Let take a peak at Paul in his prison cell. The man from Tarsus waits for his appeal to be heard by Caesar (Acts 25:11-12).
In the meantime, he does his best to stay in touch with the various churches he's planted around the Mediterranean.
Epaphras made long trip from Colossae in Asia and dropped the bomb about the heresy that's tearing apart the congregation there (Col 2:4, 8, 16-23).
A bunch of spiritual snake oil salesmen have duped folks into believing that they were responsible for finishing the job of salvation that Jesus started.
He fires off a letter to folks there, telling them to get their eyes back on Jesus and just Jesus (Col 3:1-4).
In the meantime, he does his best to stay in touch with the various churches he's planted around the Mediterranean.
Epaphras made long trip from Colossae in Asia and dropped the bomb about the heresy that's tearing apart the congregation there (Col 2:4, 8, 16-23).
A bunch of spiritual snake oil salesmen have duped folks into believing that they were responsible for finishing the job of salvation that Jesus started.
He fires off a letter to folks there, telling them to get their eyes back on Jesus and just Jesus (Col 3:1-4).
While the apostle deals with bad news from Colossae, he's blown away by what he hears from Ephesus. And as he writes to his friends there, Paul lets them know that word of their famous faith has made it all the way to Rome.
Even inside the slammer where he's in custody. "For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers" (v15-16).
Even inside the slammer where he's in custody. "For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers" (v15-16).
He's heard of their faith. Their famous faith.
The word is out. The faith of Jesus' followers in Ephesus is well known. Everybody's heard of how the Gospel is radically transforming lives in the major port city.
It's actually made it all the way to Paul's cellblock, some 1500 miles away. So just how amazing is the faith of the Ephesians? What makes it so famous?
It's legendary not so much for the depth, passion or intensity. They are famous for their "faith in the Lord Jesus" (v15). In other words, they are famous for the OBJECT of the their faith, not the strength of their faith.
It's actually made it all the way to Paul's cellblock, some 1500 miles away. So just how amazing is the faith of the Ephesians? What makes it so famous?
It's legendary not so much for the depth, passion or intensity. They are famous for their "faith in the Lord Jesus" (v15). In other words, they are famous for the OBJECT of the their faith, not the strength of their faith.
Paul uses a variation on a phrase we see 28 times in his letter to Ephesus: "in Christ." Here it's "in the Lord Jesus" (v15).
We're only 15 verses into his letter and this is the 11th time he's used it! I don't have to be a rocket surgeon or a brain scientist to know it must be a big deal.
So what exactly does this mean? The apostle is describing how as followers of Christ we place our trust in what He's done for us that we could never, ever do.
Jesus lived the perfectly obedient life to God's law that we've failed to live. He died the brutal death of judgment that we should have died. He rose to the glorious new life that we certainly don't deserve.
In His most famous sermon, Jesus said that He didn't come to abolish any of God's law but to fulfill it (Mt 5:17). In other words, He didn't come to find us a loophole into salvation.
He came to obey all of God's commands and fulfill all of the divine requirements for us. We can't. He did.
And like the Ephesian believers, we must put our trust "in the Lord Jesus" (v15), in who He is and what He's done.
We're only 15 verses into his letter and this is the 11th time he's used it! I don't have to be a rocket surgeon or a brain scientist to know it must be a big deal.
So what exactly does this mean? The apostle is describing how as followers of Christ we place our trust in what He's done for us that we could never, ever do.
Jesus lived the perfectly obedient life to God's law that we've failed to live. He died the brutal death of judgment that we should have died. He rose to the glorious new life that we certainly don't deserve.
In His most famous sermon, Jesus said that He didn't come to abolish any of God's law but to fulfill it (Mt 5:17). In other words, He didn't come to find us a loophole into salvation.
He came to obey all of God's commands and fulfill all of the divine requirements for us. We can't. He did.
And like the Ephesian believers, we must put our trust "in the Lord Jesus" (v15), in who He is and what He's done.
In other words, these folks have placed their very human faith in Jesus' very perfect faithfulness.
Over in a letter to his buddy Tim, Paul talks about how even "if we are faithless, He remains faithful" (2Tim 2:13). Even when our trust in Christ might wobble, He never wavers.
You see, it's not so much about the strength of our faith but the strength of the object of our faith. That's the point of putting our faith in the "Rock of my salvation" (2Sam 22:47; Ps 22:47). They had a famous faith because of the object of their faith: Jesus!
Over in a letter to his buddy Tim, Paul talks about how even "if we are faithless, He remains faithful" (2Tim 2:13). Even when our trust in Christ might wobble, He never wavers.
You see, it's not so much about the strength of our faith but the strength of the object of our faith. That's the point of putting our faith in the "Rock of my salvation" (2Sam 22:47; Ps 22:47). They had a famous faith because of the object of their faith: Jesus!
