Study in the Book of Ephesians
Lesson 7

Topic: Living in the Promise
Text: Ephesians 3: 14-21

Introduction:
This portion of the Book of Ephesians is actually the second of two prayers found in this book. The first one is in Eph. 1:15-23. In the first prayer, the theme is enlightenment. In this prayer, the emphasis is on more on being instead of knowing. The Lord wants us to understand what is actually available to us so that we are able to live in the Promises of God.

It is interesting to note that these prayers as well as all other prison prayers are geared towards developing the inner condition of man and not the material needs of the body.

Ex. Bottle of Pepsi.

Too many prayers focus on the physical and we fail to lay hold of the deeper inner needs of the heart. The greatest need we have is still the development of the inner man.

Ex. Trojan Horse – What looked like a wonderful gift outside is actually filled with enemies within.

There are three parts to this letter:

I – Invocation (Eph. 3: 14-15)

The first thing that strikes us about Paul’s letter is his posture while praying. In this book, Paul uses posture to describe the many facets of the Christian life. As a lost sinner, we are buried (Eph. 2:1), as a person who got saved, we are raised with Christ (Ch. 2:4-6); He seated us with Christ (Ch. 2:4-6); we can walk to please Him (Ch. 4:1) and we can stand against the devil (Ch. 6: 10-13) What connects all these activities from sitting to walking to standing is the knees. It is through prayer that we are able to lay hold of the promises and riches of God that enables us to behave and battles like Christians.
II – The Petition (Eph. 3: 16-19)

There are four requests in Paul’s prayer. These four requests are in a sequence and one leads to the other. He prays that the inner man might have strength, which will in turn lead to a deeper experience with God. This deeper experience will enable them to apprehend God’s great love, which will result in their being filled with the fullness of God.

A. The Petition (Eph. 3:16-19)
The presence of the Spirit of God in our lives is the evidence of salvation (Rom. 8:9) but the power of the Spirit is enablement for Christian living. The Lord wants us to live with His power through the Holy Spirit working through us.

There are many questions when it comes to the work of the Spirit in our lives. What does He do for us?
1. In Salvation, He indwells us – (Rom. 8:11)
2. He baptizes the believer into the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13) This takes place in Salvation when we become a part of the body of Christ, the church.
3. He fills the believer (Eph. 5:18). There are many beliefs when it comes to the manifestation of the filling of the Holy Spirit. Some believe that this is only real when a person speaks in tongues.

Let us look at some scriptures in relation to this subject:

1. Filling of the Spirit affects our walk (Eph. 5:1-18) It does not mention tongues at all. We are to be yielded through Christ so that the Spirit can fill our lives. The key is not an outward manifestation but rather an inward discipline – obedience.
2. Manifestation of tongues (Acts 2: 4-11)
3. Purpose: Propagation of the Gospel (Acts 2:13-14)
4. Answer to Rom. 8: 26
5. I Cor. 14:27-28 – Importance of the interpreter.
6. Rev. 22:18-19

B. Depth (v.17) Our depth in the Christian life is measured in three ways:
1. Our Dwelling – “to settle down and feel at home.” God is at home in the heart that is of faith and obedience.
2. Our Rooted – Psalm 1: 1-3
3. Our Grounded – This speaks of our foundation. If you don’t go deep, you can’t go high. (Eph. 4:14)

C. Apprehension (V. 18-19) To “Comprehend” means to “grasp.” This is perfectly illustrated by the tail of a monkey. It does not only grasp the branch but it also holds the monkey in place. As you grow deeper in your faith, you begin to understand how much you have in Christ.

Ex. A Child does may understand the word “NO!” But the same child does not understand “WHY?”

D. Fullness (v. 19) It is said that nature hates vacuums. That is why air or water would readily fill a vacuum. AS we begin to grasp more in the Christian life, we will realize how truly rich we are in Christ.

III – The Benediction (v.20-21)

An outline could be as follows: Now unto Him that is: able to do all; above all; abundantly above all; exceedingly abundantly above all!

Study in the Book of Ephesians
Lesson 6

Topic: Let me tell you about a Secret!
Text: Eph. 3: 1-13

Introduction:
In the 60’s, the Beatles came up with a popular song that asks the question: “ Do you want to know a secret?” The interesting thing about secrets is that people always want to find out about them.

IN this passage of Ephesians, Paul explains a secret or Mystery that reveals a new and exciting relationship that God has with His people. A mystery is something that was unknown but is now being revealed. It tells us of something new that the Lord has established. It was hidden by God in times past but is now being revealed by God to His people.

The Mystery under consideration is the Church – the Body of Christ. This explanation is very important for the early church to understand the great plan that God has for the Church so that we could focus on our mission and how we should carry out our mission. We too should be concerned with this mystery. In these passages, we find four groups of persons to whom this mystery is important.

I – The Apostle Paul (v. 1-5)
Paul used two words about himself to describe how important this mystery is to him. He called himself:

A. Prisoner (v.1) He considered himself a prisoner because he believed in God’s new program of uniting Jews and Gentiles into one body – the Church. As a prisoner, he spent his life to make sure that this message is proclaimed even at the risk of being killed by rioting Jews who rejected the idea.

B. Minister (v.7) He understood his life call as a disciple to the gentiles. (Rom. 11:13) He was interested in what the Lord was interested in.

II – It was important to the Gentiles
This new relationship teaches the Gentiles about the new things they have in Christ:

A. New Relationship (v. 6) They are fellow heirs with the Jews and share in the spiritual riches of God though Christ.
B. New Power (v.7) God did not only save Paul but also bestowed upon Paul a new calling. To fulfill this calling, the Lord enabled Paul. The word “working” here is “energeia” and “Power is “dunamis.”
C. New Riches (v.8) He counts it a great privilege to be able to serve God. He called himself the “least of the apostles.” Understanding the deep truths of God’s Word does not give a man a big head. It gives him a broken and contrite heart that is committed to the Lord.

III – It is important to the Angels (v .9-10)
The Lord is using the Church to teach the angels about the manifold wisdom of God. In creation, the angels know of the power of God. Through the church, they are learning of the wisdom of God.

One other truth that this teaches is that Satan does not have any wisdom. He knows a part of God’s plan when he reads the scripture but he had no idea what he was doing when he moved to have Christ crucified.

Ex. Napoleon and the map of the World.

IV – It is important to Christians today (v. 11-13)

When Paul God saved, God entrusted him with truths to which he gave his life for to teach. Paul in turn committed these truths to faithful men who taught them to others also and guarded them carefully. (I Tim. 2:2) At the end of his life, he would proclaim that he kept the faith. (II Tim. 4:7)
A study of History however reveals that many times, Christians are not committed to know and to share God’s eternal truth with people. This is why there is so much confusion and misunderstanding in the Body of Christ.

The reason why so many churches are weak is because many have not become good stewards of the mystery that God has entrusted to the saints. To ignore God’s plan and purpose for the ages is to sin against the Father who planned it, the Son who made it possible, and the Spirit who seeks to work in people’s lives to accomplish what God has planned. All of His divine resources are available to those who sincerely want to do His will and accomplish His purposes in this world.

Today, there are no national, political, racial, physical, or social distinctions in the church. (Galatians 3:28)

Ex. Pastor driving to a speaking engagement with an old map.

