HOW EPHESIANS DESCRIBES THE CHURCH

1. If you were to read through the entire book of Ephesians, you would learn several things

2. About the word church, in fact one person who did this found that:

A. In Eph. 1 the church is compared to a body; in Eph. 2.the church is likened to a temple.

B. In chapter 3 the church is described as a mystery, Chapter 4 presents the church as a new man;

C. The 5^th chapter of Eph. Offers marriage as a parallel

D. In the sixth chapter the church is compared to a soldier.

I. ALTHOUGH THIS OUTLINE COULD BE USED, I AM GOING TO USE MY OWN.

A. This morning we are going to see what the book of Eph. Says about the church.

B. In the first chapter of Ephesians the church is found only one time.

C. This is at the end of the chapter Eph. 1: 22-23 says, Quote/READ.

D. When I was in school someone taught me about synonyms.

E. If a boy refers to his father he might say;

1) Dad, daddy, pop, father, papa, parent,

2) The head of the house, or old man.

F. Eph. 1:22-23 shows that there is at least one synonym for church.

G. This is not the only thing I learn about the church from this verse.

H. Jesus is the head of this body, There is one head (Jesus and there is one body.

I. This fact is not often taught in the religious world.

1) Many are told and persuaded to believe that there is only one head.

2) And attached to this one head are hundreds of bodies.

3) In the physical realm this would be a curious creature.

4) Imagine a beast that had one head and a hundred bodies.

5) This makes no sense to us. This is beyond bizarre.

6) In the spiritual realm God says; “This makes no sense either. There is one head and one body.

J. In chapter two we do not find the word church.

1) However, the concept of the church is in this chapter, Vs. 21 speaks of a “temple.” READ

2) This temple is “holy”. Also, this temple is not physical in nature.

3) This is another important point. People think of a physical structure when they hear Church.

4) I have been told, “You are building a new church, eh?”

5) No, we are not building a new Church and we are not adding on to the Church.

6) The word. “Church” refers to people. The people here happen to be meeting

7) In a structure which is being expanded. We are not building a new church.

K. Since we read vs. 21, let’s back up to vs. 20. Here we have information about God’s temple

L. The foundation for Christ’s church consisting of apostles and Jesus;

M. If the Church is a physical structure, this foundation would not work.

N. The Church is in the spiritual realm instead of the physical realm.

O. We need concrete and perhaps wood for a foundation in the physical realm

P. The Church that Jesus has built, all people are equal. Backing up to vs. 14. READ

1) In Christ “both are one.” There used to be a “middle wall of partition.”

2) This wall is gone; been broken down; taken out of the way.

3) What does this tell us about racism and discrimination? In Christ’s body these things,

4) Have no right to exist. All people are one and equal in the church.

5) What else does Ephesians' tell us about Jesus’ Church?

Q. Let’s move to Eph. 3. Eph. 3:10 is where we next find the word ”Church” READ.

R. Let’s look at the first part of this verse again READ 10A.

1) Paul refers to “principalities and powers in a heavenly place”

2) This describes beings like angels. These expressions describe heavenly creatures.

3) These creatures are receiving something: what is it?

4) SKIP ‘THOUGH THE CHURCH’- the manifold wisdom of God.

5) Somehow these creatures are seeing how great God is.

6) How are these creatures getting this information? Vs. 10 tells us – though the church.

7) In some way the church has taught heavenly creatures.

S. This teaching may have covered God’s plan of salvation.

T. Perhaps part of the teaching was bringing Jews & Gentiles together.

U. Whatever has been taught the point is plain; the church has been used to teach heavenly beings.

V. This has been one of the functions of Christ’s body. The next ref. to be noted is in Eph. 4:4.

0) Here Paul said, QUOTE

1) The word body is important. From 1:22-23 we learned that the body is the church.

2) Paul now tells us that there is only “one body”. If “body” and “church” are used, 3) Interchangeably and they are, and there is only one body, there is only one church.

4) This is not the message I hear from many religious people. People say, “Attend the

5) Church of your choice. “Find a church that suits you.” God says that there is only one church.

W This church is the one that has His son at the head of it. This image of the church

X. Does not end here. As we continue in the book of Eph. we come to chapter 5.

Y Here Paul offers an illustration of the church. This is in vs. 23 – Quote/READ.

1) In the Bible marriage is pictured as a good thing.

2) If God’s plan is followed, husbands and wives

3) Love each other there is respect, admiration, and affection for each other, there is respect,

4) Admiration and affection for each other. Marriage is supposed to benefit men and women.

5) The Bibles uses marriage to make a point about the church our relationship with Christ

6) Should be like a good marriage. This imagery creates a very personal question of each of us.

7) As members of the church, do we feel married to Christ? Some surely do.

8) Are you included in this group? Is you relationship with the Lord different than this?

a. Is your relationship with him like a date? That only a little time is spent with him.

b. We are not close enough to be married to Him. But we are more than just a casual

C. acquaintance and if our relationship with Christ is like this, it’s not right.

d. Some may not at this time be even to this point. Some may look at the Lord like a distant e. friend. They are not opposed to Christ; they are a long ways from being committed to Him

f. This type of relationship is also not right. Members of Christ body, our status w/Jesus g. must be right. He is the head of the Church we are married (joined) to him anything less

h. is not enough to please Him.

A. At the end of vs. 23 another statement is made about the church, Jesus “is the Savior of the body.”

B. This makes sense. If He is the head of the body, and the body is saved, he will be the one C. Responsible for this task. Vs 24 tells us something else about the church – READ

1) The church (people) is to be subject to Christ. How is this done? Look at vs. 26 READ

2) The church is “cleansed by water and the word.”

3) We must first subject our self to God’s plan of salvation.

4) This plan is alluded to here. We are taught by the word and Jesus.

5) Upon being baptized, we continue to subject ourselves to Jesus Christ.

6) How do we do that? We abide by the teachings that are found in scripture.

7) I have a standing joke with Beth. I tell her that I should have been a professional singer.

8) She informs me that we would have missed a lot of meals. I do not sing well.

9) If I were making the rules, we would have an organ in here.

10) This type of device would cover up my limited ability in singing.

11) I am not in the business of making the rules. The elders are not in the rule making business.

12) God has given us His word. To be part of Jesus body we must subject ourselves to Him

13) There is no choice and no room for discussion about this.

D. Jesus dearly loves the church (vs.25); He died for it. Jesus requires the church to obey Him.

E. If we do, a wonderful blessing will be given – vs. 27 READ Have you ever thought about this vs.?

1) The church is made up of people – sinful people. According to the New Testament

2) Writers, the Church has had homosexuals, adulators, drunkards, idolaters, thieves, criminals.

3) The list is pretty long in spite of people’s pasts, what does vs. 27 say?

4) The church (people) will be presented without spots, wrinkles etc.

5) The church will be “holy and without blemish.” Vs. 27 tells us there is forgiveness

6) In the body. All sins are wiped away when one is in Christ. “This is good news”.

F. If we are in the church God loves us. He expects us to be a soldier- Eph.

CONCLUSION:

1. If we are not in Jesus body we need the “washing of water” (baptism)

2. If your sins have not been washed away by this act. We want to help you do that today.

3. We are ready to help you with that now. If you are ready to subject yourself to Christ.