A UNCOMMON, COMMON GREETING (Eph 1:1a)

Good morning. There we go. I just want to start off with a few announcements. We have a new members class January 29th. That's next Sunday. After cornea feast we'll have membership class and if that's something you're praying about.

You can definitely attend and just see kind of how we go through our statement of faith and what we teach and believe here. And it's a wonderful time. That'll be after our fellowship meal and then the next Sunday.

We are going to have a members meeting. So we're going to talk about important exciting stuff. So, please mark that on your calendars Wednesday nights. We've been going through a series of eschatology the study of the end times and last week.

We talked about a few things and I got a bunch of wide looks like post millennial ism. Wow, so that's been a lot of fun and we got two more weeks of Eschatology and brother Adam will be teaching this Wednesday on all millennial ism and I am super pumped about that.

So that's Wednesday at 630. Please don't miss out on that. And if you would check the the band app, we have a new greeter schedule. So, please mark the dates that you're supposed to serve in the greeting ministry if you remember here at 12 5.

And so with that being said we start all of our services by praying for a local church. And so this morning we want to pray for oh, I want to pray for a local church, but before we do. Also want to mention g3 conference.

So I was looking on the band app and we have a deadline coming up for the price. It's about to jump another Hundred dollars or so. So if you're wanting to go to g3, please talk to Jamie AG. Or Megan Adams, I think we're gonna have a number of families go to g3 this year.

It's on the sovereignty of God and I've been the last two g3s and it's just been amazing. So, please reach out to them reach out to me. And like I said, is it February 1st where the price is about to go up a little bit more so we got to be on.

That okay, we're gonna pray for Highland Baptist Church. So if you would please bow your heads with me Heavenly Father. We just want to thank you so much for this Lord's Day and everybody that you've brought here Lord.

We want to especially lift up Highland Baptist Drive Church Lord. I just lift up their leadership Lord I pray that they would be diligent to all the things that you have called them to do God to equip the Saints for every good work and to just feed them your word feed them your truth and allow you To do the work that only you can do with your people.

And so God we just we pray for them and we pray for any opportunities that we can come alongside them. Outside of just merely prayer. God I just prayed that you would open up the doors for evangelism to their side of the community and for us to lock arms together.

In the gospel, we pray these things in your name Jesus. Amen.

We've been praying this morning as a team when we came in and started running through the Logistics of today with songs and sound and all the stuff that goes along with that. But as we were together and we were praying We were acknowledging the fact that each one of us if we are in Christ if we are believers.

We have experienced the life giving Presence of the Holy Spirit within us all week long but There's something unique about gathering with the Saints together on the Lord's Day, isn't there? There's there's something when his children come together to worship him.

Where we get to experience him in a very unique way. It's not that he's here any more than he was when when you were in your closet on your knees. With him or at work or or at school or whatnot. But it does mean that we experience it in a very unique way.

And so I look forward to these days. I hope you do too as we come together and I look around and see the Saints together so before we jump in we like to start with a call to worship and Our call to worship always comes from Scripture and it's a read and response of that passage and today is Psalm 66 verses 16 through 20 and hopes that God's very words from his his Scripture will impress on our hearts on our minds the Greatness the immensity of who he is and guard our guard us and guide us into his throne room for worship.

Amen. So let's stand for our call to worship this morning. The psalmist says come and hear all who fear God and we will take what he has done for our soul. We cried to him with our mouth and high praise.

If we had cherished iniquity in our heart the Lord would not have listened. Oh blessed be God because he has not rejected our prayer. He has not rejected our prayer or removed his steadfast love from us and all of God's people said Amen.

Amen. Let's pray a prayer of adoration this morning to that great God. Dear Heavenly Father. Lord, we we stop now and we set our affection and our attention upon you Lord. You have heard our cries. You've attended to our voice because we are your children.

Well, we long to bless you this morning through praise through honor. Because you are worthy of praise. You're worthy of all honor. And all glory belongs to you. We're not bringing you any glory where we're simply pointing to the glory that already exists and in the magnificent Triune.

God father, I Pray that we would sing Loudly with our voices what is in our hearts. That it would come up as a sweet-smelling aroma to you as we pray and as we read your word God as we look to you as we seek after you this morning be honored in it.