People today are trying to make spiritual progress with the wrong map. Some have even changed the blueprints that the Lord has place in Scripture for the Church.

God’s local assemblies are not supposed to be either Gentile or Jews, German or Swede, Filipinos or Hispanics. We are not to be shackled by culture, class or any other physical distinction. We must understand that the Gospel is for all to reach out to all and submitted to the headship of Jesus Christ.

The secret is out. Let us make an effort to get it out to every one by:

A. Believing it!
B. Teaching it!
C. Practicing it!

It was important to Paul, to the Gentiles, to the Angels and it must be important to us.

Study in the book of Ephesians
Lesson 5

Topic: God’s Dealings with the Gentiles
Text: Eph. 2:11-22

Introduction:
One of the most elusive things in the world is peace. Since 1500 BC to 850AD, there were supposed to be 7500 eternal covenants agreed upon by various nations but no covenant lasted for more than 2 years.

Ex. Battle of the Oaken Bucket

In this portion of Ephesians, Paul gives us a description of what the Jesus meant to the Gentiles. The reason why we should be concerned about this matter is that we are all Gentiles. There are three words that describe God relationship with us: Separation, Reconciliation and Unification.

I – Separation: Our Past Standing (v. 11-12)
In the first 10 verses of this Chapter, Paul describes the salvation of the sinner. In this portion, Paul zeroes in on the specific ministry of Christ towards the Gentiles.

When God called Abraham from his father’s house, the Lord established a relationship with Abraham that gave birth to the Hebrew Nation. This special relationship was not meant to make the Jews a superior or boastful people. They were meant to be a blessing to the gentile people. Israel was set apart so that they might be used by God to be an example of His blessings and Revelation to the heathen nations. It is sad the Jews focused on the national distinctive and the rituals but not on the moral that the Lord required of them. They behaved like the heathens around them and God had to punish them several times in history to bring them back.

The one word that describes the Gentiles is that they were “without.”

A. Without Christ - The Ephesians worshiped Diana before coming to the saving knowledge of the Gospel.
B. Without Citizenship - They were strangers or aliens. They did not belong to the special Nation that the Lord established.
C. Without Covenants - They had no promise of a blessing unless they treated Israel correctly. The Jews never let them forget this. They would often say:”Lord, thank you for making me a Jew and not a gentile.”
D. Without Hope – They had great philosophies that only revealed how much they were lacking. Their religions did not really meet the needs they had nor the fear they have for death.
E. Without God – They had plenty of different gods but none of them could help them. (Psalm 115: 1-8) It is sad that when you examine history, people did not start of believing in many gods. (Rom. 1: 18-23) The problem is that even when they knew God, they turned away from Him.

II – Reconciliation: God’s moves for Peace (v. 13-18)
Verse 13 starts of with the words: “BUT NOW…” In Christ, things changed for the gentiles. The Lord moved to bring peace between Jews and Gentiles and between God and sinners.

A. The Jews and the Gentiles (v. 13-15)
There had always been a great gap between the Jews and the Gentiles. The Old Testament Law outlined the food, the celebrations, the rituals and civil laws for the Jews. All of the Old Testament laws were designed to present a picture or a principle in how the Lord deals with people and how He wanted to live together. The Jews measured the Gentiles based on these laws.

When Jesus came, He put and end to the law by fulfilling all of it for us. Now there is no more difference between Jews and Gentiles in approaching God. There is only one way, Jesus Christ.

B. The enmity between sinners and God (v. 16-18)

Ex. A man and ‘re-cancellation’

Jesus Christ is our peace (Eph. 2:14). He made peace (Eph. 2:15) and He preached peace (Eph. 2:17)

III – Unification – What we have in Christ (v. 19-22)

Paul repeats the word ‘one’ over and over again in this book to emphasize the greatness of what we have in Christ. All spiritual distance and division have been overcome in Christ.

A. One Nation (v.19)
We are now fellow citizens with the saints. This new nation is called the church.

B. One Family (v. 19)
Through Christ, we now belong to the same family. We have become members of the family of God. This gives us a sense of belonging and range of care that we should express towards each other. We have a name to keep and present to this world.

C. One Temple (v. 20-22)
In the Old Testament, the Lord dwelt among His people through the Temple. Now he indwells the believer for our bodies have become the temple of God through the Holy Spirit. (I Cor. 6: 19-20)

The Ephesians think of the Temple of Diana. The Jews think of the Temple in Jerusalem. Both these temples were destroyed. But the Temple that the Lord is building through us will last forever. It is a challenge to us to continue to expand His kingdom.

Topic: Living up to your Potential
Text: Ephesians 2: 1-10

Introduction:

Ex. Mickey Mantle’s Funeral – Roy Clark sang the Special number.

In Chapter 1, Paul described what we have in Christ. That is vital to know so that we know what we can expect as we allow the Lord to take control of our life. In this chapter however, Paul describes a great hindrance in the Christian’s life to enjoying what God has to offer. He begins by describing what we were and what the Lord is doing in our life.

I – The work of sin against us ( Eph. 2: 1-3)
Why do we have such a problem with sin? We already know that it is wrong; it has negative side effects in our life; it will never result in true happiness. The answer is because of the great power it had in our life before we were saved. In the first part of this chapter, we are introduced to what a sinner is in the sight of God.

A. A sinner is Dead (v.1)
A sinner is spiritually dead and does not understand or appreciate spiritual things.

Ex. Why can’t I understand my Bible? I Cor. 2:14

The cause of this condition is trespasses and sins (v.2). The unbeliever is not sick spiritually. He is dead. The only difference between a sinner and another sinner is the state of decay.

B. He is disobedient (v. 2-3)
The sin of disobedient is what caused the fall of man. There are three things we struggle with that encourages to a life of disobedience.

a. The World System – Rom. 12: 1-2
b. The Devil – (Eph. 2:2) His desire is for people to be children of disobedience.
c. The Flesh – The Inward nature of man that is corrupted by sin. It makes us behave the way we do.

Ex. Why do Fishes swim and Birds fly?

C. A sinner is depraved (v.3)
The lost sinner lives to please the desires of the flesh and the mind. When you talk about depravity, it does not mean that you are unable to do good things. It means you are unable to earn your way to heaven even by doing good. (Isa. 64:6).

D. A sinner is doomed (v.3)
By deed a sinner is the child of disobedience. By nature, he is a child of wrath. The unsaved person is condemned already. (John 3:36) Apart from God, we cannot be saved. It is interesting how Paul started verse 4: “BUT GOD!”

II – The Work of God for us ( Eph. 2: 4-9)
When it comes to salvation, the focus should not be on what man does. The important thing is what the Lord does for us.

A. He loved us (v.4)
In I John 4:8 the Bible states that God is love. It is an attribute of God. There are two types of attributes that belong to God.
1. Intrinsic – The nature of God
2. Relative – The application of His intrinsic attribute to His creation.

Ex. God is truth – Faithfulness
God is Holy – Justice
God is Love – Grace and Mercy

It might come as a surprise but we are not saved by God’s love. We are saved by His Grace and Mercy. On Calvary, God displayed His hatred for sin and His love for the sinner.

