Defining Why We Are Here

I. The Full Knowledge of God about Us - Ephesians 1:17
A. His calling in eternity past - Eph. 1:18a
B. His inheritance in eternity future - Eph. 1:18b
C. His power in time - Eph. 1:19
1. The direction and goal of resurrection power - Eph. 1:19-22a
a) Toward us - Eph. 1:19
b) To the church - Eph. 1:22
D. His purpose to express the fullness of Christ in His Body - Eph. 1:22-23
II. Our Prepared Destiny in Eternity Past
A. As His masterpiece - Eph. 2:10
1. The condition of the masterpiece - Eph. 2:1-3
a) The definition of our condition - ". . . dead . . ."
b) The source of our condition
- ". . according to the age . . the ruler . . the [evil] spirit . ."
c) The drives in our condition - ". . lusts . . desires . . nature . ."
d) The results of our condition
- ". . offenses . . sins . . disobedience . con ducted ourselves . ."
2. God's handling of His masterpiece
a) With mercy - Eph. 2:4a
b) With His great love - Eph. 2:4b
c) With Christ's resurrection life-power - Eph. 2:5-6
d) With the riches of His grace in His kindness - Eph. 2:7
e) With grace - Eph. 2:8
f) With faith as a gift of God - Eph. 2:8-9
B. As His building (one Body; one new man) - Eph. 2:20-22
1. A life without the purpose of God's building - Eph. 2:11-12
2. In the blood of Christ - Eph. 2:13
- "You who were once far off have become near in the blood . . "
3. In Himself
a) Our peace is His Person - Eph. 2:14-15
- ". . He Himself . . in Himself . ."
b) Our peace is His work - Eph. 2:14-16 - ". .made both one . . has broken down . . abolishing in His flesh . . He might create the two into one . . .making peace. . .reconcile both in one Body. . . through the cross having slain the enmity . ."
c) Our peace is His preaching - Eph. 2:17 - ". .He announced peace . ."
4. In the realm of the Spirit
a) The reality of the church - Eph. 2:18
- ". . both have access in one Spirit. ."
b) The relationships in the church - Eph. 2:19 - ". . fellow citizens . . with the saints . . of the household of God . ."
5. As one building with spiritual continuity with the original aposltes - Eph. 2:20-22
a) One apostolic foundation - Eph. 2:20 - ". . built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets . ."
b) One living Person connecting us - Eph. 2:20 - "Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone"
c) One universal building - Eph. 2:21 ". . all the building . ."
d) Many local churches - Eph. 2:22 ". . you also . . built together . ."
e) The reality of the building is in spirit - Eph. 2:22 - "A dwelling place of God in spirit."