Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP230026S
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00:01 Hello Friends, welcome to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:02 I'm John Lomacang 00:04 and we want to thank you for joining us 00:05 for this Third Quarter Lesson Study 00:07 entitled simply: Ephesians. 00:09 It's a six-chapter book 00:11 but it's so much deeper than just six chapters 00:14 and this first week is entitled: Paul and the Ephesians 00:18 and if you'd like to follow us, 00:20 go to: 3abnsabbathschoolpanel. com 00:22 download a copy or better yet, 00:24 go to the local Seventh-day Adventist church 00:26 and tell them... 3ABN sent you. 00:28 But whatever you do, stay tuned 00:30 for this beginning walk-through the book of Ephesians. 00:32 We pray that you'll find Christ in the beginning... 00:35 center and the end. 00:36 Join us now for 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:41 Music... 01:11 Lomacang: Hello Friends, welcome to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 01:14 I'm John Lomacang, 01:15 thank you for taking the time to join us 01:17 and if you've joined us each month, 01:18 we want to thank you for being dedicated to following us 01:22 and praying for us as we pray ourselves 01:25 whenever we get a Sabbath School Lesson to tackle 01:27 and this Quarter is the book of Ephesians. 01:30 Dr. John McVay is the author and the central contributor 01:35 to this Lesson 01:36 and it's phenomenal how a book that's only six chapters long 01:40 could have so much depth to it 01:43 which is the focal point of the inspiration behind it. 01:46 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. " 01:48 Before we go into the Lesson any further, 01:50 I want to introduce you to our panel, 01:52 which you may know most of our panelists 01:54 maybe as family members... 01:56 you may have rubbed shoulders with them 01:58 or they may have come to your church 01:59 but right to my immediate left is Ryan Day. 02:01 I call him the Singer in Israel Evangelist Ryan Day, 02:04 good to have you here, Ryan. 02:05 Ryan: Always a blessing to be on 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 02:07 I'm excited to study the book of Ephesians 02:09 and I have Monday's Lesson 02:10 entitled: A Riot in the Amphitheater. 02:13 Lomacang: A riot? wow! Ryan: Hmmm... hmmm... 02:15 Lomacang: Shelley Quinn... the lady from Texas 02:17 who has so many hats, 02:18 always good to have you on the Panel, Shelley. 02:20 Shelley: It's always a joy to be here 02:21 and mine will be: Hearing the Letter to the Ephesians. 02:26 Lomacang: Okay, and John Dinzey, Head of 3ABN Latino. 02:30 Good to have you here today. 02:32 Dinzey: It's a blessing to be here as well 02:33 and I believe this is going to be a life-changing study for us 02:37 and hopefully for everyone 02:39 and I have Wednesday and it's Ephesians in Its Time. 02:43 Lomacang: Okay and Jill Morikone 02:45 our Vice President of 3ABN. 02:48 Always good to have you... good to have you at the helm, 02:49 God is working through you in a wonderful way. 02:52 Do you have any list for us today? 02:53 Jill: We have a list. 02:55 We're going to hopefully get through 16 points. 02:57 I don't know if that will happen. 02:59 I have Thursday, A Christ-saturated Letter. 03:02 Lomacang: Wow! wow, well, Johnny, 03:04 would you begin by having a prayer for us this morning? 03:06 Dinzey: Sure. "Our loving heavenly Father, 03:10 we come before Your throne of grace 03:13 with great need of your Holy Spirit. 03:15 We pray, Lord, that as we have emptied ourselves of self, 03:18 that Your Holy Spirit will fill us 03:21 and we ask You Lord to bless us with the words 03:24 and the message that Your children need. 03:26 We pray, Lord, for a blessing upon all 03:29 and we thank You for the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 03:31 We pray that it will continue to 03:33 be a blessing to Your children all around the world. 03:36 We ask in Jesus' holy and blessed name, 03:39 amen. " 03:41 Panel: Amen. 03:42 Lomacang: Yes, I want to just extend a thank you 03:44 to Dr. John McVay. 03:45 I was... 03:46 we were in the Northern California Conference together. 03:48 He was at the Pacific Union College 03:49 and a Pastor there in the Northern California Conference. 03:52 Now, the President and Professor of Religion 03:56 at Walla Walla University 03:57 and I see his style weaved through the lesson 04:00 but much of it is about God's Word 04:02 and we thank him for that. 04:04 And, we're going to start on week number one, 04:06 Paul and the Ephesians. 04:08 Want to share some foundation, 04:10 you know, the focus of the book of this study 04:13 or the book of Ephesians particularly, 04:16 is how to follow Jesus in trying times 04:18 and we are definitely living in trying times. 04:21 Can I get an "Amen" from my choir? 04:23 Panel: Amen, amen... hmmm... hmmm. 04:24 Lomacang: We're living in trying times, 04:26 I mean, that's an understatement 04:27 to say that the times we're living are trying times. 04:29 And there are five particular insights 04:32 that Dr. McVay brings out in the very beginning of Ephesians 04:36 before we actually get to Lesson Number one which is Sunday 04:40 and we'll talk about that in a moment. 04:41 First of all, the condition. 04:42 He says, "Ephesians... the book of Ephesians, 04:45 was written primarily to the church at Ephesus 04:47 to reveal their condition... 04:49 to reveal how their condition relates to their strength 04:53 when they face challenges 04:55 and in every generation... 04:57 you know, the people of that generation... 04:59 they had their last days. 05:00 You know, even the very first church... the church of Ephesus, 05:02 they had their last days 05:04 and even Peter when... on the day of Pentecost, 05:06 when the Holy Spirit was poured out, he said, 05:08 "This is what the Prophet Joel spoke... 05:10 what happened in the last days. " 05:12 So, we're living in... as I would refer to it... 05:15 our last days, 05:16 hopefully... the last... last days. 05:18 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 05:19 Lomacang: But Paul talked about how he was concerned 05:22 about the condition of the church of Ephesus 05:24 and it's amazing, this was the very first church. 05:27 Also, the location of the church of Ephesus. 05:29 The Apostle Paul was writing from prison 05:32 and his focus was to encourage the church and the members 05:36 not to lose heart 05:38 and then he did four metaphoric comparisons. 05:41 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 05:43 Lomacang: He talked about the Christian church in four ways: 05:44 One: it is the body of Christ, 05:46 secondly, it is the bride of Christ, 05:49 thirdly, it is the living temple 05:51 and fourthly, it is the army of Christ. 05:54 And that's even true today 05:56 when we read about Revelation 12:17, 05:58 the dragon is at war with those who keep the commandments of God. 06:01 So, we are, in fact, an army. 06:03 Panel: Right. 06:04 Lomacang: Never go into battle without your sword. 06:06 Panel: That's right. 06:08 Lomacang: We are an army. 06:09 Then, fourthly, the purpose of the message. 06:10 He speaks especially to the people 06:12 in a generation 06:13 where the church of Ephesus was in a city that was huge 06:16 and there were a lot of allurements 06:18 in this very popular Roman province. 06:20 Actually, in an area now we know as Asia Minor. 06:24 But it had a lot of allurements. 06:27 Not too long ago, I was in New York City, 06:29 and Ephesus was probably like a small New York City 06:33 where the church was distracted by the society 06:36 in which it exists. 06:37 Now, those of us here in Thompsonville... 06:39 you know, we only get distracted by the gas station 06:41 or by Dollar General. 06:43 But it's quite a different story 06:46 when you try to be at church in New York City 06:48 or Los Angeles or Detroit 06:49 or Miami or any major metropolis 06:52 or Singapore. 