back to indexEphesians Bible Study Lesson 9
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Would you please take a moment to pray with me 00:00:21.640 |
that so far in the study of the book of Ephesians, 00:00:28.120 |
about your incredible love that has been lavished upon us. 00:00:32.280 |
God, we have been learning about your intent, 00:00:34.840 |
your heart's desire, and the goal that you have 00:00:41.240 |
And I pray, God, that by faith we would hear and receive, 00:00:45.480 |
and by faith, God, we would respond with gratitude, 00:00:51.640 |
I pray that your spirit would bless our heart, our mind, 00:00:54.720 |
and cause us, Father, Lord, to live by faith, 00:00:57.680 |
that perhaps though our lives may be discouraging, 00:01:07.680 |
Lord, God, we lift up a prayer for all those individuals 00:01:14.720 |
We pray, Father, that you would encourage them, 00:01:33.320 |
we finished off a segment that really highlighted 00:01:43.360 |
we recall that Apostle Paul showed us who we were before, 00:01:48.000 |
that prior to, we were formerly absolutely dead 00:01:53.240 |
And he showed us that we were objects of wrath, 00:01:55.340 |
children of wrath, and just like the rest, right, 00:02:02.600 |
And then to teach us that we've been made alive in Christ. 00:02:07.920 |
he showed us that formerly we were completely far off, 00:02:11.040 |
but now we've been brought near by the blood of Christ. 00:02:15.480 |
Apostle Paul turned from the personal salvation in Christ, 00:02:19.480 |
and he turned to what that means for us collectively 00:02:22.720 |
as a church, what God is doing through all of that, 00:02:28.600 |
And what we learned was that God was causing us 00:02:31.180 |
to be built up together as a household of God. 00:02:44.220 |
that we were going to be the dwelling place spiritually 00:02:50.040 |
you can say an incredibly epic, epic privilege 00:02:58.840 |
So with that said, we take a look at the structure 00:03:07.080 |
I want to highlight that there is an interesting structure 00:03:10.080 |
to this because there is a pause and a break. 00:03:18.920 |
For this reason, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, 00:03:23.000 |
for the sake of you Gentiles, and then he pauses. 00:03:26.480 |
So it's an incomplete beginning portion of a thought 00:03:32.880 |
And that thought actually picks up later on in verse 14. 00:03:37.600 |
So it's not going to be for another two weeks 00:03:51.180 |
So then there is this weird, interesting section 00:03:54.120 |
in verse 2 to 13, where he takes a parenthetical pause. 00:04:07.800 |
And so he essentially, in my own way, I like to hear, 00:04:11.000 |
I like to say, Apostle Paul asks the question, 00:04:22.360 |
And so let's take a moment to read our passage. 00:04:25.020 |
The word on the screen is going to be a bit small, 00:04:27.800 |
so please make sure you follow along in your Bibles. 00:04:41.080 |
"of God's grace, which was given to me for you, 00:04:44.460 |
"that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, 00:04:53.280 |
"as it now has been revealed to his holy apostles 00:04:58.440 |
"To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs 00:05:03.620 |
"and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus 00:05:06.460 |
"through the gospel, of which I was made a minister 00:05:11.580 |
"which was given to me according to the working 00:05:14.880 |
Now this next section we're going to study in the next week, 00:05:17.640 |
but let me read it for the full context of the passage. 00:05:20.720 |
He says, "To me, the very least of all saints, 00:05:24.100 |
"this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles 00:05:29.080 |
"and to bring to light what is the administration 00:05:31.400 |
"of the mystery, which for ages has been hidden in God, 00:05:34.420 |
"who created all things, so that the manifold wisdom of God 00:05:41.280 |
"to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 00:05:44.400 |
"This was in accordance with the eternal purpose 00:05:47.480 |
"which he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 00:05:50.320 |
"in whom we have boldness and confident access 00:06:04.900 |
I want to give you an essentially an overview structure, 00:06:08.420 |
'cause essentially we need to see that overview, right? 00:06:17.080 |
that verse two to 13, two to 14, you could arguably say, 00:06:28.880 |
He says at the beginning portion of this passage, 00:06:38.600 |
that he has already expounded on and explained so far. 00:06:44.220 |
that the gospel that has been given to us is so rich, 00:06:52.760 |
And what's more, those blessings has such intentionality, 00:06:59.300 |
