Marty Sloan – Living the Dream

Letters Series Part 2 –
The Position of the Believer
9 9 09
Ephesians 5:25-27

Ephesians 5:25 NKJV
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
Ephesians 5:26
that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
Ephesians 5:27
that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 5:27 is a theme verse for our life and the book of Ephesians. Christ is looking to begin and complete a work in us for our future presentation of ourselves back to Him. He is looking to create a glorious, matured and an able ministering body.

Expectations for the church
1. Glorious Thayer’s Greek Definitions
1) held in good or in great esteem, of high repute
1a) illustrious, honourable, esteemed
1b) notable, glorious
1c) splendid
2. Spotless/(wrinkle free) Thayer’s Greek Definitions
1) a spot
2) a fault, moral blemish

3. Presentable Thayer’s Greek Definitions
1) to place beside or near
1a) to set at hand
1a1) to present
1a2) to proffer
1a3) to provide
1a4) to place a person or thing at one’s disposal
1a5) to present a person for another to see and question
1a6) to present or show
1a7) to bring to, bring near
1a8) metaphorically i.e to bring into one’s fellowship or intimacy

The above are some overall goals that Christ has for the church – keep in mind that WE make up the church… so literally you need to see yourself in each goal and not just a corporate body…

The book of Ephesians gives us two approaches that Christ will use to bring each person to the above expectations.
TABLE CONVERSATIONS –
• How can the church be honorable?
• What things create “spots” on the church?
• How would you like to see the church presented to Christ?
Christ has the above expectations on the church, how does He enable the church to be prepared for our presentation. Has He led us an end that we simply cannot achieve or has He given us a plan for preparation? I believe he has given us a great plan to ensure we are prepared for our presentation!

1. The POSITION of the Believer
2. The PRACTICE of the Believer

Lets talk about the POSITION of the Believer;
The POSITION of the Believer is
1. Founded IN Christ
Ephesians 1:7 NKJV
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
Ephesians 1:8
which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
Ephesians 1:9
having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
Ephesians 1:10
that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
Ephesians 1:11
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Ephesians 1:12
that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:13
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 1:14
who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

John 1:14 NKJV
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

2. Focused ON Grace

Ephesians 2:4 NKJV
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us
Ephesians 2:5
even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Ephesians 2:6
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Ephesians 2:7
that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Ephesians 2:9
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Grace is given to us to unite us with God – Grace goes through us to unite us with other people. This is important because God desires to dwell in the midst of a unified body! We are always looking for a way to extend grace…
Past Failure vs. Present Grace – How to Balance – you cannot focus on Grace if you are looking at the past failure!

• Renew your perspective

Colossians 3:1 NKJV
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:2
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:3
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

• Release your past

Galatians 2:20 NKJV
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:21
I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

• Remember your purpose

Ephesians 1:7 NKJV
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
Ephesians 1:8
which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
Ephesians 1:9
having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
Ephesians 1:10
that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, ◙ both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
Ephesians 1:11
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Ephesians 1:12
that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

TABLE CONVERSATIONS
• How does the church stay focused on Grace

3. Fixed ON Hope
Ephesians 2:11 NKJV
Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands
Ephesians 2:12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:14
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

Contrast your past with your future hope