R sbc
June 26th 2005
Sunday Morning
Series: “Christ is The Sum & Substance of The Bible”
Subject: “What Paul Said About Christ”
Text: Eph 3:1-12
Intro: Paul in this chapter is continuing his unfolding of the mystery of Gentiles and Jews in the same body. In this chapter Paul gives us some golden nuggets to look at concerning our saviour.
In the last message we seen how that In Christ Jesus we who were afar off was made nigh by the blood of Christ. We who had no hope and with out Christ was now fellow citizens and no more a stranger from the covenants and the promises made.
We are now heir and joint heirs with Christ. That Jews and Gentiles are in the same kind of body, the Lord’s church. What a privilege to be saved. Sometimes like all good things we have we take it for granite.
I... “ HE WAS HIS PRISONER”..VS 1-3
"Know that for no other reason am I, Paul, loaded with these chains. It was for no evil action, but for the love which I bear to the Lord Jesus Christ." — Erasmus
You might say that their was two ways in which Paul was a prisoner (1.) He was arrested by Christ on the road to Damascus... (2.) He was arrested for his preaching of Jesus Christ.
He uses these exact words two more times:
Philemon 1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, Philemon 1:9 Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
He uses it to encourage Timothy:
2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
Paul no doubt was capture by the love of Christ, the mercy of Christ, the great purpose of Christ to save a people for his name sake. He died both a prisoner of Rome and a prisoner of the Lord.
As a prisoner: 2 Time 4:6-8
(1.) He fought a good fight:
(2.) He finished his course:
(3.) He kept the faith:
II... “ HE SAID THAT THERE WAS A MYSTERY ABOUT CHRIST”..VS 4-7
It is clear even from the teaching of Christ in his parables that there was a mystery about him and about the kingdom and about the church and about spiritual things. He said to his disciples:
Matthew 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. The great mystery to which is addressing them and us about is found in the next verses.
1st. That this mystery was revealed to the Apostles by the Holy Spirit: vs 5 & 6
It was revealed and recorded how that Peter was on his housetop and in a vision that the gentiles would be partakers of the same blessing and part of the same body as he was and what a blessing.
Acts 10:42-48
Once again Paul states in his Galatians letter these words concerning this mystery...
Gal 3-26-29 “ For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise.
2nd. His duty described..vs 7
Paul did not take this task unto himself, it was laid upon him by Christ. He was changed, he was born from above, he became the preacher, the proclaimer, the prisoner, the apostle, the writer, the missionary, the one that GOD chose and equipped to do the work he was called to do.
It was by the “effectual working of his power! Who art thou LORD? Jesus said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. Later after his vision of Christ a man was sent to inform him of what Christ wanted out of him.
Acts 9-15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Just how effective was his conversion?
Acts 9-19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. 20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
III... “ HE SAID THAT THERE WAS AN UNSEACHABLENESS ABOUT CHRIST: VS 8
There are some things that are very knowable about Christ: He was the virgin born son of GOD, he was the saviour, he was the true Messiah, he founded his church, he died to save us, he rose to justify us, he is coming to glorify us. But there is an UNSEACHABLENESS about him.
Calvin said: This means the boundlessness of the treasurer hid in Christ and the graces he has. I believe it to be such a deep well that you could never drain him dry. Listen to some of the claims of the saviour that are rightfully his.
(1.) I am the bread and water of life: John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
(2.) I am the light: John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
(3.) I am not of this world: John 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins
(4.) I am the resurrection: John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
There are so many more things that Christ said and you should study them for yourself and mark them in your bibles...Plunge into him, trust him, live for him, die for him if need be, serve him, witness for him, he is the inexhaustible one...
Romans 11-33 ¶ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen
Nothing or no one will ever separate us from him, he is the greatest of all...
IV... “THAT HE IS THE CREATOR ALL THING BY HIM”..VS 9
When we look at this statement about Jesus Christ at first glance one would not think much of it, but an in depth study of it reveals some things about Christ. Just look at it for a moment.
1st. To create all things means that he existed before all things:
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
2nd. To create all things means that he was more than just the man Christ Jesus:
John 1-1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
3rd. To create all things is to show forth his almighty power:
Col 1-16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
The power to create, the power to sustain, the power to save, the power to forgive, the power to free us, the power to change us. The power to be with us and in heaven at the same time... what a great saviour and GOD we are privileged to have.
4th. To create all things was for his glory and pleasure:
Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
This was also done so that the Church might see and understand the great wisdom of God as it is known in heaven so it is known on earth.
V... THAT CHRIST HAS AN ETERNAL PURPOSE ...VS 11-12
1ST. This purpose was in himself:
Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
2nd. That he works all things after this purpose: Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
3rd. If God thought it comes to pass:
Isaiah 14:24 ¶ The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
4th. The purpose of the Lord is unmoveable, unbreakable, unchangeable:
Isaiah 14:26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. Isaiah 14:27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
5th. The purposes of God sometimes are very personal upon nations and upon individuals.
Jeremiah 51:29 And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,