B. He Quickened us (v. 5)
This means He made us alive. How does He do this? Through His Word by the Power of the Spirit. In the NT, the Lord brought 3 people back from the dead. In all these instances, He spoke the Word. (Heb. 4:12)

* This is why it is important for a person to belong to a Bible Teaching Church.*

C. He Exalted Us (v. 6)
We are not raised from the dead to stay in the graveyard. We may be here on earth but spiritually; we are seated in heavenly places with Christ.

D. He keeps us (v. 7-9)
God’s purpose is not only to save us from hell. His ultimate purpose for our salvation is that we might glorify Him forever. He will keep us for all eternity. This why salvation is all because of God. We have no part in it. All the work has been done by God through Jesus Christ, His Son.

III – The Work of God in Us (Eph. 2: 10)
Salvation is not the end of our experience with God. It is only the beginning. He continues to work in us through the Holy Spirit. There are 3 special tools that the Lord uses to develop us from within.
1. The Word of God – I Thes. 2:13
2. Prayer – Eph. 3: 20-21
3. Suffering – I Peter 4: 11-14

IV – The work of God through us ( v. 10)
The Lord saved us for good works. IF you contrast V.2 with V. 10, you will find that the unbeliever has satan working in him unto disobedience. The Christian has the Lord working in us unto Good works.

Ex. John Calvin: It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies is never alone.

As we close this study, it is important to take inventory as far as what is happening in our life. Are you Saved? If so, is God working in you and through you?

Topic: Living up to your Potential
Text: Ephesians 2: 1-10

Introduction:

Ex. Mickey Mantle’s Funeral – Roy Clark sang the Special number.

In Chapter 1, Paul described what we have in Christ. That is vital to know so that we know what we can expect as we allow the Lord to take control of our life. In this chapter however, Paul describes a great hindrance in the Christian’s life to enjoying what God has to offer. He begins by describing what we were and what the Lord is doing in our life.

I – The work of sin against us ( Eph. 2: 1-3)
Why do we have such a problem with sin? We already know that it is wrong; it has negative side effects in our life; it will never result in true happiness. The answer is because of the great power it had in our life before we were saved. In the first part of this chapter, we are introduced to what a sinner is in the sight of God.

A. A sinner is Dead (v.1)
A sinner is spiritually dead and does not understand or appreciate spiritual things.

Ex. Why can’t I understand my Bible? I Cor. 2:14

The cause of this condition is trespasses and sins (v.2). The unbeliever is not sick spiritually. He is dead. The only difference between a sinner and another sinner is the state of decay.

B. He is disobedient (v. 2-3)
The sin of disobedient is what caused the fall of man. There are three things we struggle with that encourages to a life of disobedience.

a. The World System – Rom. 12: 1-2
b. The Devil – (Eph. 2:2) His desire is for people to be children of disobedience.
c. The Flesh – The Inward nature of man that is corrupted by sin. It makes us behave the way we do.

Ex. Why do Fishes swim and Birds fly?

C. A sinner is depraved (v.3)
The lost sinner lives to please the desires of the flesh and the mind. When you talk about depravity, it does not mean that you are unable to do good things. It means you are unable to earn your way to heaven even by doing good. (Isa. 64:6).

D. A sinner is doomed (v.3)
By deed a sinner is the child of disobedience. By nature, he is a child of wrath. The unsaved person is condemned already. (John 3:36) Apart from God, we cannot be saved. It is interesting how Paul started verse 4: “BUT GOD!”

II – The Work of God for us ( Eph. 2: 4-9)
When it comes to salvation, the focus should not be on what man does. The important thing is what the Lord does for us.

A. He loved us (v.4)
In I John 4:8 the Bible states that God is love. It is an attribute of God. There are two types of attributes that belong to God.
1. Intrinsic – The nature of God
2. Relative – The application of His intrinsic attribute to His creation.

Ex. God is truth – Faithfulness
God is Holy – Justice
God is Love – Grace and Mercy

It might come as a surprise but we are not saved by God’s love. We are saved by His Grace and Mercy. On Calvary, God displayed His hatred for sin and His love for the sinner.

B. He Quickened us (v. 5)
This means He made us alive. How does He do this? Through His Word by the Power of the Spirit. In the NT, the Lord brought 3 people back from the dead. In all these instances, He spoke the Word. (Heb. 4:12)

* This is why it is important for a person to belong to a Bible Teaching Church.*

C. He Exalted Us (v. 6)
We are not raised from the dead to stay in the graveyard. We may be here on earth but spiritually; we are seated in heavenly places with Christ.

D. He keeps us (v. 7-9)
God’s purpose is not only to save us from hell. His ultimate purpose for our salvation is that we might glorify Him forever. He will keep us for all eternity. This why salvation is all because of God. We have no part in it. All the work has been done by God through Jesus Christ, His Son.

III – The Work of God in Us (Eph. 2: 10)
Salvation is not the end of our experience with God. It is only the beginning. He continues to work in us through the Holy Spirit. There are 3 special tools that the Lord uses to develop us from within.
1. The Word of God – I Thes. 2:13
2. Prayer – Eph. 3: 20-21
3. Suffering – I Peter 4: 11-14

IV – The work of God through us ( v. 10)
The Lord saved us for good works. IF you contrast V.2 with V. 10, you will find that the unbeliever has satan working in him unto disobedience. The Christian has the Lord working in us unto Good works.

Ex. John Calvin: It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies is never alone.

As we close this study, it is important to take inventory as far as what is happening in our life. Are you Saved? If so, is God working in you and through you?

Study in the Book of Ephesians
Lesson 3

Topic: The Burden of Paul’s heart
Text: Ephesians 1: 15-23

Introduction:

Ex. William Randolph Hearst – Searched for some art treasures that already belonged to him.

It is not enough to know that you are saved. You must also grow in your faith and that involves knowing what you have.

Growth is important in the life of a believer just as it is important in our physical life.

Ex. The most normal thing to happen to a baby is grow. With out growth, a baby is abnormal.

Growth comes by knowing and applying what we have by the grace of God.

Ex. Prov.22: 6 – God has a path for each one of us. A parent’s job is to help a child discover his God given path and discipline him to follow that path.

You cannot make a child a musician, it must be in his heart and he must be equipped for it. You cannot make him a doctor; he must have the capacity and heart for it. A parent helps them to discover what God designed them for.

Paul is writing trying to explain what a believer has in Jesus Christ and in this portion he shares the desire in his heart and his burden for the Ephesians Christians.

I – Know God (Eph. 1:17)

Paul desires that we grow in the revelation in the knowledge of him. This is a decision that we must make in our life to know God with a desire.

The atheist says that there is no god. The agnostic says that we cannot know him. Paul is saying that in Jesus Christ, we see the Godhead bodily and in the Word of God we can know Him intimately.

Ex. A man came to that Pastor and said, “ Pastor, thank you for that verse you gave that I can use against my evil neighbor.” We use it as a sword. We must never forget that the primary reason for Scriptures is that we may know God.

To know God personally is Salvation (John 17:2). To know God increasingly is sanctification (Phil. 3:10). To know God perfectly is glorification (I Cor. 13: 9-12).

A willful rejection of God is what hinders us from growth and satisfaction in our Christian life.

II – Know God’s Calling (Eph. 1: 18)

It is important for a person to be mindful of God’s will in his/her life. The end result of living for God is that one day we will see Him. This meeting is the hope that should color everything we will do and say in this world.