06:54 Any large city around the world, 06:56 the allurements are great. 06:57 You leave church and on the way to church and back, 07:00 you hear the sound of music... the traffic... 07:02 you pass the malls... the theaters... 07:03 it's all around us 07:05 and the church of Ephesus was challenged by its society. 07:07 But he pointed out the central figure 07:10 for the church of Ephesus is Christ. 07:13 Panel: That's right. 07:15 Lomacang: And that central figure... Jesus Christ 07:17 remains the central figure to the church in every age. 07:20 Panel: That's right. 07:21 Lomacang: And he encouraged the church members 07:23 to not only become significant in their acceptance of Him, 07:27 but to stay relevant in the last days 07:29 to engage in the mission of the church... 07:32 become active members. 07:34 And also, as they prepared for the return of Jesus Christ, 07:37 to live out their hope. 07:39 You know, we sing that song: We have this hope. 07:41 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 07:43 Lomacang: But what is the hope if you don't live it out? 07:44 To live out the meaning of your... of your religion... 07:46 to live out the meaning of your Christianity, 07:48 to allow Christ to enter every... every area of your life, 07:52 so that you can find in Him the meaningful relationship... 07:55 so that when He comes, 07:56 that's not the first time you meet Him. 07:59 You meet Him on your daily Bible studies... 08:00 your knees when you pray. Panel: That's good. 08:02 Lomacang: You meet Him in the miracle moments of your life 08:04 when things happen that you just think about, 08:06 you know, God was in that moment. 08:09 The introduction to Sunday is: 08:11 Paul, Evangelists to the Ephesians. 08:15 Ryan: That's right. 08:16 Lomacang: Evangelist to Ephesus and this is Sunday 08:17 if you want to turn there with us 08:19 if you have your Sabbath School Lesson 08:20 and I'll read the intro very briefly, 08:22 "In the Epistle to the Ephesians, 08:24 Paul tells us about the Ephesians... 08:26 first of all... themselves. 08:27 Years after the exciting events of the early days 08:30 of the Christian mission to Ephesus, 08:32 the Ephesians struggled with their significance 08:35 of their Christian faith. " 08:36 And the first caution... and I think this is true today, 08:38 don't base your faith on excitement. 08:41 Panel: Hmmm... yes. 08:42 Lomacang: Because a lot of churches today 08:44 and this is something that is a caution 08:45 to those of us who embrace the remnant message... 08:47 the everlasting gospel. 08:49 So many churches are building their... 08:51 their church services around excitements. 08:54 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 08:55 Lomacang: And it's becoming more like icing on the cake 08:59 rather than a good solid meal. Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 09:02 Lomacang: And so many churches are now 09:04 going after the excitement of religion 09:06 rather than the dedication of religion. 09:08 Why was that so significant? 09:09 Ephesus was a large city... 09:11 a population of about 250 people 09:14 and in this particular setting, 09:16 one of the richest cities also, 09:18 it's one of the richest cities 09:20 and it was a city that had a lot of god worship... 09:25 not heavenly God... 09:26 but many, many gods. 09:27 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm. 09:29 Lomacang: Artemis, also known as Diana to the Romans 09:31 was the supreme object of worship in that city 09:35 and, you know, when you think about your Christian walk, 09:37 what is the supreme object of worship in your life? 09:40 Is it your religion? 09:42 You know, religion could become a form of worship 09:44 and we could miss Jesus. 09:45 Is it the fabric of your church? 09:47 Is it the music in your church? 09:48 Is that the form and focus of your worship? 09:51 Is it your significance of prophetic understanding? 09:53 If any of your focuses are not Jesus Himself, 09:57 it is a distraction. 09:58 And in that city, 10:00 her worship was the focus of civil ceremonies, 10:03 it was also the focus of the athletic games 10:05 they gave for the praise in the athletic games. 10:08 And most of the annual celebrations, 10:10 were focused around Diana or Artemis as I mentioned. 10:13 And so, let's go to Acts chapter 18... 10:15 let's lay some foundation. 10:17 Acts chapter 18 verses 18 to 21, 10:19 and the question that Dr. McVay poses in this Lesson: 10:23 "What does Paul do on his first visit to Ephesus 10:26 at the end of his second missionary journey?" 10:29 Let's look at Acts chapter 18 verses 18 to 21, 10:31 it says, "So Paul still remained a good while. 10:35 Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed to Syria, 10:40 and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. 10:44 He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, 10:47 for he had taken a vow. 10:50 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; 10:53 but he himself entered the synagogue 10:55 and reasoned with the Jews. 10:56 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, 11:00 he did not consent, but took leave of them, saying, 11:03 'I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; 11:08 but I will return again to you, God willing. ' 11:11 And he sailed from Ephesus. " 11:13 Now, some things that he did here, you might think, 11:16 "Wow did... 11:18 did they have to record the forensic parts of his life 11:19 by getting his hair cut? 11:21 Or this is something significant 11:22 because it was a part of his dedication... 11:24 part of his vow he made with the Lord?" 11:27 He cut his hair as an act of re-dedication 11:29 and also as a point of seeking guidance from God, 11:33 he was about to go to a people that had flat-out denied Jesus, 11:37 His Messiahship... His divinity... 11:39 and Paul was going to Jerusalem to the feast 11:42 not because of... 11:44 of the significance of continued feast and their relevance, 11:46 but he knew that a large contingency of Jews 11:50 would be there 11:52 and how can you go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel 11:54 without going to their feast? 11:55 So, he went there to still hope... 11:57 to present to them Christ and Him crucified. 12:00 Also, when you think about it, let's go to Acts chapter 19, 12:04 what happened after Paul returned from that missionary journey? 12:08 It says, "And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, 12:12 that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, 12:16 came to Ephesus. 12:18 And finding some disciples... " 12:21 You also find out in Acts chapter 20, 12:23 how long he stayed there. 12:24 Let's go to Acts chapter 20 and verse 31, 12:27 it says, "Therefore watch, 12:30 and remember that for... " how many years? 12:32 Panel: Three... 12:33 Lomacang: "three years I did not cease to warn everyone 12:36 night and day with tears. " 12:38 Now, Dr. McVay brings out this point, it says, 12:41 "The apostle makes a significant time commitment to Ephesus, 12:44 with the intention of firmly founding Christianity there. 12:48 Luke shares the strange story 12:51 of seven itinerant, Jewish exorcists in the city. 12:55 mingling the names of both Jesus and Paul 12:58 in their incantations 13:00 proves to be a misguided venture for these exorcists. " 13:03 And this is a long story, 13:05 I may not be able to do all of it before we go to Ryan 13:08 but let's go to Acts chapter 19 verses 13 to 20, 13:11 and I read verses 18... well, let me just go... 13:14 Acts chapter 19 verses 13 to 20 13:15 and I'll switch after this one. 13:17 "The some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists 13:20 took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus 13:24 over those who had evil spirits, saying, 13:26 'We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. ' 13:29 Also, there were seven sons of Sceva, 13:31 a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 13:34 And the evil spirit answered and said... " 13:36 this is amazing... 