There's joy in the house of the Lord. There's joy in the house of the Lord today and we won't be quiet and we shout out your praise. We worship God was we worship the God. God who heals we sing to the God who saves we sing to the God.

Then he rose up from that grave. I got sure I Redeemed us he has called us. He's set us apart. He's predestined for his work. Let's declare this because we were the beggars and now we're royalty, right?

We were the beggars. Well now we're royalty. And we were the prisoners. But now we're running free, but we are forgiven except For us is based on who he is. We don't know who he is we don't know the magnificent glory that is God.

We have no concept of what he's done for us. You made the star we host. You trace the mountain peaks. You paint the evening sky. The earth it is your throne. To the sea all nature testifies your Splendor.

Praise the Lord. From furthest east to west. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord the dust. And love your spirit breathe. Just in your family. This works. I'm 57 reads be merciful to me.

Oh God be merciful to me for in you my soul takes refuge in the shadow of your wings. I will take refuge to the storms of destruction passed by. I Crowd to God most high to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

He will send from heaven and save me. He will put to shame him who tramples on me. Salem. God will send out a steadfast love and faithfulness. My soul is in the midst of lions. I lie down amid fiery beasts.

The children of man whose teeth are Spears and arrows whose tongues are sharp swords be exalted. Oh God above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth. They said Annette for my steps. My soul was bowed down.

They dug a pit in my way, but have fallen into pits themselves. Salem. My heart is steadfast. Oh God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make melody awake my glory awake. Oh harp and lyre. I will awake the dawn.

I will give thanks to you. Oh Lord among the peoples. I will sing praises to you among the nations for your steadfast. Love is great to the heavens your faithfulness to the clouds be exalted. Oh God above the heavens.

Let your glory over all the earth. Let us pray. Oh God, you are so wonderful and mighty God all creation points back to you and Lord. We understand that we are creatures created Temporal finite God and we are simple.

And so Lord as we look to you, we pray for forgiveness God. And we know that you're faithful and just to always forgive God, please work repentance in our hearts. God, please help us to forsake the way of lawlessness and look to you and your grace and in your love God.

I pray that this morning that you would remove any distractions in our hearts Beside us in front of us God and that we would just see you and God. Please let your truth vindicate our heart and edify your people who pray these things in your name Jesus.

So we're gonna do things just a little bit differently this morning we are about to Absorb the observe the Lord's Supper together this morning before the sermon. To really have this mindset of unity as we come together to listen to the preaching of God's Word.

And so I want to read a passage to you out of John chapter 6. Jesus said I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. I'm the living bread that came down from heaven.

If anyone eats this bread He will live forever and the bread that I give for the life is the life of the world and that is my flesh. And so Jews then disputed among themselves and said how can this man give us flesh to eat?

Jesus said to them truly truly I say to you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day.

For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him as The Living Father sent me and I live because the Father and so whoever feeds on me He also will live because of me.

This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not like the bread the fathers ate and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever. Amen. Now this is interesting passage because I don't think this directly deals with the Lord's Supper.

But there's so many wonderful truths there that point us back to Jesus. We are in Christ. Spiritually, he died on our behalf and we have fellowship with the Father with the Son by faith in him. And so this is a time of wonderful fellowship when we come to the Lord's table.

We take these elements in remembrance of all of what Christ has done for us. What he's continuing to do in our lives and what he will do one day in glory. Will we get to sit at the marriage supper of the Lamb?

And so this is a time to search your heart. Scripture does tell us not to come to the table in an unworthy manner. Maybe there's unrepentant sin going on in your life. And if that's you I pray that you would go to God that you would let that you would not come partake but tell somebody.

Come to me or pastor Nathan. We would love to come alongside you and help restore that relationship with you and the Lord. But like pastor Nathan always says this is not a time for penance on one hand.

We could never be worthy enough to come before the Lord, but Christ He is worthy and if we are arresting in him, then you are free to come to this table and we also ask you. If you are a member at a evangelical church in good standing this table is for you.

But maybe there's once again strife in your life in that area. Please search out pastor Nathan and myself and we'd love to come to you and help. And so with that said let's once again go to the Lord in prayer before we pray.

We are going to stand up and if you would come to the back and make a line and partake this way and then sit Down after that, so let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you so much for everybody that you've brought here this morning.

God, I especially love the sound of life God and we will always. Just praise you for that God as we prepare our hearts to go to the table. Lord, please help examine us. Please help us to examine our own hearts.

