Grace and Peace! (Ephesians 1:1, 2)

Welcome to God's Word for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in Morningston, Iowa. Check us out online at www.sharonrpc.org. We pray that this message will be a blessing to you and that the Lord will use it to transform your faith and your life. Well, please turn in your Bibles with me to Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1, you can find that on page 1037 of your provided pew bibles.

And as we look at the book of Ephesians, we're starting a new series there. And Ephesians starts off in the theological deep end. Ephesians starts off talking everything about God and how He relates to us in the first half of the book. And in the second half of the book, it talks about who we are supposed to be in Christ. And so as we come to the book of Ephesians, over the next few weeks, we're going to be largely looking at who God is, because that's how the book of Ephesians starts. It's all about God. We look into some of the amazing mysteries of who he is and how he has operated and what he is doing. And so we start that this morning just looking at the first two verses.

The introduction to the letter of the book to the Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 1, page 1037. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God to the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever. Today's passage starts off with just two verses, because the book of Ephesians starts off with this introduction. And it's a royal declaration from God to the church in Ephesus for two things, grace and peace.

God starts off his letter to this church in what we would call today Western Turkey. in a major town of Ephesus, most likely the second most important city in Rome. 220,000 people who lived in this city. Paul had been the pastor of that city for almost three years. We read in Acts chapter 18 and Acts chapter 19 of his love and his care for the church in Ephesus. And now as he's a prisoner, most likely in Rome, he writes this letter to those people whom he dearly loves.

And he starts off that letter with his traditional greeting, the royal declaration that God has made to his people, grace and peace. And so the first thing we need to do is we need to see who Paul is. We just talked about that a little bit, but realize that Paul is an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ by the will of God.

Now, apostle isn't a word we use very often. We don't just walk around and typically have the word apostle on the tip of our tongue when we're talking about anything. So what does that word apostle mean? Apostle, in its most basic sense, is just someone who sent, a sent one.

But this role of an apostle, we don't have that office anymore. So how do we understand it? Well, we best translate it into English. Instead of taking it straight from the Greek, apostolos, to apostle, we might translate it ambassador. Or you might translate apostle as emissary. It's someone with an official declaration from someone with a higher authority and their job is to authoritatively bring it to the recipients.

And so Paul starts off the book of Ephesus saying, I am an apostle. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. by the will of God. See, Paul was not an apostle because of something he did. Paul was not an apostle because he had earned that rank. Paul was not an apostle because somehow he had worked hard enough that he had become more than just an ordinary Christian, but now he was an apostle. No, Jesus Christ had commissioned Paul himself to be an official messenger of the good news of Jesus Christ. He comes with the authority of Jesus Christ by the will of God. And what an unlikely apostle he is. What an unlikely ambassador he is. Remember, Paul wasn't his original name. Paul's original name was Saul.

Paul was a Pharisee, not just a Pharisee, but as we looked in the book of Ephesians, he was a Pharisee of Pharisees. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was so much of a Jew of Jews that he persecuted the church, going from area to area to area, trying to end the gospel of Jesus Christ. And it was on the road to Damascus that God radically changed him, that God threw him to the ground by a blinding light, and gave him this commission, that he would no longer be one who was trying to kill the gospel, but now he was a messenger of the gospel. And it's this Paul, this Saul, whose name has changed to Paul, who now brings this gospel to the church in Ephesus.

Brothers and sisters, this is God's word for you. This is God's authoritative word for you. This is God's good news today for you. This is God's royal declaration today to you. This is what Paul is going to say here is not just good advice. What Paul is going to tell the Ephesian church is not just what he thinks. This is God's word to you. It's His Word. It's perfect. And it's pure. It's holy. It's from Him. And it is for your life. And it comes with all the royal authority of the King of the Universe. So are you listening?

Will you listen to God's Word? Because as we go through the book of Ephesians, there's going to be stuff that you're not going to like. As we get to the book of Ephesians, there's stuff in here that I don't necessarily like. There are things in here that we will peer into the mysteries of God, that the Holy Spirit has given to us, and we won't understand all of it. But will you receive it as what it is, God's authoritative word?

