HBCSL - Sermon Notes

Text: Ephesians 3

Out of your identity flows your activity.

God views us as in His Son.

Salvation is open to everyone.

"Mystery" - vv. 3,4,6,9 - used 27 times in the NT, 20 times by Paul.  A mystery is not something we haven't figured out, but new truth that has been revealed.  It's something that wasn't understood clearly before but is now clearly understood.

An insight made available to Christians which was not clear in the OT.  Something previously undreamed of which is now seen and experienced.

Examples of mysteries -

1 Corinthians 15:51 - We will not all sleep (die before Jesus returns), but we will all be changed.

Ephesians 5:31-32 - Marriage is to be a demonstration of how Jesus loves His church.

Colossians 4:3 - Christ Himself.  First coming, suffering Messiah.  Second coming, King Messiah.

Ephesians 3:6 - Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ.  Gentiles are on the same standing as the nation of Israel - joint heirs through the gospel - Jesus would love and stand in the Gentiles place, too.

Some Bible teachers are saying that today, God is still in the business of revealing mysteries.  The gospel is not fully contained in the Bible.  The Bible is still being written today - the Bible has trajectory.  Things written in the NT, are now clear today.  The problem - who decides where the Bible is up to date and where is it obsolete?  When truth becomes moveable, it can be made to mean anything.  When following this way of interpretation, it becomes more about the teacher than God's Word.

The time is now here when people will not endure sound teaching.  2 Tim. 4:3,4

God does not need to be updated, we need to go back to what His Word says.

Bad things happen to believers.  Bad things happen to believers because we are believers.  Paul was in prison for preaching the gospel.  The more we lead a consistent, Christian life, the more likely we are to suffer for Christ.

Paul viewed his suffering as God working His purpose; that others were benefitting from his suffering; that the suffering, everything, paled compared to knowing Jesus.

We are most used when we are most tested.  When we are being persecuted, we have the opportunity to be a testimony.  Children and grandchildren will be watching how we respond when life gets difficult.

God uses the church to reveal His wisdom, love, and grace to the angels.  3:10  Angels observe worship in the church and are learning about the love of God. 1 Peter...

It didn't matter where Paul was - anywhere he was at, (and he was writing from prison) whether he was free or not, was a palace, because His Father was the King.  Paul did not want his readers to lose heart, because he was in prison.  From prison, from anywhere, we have confident access to Jesus through faith.

God sets our identity.

Paul's prayer - that our relationship with Jesus would consume what we were and define who we are - that we would experience the transforming love of Jesus.  

Our primary identity is to bring glory to God.  When we do, we will experience the greatest joy.

Let your identity be set by who Christ is...don't let sin or feelings define you...let Jesus be everything to you.  We belong to Jesus.  The King of Kings, the Sinless Savior, the Risen Lamb, our Perfect, Spotless Righteousness, does not disappoint.

Link to service and message...