The Heavenly Zone | Evangelical Baptist Church

Ephesians 1:1-3
Preached Wednesday Evening May 1, 2012

Introduction:

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone.

Many of us are familiar with the opening line of season one of the 1959 television series, “The Twilight Zone”. The narrator made viewers aware that there was a dimension that was real though unseen. It was a place where normal universal rules were suspended and new and strange things could take place.

Today we will begin to study the Book of Ephesians, a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote from prison to the believers in Ephesus. This book is designed to fan the flame of love in our hearts toward the Savior by helping us see the incredible love He has already shown us.

This evening we are going to look at an interesting truth. Look at verse 3 for a minute:

Ephesians 1:3 (AV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Paul is telling the Ephesian believers that they have already been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. The construction of the Greek and the context shows us that Paul is talking about a heavenly realm in which we live while here on earth. Believers are blessed because even on this sin cursed world, we live in the Heavenly dimension.

As we begin our study through this incredible book, we are going to be introduced to the some of the main operatives within this heavenly dimension. Tonight examine your heart to ensure that you indeed can be counted as one to whom Paul is talking in this book. Once you are sure you are one of the saints, then open your mind and heart and learn how to deepen your relationships within the Heavenly Zone.

I. The Apostle Paul lives in the Heavenly Zone

Ephesians 1:1 (AV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

A. Apostle – from “sent forth” = messenger, envoy

John 20:21 (AV)
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

2 Corinthians 5:20 (AV)
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

1. Apostles have seen the Lord and testify of Him and His resurrection form personal knowledge.

Acts 1:21–22 (AV)
21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

Acts 22:14–15 (AV)
14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. 15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

2. Immediately called to that office by Christ

Luke 6:13 (AV)
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

Galatians 1:1 (AV)
1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

3. Infallibly inspired

John 14:26 (AV)
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:13 (AV)
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (AV)
13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

4. Possessed miracle working power.

Mark 16:20 (AV)
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

B. Called by the will of God – God appoints people to different types of service as it pleases Him.

1 Timothy 2:7 (AV)
7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

2 Timothy 1:1 (AV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 4:11–12 (AV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Ephesians 4:16 (AV)
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

II. The Saints live in the Heavenly Dimension

Ephesians 1:1–2 (AV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

A. Saints = “Saints” (hogioi) is from the OT term “holy,” (kadosh) which meant “set apart for God’s service.

1. Used in the plural – not ever used about individuals granted an office by “The Church”.

2. To be saved is to be part of the covenant community.

1 Corinthians 1:2 (AV)
2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

2 Corinthians 1:1 (AV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

Philippians 1:1 (AV)
1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Colossians 1:2 (AV)
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

B. These Saints were holy because of imputed righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (AV)
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Ephesians 1:4 (AV)
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Colossians 1:22 (AV)
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

C. These particular saints gathered in Ephesus.

In the time of the Romans it bore the title of “the first and greatest metropolis of Asia.” It was distinguished for the Temple of Diana (q.v.), who there had her chief shrine; and for its theatre, which was the largest in the world, capable of containing 50,000 spectators. It was, like all ancient theatres, open to the sky. Here were exhibited the fights of wild beasts and of men with beasts.

D. To the Faithful = Not faithful in the sense of fidelity and perseverance, but believing, as John 20:27; Acts 10:45. It is to be included with the saints under the one article.

John 20:27 (AV)
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Acts 10:45 (AV)
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

E. In Christ

1. Phrase used 27 times in this letter alone.

2. Position of the believer.

3. In Christ = able to draw on the wealth that is in Christ.

John 15:4–5 (AV)
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

? Paul uses the term “us” or “we” 33 times in this book.

? Paul, a man called by God to a particular ministry identifies to saints called by God to a particular church.

? 33 different times he is going to explain what they share together as believers and fellow servants of God.

? Our study of Ephesians then will focus on what we as believers have in common with both the Apostle and the ancient Ephesian saints.

? Paul is going to explain what we share in our relationship with each other and with Jesus as we live in this Heavenly Dimension while here on earth.

III. God the Father lives in the Heavenly Dimension

Ephesians 1:3 (AV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

A. God has blessed us – both clergy and laity – all saints called by God through faith in Jesus. = “to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on,”

B. Blessed in ALL spiritual blessings – a phrase that occurs 13 times.

2 Peter 1:3–4 (AV)
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

C. We are blessed right now in the heavenliess.

This LOCATIVE (of sphere) NEUTER PLURAL ADJECTIVE “in the heavenly places” (epouranious) was only used in Ephesians (cf. 1:20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). From the context of all of its usages, it must mean the spiritual realm in which believers live here and now, not heaven.

Ephesians 1:20 (AV)
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Ephesians 2:6 (AV)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Ephesians 3:10 (AV)
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Ephesians 6:12 (AV)
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Conclusion:

The Apostle Paul way back in 62 AD wrote a church that needed to develop a passionate love for the Lord. In 95 AD or so, Jesus wrote that same church and told them that they had lost their first love. They had not fully embraced and passed down the truths that are contained in this Epistle. If you are a believer, you share the same things that the Apostle Paul and the Saints at Ephesus shared. You have been blessed with all spiritual blessings and are now operating in the realm of the heavenly places. Keep alert because there is great power to harness in order to live for God while living in The Heavenly Zone.