Emmanuel Covenant Church » ephesians http://emmanuelphx.org Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:41:21 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Ephesians 6.10-17: Some Sermon Notes http://emmanuelphx.org/2009/09/ephesians-6-10-17-some-sermon-notes/ http://emmanuelphx.org/2009/09/ephesians-6-10-17-some-sermon-notes/#comments Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:52:04 +0000 Richard Klaus http://emmanuelphx.org/?p=98 This past Sunday (9-6-09) I was able to preach on Ephesians 6.10-17.  I went over a number of scripture texts and someone asked if I would post these on the website.  So here are a few of my notes from the sermon (with a few additions as well!):

Three main points: 1) The Reality of the conflict, [...]]]> This past Sunday (9-6-09) I was able to preach on Ephesians 6.10-17.  I went over a number of scripture texts and someone asked if I would post these on the website.  So here are a few of my notes from the sermon (with a few additions as well!):

Three main points: 1) The Reality of the conflict, 2) Our Responsibility in the conflict, and 3) The Resources for the conflict.

1.  The Reality of the Conflict (6. 11, 12, 16).  Other references to the devil or the demonic in Ephesians: 1.21; 2.2; 3.10; 4.27.

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils.  One is to disbelieve in their existence.  The other is to believe, and feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.                                  C. S. Lewis The Screwtape Letters

*The Reformed community’s tendency is toward disbelief; not unhealthy interest.

I am certain that one of the main causes of the ill state of the church today is the fact that the devil is being forgotten.  All is attributed to us; we have all become so psychological in our attitude and thinking.  We are ignorant of this great objective fact, the being, the existence of the devil, the adversary, the accuser, and his ‘fiery darts.’    Martyn Lloyd-Jones

The Ephesian church had no such problem.  They lived in a magic, spirit-infested culture.  See Acts 19. 11-20 for biblical background.  See Ephesians, Power and Magic: The Concept of Power in Ephesians in Light of Its Historical Setting by Clinton E. Arnold for the historical background.  Ephesians 6.12 would make perfect sense to the Ephesian church.  It also makes perfect sense to vast stretches of the church in the non-Western world (i.e., “the global South”).  Phillip Jenkins’ work The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South is crucial reading in this regard.

Ephesians 6.10 and its call to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might must be read in light of the rest of the letter to the Ephesians.  Two contextual points to consider: 1)  The power of God revealed in Christ in the salvation of his people (1.3-14) and 2) The power of Christ ruling and reigning over the powers (1.19-22).

Already/Not Yet Tension must be kept in mind and maintained.  Already the powers are subject to Christ (1.19-22) and still there is the Not Yet of the struggle we face we the powers (6.12).

Alreadytexts: John 12.31-32; Colossians 2.13-15; Hebrews 2.14-15; 1 John 3.8; 4.4; 5.8; Matthew 12.28-29; Luke 10.17-19.  Notice especially the cross-focused theme of many of these passages.

Not Yet texts: 1 Thessalonians 2.18; 2 Corinthians 12.7; 1 Corinthians 7.5; 1 Thessalonians 3.5; 2 Timothy 2.26; 2 Corinthians 4.4; 11.13-15; 1 Timothy 4.1; 1 Timothy 3.6-7; 5.14-15; 2 Corinthians 2.5-11.

Christ is the victor and yet the battle is real.

2.  Our Responsibility in the Conflict.  Verses 11, 13, and 14a all bring out this need to engage ourselves in the battle.  The language of “stand firm” is used three times as well as the language of “struggle” and “resist.”  The exhortation to stand firm is given in the face of the enemies who are 1. Powerful, 2. Wicked, and 3. Cunning (vv. 11-12).

3.  The Resources for the Conflict.  It is the Lord’s strength but we must put it on.  Two times the exhortation comes: “Put on/take up the full armor of God” (vv. 11, 13).

Armor of God: Old Testament roots–Isaiah 11.4-5; 59.17.

Truth: See Ephesians 1.13; 4.21, 24-25; 5.9.

Righteousness: Ephesians 4.24; 5.9.  We are taking up the virtues that flow from the gospel of grace and applying them to the warfare we are involved in with the powers.

Readiness for the gospel:  This is readiness to share the gospel.  Context: Isaiah 52.7 and Ephesians 6.19.  Gospel of peace: Peace with God (Eph 2.16) and peace with men (2.14-15; 4.3).  Unity in the body is essential for the successful proclamation of the gospel and the defeat of the devil.

Shield of Faith: Ephesians 1.13, 15, 19; 2.8; 3.12, 17.  Faith in Christ: what he has done and who we are in him.  This faith protects against: temptation, heresy, and despair in persecution (cf. 1 Peter 5.8-9).