That's how Paul is coming to the Ephesians to start off with. This is why he tells them who he is. He's not talking of himself. But he's bringing them the very message of the King. Jesus Christ. By the will of God. And what is this message he brings them? What is this message he brings them? Verse 2. Grace. The first thing that God declares to you today is grace. Grace. Grace, grace, grace.

May that word seep deeply into our souls. God is telling you today that he is favorable towards you. There are two words in the Old Testament. So in the Greek, this word is charis. In the Old Testament, it comes with the idea of chesed and hanan, favor and loving kindness. God looks at you, and he says, I'm favorable towards you. God is telling the people in the church of Ephesus, grace to you. Grace to you, I am favorable towards you.

I want you to turn back in your Bibles with me to Genesis chapter six. Genesis chapter six, and we're gonna start by just looking at one person who has this favor placed upon them. Genesis chapter six. And in the story of the flood, we hear of Noah, Genesis chapter 6, verse 8. God has said in verse 7, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. We know that Noah is not a perfect person. We know that because all we need to do is fast forward through the flood story, and what did we find Noah doing? We find him getting drunk and passing out in his tent. We know that Noah is not a perfect person.

Yes, he seeks to follow the Lord, but how does he find grace? This is something that's given to him. It's the idea that even though God is looking upon all the evil that's going on in the land, even though God is looking at all the people who are not following how they're supposed to live, even as he looks at all these multitudes of multitudes, for some reason, for some reason, he looks at Noah and he smiles. For some reason, he looks at Noah He says, you're mine. And I'm going to protect you. He shows him grace. Noah finds favor in the sight of God. And likewise, we see somebody else in the book of Exodus finding favor with God.

Turn with me in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 33. Exodus chapter 33. And we find of Moses. Man, Moses had a close relationship to the Lord. And I just want to explore with you Exodus chapter 33 and the first part of 34 and just see what this grace looks like in Moses' life.

Again, Moses isn't a perfect person. Moses, when this is going on, Moses is a murderer. Moses is someone who has taken the life of an Egyptian person by his very own hands. Moses is one that when God gave the law and said that if a man sheds, if somebody sheds man's blood, so also shall his blood be shed. Moses was under that curse. But yet, what do we find in Exodus chapter 33? Look with me at verse 7.

Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of Meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the Lord went out from the Tabernacle of Meeting, which was outside the camp, So it was, whenever Moses went to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle.

And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood upon the door of the tabernacle. And the Lord talked with Moses. All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door. And all the people rose and worshipped each man in his tent door. So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle. Moses goes into the very tabernacle of God, and when he comes there, God shows his favor, God shows his grace, God shows his presence by sending down that pillar of cloud. And he talks with Moses. How does the text say it? Like a friend. Do you see the grace? Do you see the favor?

Moses didn't deserve this. Why did God choose Moses? I mean, we know that God was in control of Moses' life since before he was even born. God had made sure that Moses was going to be safe from Pharaoh's wicked plans. God knew that Moses was going to be protected Moses as he was being raised in Pharaoh's own house. God protected Moses that he was able to flee. But why would he choose a murderer who had to live in the deserts of Midian and draw him and meet with him and talk with a shepherd face to face? Why would he show him such love?

Verse 12, then Moses said to the Lord, see you say to me, bring up this people, but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, this is what God has told Moses, I know you by name and you have also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in your sight, show me your way, that I may know you, and that I may find grace in your sight, and consider that this nation is your people. Moses says, show me your grace. You say that you have shown me grace.

God, let me draw closer to you. Let me know you more and more. See, when God proclaims to you grace, when He shows you favor, the Christian's desire is that we want to grow in that grace. We want to get closer to the Lord. We want to know Him. We want to see Him face to face. We want to talk to Him like friends. Oh, Christian, He has shown you grace. His favor shines upon you. He wants you to come to Him in prayer. He wants you to draw near to him. He loves you and he's shown you that favor, that unmerited grace, that just looking upon you. Why? Why would he look upon Moses and love him? Because he loves him. Because he loves him.