To make sure God that there's nothing in us that we are holding back and not confessing to you. So Lord, I just pray that you'd bless this time as we partake in the Lord's Supper. We pray these things in your name.

Jesus.

Spilled blood and body given for us. We look around as we partake as everyone is coming around to the table and taking of these elements. Nothing magical in the elements, but There's something spiritual about it, isn't there?

There's something of unity that God has prescribed in this ordinance and we get to partake as one in Christ as Paul says right and Looking for that great feast one day but we also live in this world as we partake and as we just but a taste of That great truth as we see the word in the in the ordinance of the Lord's Supper but we have to live this life in the broken world, right.

And We long for living a righteous life yet. As the song we're getting ready to sing declares this great truth that yes We are living out righteous holy living for our Savior for our great and mighty God who demands it.

But it is not I but Christ that does so through me. And that's what we're picturing with this Lord's table, amen. So pastor Jeremiah is gonna come around and pick up cups from you, but let's stand and let's sing this great truth.

What gift of grace is? Jesus my. There is no more for heaven. Yes, I hold my hope. It's joy. Yet not I but through Christ in me. Yet not I but through Christ in me that Jesus grudging compulsion. But out of the heart of worship done for us in what you've given us your children.

And we pray now as we as we give that this would be honoring to you you don't need our money. I pray as your children we would graciously Give towards your kingdom purposes. Lord, I pray for us as a church that we would not be act in sinfulness and how we use those resources.

They would be used for your kingdom purpose and glory alone In Christ's name. Amen. You may be seated. It's already been an excellent time of worship and Looking and gazing upon our great Savior. So let's go ahead and open up your copy of God's Word to Ephesians as we continue our new Study, this is week two, of course our new study through this beautiful epistle.

And so I want us to to look at verses 1 2 of the Apostle Paul's Opening as he As he begins this letter Ephesians chapter 1 starting in verse 1 Paul an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. To the Saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.

What a What a beautiful opening to an immensely deep the pitch epistle and letter to the church in Ephesus. So before we dive in let's do as we always do. Let's seek the source. Amen. Let's go. Let's pray.

Let's ask God to illuminate our hearts and minds through the power of the Holy Spirit dear heavenly Father. We come to you once again, and we're so thankful for your word. By God, we know that in our frailty with our frail minds.

We misunderstand we misinterpret God we miss here. There are so many so many things that get They go missing within the context of our broken understanding God you are gracious. And you have given each one of us that are in you this morning the indwelling Holy Spirit.

So that we have eyes to see we have ears to hear and God. I pray that the truth of your word would be Declared today in Christ's name. Amen. Well last week, of course was our introduction and it was an introductory Overview if you notice we didn't really dive into the text per se as we usually do.

We just did this fly over View of this immensely deep epistle wherein we were able to see this overarching theme within the letter that the Apostle Paul is putting forward. We were able to see the fact that he keeps repeating this phrase in Christ in Christ over and over again and driving this idea home that that hey This book is a resource for you Christian.

It tells you who you are and so we see this overarching theme one that is grounded in the overwhelming riches of being in Christ. This beautiful truth this beautiful phrase that Paul continues to repeat and if you were with us Last week as we started this you will recall that that this letter the book of Ephesians Has two parts.

It's essentially split right down the middle right, you have the first three chapters that Paul has written that They're who we are. Who we are in Christ hence that repeated phrase over and over again, it's essentially doctrine, right?

It's theology. The Apostle Paul is laying out for us in those first three chapters theology information about who we are and how Christ has worked and how God has orchestrated and predestined and calling and and bringing Salvation about for his children.

But then the second half of the book the last three chapters. We see how we as Christians should live in light of that truth. And so today I actually had a plan actually for the next two weeks I had a plan of doing part two and part three of an introduction.

Wherein we would spend time looking at the people of Ephesus. We would spend some time looking at the background of the Apostle Paul's Relationship to the people in Ephesus and the church that was there that we I was gonna spend some time at looking at historical context however, if you've been here long, you know how often I change my mind on Saturday mornings and Hopefully this wasn't Nathan changing his mind.

I prayerfully this was the Holy Spirit changing my mind and and pastor Jeremiah. Working in tandem with that, but I would like for us instead to go ahead and dive into the epistle. I want us to dive into the book and and what we're going to do when we dive in is then Slowly bring about some of those details as we go along over the next few weeks.

