Men who Suffered for the Truth Martin Luther Sunday Evening: 6 PM Men who Suffered for the Truth

The Purpose of the Church Ephesians 3 Church Membership The Purpose of the Church Ephesians 3

Membership. The Church: Distinct in Nature (What) Distinct in Composition (Who) Distinct in Purpose (Why)

The Purpose of the Church Ephesians 3:21 to Him be glory in the church

The Ventriloquist

Why is the Church’s purpose important? I am an inseparable part of the One New Man, and my purpose is the same as every other Christian – to bring God glory

God’s Glory Show Who are the audience? What do they see?

1. Who are the audience? Ephesians 3:8-11

1. Who are the audience? Ephesians 3:8-11 (10) His intent was that now the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, (11) according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1. Who are the audience? Colossians 2:13-15 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

1. Who are the audience? What are the audience seeing in you? (12) In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

2. What do they see? Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in you hearts through faith. …

2. What do they see? Ephesians 3:14-19 … And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long, and deep and high is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

2. What do they see? Characteristics of the One New Man

2. What do they see? Characteristics of the One New Man (16) that… he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in the inner being

2. What do they see? Characteristics of the One New Man (16) that… he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in the inner being A Spirit-filled believer displaying God’s power in their lives

2. What do they see? Characteristics of the One New Man (17) that Christ may dwell in your hearts

2. What do they see? Characteristics of the One New Man (18) that you … may have power … to grasp how … deep and high is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge

2. What do they see? Characteristics of the One New Man (19) that you may be filled to … the fullness of God

2. What do they see? “Are the Heavenly powers and authorities captivated by my performance?”

2. What do they see? “Are the Heavenly powers and authorities captivated by my performance?” “…through the working of His power, though I am less than the least of all God’s people” (7)

2. What do they see? The Great Mystery! Christ in you (Col 1:27) Ephesians 1:20-21 now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever, Amen.