Ephesians 1:15–23

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

¹⁵For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, ¹⁶I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ¹⁸having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might ²⁰that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²²And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

The words of our text were written by St. Paul to the church of Ephesus. At the time the Apostle Paul was visiting there on his third missionary journey, Ephesus was the second most important and populous city in the Roman Empire, second only to Rome itself, and was the capital of Asia Minor, located on the west coast of what is today the country of Turkey.

Moreover, it was one of the wealthiest cities in the Roman Empire. It was both the seat of government where the proconsul of Asia Minor ruled and also a major center of commerce. The amphitheater held 25,000 people. One of its principle industries was the fabrication of silver products, including idols of the goddess Artemis, also known as Diana, one of the principal deities of the ancient world.

For more than two years, Paul lived and labored in Ephesus. There he salvaged a misguided pseudo-Christian sect, drew a huge following to his healing miracles, brought magicians of the occult to repentance; apparently, Paul was winning the city for the Gospel (Acts 19:20). So successful was he, in fact, that he awakened the wrath of Artemis—or at least of her followers, the silversmiths of Ephesus who made their riches selling statues of this pagan goddess. All right, Artemis was nothing to fear, but the people of Ephesus sure thought she was. Her temple in Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. In addition to being the goddess of the moon and the hunt, she was believed to send plague and death among men and animals. Sudden deaths, especially those of women, were thought to be the effect of her arrows. Her "reign" inspired fear! And truly to be feared were her followers! But from the influence of Paul in their city, the sales of silver idols declined and the businessmen feared there would a complete collapse of the economy of Ephesus.

A riot broke out (Acts 19:23–34). A silversmith named Demetrius gathered together with other silversmiths and craftsmen of similar trades and said, "Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. There is danger that not only this trade of ours come into disrepute also the temple of Artemis may be counted as nothing." When the people heard this they were enraged and the city was filled with confusion and the rushed into the amphitheater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's companions. The other believers had to restrain Paul from going to the amphitheater himself out of fear for his life.

Suddenly, the fledgling Christian Church, seemed tiny and helpless. Throughout history the Body of Christ appears frail and weak against the powers of the world. The congregation in Ephesus was outmatched in many ways by the cult of Artemis.

The hearts of the city were still pagan (19:35). The hearts of our cities today are still pagan. Though the cult of Artemis is long gone, the fear she inspired is alive and well in the world today. The fear of terrorism, recession, racism, illness, an angry boss, even of God are still with us in our world today. Society fears the message of Christ today just as much as the Ephesians feared it. Just think of the economic ruin it would bring if the entire abortion industry had to close their doors. Just think of how many people would lose their fortunes if no one bought illicit drugs, if pornography and prostitution came to an end. People are afraid that they would lose their freedoms if suddenly sexual perversion, abortions, same-sex marriage we made illegal.

We live in a godless society. On account of our sin, God has sent us out of his kingdom of light and we live in world of darkness, governed by sin, death and the devil. Our lives are lived under the dominion of sin and death and the power of Satan, because we have been cast out away from God and his holiness.

Therefore, society is in an uproar against the church today, and the Church today is no less vulnerable than the Early Church in the face of fear and tyranny. These negative attitudes of society are causing shrinking numbers of people in church. It is causing rising opposition in government and society.

Paul prays for the tiny congregation in Ephesus, that, having the eyes of their hearts enlightened, they may have a spirit of wisdom and revelation, knowing the hope to which they have been called and the riches of God's glorious inheritance in the saints, the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might. Christ died to pay for our sin, YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN!, and by his resurrection he has freed us from the power of sin, death, and the devil. By his resurrection he has given us life, so that in the midst of the suffering and darkness of our world, we have hope and joy. Because of Christ's death on the cross and glorious resurrection, Paul can pray this bold prayer with confidence, knowing it is answered in the risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ.

So take heart; In a World of sin, your sins are forgiven. In a world of death, there is coming the triumphant resurrection and eternal life. In a world of fear, the Church Is Sustained by the Ascended Lord, Who Fills All in All. Today Christ sits on the throne in heaven to rule all things. God the Father has seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, and has put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him.

Regardless of the wrath of society, the strength of the government, the hatred of the world around us, the Body of Christ stands strong against the powers of the world. Christ has died and Christ is risen, conquering all that brings fear to his Church (v 20).

The worst enemy—death—proved helpless. Christ rose from the dead. That means it can't hurt us either. Christ rules from far above all rule and authority, not only in the age to come, but in this age (v 21). Picture anything, anyone, you fear. Terrorism, persecution, declining membership in the churches, hatred of friends and family. Christ wields all the power of heaven over it. And though he is ascended to his Father in heave, he is still with us. Right here tonight, In Word and Sacrament, he is present with us, his Church, to fill it with himself and his victory (vv 22–23).

In Christ we are mighty! In Christ we rule! In Christ we are victorious! For he has given us the victory. Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8). That's evident in simple Word, water, wine!

Paul's ministry in Ephesus came to an abrupt halt as he and his companions were more or less chased out of town. But the Church there survived and flourished, sustained not by Paul but by the ascended Lord, the Head of the Body. That same Lord sustains the Church, his Body, yet today. He fills it with himself as it lives here on earth and promises that where the Head is, there the Body will be also. Amen.