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Sermon preached on Ephesians 1:1-2 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 09/28/2025 in Petaluma, CA.
Sermon Manuscript
Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
Today we begin a new sermon series through Ephesus. It was one of Paul’s prison letters, likely written during his house arrest in Rome recorded at the end of Acts. There are many wonderful things we’ll receive as we work through this letter over the coming months. Ephesians will clearly herald the gospel of salvation that we are saved by God’s grace received through faith in Jesus Christ. It will tell us of all the benefits we have by being united to Christ. It will also delve into the some of the mysteries of God’s eternal plans, which gives us comfort amidst current hardships. Ephesians will convey to us the unity we Christians have together in the church, which encourages us when we remember how different we now are from the unbelieving world. It will teach us about the spiritual warfare that is going on and give us glimpses of how heavenly realities are related to earthly matters. That’s a message needed in a modern world that wants to deny the spiritual. Ephesians will call us to live holy lives even amidst our increasingly pagan culture. It gives instructions on households and authority structures that can be counter-cultural today but still God’s wisdom to live by. Ephesians declares to us of that victory we already and not yet have, so we can set our heart on the age to come while still living with a triumphant faith here and now. This, and more, we will receive in this epistle.
Yet, you will have to be patient, because today, by way of introduction, I want us to primarily focus on the opening two verses. These verses can be easily overlooked. Many of Paul’s letters open in a similar way. Even the salutation listed in verse 2 is what I usually use at the start of our services. Yet, that is why there is value in slowing down and thinking about these opening verses. We don’t want these to be rote. In these two familiar verses, we will be reminded of the work of the church and our place in it. We’ll see God’s work in and through us as we bear witness to Christ as the world’s only hope.
Let us begin in our first point to consider the biographical details of verse 1. This letter is written by Paul. As verse 1 says, this is Paul the Apostle. I like to distinguish between upper-case “A” Apostles and lower-case “a” apostles. What I mean is that there are clearly the Twelve Apostles hand-selected by Jesus to be eyewitnesses to his ministry and resurrection. That group of Twelve represented Jesus’ authorized witness to the nation of Israel. That group was foundational and they were not replaced by later people when they started to die off. Those Twelve are what I call the upper-case “A” Apostles, these foundational witnesses. Remember all the ways they were portrayed in the visions we recently studied in Revelation. In contrast, the New Testament refers to several others as what I would call lower-case “a” apostles. The word “apostle” is the common word for someone sent on behalf of another, like a messenger. 1 Corinthians 15 makes this distinction, distinguishing between the Twelve and the other apostles. From what we see in the New Testament, these lower-case “a” apostles are really just missionaries. In order to reduce confusion, in English we generally reserve the word “apostle” for the official foundational office of Apostle and instead use words like missionary or church planter to talk about the more ordinary and ongoing roles.
Interestingly, Paul stands as unique in this. He was not one of the Twelve, but he was more than just your ordinary missionary. He seems to be another upper-case “A” Apostle, yet as Paul says, he is the least of the Apostles and one untimely born (1 Cor 15). His miraculous conversion on the road to Damascus marked his special authoritative calling from Jesus himself and qualified him to be an eyewitness to the risen Lord. Galatians 1-2 explains that Paul’s mission was similar to the Twelve except that he had been sent to the Gentiles versus Israel. We are not surprised then to have received so many of his writings to be a part of our New Testament Scriptures. Like the Twelve, then, his office is also foundational, meaning there are no more such capital “A” Apostles to come. Indeed, Ephesians will mention in chapter 2 that such “Apostles” served a foundational role, with Christ as the chief cornerstone. We, the church, continue to build on that foundation.
Verse 1 further explains that Paul’s Apostleship is because of God’s will. It was part of God’s eternal plan for him to serve in this foundational role. No one is to presume a special office in the church. It is ultimately something determined by God. Paul was an apostle by God’s will. That means God had a reason for him to serve in this role.
Specifically at this moment, as he wrote Ephesians, some of God’s will is made clear to us down in verses 9-10. Look there with me. Arguably, these verses summarize the whole epistle of Ephesians. Paul there speaks of God “making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Notice how verse 1 said that it was God’s will for him to be an Apostle of Christ. Then verses 9-10 speak of how God’s will has been made known by setting it forth in Christ. That revelation is about how God had a plan to unite all things in heaven and earth under the headship of Christ Jesus. That glorious plan of the ages is what God has willed for Paul to declare.