Or as I said last last week the next few months and brother Keith called me out in the sermon Q &A Laughing that this is only gonna take a few months. I said, yeah 64 months is a few months, right? I Don't know I'm not saying it's gonna last that long.

We don't know but we trust God and we're just gonna dive into this and the first thing that I want us to see in this letter is an uncommon common greeting an Uncommon common greeting it this greeting from the Apostle Paul as he's writing this letter.

It's common in the sense that this was a customary way for someone to identify themselves. When they wrote anyone back in this time, you would start at the beginning of the letter now. It's hard for us to comprehend that and we kind of skip over those as we read.

Let's be honest when you read the epistles you kind of skip over the first three verses you skim through them, right? Because it's just an introduction. You're like, it's the same introduction over and over again.

But these introductions are common then because nowadays I guess we don't even do we do email and text now. So didn't you know you have to identify yourself? But Back when I was younger you hand wrote letters to everybody and what you would do in our culture is you would write to who?

You're writing. Oh dear John and then you jump right into the topic of the subject and you don't identify yourself until the end, right? It's all love Nathan and the Hargrave family or whatever. And so but this is not the way things work back then so any letter that you see there's an identification right up at the front and the recipient of this letter expected the author to identify themselves and Rooted in this common practice of identification was a hierarchy of identity.

Meaning how much stock do I need to place in the words of this letter? How much stock do I need to place in the words of this letter and that greatly depends on the authority of and or the author of the written letter.

I Mean we we essentially do the same thing, right? I mean, come on when when the Prince of Nigeria sends you an email like that's important, right? You got to open it. I'm kidding. He's not really a prince.

He's some broke dude with a server in in India. But I laugh but really we do this when we receive a letter. Let's say from the state. Anybody ever been summoned for jury duty? Right when you receive a letter from the state summoning you to jury duty I'm gonna take that a lot more seriously than when the car dealership down the road summons me to their new big deal big sale.

There's a very different thing. I'm identifying the authority and the person in which this letter is written and I'm justifying what what value I place on the words of this and identifying an entity's identity informs us of its authority and As I'm reading that I'm realizing you can't say that five times fast, right?

What identifying an entity's identity? Informs us of its authority. Hence the government lots of authority the car dealership. No authority. I'm identifying who this is. And now I know how seriously to take the letter and so Identification at the onset of a letter was by all means common during this day.

And this is why we see this pattern used all through the New Testament. We see Peter using it. We see Jude using it. We see James using it the Apostle Paul and every one of his letters now, that's common but what is uncommon is The authoritativeness in which these letters are presented there's something Vastly uncommon to what is being written in the letters of the New Testament.

You see getting a letter from a king or in our case a government is authoritative right. Getting a letter from the IRS is far weightier than getting a letter from your grandmother. Right, it may not be as fun.

But it's weightier, right? It's more important. I'm gonna take this very seriously. However, the highest level of earthly authority still has borders. The government can summon me to jury duty. It can demand taxes from me.

But you see it it can't tell me how and when to worship God. It has borders it has limitations and when I received that letter I Understand those limitations of its authority and I read the words as such.

And here's the thing those limitations were set by an ultimate authority all Authority is set Within limitations under the ultimate authority and so when we receive a letter from that ultimate authority the only Limitations and borders that that authority are bound by are the ones in which he himself From himself and of himself has set into place.

Because he's the ultimate authority. It's the triune God God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit three-in-one make all the rules and All that he does is good. He sets the borders he is ultimate authority unlike any other entity in this world or this universe.

Now If you're trekking with me so far, you might be saying yeah, I get all of that. But what does that have to do with this letter? Didn't the Apostle Paul write this letter. He's not God. He identifies himself right up front, right that's what he says he says Paul he gives his name right at the beginning.

This is the Apostle Paul writing this letter to the church in Ephesus, right? This isn't God. Paul's under the authority of God. But you see the therein lies the uncommon nature of these letters in the New Testament.

Even though they're using a common practice. This is an Uncommon source in which these words are coming forth. You see Paul may have penned this letter. He may have well actually most believe he was set in chain to guards and he was speaking the letter as somebody else actually Pinned the letter, but Paul may have sent this letter.

