Book of Ephesians - Ch. 2, Vs. 19-Ch. 4, Vs. 7 (08/05/2001)

The Cross in the Camp of Israel

There might have been some of you not in Sunday school this morning. I would like to go over the cross again, just so that everybody's clear on it. In the first and second chapters of the book of Numbers, you find where all of the children of Israel were numbered.

Now, this is only those of 24 years and up. Men that could fight did not number the children, the women, or the old. Then it told us where they set up camp. If you would draw a square, this is the Pharisees.

I mean Pharisees. The Levites in the center. Then all of the children that were east were on this side. The long side was east. West was the short side. South and north were both the same. It made a cross.

Now, they set up no wider than the Levites were. It was 150 square. 22 ,000 or something. When it says east, it means east. It doesn't mean just generally east, but exactly east. There were none out in here.

That's what they used for grazing. When the cross moved... Now, the people in the cross, they lived there, but they couldn't see it. Only God could see the cross. They didn't... Suppose they were going off this way.

They didn't turn around and go that way. They moved like that. Or like that. Or this. They kept this position. North, east, south, and west all of the time. I thought it was rather amazing when we found that.

Is there any questions about it? All right. We are ready for Ephesians 17. What? Of the second chapter. 19th verse, second chapter. Of the book of Ephesians. Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles, prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstones.

Household of God. This is the family of God. You all belong to it. We are the family of God. The family is the oldest organization of anything on the earth. Are built. This is a passive verb. We are built.

The subject is understood. You. In whom all of the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

Fitly. What does fitly mean? In whom all of the building, fitly framed together. Bill, what does fitly mean? It was tightly fit together, but that doesn't explain fitly. Who does the fitting? God. Who is the fitty?

Who? Us. Then you are fit right where you belong. By the will of God, you're placed where you belong. For this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you Gentiles, you have heard of the dispensation of grace of God, which is given me to you-ward.

Now, given me to you-ward means what, Clarence? All right. Given to me for you. You find your place according to my teaching. Paul was a prisoner in Rome. Why? The gospel? That doesn't tell me much. Why was Paul a prisoner in Rome, David?

He was there because of circumstances, but it was God that laid out the circumstances. He was there because of Christ. He was there because of the gospel, because of teaching the gospel. But he was there because of his Roman citizenship.

The government thought they put him in prison, but they didn't really. That's right. That's right. He didn't know that, though, at the time. But that's true. How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore in a few words, whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.

What is this mystery he's talking about? Jesse? All right. What? Mystery of the church? What else? Gentile church. That it was the gospels given to the Gentile. Jesus revealed things to Paul in a personal way.

Is that true or not? Paul wants the Ephesians to know that this doctrine was not just an opinion of his or taught to him by someone else. It was taught to him by Christ. Paul is saying that when you refer back to this, you will understand what God had given me concerning the Gentiles.

Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body takers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.

All of this was done by the Holy Spirit in due time. Mystery. Just so we'll understand, what is a mystery? Greg? All right. Until it is revealed. Solitary traveler lands upon some unknown coast. You sure we haven't had this?

Boy, you got me confused. Where are we? Well, I know I've given you this story. Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Effectual means what? It'll work. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Now, for something to be unsearchable means what, Bill?

All right. Minister, our word deacon comes from the same root. Paul was a minister by the gift of God. Unsearchable riches, riches of value is not fixed. Their abundance is unexplored by want and desire.

Their supply is inexhaustible by enjoyment and use. Unsearchable, they are unsearchable, not capable of being discovered by search. This mystery cannot be discovered by human reason. Christ is not one ounce poorer for all of the favors, for all of forgiveness which he has given away.

Doesn't make him any poorer. There is sufficient power in his power to save now, as there was at the very beginning. His riches are truly unsearchable. And to make all men see that what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might know by the church the manifold wisdom of God, to the principalities and powers, and to make all men see that the fellowship of the mystery at the beginning of the world.

The world is now brought to light. The word world is aeon, means an age. The mystery was in existence long before the age of man. Before there was anything. He had all things in himself. Everything that is has come from God.