13:37 "Jesus I know and Paul I know; but who are you?" 13:41 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 13:42 Lomacang: Which means, if you don't have a personal relationship, 13:44 I cannot witness to you in Ryan's experience 13:47 or anybody else's. 13:49 I got to know Christ for myself. 13:51 After that... "overpowering them 13:53 and prevailing against them, 13:55 so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 13:58 This became known both to all the Jews and Greeks 14:00 dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, 14:03 and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 14:06 And many who had believed came confessing 14:08 and telling their deeds. 14:10 Also, many of those who had practiced magic 14:12 brought their books together 14:14 and burned them in the sight of all. 14:15 And they counted up the value of them all, 14:18 and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 14:21 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. " 14:25 On that note, I give to you, Ryan. 14:27 Ryan: All right, thank you so much, Pastor 14:28 for that great foundation. 14:29 I'm Ryan Day, I have Monday's lesson, 14:32 entitled: A Riot in the Amphitheater 14:34 and, of course, this is diving into Acts chapter 19 14:38 and the first part of Acts chapter 20, 14:39 and I like how the lesson actually provides a... 14:43 a timeline of... of Paul's connection to Ephesus 14:47 and I just want to read that... 14:49 it's highlighted there in the... in the lesson 14:51 but you can see there that in A.D. 52 approximately 14:54 Paul's initial brief visit, 14:56 he goes to Ephesus for the first time 14:57 and you read about this in Acts chapter 18 14:59 verses 18 to 21. 15:01 But then, by the time you get to A.D. 53 to 56, 15:04 this was actually Paul's three years spent in Ephesus 15:07 in his missionary time there 15:09 ministering and preaching 15:11 and sharing the gospel there in Ephesus, 15:13 and then, of course, A.D. 57, while at... is it Miletus? 15:17 how do you say it? Miletus? Lomacang: Miletus. 15:18 Ryan: Miletus... okay... 15:20 while at Miletus, Paul meets with the elders from Ephesus 15:23 and that is recorded in Acts chapter 20 verses 17 to 38 15:26 and, of course, by A.D. 62, we see 15:29 some ten years later after he had that encounter in Ephesus, 15:32 Paul composes a letter to the Ephesians 15:34 probably from the confinement of Rome. 15:37 And so, our lesson actually opens up with this story 15:40 in Acts chapter 19, 15:41 of this great riot that took place in the Amphitheater there 15:46 in Ephesus 15:47 because Paul was preparing to leave... 15:49 he was planning to go on and move on 15:51 into Macedonia and on to Jerusalem 15:53 and, of course, he would eventually end up in Rome. 15:55 But after... while Paul is there and he's preparing to leave, 15:59 one of the Townsmen was a silversmith by the name... 16:02 by the name of Demetrius... he stirs up the folk 16:05 and he begins to... you can read the story for yourself, 16:08 I'm not going to read all of it, 16:09 I mean, we can read some pieces here, 16:11 but it's quite interesting, we read the story 16:13 and he stirs up the people, he says, "Look, Folks... " 16:14 he says, "we've got this incredible 16:17 economic way of living 16:19 and we're making money and... " 16:21 a part of this, of course, is creating these little gods... 16:24 he was a silversmith so what he would do 16:26 as... as kind of an honor 16:28 or a... a praise to the goddess Diana, 16:31 a silversmith, he would make these little relics 16:33 and these little statues of Diana 16:35 that people would purchase 16:36 and they would put it in their home 16:38 and they would create little home shrines and... 16:39 this was a very big business for the goldsmiths 16:41 and the silversmiths 16:42 and the blacksmiths and all these different people 16:44 and so it's... it's actually highlighted in verse 27 16:46 as he is speaking and stirring up the crowd, 16:48 speaking of Paul... he highlights Paul. 16:50 He says, "This guy has stirred up trouble, 16:51 he's causing a problem to our business. 16:53 It says, "So, not only is this trade of ours... " 16:56 this is verse 27, in Acts chapter 19, 16:58 "So not only is this trade of ours 17:00 in danger of falling into disrepute... " 17:02 disrepute... it says, 17:03 "but also the temple of the great goddess Diana... " 17:06 which is also Artemis 17:07 "may be despised... " yeah, "may be despised 17:11 and her magnificence destroyed, 17:13 whom all Asia and the world worship. " 17:15 They have to understand 17:16 this was their greatest god among many gods. 17:19 They had many, many gods... 17:20 this was like polytheistic culture 17:24 but Diana, of course, was a goddess of fertility, 17:27 she was a goddess of sexual immorality 17:30 and this often led the people to practice in such things 17:33 so, Paul had to deal with this while he was at Ephesus. 17:35 He preached against it, 17:37 he evidently discouraged the people 17:40 from worshipping these gods... 17:41 and worshipping the one true God 17:42 and here Demetrius... he's... 17:44 he's bringing it to their attention 17:45 and he stirs up the people. 17:46 They basically rush the amphitheater 17:49 and they're inside this amphitheater 17:52 just... you know... again... causing a ruckus, you know, 17:54 and crying out, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" 17:57 And eventually, the whole city 17:59 just turns into this rioting scene 18:01 of which eventually 18:02 one of the local city clerks had to quiet the crowds and say, 18:05 "Look, Guys, you Guys are getting out of control, 18:07 while Paul may have done some of these things, 18:09 you know what? 18:10 We still worship this goddess Diana... 18:12 everything's going to be okay, 18:13 if you have a problem with Paul, 18:15 take him to court and deal with him there, 18:16 but stop stirring up the people. " 18:18 So, it caused a great issue. 18:20 This story reflects of the struggles and the 18:22 the trials that Paul had to endure 18:25 while he was there. 18:26 Again, not to say that he... 18:28 that his work there 18:29 and his gospel preaching was in vain, 18:31 but these were some of the challenges 18:32 that he had to deal with... 18:34 a culture that was so steeped in polytheism 18:36 and false idol worship so much 18:38 that by the time you get to Ephesians chapters 1 and 2, 18:43 and onward, 18:44 he's writing this letter to the Ephesians 18:45 and he's expressing his concerns 18:47 even as he's leaving... he's left Ephesus, 18:49 he's writing this letter to the leaders at Ephesus, 18:53 and he's sharing his heart with them. 18:54 For instance, if you go to... 18:56 it's actually in Acts chapter 20, my apologies, 18:59 so, Acts chapter 20 and we're actually in verse 25 and onward, 19:02 notice what the Bible says here, 19:04 this is in the aftermath... after he's left Ephesus 19:06 and he's now sharing his heart with the people 19:08 and his concerns about what he has 19:10 in concern for the people once he leaves... 19:13 because Paul has worked hard to establish order... 19:15 to establish a church there 19:17 that's going to reach this culture... 19:18 this backwards culture 19:20 that's so steeped and drowning in... 19:22 in polytheistic false idol worship, 19:25 so, there in verse 25 of Acts chapter 20, 19:27 he's writing and speaking to the church at Ephesus, 19:30 he says, "And indeed, now I know that you all, 19:32 among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, 19:34 will see my face no more. " 19:36 So, he's preparing to leave. 19:38 "Therefore I testify to you this day 19:40 that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 19:41 For I have not shunned to declare 19:44 to you the whole counsel of God. " 19:46 But then, he really opens up with his concerns. 19:48 He says, "Therefore take heed to yourselves 19:50 and to all the flock, 19:52 among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, 19:54 to shepherd the church of God 19:56 which he purchased with His own blood. 