Verse 13, now therefore I pray, if I have found grace in your sight, show me your way, that I may know you, that I may find grace in your sight, and consider that this nation is your people. And he said, my presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. Then he said to him, if your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that your people and I, your people and I, have found grace in your sight, except you go with us? So we shall be separate, your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.'

And the Lord said to Moses, I will also do this thing that you have spoken, For you have found grace in my sight, and I know you by name. God knows you by name. Have you ever thought of that before? Have you ever thought of that before? That the God of the universe, if you, if this, if the words of Ephesians chapter one, verse two are true for you, that you have found grace in the sight of God, God knows your name. You're not just one person amongst a whole sea of people, but God knows your very name. You're not just a blur, but he sees you. And he's favorable towards you. And he cares for you.

And Moses says, verse 18, please show me your glory. Then he said, I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. And this is the name. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

But he said, you can't see my face, or no man can see my face and live. And the Lord said, here is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. So it shall be, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand while I pass by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face you shall not see.

What does he tell Moses there? Moses says, show me your glory. Show me your glory. And God says, no, no, no. I can't show you my glory. No man can see my face and live. Why? Because we're sinful people, as long as we still have these bodies of flesh. But he says, I'll pass by in front of you, and I will proclaim the name Yahweh. For I will be gracious unto whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion upon whom I have compassion. Why does God show you favor? Why does God show you grace? Because He does.

It's not contingent on you. It's not contingent on your works. It's not contingent on how beautiful you are. It's not contingent on your past. It's not based upon how good you do in things. It's not based upon how well you keep His law. It's not based on any of those things. It's not based upon you accepting Jesus Christ into your heart.

Why does God show you favor? Because He does. Man, what a freedom that is in Jesus Christ that God's message to you today is that if you are one of those who His Holy Spirit dwells in you, it's just because He loves you. Man, that's a type of grace He's never gonna take away. Because it's based on Him, not on us.

Grace, grace, grace. But the message doesn't just end there. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 2. Grace to you and peace. Grace to you and peace. This is a traditional greeting amongst Jewish people. If you still today, if you would go to Israel and you would walk along the street, people wouldn't say howdy, people wouldn't say hi, people wouldn't say how you doing, they would say shalom. They say peace. Peace. May it go well with you. I hope all things are harmonious in your life. But this has a much deeper and richer meaning than just the word shalom in the Old Testament. It means all things are right.

See, there was once an adversarial, a bitter enmity, a fight between you and God. Romans, the first three chapters, Romans 1, verse 18, all the way to Romans 3, verse 20, is God's indictment against you. God's telling you that you are a sinner for all have sinned and fallen short and fall short of the glory of God. Every single one of us owes God death because of our sin.

And that's just not our big sin, right? We've talked about Moses. Oh, he was a murderer. I'm not a murderer. Do you know what God calls covetousness in your heart? Idolatry. That's what Colossians teaches us. See, our hearts are what Calvin called factories of idols.

Man, I never cease to be amazed by how easily children pick up sin. I mean, nobody had to teach our children how to lie. They just do it. Nobody had to teach our children how to fight each other, but they just do it. Nobody teaches our children how to be selfish, and yet they're born and they are.

It's just part of who we are. Yeah, God restrains it. We're not as bad as we could be, but we know that I mean, as one songwriter said, we're bad to the bone. It's part of our DNA. It's part of who we are. God was at loggerheads with us, enemies with us.

But the grace of God is that through Jesus Christ, in Romans chapter 5, look with me at Romans chapter 5, verse 6. Romans chapter 5, verse 6. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts. Romans chapter 5, verse 6. Romans chapter 5 verse 6, for when we were still without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.

But God demonstrates his own love toward us. How? And that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath to come. For if we, when we were what? When we were enemies, what did God do? We were reconciled to God through the death of his son. Much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we now have received the reconciliation. See, we were once enemies of God, but what has God done? God has reconciled us to himself.