They were all in God. You and I were in God just as you and I were in Adam. If you could have shaken hands with Adam, you would have shaken the hands of all billions of people that came from Adam. God has shown us only a part, a small part of himself by letting us see his creation.

Think of what he has not shown us that still exists in him. It's hard to imagine that there are things yet for him to show us. Principalities and powers, these are spiritual, holy angels. See by this verse that the angels did not have prior knowledge of God's happiness.

Now angels don't know ahead of time. The church thus becomes a university for angels. Each saint a professor. Only in the church can the angels come to an understanding of the grace of God. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In whom we have boldness and access by confidence by the faith of him. Now eternal purpose. Anything eternal has no end. Is that right? Therefore it has no beginning. Eternal means eternal. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by faith in him.

We have access by the faith of him. Access means what? Russell, tell me the meaning of access. Okay. The third party knows both the accessor and the accessee. And can bring them together. Who is it in our case?

Jesus Christ. Wherefore I desire that you faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. What does the word faint mean?

I desire that you faint not at my tribulations. In a roundabout way that's true. David what does faint mean here? Don't lose courage. Which could mean what you were saying. For this cause I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The greater the office of the sufferer the more the affliction. Which he was content to endure for them rebounds to their honor. And the better was this understood by them the less should they give way to weakness and discouragement.

Of whom the whole should be every family in heaven and earth is named. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by the spirit of the inner man. That he would grant you according to the riches.

We have here the word according to. Why does he not say in light of his riches or something other than according? Why does he say according to? Greg? To be strengthened with might. Strengthened. The strengthening was to take effect by means of power imparted or infused by the Holy Spirit into the inward man.

The inward man here refers to the personal rational self. The moral I. The essence of man which is conscious of itself as a moral personality. Well my markings I'm confused on. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.

That you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all saints. What is the breadth, length, depth, and height. And to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge. That you might be filled with all the fullness of God.

The purpose of this strengthening. It is so that Christ may dwell in your hearts. If we as Christians live in conscious dependence upon the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will make room for the Lord Jesus in our hearts.

And lives by eliminating from our lives things that are sinful of the world. And thus we will feel completely at home with the Lord. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk with.

Skipped one. Here it is. Now unto him that is able to exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask of him. According to the power that work within us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus through all ages.

World without end. Now to him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. David. As we pray. As we think of things about which to pray. Is that. How can I say this. Are you approaching the.

The capacity of Christ. Right. You can go beyond even everyone's capacity. But never can you exceed the capacity of Christ. Beseech. Just the word. Beseech means what. Bill. All right. The Christian life.

You live should weigh as much. As the profession of Christianity which you make. You get that. The Christian life you live. Should weigh. As much as the profession of Christianity which you make. The head of the church is Christ Jesus.

He is in heaven. Where his feet here on earth. So walk as you know you should. Therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation. Wherewith you are called. So let's look at the word vocation.

All Christians are called. Not only to the work of the local church. But also are called unto. Into their life work. Their occupation. In Ephesians 1 3 we see how God has blessed us. He has blessed us past tense.

With all spiritual blessings. Now we are to walk in possession of them. He told the children of Israel. This land I'll give you. And he laid out the boundaries. Now did they walk in and just. With no opposition.

Possess it. No. They had to fight for it didn't they. The unsearchable riches of God. Are worth fighting for. They must be searched out. Geiger counter of the word. He has his sheep. It's like a seminary student.

He has his sheepskin diploma. But he hasn't got any mutton under it. The seminaries are forever turning out preachers like this. Like the one that has everything in the window. Nothing on the shelf. Now we've come to the practical side of Ephesians.

The new man is to exhibit himself down here every day. The members of the invisible church are to make themselves visible. The following chapters are directed to believers. We are to do his commands. Dead men cannot walk.

No matter how much you urge them. Besiege them. Beg them. The only way others can determine your profession. Is by your walk. It is not so much how you walk. But where you walk. How much time do you spend in the word of God.

Outside of class. There was a man handing out tracks. And you all know what tracks are. It's down on the street corner. And the negro came by. And he handed him one. And the black man couldn't read or anything.

