Paul, an Apostle

Introduction to Ephesians and the Salutation

0:03 We begin this morning a study of the actual text of this letter, Paul's great letter to the church at Ephesus. We saw in our study of how this church came into being that the answer that is most basic to that question is simply this. A church was born at Ephesus because of the grace of God working in keeping with the eternal purpose of God. And no true church is ever established apart from that principle.

0:42 God's grace working in keeping with his own purpose. But since he is the God of means, we saw in our study that the grace of God worked by means to the purpose of God. The grace of the message of God coming through a true man of God, employing the methods of God. Now, this morning, we direct our attention to the letter itself, beginning with verses 1 and 2.

1:11 And I will not give you a broad overview, what we might call an outline of the book, until we start our study of the first paragraph, which forms the substance of the letter, beginning with verse... Verse 3.

1:26 But verses 1 and 2 are obviously an introduction, a salutation, and it comes to us in these words. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful brethren, or the faithful in Christ Jesus, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus. And I will not give you a broad overview, what we might call an outline of the book, beginning with verses 1 and 2. But verses 1 and 2 are obviously an introduction, a salutation, and it comes to us in these words.

2:06 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful brethren, or the faithful brethren, or the faithful brethren, or the faithful brethren, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus. In the original, is upon the word Lord. He is our Lord, identified as Jesus Christ of Nazareth. And so, the letter begins with this greeting from the apostle, and this pronouncement of blessing, and grace upon the people of God.

2:29 Now, the leading thoughts of verses 1 and 2 are very obvious. First of all, there is a focus upon the author of the letter. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God. Then we have a statement concerning the recipients of the letter.

2:49 To the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus, and thirdly, we have the formal salutation. Salutation of the letter, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. So, the author of the letter, Paul. The recipients of the letter, the saints at Ephesus.

3:11 The formal salutation, grace to you and peace. This morning, we shall only have time to consider the first of these three leading thoughts here in this introduction. Namely, the author of the letter. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God.

The Significance of Paul's Name: A Display of God's Grace

3:33 And as we think our way through what the Holy Spirit has given us here concerning the author, we shall look, first of all, at his name, and secondly, his office. The nature of that office, an apostle, the reason for assuming that office through the will of God. First of all, then, the author of this letter, his name. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, or Christ Jesus.

4:03 Suppose I reached into my pocket this morning, and pulled out of it a letter that looked like a bona fide, genuine piece of paper that came through the U.S. mails, at that slow rate that it comes these days especially. And I tore it open, and I opened it up, and the first words went like this.

4:27 Madeline Murray. Madeline Murray, a servant of Jesus Christ, to all my fellow believers in Christ, greetings. Or suppose I pulled out another letter and slid it open, and I began reading, and it went like this. Abby Hoffman, a servant of Jesus Christ, to all my fellow Christians.

4:51 Or, suppose I opened another letter and it said, Hugh Hefner, a servant of Jesus Christ. Hugh Hefner, a servant of Jesus Christ, to all my fellow believers in Christ. Now, if I read any one or all three of those letters, immediately you would conclude, I hope, two things. Number one, either I was spoofing, and these were fake letters, and somebody was trying to pull your leg and really stretch it out of shape, or, if I could substantiate the genuineness of the letter, and the honesty of the sentiments expressed, it ought to nail you to your pew, amazement at where the grace of God had touched the most unlikely.

5:37 May I suggest that that is precisely the effect that a letter coming from a man named Paul would have upon everyone who knew anything of what he was prior to God's grace visiting him in transforming power? If you don't believe that, just read Acts 9. Because when he came down to the church of Jerusalem and said, I'm one of you, they were scared to death. They said, not on your life.

6:07 We know who you are. You're one of those Christian killers. And until Barnabas could vouch for the genuineness of his Christian experience, they wanted nothing to do with it. And it's most significant that this epistle begins with a name, the very presence of which, attached to the name Jesus Christ, is calculated.

6:32 It's calculated to set forth the very theme of the letter, an opening up of the greatness of God's grace. And there's no word which summarizes that greatness more clearly than the word Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ. So here is the name of this man who, some years before, had been born in the city of Tarsus. Tarsus, a city which, lay on the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea, born of devout Jewish parents.