However, he never once claimed its content as originating from any authority of himself never once. On the contrary, what do we see? Look at the passage. Look at there verse 1 Paul. So all of a sudden Paul he identifies himself right at the beginning, right?

There's earthly means being used the Apostle Paul identifies himself, but notice what he does. Immediately as soon as he says his own name he hides himself. Instantly says Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.

Now in order to understand what I mean by hiding himself Behind the ultimate authority. We need to understand this title Apostle, okay. I think there's a lot of confusion about the the the office or title of Apostle we see a lot of charlatans today a lot of wolves walking around claiming to be apostle so-and-so.

They're self-proclaimed Apostles many of whom are part of groups like the so-called apostolic Church things of that sort. Unfortunately, here's the problem. These groups are they're deceived. We should pray for them.

We should pray that God will reveal his truth to many of the people that are deceived by this idea. And and unfortunately, they have a misunderstanding of this phrase apostle. Which by the way in its simplest form Apostle just simply means one who is sent out.

Okay, so remember that one who is sent out that's the simplest form of a definition of this word apostle and based off of a rudimental definition of this word. Every evangelist and every missionary that's ever been sent is a quote-unquote Apostle.

Right if we use the word in this context. And we even see the account of this type of usage in the New Testament. Are any of you familiar that there are people in the New Testament that are referred to with this with this phrase apostle?

That weren't part of the twelve apostles. You ever heard of a man named Barnabas? Barnabas he's with the Apostle Paul and in much of the beginning stages of Paul's Mission work and Barnabas is like right beside him and and actually over in Acts 14 It refers to Barnabas with Paul as apostle.

So that gets confusing right? I thought there were only the twelve apostles. What does that mean? Well in Barnabas didn't one of the twelve was he made an apostle. Was it a thirteenth apostle? What does this mean?

However with a little bit of contextual study and you look at that passage there in Acts 14. You begin to see that it is not referring to a title for Barnabas. Apostle is not given to him as a title but as an adjective that is predicated on being Sent out by the church back at the beginning of chapter 13.

Because you remember Barnabas Paul and a group of other men were sent out. Remember the rudimental foundational understanding of the of the word apostle, right? It's a sent out one and it's not being used as a title with him.

It's being used as a Word that is saying hey, he's been sent out Barnabas and Paul now. You may say well, what does that have to do with anything? How does that connect? This is much different than someone saying I am Apostle so-and-so you see Barnabas never claimed the title of apostle.

Was he according to the fundamental foundational definition of the word. Yes. But it wasn't the office that he was called to. This is very very different as a matter of fact. That this office that is reserved for those twelve apostles.

Which by the way, they were the only twelve and they're still the only twelve that requirement three prerequisites. Does anybody familiar with the three prerequisites for one of those twelve to be considered?

Someone in the office of Apostle. I'm gonna tell you All right, you might want to jot these down. This is good for your study. Number one to be in the office of apostle. You must be an eyewitness to the resurrected Christ.

Do you know a soul today that has been in the presence of the resurrected Christ? Meaning that you must have been in the physical presence of Jesus himself. It's one of the prerequisites the first prerequisite.

Now we know that the other eleven fit this bill, right? I mean after all these were men that walked with Jesus in his earthly ministry. These were the other eleven these were men that actually saw him after his resurrection.

They put their fingers into the holes in his hands. They physically ate with him. They were with the resurrected Christ. So we know that but what about Paul? I mean wasn't Jesus already ascended by Paul by the time Paul gets on the scene.

I mean while while Jesus has ascended the Apostle Paul's being prepped to then just go out and torture and capture and Imprisoned Christians like he's not with the risen Jesus. Ah. But remember the road to Damascus.

Remember that encounter that the Apostle Paul as a matter of fact turn back to Acts chapter 9 with me if you've got your Bible. Or you can jot this down Acts chapter 9 verses starting in verse 3. I want you to see this evidence of the Apostle Paul and what qualifies him to this first office of Apostle in Acts chapter 9.

Starting in verse 3 we see this encounter. You remember the Apostle Paul is he's asked permission to go to other cities and to find Christians and imprison them. That's what he's asked to do. I mean he's zealous about it and he's on his way in verse 3 he says now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him and Falling to the ground.

