2013-02-17
Ephesians – See and Respond to the grace of God
Steve Lane

A. Review/Introduction
Written from prison in Rome (Acts 28: 16 – 31) 60 – 62 AD After 3rd Missionary Journey
Flows not out of correction but exuberance over the glory of God, particularly the grace of God.

Grace (charis) This grace made peace with God possible without violating His justice
Ephesians 1: 3 – 8 “the praise of His glorious grace”
Grace - Possibly no word that so utterly reveals the heart of God more distinctly
The size of His Grace

Grace is also power and equipping to do all He has called us to do Rom 1:5, 12:6, 15:15, 1Cor 3:10, Gal 2:9, Eph 3:2 – 7, Titus 2:11
Have you ever experienced God's grace (favor) in your labor? His unmerited favor?

In the rest of Ephesians we are taught how to experience and live out this grace in...
Safety?.

B. Chosen and sealed by the Holy Spirit for the praise of His Grace.
Eph 1:11 – 12 Predestination not the central topic here – His Grace is the topic

Eph 1:13 – 14 A seal of ownership, of promise, security

All of this together... and we discover the strong undercurrent of Ephesians
It becomes Our mission or we are missing the boat. Romans 12:1 is the appropriate response

C. Paul's Prayer
Eph 1:15 - 18 For this reason... all he has been saying about the praise of His glory and grace

We start running on empty because we have used up our strength.
Paul wants us to get his incredible vision of God and an eternal view of life and the world.

Romans 11:33 – 12:1 Look at God... His grace, His love, His justice, His wisdom...
You gotta stop this running around in your own strength... get a picture of God, a vision of Him

Ephesians 1:19 – 23 Resurrection Power
John 7:37 – 38 Are you thirsty? Have you run out of strength, wisdom, power?
“How little I believed the rest and peace of heart I now enjoy were possible down here”

We see Him, know Him and we respond like Paul did...

It is the heart response when I see into His grace... and this letter to the Ephesians is that response from Paul