19:58 For I know this, that after my departure 20:01 savage wolves will come in among you, 20:03 not sparing the flock. 20:04 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, 20:07 speaking perverse things, 20:09 to draw away the disciples after themselves. 20:11 Therefore watch, and remember... " 20:13 as Pastor read earlier... 20:15 "watch and remember 20:16 for three years I did not cease to warn everyone 20:18 night and day with tears. " 20:19 This was Paul's concern. 20:21 "Look, I'm going to leave, we've started a good work here, 20:23 but don't think for one second that after I leave 20:26 that the devil's not going to send in his tares 20:28 and they're going to begin trying to divide the flock 20:31 and to cause trouble and to, you know, divide the church. " 20:34 And I have to just stop here and just make the point 20:35 that... I don't think that there is a pastor 20:38 that has ever existed 20:40 that... that had a church district or a church 20:42 that has not experienced this very thing over the years. 20:46 There has never been a church that has went 20:48 untouched by the devil's plans 20:50 to divide and to conquer that congregation. 20:52 And so, these are issues that we also have to pay attention to 20:56 very much. 20:57 Now, it's interesting that the Monday's lesson 20:59 ends up with this question. 21:01 It says, "What do you think Paul would warn 21:02 our church about today, and why?" 21:05 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 21:06 Ryan: And as I got thinking through... 21:07 there's many things I'm sure Paul would see 21:09 going on in the church today 21:11 that he would probably warn of... 21:12 I just wrote down a few here that kind of... 21:14 got me... got me reflecting and thinking 21:16 of some of the challenges that we may deal with 21:18 in the culture that we're living 21:20 and in the society that we're living in 21:21 and how the devil is trying to divide our church 21:24 and the mission of our church 21:25 and to keep it from being accomplished. 21:27 For one thing, it would probably warn us 21:29 from falling into the pit of legalism. 21:31 That seems to be a very strong... 21:33 I mean, there's many minds within the church 21:35 that have this idea that they feel like 21:36 they can work their way to heaven, 21:38 that.. that... while the law of God does plays an important role 21:41 in the overall plan of salvation, 21:42 they believe that it's about what you do 21:44 rather than who you know 21:46 and who you know changing what you do 21:47 and so, Paul would probably warn of that, 21:48 "Don't fall into that pit of legalism... 21:50 yes, the commandments are important... 21:51 yes, the law is important 21:53 but don't come to the point 21:54 where you think you can add to what Jesus has done" 21:56 and we're going to see this actually, come back up 21:58 in the book of Ephesians as we study through. 22:00 He would probably warn of 22:01 drifting into the sea of compromise 22:03 and perversion of the freedom God has given us. 22:06 In other words, this... this do what thou wilt mentality. 22:08 It's the extreme opposite of the legalistic approach 22:11 where people tend to fall into 22:12 and slip into this mindful thinking of... 22:14 "You know what? 22:16 God loves me, you know, love... love... love... 22:17 grace... grace... grace... 22:19 you know, as much as I sin... 22:20 they manipulate Paul's words... 22:22 as much as I sin, God is just pouring grace on my life, 22:24 and there's nothing that I can do 22:25 that can separate me from the love of God. " 22:27 That's true if there's nothing that can separate us 22:29 from the love of God 22:30 but there are things such as sin that can separate us from God 22:33 and we certainly want to make sure that doesn't happen. 22:35 I believe Paul would also warn 22:37 not to allow spiritual tunnel vision 22:39 on one minor issue 22:40 clouding out of vision from the weightier matters 22:42 such as the three angels' messages 22:44 we are called to preach but some people 22:46 get caught up in these other things 22:47 and they cause division in all these other areas... 22:49 the divisions in the church in general, 22:51 I believe that this is a time in which we are living 22:53 in which the church is divided more than ever. 22:55 And, of course, this is because the devil is... 22:58 he's... he's got wrath 23:00 and he knows he has but a short time 23:01 as the book of Revelation tells us 23:03 and so, he is launching an all out total onslaught 23:05 on the church to keep us divided 23:07 and keep us segmented and fragmented and not together. 23:10 He would also probably say, 23:12 "Check your spiritual temperature, 23:13 don't fall into that Laodicean mindset 23:17 that many people have, 23:18 you know, make sure that you are fully grounded and rooted 23:20 in Jesus Christ... " 23:21 and probably... last but not least, 23:23 he would probably say, "You know what? 23:25 Do regular oil checks. " 23:27 Panel: Laughter. 23:28 Of course, I'm referencing the oil of the Holy Spirit. 23:31 We are living in the last days 23:32 where we, more than ever, need the Holy Spirit. 23:34 We are told and we are counseled 23:36 that in these last days that we are living... 23:37 that the Spirit of God daily 23:39 is being withdrawn from this planet 23:41 not because God wants to leave us... 23:43 not because God wants to leave us comfortless, 23:45 because He doesn't... 23:46 but because of our choices 23:48 and because of our quenching... 23:49 our resisting of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds, 23:51 in our homes and with our choices, 23:53 and in our daily lives, 23:54 God's spirit is being withdrawn from this planet. 23:57 So, I believe Paul... this great Evangelist... 23:59 this powerful man of God, Pastor, 24:01 I believe he would echo that message... 24:03 do regular oil checks... 24:05 make sure you have the oil and the spirit 24:07 and much of it in your vessels ready 24:10 to go out to meet Him when the times of trouble come 24:13 and the end of this world is fast approaching, 24:15 that you make sure that you are in harmony 24:17 with the gospel of Jesus Christ, 24:19 that you are rooted and grounded on the rock of Jesus Christ 24:21 and that you are full of the Holy Spirit. 24:24 Panel: Amen, amen. 24:25 Lomacang: Thank you so much, Ryan, wow! 24:27 What a start to our lesson, 24:28 first lesson... we are getting started, 24:30 you know that we have three more Presenters 24:31 but don't go away, we'll be right back. 24:34 Music... 24:39 Ever wish you could watch a 3 ABN Sabbath School Panel again 24:43 or share it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter? 24:46 Well, you can by visiting 3abnsabbathschoolpanel. com 24:51 A clean design makes it easy 24:53 to find the Program you are looking for. 24:55 There are also links to the Adult Bible Study Guide 24:59 so you can follow along. 25:00 Sharing is easy... 25:02 just click "Share" and choose your favorite Social Media. 25:05 Share a Link... 25:07 Save a Life... for Eternity. 25:09 Pause... 25:10 Lomacang: Now we're going to go to Shelley Quinn 25:11 which has the lesson entitled: 25:13 Hearing the Letter to the Ephesians. 25:15 Shelley: Amen, thank you so much for that foundation. 25:19 We are going to spend a whole Quarter on six chapters 25:22 but my lesson today is to give you an overview 25:26 of those six chapters in ten minutes. 25:29 Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians 25:31 while he was imprisoned. 25:33 He gave it to his faithful minister 25:36 who was a beloved brother named Tychicus. 25:40 So, Tychicus takes this letter to the Ephesians. 25:44 This was a big event... 25:46 I mean to have Paul's personal representative come 25:50 to give this letter. 25:52 As we have looked, influential men in Ephesus 25:57 were introducing false doctrines. 26:01 So, what Paul does... I love the book of Ephesians, 26:05 the first three chapters are theological in nature, 26:09 how Christ made them rich, 26:12 they... they were ignorant of their riches. 