Dear Ephesus - Examining Ephesians – September 1 Readings: Ephesians 1:1-3

 

Ephesians: A Worthy Walk 

For the next month, we will be studying the Book of Ephesians, a letter Paul wrote while he was in jail in Rome, awaiting his first trial. Ephesus was one of his best churches, and he spent a lot of time there on his missionary journeys. The church likely planted the other churches of Asia Minor that Jesus referenced in Revelation 2-3. 

Ephesians is easily outlined. Chapters 1-3 speak of the great salvation we have in Christ, which comes by grace through faith alone. Then, 4:1 is the turning point, where Paul admonishes them to "walk worthy of the calling you have received." We cannot be worthy of Christ's salvation - it is a gift of grace. But having received it, we can then, by the Spirit's power, WALK worthy. Chapters 4-6 describe the worthy walk. This is a favorite template of Paul. He develops a doctrine then applies it practically. 

As often as time allows, the reader is encouraged to read the entire book - it will not take more than a few minutes. Each day we will work our way through the book passage by passage. 

Today's Reading:  Ephesians 1-6    Focus Passage - Ephesians 1:1-3     

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:

To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.

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

Through the Bible Readings: Isaiah13-14, 1 Corinthians 4–5, Psalm 103:17–22, Proverbs 21:26–28

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional:  Dear Ephesus    

When someone writes you a letter (well, back in the olden days when people actually wrote letters) and they address you with the familiar "Dear ___," you didn't read a lot into those words, did you? You didn't think that they conveyed great affection even though the word "dear" was used. When someone closed the letter with "Sincerely" you might have still held out the possibility that not every word in the letter was sincere. We are used to formal openings and closings to correspondence that are not formal but not always meaningful. 

Ephesians 1:1-3 is Paul's formal opening to his letter to the church at Ephesus, perhaps his best church. If you look at the other letters he wrote, the address is very similar in each one. He identifies himself and uses a term to describe himself. Here he calls himself an apostle but often the descriptor is "servant." He then identifies his audience, the church at whatever city he is writing to. He then, almost every time, wishes them grace and peace, in that order, from God the Father and Jesus Christ.

This address made be a standard convention for Paul in the opening of his letters, but it is anything but formal and insincere. He packs important words in the letter that speak to how he sees himself, how he values the church to which he writes, and what he hopes for them. 

Paul described himself as an apostle, a word with varied meanings. Coupled with the phrase "by God's will" he is making it clear that he is a man sent on mission from God. From the moment he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul had a powerful purpose for his life. He was "sent" (that's what apostle means) to make Christ known among the Gentiles. He was not his own. He'd been given over to Christ and his life belonged to Jesus fully and completely. He was a man on a mission, a man sent from God.

He described the Ephesians as saints. Few words have become more misused than the word saint. It is used today to describe someone who walks at a higher level than normal Christians. There are lost people, then regular Christians, then "saints." As my dad used to say, the Bible says there are only two kinds of people - the saints and the aints. The word refers to someone who has been set apart for God and refers to all believers, all Christians. You are a saint and you are here for God's purposes. The Ephesians were faithful to God's purposes, and we must be as well.

In his address, Paul wished them grace and peace, a formula he follows in every one of his books. Grace, then peace. The order is not an accident. It is God's grace that comes into our lives and gives us all that we need to experience his peace. There is no peace, no true peace, until we have experienced God's grace.

We will find that every word in the book of Ephesians is powerful and purposeful. When I preached these 6 chapters, it took me 2 1/2 years to work my way through it because there is so much meaning to be gleaned from every word. We will spend the month of September - just one month, not 30 - looking at these truths.

Father, guide us as we walk through Ephesians, to learn how to walk as faithful saints in your grace and peace. 

Think and Pray:

Is your life set apart and devoted to the purposes of God?