the word Gentiles. He said that God sent him to the Gentiles and the people in the temple got so furious they wanted to kill him. Why was Paul in prison? Because he had a missionary heart for the whole world. I wonder how many of us would be willing to go to prison to promote missions. Paul was a prisoner to build the Church. Paul was a steward. You’ve heard of the dispensation of the grace of God. “The stewardship of the grace of God given to me.” God gave Paul a message. He gave Him a ministry. He gave Him a stewardship. He’s done the same thing for us. You and I have the stewardship of our talents, our abilities, our time, our opportunities to build the Church.

Paul was also a minister. He tells us that God made him a minister. Verse 7, “According to the gift of the grace of God.” Paul was a prisoner, Paul was a steward, Paul was a minister; for what purpose? The building of the Church. That’s the greatest purpose in all the world. That’s the highest motive in all the world, to glorify God, to serve Jesus Christ in the building of His Church around the world.

Ephesians 2:19-22

Anybody can go through life tearing things down. Christians are here in this world to help build things up. Why? Because God is a builder. Jesus said, “I will build My church.” And Paul talks about this building program in Ephesians 2:19-22. He speaks to the saved Gentiles and says, “Now, therefore, you are no more strangers and sojourners but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building, fitly framed together, is growing unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.”

Have you ever thought about the habitations of God in the Bible? God walked with man in the garden, and then man sinned and man was cast out of the garden. And then the only way man could come to God was through the blood sacrifice on the altar. God had Moses build a tabernacle and God dwelt in the tabernacle. Then they built a temple and God dwelt in the temple. Alas they sinned and God left his temple. And then God came down to earth in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus. “And He tabernacle among us and we beheld His glory” (John 1:14). And then they crucified Him.

Where is God dwelling today? In His Church, all the building is growing together. What a picture we have of Christians. We are citizens of God’s country, we are saints, we are children in God’s family. We belong to the household of God. We are living stones in the temple and this temple is growing day by day as people are being saved. What a privilege it is to be the habitation of God through the Spirit.

Are we living like that? Is our body as the temple of the Holy Spirit and His Church as the habitation of the Holy Spirit all that it really ought to be? Can people look at us and glorify God and say, “They are the habitation of God!”? What a privilege we have to be God’s citizens, God’s saints, God’s children; God’s temple all to the glory of God.

Ephesians 2:14-18

When the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, three miracles took place. First of all, the veil of the temple was torn in two; and then there was an earthquake and the graves were open and the saints were raised. But another miracle took place that nobody saw occur: a wall was broken down in the temple. In the Jewish temple there was a literal wall, a barrier that stood marking the court of the Gentiles from the rest of the sanctuary. And the sign on that wall warned every Gentile if you cross this barrier, you will be killed. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, He tore down that wall. Ephesians chapter 2 beginning at verse 14, “For He [Jesus] is our peace, who has made both one [both Jew and Gentile one], and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; to create in Himself of two one new man and so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross” (vv. 14-16, paraphrase).

What’s he telling us here? He’s saying that when Jesus died, he died to bring about reconciliation. He’s talking about peace. In verse 14 of Ephesians 2 Christ is our peace. In verse 15 He made peace. In verse 17 He came and preached peace. What is peace? Peace is the proper relationship between your heart and God. Peace means that you are reconciled to God. There are no more barriers. There are no more battles. Peace also means the possession of adequate resources. You are now able to face life because you are right with God. And so Jesus Christ is our peace. Peace is not a piece of paper. Peace is a person, a person in heaven who died for us! He’s the One who made peace through His cross. The law that separated Jew and Gentile and sinners from God; that law has been taken care of on the cross, and now God is doing a wonderful thing. He’s making a new creation, a new man, everyone who trusts Christ as Savior.

Ephesians 2:11-13

If you had visited the temple in Jerusalem during the days of Jesus and Paul, you would’ve seen a barrier that separated the court of the Gentiles from the rest of the temple. And on that barrier was written this sign, “No foreigner may enter within the barricade which surrounds the sanctuary and enclosure. Anyone who is caught so doing will have himself to blame for his ensuing death.” In other words the Gentiles could go only so far, and then they had to stop. All of that has been changed in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Ephesians chapter 2:11 Paul says this, “Wherefore, remember that you being in time past Gentiles you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off are made near by the blood of Christ.”