26:15 But then, the last three chapters 26:18 provide practical advice for Christian behavior 26:22 and together these six chapters go from eternity past 26:26 to eternity future. 26:27 So, the theology of chapter one... he opens up 26:30 speaking of the riches and the blessings 26:34 that Christians have in Christ. 26:36 Ephesians 1:3 is one of my favorite verses. 26:38 It says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 26:43 who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing 26:48 in heavenly places in Christ. " 26:51 What are those spiritual blessings? 26:54 Adoption... 26:55 Acceptance... 26:57 Redemption... 26:58 Forgiveness... 26:59 Wisdom... 27:01 Inheritance... 27:02 The Seal of the Holy Spirit... 27:03 Life... grace... and citizenship. 27:05 It's amazing! 27:06 He says in Ephesians 1:7, 27:08 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, 27:10 the forgiveness of sins, 27:12 according to the riches of His grace. " 27:16 So, as children of God, 27:19 we become the chosen. 27:21 We are predestined to become like Christ. 27:27 Redemption in Christ is the inheritance that we have. 27:32 We have many resources in Christ 27:35 then Paul goes on in Ephesians 1:17 27:38 to pray this prayer for Christ-focused wisdom. 27:43 He's praying for them that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ 27:47 the Father of glory, 27:48 may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation 27:51 and the knowledge of Him, 27:52 that the eyes of your understanding 27:55 would be enlightened; 27:56 that you may know what is the hope of your calling, 28:00 what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance 28:04 in the saints, 28:05 and the exceeding greatness 28:08 of His power toward us who believe, 28:11 according to the working of His mighty power. 28:15 What is that mighty power? 28:17 It's the Holy Spirit working in us. 28:19 The theology of chapter 2: 28:22 Paul speaks to new life in Christ. 28:28 He's saying, "You are one spiritually dead, 28:30 now you are exalted with Christ. " 28:33 Ephesians 2:8 through 10, 28:35 "For by grace, you have been saved through faith, 28:38 and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 28:41 not of works, lest anyone should boast. " 28:43 Then he goes on, he says, 28:45 "We are Christ's workmanship. 28:47 We're God's work of art created in Christ, 28:52 'for good works, 28:54 which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. '" 28:59 So, the theology of chapter 2 is talking about unity in Christ. 29:03 God's creation of the church of Jews and Gentiles 29:08 who are brought together 29:10 by our being united with Christ to ease our peace. 29:15 Now, theology of chapter 3 29:18 speaks of God's fullness for the church 29:22 and the mystery of God's plan is revealed 29:26 and I love this prayer, 29:27 probably my favorite... one of my favorite Scripture passages, 29:31 that Paul is praying for the Ephesians to experience 29:36 the love of God. 29:38 He says in Ephesians 3:16 through 21, 29:41 "I'm praying that He would grant you, 29:44 according to the riches of His glory, 29:46 to be strengthened with might 29:49 through His Spirit in the inner man, 29:52 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; 29:57 that you will be... " 30:00 and any time you see "that" 30:01 there is... that's a purpose statement. 30:04 So, I want you to be strengthened 30:06 with the Holy Spirit in your heart... 30:08 what's the purpose? 30:11 So that Christ can dwell in your heart through faith. 30:14 What's the purpose? 30:15 "that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints 30:18 what is the width and length and depth and height... 30:22 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; 30:26 that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. " 30:30 Oh! are we filled with the fullness of God? 30:33 Ah... he says, "Now to Him 30:36 who is able to do exceedingly abundantly 30:38 above all that we ask or think, 30:40 according to the power... His power that works in us, 30:44 to him be glory in the church 30:46 by Christ Jesus to all generations, 30:49 forever and ever. Amen. " 30:51 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 30:53 Shelley: Now, these are these rich theological themes 30:57 saying, "Hey, you're blessed with every blessing 31:02 in the heavenly realms through Christ, 31:03 wake up... recognize who you are. 31:06 Know your identity in Christ. " 31:09 Jill: That's right. 31:10 Shelley: And then, after those first three chapters, 31:13 he switches to practical Christianity. 31:18 In chapter 4, he begins with God's plan for the church 31:22 that it includes that faithful living 31:25 includes holding on to 31:28 and nurturing Spirit-inspired unity 31:33 as Christ endows us and builds His church. 31:38 You mentioned how divided things are in our world today. 31:42 This is not God's way. 31:44 God wants unity... 31:46 he presents... 31:48 in fact, Paul presents the church as a living organism... 31:52 as the body of Christ 31:53 and he says that all parts are related and independent... 31:58 that Christ is the Head 32:00 and we are to follow God's pattern and principles 32:05 as members of the church 32:07 not grieving the Holy Spirit. 32:09 When we are fighting and dividing and backbiting, 32:13 we're grieving the Holy Spirit of God. 32:16 The practical Christianity of chapter 5 32:20 is God's standards for faithfulness in the church. 32:24 He says, "Walk worthy of your calling 32:28 in unity... in love... 32:31 living in the light of God's Word. " 32:34 "Walk as children of the light... " He says, 32:38 we... light represents the truth... the character of God. 32:42 We are to avoid darkness, Paul says. 32:47 Avoid those things that are done in evil. 32:50 Walk in wisdom filled with the Holy Spirit 32:53 and he starts to transition... 32:56 to tell us how to practice 32:59 Christ-shaped lives in Christian households 33:03 and he talks about the covenant relationship of marriage 33:08 and he compares the church to the Bride of Christ 33:12 and gives God's standards for authority and submission 33:16 for all members 33:18 and particularly husbands and wives and households. 33:20 Now, real quickly. 33:22 Chapter 6: Practical Christianity... 33:26 he's talking about submission of children to their parents... 33:30 employees to employers... 33:31 and he transitions to God's provisions. 33:35 Oh, we love chapter 6, don't we? 33:37 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 33:38 Shelley: For his children's spiritual battles. 33:41 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 33:43 Shelley: God provides efficient spiritual armor 33:45 through His Word and by His Spirit 33:47 and we stand together now, Paul says 33:50 as the army of God 33:52 and he explains that the believer's warfare 33:57 what it is... and what is the believer's armor. 34:02 He says, "Finally... " 34:03 this is Ephesians 6:10 through 12, 34:05 "Finally, my brethren, 34:07 be strong in the Lord and in His might. 34:09 Put on the whole armor of God 34:12 that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. " 34:14 Our... we know that... he says, 34:17 "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, 34:20 but against principalities, 34:22 against powers, 34:23 against the rulers of the darkness of this age, 34:28 against spiritual hosts of wickedness 34:32 in heavenly places. " 34:34 So, he is appealing 34:36 for vigilant 34:41 resistance to the devil 34:43 to put on the full armor, 34:45 then he appeals for vigilant prayer in the church. 34:48 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 34:49 Shelley: It's interesting. 34:51 The word "riches" is used five times in Ephesians. 34:54 The word "grace" is used twelve times... 34:58 "glory... " nine times, 35:00 "fullness" or "filled" six times. 35:03 And the key phrase, "in Christ" 35:06 is used eleven times. 35:09 Christ is the head... 35:11 the center and the circumference of the church. 