Ex. A pastor and a deacon are visiting a very wealthy man who seemed to have everything. The deacon asked: “What kind of good news do we have for him?

Ephesus was a wealthy city. Today, it is an archaeologist’s dream. But the riches are gone. The Christians who lived there are now with the Lord eternally enjoying the fulfillment of what they hoped for.

The hope that we have in Christ should be a dynamic force in our life in that it should drive us to be pure (I John 2: 28-3:3), obedient (Heb. 13:17), and faithful (Luke 12: 42-48).

III – Know God’s Riches ( Eph. 1:18)
Man’s heart will always be tied to his treasure. In Matthew 6: 19-24, the Lord explains this situation. We are to consider what our riches are. What is important to us will determine what we will give our life to. When our heart is focused on the wrong thing, it hurts the ministry and work of God in this world.

Ex. Man whose car broke down.

IV – Know God’s Power ( Eph. 1:19 )

Paul used many different words to describe power in this verse: dunamis – power as in dynamo or dynamite; energeia – working as in energy; kratos – mighty; ischus – power. This verse could literally be translated as “What is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the operation of the might of His strength.”

What good is wealth if you are too weak to enjoy it? Or if you are afraid that you will be robbed of it?

Ex. John Rockefeller

Apart from God, we will not be able to enjoy what we have in Christ. We are too weak to enjoy it (Matt. 26:41) and we have an enemy who is trying to rob us (Eph. 6: 11-12)

Paul is stating that in Christ, who is above all things, we will be able to enjoy the benefits of our riches in Christ.

In verse 22 and 23 we are pictured as the body and Christ is our head. Since all things are under Christ, we who form the body enjoy the same position that Christ has. If his prayers were answered, then our prayers will be answered. If the Father has a will for Him, then the Father has a will for us. If the greatest tragedy in the life of Christ became His greatest victory, then our problems and tragedies will also be our greatest victory.

In Christ we do not only have all the wealth we need to enjoy life, we also have the Power to make it happen.

Study in the Book of Ephesians
Lesson 2

Topic: Surprise!!!!
Text: Ephesians 1: 4-14

Introduction:
Surprises come in two forms. There is what we call a pleasant surprise and there is what we call terrible surprises.

Ex. Lawyer reading the Will of John Jones before his greedy relatives.

In Ephesians, we find what we have in Christ after we have accepted him as our Lord and Personal Savior. We could look at this book as the will of the Lord to his church. He died for us so that the will be in force. Then he arose again that he might be our heavenly advocate and to make sure that the terms of the will were correctly followed!

IN this portion of Ephesians, we see the ministry of each member of the Trinity in our lives.

I – What we received from the Father (Eph.1:4-6)

A. He prepared for us (v.4)
It is amazing that in providing for our salvation, God began his plan from eternity. That means He knew that you and I will be here on earth at this time and he prepared for us by making sure that we get to hear the message of Salvation so that we could respond to it.

It is important to realize that the Lord is at work at all times in our life. It is amazing that in the complexity of this experience we call life, God is never out of control.

Ex. Bob Jones : God never says “Ooops!”

B. He has adopted us ( v.5 )
IN this passage, we find the word “predestination.” This word does not in any way refer to a teaching that God wants some people to go to heaven and others are condemned for hell. Paul was already talking to Christians. It is a word that refers to God’s purposes in the life of a person. That means he has created a path for us that will allow us to reach our full potential while we are here on earth. (Prov. 3:5-6)

The word adoption does not refer to being adopted as children of God. It takes regeneration for that to occur. Adoption is the act of God whereby he declares us children of adult standing so that we are able to immediately claim our inheritance from God.

C. He has accepted us (v.6)
He reminds us that we are fully acceptable to him because we are in Christ. There are many that think that a special ceremony or act makes them acceptable to God. It is not what you do that makes you acceptable to God, it is Christ who makes that possible. When the Father looks down upon a Christian, He sees Christ. This acceptance allows us to fully enjoy all his blessings.

II – What we received from Christ (Eph. 1:7-12)

A. He has redeemed us ( v.7)
He paid for our salvation with the ultimate sacrifice that is His life. We were slaves of sin. He gave us ultimate freedom

B. He has forgiven us (v.7b)
The word forgiven mean, “to carry away.” (Psalm 103:12) This is the only solution to guilt.

Ex. The Scapegoat in Lev. 16

C. He has revealed God’s Will to us (v. 8-10)
In this section, Paul describes the “mystery of God’s will.” A mystery is something that was unknown but is now being revealed. In this passage Paul is teaching us that knowing the will of God is possible for the Christian through Christ. How is this possible?

1. Be saved.
2. Be dutiful in doing God’s revealed will.
3. Be systematic in your Study of God’s Word.
4. Be submissive to the Lord.

D. He has made us an inheritance (v. 11)
We are joint heirs with Christ. (Rom. 8:17). We are valuable to the Father. He wants to take care of us and desires to help us to accomplish His purpose for our lives.

III – What we have in the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1: 13-14)

A. He has sealed us (v. 13)
IN this verse, we find how a person gets saved.

1. A person Hears
2. A person Believes
3. A person is sealed.

The “Seal” mentioned here has many significant meanings. Even today, important documents are sealed to make them biding and legal. The idea of the “seal” as used in this passage is derived from a royal decree that is sealed by the king.

1. Finished Transaction
2. Ownership
3. Security and protection
4. Authenticity

B. He is our Earnest (v.14)
The word “earnest” is translated as a guarantee or down payment. Salvation is the beginning of the Christian life but there is more to come. There are three parts in our salvation.

1. Positional Salvation – Eph. 1:7
2. Practical Salvation – Romans 8:1-4
3. Final Salvation – I John 3:2

All these we got when we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Study in the Book of Ephesians
Lesson 1

Topic: What we have in Christ
Test: Epheshians. 1: 1-3

Introduction:
Ex. Hetty Green – Died in 1916 with an estate valued at over $100 Million.

Ex. Man with a First-class Ticket to Cebu.

It was these kinds of Christians that Paul wrote to in the Book of Ephesians. The sad truth about many believers is that many do not know what they truly have in Christ. Their experience being a Christian is limited due to the lack of intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

Ex. Levels of Knowing:
1. Casual Knowing
2. Acquaintance
3. Close Friends / Intimate

As we look into this book, Paul presented to us so many truths that will help us in our walk as believers in Jesus Christ. (John 10:10)

I – The Writer (Eph. 1:1)
The writer of the Book of Ephesians is Paul the apostle. He is from the tribe of Benjamin and his original name was Saul. He was named after the first king of Israel.

Saul of Tarsus is a very religious and dedicated man. He was a zealous Pharisee and he persecuted the Christians with great dedication until he met the Lord on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). He wrote this epistle while he was in prison in Rome on trial for his life. He was burdened to get the truth to them.

You will notice that the one thing that helped Paul make sense of his predicament is that he knew he was in the “Will of God.” He is able to fully enjoy his life as a Christian because he knows that he is exactly where God wants him to be.

One great hindrance to fulfillment in the life of so many Christians is that they do not know if they are walking in the will of God.

II – The People he Wrote to (Eph. 1:1)
Paul addressed the Ephesian Christians as “Saints.” The word “saint” has been the source of much confusion among Christians. The dictionary defines a ‘saint’ as “a person officially recognized for holiness in life.” Who makes this recognition? Usually a religious body through a process known as ‘canonization.’ If the deceased person is found to have lived a life that is beyond reproach and he is responsible for at least two miracles, then he can be a saint. As interesting as this procedure is, you will not find it in Scriptures.

