Sunday, July 25, 2010

Preach Ephesians 1-6 for the Big Picture

Last night God blessed me with the opportunity of teaching through Ephesians 1-6 in one sermon. The major thrust of the book is simply this: God saved you, so now you walk in holiness. I think that the order of the book and the way Paul builds his argument is absolutely crucial in this letter to the church in Ephesus.

Ephesians 1-3 — God's Salvation Offered to You
Ephesians 4-6 — Your Sanctification for Christ's Glory

You can't have Eph 1-3 without Eph 4-6. And you certainly can't have Eph 4-6 (the 'works') result in Eph 1-3 (salvation). The beginning theme of God's sovereignty and sufficiency in saving dead sinners is the thrust of the first portion of the epistle. The subsequent chapters (4-6) merely show the high calling that true believers should then live to show that they are walking worthily of that salvation that God has sovereignly wrought about in them.

You may listen here.