7:09 In fact, his father was a member of the strictest of the Jewish sects, a Pharisee. And, as every good Hebrew parent would do, they gave him a Hebrew name, Saul. But living in a Roman province, they also gave him a Roman name, Paul. And it was this man who, at age 30, which was, considered to be a young age, utterly outstripped all of his peers in his zeal for the propagation of the faith of his fathers.

7:45 Probably at the age of 13, he had been sent to Jerusalem and completed his studies under the famous teacher Gamaliel. And it was here that he not only became absorbed in the Old Testament scriptures, but in the rabbinical teaching of the scholars as well. As we indicated earlier, at his first appearance in the book of Acts, as a young man, he was already the acknowledged leader in Judaism. And his active opposition to Christianity marked him as the natural leader for the persecution that arose after the death of Stephen.

8:22 And the vehemence of his persecuting zeal is described in Acts 26, verses 10 and 11. And I just want to read these verses to remind you of what he, Acts 26, verses 10 and 11.

8:39 And this I also did in Jerusalem, and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests. And when they were put to death, I gave my vote against them. And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blasphemous, and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities. What strong language!

9:14 Exceeding mad! Consenting to their death! Persecuted them oftentimes! This man was filled with a blind rage to blot out the very name of this one whom he felt was an imposter, this Jesus of Nazareth.

9:31 Such he was! And in this frame of mind, at the full flower of his zeal as this fanatical Pharisee, he's on his way to Damascus with letters of authority from the high priest to carry out this same business described in Acts 26, 10 and 11, when God is pleased to reveal His dear Son to him and transform him from Paul, this raging opposer of the Church of Christ, to one who now delights to call himself Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ. And so his name is in reality a vivid declaration of the main theme of this book, for he says in 1 Corinthians 15, 9 and 10, I am what I am by the grace of God. Here is the living embodiment of all the teaching that's going to follow, particularly the teaching of the first lengthy sentence beginning with verse 3 and continuing down through verse 14, where you have this eulogy, this hymn of praise ascribed to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit for His display of grace.

10:58 This man, Paul, as he writes these things, he does not write them as a cold, calculating religious lecturer caught up with and infatuated by his own philosophical meanderings about God and man. No, no. Here's a man who every time he thinks that he is tenderly attached to Jesus Christ, cannot help but feel his heart beat with gratitude to the God of grace who arrested him and revealed his Son to him. The words of that hymn in our own hymn book are tremendous words and I would just pause here for a moment by way of application before we move on to his office. Hymn number 404. We sing the glorious conquest before Damascus gate. When Saul, the church's spoiler, came breathing threats and hate, the ravening wolf rushed forward full early to the prey.

12:04 But lo, the shepherd met him and bound him fast today. O glory most excelling that smote across his path! O light that pierced and blinded the zealot in his wrath! O voice that spake unto him the calm, reproving word!

12:27 O love that sought and held him, the bondman of the Lord! O wisdom ordering all things in order strong and sweet! What nobler spoil was ever cast at the victor's feet! What wiser master builder e'er wrought at thine employ than he, till now so furious thy building to destroy!

12:54 Lord, teach thy church the lesson, still in her darkest hour of weakness and of danger, to trust, thy hidden power, thy grace, thy ways mysterious, the wrath of man can bind, and in thy boldest foeman thy chosen saint can find. What's in a name? I say this name, which is the first word in the book of Ephesians, embodies the most marvelous human display of the grace of our God. And so, as God's people, may we be caused to enter into that eulogy which begins with verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, because the very one who pens this letter is perhaps the greatest display of sovereign mercy. And then may we be encouraged, as we are told in this fourth stanza, as we think of those who seem to be the least loved, to have their names affectionately attached to the name and people of Jesus Christ. That's why some of you snickered when I said, Madeline Murray, a servant of yours, said it's unlikely, couldn't be.

14:19 You have to, couldn't be. Ah, my friend, who says it couldn't be?

14:25 You have some word from God that grace would exhaust its power to reach unto them? What about those loved ones, those children of yours, Most unlikely, most unlikely that they shall ever affectionately identify their names with the name and people of Jesus Christ. Paul was most unlikely, and yet the letter begins with his name, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. So may the Lord encourage us, his people, by the very presence of that name.

