Title: Living the Jesus way
1Living the Jesus way
- The gift of the Church
- Ephesians 3 1 - 21
2Church is .....
3Hatch, match and dispatch
4And our church?
5Church is central to the Bible
- It is a gift from God
- to us
- to the world
- Its important for us to have an understanding of
the church and Gods purposes - Its important for us to develop a love of the
church - If we get it right it can be stunning ...... and
if we get it wrong it can be awful! - What does Paul say to the Ephesians about church?
6Ephesians 3 1 - 21
- 1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ
Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles  - 2Surely you have heard about the administration
of God's grace that was given to me for you,
3that is, the mystery made known to me by
revelation, as I have already written briefly.
4In reading this, then, you will be able to
understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
5which was not made known to men in other
generations as it has now been revealed by the
Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets.
7- 6This mystery is that through the gospel the
Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members
together of one body, and sharers together in the
promise in Christ Jesus. - 7I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of
God's grace given me through the working of his
power. 8Although I am less than the least of all
God's people, this grace was given me to preach
to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of
Christ, 9and to make plain to everyone the
administration of this mystery, which for ages
past was kept hidden in God, who created all
things.
8- 10His intent was that now, through the church,
the manifold wisdom of God should be made known
to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly
realms, 11according to his eternal purpose which
he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12In
him and through faith in him we may approach God
with freedom and confidence. 13I ask you,
therefore, not to be discouraged because of my
sufferings for you, which are your glory. - A Prayer for the Ephesians
- 14For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15from whom his whole family in heaven and on
earth derives its name.
9- 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may
strengthen you with power through his Spirit in
your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in
your hearts through faith. And I pray that you,
being rooted and established in love, 18may have
power, together with all the saints, to grasp how
wide and long and high and deep is the love of
Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses
knowledgethat you may be filled to the measure
of all the fullness of God. Â 20Now to him who is
able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or
imagine, according to his power that is at work
within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever
and ever! Amen.
10The MYSTERY an open secret
- ...the mystery made known to me by revelation
(v3) - ...my insight into the mystery of Christ (v4)
- ...to make plain to everyone the administration
of this mystery (v9) - This mystery is that through the gospel the
Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members
of one body, and sharers together in the promise
of Christ Jesus. (v6)
11This is HUGE for the Ephesians Jews
- Reconciliation of Jew Gentile
- The sovereign act of creation of one new man out
of the two, thus making peace (216) - Paul is in prison because of this (Acts 21 25)
- The administration of this mystery was already
causing ripples - We need to understand the Biblical centrality of
the Church the body of Christ
12And Gods INTENTION?
- His intent was that now, through the Church, the
manifold wisdom of God should be made known to
the rulers and authorities in the heavenly
realms, according to his eternal purpose which he
accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (v10-11)
Manifold multi-facetted, multi-coloured, unity
in diversity
131. The church is central in his-story
- This is Gods majestic story
- It has an eternal backdrop
- Hes showing his wisdom to the rulers and
authorities in the heavenly realms - The issues are of eternal importance and way
outside of our day to day existence - Church isnt marginal
142. The church is central to the gospel
- Jesus didnt die just to save us.
- He is our SAVIOUR but he is also our LORD
- And God placed all things under his feet and
appointed him to be head over everything for the
church, which is his body, the fullness of him
who fills everything in every way. (2 22-23) - He died to adopt us in to his family - to
reconcile us one to another to make a new
community
15Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and
aliens, but fellow-citizens with God's people and
members of God's household, built on the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, with
Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In
him the whole building is joined together and
rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And
in him you too are being built together to become
a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Â
Eph 2 19 - 22
16Church as Gods household
- A place to be loved, accepted belong.
- A place for genuine relationships adult to
adult. - A place where people are for us.
- A place of healing renewal.
- A place of forgiveness and mercy.
- A place to be imperfect.
- A place of accountability.
- A place where love offers the healthy climate for
growth. - Importance of kinship a group of 12 disciples.
173. The church is central to our lives
- Our personal relationship to Jesus is never in
question. - But, Christianity only built around personal
faith isnt what the Bible show us. - Our healthy, growing up in Jesus is to be
achieved within the loving relationship of a
church community. - Its where we learn to be effective, world
changing disciples.
18A place to learn to be like Jesus
- To serve a privilege.
- To give generosity of money, time spirit.
- To remember the poor, the outcast, the
marginalised to back this up with action. - To worship all day, every day.
- To pray for the sick, the lost, the demonised.
- To learn to use the gifts of the spirit
effectively. - To learn to love people church isnt a theory,
but actual people!
19In summary
- The church is central in history
- The church is central to the gospel
- The church is central to our lives
- What about when things have gone wrong?
20Reasons to feel disconnected
- Life is hard so we withdraw
- We feel like an outsider
- Life is busy
- Weve been burnt by church in the past
- Weve been burnt by people in general
- Weve sinned and so feel ashamed
- Church hopping unresolved pain
We belong together
21So ....
- Paul was prepared to pay any price to see Gods
church established. - If the church is central to Gods purposes it
must surely be central to our lives. - We need Jesus help to
- love his church more effectively
- serve his church more selflessly
- be the church in the world as Jesus intended
- pray for all churches to be full of his people,
his presence his power
22- Then a prayer ...
- For this reason I kneel
- before the Father (v14)
- strengthen you with power
- being rooted and
- established in love
23To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever
(v21)