Helmet of Salvation: Ephesians 2 states we are “saved by grace” (vv. 5,8).  Salvation in Ephesians 2 consists in 1) Being made alive with Christ, 2) Being raised up with Christ, and 3) Being seated in the heavenly places in Christ.  How do we take up the helmet of salvation?  Rehearse the reality of God’s grace and its effects in our lives.  Pray for sustained faith.

Sword of the Spirit:  This the word of God, the gospel (cf. Romans 10.8).  We go on the offense with the gospel!

The armor of God is gospel-centered.  In the beginning of Ephesians the gospel moves Paul to blessing and praise (1.3-14).  At the end of the letter it is still gospel centered but now it is set in the context of battle.

For Christ and His Kingdom,

Richard Klaus

]]> http://emmanuelphx.org/2009/09/ephesians-6-10-17-some-sermon-notes/feed/ 0 The Summing Up of All Things in Christ http://emmanuelphx.org/2009/06/the-summing-up-of-all-things-in-christ/ http://emmanuelphx.org/2009/06/the-summing-up-of-all-things-in-christ/#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:22:43 +0000 Richard Klaus http://emmanuelphx.org/?p=76 We started our journey through Ephesians this last Sunday. We’re calling the series, All Things New in Christ. This is to emphasize the Christ-centered approach of this wonderful book. All the blessings of the heavenly realms (1.3) are mediated through Christ Jesus (1.3-14). All of human history is moving toward God’s great [...]]]> We started our journey through Ephesians this last Sunday. We’re calling the series, All Things New in Christ. This is to emphasize the Christ-centered approach of this wonderful book. All the blessings of the heavenly realms (1.3) are mediated through Christ Jesus (1.3-14). All of human history is moving toward God’s great goal of “the summing up of all things in Christ” (1.10). It’s important to keep this in mind for it keeps us from pushing small versions of the gospel. God’s global gospel designs encompass the renewal of all things in the created order. In particular, forces arrayed against God and his kingdom either are brought into renewed relationship with him or brought under Christ’s kingly subjection (see 1.20 for Christ’s ruling over the “powers”). In Christ or under Christ–but it will be Christ at the center reigning forever!

So Christ’s salvation has cosmic implications and applications, but what does that have to do with us now? Our living in Christ, both individually and corporately, is to be a manifestation of Christ’s kingly reality put on display before the world (and the heavenlies! see 3.10). Francis Schaeffer in his book True Spirituality has an appendix entitled ‘The Dust of Life.” In this short piece Schaeffer outlines the depth of the fall and the majesty of God’s redemption. In speaking of the fall into sin he speaks of the various kinds of separation that have been wrought by the fall.

1. Man’s separation from God; his alienation from his Creator due to sin.

2. Man’s separation from himself. Think of sickness and ultimately death (the separation of the body from our spiritual portion of being). But also think of mental illness. Schaeffer says it this way:

But also in the present we are each one separated from ourselves psychologically. Each of us is to some extent “schizophrenic.” There are degrees, but this present psychological separation is true of each of us.

3. Man’s separation from others. Think of Adam and Eve hiding themselves from each other. Think, also, of institutionalized racism and the horrors of genocide.

4. Man’s separation from nature. The created realm groans under the weight of the fall of man (Romans 8.19-22) and feels the effects of the curse (Genesis 3.17-19).

Schaeffer’s point is that every one of these separations will be overturned by Christ’s comprehensive gospel of the kingdom. Listen to Schaeffer’s wonderful words from “The Dust of Life.”

[W]ith this biblical understanding of an enlarged comprehension of salvation, our calling is enlarged. It is our calling now (looking to the living, resurrected Christ moment by moment, for our strength and understanding) to as far as possible help to heal all the abnormalities at the present time. At the present time (as far as possible), we are to bring life instead of death into people’s relationship with God through their acceptance of Christ as Savior, and then they and we increasingly to practice this relationship at each present moment. To (as far as possible) bring life instead of death in this abnormal world into the ongoing physical dying that each person is caught in from the day of his or her birth. To (as far as possible) help each person to be less separated from himself or herself, psychologically. To do all we can to heal the separation of Man from nature and nature from nature. Our calling now is to be as wide (though now partial) as the restoration of that day when the last enemy, death, will be totally destroyed, and all the other abnormalities will be totally healed.

As Christ’s people we work, in the power of the Holy Spirit, for these kingdom objectives. The final victory comes at the consumation but this does not negate our role or efforts now to manifest the reality of Christ’s kingdom across the full range of human affairs.

Our God is majestic and his gospel is big! Let us pray big prayers for the extension of the reign of Christ in our time!

For Christ and His Kingdom,

Richard Klaus

]]> http://emmanuelphx.org/2009/06/the-summing-up-of-all-things-in-christ/feed/ 0