“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands…’ And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.'”
Revelation 2:1; 3:14
The letters in Revelation are a direct message from the Lord Jesus to His Church. In fact, they are part of the final completion of God’s written Word for His people that started with Moses and the Torah. This Sunday (3/9/25) we are going to take a brief aside from the book of Revelation to the middle of Ephesians 4.
The whole New Testament is a letter from Jesus to the Church. But Ephesians fits especially well with the seven letters of Revelation because it was a circular letter, not just sent to the church in Ephesus, but meant to be shared with all of the churches in Asia (the addressees of the seven letters).
Here is some context for the whole letter.
“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.”
Ephesians 1:9-10
This is a further explanation of the mystery of the gospel, applied specifically to the unity of the church. In other words, the good news of Jesus and His kingdom was not just for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles. In fact, the victorious work of King Jesus is uniting “all things in him.” How is Jesus doing this?
“And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”
Ephesians 1:22-23
Take in this incredible truth: God’s plan for filling the world with His glory and love is the church. The body of Christ is designed and intended to “fill all in all.” Of course, this fits perfectly with John 15. Israel was always intended to be a fruitful vineyard for the Lord (Isaiah 5:7). What is a vineyard for but to produce grapes that can be used for wine to unite people in joyful celebration? (Have you ever wondered why Jesus’ first miracle was providing wine for a wedding feast, John 2?)
Of course, Israel failed miserably at this assignment to bring blessing to the whole world. But Jesus came as the true son of Israel and the true Davidic King to finally turn the people of God into the fruitful vineyard God had always desired. We are “his workmanship” or his masterpiece. Jews and Gentiles finally and fully united in Christ!
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:19-22
So we are not just a vineyard, we are a temple-vineyard being built together in the Lord for His global glory; indeed for His cosmic glory!
“And to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 3:9-10
Then, as we prayerfully experience the life-changing, world-transforming love of King Jesus…
“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.”
Ephesians 3:19-21
The fullness of God in us… for what purpose? The mind-blowing, heart-filling gospel truth of Ephesians 1-3 brings us to the church-empowering application of chapter 4.
“He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
Ephesians 4:10-16
Jesus is actively working to fill all things with His glory and love. The means by which Jesus is doing this is us, His church. Within the church, Jesus has given different kinds of leaders (apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers) “to equip the saints for the work of ministry.” The plan is not for leaders to do the work of ministry but rather to equip all believers to do the work for which God has uniquely created them (Eph. 2:10).
The key to participating in this work is John 15 abiding in Christ. As we grow up into mature manhood, pursuing “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” we are strengthened to stand firm in the turbulence of this world. And as we stand firm together “speaking the truth in love” we are able to advance as a unified body, doing the work of Jesus in His power.
The result?
“For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.”
Isaiah 61:11