35:14 Panel: Hmmm... amen. 35:15 Dinzey: Amen, praise the Lord. 35:17 What a wonderful book is the book of Ephesians! 35:20 The Holy Spirit has put together a wonderful book for us to study 35:24 and so, I have Wednesday's portion, 35:27 my name is John Dinzey. 35:28 The title is: Ephesians in its Time. 35:31 This takes us already into Ephesians chapter 1, 35:36 verse 1, let's begin there. 35:38 It says, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ 35:41 by the will of God, 35:43 to the saints who are in Ephesus, 35:46 and faithful in Christ Jesus. " 35:48 Let's move to verse 2, 35:50 "Grace to you and peace from God our Father 35:53 and the Lord Jesus Christ. " 35:56 So, we see here in the beginning of Ephesians chapter 1 verse 1, 36:01 that Paul is identifying himself. 36:04 He says he is an apostle 36:07 and normally when you say "apostle" 36:09 people think of the twelve disciples... 36:11 they are the apostles. 36:13 But here, Paul is recognizing himself as an apostle. 36:16 He has divine credentials 36:18 and what is an apostle? 36:20 It comes from the Greek word, "Apostolos" 36:23 which means a delegate and ambassador of the gospel 36:26 and it says, officially a commissioner of Christ, 36:30 but also, it's a messenger... he that is sent. 36:34 So, you and I can also be sent as Paul 36:38 but Paul is recognizing that he has not claimed for himself 36:43 that he is an apostle. 36:44 He has been selected by God. 36:47 He has divine credentials. 36:49 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 36:50 Dinzey: I like to point you to the book of 1st Corinthians 36:54 chapter 15 36:55 because it's very interesting the way 36:58 that it introduces to us what Paul says. 37:01 He says concerning himself 37:02 and he sets the background there by talking about Jesus 37:06 how Jesus was resurrected and He was seen 37:08 by 500 people as it says in verse 6, 37:12 1st Corinthians 15:6, 37:13 let's read verse 7 and onward, 37:15 "Afterward He was seen by James, 37:17 and then by all the apostles. 37:19 And last of all, He was seen by me also, 37:23 as one born out of time. 37:26 For I am the least of the apostles, 37:28 and I am not sufficient to be called an apostle 37:32 because I persecuted the church of God. 37:34 But by the grace of God 37:38 I am what I am, 37:40 and His grace which was toward me 37:43 has not been without fruit; 37:45 but I labored more abundantly than all of them, yet... 37:48 yet, not I, but the grace of God in me... " 37:52 Panel: Amen... amen. 37:53 Dinzey: "or with me. " 37:55 So, he's recognizing that God has selected him... 37:57 he's recognizing that he persecuted the church... 38:00 he's recognizing that he is... 38:01 he has these divine credentials. 38:03 So, because he has the grace of God, he labored 38:07 and we should consider this as well. 38:10 We have been selected. 38:11 Some people have been selected from some horrible backgrounds 38:15 but the grace... 38:17 where sin abounds, the grace of God more bounds 38:20 and this is a wonderful thing to consider 38:22 and he says that he's an apostle of Jesus Christ 38:25 by the will of God. 38:27 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 38:29 Dinzey: And that is his... his credentials. 38:32 He is coming... sent by God. 38:34 Now he writes... it says, 38:36 "To the saints who are at Ephesus. " 38:38 Wait a minute... 38:40 you know you... you hear sometimes of a... 38:41 a very popular denomination, 38:43 that they have these meetings and eventually, they... 38:45 they call... they... they name somebody a "saint. " 38:48 But Paul is saying, 38:49 he's writing to the saints in Ephesus. 38:51 Really a saint is one who is... 38:53 has dedicated his life to the Lord. 38:56 He has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ 38:58 and he is willing to follow Him. 39:00 So, Paul is recognizing, "I'm writing to the saints. " 39:04 And then he says, "to the faithful in Christ Jesus. " 39:08 Ah, my Brothers and Sisters, you are saints... 39:11 you have been called of the Lord to be faithful 39:13 by the grace of the Lord in Christ Jesus. 39:17 "Saints" come from the Greek word: "Hagios" 39:20 which means: somebody that is pure morally, 39:23 we are only pure morally as Jesus comes into our hearts 39:26 and we are... need to recognize we are saints. 39:30 We have been selected from the world... 39:31 we are supposed to be lights in the world... 39:34 and this is our calling. 39:36 Ah... beautiful things that are written here, 39:39 he says, "Grace and peace. " 39:41 We all need grace. 39:43 Panel: Amen. 39:44 Dinzey: We all need peace 39:45 and Paul is saying to the Ephesians, 39:47 "grace and peace... " 39:48 and by the way, he's writing to the Ephesians 39:49 but wait a minute... 39:51 He's writing to us as well. 39:53 Panel: Amen. 39:54 Dinzey: We need to recognize that this letter 39:55 was for the Ephesians but it's for the saints. 39:57 We are saints in Christ Jesus. 40:00 This letter is for us. 40:02 This letter is... has so much beauty... 40:05 so much information for us 40:07 that if we study with a prayerful attitude, 40:11 our lives are going to be transformed. 40:14 We are to understand that as you have heard, 40:16 "By grace, we are saved through faith. " 40:20 A beautiful, beautiful book in the Bible, 40:23 Ephesians. 40:25 So, we're going back to the question 40:26 that is in the beginning of the lesson, 40:28 "How does Paul begin 40:30 and end his letter to the believers in Ephesus?" 40:33 And what do we learn about his deepest desire for them? 40:36 Let's go ahead and read in Ephesians chapter 6 40:40 verse 21... beginning there, 40:42 "But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, 40:47 Tychichus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, 40:51 will make all things known to you; 40:53 whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, 40:56 that you may know our affairs, 40:57 and that he may comfort your hearts. " 41:01 We'll come back to that. 41:02 And it says in verse 23, "Peace to the brethren... " 41:05 again he brings out peace to the brethren. 41:08 "And love with faith, from God the Father 41:11 and the Lord Jesus Christ. " 41:13 You see similarities in the beginning of the letter 41:15 and in the end of the letter of Ephesians, 41:17 "Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ 41:21 in sincerity. Amen. " 41:24 So, here he says, "Comfort your hearts. " 41:26 He has sent Tychichus to comfort your hearts. 41:29 Do we need to be comforted? 41:31 Yes, we do. 41:32 And the Word of God brings comfort to us. 41:35 God is the God of all comfort 41:38 and, you know, we do ourselves much harm. 41:41 We kind of... I say we punish ourselves 41:44 by not dedicating time to the study of God's Word. 41:47 Stop punishing yourself. 41:49 Go to the Scriptures... study 41:52 because there the Lord is going to lift you up 41:55 and He's going to give you hope. 41:57 Let's continue here, 41:59 and it says in Ephesians 6:23, 42:01 "Peace be to the brethren, 42:03 and love with faith. " 42:05 this is Paul's desire that they have peace... 42:08 that they have the grace of the Lord, 42:10 that the love of God dwells in them 42:12 and it's beautiful, you read that Scripture 42:14 that you may know what? 42:15 The love of God which is... 42:17 oh, it's... depths and heights, 42:19 this... we're going to look into that later on in this... 42:23 in this study. 42:24 Here, we continue... 42:26 I need to read something from the Lesson, 42:29 Dr. McVay wrote something wonderful here 42:31 that I'd like to bring out. 42:33 It says, "At the outset of the letter, Paul identifies himself 42:36 as the author. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 1, 42:38 Near the middle of the letter, 42:40 Paul again identifies himself by name, labeling himself 42:43 'the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles,' 42:48 that's Ephesians chapter 3 verse 1, 42:50 which introduces a personal reflection on his work 42:54 as an apostle. 