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The Light
Dr David Wood
LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
The Book of Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul while in
a Roman prison, probably between 60 and 62 A.D... This would be almost
thirty years after the ascension of Christ. The first two verses read as
follows;
Ephesians 1:1-2 (KJV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints
which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul identifies himself immediately as an apostle of Jesus
Christ by the will of God. Now Paul, formerly known as Saul is an unlikely
candidate to be an apostle. In Acts 7:58 – Acts 8:1, we see Stephen being
stoned and “the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose
name was Saul.” It goes on in Acts 8:1 to say that “Saul was consenting unto
his death.” Acts 6:8 describes Stephen as a man full of faith and power.
Acts 6:8 (KJV)
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and
miracles among the people.
When Stephen was stoned but before he died, he demonstrated
that he was truly in the image of his Savior Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus on the
cross forgave those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34) so did Stephen saying, “Lord,
lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep
(Acts 7:60).”
Saul (Paul) is determined to wipe out the Church of Jesus
Christ.
Acts 9:1-2 (KJV)
1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the
disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if
he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them
bound unto Jerusalem.
However, God had a much better plan! That same loathing he
had for the Church would be turned to tremendous love for the Church and for
Jesus. He was about to become the apostle to the gentiles, you and me.
On his way to Damascus Paul has an encounter with Jesus.
Your encounter with Jesus may not have been as dramatic as Paul’s in the
physical aspects but no less important and no less dramatic in the spiritual
realm. We were all enemies of God in our own ways.
Romans 5:10 (KJV)
10
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,
much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
You are no less precious to the Father than the apostle
Paul. We are all equally precious to the Father for we are all bought with the
precious blood of Jesus. We are all part of the body, no part less or more
important than another but all with different functions. We are all equally
necessary to the healthy function of the body of Christ.
Acts 10:34 (KJV)
34
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I
perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Paul was quick to repent and accept his calling to the body
of Christ.
Acts 9:3-6 (KJV)
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there
shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said,
I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for
thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me
to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise,
and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
You can see here that Jesus takes it very personal when
someone persecutes the Church. Jesus did not say way are you persecuting my
people, why did you stone Stephen, He said “why persecutest thou me?”
Paul immediately gets about the business of the Father to
the amazement of the Church.
Acts 9:21-22 (KJV)
21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this
he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither
for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews
which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
And soon the shoe is on the other foot. It is not Paul
(formerly Saul) who is persecuting but he is now the persecuted.
Acts 9:23 (KJV)
23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to
kill him:
Jesus said they hated me they will also hate you.
John 15:18-19 (KJV)
18 If the world
hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of
the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
You too may have been, at least in the eyes of those around
us, an unlikely candidate for the Kingdom of God but praise God we are precious
to Him, the Father. The enemy, Satan, will come and tell you that you are
nothing and so on but do not believe anything he says for he is a liar and the
father of lies. You are a son of the Most High God, bought at a great price, so
stand up and confess, I am a son of God!
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