Ephesians: Gospel-Driven Unity
When God created the world, He created it diverse. He made a sun and a moon, land and water, earth and sky, animals that crawl, animals that swim, humans that were male, humans that were female, different ethnicities, and so on. The goal of all this was that the diverse parts of creation would come together as a sort of symphony, worshipping Him. Since then however, our differences have become a cause of division. Whether it’s gender, race, political views, or nationality, conflict is all around us. In the book of Ephesians, Paul proclaims the good news of what God has done in Christ to restore the unity He originally intended. He then spells out for us how that good news enables us to live unified lives with God and one another despite our differences. The gospel is the thing that creates unity, and it’s the only thing that can ultimately drive real unity.
While the book of Ephesians has given us incredible hope for a reconciled community of peace, it seems so far from our experience sometimes. This is because we are in a battle, and the enemy and warfare may not be what we think. This passage shows us how to be strengthened to stand in the battle.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
As we continue to look at the results of being filled by the Spirit, we move from the family to the workplace. Here we see that both employers and employees alike are to work like Jesus is their boss, because He is. This enables employees to obey their employers, and employers to serve rather than threaten their employees.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work, Timothy Keller
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When we are filled by the Spirit, it gives us a willingness to play our part in God’s plan for unity, even when that part is costly. It turns out every part in the family is costly, but a beautiful picture of God’s plan for unity when the Spirit fills it. In this sermon we see the part God has given to husbands, children, and fathers.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
The Meaning of Marriage, Timothy Keller
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God’s plan for unity is beautiful, but there’s a problem: It’s still HIS plan, not mine. We want to participate in a beautiful, diverse, community, but we usually want it on our terms. How can we change? We need God the Holy Spirit to fill us, so we love His plan for unity more than our own. When we do, singing, thanksgiving, and submission result.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
The Meaning of Marriage, Timothy Keller
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While a lot of this passage focuses on sexuality, it goes deeper than sexual behavior to the covetous desires that fuel it. These covetous desires leave us in darkness, but through faith in Christ we can actually become light. How do we now relate to those in darkness? For their good, this passage shows us how to live as the light we are.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
Sexual Sanity for Men, Dave White
Sexual Sanity for Women, Ellen Dykas
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The glory of God displayed in the unity of the church is such a good thing it’s worth praying for, but it’s such a difficult thing the only way it will be realized is if we pray for it. In this passage, we see the key to God being glorified in the church is His giving us strength to be rooted in and comprehend the love of Christ for us.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
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Every Christian community exists to show the rulers and authorities just how brilliant the gospel of Jesus Christ is.
Resources:
The Compelling Community by Jamie Dunlop & Mark Dever
Ephesians For You, Richard Coeker
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One of the results of sin is a disruption of peace: the peace we were meant to enjoy with God and one another. in this passage we see how God has restored that peace through Jesus, who creates a whole new, peaceful humanity in Himself.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coeker
Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian, John Piper
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Last week we introduced the concept of grace: God’s favor when we deserved the opposite. This week we get to see the show of His grace, and amazingly it takes place in us, because we were dead, he made us alive, and he didn’t ask for help.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coeker
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In the first part of Ephesians 1, Paul reminds his readers of all the spiritual blessings God the Father has given us through His Son. In the Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul prays that we’ll truly know all the blessings we’ve been given in Christ.
Resources:
Ephesians 1:15-23
Ephesians For You by Richard Coekin
Pillar NT Commentary, Ephesians by Peter O’brien
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In the beginning of his book on how the gospel drives unity, Paul starts by talking about our relationship with God. Though at the core of disunity is our disunity from Him, God has addressed it by blessing us with spiritual blessings. The only reasonable response to them is to glorify Him, the most joyful thing we could possibly do with our lives.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coeker
3 Objections to the Doctrine of Election, Tim Keller
Chosen By God, R.C. Sproul
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