42:56 Near the end of the letter, 42:57 he again refers to his imprisonment 42:59 in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 20, 43:02 and concludes with personal words. " 43:04 Now, he brings out... Dr. McVay brings out 43:08 that some scholars deny that the letter was written by Paul" 43:13 but... Paul wrote the letter, 43:15 it says so in the beginning. 43:17 He says here... Dr. McVay, 43:18 "It is important to note 43:20 that the epistle clearly lays claim to Paul as its author. 43:24 Most Christians accept, and rightly so, 43:27 Paul as the author. " 43:28 And Paul is the author. 43:29 Of course, backing up... it's through the Holy Spirit 43:34 that Paul was able to write this letter. 43:37 Now, something is brought out in the lesson 43:39 which is very important as well 43:41 and it's... have a question here, 43:43 "How does Paul worry about the effect of his imprisonment 43:47 will have on believers in Ephesus?" 43:49 Ephesians chapter 3 verse 13, notice this, 43:54 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart 43:58 at my tribulations for you, 44:00 which is your glory. " 44:02 You know, Paul was a servant of the Lord. 44:06 Paul was an apostle chosen by the Lord 44:09 but he also counted it a privilege 44:12 to suffer for the Lord. 44:14 and sometimes as we look at our fellow believers 44:18 and we see them going through things, 44:20 some people may be discouraged 44:22 as they see things happening to God's children. 44:25 But God is working out something 44:27 that we may not see on the surface. 44:30 God is all wise... God is all-knowing... 44:34 and He knows what is best for each and every one of us 44:37 and we need to understand that it says in Romans 8:28, 44:39 "All things work together for good 44:42 to them that love God, 44:44 to them that are the called according to His purpose. " 44:46 So, again from the lesson, 44:49 "Ephesians seems to share the same general timing 44:51 and circumstances with other letters Paul writes from prison, 44:55 like Colossians and Philemon. 44:57 Also, considerable time seems to have passed 45:01 since Paul's ministry in Ephesus. " 45:04 So, this letter of Ephesians... 45:07 this book of Ephesians has a lot in store for us. 45:10 I encourage you to study and take in, 45:13 you may want to highlight some of these verses 45:15 and commit them to memory 45:16 and one of those you should commit to memory is... 45:18 of course, is, Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8, 45:21 "By grace, we are saved through faith, 45:23 that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. " 45:26 Panel: Amen. 45:27 Jill: Amen, thank you so much Pastor Johnny... 45:29 each one of you, 45:30 what an incredible start to one of my favorite books. 45:34 I love Paul's writings... 45:36 I think Paul and John are my two favorite authors 45:39 from the New Testament. 45:40 I love his writings and Ephesians is an incredible book, 45:43 one of those prison epistles 45:45 written during Paul's first imprisonment there in Rome. 45:49 My name is Jill Morikone. 45:51 I was so excited... I forgot to give my name 45:53 and on Thursday, we will look at Ephesians: 45:55 A Christ-saturated Letter. 45:57 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 45:59 Jill: Now, Shelley, you referenced the phrase: in Christ 46:02 taking place eleven times throughout the book of Ephesians. 46:06 We're going to look at 46:08 sixteen times 46:10 where we see the phrase either "in Christ" 46:13 or "in Him" referring to "in Christ" 46:18 and there's more but we're just going to... 46:20 we don't know if we'll get to all of it 46:22 but we'll get to what we can. 46:23 To me the beautiful thing about this book 46:26 is that it's all about Jesus. 46:28 Panel: Amen... that's right. 46:29 Jill: From the start to the end... 46:30 the center and circumference is the Lord Jesus Christ 46:34 and we'll discover this as we go through 46:36 and unpack this "in Christ" or "in Him" phrases. 46:40 So, we're starting in Ephesians 1, verse 3, 46:43 read there with me, Ephesians 1:3, 46:45 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 46:49 who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing 46:52 in heavenly places... " what's that word? 46:54 "in Christ. " 46:56 Takeaway Number 1: 46:58 Blessings... the spiritual blessings that we discover 47:02 as we unpack the book of Ephesians, 47:04 they come in Christ. 47:06 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 47:07 Jill: Sometimes we seek for blessings apart from Christ. 47:09 We think, "Oh yeah, I can get blessings... 47:11 I can get... " 47:12 No... only... they only come through Christ... 47:15 in Christ. 47:16 Panel: That's right. 47:18 Jill: Let's look at the next verse, 47:19 Ephesians 1 verse 4, 47:20 "just as He chose us... " what's that word? 47:22 "in Him... " that's in Christ... 47:24 "before the foundation of the world, 47:26 that we should be holy and without blame 47:29 before Him in love. " 47:30 Takeaway Number 2: 47:32 Holiness comes from being in Him 47:35 or in Christ. 47:36 Ryan talked about the legalism that we see prevalent 47:40 in certain denominations. 47:42 We think... we can become holy in our own strength. 47:45 We can become holy in our own works 47:48 no... 47:49 holiness comes from being in Christ. 47:51 Let's read verse 7, we're in Ephesians 1 verse 7, 47:54 "In Him... " that's in Christ... 47:57 "you and I have redemption through His blood, 48:00 the forgiveness of sins. " 48:03 Takeaway Number 3: 48:04 Redemption and forgiveness comes in Him. 48:08 There is no other name given among men 48:12 whereby we might be saved but the Lord Jesus Christ. 48:15 Panel: That's right, amen. 48:17 Jill: We can't be saved through trying harder, 48:18 we can't be saved through penance. 48:20 We can't be saved through climbing the stairs on our knees 48:24 or through some sort of physical torture. 48:26 We can't be saved through Buddha or Hindu or any of that. 48:30 We are saved... redemption comes through Jesus Christ. 48:34 Panel: Amen. Jill: Let's read verse 10. 48:35 Ephesians 1:10, 48:37 "that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times 48:41 He might gather together in one all things in Christ, 48:45 both which are in heaven 48:46 and which are on earth... in Him. " 48:49 Unity in the church... 48:51 unity in the family... 48:52 unity in society only comes in Christ. 48:56 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 48:58 Jill: Takeaway 4: Unity comes in Christ. 49:00 You know, 1st John 1:7 says, 49:02 "if we walk in the light as He is in the light, 49:04 we have fellowship with one another... " 49:06 koinonia... Pastor Johnny, 49:08 and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son 49:10 cleanses us from all sin. 49:12 So many times, we seek unity apart from Christ 49:15 and we say, "Why aren't we getting along with people?" 49:17 "Why is there friction in a relationship?" 49:20 "Why is there angst?" 49:21 We only have spiritual fellowship 49:24 when we walk in the light 49:26 and the other person walks in the light as well. 49:29 In other words, if you are in Christ 49:31 and your spouse is in Christ, 49:33 you can have unity and harmony 49:35 in that relationship. 49:38 Unity in the church... 49:39 in the workplace... 49:41 in the home... 49:42 comes in Christ. 49:43 Panel: Hmmm... 49:45 Jill: Let's go down to verse 11, 49:47 Ephesians 1:11, 49:48 "In Him... " in Christ... 49:50 "also we have obtained an inheritance. " 49:55 Takeaway Number 5: 49:56 Eternal life... that inheritance to the saints... 49:59 it comes in Christ. 50:01 We're only saved... 50:03 we only have hope of eternal life in Christ. 50:06 Go down to verse 12, 50:07 "that we who first trusted in Christ 50:11 should be to the praise of His glory. " 50:14 That reminds me of 1st Peter 2:9, 50:17 what does that say? 50:18 "We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood... " 50:20 God's own special people 50:21 that we should proclaim the praises of Him 50:24 who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. 