INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS (Ephesians 1:1-2)

INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS (EPHESIANS 1:1-2)

The epistle of Ephesians presents the church which is Christ’s body. This is the invisible church of which Christ is the Head.  Ephesians reveals the church as God’s masterpiece, a mystery not revealed in the Old Testament.  The church is more wonderful than any temple made with hands.  It is constructed of living stones and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It is the body of Christ in the world to walk as He would walk, and to wrestle against the wiles of the devil. Someday, the church will leave the world and be presented to Christ as a bride.

Paul’s ministry to the church at Ephesus was probably the high-water mark in the missionary labors of Paul. He considered Ephesus his great opportunity and stayed there longer than in any other place. The people of Ephesus heard more Bible teaching from Paul than did any other people, which is probably the reason he could write to them the deep truths contained in this epistle.

Paul loved this church in Ephesus. His last meeting with the Ephesian elders was a tender farewell.  A great company of believers turned to Christ. I think the gospel was more effective in this area than in any place, and at any time, in the history of the world. I believe the Ephesian church was the highest church spiritually. It is an amazing thing to me that there were people living in that pagan city who understood this epistle.  This must be true, for Paul wouldn’t have written it to them if they couldn’t have understood it.  Furthermore, in the Book of Revelation we find that Ephesus is the first one of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in a series of churches that gives the entire history of the church. Ephesus was the church at its best, the church at the highest spiritual level.

Click on the play button to hear a message that introduces us to the book of Ephesians, and sets the historical context that this epistle was written in.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.