Outline of Ephesians

Daniel M. Ferrell
Pastor, Wilmington Baptist Church, Wilmington, Ohio

  1. Introduction: Every born-again believer is spiritually wealthy, but most live as paupers.   Every blood-washed saint has awesome spiritual power available – but many are not properly grounded.   Every Bible-believing Christian has the extreme privilege to serve Christ through the New Testament church – but many fail to realize it.
    I love Thy kingdom Lord
    The house of Thine abode
    The Church our blest Redeemer saved
    With His own precious blood.
    I love thy Church, O GOD!
    Her walls before Thee stand
    Dear as the apple of Thine eye
    And graven on Thy hand.

  2. The Sovereign of the Church (Chapter 1).
    1. Sovereign in His Saving Grace.
      1. The Father blesses us by choosing us to be His special people.   This election is the cause of a new holy nature and position.   Our predestination gives us a legal and loving place in God’s family.
      2. The Son redeems and forgives us through His blood.   What grace and divine favor we receive from our Lord’s infinite treasure.   All of our rich inheritance is from the Divine Will and Counsel of a loving Savior.
      3. The Spirit takes the Word and the gospel, and causes the sinner to hear and helps him to believe.   The spirit seals us – which is God’s token or earnest investment in us.   We have an indwelling proof that we are redeemed and heirs of salvation because we have the Holy Spirit.
    2. What great blessing and honor ( 1:15 -18) to be a Christian.   Oh that our eyes could be enlightened to see this great hope, calling, and rich inheritance.   In the world of lucrative materialism, many Christians do not see the value of godliness.   Godliness with contentment is great gain.
    3. As God’s elect, we even possess the power to use our priceless inheritance for HIS glory!   Notice the words (Greek – English) in 1:19 .
      1. Dunamis – power
      2. Energia – working
      3. Kratos – mighty
      4.   Ischus – power
    4. What a Sovereign God!   All things, all humans, all angels and all devils are subject to His sovereign authority.   Praise God that the head of the church does not sit in Rome , nor is His body scattered invisibly all over the world.
    5. What a blessing to be a part of a New Testament Baptist Church!

  3. The Saviour of the Church (Chapter 2).
    1. If a man is inherently and incurably depraved, deserving of the wrath of God – it will take a Sovereign act of grace to save him!
    2. God in His mercy does not give us what we deserve – and in His grace, He gives us what we do not deserve.
    3. As our Saviour, He not only provides our ransom (His blood), He provides our salvation – regeneration.
    4. We worship God in heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3, 2:6) coming by faith before His throne.
    5. Our salvation and our faith is all a divine gift.   Salvation is all of God.   My contribution was I resisted Him!   God will not justify a man who works at it!   No vain boasting is heaven.
    6. We inherit the wealth by faith and we invest it by works.
    7. What glorious freedom:   Gentiles can be saved and serve Christ in His church without becoming Jews.
    8. We are not only members of His body, but lively stones in His building.

  4. The Succourer of the Church (Chapter 3).
    1. What an unfolding mystery that the gospel of Jesus Christ would not only save Gentiles but place them as kings and priests in the same body with Jews.
    2. The church then becomes a schoolmaster to angels and a soul winner to sinners.
    3. Oh, the manifold (multi-faceted) wisdom of God.   For God to be Just and yet Justifier of sinners is amazing to angelic and mortal minds.
    4. Praise God for the whole family of God – one day there will be perfect unity.
    5. Note the words in 3:17 -18.
      1. rooted – nourished, stabilized
      2. grounded – deeper in order to go higher
      3. apprehension – to grasp and enjoy
    6. What Love – What Power – What Glory.
      1. Glory in the church because of her beginning.
      2. Glory in the church because of her building.
      3. Glory in the church because of the blood of Christ.
      4. Glory in the church because of His Body.
      5. Glory in the church because of the Book.
      6. Glory in the church because of the Blazing Gospel.
      7. Glory in the church because of her Benevolent Mission.
      8. Glory in the church because of her bloody past.
      9. Glory in the church because of her breachless future.
    7. The succourer of the church will never allow her to be overcome by the gates of hell!