50:29 What does that mean? 50:30 This means that you and I can only witness... 50:34 we can only share what God has done 50:38 when we are in Christ. 50:39 Takeaway Number 6: 50:41 Witnessing comes in Christ. 50:44 You ever wonder why there's no more fruit 50:48 from your labors? 50:50 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 50:51 Jill: Maybe we're not in Christ. 50:53 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 50:54 Jill: You know, I love that quote 50:56 and I can't remember it exactly now, 50:57 but the church... the early Christian church in Acts... 51:00 if the Holy Spirit was removed 51:02 what would have happened? 51:04 Their work would have fallen apart. 51:05 The 95 percent of the work would have... 51:07 would have dissipated. 51:09 But today, if the Holy Spirit were removed, 51:12 almost everything we have... our plans and our programs 51:14 and "church" as we look at it 51:16 would continue the same 51:18 because we are not witnessing as we should 51:21 in Christ. 51:23 Let's look at verses 19 and 20, 51:25 I think Shelley read this before, Ephesians 1:19 and 20, 51:28 "what is the exceeding greatness of His power... " 51:31 that dunamis... mighty working power... 51:33 "toward us who believe, 51:34 according to the working of His mighty power 51:36 which He worked in Christ 51:39 when He raised Him from the dead 51:42 and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places... " 51:46 the same Power that raised Jesus from the dead... 51:49 the same Power that seated Him 51:50 at the right hand of the Father in heavenly places, 51:53 that miracle-working resurrection power 51:56 you and I can have in Christ. 51:58 Panel: Amen... hallelujah. 52:00 Jill: Takeaway 7: Resurrection power comes in Christ. 52:04 Now, we're going over to Ephesians 2 verses 5 and 6, 52:07 Ephesians 2:5 and 6, 52:09 "even when we were dead in trespasses, 52:12 made us alive together with Christ... 52:16 by grace, you have been saved, 52:17 and raised us up together, 52:19 and made us sit together in the heavenly places 52:21 in Christ Jesus. " 52:23 Without Christ, you and I would not be made alive, 52:26 we would not be raised from our death in sins. 52:29 We would not sit in heavenly places. 52:31 Takeaway Number 8: 52:32 Salvation and transformation only comes in Christ. 52:38 Let's read the next verse, 52:39 Ephesians 2 verse 7, 52:41 "that in the ages to come 52:43 He might show the exceeding riches of His grace 52:46 in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. " 52:50 Takeaway Number 9: 52:51 Grace... 52:53 kindness comes in Christ Jesus. 52:56 Verse 10, Ephesians 2 verse 10, 53:00 "For we are His workmanship, 53:03 created in Christ Jesus for good works, 53:07 which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. " 53:11 Takeaway Number 10: 53:13 Sanctification... what we call "good works" 53:17 only comes in Christ Jesus. 53:20 You know, so many times as Christians, 53:22 we believe we are justified by faith. 53:24 Jesus saves us by grace through faith 53:26 and then, everything else is up to us 53:28 and we somehow have to become sanctified by our own works 53:33 but here it says, "Those works are created in Christ Jesus. " 53:37 Sanctification... the good works in the life of the Christian 53:42 come when you are in Christ Jesus. 53:45 Let's jump down to verse 13, Ephesians 2:13, 53:48 "But now in Christ Jesus 53:51 you who once were far off 53:53 have been brought near... " or given access to God 53:57 "by the blood of Christ. " 53:59 Takeaway 11: 54:00 Reconciliation... restoration comes in Christ Jesus. 54:05 I love that. 54:07 The first part of Ephesians 2 54:08 is all about vertical reconciliation... 54:10 reconciling us and God. 54:11 The rest of it is horizontal reconciliation... 54:15 us and other people. 54:17 Reconciliation... restoration of relationships 54:20 comes in Christ Jesus. 54:22 Let's go to Ephesians 3 verse 6, 54:24 "that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, 54:28 and partakers of His promise in Christ 54:31 through the gospel. " 54:33 All... both Jews and Gentiles 54:35 now have access in Christ. 54:39 We're going to skip number 13 and we're jumping down to 14, 54:42 we're in Ephesians 4 verse 15, 54:44 "speaking the truth in love, 54:47 may grow up in all things into Him 54:49 who is the head, even Christ. " 54:51 Growth comes in Christ. 54:55 We only grow when we are in Christ. 54:58 You cannot grow apart from Christ. 55:01 Verse 20, Ephesians 4:20 and 21, 55:03 "you have not so learned Christ, 55:05 if indeed you have heard Him 55:07 and have been taught by Him, 55:09 as the truth is in Jesus. " 55:11 Takeaway Number 15: 55:14 Truth comes in Jesus. 55:16 So many times, we teach the doctrines. 55:18 We teach what we believe is the truth 55:21 and we even push it 55:22 but we push it apart from Jesus. 55:24 Truth has to be centered in Jesus. 55:27 You can only share the truth in Jesus. 55:29 Panel: Amen... amen... wow... amen. 55:32 Lomacang: Did you cover all 16? 55:33 Jill: No... 14... 55:35 Lomacang: Oh wow! 55:36 I'll give you the time to cover those last two. 55:38 Ryan, what's your final closing thought? 55:40 Ryan: You know, I just want to remind everyone 55:42 check your oil... check... do an oil check 55:45 John chapter 16 verse 13 reminds us that... 55:47 the Spirit of truth when He has come... 55:49 He will lead and guide us into all truth 55:51 and that's what He's going to do 55:53 through this powerful study of the book of Ephesians, 55:55 so, check the oil and make sure 55:56 you're being led by the Holy Spirit. 55:58 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 55:59 Shelley: You know, I believe that Paul's practical advice 56:02 for walking in a way worthy of the Lord 56:06 and is... and unity in the church is only possible 56:10 when we understand what we have in Christ... 56:13 the adoption... the acceptance... 56:14 the redemption... forgiveness... 56:15 wisdom... inheritance... 56:17 the Seal of the Holy Spirit 56:19 life... grace and citizenship... 56:21 know who you are in Christ, then you can walk with Him. 56:25 Dinzey: Amen... amen. 56:26 Well, Paul... desire for the Ephesians... 56:29 I desire for you and we desire for you 56:32 Ephesians chapter 1 verse 2, 56:34 "Grace to you and peace from God our Father 56:37 and the Lord Jesus Christ. " 56:38 Lomacang: Jill, give us the last two. 56:40 Jill: Last takeaway is Ephesians 4 verse 32, 56:43 'Be kind to one another, 56:45 tenderhearted, 56:46 forgiving one another, 56:47 even as God in Christ forgave you. " 56:50 The final takeaway is that 56:52 you and I can only forgive other people 56:54 when we are in Christ. 56:57 Panel: Amen. 56:58 Lomacang: All 16, right? Panel: Laughter. 57:00 Lomacang: Thank you so much. 57:01 Wow! we're just getting started 57:03 and we found that the book of Ephesians 57:06 is a book that has propped itself up... 57:08 open the doors and said, "Come on in 57:10 and let us find out who we are in Christ... 57:13 in Him... in Jesus. " 57:15 The beginning... 57:16 the middle... 57:18 the end. 57:19 The full circumference of this book 57:20 is all about Christ. 57:22 This is the "grace" book. 57:23 This the book that enables us. 57:24 He can do more than we can ever ask or think... 57:27 this is all in Ephesians 57:28 and we're going to continue on our next lesson which is: 57:31 God's Grand, Christ-Centered Plan 57:32 but here's a thought to remember 57:34 as we close out this one, 57:36 Dedication is not a matter of chance but a matter of choice. 57:40 Panel: Hmmm... 57:42 Lomacang: What we become is not the focus of our destiny 57:44 but the product of our journey. 57:46 We pray that you'll continue pressing toward the mark 57:50 for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 57:54 Join us next week for Lesson Number 2 57:56 and another... 57:57 Dr. John McVay has a lot more and so does Christ. 57:59 We'll see you then. |
Revised 2023-10-09