The word “Saint” literally means “One who has been set apart.” It was a term that was used to describe living people. It is used 9 times in this book to describe those that have trusted Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior. (Eph. 2:19; 4:12) It is a word used to describe the believers because they have been set apart for God in this world.

To these people, Paul wrote this letter. Paul used the phrase “In Christ Jesus” 27 times in this book. He wanted the Ephesians saints to know the spiritual position they have as a believer.

III – The Purpose of the Letter (Eph. 1:3)
The main theme of the book of Ephesians is “The riches we have in Christ Jesus.”

A. The source of Blessings (Eph. 1:3)
When a person is born again in the Spirit, God gives us many spiritual blessings. Spiritual wealth is what brings satisfaction in life.

Ex. Howard Hughes / J Paul Getty

Man does not live only by what he possess. (Mt. 4:4).

B. The Scope of our blessings (Eph. 1:3)

Paul states that we have ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST. This refers to all blessings of the Spirit.

How important is the ministry to the spirit of man? It is who we really are. (Prov. 18:14) The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Ex. Christians in the Philippines

C. The Sphere of our blessings – IN heavenly places

Paul was reminding us about what to live for. He is encouraging us to live according to the position we occupy spiritually. We are seated in the heavenly with Jesus Christ and that reminds us that we should be living up to God’s standard.

Ex. Napoleon Bonaparte and the smiling private.

The Christian must understand that the challenge presented to him while here on earth is to live in the world under the Word of God. There are two mistakes that Christians make:

1. Isolationism – Becoming a Hermit and out of touch with the world so that we lose our relevance.

Ex. DL Moody – He warned about being so heavenly minded so that we are of no earthly use.

2. Compromise – The idea of trying to please the world so much so that we are of no use to God.

In this book, Paul will teach us what we inherited by Faith in Christ, and what we can invest by Serving Christ. This is the balance that we must strive for so that this World will desire our Christ.

For the week of September 24 to 30, 2001

Study in the Book of Philippinans
Lesson 9

Topic: The Practicing Christian
Text: Phil. 3:17-21

Introduction:

The greatest proof of faith is practice.

Ex. High wire act.

It is one thing to know and another thing to practice. James gave emphasis to this when he said that ‘faith if it does not have works is dead being alone.’ His point is that all talk without action does not amount to anything in the eyes of men.

The key verse in this portion of Scripture is Phil. 2:20. The word ‘conversation’ literally means citizenship. Paul talks about the future hope believers by reminding them of what they really are even though they are still on earth. He was telling the Christians that being a heavenly citizen on earth should produce heavenly actions in the life of the believer. He was encouraging the believers to be spiritually minded. A CHRISTIAN WHO IS ON THE WAY TO HEAVEN SHOULD BE THE BEST PEOPLE HERE ON EARTH.

In these passages, Paul reminds us of our heavenly future that he uses to encourage us to practice our faith here on earth.

I – Our Names are on a Heavenly Record (Phil. 4:3)

Ex. Visit to the Central Bank – Once your name is on the list, they must grant you permission to enter.

When a Christian is saved, his name is entered into the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 20: 15). It is your guarantee of entrance to the kingdom of God. We are reminded here that once we got saved, we are guaranteed heaven. It should help us to live life with a direction that comes from above.

II – We speak a heavenly language (Phil. 3:19)

Here, Paul talks about those who have an earthly mind. Those with an earthly mind speaks of earthly things. What comes out of a person tells us what is inside a person. (Mt. 12:34-37). The citizens of heaven enjoy spiritual things and they take pleasure in discussing them and sharing them with one another.

The Lord reminds us of this truth through John in I John 4: 5-6.

There are two things about our speech that we must watch:

A. The content
B. The approach – Col. 4:6

III – We obey Heaven’s Law (Phil. 3:17)

We are asked by God to live in this world under the Word of God. Paul encouraged them to be followers of him because he was a follower of Christ. (I Cor. 11:1). He lived a different life because of what he is.

Ex. The Filipino and dried Fish.
The American and a clean restroom

He is a Christian and as a Christian, he understood that on earth, he is a representative of Christ. (II Cor. 5:20)

IV – He is loyal to heaven’s cause (Phil. 4:18)

He asked them to be careful as far as whom they follow. He called some an enemy of the cross.

What are some marks of the enemies of the cross:

1. Their god is their belly
2. Their glory is their shame
What Paul was rebuking are the practice of the Judaizers in their belief that going to God is through their religious practices and ordinances.

Paul reached the people with the simple truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is a need to make a stand for what is right even if it is not popular. Truth will stand on its own and that is all that God wants us to do. (Isa. 55:11) The believer must be committed to truth.

1. Work on presentation – So that it is orderly.
2. Work on Illustrations – So that it is understandable.
3. But never water it down – (Rom 1:16:17)

V – He looked forward to the Lord’s Coming (Phil. 3:20-21)

What kept Paul moving forward was his anticipation of the coming Lord. This was his blessed hope that nothing in the world can take away. He knew he had a Lord who is coming back.. With out this hope, then all we are doing for the Lord is of no consequence. (I Cor. 15:14)

Paul understood that because he was serving a living and returning Lord, there is nothing that is done in God’s name that is in vain. (I Cor. 15:58 ; Titus 2:13) These are verses that Paul wrote that speaks of what drives him. A hope that nothing can take away. At the end of his life, you will find that this hope served as his comfort. (II Tim. 4:17-18)

Ex. General Douglas McArthur

For the week of Sept. 16-22, 2001

Study in the book of Philippians
Lesson 8

Topic: Finishing the Task
Text: Phil. 3: 12-16

Introduction:

We all love testimonials and as people share their lives with us, we look for things that are similar with our lives and from there, glean for things that they did that we hope to emulate to attain some level of success that would be comparable to what they have achieved. A man that has lived for a very long time was asked what his secret was and after a long message he said, “Drink 8 glasses of water a day.”

In Philippians Ch.3, we find Paul’s testimonial. We find that he shared his spiritual biography, his present and his future. In this portion of Scripture, we find Paul the “athlete.” We see how he desired to press toward the mark of finish line in his Christian Life.

As a result of Paul’s attitude, we find that things behind him, around him do not upset him, or before him – things do not rob him of his joy.

The word picture that Paul used in this passage of Scripture to convey his message is that of running. He described the Christian life as a race that we must all run.

It is important to note that to be able to run this race, you must first of all have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior. Once saved however, the Lord desires us to run the race before us and to finish it with a goal of winning.

There are several principles that we could glean from these passages:

I – Do not be Satisfied ( Phil. 3:12-13 )

A wise man said that “you should be content with what you have, but never be satisfied with what you are.”

There is great wisdom in that saying. Being satisfied with what you have is contentment. Not being satisfied with what you are is a commitment to improve.

Many Christians are satisfied with their Christian life because they compare themselves to other Christians.

Ex. In running a race, do not look at others behind you or in front of you.

Paul compared himself to Jesus Christ. He knows that he has not yet “arrived.” There is room for improvement in his life.

Ex. Listening to people who only talked about the glory days.