The Office of an Apostle: Its Nature and Authority

15:02 Now we come secondly, and this is the core of our study this morning, to his office. For having announced who is the author of the letter, he immediately introduces us to the office from which he writes that letter. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the will of God. It's interesting to trace through the greetings of Paul, when he wishes to describe himself simply, as a Christian man, he uses the term bond-servant of Jesus Christ.

15:39 Philippians chapter 1. He addresses the Philippians as Paul the bond-servant. When he wishes to describe the condition he is in, as a Christian and an apostle, he uses the term a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Philemon 1.1 and down in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 1.

16:01 But most, often, when he introduces himself to those who would receive his letters, he does so, predominantly now, by underscoring the official office he bears, from which he then writes and exercises directive toward the churches. And so this term, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, is the most frequently used term in the introduction, in the introductory parts of his letters. Now, why does he do this? Well, for the simple reason that he wants the Ephesians to listen to the reading of this letter.

16:44 He wants the elders, or whatever other leaders, read the letter. He wants everyone who comes under the compass of the thoughts and words of this letter to recognize that they come with full and unqualified apostolic authority. He introduces himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus, saying, in essence, whatever you read in the following letter, remember you Ephesians, these are apostolic words. These are apostolic instructions.

17:20 These are apostolic directions and admonitions. Now, it's necessary, then, if we're to feel the weight of that office as it relates to the letter, as it relates to what we read, to understand something of the office of an apostle. And so I wish to take some time this morning to set before you the nature of the apostolic office. Now, I've read reams of pages.

17:49 I've spent hours this week reading and reading and reading. And it would be very easy for me to spend three weeks just distilling some of my reading and perhaps boring you to death. And I don't want to do that. But what I do wish to do is lay out before you in as succinct a manner as I've been able to gather this material together the distinctive office of an apostle.

18:16 And I want to do so, not just for filler, but because it's necessary for your spiritual well-being that you understand who an apostle is, when and if you can recognize an apostle, and what's your relationship to apostolic teaching must be. And if you don't get that straight, you may be in for some terrible shipwreck concerning your Christian faith. So please, gird up the loins of your mind as we consider together the nature of the office of an apostle. And the best way I know to begin is by giving a broad overview of the use of the word apostle as it occurs in the New Testament.

Overview of the Word 'Apostle' in the New Testament

18:57 So the first thing we shall do in seeking to grasp the nature of the office of an apostle is to consider the use of the word apostle, and then we will look at three lines of thought which summarize the biblical teaching concerning an apostle. I'm reading now from a book of an evangelical scholar who has taken the word apostle and traced it through the New Testament and has summarized the teaching that comes out of a careful tracing of that word, and I read, and trust you'll follow closely. We have noted the emphasis which Paul puts on his apostleship in the epistles, especially those to the Corinthians. The word apostle occurs especially in these two epistles and is actually emphasized more in the Pauline writings than elsewhere. This is probably for the simple reason that Paul's apostleship was questioned and was indeed of a special nature. If Luke and Acts be included in the New Testament, there are only ten instances of the use of this word outside of Pauline literature. The apostles were, under Christ, the foundation of the Christian church.

20:14 Ephesians 2.20. We'll look at that a bit later.

20:18 It may not be clear whether the apostles and prophets referred to in Ephesians 20 are to the Old Testament or New Testament teachers or to New Testament apostles and the New Testament prophets, but in any case, apostles are emphasized as part of the foundation. In Ephesians 4.11 and 1 Corinthians 12.28, the first rank is held by the apostles.

20:42 Remember it says, Christ descended on high and gave gifts unto men. He gave some to be apostles. 1 Corinthians 12.28 are all apostles first in rank of the specific gifts of Christ to His church.

20:58 The gift of prophecy was one which all Christians were to desire. The apostolate came from God. The writings of Luke magnify the other apostles. The election of Matthias is described in detail in Acts 1, which also emphasizes the requirement that an apostle must be one who was a witness of the resurrection, having had first-hand knowledge of the Lord Jesus and His ministry.

21:24 In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul insists that he also is an apostle, though the least of them, by virtue of his supernatural vision of the risen Christ on the Damascus road. Then the author goes on to show how that there are some other looser uses of the word apostle. In Acts 14.14, Barnabas and Paul together are called apostles.

