Eph 1 Longest Greeting pt 4

Jul 11, 2021 // By:Dave // No Comment

Longest Greeting pt 4

Eph. 1

9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him,

10 regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.

what is the mystery of His will ?

what does it mean “He set forth in Him” ?

mystery (23x)  G3466 (27x)

3466. μυστήριον musterion, moos-tay´-ree-on; from a derivative of μύω muo (to shut the mouth); a secret or “mystery” (something unspoken has now been spoken)

forth (95x)  G4388 (5x)

4729   [4388]   προτίθημι, protithēmi, v.  [4574 + 5502]. (mid.) to present, put in front

don’t miss the first word of this sentence. I know, in english, it’s “He” but that is simply part of the conjugation of the verb meaning “having made known” in third person singular.  γνωρίσας

John 15:15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

The Greek term for mystery roccurs only once in each of the synoptic Gospels

Mark 4:11 And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but for those who are outside, everything comes in parables,

Matt. 13:11 And Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

Luke 8:10 And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are told in parables, so that while seeing they may not see, and while hearing they may not understand.

Jesus is only recorded to use this term once in the context of the parable of the soils

Paul uses it 18 times to refer to the Gospel revealed through Christ) (1/3 , 6, of these are contained in Ephesians itself)

Rom. 11:25 ¶ For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;

Rom. 16:25 ¶ Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,

1Cor. 2:7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

1Cor. 4:1 ¶ This is the way any person is to regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

1Cor. 15:51 Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

Eph. 1:9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him,

Eph. 3:3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before briefly.

Eph. 3:4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

*Eph. 3:9 and to enlighten all people as to what the plan of the mystery is which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things;

Eph. 5:32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

Eph. 6:19 and pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,

*Col. 1:26 that is, the mystery which had been hidden from the past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His saints,

*Col. 1:27 to whom God willed to make known what the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, the mystery that is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

*Col. 2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and that they would attain to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

Col. 4:3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;

1Tim. 3:9 but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

1Tim. 3:16 Beyond question, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.

Think of a great chess game, going on for ages (perhaps as long as 5,000 years), pieces moved back and forth, maneuvering, counter moves,

black cant figure out what white is doing, …

finally, white makes a move, black sees it and celebrates !!

a blunder … white has moved his most valuable piece  into the open, unprotected.

black immediately jumps to surround and take it (he finally has victory in his grasp)

but this was white’s plan from the beginning of the game

white uses the sacrifice to expose blacks weakness, and with one lateral move

checkmate. The game is over. black has lost

(his pieces are still on the board, but the game is over)

The OT is full of hints at this master plan of a sacrifice centered victory 

but not clear, at least not until it is explained by the sacrifice Himself to those to whom God has given eyes and ears to understand

Eph. 1

1 ¶Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

5 He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace

8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight

9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him,

10 regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.

11 In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will

12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in the Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise,

14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

we know the “mystery” of God’s will

saints

faithful

grace

peace

blessed with every spiritual blessing

chosen

holy and blameless

predestined

adopted

favored

redeemed

forgiven

given knowledge of the mystery of His will (includes the gospel)

obtained an inheritance

sealed with Holy Spirit

every one of these things listed are given to us and made possible in Christ

(by Christ, because of Christ)

 

The Father treated His Son

the way we deserved to be treated 

so that He could treat us the way that 

Jesus deserved to be treated 

 

Do we know what we have in Christ ?

 

Why do we still keep trying to live life

with earthly methods, for earthly focus,

fighting earthly battles with earthly weapons ?

 

2Cor. 10

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle according to the flesh,

4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

5 We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

message

2Cor. 10:5 We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.

Paul writes this letter to the ephesians

for two reasons:

  1. instruction
    1. know what you have
    2. know what to do with it
  2. preparation for battle
    1. contend for what you believe
    2. world will try to take it from you or trick you out of it

I divide Ephesians into two sections:

IF   and   THEN  (3 chapters of what we have been given and 3 chapters of what to do with it)

some divide it into three sections

  1. wealth
  2. walk
  3. warfare

Paul ends the book with a stern warning about contending for the faith

Eph. 6

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

why would spiritual forces of evil be interested in attacking us ?

you don’t bring a knife to a gun fight

(and you can’t fight a spiritual fight with your flesh)

each piece of armor listed in the next 5 verses is actually a name or attribute for Christ Himself

(meaning we rely on Jesus to stay in Jesus)

how do we rely on Jesus ?