to the degree that God is causing us to be built up 00:07:02.540 |
into a unique house, a dwelling place of God. 00:07:18.080 |
"you've heard the stewardship of God's grace, 00:07:27.920 |
And what he's expecting is that we, the hearers, 00:07:30.920 |
and the church that is his immediate audience, 00:07:33.640 |
as a matter of fact, actually heard and understand. 00:07:36.800 |
And so I highlight for you those specific statements 00:07:42.640 |
and what's more, verse four, "By referring to this," 00:07:53.760 |
Because sometimes there is a need for us to pause 00:07:57.640 |
and ask, do I really understand what he's saying? 00:08:01.340 |
Do I sufficiently, I know I'm not gonna understand 00:08:05.080 |
everything, but do I sufficiently appreciate? 00:08:11.680 |
Because that is exactly what he's doing, is it not? 00:08:20.540 |
"and by saying this, that you might read and understand." 00:08:29.040 |
And what I see in this passage is Apostle Paul 00:08:41.600 |
If you really heard the stewardship of God's grace, 00:08:54.840 |
By referring to this, I know you should be able 00:09:00.560 |
this kind of like repeated, same kind of message, 00:09:05.040 |
a statement that perhaps doesn't need to be repeated, 00:09:10.360 |
Do you actually understand what I'm saying to you? 00:09:13.440 |
Okay, so let's take a moment just from the get-go 00:09:35.000 |
especially the gospel being expounded in many ways, 00:09:38.880 |
different facets of the gospel being highlighted to us. 00:09:45.240 |
Is it always the case that we actually receive it 00:09:50.720 |
So actually, it's good for us to take a moment to pause 00:09:57.040 |
and receive everything that we've been saying? 00:10:11.400 |
and have that kind of thought reverberating in your minds 00:10:15.360 |
about all the things that was already taught us 00:10:31.440 |
If you actually took time to sit and then think, 00:10:34.360 |
to think about how intentional God is with His love, 00:10:55.680 |
and His redemption has been meticulously unfolded 00:11:01.880 |
how God lavishly exercised His power towards us, 00:11:06.320 |
His grace towards us, His strength towards us, 00:11:09.640 |
and ultimately that He would unite us with Christ 00:11:16.480 |
we would die in our bondage, and we'd be made alive. 00:11:23.720 |
because of that deadness, relationally so far, 00:11:28.200 |
He's made us alive and He's brought us together. 00:11:31.080 |
Now, I'm repeating certain things again myself, 00:11:33.880 |
but my question is, if after hearing all that stuff, 00:11:38.160 |
let's say that our hearts have this little bit 00:11:56.760 |
Shouldn't there be a wonder of like, whoa, right? 00:12:01.120 |
But if there is perhaps a sentiment where we say, 00:12:07.560 |
"and you kind of, okay, heard that, I get it," 00:12:20.000 |
I think this is a good moment to check our hearts, 00:12:23.400 |
because I don't think Apostle Paul is just pointing 00:12:26.240 |
at our ears and asking the question, "Did you hear me?" 00:12:32.920 |
and our parents looked at us and said, "Did you hear me?" 00:12:46.600 |
Again, like children, sometimes we just simply don't hear 00:12:54.920 |
And as a matter of fact, perhaps we might have even said, 00:13:07.760 |
Perhaps sometimes we might hear something else, 00:13:19.720 |
are other people taking this really seriously? 00:13:22.800 |
This idea that because you were absolutely dead, 00:13:30.800 |
and that you are now a slave of God Almighty? 00:13:34.280 |
Let's see if other people do that first, right? 00:13:40.160 |
Like, let's see if my older brother will go first, right? 00:13:43.960 |
Sometimes we just don't think it's important. 00:14:04.240 |
"I'm a servant of this cause to bring you into the church, 00:14:19.040 |
did I really appreciate everything that has been said? 00:14:22.200 |
Or is there a weird, strange, perhaps hardened heart 00:14:38.680 |
Why, if we actually believe we were the scum of the earth, 00:14:44.640 |
and yet we were invited into the household of God, 00:14:48.960 |
Why does that not make my heart all the more thirsty 00:15:01.480 |
because I think that if what God is doing here 00:15:05.480 |
is properly understood as Apostle Paul is understanding it, 00:15:11.400 |
why Apostle Paul is making sure that we understand. 00:15:21.080 |
Sometimes our world, our personal view of self, 00:15:26.080 |
and our view of the world is so narcissistic. 00:15:29.680 |
It's so focused, we have no idea what we're doing to God. 00:15:59.560 |
it completely goes in one ear and out the other, 00:16:02.800 |
and we shrug, think about how offensive that could be. 00:16:08.960 |
that what we see in verses two through seven so far, 00:16:13.840 |
