What I Learned From Preaching Through Ephesians

Mar 15

This week, I wrapped up preaching through the book of Ephesians. I had studied the book in sections before, but never had I taught verse-by-verse through the book. As I did so, themes emerged that I had not seen quite so clearly before.

By way of putting a bow on this sermon series, I decided to write about what I learned from preaching through Ephesians. Among the lessons I learned, three stuck out to me: First, theology matters. Second, discipleship is a process. And third, failure is inevitable apart from Jesus.

Theology Matters

The “theology” sections of chapters 1-3 are foundational to the “application” chapters. I could feel in my heart, as I went week-to-week through the first three chapters, a pull to make the “theology” section more “practical.” While I made sure to apply the text, I’m glad I took the time to lay down a theological foundation for the latter half of the letter. I learned that Paul strategically laid out the grounds for his applications in this first section. Here are some examples in no particular order:

Theological Foundation: God loves you (1:4-5).

Application: You are to love others (5:2).

Theological Foundation: God blesses you with spiritual blessings in the heavenly realms (1:3).

Application: You are to be aware of the warfare and evil that exists in the heavenly realms (6:12).

Theological Foundation: We have peace with God through Jesus (2:13-14).

Application: You are to maintain peace among the church (4:3).

Theological Foundation: You are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (1:13).

Application: The Spirit will enable you to not live a foolish life, but a wise one (5:15-18).

Theological Foundation: Jesus brings you out of spiritual death by grace through faith (2:1-9).

Application: You are to put off the old self and live from your new identity in Christ (4:17-24).

Theological Foundation: The Gospel invites all people to be a part of God’s family (3:6).

Application: You are to treat one another with kindness and forgiveness (4:32).

When people say, “theology doesn’t matter,” I think Scripture clearly disagrees with this sentiment. Without core truths about who God is, what He has done, and what He is doing, there is no basis for application.

Discipleship Is A Process

The Apostle Paul, throughout his letter, describes what one who is a follower of Jesus ought to look like. As I preached through the letter, I realized that Paul is continuously clarifying the target to which his followers must aim. There is grace for failure, but there is a clear target. The target is this: be joined with Christ in his teachings, character, and mission. Getting closer to the target, or perhaps hitting it more consistently, happens over time - and Paul knew that. The process of “putting off” the old self (4:22) and “putting on” the new self (4:23-24) happens in a moment and over a lifetime.

“The target is this: be joined with Christ in his teachings, character, and mission.”

There is tension throughout the text of Ephesians. Paul both declares that the spiritually dead are now spiritually alive by faith (2:8-9), yet we ought to pay attention to the “walk” of our lives as we learn to live out the new self (5:2, 5:8, 5:15). Justification by faith happens in a moment, yet the process of walking in love, light, and wisdom takes a lifetime.

Many followers of Jesus get burned out from trying to be perfect, but they forget that in our flesh we will never be 100% sanctified prior to glory in heaven.

This leads to my last lesson I learned.

Failure Is Inevitable Apart From Jesus

I remember doing pre-reading for the book of Ephesians, and I stumbled across a phrase from James Montgomery Boice that summarized the major theme of Ephesians: being joined with Christ. I loved the phrase so much I borrowed the title for the series. But what I didn’t know was how deeply interwoven this theme is.

Nearly every imperative written by Paul is connected to the power or work of Jesus, the Spirit, or the Father. Consider these few, again in no particular order:

Imperative: Walk in a worthy manner (4:1).

In The Power Of: The Father’s calling (cf 1:4).

Imperative: Be humble, gentle, love one another, maintain unity and peace (4:2-3).

In The Power Of: The Spirit and Christ’s gifts (4:3-7).

Imperative: Put off the old self and put on the new self (4:22-24).

In The Power Of: The truth of Jesus (4:20-21).

Imperative: Forgive others (4:32).

In The Power Of: Jesus’ forgiveness of you (4:32).

Imperative: Imitate God (5:1).

In The Power Of: Being a part of God’s family (1:5, 5:1).

Imperative: Walk as children of light (5:8).

In The Power Of: The Lord (5:8).

Imperative: Pay attention to how you walk (5:15).

In The Power Of: Being filled with the Spirit (5:18).

Imperative: Stand firm against the schemes of the Devil (6:11).

In The Power Of: The strength of the Lord’s might (6:10).

Imperative: Wage spiritual war (6:13).

In The Power Of: The armor of God (6:14-17)

Imperative: Love with faith (6:23).

In The Power Of: God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (6:23).

Very often, Christ-followers read books like Ephesians and think “alright here is the list of things I have to do” but miss how it is God’s work in us that produces those good things. When we as Christ-followers attempt to “do Christian things” but without God’s power, we fail. All of these behaviors are a result of God’s power at work in us. We are branches — Jesus is the vine. And not only that, but Paul’s emphasis about the spiritual war to conclude his letter shows this: we do not have the ability in our own strength to produce Godly character apart from God’s power… but we also have an enemy that wants to help us fail every step of the way.

Stay joined with Christ. Remain in Him. Abide in Him.