The apostle then gives the Ephesians an apostolic "attaboy" for their "love toward all the saints" (v15). While the folks back in Ephesus most certainly had a soft place in their hearts for other believers, Paul's NOT talking about a warm fuzzy feeling.
Christ-like love (Gr. agape) is love in action. Love with hands. Love with feet. It's self-sacrifice. It's putting others first in real and practical ways.
As those great philosophers and theologians of DC Talk would say, "Love is a verb." It's what people in suits would call incarnating Christ. The Bible calls the church the Body of Christ.
Since He's headed back home to heaven, He's called us to be His hands and feet to a lost and dying world. Let's open our eyes to the needs of hurting people that are all around us. Let's love them. In real ways. In practical ways. A lot of times that opens the door to share with them about Jesus.
Christ-like love (Gr. agape) is love in action. Love with hands. Love with feet. It's self-sacrifice. It's putting others first in real and practical ways.
As those great philosophers and theologians of DC Talk would say, "Love is a verb." It's what people in suits would call incarnating Christ. The Bible calls the church the Body of Christ.
Since He's headed back home to heaven, He's called us to be His hands and feet to a lost and dying world. Let's open our eyes to the needs of hurting people that are all around us. Let's love them. In real ways. In practical ways. A lot of times that opens the door to share with them about Jesus.
What kind of love did these Ephesian folks express to others? You might want to check out what the apostle wrote to his friends in Corinth (1Cor 13). That's the "Love Chapter" we hear a lot at weddings.
But Paul's point wasn't to make hearts flutter on the bride's big day. He was telling us that real love, biblical love, Christ-like love is love in action.
Patience. Kindness. Not envious. Not boastful. Not arrogant. Not rude. Not cranky. Not resentful. Not happy about evil.
Celebrates truth. Puts up with all sorts of shortcomings. Believes the best about folks. Knows God will win out in the end. Hangs in there no matter what. And it never runs out.
That's the kind of love the Ephesian church is famous for. Is that the kind of love your church is known for? Is the kind of love your small group is known for? Is that the kind of love you're know for?
Yeah, I know. I don't like these questions either.
But Paul's point wasn't to make hearts flutter on the bride's big day. He was telling us that real love, biblical love, Christ-like love is love in action.
Patience. Kindness. Not envious. Not boastful. Not arrogant. Not rude. Not cranky. Not resentful. Not happy about evil.
Celebrates truth. Puts up with all sorts of shortcomings. Believes the best about folks. Knows God will win out in the end. Hangs in there no matter what. And it never runs out.
That's the kind of love the Ephesian church is famous for. Is that the kind of love your church is known for? Is the kind of love your small group is known for? Is that the kind of love you're know for?
Yeah, I know. I don't like these questions either.
Paul lets the Ephesians know that they are famous for loving God and loving others. They were doing exactly what Jesus said we're to do. Love God. Love others.
One time, a religious nitpicker tried to box Christ into a corner by asking Him which of God's commands is the greatest. The radical Rabbi/Carpenter blew the dude's socks off with His response.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.
"And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets" (Mt 22:36-40).
Love God. Love others. Love God BY loving others. By placing their faith in Jesus and loving all the saints, the Ephesians are doing just what the Lord said to do.
One time, a religious nitpicker tried to box Christ into a corner by asking Him which of God's commands is the greatest. The radical Rabbi/Carpenter blew the dude's socks off with His response.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.
"And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets" (Mt 22:36-40).
Love God. Love others. Love God BY loving others. By placing their faith in Jesus and loving all the saints, the Ephesians are doing just what the Lord said to do.
The apostle tells his readers that he's not just excited about their faith in Jesus and their love for other believers. He simply doesn't stop thanking God for how He's using them. "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers" (v16).
Paul understands the incredible value of encouraging other Christ followers. Imagine the smiles and even the spontaneous applause at the Ephesian church meeting when one of the leaders read this letter out loud.
Paul isn't just tossing up a prayer or two on their behalf. He's knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door over and over and over again as he expresses his incredible thanks to God for his friends.
When Jesus places someone in your life who models famous faith and love for others, do you ever let them know?
Call them. Text'em. Drop'em an email. Shoot, you can even tell them in person! I know, that's crazy talk. But let'em know. They will be SO glad you did.
Let's encourage famous faith in our brothers and sisters.
©2013
Jay Jennings
Paul understands the incredible value of encouraging other Christ followers. Imagine the smiles and even the spontaneous applause at the Ephesian church meeting when one of the leaders read this letter out loud.
Paul isn't just tossing up a prayer or two on their behalf. He's knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door over and over and over again as he expresses his incredible thanks to God for his friends.
When Jesus places someone in your life who models famous faith and love for others, do you ever let them know?
Call them. Text'em. Drop'em an email. Shoot, you can even tell them in person! I know, that's crazy talk. But let'em know. They will be SO glad you did.
Let's encourage famous faith in our brothers and sisters.
©2013
Jay Jennings
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