21:49 In Philippians 2.25, Epaphroditus is called the messenger of the Philippian church. And in 2 Corinthians 8.23, those who assisted with the collection of the money sent to Jerusalem are called your apostles or messengers.

22:05 Rather clearly, the etymological meaning is intended. In other words, the root word means to be sent, and out of that root word came the distinct meaning apostle for certain ones. Sometimes it's simply used as one who is sent by the churches, though the translation could rightly be apostle. We know that it's not referring to those who had a distinct and peculiar office.

22:32 It's apparent that such a usage, this loose usage, is extremely rare, though it's warranted in terms of the meaning of the word. Regardless of the usage of the name itself, it is quite clear there was no arrangement made in the early church for the office of the twelve to be passed on to others. On the contrary, arrangements were made for the eldership to be universal and perpetual. First, Timothy 3, Titus 1, you have the requirements for the office of an elder.

23:04 Paul says to Titus, I leave you in Crete to ordain elders. He says to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1, I leave you there at Ephesus to ordain elders. But nowhere are any provisions made for ordaining more apostles. Scripture is utterly silent on this matter.

23:24 There is not the slightest New Testament evidence for an apostolic succession. When Paul calls on the apostles, he calls himself an apostle. He does not use the term in a secondary sense. He is an apostle with a capital A.

23:38 Such was not true of Epaphroditus, Andronicus, Junia, or even Barnabas. These are four others who are called apostles in a loose sense, but they are not apostles with a capital A. Barnabas was given his surname by the apostles, Acts 4.36.

23:58 He was sent by the apostles to Antioch, Acts 11.22, and in Acts 13.1 he is called one of the prophets and teachers. Barnabas is mentioned 29 times in the New Testament, but only once is he called an apostle, and that clearly in a secondary sense.

24:17 It seems plain that the New Testament recognized the office and the authority of the twelve. Aside from the name apostle, the twelve are referred to in the Gospels 32 times. 32 times. It seems that the characteristic gospel name for these men was the twelve, a name which for obvious reasons Paul could not adopt, himself being a thirteenth.

24:41 The group is called the eleven, six times after the defection of Judas.

24:48 This group was chosen by Christ and ordained by him to be with him. We read that this morning, Mark 3.14. He sent them forth to preach in the days of his flesh.

24:59 He promised they would sit upon twelve thrones judging the tribes of Israel and their names are engraved in the twelve foundations of the new Jerusalem and upon them is built the Christian church. So then you have this broad overview of the use of the word apostle. Now, think with me as we consider three lines of thought relative to this distinct office. First of all, there were unique prerequisites for this office.

Unique Prerequisites for the Apostolic Office

25:29 Secondly, there was a unique authority attached to this office and thirdly, they were afforded a unique position in the church for all time. There were unique and I don't mean by unique clever or different I mean it in its strict sense one of a kind. There were unique prerequisites for this office. If someone was to be an apostle there were at least three things required of him that are not required for other offices.

26:00 Some things required of an apostle are required for other offices but these are distinct and unique prerequisites. First of all, to be an apostle one must see Christ and receive direct revelation from him. Turn to Acts chapter 1.

26:23 To be an apostle for Paul to write his letter saying Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus, he had to meet the prerequisites for that office. One of them is set out very clearly in Acts 1 verses 21 to 23.

26:44 Peter,

26:47 aware of the scriptural teaching concerning the defection of Judas and the necessity of one to fill his place now stands in the group of the 120 and says verse 21 of Acts 1 of the men therefore that have accompanied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us beginning from the baptism of John unto the day that he was received up from us of these of these and only of these must one become a witness with us of the resurrection. In other words Peter says we have certain men who meet this first qualification and we must choose one who will take the place of Judas but he can only be chosen from the rank and number of those who have been with us from the baptism of John throughout his earthly ministry. An apostle then must be one who has seen Christ who has had first hand dealings with Christ and received direct revelation from Christ. Ah but you say what about Paul? Well that's the very claim he makes with reference to the revelation of Jesus on the Damascus road.

28:08 So as he defends his apostleship in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 notice how he does it. Verse 1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? And what does he give as the first proof of that?

28:24 Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?

28:32 In other words he did not just have a vision there was an actual manifestation of the vision of Christ unto the apostle. And so he met that first prerequisite. That's an indispensable prerequisite for the office of an apostle. Second prerequisite is he must have special miracle working powers to authenticate his message.

