In Christ (2): Eyes Wide Open

BOTTOM LINE: You can’t know who you are in Christ apart from the power of God.

INTRO

[VIDEO: KIRK COUSINS LINES UP UNDER GUARD]

TENSION

It’s important to know your position (series recap).

Why do we have such a hard time living the Christian life?

  • Many of us try “Fake it till you make it.”
  • You can’t live what you don’t know. Both of Paul’s prayers are that believers understand who they are In Christ.

You can’t know who you are in Christ apart from the power of God.

TRUTH

Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

  • Background:
    • Paul was an apostle. These aren’t just his words.
    • Ephesus was a big, bad city (350,000+)
      • Positioned on Roman Road where East met West.
      • Combination of Greek Stoics, Eastern pagans, and Jewish legalists
      • Most famous for temple of Artimas/Diana and immoral, licentious worship
    • The Church – Paul found a small group of disciples in Ephesus, got kicked out of the synagogue, and taught in the hall of Tyrannus for 2+ years (Acts 19).
      • Even Paul’s handkerchiefs healed people!
        Cast out demons and put idol makers out of business.
      • Was run out of town by angry idol-makers.
    • The Letter – Probably a circular letter.
      • Many manuscripts don’t specify Ephesus, likely so other churches could substitute their own name.
      • Substitute us: ________
    • The Theme: Growing into our new identity in Christ
      • “In Christ” appears 33x in the book. How many can you find?
      • Ch. 1-3: Knowing Who You Are in Christ
      • Ch. 4-6: Living Who You Are in Christ
  • Context: “For this reason…” (v.15) What reason?

Sub-Point: The Rise and Fall of the Church at Ephesus

  • I thank God for you for the same reasons Paul did the church at Ephesus.
  • 60-62 A.D. Their faith in Jesus and love toward all the saints was legendary (v.16)
  • 95 A.D. They abandoned the love they had at first (Rev. 2:4)
  • If we ever lose the love we have now, we’ll have lost everything.

Main Point: You can’t know who you are in Christ apart from the power of God.

Look back: Last week’s passage was a one-sentence essay on who we are in Christ.

Think about it: Understanding this new reality doesn’t come naturally (1 Cor. 2:9-16).

  • “No eye has seen or heart imagined…” (1 Cor. 2:9) It’s beyond the realm of our imagination.
  • “God has revealed to us through the Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:10)
  • The revealing work of the Spirit
    • Searches everything, even the thoughts of God (1 Cor. 2:10-12).
    • Inspired the Apostles (1 Cor. 2:13).
    • Illuminates believers (1 Cor. 2:14-16)
  • If you are a believer, you can know who you are in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit working in you.

A real-life thing: Wisdom & Knowledge

  • This combo means not just facts but about the application of truth to life. This is how we know how to live our lives.
  • Experiential knowledge: Experiencing God!

Eyes wide open: The eyes of the heart (inner person)

  • (Perfect – completed in the past, once and for all)
    • Not a progressive or incremental process
  • How our inner person understands external realities.

Through the power of God, we can say…

1. What Hope!

A different kind of hope (Certain)

  • Not wishing, manifesting
  • Assurance for the future

This is hope In Christ (v.12); in his future return.

  • The Ephesian temple to Artimas is in ruins. The Ephesian Christians are enjoying an eternity of glory with Jesus.
  • Eternity puts everything into perspective.

It’s not a natural hope: Most people look for hope in this world instead of the world to come.

Daily Life: Eschatology affects teenage life (Career; Witnessing; Relationships; Holiness)

2. What Riches!

Syntax: We are the riches!

  • How? He bought us with his blood (v.7).
  • Our destiny is to stand, both positionally and practically, holy and blameless before him (v. 4).

God deals with us based on our future, not our past (examples).

  • Gideon: “Mighty Warrior” when he was hiding from the Midianites (Judges 6). God didn’t call him “wimpy thresher.”
  • Peter: “Rock” when he was the most wishy-washy disciple (Matthew 16).

Not only do we look forward to being with Jesus, Jesus looks forward to being with us!

Daily Life: “I’m on my way to being holy and blameless before Jesus; no way will I dishonor him!”

3. What Power!

To those who believe (Look back on the sequence of salvation).

  • Contrast to the filling of the Spirit in chapter 5. The indwelling confirms we’re in Christ; the fillingenables us to live in Christ.

These 3 points build on each other:

            Hope in Jesus’ return

                        Blameless and holy

                                    How? The power of God

Parse the words (megathos; dynamis; energia2x; kratos; ischys)

“What is his immeasurable mega dynamite power toward all of us who believe, according to the energy of his forceful, dominating power over things…”

What could stop this?  (Raised, seated)

  • Death?
  • Earthly authorities/people?
  • Spiritual authorities?
  • No “God w/skin on?”

Where is his power centered? The church and it’s mission.

  • “All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me…” (Matt. 28:18)
  • “Therefore go and make disciples…” (Matt. 28:19)

Daily Life: “I have confidence that God CAN make me holy and blameless, therefore I will not be afraid to say no to temptation and do great things for him.”

You can’t know who you are in Christ apart from the power of God.

[Story: William Randolph Hearst]

APPLICATION – Opening the Eyes of Your Heart…

1 – Flex: Flex what you got.

God has revealed himself to you through his word, and illuminates your heart and mind through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in you. The Bible is a collection of 66 books that remind you who you are in Christ. Hear from him through the Bible daily, and take his “word of the day” to school to experience it.

2 – Father: Ask your Heavenly Father for help.

If Paul prayed for God to open the Ephesians’ eyes to who they were in Christ, trust that God will do the same for you. You can’t know who you are apart from the power of God. The good news is, that he makes it available to all who ask.

3 – Fam: Plug into the family of God.

We were never meant to experience life in Christ apart from the family of God. Let your brothers and sisters in Christ remind you of who you are in Christ.

4 – Faith: Put your faith in Christ and be saved.

You can’t live something you aren’t. Stop trying. Start trusting.

LANDING