High-Stepping in Heavenly Places

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Lesson One

We are rich. In Christ, we are rich! The book of Ephesians revels to us as believers the rich
storehouse of treasures that are ours in Christ Jesus.

I. The Author of the Book of Ephesians-Ephesians 1:1

We are first introduced to Saul (Act. 7:54-8:1) at the stoning of Stephen, whose crime was
preaching the gospel of Christ. The Bible says Saul was in hearty agreement with them
concerning Stephen’s death, and he began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and
dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. (Acts 8:3). However, Saul had an
encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 9) on the Damascus Road and nothing was ever the
same, including his name. Shortly after his conversion, he became known as Paul.

Some scholars maintain that Paul always had both names. Saul is a Hebrew name and Paul a
Greek name. Double names were a custom among Jews living in a Greek culture. Others believe
Saul was given the name Paul after his conversion experience.

The church at Ephesus was probably founded near the end of Paul’s second missionary journey.
The church was greatly expanded during his three-year stay in Ephesus, while Paul was on his
third missionary journey. Paul wrote Ephesians in A.D. 62 during his first Roman imprisonment
(A.D. 61-63).

In Paul’s day, Ephesus was the largest and wealthiest city of Asia Minor. Centrally located on the
eastern coast of Asia Minor, Ephesus was positioned midway between two continents. Here
sensual oriental religion blended with the lofty and progressive Greek culture. Throngs of
governmental officials, Roman soldiers, and Jewish businessmen mingled with Eastern pilgrims
flocking to worship at the notorious temple of Diana. Considered one of the seven wonders of
the ancient world, the temple of Diana (sometimes called Artemis) lured idol worshippers from
every part of the Roman Empire to Ephesus. The decadent worship of Diana made Ephesus a
breeding ground for cults, superstitions, and magic. However, during Paul’s ministry in Ephesus
the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing (Acts 19:20). The spread of the gospel
became so great even the false worship of Diana was threatened, sending many artisans who
profited from the temple’s worshipper into a panic (Act. 19:24-27). Demetrius, a silversmith,
gathered the workers of similar trades and said, "Men, you know that our prosperity depends
upon this business. You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul
has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with
Ephesians Fall 2009
 High-Stepping in Heavenly Places
hands are no gods at all. Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but
also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all
of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence." So great was the
uprising Paul was forced out of the city by the angry mob.

Paul identifies himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. An apostle was one
commissioned directly by Christ to found, organize, and teach the church. The resurrected Lord
commissioned Paul. Paul said in Galatians 1:1 that he was not sent from men, nor through the
agency of man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead. In
Acts 9:15 the Lord said, “Paul is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the
Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel.”

II. The Aim of the Book of Ephesians-Ephesians 1:1

Paul wrote Ephesians to inform believers of the unfathomable riches that are ours in Christ Jesus.
We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Ephesians
teaches us that salvation is not just heaven in the future, but the riches of His fellowship, the
power of His might, and the joy of His Holy Spirit right now in the present. We are heirs of God
and fellow heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). His divine power has granted to us everything
pertaining to life and godliness through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own
glory and excellence (2 Peter 1:3). In all things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who
loved us (Rom. 8:37). We are redeemed from the marketplace of sin, ransomed by the shed blood
of Christ, reconciled with God, and raised to walk in newness of Christ. We are rich, beloved. In
Christ, we are rich.

III. The Audience of the Book of Ephesians-Ephesians 1:2

The letter is addressed to the saints who are at Ephesus. The letter was probably not addressed to
the church in Ephesus itself, but all the local churches in the area. By extension through the
power of the Holy Spirit, the Book of Ephesians is written to all believers.

The word saints means, “separated, set apart.” All believes are saints, called-out ones who have
been washed in the blood of the Lamb. We are separated from the world and separated unto God.
We have been chosen by the Father, saved by the Son, and indwelt by the Spirit. At the moment
of our conversion we were delivered from the domain of darkness, and transferred . . . to the
kingdom of (God’s) beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13-
14). This set-apart position in Christ demands a belief that behaves! And it makes us rich.

We are recipients of God’s abundant mercy and great love (Eph. 2:4). He has lavished His grace
and peace on us (Eph. 1:2). He has blessed us (Eph. 1:3). He has chosen us (Eph. 1:4). He has
adopted us as adult sons (Eph. 1:5). He has redeemed us, forgiven us, sealed us, empowered us,
seated us in the heavenly places, made us fellow citizens of heaven, placed us in God’s
household, revealed the mystery of Christ and His body - the church, equipped us, caused us to
grow up in all aspects unto Christ, given us a new heart, brought us out of darkness into light,
trained our hand to battle spiritual forces of darkness, clothed us with spiritual armor, heard our
prayers, and made us to stand!! I tell you, sisters, we are RICH. RICH in Jesus Christ!

Ephesians Fall 2009