The Bible often talks about a false estimate about our Spiritual condition.

A. Church of Sardis (Rev. 3:1) – Reputation without Character.
B. Church of Smyrna (Rev. 2:9) – they thought they were poor but they were actually rich

A Christian can err in two directions in their life. They can think they are better or they can think they are the worst. The ultimate measuring stick we should compare ourselves to is Jesus Christ.

II – Devote yourself to a Cause (Phil. 3: 13)

Paul focused on “ONE THING.” You will find that focus and devotion to one thing is the way to really accomplish anything.

Ex. Joe – Jack Hyles’ friend

Ex. DL Moody – Gave his life to Evangelism.

Neh. 6:3 – Nehemiah kept his focus on the job at hand and never allowed himself to be distracted.

III – Direct your attention to the future (Phil. 3: 13)

He forgot the Past. The word “forget” does not mean to have a mental lapse such as amnesia. It literally means that you no longer allow your past to control you , your reactions or your life.

Ex. Heb. 10:17 – God will never remember our sins.

You cannot run the race by looking backwards.

IV – Determine to win ( Phil. 3: 14)

“I press” talks about a hunter eagerly pursuing his prey. A Christian does not win by listening to lectures, watching a movie, or reading books. They must act upon it by being involved.

The Lord has a prize that is set for each of us. It is not enough to look good in the sight of others. We must reach the prize that God set for us in our life.

The greatest question we must be able to answer is, “What does God want me to do?”

V – Discipline yourself to win (Phil. 3: 15-16)

It is not enough to run the race. You must also discipline yourself to keep the rules.

Ex. The Philippine Contingency that won the Little League World Series.

This is what Paul had in mind when he wrote : “I Cor. 9:24-27.”

Christian history is filled with people who started of well but finished miserably.

a. Samson
b. King Saul
c. Lot
d. Judas

Others did not motivate Paul. He was motivated by the prospect of standing before God and giving an account of his life before the King of Kings.

For the week of Sept. 3-9, 2001

Study in the Book of Philippinans
Lesson 7

Topic: Majoring on the Major
Text: Philippians 3: 1-11

Introduction:

What are the most important things to do when you are driving a car? I know there are many answers to this but many times, we are not as concerned about really important things in driving as we should.
Ex. Cell Phone, Putting on of Make up, Looking at other cars, avoiding a super powered lawn sprinkler and many other things.
Paul was concerned about what was important for the believer to focus on while here on earth.

1. He gave warning regarding professed Christians who minded earthly things.(Phil 3:17)
2. He gave an encouragement regarding Christians with a heavenly mindset.(Phil. 3:20)

It is easy to become entangled with the things of the world so that we lose our heavenly focus.

Ex. SLR Camera

By things, we mean not just tangible matters like wealth, jewelry, homes or cars. We also mean intangible things like reputation, fame, achievements and honor. Paul writes us about his attitudes towards things:

1. What were gain to me – Phil.3:7
2. Things left behind – Phil. 3:13

In relation to things, Paul’s attitude was to put them in their proper place. Things in themselves are not wrong. It is when we ascribe the wrong value to these things that will ultimately lead to losing the things God wants for us. (Luke 12:15) It is one thing to possess thing, and another thing to be possessed by them.

In key word in this portion of Philippians is the word ‘COUNT!’
It is an accounting term, which literally means ‘ to consider as; to evaluate; to assess.’ It talks about assessing, or evaluating one’s life and determining what really matters for you.

Ex.Socrates – The unexamined life is not worth living.

It is easy to divide the life of the apostle Paul into two parts. These two parts have many similarities and one great fundamental difference that made the two parts so different.

I – His life as an unbeliever

A. His Instruction - Beware

He begins chapter 3 with a warning. When Christianity began, it started with the Jews (Acts1-7). It then spread to the Samaritans who were partially Jews. When Peter went to the Gentiles in Acts 10, this caused a great upheaval among the Christians. Paul continued Peter’s ministry to the gentiles and his ministry began to get some opposition from very religious Jews and they began to talk about requiring the submission of Gentiles to Jewish laws before they could be saved. Paul deals with this issue greatly in the book of Galatians. Another name for these Jews was Judaizers. Paul used three things to describe them.

1. Dog – They snapped at Paul’s heels, following him wherever he went to try and convert some to their teachings.
2. Evil Workers – These men taught that salvation was faith plus good works of the Law. These are actually evil because they are done in the power of the flesh and not through Jesus Christ. (Isa. 64:6; Eph. 2: 8-9 ; Titus 2:15)
3. The Mutilation – They gave emphasis on an outward covenant but their hearts were far from God. The Bible teaches us that worship to be acceptable to God needs the following:

a. He worships God in the Spirit ( John 4: 19-24)
b. He boast in Jesus Christ ( Eph. 2:8-10)
c. He has no confidence in the flesh ( Rom. 17:18 )

Ex. True or False – God helps those who help themselves.

B. His Example – Religious Piety (v. 4-6)

1. Paul’s Heritage – (v.5)
2. Paul’s Commitment (v. 5-6)
3. Paul’s Standard – (v.6) He persecuted the church.

How could a man so sincere be so wrong?
He was using the wrong measuring stick to measure his spiritual life.

II - His life as a believe

A. Paul’s Losses ( Phil. 3:7-11)

He counted all things that he had as loss compared to what he gained in Jesus Christ.

1. Change of Status - Now he did not have a religion but a relationship.
2. Change of Values - He found a new focus towards heavenly things as opposed to just being bound by earthly thing that will not pass away.
3. Change of life – He was changed from within that produced great changes outside of his life.

B. Paul’s Gains (v. 8-11)

Ex. Jim Elliot – He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

1. The knowledge of Christ – Christ became real to him. It was a living relationship.
2. The righteousness of Christ – The Christian life is a matter of surrender to the Lord and allowing Him to lead you in life.
3. The fellowship of Christ (v. 10-11)

a. It was a personal experience. In Christ, Paul found not only the Master to serve but also the faithful Friend, Companion and Lord.
b. It was a powerful experience. He learned what it is like to see Christ live through him. This is possible because he was serving the living Lord.
c. It was a painful experience. He was a persecutor of Christ at one time. Now he also knows what it is like to be persecuted for Him.
d. It was a practical experience. Paul lived for Christ because he has died to self.

For the week of August 19 - 25, 2001

Study in the Book of Philippians
Lesson 5

Topic: Practical Christianity
Text: Phil. 2: 12-18

Introduction:

Mark Twain – “Few things are harder to put up with than the annoying of a good example.”

Last week we dealt with the example that Christ left for us, but His example will not serve us any purpose unless he empowers us to be able to follow them.

One consistent promise that the Lord gives in Scripture is the promise of empowerment so that we are actually able to do what He wants in our lives.

Phil. 1:6
Phil. 2: 12-13
Gal. 2:20

The challenge of Christianity is not to have a head full of knowledge but rather to have a life that expresses what one knows. (James 1:22)

Ex. “ Do not touch – Wet Paint!”

How does one begin to practice and achieve what Jesus Christ achieved? Is it really possible?

The fact of possibility should be out of the question because it is Christ Himself who challenges us to follow Him. What really hinders us is God’s method. His requirement is surrender.

Ex. “My Way”

The Christian life is not a roller coaster. It is really a matter of surrender where the more you yield, the greater your victories become.