He has said, no more fighting. My sovereign grace is upon you. I've chosen you. My face shines upon you. I'm going to be gracious to you. And we're going to have peace, you and I. And I'm going to pay for that peace. I'll pay for that peace by the very blood of my own son. And I'll cleanse you from all that enmity that we had, all that sin that separated you and I. It's gone. I'll wash it in the blood of Jesus Christ. It's gone. And even better than that, you don't have to try to keep yourself clean. I'm going to make you clean. And better than just making you clean, I'm going to make you righteous.

That's what the word justification means. You see, we were the ones who wore those dirty, stinky, filthy rags of unrighteousness. That's what the prophet Isaiah said. He said, even our good deeds, as are our filthy rags. It's as if God takes us and he cleanses us. He takes off our filthy garments and he puts on us the robe of righteousness of Jesus Christ. all of his good deeds, all of his righteousness, all of his keeping the law are yours. In God's sight, you are perfect. In God's sight, you are pure. In God's sight, you are holy.

And indeed, that's what he calls the people in Ephesus. Ephesians chapter one, verse one, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the church, or not to the church, to the saints, in Ephesus, faithful in Christ Jesus. Saints. Saints is a word that we think, you know, it carries all of its baggage with us, and we think of, oh, super pious people, they got like halos around their heads, right? That's not what the word is.

This is how God refers, even to his people in the Old Testament, the koroshim, the holy ones, ones that God has said, no, no, no, no, no. You were gonna be for that use, a common use, a use that when it was done was gonna be destroyed. But I'm gonna take you, I'm gonna make you into a royal use.

You're holy now. God has taken you and he set you apart for himself. See, you are holy in your sanctification. He has declared you holy because you are for him. That's what God calls us. This is what, again and again and again, all throughout Paul's letters, he doesn't use the word saints to mean some elevated superclass of people, but it's every single person whom the Holy Spirit indwells, that person is holy. Why? Because he has declared you his own. You are holy in faith in Christ Jesus. When we are in Christ Jesus, We are holy.

So Christian, you need to live this way. See, this is, God has declared this to you. The sermon started me telling you this is a royal decree. This isn't just somehow, you know, oh, Pastor Brian's got some nice things to say to us, or maybe he read some theology books, or maybe we're gonna walk away smiling or something. No, God is telling you, you are no longer children of wrath. but His face shines upon you, that you are no longer to live your life like you are a citizen of the kingdom of darkness, but He has transferred you into His kingdom of light, that He has set you apart, that He has loved you, that He is going to care for you, that He has begun a good work in you, and that He is going to complete it unto its fullest way. This letter is for you, Christian.

And as we work through the book of Ephesians, as we look at what God has done and who he is, Christian, I pray that your soul is enriched. That you are fed by just meditating on who God is. That you are in humility and saying, God, I don't understand everything here, but man, it's good.

And that when we get into the second half, of the book, when he's gonna have some stuff we gotta do, that we realize we aren't doing it to have his face shine on us. His face already shines on us. But because his face shines on us, he empowers us to live holy lives.

See, it starts here with God's declaring who you are and his relationship to you. And that will come to play out as we see fruit that's supposed to come from that union with Jesus. So, oh, I'm really excited. I am excited to work through the book of Ephesians with you. I hope you're okay digging through and swimming in the deep end of theology with me as we look at who God is and what he has done. And I pray that as we get into this book that we remain humble. that we are dealing with things that are great and grand and are mysterious, but teach us how good he is to you, those whom he has called grace and peace upon. Let's leave today with confidence that he loves us, that he's not at war with you, and that we walk in light of the nature he has given us as his people.

Closing Prayer

Let's pray. Oh God, it's overwhelming. Lord, why you would be mindful of us? Father, we don't know. But God, thank you for your grace and for bringing us to peace in you through the justification that you have given us in Jesus Christ. Lord, please let these truths radically change the very fabric of who we are. In Jesus' name, amen.

Thanks for listening to this week's message from God's Work for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in rural southeast Iowa. We pray that the message would be used by God to transform your faith and your life this week. If you'd like to get more information about us, feel free to go to the website, SharonRPC.org. We'd love to invite you to worship with us. Our worship time is 10 a.m. every Sunday at 25204 160th Avenue, Morning Sun, Iowa 52640. May God richly bless you this week.