He heard a voice saying to him Saul Saul. Why are you persecuting me? He said Who are you Lord? That's key right there. If you write in your Bible underline that Paul said Lord. He knew who he was speaking to and Jesus said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

Now some people have questioned this encounter and said well, he wasn't really maybe Jesus was just there in spiritual form. Right. Like our full Preterist buddies, right? Oh Jesus doesn't even have a body anymore.

He came in spiritual form. No, no, cuz Paul's already confirmed over in 1st Corinthians this encounter. You can jot this passage down in 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verse 1. He's he's defending his apostleship and he says am I not free am I not an apostle.

Have I not seen Jesus our Lord. Paul was in the presence of the physical Jesus. He confirms it again in 1st Corinthians back down in chapter 15 in verse 7 and 8. He says then speaking of Jesus he appeared to James then to all the Apostles last of all as To one untimely born he appeared also to me the Apostle Paul.

This is the man writing this letter to the church in Ephesus. He is an apostle. He meets the first requirement of apostleship. He has been with the risen Savior. Physically with the risen Savior now, Jesus doesn't come down and reveal himself to us today.

Does he? So does any person today? Meet the very first requirement of apostleship. No, and if someone says they did they're lying. They're not an apostle. So you see Paul does meet this. Well, there's a second one.

There's a second requirement. It says that he must be chosen by the Holy Spirit for this office. He must be chosen by the Holy Spirit and Paul also meets this requirement. Because in Acts chapter 9 again later down in verse 15 if you're still in that chapter.

You can look at verse 15 as God is speaking to Ananias about Paul. Which about Saul at the time as he's speaking to Ananias about this. It says there but the Lord said to him said to Ananias go for. He is a chosen instrument of mine.

He's speaking of Saul Paul. He is a chosen instrument of mine. To Carry my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel. Sent out. Right, that's why we use that phrase. Apostle a sent-out one.

But but I can send somebody out all I want. They're not. Their title is an apostle. Oh, but when the Holy Spirit calls them out when the When the Holy Spirit sends them forward this is the title. This is the Apostle Paul and only the other 11 disciples and him had this title because of this.

The Holy Spirit chose them and sent them out. There's a third and final sign and This is the ability to perform signs and wonders. Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 12 12 He said the sign. There are the signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience with signs and wonders and mighty works and I don't think I need to remind you of all the encounters wherein the Apostle Paul committed or Performed signs and wonders do I.

So Paul meets these three requirements? The other men these 12 including him are the only ones with the title of Apostle. So now that we know what apostle is We can begin to understand how Paul is hiding himself in the opening introduction to Ephesians.

We can begin to see how Paul mentions his own name, but then immediately hides behind the cross. Look at the passage again in Ephesians. Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Yes, Paul is writing this letter, but not by his own authority.

Remember an apostle is a called-out one one who the Holy Spirit himself has sent and He even declares his allegiance in this opening statement to that very office. Yes, I'm Paul in human form. You're looking at me oh.

But my title tells you what I really am. I'm a representation or representative of Christ. I'm a representative of the triune God an apostle of Christ Jesus and I love that Paul uses this same phrase in all of his openings.

If you go look flip through your Bible and look at all The epistles that are written and look at the very beginning of it and especially with Paul's like he does the same thing in Colossians. It's an apostle of Christ Jesus.

Philippians Paul and Timothy servants of Christ Jesus. First Corinthians an apostle of Christ Jesus. Romans a servant of Christ Jesus. He's constantly hiding himself immediately at the beginning of every letter that he writes.

It's the only way that he identifies himself. Now I need to address this because it might stand out to some of you. The fact that he uses the phrase Christ Jesus in his openings and there's lots of discussion as to Why this is that he phrases it in this way.

He says Christ Jesus and not Jesus Christ because you see that much. Many times in Scripture where you see it referred to as Jesus Christ. And I'm not going to pretend that I know Paul's intent here. There's all types of concepts and ideas and some say well he uses in his openings Christ Jesus because Christ of what it means.

He's not referring to Jesus and his humanities referring to Jesus and his and his deity right up front. I I'm not gonna assume any of that. I don't know. Nevertheless the substance remains the same. Okay.

Whether he says Christ Jesus or Jesus Christ Christ means Messiah and Jesus is the Christ. The victorious Messiah. So Paul is identifying this and he makes it very clear when he introduces himself. He says yes, I am Paul.

That's me, but I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me and the life I now live in the flesh. I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me as Paul declared in Galatians chapter 2.