29:00 Notice quickly several verses in Acts. Acts chapter 2 Acts chapter 2 and verse 4 43 And fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now some of your modern healing movements that like to make so much of a disputed passage textually anyway Mark 16 These signs shall follow them that believe. That means everyone who believed had to do signs and wonders.

29:38 Why don't they go on and see how the Holy Spirit has interpreted that passage? Is he saying that this shall follow every single person who believes or is it one of those generalizations? Well the Holy Spirit is careful to record here that the signs and wonders were done through the apostles. Now the ordinary believers they showed the presence of grace.

30:01 They had all things common sold their possessions departed aparted with them continued steadfastly in the apostles teaching fellowship breaking of bread but no record that signs and wonders were done by the rank and file of the people of God. There seemed to be some who like Stephen though not an apostle were given special miracle working powers for special tasks but the Holy Spirit is careful to underscore the principle that the signs and wonders were done through the apostles and why were they done through the apostles? To authenticate the validity of their message. Where the miracle was performed this was an attestation of the genuineness of the doctrine and the message. Chapter 5 in verse 12 we have a similar reference and by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people and then we have the evidence of grace amongst the people of God and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. But it's by the hands of the apostles that signs and wonders are done. And then the divine commentary on that principle 2 Corinthians chapter 12 where Paul is again defending the reality and genuineness of his apostleship.

31:28 People are trying to undermine his apostleship in order to undermine the authority of his teaching. And he says there's no ground to do that for and I read now 2 Corinthians 11 and 12 I'm become foolish. Ye compelled me for I ought to have been commended of you for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles though I am nothing. Now notice truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience by signs and wonders and mighty works.

32:06 What are these called? Not the necessary fruits of grace but the peculiar signs of apostleship. And then the last text dealing with this heading Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 4 speaking of the final revelation that has come through Jesus Christ he says in verse 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Well what salvation?

32:35 Here it is. Which at the first has been spoken through the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard. Those who had direct intercourse with our Lord who were with him from the beginning they confirmed the word that he spoke. Well why should we believe their confirming word?

32:57 Well because God confirmed their word. Notice. God also bearing witness with them both by signs and wonders and manifold powers and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his will. So you see then that the second unique prerequisite for the office of an apostle was special miracle working power.

33:23 Thirdly they must have the spirit given in a special way to reveal truth with final and unquestioned authority. They must have the spirit given to them in a special way to reveal truth with final and with unquestioned authority. And here our Lord predicts that this will be the portion of his own the twelve in John chapter fourteen.

33:56 Often we apply these verses to all believers and though they have some application they cannot on the basis of sound exegesis be applied directly to all believers. There is a peculiar promise to a peculiar office. John fourteen verse twenty-five and six. These things have I spoken unto you while yet abiding with you but the comforter even the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things.

34:33 In other words he is going to lead you into the totality of truth and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.

34:43 Keep that verse in mind and tie it in with John sixteen and verse thirteen.

34:49 How be it when he the spirit of truth is come he shall guide you into all the truth. Here are statements which no Christian ordinary Christian can claim as being fulfilled in him. That Jesus Christ is bringing all things to remembrance guiding him into all the truth. No, we can ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate our minds but as best we see through a glass darkly only then shall we see face to face but the apostles were given a promise of plenary inspiration that is of a fullness of inspiration in order to know what God would have his people to know as truth for their edification and for his glory. So then there are unique prerequisites for this office. Have you got the three of them? Must have first hand dealings with Christ must have special miracle working powers must have peculiar gifts of the spirit to unfold truth.

Unique Authority Attached to the Apostolic Office

35:59 Secondly there was a unique authority attached to this office.

36:05 It was to the apostles that the task and responsibility of directing and governing the church in its New Testament form was given so that their written words and their oral traditions were received by the churches as of binding authority. The words of an apostle are equated with the very words of God. First Corinthians fourteen and verse thirty-seven.

36:38 The apostle Paul has been giving some directive for the church at Corinth and he says in first Corinthians fourteen thirty-seven if any man thinketh himself to be a prophet or a spirit will let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you that they are the commandment of the Lord. That's strong language. He says if a man claims to have the spirit then the spirit in him will cause him to recognize the spirit of Christ speaking in me with full authority. That which I speak are the commandments of the Lord.

