Sermon 6 Jesus is not Sitting at the Kiddy Table part 2

 

 

Jesus is not Sitting at the Kiddy Table

Part 2

Ephesians Sermon 6

 

Ephesians 1:20–23 (CSB)

20 He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—21 far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given,, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he subjected everything under his feet, and appointed him as head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Introduction. Jesus is the Greatest.

  1. We live in a world full of options.
  2. There are over 1,000 brands of cereal in the world.
  3. There are 4067 coffee companies in the United States in 2022.
  4. One store in Washington state has 114 brands of root beer in the same place.
  5. There are more than 37 million YOUTUBE channels, and more being added.
  6. There are 3,000 brands of mustard in the world.
  7. We live in a world full of options, and most are unnecessary.
  8. We live in a world that wants options for their worship as well.
  9. There have always been options for worship.
  10. Each religion and each civilization had their own pantheon of gods.
  11. In fact, what makes Judaism, Islam, and Christianity so unique and different was they were the first religions who proclaimed there is only ONE GOD.
  12. In our desire to announce that there is only ONE GOD, we have also denied the existence of other spiritual influences.
  13. There is only ONE GOD, who is above all.
  14. But that does not mean there are not other spiritual influences that oppose the One true God.
  15. The Apostle Paul, and the believers in Ephesus, understood this.
  16. The Ephesians confronted the reality of other spiritual powers every single day.
  17. That is why Paul’s words here are so important.

 

1. Paul reminds the Ephesian believers that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father.

  1. Because all power belongs to Jesus, and because He conquered death, He is elevated to the right hand of the father.
  2. This was not a new position for Jesus.
  3. Jesus is not created.
  4. He is eternal, with no beginning or end.
  5. Jesus was not a new god, elevated to a new position.
  6. Before the world began, Jesus was sitting at the right hand of the Father.
  7. Sorry LEFITES: The right hand is the position of power, authority, and privilege.
  8. This was Jesus’ original seat in eternity.
  9. But when Jesus submitted Himself, and came to Earth as a baby, and put on human flesh, He temporarily gave up that seat.
  10. But when the Father, through the Spirit, raised Christ from the grave, and Jesus ascended to heaven, He took over his seat.
  11. And now, He is seated far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given.
  12. The ancients understood something that we miss:
  13. There are real, spiritual influences in this world.
  14. Every civilization and every culture has manifested these real influences in some way or form.
  15. In Ephesus, they worshipped the Emperor, which gave them Roman privilege.
  16. They also worshipped Artemis which gave them sexual pleasure and promised fertility.
  17. Today, the activity of principalities, powers, and the supernatural is just as real.
  18. Have you ever wondered why every culture has a fascination with the supernatural, paranormal, and the occult?
  19. It isn’t limited to the continent of Africa or majority world countries, but even here in America we are fascinated and affected by these powers in heavenly places.
  20. I profess I do not fully understand how these principalities and powers work.
  21. But I know that when you visit certain cities or communities, you can feel the darkness.
  22. I’ve walked into homes here in Licking and I just knew that there were ungodly things happening that I couldn’t see.
  23. To deny the reality of principalities, powers,          dominions and authorities is to deny Jesus his rightful                               place above and over these things.
  24. The reality is, we have a lot of options to choose from.
  25. Test me in this: Just pay attention to the entertainment and focus upon this month here in the US, and you will see a great interest in the supernatural.
  26. Furthermore, where do you think the ideas for mass-murder come from?
  27. The same spiritual forces that we read about in the Bible are still active today.
  28. And they will be until Jesus returns.
  29. My question for you and I: is Jesus in the rightful place in your life?
  30. This is a consistent and constant battle for me.
  31. Too often, we play a spiritual game like the Elf on the Shelf.
  32. Every day, we put the Jesus Elf somewhere else in our lives and, on Sunday, we put him in the forefront for a couple of hours
  33. Then on Monday, we put him somewhere else, somewhere less conspicuous.

 

2. The Good News: Jesus is not sitting at the kiddy table.

22 And he subjected everything under his feet, and appointed him as head over everything for the church,

  1. Everything is Subjected under his feet.
  2. This phrase is bold ink in most translations.
  3. The bold means this is a direct quotation from the OLD Testament.
  4. Psalms 8:6 and Psalm 110:1.

Psalm 8:5-6

5 You made him little less than God,

and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;

you put everything under his feet:

Psalm 110:1 (CSB)

1 This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord:

“Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies your footstool.”