In the first 10 verses of Ephesians 2 Paul says all sinners were dead. All sinners are dead in trespasses and sins and you trust Jesus Christ and you experience resurrection. Now in the last verses, verses 11-22, he talks especially to the Gentiles and says. “You Gentiles, not only were dead but you were distant. You were afar off. You had no hope. God never promised you a Savior. God never gave you a covenant. You were not citizens with the people of Israel.” Verse 13 says, “But now.” I like that. Back in verse 4 he said you were dead, “but God.” Now he says you were distant “but now…you who were afar off are brought near.”

You see the Lord Jesus Christ when He was on the cross not only rent the veil, but he broke down the wall. That wall of partition was broken down and now all sinners can come and trust the Savior of the world and can draw near to God. We have been brought near by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a privilege! What a responsibility. What a joy there ought to be in our hearts!

Ephesians 2:8-10

Let’s think together about God’s three works on your behalf: The work He did for you, the work He does in you and the work He does through you. You find these three works given in Ephesians 2:8-10, three verses that are familiar to so many Christians. “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God–not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained, that we should walk in them.”

First there’s the work that God does for us, that is salvation. “By grace are you saved through faith.” And this is not of yourselves, this salvation is the gift of God. It’s not of works otherwise we could brag about it. No, God saves us to the praise of the glory of His grace, not to the praise of our own glory.

Have you accepted that finished work that God did for you? On the cross Jesus cried out, “It is finished.” What was finished? The work of redemption was completed. Have you trusted Jesus Christ? Have you received that finished work that God did for you on the cross? If so, then move to the second work. There’s the work that God does in us. “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus.” We are a part of a new creation. That word “workmanship” gives us our English word poem. It means “a manufactured product.” God is working in us. That’s sanctification. He’s making us more like the Lord Jesus Christ. For what purpose? “Created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” There’s the work that God does through us. “Unto good works which God has before prepared that we should walk in them.” God works in us that He might work through us.

He prepares us for what He is preparing for us. It’s not enough just to be saved and rejoice in that. We should also be sanctified and become more like the Lord Jesus. We should also serve Him and fulfill the purposes He has in our lives. These are the three works that God has for each of us. Today let’s walk in those good works that God is preparing for us as He prepares us.

Ephesians 2:4-7

Never lose the wonder of your salvation. It would do us good every day just to sit down, lift up our hearts and say, “Oh God, thank you for the wonder of my salvation.” Never take that miracle for granted. This is the way Paul describes the miracle wonder of salvation in Ephesians 2:4-7. Listen to the Word of God. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), and has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” I like that little phrase.

Two words, “but God” in the previous verses Paul described that we were dead in trespasses and sins, we were disobedient, we were children of wrath, we were living for the world, the flesh and the devil. “But God, God who is rich.” I like the attributes of God and the characteristics of His work that are described here, “Rich in mercy,” “great in love.” He has given to us the “riches of His grace, His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Just look at Ephesians 2:4-7.

What more could we want? A new life, a new union, a new position, a new hope, a new future; and all of this through the riches of His mercy, the riches of His grace, the greatness of His love and the exceeding kindness of God toward us in the Lord Jesus Christ. Today bask in the marvel of your salvation!

Ephesians 2:1-3

How many times have you looked around this world and you’ve said, “Things are certainly in a mess. Can they get any better?” Well, if you want to know why everything is in a mess, read Ephesians 2:1-3. You see you and I are fighting three tremendous enemies. Here’s the Word of God. “And you hath He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which in times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience. Among whom also we all had our manner of life in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Did you notice there the three enemies of the Christian?

The world, the flesh and the devil. You see before I was saved I walked according to the course of this world; this world system. Jesus said, “I have overcome the world.” And this world system wants to overcome us and yet in times past that’s the way we lived. We lived to please the world. We lived to get the satisfaction of the world. Ah, but now we don’t belong to that world. We’ve been chosen out of that world. Jesus said, “They’re not of the world even as I am not of the world.” The flesh, we used to walk in times past and the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh. Ah, but now we have the Holy Spirit living within and we want to please the Holy Spirit and walk in the Spirit. The devil: the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who wants to make us disobedient.

But now we belong to Jesus Christ. He is our Lord. Why is the world in such a mess? Because the children of wrath and the children of disobedience are living for the world, the flesh and the devil; and sometimes Christians do this. Oh God has to deal with us when we do. But sometimes things are the way they are because God’s people start walking to please the world. They start living to satisfy the flesh and they become disobedient to the Lord and obedient to the devil. Today we are victors in the Lord Jesus Christ. Watch out for these three enemies because the victor may become a victim.

