We have been studying the book of Ephesians and we want to look where we have already been.we have been.
- Paul wrote Ephesians to those who were set apart for Christ.1: 1
- Blessed us with spiritual blessings in the heavenly realms. 1: 3
- Planned before the creation of the world to adopt us into his family. 1: 5
- Wants us to be united with him. 1: 11
- Eyes opened up to understand our hope, inheritance, and power at work in us.
- We have rejected this and went our own way 2: 1
- God still loved us and poured out His grace on us to bring us into relationship with him 2: 8, 9
Forgetting this is causes us to lose our first love which was the problem of the church in Ephesus.
1. Look at the Temple
To understand this we have to look at the temple
There were three courts of importance
- The outer court where the Gentiles were allowed to Go
- The Court for Women
- The Holy of Holies where the presence of God dwelt
There was animosity between the Gentiles and the Jewish people because of the separation between them and the presence of God.
Ephesians 2: 11 Gentiles were living apart from Christ. They did not know the covenant promises. Lived in this world without God and without hope.
BUT
- United
- Brought near through the blood
- Broke down wall of hostility
- Peace between us and God
- Allowing us to have peace between each other
2. United with Christ
What kind of relationship did Jesus have with the Father?
- Unlimited access
- Knew what God wanted from Him at any time
- Knew the Father loved Him and heard the vocal voice of God three times.
John 17: 21 – 23 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
Jesus is praying that we would have the same relationship with the Father that He possessed.
We are living in the fulfillment of that prayer.
2 Peter 1: 2 – 4 May God give you more grace and peace as you grow in knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the own who called us to himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
Many of know we are forgiven, but very few of us walk in the promises of God.
Walking in the promises does not mean that we will never have promises, but we are not forsaken adn we can be filled with joy.
- Romans 8: 1 No condemnation
- 2 Corinthians 5: 17 We are a new creation
- Romans 15: 7 We are accepted
- 1 Corinthians 1: 30 God has united you with Christ Jesus for our benefit….Christ made us right with God. He made us pure and holy and He freed us from sin. NOTICE THIS IS WHAT CHRIST DID NOW WHAT WE DID.
3. We are the Temple
Ephesians 2: 20 We are the temple of God
2: 22 Dwelling where God lives by His Spirit
2 Corinthians 6: 14 – 18
1. Team up or unequally yoked (influences in our lives)
2. Communion with darkness (The battle between belief and unbelief)
3. Christ and Belial (wickedness Sexual immorality)
4. Portion (Do we treasure what others treasure?)
5. Union (Voting together lining up with those around us)
Come out from among them and God will be our Father. (Through divine promises we escape the corruption of the world)
“It is not a question simply of trying to empty your heart and life of every worldly desire – what an awful impossibility! It is rather opening your heart wide to all the love of God in Christ, and letting that love just sweep through you and exercise its explosive power till your heart is filled with love.” (Redpath)