Classic Christianity Radio – The Mystery of God Part 3 (2-13-19)
Bob closes the study on Ephesians ending with the apostle Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. They had heard the message of truth, the gospel of their salvation. Paul had heard of their faith and love for one another, and thought often of them. His prayer for them was for them to know God better, to have His Spirit and revelation for that purpose. As you read or study the scriptures, do you ask God to reveal truth to you so you may know Him better? Do you rely on what some teacher has said, or do you believe the truth because the Lord Himself taught you? It is sad to hear someone say I believe it is true because Bob said it is true. A teacher will share what the Holy Spirit revealed to him, but he will inspire you to check out the scriptures to test and see if what he says is so. If you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you, then you would come to the same meaning. The Holy Spirit is really the one who teaches you and reveals truth to you. Often times the focus of attention can be on a leader or a group and what they are doing, but that is not to be our focus. Our focus should always be on Christ, on how wonderful He is and what He is doing. Do you have purpose and meaning in your life? If not, is it because you do not know Him?
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Ephesians 1:13
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
Two things necessary in salvation, and this is, to see my condition and see His condition.
Your condition is not how bad you are behaving. That is the result of your condition. Your condition is that you are born dead.
That is why you bounce prayer off the ceiling. That is why you say ,”I don’t have meaning and purpose in life” . That is why you say, “Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow I die. That is why you don’t seem to have any joy in your life and “so I might as well take some drug to make me giggle awhile.” It is also why religiously seeking one experience after another.
Here is why? You never rested. Jesus said “You drink of my water you will never thirst again.” Then why are you still thirsting? Jesus said, “You eat of my bread you will never hunger again”. But, why then are you hungering after a new experience. If you gorged yourself with food, you don’t want to eat anymore because you are full. When you and I have come to Christ we have been given everything. So how much do you need? People are deceiving you, leading you around to one experience after another.
If you can’t believe the resurrection, why do you think you will believe God if he grows a leg back on? These people who seek one miracle after another, but do not believe in the resurrection, all that you will have is a miracle man who made a leg grow back on. God gave us a sound mind, use it. So if you go and giggle and roll around the floor then that is not a sound mind.
Ephesians 1:14
When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
When you read, “until the redemption of those who are God’s possession”, who are those he is referring to? the Jews
The Gentiles are a source of jealousy to the Jews, but Jesus will one day plant his feet on the Mt of Olives. Then every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Until that day comes, you and I, as the Gentile, are marked in Him with a seal guaranteeing our inheritance. When the last Gentile comes in, the Lord is coming back. This is all in accordance to his plan.
Ephesians 1:15-17
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Paul hears about their faith in the Lord and their love for all God’s people. He has not stopped praying for them. What is his prayer for them?
That they would have the Spirit to reveal the meaning to them. We have the scriptures, the very words of God. We can read this and have no idea what it means until the Spirit reveals the meaning to you. A teacher can teach what it says but the Spirit must reveal the meaning to you. You are in sad shape if you say I believe this is what it means because that is what Bob says. A teacher inspires you to go into the word of God on your own. The purpose is for you to go back to the word of God on your own and find the meaning. And if you and I are indwelt by the same Holy Spirit we should come up with the same meaning.
And what was the purpose of this prayer? I pray God gives you the spirit of revelation so that you may know him better. To know Him better is the purpose. The only reason for any of this is to know Him, His love, His mercy, His kindness, His provision. It is not about sitting around talking about what we as Christians are doing. Bob joined an organization that appealed to his flesh to change the world. Bob said he could not even change himself. World changers is baloney. If you have your eyes on changing the world, you have your eyes on the wrong thing. We are to proclaim Him. I am not talking about what wonderful things we are doing but how wonderful He is and what wonderful things He has done.
And what is God’s condition?
Ephesians 1:18-22
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
So we have faith, hope and love but the greatest is love.