John 14:6 I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by me

John 6:44 no one comes to me except the Father call him

we have been called to the Son (by the Father)

to walk in the way

trust in the truth

live with His life

we have to trust Him, trust His way, trust His words

if we want to experience His victory.

 

Jude 24 Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy,

Jude 25 to the only bGod our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen.

 

John 10:27 My sheep alisten to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;

John 10:28 and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

John 10:29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

John 10:30 I and the Father are one.

 

Eph. 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

 

Rom 8:38-39

Rom. 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

Rom. 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul warned the Ephesians about wolves coming in after he would leave

Acts 20

29 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them.

31 “Therefore, be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.

32 “And now I entrust you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

 

Rev. 2:

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ¶ The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

2 ¶ ‘I know your deeds and your labor and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have put those who call themselves apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

3 and you have perseverance and have endured on account of My name, and have not become weary.

4But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

5 ‘Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

first love ?

love of Jesus = love for one another

acts 20:35 exhortation to the Ephesian elders to “help the weak”

 

Eph. 1:15 ¶ For this reason I too, ahaving heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and 1your love for ball the 2saints, 

 

John 13:34 “I am giving you a anew commandment, bthat you love one another; cjust as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 13:35aBy this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”

John 14:21aThe one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me…

John 14:24The one who does not love Me adoes not follow My words

 

somewhere around 100 AD, the Apostle John would settle at Ephesus and write his 3 epistles and  the book of revelation.  He would write about how to discern false teacher by their ethics and by their love.

(very similar warning that Paul gave on his third missionary journey there and his epistle to remind them approx 60 AD)

1John 2:4 The one who says, “aI have come to bknow Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a cliar, and dthe truth is not in him;

1John 2:5 but whoever afollows His word, in him the blove of God has truly been perfected. cBy this we know that we are in Him:

1John 2:6 the one who says that he aremains in Him bought, himself also, walk just as He walked.

1John 2:9 The one who says that he is in the Light and yet ahates his bbrother or sister is in the darkness until now.

1John 2:10 aThe one who loves his brother and sister remains in the Light, and there is nothing in him to cause stumbling.

1John 2:11 But the one who ahates his brother or sister is in the darkness and bwalks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has cblinded his eyes.

1John 4:20 aIf someone says, “I love God,” and yet he bhates his brother or sister, he is a cliar; for dthe one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, ecannot love God, whom he has not seen.

1John 4:21 And athis commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God bmust also love his brother and sister.

The body of believers in Ephesus were in a place of great potential for influence and testimony

  1. epicenter of commerce and culture
  2. population of roughly half a million people in the first century AD
  3. the amphitheater where they cried out “great is artemis of the ephesians while wanting to tear Paul apart seated over 25,000 people

their position for impact was incredible (that’s one of the reasons Paul spent three years there teaching out of a hall rented from Tyrannus to disciple the believers there)

It is recorded historically, that the church in Ephesus ceased to be by 300 AD

their lamp stand was removed less than 200 years after their warning by God Himself.

they were great at detecting false teaching, but forgot to love.
(Jesus first, others second … since loving others is not only evidence of loving God but is the fruit of it)

loving others is commanded by the Lord Himself (and to do so just as He did, in the same way that He did)

to refuse to do so comes with consequences

it betrays not being in the way, not trusting in the truth, and not living in the life.

It reveals not being in Christ.

Love, agape love, is one of the most powerful items in our inheritance, 

the most powerful weapon in our spiritual arsenal of weaponry

dont use it , and you lose

use it and you win (no matter what the outcome was), you won because God’s mystery was proclaimed 

About Dave

Browse Archived Articles by Dave

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.