Ephesians THE LETTER From Paul to the Ephesians

Ephesians THE LETTER

From Paul to the Ephesians

The Church of EPHESUS

What do we know about the Church of EPHESUS?

EPHESUS ØPaul left Corinth to Ephesus taking Priscilla and Aquila with him. ØHe spoke to Jews in a synagogue and then went to Caesarea and Corinth. ØPriscilla and Aquila stayed in Ephesus. (Acts 18: 18 -21). ØApollos joined the team some time later (Acts 18: 24). ØLater, Apollos went to Corinth, and Paul went back to Ephesus.

“While Apollo was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? " They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. " 3 So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive? " "John's baptism, " they replied. 4 Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus. ”

5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. 8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. ” (Acts 19: 1 -10)

The Beginning of the Church

With a school room as his missions headquarters, the lecture hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19: 9), • Speaking publicly, and from house to house (Acts 20: 20), day and night, for three years (Acts 20: 31), maintaining himself by working at his own trade (Acts 20: 34), • With the aid of miraculous signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 19: 11, 12), • Paul shook the mighty city of Ephesus to its foundations. Magicians who pretended to work miracles, were so over-awed that they made a great bonfire of their books (Acts 19: 19). •

EVANGELISM in Ephesus

Powerful Evangelism in the City • AC 19: 11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. 17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

The LEADERSHIP of the Church

The leadership of the Church: • There was a big uproar against Paul and he had to leave Ephesus to Macedonia. Later, when he is in Miletus, he sent for the elders of the Church of Ephesus. That mean, that before Paul left the city of Ephesus he had appointed and ordained the elders. They were his close disciples. • When they arrived, Paul shared with them his first concern about the church of Ephesus:

The leadership of the Church: • Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. (Acts 20: 28— 31) 28 • His preoccupation was with wolves, which would come to attack the flock of God. He was predicting by the Spirit of God, that the church was going to face great risk. That was so serious in his heart, that he sent for the elders to come and see him in Miletus.

The SPIRITUAL Condition of the Church

Spiritual condition of the Church • False teachers had invaded the beloved church where Paul had taught for three years (Acts 19: 8, 10; 20: 31). • They brought deception, confusion, heresy, and much damage to the flock. • Paul asked Timothy to remain in Ephesus and set the House of God in order, for “the household of God, which is the church of the living God is the pillar and support of the truth” (3: 15 b). • Paul instructed Timothy to confront the false teachers and blasphemers and their false teachings. He also gave instructions to him on the qualifications for the appointment of teachers and elders

Timothy’s Task in Ephesus

Special Task for Timothy in Ephesus • Because of that, Timothy is asked by Paul to stay in Ephesus to take care of the beloved church, with a special task of confronting deception and the false teachers. The spiritual warfare for the city would be serious. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith. (1 Tim. 1: 3 -4) • 1 TI 1: 3

The Letter’s STRUCTURE

THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS • Ephesians is a revelation from God about how a church walks in victory and in maturity • It shows how a church can be edified and grow from childhood to maturity • The letter reveals the secret plan__ the mystery, kept by God since before the creation of the world • It shows how a church can overcome the principalities and fortresses which oppose its ministry in the city.

LETTER’s STRUCTURE • THE HEAVENLY REALMS: Expression repeated in the Letter • 1: 3; 1: 20, 21; 2: 6; 3: 10; 6: 12 • These expressions offer a natural division for understanding the letter

THE HEAVENLY REALMS

THE HEAVENLY REALMS • Where are we sitting now? • By Jesus’ side in the heavenly places. 1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col. 3: 1 -4)

The Early Church & The Heavenlies • From the New Testament Letters we see that the apostles and the church understood what being seated in the heavenly places with Christ meant. • The Early Church took all the cities in the heavenlies first, because it understood the authority they had in the spiritual realms. • The Christians of the 1 st century made people free in the spiritual realms first and then they made them free in the natural realm.

THE COSMIC GRAVE

THE COSMIC GRAVE • Ephesians 2: 1, 2 - Paul shows the position of the people and of Satan before they took the city for Christ. • People were dead and buried in their sins • The doors of hell were closed by Satan • Satan was in charge; he ruled the heavenly realms. • Ed Silvoso calls that “THE COSMIC GRAVE”

THE COSMIC GRAVE • Satan had that position because of people’s sins • The Bible says: The soul who sins will die • 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6: 23 • Satan had that regulation written at the gates of hell to bring and keep people inside that cosmic grave.

The Enemy’s Weapon THE CERTIFICATE OF DEBT 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. (Col. 2: 14, 15)

THE CERTIFICATE OF DEBT • Satan used it to torture Jesus. • He would say “I cannot touch you, but I can touch them. ” • They are dead because they sinned. • The Certificate of Debt said: “The soul that sins will die”.

SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE ABOUT IT

THE LETTER’s STRUCTURE • What GOD the Father Did in the Heavenly Realms: 1: 3 • What the SON has done in the Heavenly Realms: 1: 20 -22 • What the CHURCH is doing in the Heavenly Realms: 3: 10 • How the CHURCH and Satan are at War in the Heavenly Realms: 6: 12