is going to be an incredible revelation of God. 00:16:40.080 |
nowadays it's really cool to do all kinds of reveal parties, 00:16:44.920 |
but imagine if you were at this special reveal party 00:16:47.600 |
of the king, when they're about to have a baby, right? 00:16:57.720 |
they have snacks and desserts and refreshments, 00:17:03.200 |
And they're about to call in everybody and say, 00:17:05.120 |
"Hey, everybody, I know you're just hanging out 00:17:15.840 |
and see the powder come out in different colors, right? 00:17:21.280 |
and you were saying, "Meh, why am I even here?" 00:17:25.080 |
And imagine if you just said, "You know, I'm so thirsty. 00:17:32.760 |
It just shows you your mind is not in the right place. 00:17:36.240 |
Just shows you you're completely out of touch 00:17:43.040 |
how rude it would be to the main host of the party. 00:18:08.720 |
Clearly we can tell that the focal point of this passage 00:18:15.040 |
This mystery, aka is the stewardship of God's grace. 00:18:27.400 |
It's his meticulously designed and coordinated event, 00:18:33.200 |
with the revelation of God's plan of redemption 00:18:51.400 |
"that by revelation there has been made known to me 00:18:55.160 |
"As I wrote before in brief by referring to this, 00:18:58.400 |
sorry, "when you read, you can understand my insight 00:19:07.960 |
where Apostle Paul uses this term so many times. 00:19:12.640 |
Because the mystery, he is describing the gospel. 00:19:30.560 |
it is typically translated something like unknown, right? 00:19:33.840 |
It's a mystery, something you'll just never figure out 00:19:38.280 |
Like long time ago, there was this funny commercial, 00:19:41.800 |
where this little boy goes to Mr. Al and says, 00:19:47.760 |
And then the commercial ends because everybody 00:19:55.600 |
That's typically what mystery, people think, means. 00:20:00.280 |
But that's not what mystery actually refers to. 00:20:03.000 |
Mystery is more so talking about something that is a secret. 00:20:07.840 |
Okay, so more like in tune, a synonym would be secret, right? 00:20:12.840 |
Essentially, when it was talking about learning a secret 00:20:26.000 |
So yes, it can be hidden, and that's why we don't know, 00:20:29.120 |
but that doesn't mean it's some kind of paradox 00:20:43.800 |
but it's something that God has in His heart. 00:20:55.360 |
something that was hidden, concepts of revelation, 00:21:02.160 |
If indeed you heard the stewardship of God's grace, 00:21:15.640 |
And what's more, for generations it was not known, 00:21:18.120 |
but now it's revealed to the holy apostles and the prophets 00:21:20.920 |
whose main job is to preach and make known the will of God. 00:21:28.400 |
a knowledge of God that has been made known to us. 00:21:33.120 |
Now, what's important for us then is to remember 00:21:45.960 |
And as the time is full according to His own measure, 00:21:51.880 |
You and I so live in an incredibly blessed time. 00:22:01.560 |
It is not because we happen to live in Irvine 00:22:04.880 |
or Orange County, which happens to be one of the best places 00:22:08.040 |
to live in America, but because we live in a time 00:22:13.160 |
when the word of God is given, Christ's work has been seen. 00:22:21.120 |
both of saints, but the many apostles and prophets 00:22:23.720 |
that have come before us, and we have God's truth, 00:22:34.240 |
There's a passage where Jesus Christ Himself says this, 00:22:41.520 |
where Jesus says, or passage says in the gospel, 00:22:45.760 |
"At that time, Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, 00:23:10.520 |
Now, in order to move forward, let's ask this question. 00:23:27.760 |
The mystery contained specifically in this passage, 00:23:47.880 |
and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus 00:23:56.120 |
you have that specific thing that should be bolded. 00:24:01.120 |
I am supposed to really understand this mystery 00:24:09.520 |
fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus 00:24:23.600 |
and are being built together to form one church. 00:24:35.160 |
there is this truth that he's going to emphasize, 00:24:44.360 |
let's focus on the first of the two references there. 00:24:57.600 |
Because to think that the Gentiles are fellow members 00:25:04.400 |
was something absurd to the people of the time. 00:25:16.880 |
And to think that we would receive the promises of God, 00:25:24.080 |
And so that's why there's this great mystery. 00:25:26.440 |
This great mystery of what God is doing in the church 00:25:43.080 |
That relationally we have been so set apart from God 00:26:22.880 |
Do you know what is a more appropriate picture 00:26:32.320 |
but that distance between God and man was so far, 00:26:35.520 |
