INTRODUCTION

1. The Church is called by several names

2. Each name has its own significance

3. Each name adds meaning to our understanding of the Church

 

SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IS NEEDED

15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened;

that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

21 far above all principality and power and [i]might and dominion,

and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:15-23

1. Prayer must be raised up to God

a) That we may be given the Spirit of wisdom and revelation

b) That the eyes of our understanding may be enlightened

c) That we may experience the power of God in our life

2. Things that need to be fathomed at a deeper level

a) The concept of the Church

b) That it is the Body of the Lord Jesus

c) That He is the Head of the Church

d) The fullness of God may be found in the Church

 

A DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances,

so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,

16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:14-22

1. Creation of One new Body Ephesians 2:14-16

a) The Lord has created a new entity

b) There is no enmity (between Jews and Gentiles)

c) All reconciled to God in peace

i) The separation between Jews and Gentiles was very great in the past

ii) All barriers and obstacles had to be removed

iii) The greatest difficulty lay in the understanding of the Old Testament laws contained in ordinances

iv) The Lord Jesus had to introduce the New Covenant to replace the Old Covenant

2. In this New Entity

a) We have access to God the Father

b) Through the Spirit of God

c) No longer strangers and foreigners

d) But Fellow-citizens with the saints

e) Members of the household of God

3. Exposition of how the formation of this New Entity

a) The foundations

i) The Lord Jesus is the chief cornerstone

ii) The role of the apostles and prophets

b) The Formation of the whole building

i) Fitted together

ii) Grows

iii) To become the holy temple

iv) In the Lord

v) Built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit

 

OUR CHALLENGE

1. To comprehend the doctrine of the Church more completely

2. To cultivate a deeper love for the Church

3. To build a strong sense of community in the Church based on the Scriptures