Ex. Purification of Gold.

Only in Christianity where you will find that surrender means victory.

I – God’s Purpose ( Phil. 2: 12; 14-16)

The Lord tells us to ‘work out our own salvation.’ The term ‘work out’ means to ‘work to full completion.’

Ex. Body Builder
Working a Mine
Working a field.

God’s purpose is for us to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:28-19). The greatest concern of a Christian should be the answer to the question: “Am I becoming what Christ wants me to be?”

To achieve His purpose in our lives, all we have to do is let God do His work.

Ex. “Let God......Let Go!”

There are certain attitudes that He wants us to have as He works in our life.

A. Do not resent God’s Dealings ( v. 14 ) Do not complain.
B. Do not compare what God is doing in your life with someone else ( V. 14 ) Do not have a dispute with someone simply because God is doing something different with them.
C. Do not waiver in your commitment to His Word. (v. 16 ) Hold fast to His promises.

Ex. Determination of a Pit Bull

It is interesting that the Lord wants us to have this kind of commitment in a ‘crooked and perverse generation.’ The only way we will be a light in a dark world is for us to be totally committed to God.

II – God’s empowerment (Phil. 2:13)

We must never forget that God must first of all work in us before He will work through us.

Ex. Moses and his 120 years

God is concerned with preparing a vessel before actually using the vessel. How does God work in our lives?

Some times, the greatest problem we have is we serve God because of pressure on the outside instead of power from with in. (Phil. 2:12)

A. The Word of God ( I Thes. 2:13 ) God’s commandments are His ennoblement. (II Cor. 1:20) Never do anything without a promise from God.
B. Prayer ( Eph. 3:20 ) In the Bible and in church history, the people that God used are people of prayer.
C. Suffering ( I Peter 4: 12-19 ) Suffering refines us. There are certain principles regarding suffering that we need to keep in mind.

1. Make sure that it is not because of our own sin ( I Pet. 4:15 )
2. Rejoice in suffering for your faith in Jesus Christ.
3. Rejoice when God sends suffering to purify you.

The Holy Spirit uses these things to change us from with in so that we will have sincerity in our service on the outside.

III – God’s Challenge

The Lord’s promises are to be believed. The world teaches that to be happy, you must fight everyone to get what you want. God challenges us to find His will and surrender to it. Faith and trust in God will produce:

A. Joy here and now ( Phil. 2: 1-18 ) This is possible through service and suffering. Nothing worthwhile comes cheap.
B. Joy in the hereafter ( I Cor. 15: 58; Matthew 25:21 )

God wants to fulfill His promises to us, we only have to yield. When we discover that He is really working in our lives, it ceases to be a roller coaster ride, it becomes a matter of allowing His work in us so that we could work them out in our lives.

For the week of August 26 - September 1, 2001

Study in the Book of Philippians
Lesson 6

Topic: The kind of men that God will use
Text: Philippians 2: 19-30

Introduction:

Ex. Apathy club
Ex. Doctor who tried to help in Kentucky

We seem to be living in a world that does not greatly care for those others. It is no longer common to find people who really care. It is interesting to see that there are many during Paul’s time who were uncaring in attitude. ( Phil. 2:20-21 )

In this portion of Philippians, Paul is introducing us to two people who served with him and found the same joy that he had. These two are ordinary men who were not apostles or spectacular miracle workers. They are very much like us who had to sit at the feet of the apostles to learn and discover God’s amazing power to work in people’s lives.

I – TIMOTHY ( Phil. 2: 19-24 )

Timothy was probably saved during the First missionary journey of the Apostle Paul. He is Paul’s Son in the faith (I Cor. 4:17). He had a Jewish mother and a gentile father. When Paul returned to Derbe and Lystra on his second missionary journey, he enlisted the help of young Timothy to be one of his fellow labourer.

In Timothy’s life, we find that the humble or submissive mind is not something that takes place over night. HE had to develop and cultivate the ‘mind of Christ.’ It is not natural to be a servant, but he became an effective and blessed one.

Paul points out some character trait of this young man:

A. He had a servant’s Mind (Phil. 2: 19-21)

He had a desire to be of help to others. Paul sent him to the Philippian Christians to be a substitute for him because he knew the heart of Timothy. He was really interested in the Physical and Spiritual well being of the Philippian believers.

B. He had a Servant’s Training (v. 22)

The reason he was able to minister to others effectively was because he was given the time to mature and develop in the Lord. Paul did not immediately place him in a position of leadership. He left him in Derbe and Lystra so that he could grow in his church. In Acts 16:2, Timothy was mentioned as being ‘well reported of the brethren.’ Years later, Paul would once again write regarding those who should be trusted with spiritual leadership. They should first be proven before becoming leaders. (I Tim. 3: 6-7)

EX. Night Club Performer

It is possible to have your branches go further than your roots can handle and that will only cause you to topple down.

Paul taught Timothy by showing him ( II Tim. 3: 10-17 ) Experience without teaching can lead to discouragement and teaching without experience can lead to spiritual deadness. It takes both.

C. He had a servant’s Reward (v. 23-24)

God chose him to be Paul’s replacement. God used him to carry out the work that was started in the life of the apostle Paul. ( II Tim. 4:1-11) That was never in Timothy’s wildest dream.

The reason some cannot become usable in the work of the Lord is because they could not wait. It is this impatience that makes them do things that actually destroys God’s plan for their life.

Ex. Chick from a hatching egg.

II – EPAPHRODITUS ( Phil. 2:25 – 30 )

Paul was ‘Hebrews of the Hebrews.’ Timothy was part Jew and part Gentile. Epaphroditus was full Gentile. His name literally means ‘ charming!”

A. He was a balanced Christian (v.25)

Paul called used three words to describe him that points out the kind of ministry he was involved in.

1. “My Brother” – The fellowship of the Gospel ( Phil. 1:5)
2. “My Companion in labor’ – The furtherance of the Gospel ( Phil. 1:2 )
3. “My fellow soldier” – the faith of the Gospel ( Phil. 1:27 )

Balance is important in the Christian life. We should not focus on one thing and forget the others.

Ex. Dr.. Henry Ironside and the Sign : JESUS
ONLY!

B. He was a burdened Christian (v. 26-27, 30)

1. He was burdened for Paul ( v. 25 ) He greatly encouraged the apostle Paul by making the dangerous trip to Rome to bring news about the Philippian Christians and the gift they wanted to give. One great need we have are for people to encourage their leaders in the faith.
2. He was burdened for his home church (v. 28 ) He wanted to see how they are doing.

C. He was a blessed Christian ( v. 28-30)

He was a blessing to Paul for he greatly encouraged Paul.

He was a blessing to his home church and Paul encouraged them to honor him. We know that the glory belongs to God but there is nothing wrong in honoring those who serves God. (I Thes. 5: 12-13)

He is a blessing to us today! Through him and Timothy, we find that true joy is because of a life that is spent in sacrificial service to God.

Will you serve God today in this way?

For the week of August 13 to 19, 2001

Study in the book of Philippians
Lesson 4

Topic: The Role Model
Text: Phil. 2: 1-11

Introduction:

The key to rejoicing inspite of circumstances is having a single mind. The key to having joy inspite of people is having a submissive mind. People can rob us of our joy. They have the greatest power to encourage and build you up, and they can also be the source of the greatest pains and hurts that one can go through.