not a single man or men put together could ever bridge. 00:26:45.720 |
nobody, nobody by their merit could approach God. 00:26:49.080 |
However, the Jew was just that much bit closer 00:26:54.520 |
because they had the guidance of God with them, 00:27:02.240 |
every single one of us that I know about our church, 00:27:06.800 |
And there exists not only a greater distance, 00:27:14.800 |
who has a massive wall between even us and the Jew. 00:27:18.600 |
Because we aren't the chosen nation of Israel. 00:27:32.440 |
who has no knowledge or fear of God Almighty. 00:27:35.600 |
God had warned them to stay clear of people like us. 00:28:08.520 |
"There is a solution here, which is Christ and the gospel." 00:28:11.520 |
And he's saying, "I am then to you, your servant in that." 00:28:41.400 |
in the reference to the church, to be specific, 00:28:44.960 |
the church was supposed to be together, together, together. 00:28:50.200 |
The church is supposed to be together, together, together. 00:29:07.040 |
Apostle Paul describes what the church is supposed to be. 00:29:17.920 |
When we see repetition like that in the scriptures, 00:29:24.440 |
What I like to say is this is a really interesting 00:29:27.880 |
kind of, again, another stacking parallel description 00:29:43.480 |
What does it mean to be fellow partakers of the promise? 00:29:57.520 |
which is we're supposed to be brought together 00:30:15.100 |
We are so uniquely united, not by anything else. 00:30:20.100 |
We're supposed to be brought together in such a way 00:30:26.020 |
And the rest of Ephesians is gonna actually describe that 00:30:30.560 |
So, let's take a moment to pause and appreciate this. 00:30:44.360 |
That, to us, is great news for those of us who are far. 00:30:57.460 |
which essentially means that he is a servant to us. 00:31:01.440 |
Let us not be, let's take a moment to think about this, okay? 00:31:04.300 |
Let us not be those later generations who have it so good. 00:31:12.060 |
that King Solomon talks about, how it's so vanity 00:31:14.780 |
because the later generations never really appreciate 00:31:17.800 |
what kind of sacrifice, what kind of servanthood, 00:31:22.760 |
what kind of kind intention and mercy of God, 00:31:36.380 |
we do live in, right now, the most powerful country, 00:31:43.420 |
would literally take the chance of dying to get into. 00:32:00.620 |
overly privileged individuals, it's ridiculous. 00:32:16.080 |
that God would tell us he is bringing us near 00:32:21.500 |
as of those who we had nothing to do with before. 00:32:30.340 |
we had no part in this, and yet for God to give us that, 00:32:43.420 |
let's think about Apostle Paul's perspective, 00:32:45.740 |
and that's going to springboard into next week's study, 00:32:48.900 |
'cause Apostle Paul's gonna talk about it more, 00:32:51.060 |
this administration that he is now a servant of, 00:32:56.540 |
However, Apostle Paul, in this passage to me, 00:33:00.260 |
he is absolutely clear about the truth he received 00:33:10.960 |
But what's also very clear is that Apostle Paul 00:33:14.880 |
always has such a loving care for the church, right? 00:33:36.160 |
is the massive program, the massive intention, 00:33:39.920 |
the massive redemptive plan that God has for you specifically 00:33:44.920 |
in the church through Christ, through his blood. 00:33:52.400 |
And so today was not so much lots of didactic 00:33:56.740 |
or specific instruction on this is what you need to do, 00:34:02.340 |
There's so many things we're supposed to be grateful for 00:34:10.840 |
and now thinking of us collectively as a church, 00:34:15.680 |
our hearts should be overflowing with gratitude. 00:34:18.560 |
My question to you is, do you have an attitude of shrugs? 00:34:29.320 |
why is it that we're having a hard time hearing that? 00:34:47.860 |
Heavenly Father, Lord God built into your scripture, 00:35:07.840 |
Do I see what the church is trying to do now? 00:35:11.040 |
And I pray Father God that you would convict in our hearts, 00:35:16.300 |
We are the fruit of your great work, your mighty hand. 00:35:22.360 |
And on a human level, there have been many before us 00:35:26.600 |
and many now who are trying to minister to us 00:35:36.480 |
And Lord, what's more, I pray that this truth 00:35:41.800 |
just truth of what you're doing with the church, 00:35:44.400 |
radically affect where we're placing our priorities, 00:35:51.280 |
to the things that are happening in our lives. 00:36:00.960 |
and by good measure, Lord, we are having to make sure 00:36:16.300 |
and that we would be one in heart towards you. 00:36:18.600 |
We love you, it's in Christ, and we pray, amen.