Ephesians Part 13

A review of Ephesians 2 and a look at Ephesians 3:1-13

From Death to Life: Grace, Faith, and the New Humanity in Christ

Meeting Purpose

To explore the Christian's purpose, identity as God's workmanship, and calling.

Key Takeaways

-             Purpose Defined: We are saved from God's wrath and for good works (Eph 2:10). These works are not our merit but God's pre-arranged plan, enabled by grace.

-             Identity as Workmanship: Our identity is God's "handiwork" (Amplified Bible), recreated in Christ. This means we are His ambassadors, representing Him in all actions and thoughts.

-             Spiritual Gifts' Role: Gifts are for the church's common good, not personal fulfillment. Every believer has at least one, and leaders' role is to equip the body to use them.

-             Paul's Example: Paul's calling as a "prisoner of Christ" for the Gentiles models humility and purpose. His mission was to unite "insiders" and "outsiders" as one body.

Topics

The Christian's Purpose: From → For

-             A review of Ephesians 2 established a three-part model for testimony:

1.       Before: Spiritually dead in sin.

2.       During: Saved by grace through faith.

3.       After: United as one new body.

-             This model clarifies the purpose of salvation:

o  Saved from: God's wrath and a life apart from Him.

o  Saved for: Good works, as God's workmanship (Eph 2:10).

-             This requires a paradigm shift: we don't contribute to God's plan; we are His creation, unable to do true good works without Him.

Identity: God's Workmanship

-             Ephesians 2:10 (Amplified Bible) defines our identity: "God's own handiwork, his workmanship, recreated in Christ Jesus... that we may do those good works which God predestined or planned beforehand for us."

-             This calls for a personal understanding of God's specific plan for each believer.

-             Todd's term, "vassalism," captured this identity: we are ambassadors of Christ, reflecting Him in our actions, words, and thoughts to point others to Him.

-             John shared his journey of discovering his calling, which evolved from teaching to mentoring younger men, illustrating how purpose can change with life's seasons.

Spiritual Gifts: A Guardrail for Purpose

-             Spiritual gifts are a key enabler of our purpose, but must be kept in proper perspective.

-             Key Principles:

o  Source & Purpose: From the Spirit for the church's benefit (1 Cor 12:7).

o  Distribution: Every believer has at least one gift (1 Peter 4:10).

o  Diversity: No one has all gifts, creating intentional interdependence in the body.

-             Richard noted that leaders' role (Eph 4) is to equip the body to use its gifts, not to do all the work themselves.

Paul's Calling: A Model of Purpose

-             Ephesians 3:1–13 was read from Eugene Peterson's The Message to provide a fresh perspective.

-             Paul's self-description as a "prisoner of Christ Jesus" reveals his humility and acceptance of his circumstances as part of God's purpose.

-             His specific calling was to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, a people previously considered "outsiders."

-             Key Insight: Paul's mission challenges us to see non-believers as people God wants to reach, not as "heathens."

-             Application: Rich emphasized that fulfilling our purpose requires sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's prompting and a willingness to say "yes" to His calls.

Next Steps

-             Jim: Continue the Ephesians study next week, starting with Paul's role as an intercessor.

-             All:

o  Reflect on God's specific purpose and responsibility for your life.

o  Practice sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's prompting.

o  Adopt God's perspective on non-believers, seeing them as people to reach.