It was several years ago when Nike released a commercial starring Charles Barkley. In that segment, Charles came in and literally mowed over a Godzilla-like character and then proclaimed that he is not a role model.

One of the things we need in the world however is a role model. It is in the life of others that we glean the greatest lessons that helps us as we deal with the issues and problems that we face. Paul recognized this great principle and he presented to us the greatest role model for us to follow as we deal with people.

It is interesting that as the 2nd chapter of this book begins, Paul addressed a problem in the church. In verses 1-4, he was encouraging them to be like minded, having the some love, being of one accord and of one mind. There was a double threat to the Philippian Church. There were false teachers on the outside (Phil. 3: 1-3) and there was division and disagreements within (Phil. 4:1-3).

Paul was giving the prescription to deal with division and that is having a submissive or humble mind. This second chapter is devoted entirely to examples of applying the principles of the mindset of the humble person. It teaches us of the mind and actions of Christ. Let us examine the focus of Christ’s life.

I. He thinks of Others (2:5-6)

The mind of Christ means the attitude that Christ had. Attitude will determine your altitude. The word ‘form’ here means the outward expression of the inward nature. Paul shared with us that Christ is God and could have asked for everything that God deserve.

Ex. How do you know what a person is made of? Give him privileges, not responsibilities.

It is interesting how different Christ is from Lucifer. (Isa. 14:12-15) Lucifer lived focused on himself. Christ, who deserved what he craved, focused on others. Others is the key in the mindset of those who have humble minds.

Over and over again, the Lord asks us to think of others:
 Prefer one another (Rom. 12:10)
 Edify one another (I Thes. 5:11)
 Bear each other’s Burden (Gal. 6:2)
 Do not judge one another (Rom. 14:13)

II. He expressed this mindset through Service (2:7)

In this verse, you will notice that the word ‘form’ is once again used this time, in relation to being a servant. That teaches us that He was not only a servant on the outside, but also a servant with in.

Ex. Washing of the Disciples’ Feet (John 13)

Ex. Gen. George McClellan and President Lincoln

III. He served with Sacrifice (2:8)

Many people are willing to serve as long as it does not cost them anything.

Dr. J.H. Howett: “ Ministry that cost nothing accomplishes nothing. If there is to be any blessing, there must be some ‘bleeding.’”

Ex. Cheap Crosses for sale in Brazil

Ex. NPA – Rebel returnee

Ex. The Youth of a church as they prepared for the
Annual Youth Sunday.

One of the greatest mysteries of the Christian life is that the more you give, the more you receive. The more you sacrifice, the more god blesses. There can be no growth in ministry unless we are willing to sacrifice. ( II Samuel 24:24 )

IV. This Results in Glorifying God (2: 9-11)

The great goal of everything we do must be to glorify God. In Phil. 2:3, Paul warns us about ‘vain glory.’ If our life is only spent doing what we want, it will be vain or empty. There is a great purpose for our existence.

What is the Glory of God? It is when His will is accomplished in our lives. It is in becoming what God wants us to be that we reach our full potential.

Ex. Joseph
David

I Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God and He will exalt you in due time.”

The person with a mind like Christ lives for others, must expect sacrifice and service; but in the end, it will glorify God and will result God’s will accomplished in his / her life.

For the week of 08/5 - 08/11, 2001


Study in the book of Philippians
Lesson 3

Topic: Challenges in the Ministry
Text: Philippians 1: 27-30

Introduction:
I remember when I was a youth that I would spend hours-playing basketball and in playing, you acquire a great thirst for anything to drink that is cool and refreshing. I will often go to vendors selling melon juice near the basketball courts and would buy the liquid that does look like melon juice but taste more like water. Why is this? It is because they have watered it down.

We are living in a world that has watered down absolutes. Relativism is the rule of the day and many are going down this road. The popular notion is that truth is that which you think is true.

In Ministry and living for God, this is a great challenge that we must respond to. In Phil. 1:27, Paul was encouraging the Phillipian Believers to “strive together for the faith of the Gospel.”

If the devil can rob believers of their Christian Faith, then he can cripple them and defeat the ministry that the Lord wants to do through them. As followers of Christ, we must make a strong stand for our faith.

We are sons of God so that we can enjoy the fellowship of the Gospel. We are servants of God so that we can further the reach of the Gospel. We are soldiers of God so that we can defend the Gospel.

For an army to be effective, it must move as one and think as one. In this portion of our study, Paul points out three things:

I. Importance of Character (v. 27 )

The old English word translated as conversation in the KJV literally means, “walk.” In essence, Paul was teaching that we should live our life so that our walk is consistent or worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The greatest defense of the Gospel is what is seen in the life of the believer.

Ex. Do you know what you truly believe?
Make your achievements your arguments.

What is the Gospel? It is the good news that Jesus died for our sins; that He was buried; and that He rose again from the dead ( I Cor. 15: 1-8 ). There is only one good news. It is the fact that sinners can be children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s Son. This salvation is made manifest in the life of the believer through a changed life ( Mat. 7:20 ).

Ex. Member: Pastor Do you have any literature that will help me tell others about Jesus Christ?
Pastor : 2 Cor. 3:2

Ex. The Last Chapter of Acts.

The greatest weapon against the world, the flesh and the devil is a godly life. A local church that believes the Bible and practice it together will be able to defeat the enemy.

II. The Power of Cooperation ( Phil. 1:27 )

In our struggle with the world, Paul asks us to “strive together.”

Ex. Principle of a rotten apple

The word strive as used in this passage means ‘to strive together as athletes on the same team.’

In Philippians 4:2, there seems to be a division in the church between Euodias and Syntyche. The problem is that people were taking sides. Division always weakens church.

Ex. The Pastor as a referee

The devil is always happy to see internal divisions in a local ministry. His desire is to divide and conquer. He knows that if can fragment a group of local believers into different factions, then he can destroy any work for God. This is why believers must always be on the lookout for people whose hearts are divided for they will take others with them.

Ex. Prov. 6: 16-19
John 17: 21 – 23

Unity is important because it is the only way the world will know that Jesus Christ is the Savior sent from God. We must protect this at all cost.

III. The Joy of God’s Comfort (Phil. 1:28-30)

Paul reminds us that we should not be fearful when our enemies attack. The word “terrified” literally means a “horse that is shying away from battle.” It is true that we should not pick a fight but it is also true that we should not run away when we must make a stand for God.

A. Battles prove that we are the children of God ( V. 29)

A new believer must be taught that living for God will sometimes result in battles and that they should be expected ( John 16:33; II Tim. 3:12 )

B. Battles are a privilege ( V. 29 )

It is great gain to suffer for the right Lord.

Ex. General Lee and one of his generals.

C. Battles are common ( V. 30 )

Every person who will serve God goes through wars. Paul was reminding them that as they go through their battles, he was going through his own battles.

A change of geography does not guarantee less battles.

Ex. Warning to Church hoppers – Do not join a perfect church.

The word ‘conflict’ is the same word that is used for ‘agony.’ It was used to describe the agony of Christ in the Garden of Getsemane as He prayed on the eve of His arrest. (Luke 22:44)

As we go through our battles, we know that the Lord we are serving has gone on before us and He knows what we feel. (Heb. 4:15-16)

May we rest in this truth.