Ephesians Sermons

A deeper look at Satan's fall, schemes, and future as we study the spiritual warfare of Ephesians 6

Humility meets practice at Submission. We submit to Jesus and to one another in the Body of Christ as the Bride of Christ.

The promises for the power and effectiveness of the church throughout the book of Ephesians astound us. And God equips us to see them fulfilled thought the Holy Spirit. Get your fleshly inhibitions out of the way and be amazed at the life that awaits. Just like the Spirit-filled disciples in Acts 2 who were accused of drunkenness at 9 o'clock in the morning, so we can experience vibrant life to the full as we trust in the promptings of the Spirit. This may be scary/awkward/unkown/tiring but I don't care … It's Nine O' Clock Somewhere!

Identifying your God Given Gifts for Service Worksheet

Jesus' intervention for us provided a pleasing sacrifice to God, making us pleasing to God as dearly loved child. Such a gift, such grace, would be understood in Ephesus to generate a proportional, reciprocal response of gratitude and service. Thus, grace initiates an intimate relationship between its patron and recipient that grows stronger with each turn in a beautiful dance. The patronage or benefaction systems of Ephesian society would have expected such joyful and obligatory responses. However, if thanksgiving is instead replaced with entitlement or rejection, the unraveling of the relationship becomes a disgrace or a dysgrace. And the consequences are dire.

As Paul continues to guide the Church in Ephesus toward growth in Christ, he commands them to "Be angry - but do not sin." How can anger build a church? When linked to forgiveness and love, Paul shows that anger can be a very potent tool in church building.

During our calling, we were taught with regard to Christ to put off our old self and put on our new self - created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness! We will do well to remember… Remember What You Were Taught Remember What Was Removed Remember That You Are New

Paul uses two vivid pictures to describe the difference between an immature and a mature church or Body of Christ. Immaturity is seen as "Tossed Toddlers Targeted by Tricksters" while a mature church looks more like a "Coordinated Crew Completed in Christ."

The Hampton Roads Church gets practical about how to "equip the saints for works of ministry" and about "each part does its work."

Paul has now turned a corner in this epistle to begin issuing imperatives. Chief among his charges: unity! Unity requires humility, patience, gentleness, and the desire to bear with one another — even when difficult.

This midweek lessons focuses on Paul's aim to testify the Gospel of Grace, the same charge energizes the call to all Christians. “From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 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. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.” — Acts 20:17-38

After overflowing affirmations throughout chapters 1-3, Paul now turns to the imperative of the Christian, that is, "live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called." How does one accomplish such a high calling? Many try it through grit, but the real answer lies in grace.

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians focuses on their deep, wide, long, and high appreciation of Jesus' love for them.

An inspiring perspective about the significance of the body of Christ in the spiritual realms

The Woodham Family shares about the joy and security that comes through adoption.

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.” (Ephesians 3:1–13, NIV)

Paul uses three explicit images to describe the community of faith that attends our inclusion in Chirst. These images grow in intimacy as Paul offers the analogy of citizenship, family, and stones of the Temple.

During this midweek lesson, Ed Anton explores the difference between moralism and the Gospel of Grace

Christianity is fundamentally and profoundly different from any religion because only in Jesus does God set up this gift covenant: "First I will ACCEPT and EMBRACE you … and as a result you will OBEY Me." Instead every religion under the sun has been established on this construct: "First you will OBEY me … and as a result I will ACCEPT and EMBRACE you." Paul makes this distinction glorious in the second chapter of his epistle to the Ephesians.

Paul's prayer for the Ephesian Church to know Him better is a brilliant charge for all disciples of Jesus. While the gospels reveal the wonders of a humbled Jesus, the epistles unveil the resurrected, exalted and enthroned Christ in all His power.

Paul builds on his 202 word rhetorical masterpiece about spiritual blessings in Christ with a 177 word treasure about enlightened living in Christ. This sermon focuses on Paul's prayer for the church to see more clearly through the opened eyes of the heart: What Hope! What Inheritance! What Power!

This midweek lesson on the rhetorical fireworks of Paul's encouragement to the Church of Ephesus highlights the Grace given through Jesus in four main attributes: Chosen, Adopted, Ransomed, and Spirit-Marked as a guarantee

In this introductory sermon, Ed Anton brings Hampton Roads Church to Ephesus and the receipt of this letter through a first century Gentile convert, Stephanas son of Epenetus.

Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians represents a true theological high point of the New Testament, as the assures both Jew and Gentile Christians of their special and treasured place in the New Covenant - in Christ. Ed Anton provides some background before Hampton Roads Church begins an in depth study of the Epistle.