  1. The picture here is of the ancient practice of stepping on a defeated enemy.
  2. The books of Joshua and Isaiah describe times when the vanquished foe would be brought before the leaders.
  3. The victor would either step on the neck of the enemy, or…
  4. They would cause the enemy to lie down and walk from one point to the next on top of their bodies.
  5. The Psalmists and the Apostle depict Jesus as both putting the enemy under His feet AND anticipating the enemy becoming his footstool.
  6. There is an element here that is “already, not yet”.
  7. The result is already: It’s done, and guaranteed and secure.
  8. Yet, there is still coming a day in the future when the enemy is completely, utterly defeated and cast out.
  9. So Jesus’ victory is already, and still yet to come.
  10. Let this be confirmed by these two passages:

Hebrews 2:5–9 (CSB)

JESUS AND HUMANITY

5 For he has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about. 6 But someone somewhere has testified:

What is man that you remember him,

or the son of man that you care for him?

7 You made him lower than the angels

for a short time;

you crowned him with glory and honor

8 and subjected everything under his feet.

For in subjecting everything to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him. 9 But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.

1 Corinthians 15:20–27 (CSB)

20 But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be abolished is death. 27 For God has put everything under his feet., Now when it says “everything” is put under him, it is obvious that he who puts everything under him is the exception.

 

  1. What does this mean?
  2. First, we have nothing to fear.
  3. It is very easy for us to give into fear because fear is the primary language of the enemy.
  4. Ladies and Gentlemen, do you not notice how consistent the message of fear is today?
  5. But we do not have to give into this message, because Jesus is victorious.
  6. Jesus has the victory, and we are partakers in that.
  7. Christ’s power guarantees victory, not ease.
  8. Second, when we forget who Jesus is, we forget who we are.
  9. I’ve covered much Scripture today.
  10. Perhaps this message has been less “practical” than usual.
  11. But what if we aren’t called to walk in the practical, but instead we are called to walk in the presence and power of Jesus?
  12. For the saints in Ephesus, the power and presence of Jesus was practical because, without it, they could not live or survive.

Notice22 And he subjected everything under his feet, and appointed him as head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

3. Jesus is the head over everything.

  1. Paul was adamant: Jesus is the head, we are not.
  2. Jesus is the boss, the leader, and the priority.
  3. Through Christ the church has everything it needs from God to be what it is called to be. Victory over these hostile forces will not only come one day; it is possible now, whatever they throw the church’s way, provided the church draws on the enablement Christ gives.[1]
  4. The way for us to live in this victory is by remembering that Jesus is the head, not the tail or feet.
  5. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
  6. Paul says that we all have parts in the body, but we are never the head.
  7. When we forget that, we get in trouble.
  8. “When your feet are over your head, something has gone wrong.”
  9. The way for you and I to live in victory, and to experience this victory in our world, is by keeping Jesus in the rightful place.

4. There are a lot of names vying for our attention.

  1. Daily, you and I must decide whose name we are going to worship.
  2. There are still various voices, calling for our allegiance.
  3. It may not be an Emperor or a goddess, but there are still lesser gods crying for our attention.
  4. That which has our attention has our worship.
  5. But there is only one King, and One Lord, and in Him we find fullness and joy, peace and provision.
  6. This morning, I know many of us find ourselves in storms.
  7. Storms at work and at home.
  8. Storms attacking our bodies and our families.
  9. All of these storms have two voices:
  10. One voice calls us to focus on our self or on our problem.
  11. The other voice calls us to Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father, the Head of the Church, systematically making his enemies footstools of His glory.

Close. Jesus receives the Glory either way.

  1. Both the victorious overcomer and the defeated enemy bring God glory.
  2. The overcomer brings God glory as a demonstration of Christ’s power to save, redeem, strengthen and restore.
  3. The defeated bring God glory as a demonstration of Christ’s power over all forces that oppose Him.
  4. To the one who overcomes, Jesus gives eternal life.
  5. The defeated are made the footstool of the conquering Christ.
  6. Today, as I look around this room, I see testimonies of God’s power to save, change and transform.
  7. Today, is a great time to respond through prayer.
  8. A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned the benefit of coming to the front for prayer.
  9. By coming to the front, we express our belief in Jesus and we express our love and need for the saints.
  10. In just a moment, I’m going to ask any who will to come to the front for a few moments to pray and to be prayed for.

 

[1] Bock, Darrell L. 2019. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by Eckhard J. Schnabel. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. London: Inter-Varsity Press.

 

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