Isn’t that amazing? Yet, Paul is no longer with us, and we don’t get any more Apostles. So how will this gospel message continue to be declared? Well, that’s my application here for this first point. We continue the work. It’s God’s will for the church to continue to spread the message. It’s why in the Creed we confess that the church is Apostolic. We are now the authorized messengers sent to the world to bear witness to God’s plan of redemption in Christ. Even this letter sent by Paul was delivered through his co-worker named Tychicus as we’ll see at the end of the letter. That’s our job now, to continue the delivery of these authorized messages.
Let us turn now in our second point to consider the recipients of this letter by Paul. Verse 1 says it is addressed to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus. (Ephesus was a prominent city in Asia Minor. Paul spent a considerable amount of time ministering there.) While specifically addressed to the Ephesians, it’s been often considered as a circular letter, one that was intended to be circulated around for edifying other area churches too. That means this description of the Ephesians being both saints and faithful should describe all genuine Christians. These are significant, but common, descriptions of Christians. That means these terms could also become rote, so let’s use this opportunity to recognize what they say about the Christian.
Start with “saint.” The word for saint literally means “holy one”. It describes someone who has been set apart, consecrated by God by the Holy Spirit. Because of the way the Roman Catholics have so-called canonized certain people as “saints”, calling for their veneration, this term is often misunderstood. But while the Bible certainly presents certain heroes of the faith, flawed and fallible as they are, yet the term “saint” is a universal term common to every Christian. If you are in Christ’s church, the title of saint belongs to you.
But of course, it’s not the title that’s important. It’s what it signifies. A Christian is a saint, a holy one, in three senses. One, we are a saint in that we are already, positionally, set apart as God’s forgiven people and members of his church, as those whom the Holy Spirit has united to Christ through faith. Two, we are a saint in that God is making us more holy in terms of our soul and conduct, as the Holy Spirit renews us after the image of God. Three, we are a saint in that God will one day complete his sanctification of us, so that we will be perfected in holiness, no longer having any spot of sin, nor will we ever fall into sin again. How good it is to be a saint!
So then, let’s also consider how the true Christian is rightly described as faithful. A faithful Christian is one who has faith in Jesus and rests on Him alone for salvation and life. A faithful Christian is one who perseveres in the faith, continuing to cling to Christ even through trials. A faithful Christian is also one who seeks to live in a manner worthy of his calling, striving after holiness. To be sure, in this life we will not be a perfect picture of faithfulness. We may wrestle with doubts. At times we might even backslide. We will struggle with sin even as we look to live for the Lord. Yet, though the Christian is not perfect in this life, he will not be finally overcome by sin. The Holy Spirit will supply the needed grace, preserving him in Christ and bringing to completion the good work begun in him.
So then, this letter is written to us Christians, whom Scripture wonderfully describes as faithful saints. We are faithful saints who are still under construction, so to speak. But God gave us this letter to the Ephesians to help us in our spiritual growth. The letter accomplishes this with Paul’s most common structure, his indicative/imperative approach. The first half of the book, chapters 1-3, are about who we are in Christ. The second half of the book, chapters 4-6, are how about how to live in light of who we are in Christ. Christians need what is in this book that we would grow as such faithful saints.
Now, even though this is a letter directed to Christians, if you are here today and not a Christian, let me say this book has important, life-changing information for you. In this book, you will repeatedly hear the gospel. You will hear how we are under God’s wrath and curse because of our sin. But, you will also hear how God has provided grace and peace through Jesus Christ, for all who will repent of their sins and turn in faith to Jesus.
Let us now turn to our third point and consider the blessing given in verse 2. I referred to this as the salutation, which is basically a blessing or benediction given in the form of a greeting. That is the usage here as he opens the letter with the words of verse 2, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” We follow a similar practice in our worship services to open with a greeting of divine blessing.