  5. The Supervisor of the Church (Chapter 4).
    1. We saw the wealth of the saint, now comes the walk.
    2. There is no peace or unity in the family of God, but peace and unity can be easily achieved in a local church.   The grace of unity is revealed in 4:1-3.
    3. Unity is not natural even with renewed saints – we must endeavor to keep it – we must work at it!   The ground for unity is identified in 4:4-6.
    4. Our Lord, the Spirit, our baptism are all one in a scriptural New Testament church.
    5. Jesus supervises His church by His servants, first apostles and prophets.   The with the completed word the church has evangelists, pastors and teachers in order to minister and edify the church.   These ministers are gifts for unity.
    6. The result of a well supervised church is growth of unity ( 4:16 ).
      1. Maturity – truth joined with love.
      2. Stability – cooperation and growth.
    7. The Supervisor wants His churches to be well ordered and holy.   We must put off our grave clothes and put on our resurrection robes.
    8. The Holy Spirit is grieved in the sealed saints if he tolerates:   dishonesty, theft, bitterness, sinful anger, filthy talk, malice.
      1. A grieved Spirit cannot comfort unless the careless Christian repents.
      2. Kill time and it will kill you!   Every golden hour is studded with 60 diamond minutes.   We should use opportunities wisely.

  6. The practical walk is in keeping with a Christian walking carefully/ circumspectly, Spirit-filled, who can hold a spiritual tune of thanksgiving (Chapter 5:1-18).

  7. The Spouse of the Church (Chapter 5:20-33)
    1. Submission is the key to happiness.
    2. Wives learn this in marriage.
    3. Husbands learn submission by submitting to God while loving their wives with Christ-like love.
    4. This relationship ideally represents Christ and His church.
      1. A love that gives unto death.
      2. A love that cleanses, improves, sets apart.
      3. A love that honors and rewards.
      4. A love that nurtures and values highly enough to leave home.
    5. Who can resist this divine love.   This is why true churches will submit and reverence Jesus Christ.

  8. The Statesman of the Church (Chapter 6:1-24).
    1. We saw the wealth, the walk-now, the war of the church.
    2. Strong churches are built with strong homes and saints with high character.
    3. Our infernal enemy is Satan; running from him is like running from a lion.
    4. The whole armor must be faithfully worn, else the battle will be fatal.
    5. Standing is winning – to resist is to win.
      1. Truthful loins – dishonesty cannot hold the sword of the Spirit.
      2. Breastplate of Righteousness – sinful living exposes the heart.
      3. Feet shod with Gospel – naked feet do not travel far.
      4. Shield of Faith – people who doubt are easy prey.
      5. Helmet of Salvation – lost sinners are fatally exposed.
      6. Sword of Spirit – useless if kept in the sheath – NIV is a butter knife, stay with the KJV.
      7. Prayer – daily and religiously – leg guards not needed when soldier is on his knees.
    6. Our Lord leads His church into glorious battle, and like an eloquent statesman, He exhorts us to fight a good fight!

      7. Sound, sound the clarions, fill the fife
      Let all the trembling world prevail
      There is more glory in one hour of strife
      Than in an age without a name.

    7. Fightings without, fear within, it is a great War to be engaged in.   Like Saddam Hussein, Satan and his desert devils do not stand a chance!
    8. Many modern translations leave out the word sincerity – I wonder why?

  9. Conclusion:   The Christian is like a scuba diver.   We are in a strange environment that is harmful to our spiritual lives.   Like the scuba diver, we need to wear special equipment in order to be useful to God.
    1. The best way to serve Jesus Christ is through His kind of church!
    2. In this age of apathetic and effeminate Christianity, we need to get back to militant Christianity and never be freelance soldiers!!

Lift up your heads, ye gates of brass
The bars of iron yield
Let the King of Glory pass
The cross is in the field
Lead on, O King Eternal
Henceforth in fields of conquest
Thy tents shall be our home
My Soul, be on thy guard
Ten thousand souls arise
Fight on, my soul, ‘til death
Shall bring thee to thy God
Sure I must fight if I would reign
Increase my courage, Lord;
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain
Supported by Thy Word.

And when the battle is over
All hail the power of Jesus’ name
Let angels prostrate faill!
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all!