Rooted in Love
Church Identity - letter to Ephesus • Sermon • Submitted
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As we focus on the key verse Eph 3:17 , let us look at this series about the Church identity in this letter to the Church of Ephesus. Our church identity we talked about two weeks ago as in the Identity in Grace. Last week we continued the second part as the Spiritual Citizenship that we have in Christ; the unity of the church through Jesus.
Today we will look at the third topic about the Church’s identity - Being “Rooted in Love”.
Love
Not the “love of the world”
Not a Love that is separated from Judgement or consequence (or fake tolerance)
this Love has unified us through Christ, a holy love that once foreign to us, now is known by the new life grown in us by his Holy Spirit, born after prevenient grace, repentance, and forgiveness.
Please stand for the reading:
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
When I looked at this series, I had early ideas of what I usually would expect to end on something more obvious like Ephesians 6 and the armor of God.
To talk about walking in wisdom (Eph 5:15-6:9 )
About the love that is to be in the home of the married, as bondservants of Christ (Eph 5:22-33 )
Or about how children that love like Jesus obey their parents honorably (Eph 6:1-4 )
However, in these times with the constant misinformation about love and the church- I find this a fair exposition to discuss in conclusion on our identity in the Church.
Love does not fear - Eph 3:14-19
Love does not fear - Eph 3:14-19
There is much that it seems to be built on fear. Being Rooted in Love, means we do not live by fear. Sure, fear can approach us from time to time, but we are no longer under it’s power. We can choose to follow Christ and subject our fears to Him.
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.
With much in the world attempting to influence the Church towards fear, we must remember our identity as a Church in Christ. That we no longer must fear because of His love he has shown us, that he laid down his life for us.
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Paul when writing this letter, was a prisoner for his faith - heading to Rome for his charge of social dissension for what he believed.
There may be a time coming that your faith may be similarly tested
This compounds the calling of Paul towards the church… Eph 4:1-6
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
This is the Unity we have, the ...
Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace
Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
We are to be rooted in Love, because he first loved us. I didn’t think I could get a fair analogy for being “rooted”, because it roots make me think of trees. And you know if humans were trees, how deep the roots would be? Two feet.
But being rooted in Love is more about understanding that Paul’s exhortation is for us to be grounded in it, to be strengthened by it “to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. “ (Eph 3:18b-19 )
Our Church Identity is to identify in his Grace, to have Spiritual Citizenship and belong to Him, being Rooted in Love because of His sacrifice for our sin. Let us respond to that love and be rooted in Love for Him…and for each other.