Message of the Week

The Little White Community Church

Scripture: Ephesians 1: 1-14 November 5, 2023

Message: “Praise Be to God!” by Pastor George Gnade

Intro.: 1. November is all about Thanksgiving, and so this month we are going to study Ephesians 1: 1-14 because it is full of reasons why we should praise the Lord.

2. In vs. 1, we learn that this book is actually a letter written to the church at Ephesus by the Apostle Paul. Many scholars believe it was meant to be a circular letter that would first be read in Ephesus but then passed on to other churches in the area as well.

A. Paul simply introduces himself in vs. 1 as “an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.”

1. Many years earlier he was on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians when he was confronted by Jesus. Otherwise he would have never been saved! At that time, Paul was known as Saul.

a. Then Jesus sent Ananias to help Saul learn more about Him. But Ananias had heard how Saul persecuted the church. When Ananias objected, Jesus replied: “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name to the Gentiles… “

b. That is how Paul was chosen to become one of the apostles. Clearly it was only by the will of God that this happened.

2. Having called Paul to be an apostle, God also inspired Paul to write his letters to the churches, knowing that they would become part of what we call the Word of God. So now churches all over the world have the privilege of reading this circular letter. How thankful we can be for this privilege.

B. In vs. 1, Paul also introduces us to the church.

1. He writes: “To the saints that are in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.” It sounds so simply but it contains a mouthful of information.

a. First Paul calls them “saints.” The word “saints” means “the holy ones.” Not because they were so much better than others, but because they were washed in the blood of Christ.

b. Of course, that is another reason to be thankful. That is what it means to be saved. Paul was not bragging about them; he was bragging about Christ and what Jesus had done for them. He had cleaned them up and made them holy.

c. Paul, who at one time persecuted the church, was obviously a sinner saved by grace and so were the Ephesians. When we ask Jesus to forgive us and come to believe in Him, we too are simply sinners saved by grace.

2. Secondly, Paul calls these sinners saved by grace “the faithful in Christ Jesus.”

a. The word “faith” comes from the word to “believe.”

So the “faithful ones” are those who truly “believe in Jesus.” Our ability to live the Christian life comes from Jesus in our hearts who helps us to become more and more like Him. Through faith we learn how to be faithful.

b. In Eph. chapters 1 -3, we learn all about what Jesus has done for us. In chapters 4-6, we learn how Jesus wants us live for Him. Yes, what we believe, know, and learn from Jesus is to affect how we live for Jesus.

3. Thirdly, please notice it does not call us those who are “faithful to Christ Jesus;” it calls us “the faithful in Christ Jesus.”

a. Yes, Jesus is teaching us how to be faithful to Him; but we all have a lot to learn.

b. Praise the Lord, God sees us in Christ. In Christ, we “are faithful.” Just as saved sinners are seen in God’s eyes as saints, so in God’s eyes, seeing us in Christ, even while we are learning how to be faithful, He sees us as faithful in Him.

4. Actually, there is a fourth lesson found in this verse.

In a unique sense, we are in two different places at the same time.

a. Paul wrote to the saints who are in Ephesus. We could say Paul was also writing to us who live near the Little White Church in Heart Lake, PA. That is our physical abode where God expects us to live out our Christian lives.

b. But in God’s eyes, at the same time, we are spiritually living and reigning with Jesus in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:5). So we are not only in Pennsylvania, we are also in Christ in His heavenly places.

c. That is why Paul wrote in Phil: 3:20: “Our citizen-ship is in heaven. We eagerly await our Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3: 20). We are citizens of heaven. We are in Christ, living in Him, even as He lives in us, and we should live worthy of this privilege.

5. It is very helpful to remind ourselves of that all day long, every day we live. It is a privilege to be thankful for; but it is also a responsibility we should ask for grace to live worthy of.

C. Then Paul writes in vs. 2: “Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1. Saved by grace, Paul wanted them to live in that grace.

We should all live as if we were little children learning to walk and talk. We are all little children compared to Him.

a. They fall many times before they succeed. But children are determined to get up and walk like mommy and daddy. They want to get it right.

b. The same is true as they learn to talk. They keep trying and parents keep encouraging them. Before long, they do very well.

c. That is how God wants His children to live. Of course we are going to fall and make mistakes. But we are walking in grace. We are being encouraged to keep learning and to keep doing better. If we are true Christians, then with God’s help we will! We really will!

2. Paul not only prayed God would be gracious to them as they learned, he also prayed God’s peace would rest on them as they learned. Because Jesus died for us, we are reconciled to Him. We are at peace with Him. He doesn’t want us to be afraid of Him, but He does want us to keep learning from Him.

In conclusion: 1. In vs. 2, the word for “peace” is “shalom.” It means may God bless every area of your life.

2. After finishing his introduction to this letter, that is exactly where and how Paul begins his letter. In vs.3, he writes: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly places with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

3. Yes, this book is far more about God and all He has done for us in Christ than it is about us. Therefore, Paul keeps reminding us to praise the Lord! “Every good and perfect gift” we have “comes from our Father above” (James 1:17)! We ought to be praising Him all the time, every day, every time we think of Him, for everything He has done for us and everything He has given us. Amen!