Ephesians 1:20-23

How high do you want to go? Are you looking for a promotion? Or perhaps today you are discouraged because somebody else got the promotion. Well, if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you cannot go any higher. Do you know where you are according to Ephesians 1:20-23? You are seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenlies far above all things. Listen to the Word of God, “Which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. And you.”

Chapter 2 verse 1 starts off with “And you.” I think it belongs at the end of verse 23. He did all of this for Jesus and He did all of this for you. Well, we have a living Savior. Verse 20 of Ephesians 1 says that God raised Him from the dead; a living Savior. We aren’t paying tribute to a dead person. Our services are not memorials. They are experiences of worship because we have a living Savior. We have a reigning Savior. God the Father set Jesus Christ at His own right hand. That’s the place of honor, authority and power. In the heavenly places a reigning Savior. And we are seated with Him there in the heavenlies. You see where you sit determines how you live! If you’re sitting in the oval office in Washington, you have certain privileges and responsibilities. If you’re seated on the throne in Buckingham Palace, you have certain privileges and responsibilities.

We have a reigning Savior and we’re seated with Him. We can’t go any higher, and we have a filling Savior. He is filling all in all. We as Christians can experience the fullness of Jesus Christ because we are seated with Him, the living Savior. You don’t need a promotion today. You can’t get any higher than in Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:18-19

Are you trying to live your Christian life with your eyes closed? Would you drive down the freeway with your eyes closed? Of course not. Would you wire the electricity in your house with your eyes closed? Of course not. Of course I’m not talking about physical eyes; I’m talking about spiritual eyes. Have you opened your spiritual eyes to see all that you have in Jesus Christ? Paul prayed this for the Ephesians. Ephesians 1 beginning in verse 17, he prays “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.”

Paul wants our spiritual eyes to be opened that we might know God through Jesus Christ. Not just understand the Bible, but know Him. That we might know the Father of glory, that we might know the Lord Jesus Christ. We might have a revelation of the knowledge of Him. That’s why you read you Bible. Not to get to know your Bible but to get to know the God who wrote the Bible. What does he want us to know? Number one, he wants us to see what God will do, the hope of our calling. That takes care of the future. And he wants us to see what God has done, “The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” And he wants us to see what God is doing, “The greatness of His power toward us who believe.” That is a full balanced life.

It takes care of the past and the present and the future. Do you have your eyes open today? As you read your Bible, is the Holy Spirit of God opening the eyes of your heart? That’s what verse 18 means. “The eyes of your heart being enlightened that you might,” what? Know what He will do; that’s the hope of your calling. Keep looking up. What He has done all the riches of His glory in His inheritance in the saints. What He is doing, His power that can work in your life today.

Ephesians 1:15-17

When you put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you enter into a marvelous new relationship with God but you also enter into a marvelous new relationship with God’s people. Listen to Ephesians 1:15-16, “Wherefore I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and the love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.” Now these verses tell me that I have some living links between me and you. Wherever you find God’s people these are the living links, the relationships, the vibrant relationships that we have together. You see faith leads to love. “After I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, (that’s how you’re saved) and love unto all the saints.”

Faith leads to love and not just loving a certain kind of God’s people, a certain denomination, a certain fellowship; he says love unto all the saints. When you have faith in Christ, that faith leads to love. Do you love God’s people? Oh I know sometimes it’s hard for you to love us because we have our angularities, we have our problems. Someone has said to live above with saints we love will certainly be glory. To live below with saints we know that’s another story but faith leads to love and then love leads to prayer. “Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers.” God wants us to be thankful for one another and to pray for one another. Are you thankful for God’s people? You say “Well, I’d be thankful if so and so were not in our church.” No, no. Are you thankful for God’s people today? The people who pray for you, who love you, who have taught you the word, pastors who have guided you and prayed for you?

Faith leads to love and love leads to thanksgiving and thanksgiving leads to prayer. “I cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers.” Paul must’ve had a lot of people he mentioned in his prayers. When you read his letters, you find he knew so many people. When he wrote to the Romans in that last chapter, chapter 16 he mentions oh, between 20 and 30 people! He prayed for them. Is this your life today? Has faith led to love and love led to thanksgiving and thanksgiving led to prayer for all of God’s people?