A. Prophesied (Isaiah 9:6-7; 52:7; 53:5; 57:19-21)
B. Peace is a part of unity (Acts 2:42-47)
II. Peace among different nationalities (2:14-17)
A. The peace of Christ is found only in the church [“in one body”] (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)
B. Made possible for all “through the cross” (John 3:16; Romans 5:8-11)
III. Peace with the Father (2:18)
A. Access to the Father restored through Christ by one Spirit (Isa. 59:1-2)
B. There can be no peace apart from the blood of Christ (2:13), the cross of Christ (2:16)
A. God’s desire (2 Peter 3:9)
B. Our desire (Galatians 6:1)
II. The process of confrontation
A. Talk to the offender, not about the offender (Matthew 18:15)
B. If the problem persists, take witnesses (Matthew 18:16)
C. If he still refuses to repent, take the matter before the church (Matthew 18:17-20)
III. The reasons for withdrawal
A. Unsound doctrine (1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 John 9-11)
B. Unbiblical practice (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14)
C. Immoral behavior (1 Corinthians 5:1-9)
D. Instigation of strife (Romans 16:17-18; Titus 3:10-11)
E. All of this applies to withdrawing of fellowship from a Christian, not to our relationship with the world at large (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
IV. The aim of discipline
A. In regards to the individual…
1. Admonishment (2 Thessalonians 3:15)
2. Restoration (James 5:19-20)
3. Forgiveness and reaffirmation of love (2 Cor. 2:6-8)
B. In regards to the church…
1. Protection of the flock (Acts 20:28; Titus 1:10-11)
2. Maintain the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:1-3) and fellowship with God (Revelation 2:14-16)
A. Must come into contact with something to affect it (Romans 12:1-2)
B. What happens when it loses its effectiveness? (Luke 14:34-35)
II. Light (5:14)
A. Jesus (John 8:12; 1:4-5)
B. Disciples (Ephesians 5:8)
C. More than mere reflection, we must burn as lamps lit from His fire! (John 12:36; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8)
III. “On a hill” … “on a lampstand” (5:14-15)
A. Covert discipleship is forbidden (Matthew 10:32-33)
B. As part of the local church (Revelation 1:20)
IV. Motivation (5:16)
A. Marshall Keeble: “The Bible does not say to make your light shine, but it says to let it shine!”
B. Good works to glorify God (Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 6:10; James 2:20-22, 24)
A. “Therefore” (Ephesians 2:1-3, 5-6, 10)
B. “Once Gentiles…called Uncircumcision” (Galatians 3:28)
II. Your former rank (2:11-12)
A. Physical/political separation (“aliens”)
B. Spiritual separation
1. “Strangers from the covenants of promise” (Genesis 12:2-3; 15:18-21; 17:1-21; Exodus 24:1-9; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:6-13)
2. “No hope” (Ephesians 1:18) and “without God” (Romans 1-2)
III. Your present relationship: “now in Christ Jesus” (2:13)
A. Reconciliation of the “far off” (Isaiah 57:19; Acts 2:39)
B. There’s power in the blood (Romans 5:8-9; Hebrews 9:22; Matthew 26:28; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:17-19; 1 John 1:7; Acts 20:28)
A. “Together” / “Common” / “With one accord” (Acts 2:44-47)
B. Not “unity in diversity” but unity in the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 1:10; John 17:20-21)
C. Striving for peace (Acts 6:1, 7; Romans 14:19; Ephesians 4:1-3)
II. Their steadfast nature
A. Steadfast in doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, prayers (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 15:58; 16:13)
B. Danger of not being steadfast (Galatians 1:6-9)
C. Self-discipline (Romans 12:1-2)
III. Their belief in the message
A. “Into all the world” (Mark 16:15 Colossians 1:23)
B. Unafraid when opposed (Acts 4:18-20; Galatians 1:10)
C. Despite persecutions, they believed (Acts 8:1-3; 2 Corinthians 11:24-27; Acts 12:1-2; Acts 8:4)
A. Not born lost, but because of sin we are lost, resulting in death (Ezekiel 18:19-22; Romans 6:23; James 1:14-15)
B. We must change who we are because of who He is (1 Peter 4:1-3; Ezekiel 18:23)
II. God’s involvement in our salvation (Ephesians 2:4-9)
A. Mercy (2 Corinthians 1:3; Micah 7:18; Psalm 51:1)
B. Love (1 John 4:8; Ephesians 2:4; Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 8:38-39)
C. Grace (2 Timothy 1:9; Romans 11:5; 1 Timothy 1:14; 1 Peter 5:12)
D. Kindness (Titus 3:4-5)
III. We are created in Christ for good works (Ephesians 2:10)
A. Not meritorious, boast-worthy works (Ephesians 2:8-9)
B. Works of service (Matthew 25:31-46; James 2:14-26; Galatians 6:10)
C. Works of love (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3)
A. The establishment of the church (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 3:8-11)
B. The mystery revealed (Ephesians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 2:8; Genesis 3:15; Psalm 24:7; 110:1; Isaiah 2:2-4; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Daniel 2:44)
II. In the present
A. God uses us as a part of His plan to exalt Christ (Hebrews 13:15; Matthew 5:16; John 13:34-35; 1 Peter 2:9-12; Romans 10:14-17; Philippians 2:13)
B. God receives glory in the church – the one body (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23; 4:4; 1:10)
III. In the future
A. He has the power over death (Hebrews 2:14-15; Revelation 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:24-26)
B. When He puts an end to death, Christ will be exalted in the church for all eternity (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
A. Paul’s thankfulness for the church in Ephesus (Ephesians 1:15-16)
B. How important is a knowledge of God? (Jeremiah 9:23-24; John 17:3; Hosea 4:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)
C. “When you read, you may understand my knowledge” (Ephesians 3:4; 1 Corinthians 14:33)
II. To know the hope of God’s calling (Ephesians 1:18a)
A. How does God call us? (2 Thessalonians 2:14)
B. Out of what does He call us? (1 Peter 2:9)
C. Into what does He call us? (1 Thessalonians 2:12)
D. There is “one hope of your calling” (Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:5; 1 Corinthians 13:13; Titus 1:2)
III. To know the riches of God’s inheritance (Ephesians 1:18b)
A. Predestined to adoption (Ephesians 1:5)
B. Obtained an inheritance (Ephesians 1:11)
C. Sealed with the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14)
D. An inheritance now available to all (Ephesians 2:7, 12-13; 3:6; Galatians 3:27-29; Ephesians 1:6)
IV. To know the power of God (Ephesians 1:19-20)
A. Power on display throughout the gospel accounts, culminating in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead
B. That power is still just as powerful today (Romans 8:11; Galatians 5:22-23, 25; Colossians 2:11-13)
A. The mystery (Ephesians 1:10; 2:16; 3:6)
B. Man’s trust in His gospel (Ephesians 1:12-13; Romans 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:1; Acts 19:4-5)
II. The result of trust: “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13)
A. “The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Timothy 2:19)
B. The seal is evident through the way we live and the fruit we bear (Galatians 5:22-25)
III. “The guarantee (earnest—KJV) of our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14)
A. An earnest is a pledge that the remainder of the promise will be forthcoming
B. When will the fullness of our inheritance be realized? (Ephesians 1:14; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 1:7; 4:30)
C. “To the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14)
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)