This is fitting because we see that Paul says these words of blessing ultimately come not from him but from God and Christ Jesus. I too, when I deliver them, I am speaking this blessing on behalf of God. As an aside, you might notice that this benediction references both God the Father and Jesus, so two persons of the Trinity. You might ask why doesn’t the Holy Spirit get included? Well, I could point out that many of Paul’s benedictions only mention Jesus. Clearly, it is not necessary to mention all the persons of the Godhead in a benediction. Nonetheless, think about this. When talking about grace and peace coming from the Father and the Son, I would submit to you that the Holy Spirit is how such comes. The way grace and peace comes to us from the Father and the Son is always by the delivery of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, down in verse 13, the Holy Spirit is referenced and there he is described as sealing believers as the guarantee of our inheritance. Indeed, we have grace and peace from the Father and the Son through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Since we hear this salutation so much, let us pause to further consider the grace and the peace we receive. First, consider the grace. Grace is receiving something you don’t deserve. In fact, with all our sin, we’ve earned the opposite of the grace we receive in Jesus! In what sense do we Christians receive God’s grace? In a wholistic way, we can speak of receiving God’s grace in our union with Christ. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God from the Father, full of grace and truth. From the fullness of the divine Son, in our union with Christ, we receive grace upon grace. We receive such grace at our initial conversion, being born again by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. We also receive his grace in our justification. For us to be accounted righteous in God’s sight through the imputed righteousness of Christ is grace through and through. We also receive God’s grace in his adoption of us, that we fallen creatures get to sit at God’s table and have all the rights and privileges that come with being his children. We continue to receive grace throughout our Christian life in this world. As he sanctifies us, he feeds us grace through the Word and the Sacraments and ministers to our souls as we pray. That grace is working to restore his image in us. That grace is also preserving us, that we would be faithful to the end. Then, at that end, when we die and go to be with Jesus, or when Jesus returns at the end of this age, then His grace will complete the work in our hearts to perfect us. And when he clothes us with our resurrection bodies that will not suffer corruption, that will also be of his grace. So then, for the Christian, our new life from the start through eternity, is all dependent on the receipt of his saving grace.
Second, let us consider peace. Biblical peace is a rich concept, including not only absence of conflict, but wholeness of life, harmony, and well-being, both in our hearts and in all our relationships. Most importantly, we receive peace in our relationship with God. We had offended God in our sinful rebellion, but Jesus puts away God’s wrath so that we can be reconciled with him. For the Christian, we are fully at peace with God because of Christ. We are no longer under his wrath. We also receive peace from God with regards to our relationship with others, particularly Christians. There is a way, on paper, we are reconciled with every Christian, and his peace works to realize that in our ongoing relationships. Should we also find peace with non-Christians in the world, let us recognize that too is a blessing from God. And we can also think of how God gives peace to our souls. One way he has done that is to free our consciences from the burden of condemnation for our sin. As he continues to minister to our hearts as we wrestle with sin, we seek ongoing peace in such struggles. In the midst of the anxieties of life, our hearts pray for that peace that transcends understanding. And we know that in the age to come, we will finally enjoy complete and full peace in our hearts, with others, and with God as we dwell together with him in glory. So like with grace, we can think of the peace that he has already given, is currently giving, and will yet give. Like grace, the Christian yearns for the growing peace that comes from a life hid with Christ.
Let me further note that Paul doesn’t just give lip service about this grace and peace. Rather, these are significant items that Paul goes on to teach about in this epistle. Regarding grace, we will see in chapter 1 a grand explanation of the redemption that we have in Jesus and he will say that it is due to the riches of God’s grace which it results in the praise of his grace. In chapter 2, Paul will further delve into explaining how this grace has worked our salvation, contrasting with how we are not saved by personal works. In chapter 3, Paul will describe his own ministry as a steward of God’s grace and that he’s been gifted for such ministry by God’s grace. In chapter 4, Paul will talk about the grace each of us receive in terms of spiritual gifts given to build up the body of Christ. In terms of peace, chapter 2 declares that Christ is our peace, preaching peace to all, near and far. He explains that in Christ we find peace together with all saved humans as one united body of peace. More than that, he explains that together we find peace with God, being reconciled with him. In chapter 4, Paul commands us to eagerly guard our unity in this bond of peace that we have in Jesus. In chapter 6, he describes the gospel we preach as the good news of peace. The epistle closes at the end with another benediction that bestows again grace and peace upon us. Grace and peace is not some mere slogan or a casual greeting uttered without thought. Grace and peace is at the heart of our Christianity, the very soul of our salvation. This Paul speaks unto us.
Trinity Presbyterian Church, I hope this sermon has welcomed you into studying the epistle of Ephesians. My prayer for this study is that we will indeed grow in this grace and peace. God has ordained this grace and peace for you. Jesus won this grace and peace for you. The Holy Spirit brings this grace and peace to you. May you come eagerly each week to receive this grace and peace. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Copyright © 2025 Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
All Rights Reserved.