And he said, what's this? He said, it's a track. It explains how to be born again. He said, well, I'll just watch your tracks. That was a sermon. And it said, with all lowliness, meekness, long-suffering.

Forbearing one another in love. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit. In the bond of peace. Lowliness. Lowliness means a mind brought low. The opposite of pride. Our seminaries should stop trying to make intellectual preachers.

Teach these men to walk in lowliness of mind. Reminds me of another story. There was a seminary that had received word from a country church that they were in need of a preacher. So they sent the best one they had.

He made the highest marks in class. He was the greatest in oratory and everything. And he went. He bragged quite a bit to his fellow students before he went that he had a church. Well, he had memorized his sermons, as most of them do.

And when he walked into that pulpit, just so high and mighty, he forgot every word. He couldn't remember one word that he had memorized. He stumbled around and said something. He never did know what, but he'd come out of that pulpit so embarrassed that he could hardly walk.

An elderly lady stopped him, and he said, Honey, if you had gone up to that podium like you come down, you would have come down like you went up. A lot of truth in that. Endeavoring to keep. We're all in Christ.

We cannot make the unity. We are to keep the unity that the Holy Spirit has made. Now we're going to talk about unity. There is one body and one spirit. Even as you are called in one hope of your calling, our Lord, one faith, one baptism.

What does baptism mean? What does it mean? Placing in two. Baptized is placing in two, whether spiritual or physical. It's placing in two. One body refers to the total number of believers from Pentecost to the rapture.

Now, Clarence, why will your eye not lie to your foot? You can look, and there's a hole there, and your eye says, No, it's no hole. Go on. Why can't that happen? The reason is they're both one member of one family.

Do you get that? Your eye won't lie to your foot unless something's wrong. In the earthly church, if the earthly church matched the heavenly church, there would not be denominations. What would there be, Diane?

If the earthly church matched the heavenly church, one body. Whether it's one body of Christ or one body here on earth, it's His. There's just one body, one denomination. We all think ours is the only one.

Our one life, this refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. One faith refers to the one and only true doctrine. One baptism refers to the Holy Spirit placing you into Christ. One God and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in all.

This refers to believers only. He is not the Father of unbelievers, Satan sees. But unto every one of you is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. We're going to stop here, but I want to talk a little bit.

We are given the measure according to the gift of Christ. Not out of the gift, but according to the gift. That can only mean one thing. You have everything that you should have for where you are right now.

Everybody has everything they need for wherever they are right now to do what you need to do. God is above all. He is above His creation. Not only because He is up in heaven, but because He is not dependent upon His creation.

Is God dependent on anything? No. He doesn't depend upon oxygen to breathe. He doesn't have to go shopping each week for supplies. He is not only above all, but He is through all. Now Bill, what does it mean He is through all?

Through all. Alright. This is the atomic structure of all things and in all. He is working, moving all to bring His will to pass. Everything has already been done by Him. Everything has already been finished, been wound up.

You can look at the future as well as the past. It's all been done. You can't change anything. Now we don't know in our own mind what's going to happen next. But whatever it is, I can't change it. I have to make the right decisions, the right actions, everything to the best of my ability.

And then go ahead and do it. Or not do it. God has ordained it all. Do you believe that? Alright. Then whatever happens, don't murmur. Don't find fault with it. Don't wish it would rain when it's not.

What do you say? It's an old saying I always bring back to the crowd.

Grace According to Christ's Gift

One word about grace. Each gets the grace that Christ has to give him. Each gets it in the proportion in which the giver is pleased to bestow it. One habit, larger measure, and another smaller, but each getting in the same hand from the same purpose.

This grace has to do with the exercise of special gifts for service, not the grace for daily living. The former is adjusted to the gift. The latter is unlimited and subject only to the limitations put onto it by the individual.

A Christian must not stay a little baby. He must grow up. Each believer is given a gift so that he may function in the body. The gift given to you is not only for your growth spiritually, but so that others may better exercise their gifts for others.

And all that is given to us must be used on others. We'll stop here. Clarence, dismiss us please.