R sbc
June 12th 2005
Sunday a.m.
Series: “Christ the Sum and Substance of the Bible”
Sermon # 46
Subject: “THINK UPON THIS”
Text: Eph 2:11-22
Intro: The church at Ephesus was Gentile church. Paul shares with them the wonders of the grace of GOD. As you know we began this study as Paul did with the powerful chapter on how the LORD reveals his purpose to save those whom he had given to Christ: Eph 1:1
through verse 10
Then we seen the reality of our faith in an operative mode: Eph 1:15-23 Then we seen how the LORD through his grace and for his glory saved us: Eph 2:1-10. Today we see the admonition from Paul to the Gentile church members to think on this. He calls upon them to remember...
“Remember” means to call to mind, it means to remember so as to think on these things. Paul is saying this to show them what the LORD has really done. That they will be able to view these things in the light of the truths he is giving them.
Jesus rebuke his disciples because they didn’t remember: Matt 16:9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up?
Jesus said again: John 16:4 “ But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you them. And these things I said not unto you in the beginning, because I was with you.
So you get the idea...
I... “REMEMBER TWO THINGS ABOUT OUR PAST” VS 11-12
1ST. Without Christ...
What a horrible state to be in to say the least. To be without Christ what does that mean? Let me assure you this morning it is dangerous state.
A. It means that you are lost...
B. It means that you are without a covering..
C. It means that you are still in your sins..
2 Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: Some no doubt will leave lost this morning, nothing I can do about it. Nothing the church can do about it but what we are doing...
2nd. Without hope:
Job 8:13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish: Job 8:14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web.
II... “ REMEMBER THE GREAT WORK DONE FOR US”..VS 13-18
Not the present tense “ but now” we are made nigh by the blood of Christ. When the bible speaks of blood it is speaking of life. Christ shed his precious blood. That is he died so that we could be saved.
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.1 Corinthians 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
Remember this:
1st. Bought by the blood, brought us nigh: vs 13 “ Note the words far off.
This is making reference to the fact that we as gentiles were never nigh unto the LORD until he died for all his people and brought us in. 1 Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
2nd. Bought by the blood renders peace vs 14 “ he is our peace”
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
The word peace Jesus Christ is the way that leads to peace (salvation) of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.
It is the way of the Kingdom: Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
It speaks of the peace that is reflected in the church: 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
3rd. Bought by the blood of Christ: wrought access: vs 14-17 “Broken down”
It means to do away with, to deprive of authority, whether by precept or act to declare unlawful to loose what is compacted or built together, to break up, demolish, destroy...
Listen to what Paul is saying to the gentile church, God broke this wall down, he has deprived it of any authority, he has demolished it, he has destroyed it. He did this by his blood on the cross.
Just like the veil in the Temple was rent from top to bottom meaning that man did not go through man any more but by a new and living way, Jesus Christ. This is what Christ meant when he went into the temple:
Mark 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. No where in the Bible did it prophesy that the new covenant would be just gentiles or just Jews it would be of all nations and all tongues and of all peoples of the world.
Note in verse 17 “ The preaching of the gospel went to them that were afar off and to them that were nigh.
III.. “REMEMBER THE GREAT PERSON OF THIS WORK”VS 18-22
1ST. It is Christ that we have access to the Father:
To be saved: John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Christ is the only way to be saved, Christ is the only way to know truth, Christ is the only way to real life, Christ is the blessed way, Christ is the eternal way, Christ is the clear way, Christ is the peaceable way, Christ is the fruitful way, Christ is the outstanding way, Christ is the blood way, Christ is the secure way, Christ is the sheltered way, Christ is the vocational way....
2nd. Christ is the way into the Church: vs 19
The LORD JESUS founded his church, built up his church, left the commission to his church, indwells us his church. He reigns on earth through his church. What a privilege to be a member of a NT Baptist Church.
3rd. Christ is the way of the only foundation: vs 20
a. Be assure this morning that it is a sure foundation :
2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
B. He is a tried and precious stone:
Romans 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 1 Peter 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
4th. We are the temple of the LORD: vs 21
The Lord hath chosen us his church as a light in this dark world. We make up as believers his priesthood. As priest of GOD what do we do? Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
5th. As a temple he dwells in us and with us:
This was promise: Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them
In the commission that he gave us: he says...MATT 28-16 ¶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.