37:19 Here is the unique authority attached to that office. The authority which binds the church to the words of an apostle. Notice how Peter equates the apostolic words with the very words of Christ in second Peter three and verse two. Second Peter three and verse two.

37:46 That usual back up to verse one this is now beloved the second epistle I write unto you and in both of them I stir up your spirit and sincere minds by putting you in remembrance that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets. He says remember the words of the prophets Old Testament and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles. He says that what comes through your apostles is the commandment of your Lord and of your Savior. Now it's not surprising with this perspective to read verses like first Thessalonians two thirteen where Paul says God be thanked that when you receive the word of God through us you received it not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God which worketh in you that believe. He said when I stood in your midst and preached you did not regard these words as the words of a sincere man of a godly man of a Christian man you received them as the words of God which he said indeed they are. He said you were not overstating the case you were acting as you ought to have acted. Second Thessalonians three fourteen

39:13 if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle note that man and have no company with him. Why? Because disobedience to an apostle the apostolic word that is written is disobedience to the word of God. Now what about their traditions?

39:32 The Roman Catholic Church you see knows that if she's going to bind us to her traditions she's got to have a succession of apostolic authority but if you destroy the one you destroy the other. And as we've seen there is no apostolic succession. When the twelve went and Paul went that was the end of the unique office of the apostle and with it the unique authority but while those unique office bearers were still amongst us not only were their words written binding upon the church but the very traditions they established in the directives of the church so we read in second Thessalonians two fifteen so then brethren stand fast and hold the traditions which ye were taught whether by word or by epistle.

40:21 He said when we stood amongst you and we said this is what you ought to do. He said our verbal the remembrance of our verbal directives are just as binding as the written directives which we gave to you. Chapter three in verse eight neither did we yes neither did we eat bread for naught at any man's hand but in labor and travail working night and day that we might not be burdensome unto you not because we have not the right but to make ourselves an ensample unto you that you should imitate us. So he says the very example displayed by my conduct becomes the standard which you as the people of God are to follow. And so we see there is unique authority attached to this office and it's not surprising to read of the early church that they continued steadfastly in the apostles teaching. Why? Because there was unique authority.

Unique and Non-Continuing Position of Apostles in the Church

41:27 And then thirdly they were afforded a unique position in the church for all time. Look at three texts of scripture that should forever establish that there is no continuance of the apostolic office hence of apostolic authority hence there is no continuance of revelation with the death of the apostles revelation ceased. And all that we need for life and godliness is bound within the pages of this book and though the illuminating work of the spirit goes on with greater or lesser degrees until Christ comes revelation has ceased and therefore when people come saying they have miracles which attest to the genuineness of their office we don't listen to them there are lying signs and wonders. God may perform many things in answer to the prayers of his people to manifest his power to his people but when men say I have these gifts to perform miracles therefore listen to my message he is trying to usurp the office of an apostle what God may do to the corporate prayers of his people in raising a man off his sickbed with or without means we would never tie his hands never and the man is a fool as well as ignorant of scripture

42:56 and church history who says God does not perform miraculous things in answer to the prayers of his people but that God still has miracle workers beware beware it's a usurping of the apostolic office and can only lead to confusion now look at these three texts which I trust will forever settle our minds in this matter the first is Luke chapter 22 verses 29 and 30 Luke 22 29 and 30 back up to verse 28 for year they that have continued with me in the world my temptations and I appoint unto you a kingdom even as my father appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and ye shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel now we don't want to get into the whole matter of eschatology and dispensational as opposed to amillennial systems of interpretation my own feeling is that our Lord again is doing what he often did he's using the imagery that would be real to them to convey truth that they didn't understand fully now but would understand later when the spirit came but the issue that's important to our argument this morning is that here is a peculiar place of authority assigned to the twelve

44:25 for if you look at the context you'll see that our Lord spoke these words unto that little group he was with the apostles verse fourteen and when the hour was come he sat down and the apostles with him and he says to the apostles I give to you a peculiar place of authority that no one else will share and he calls it here judging the twelve tribes of Israel now turn over to Ephesians two twenty the apostle is dealing with the subject of the church in this paragraph and it's not our purpose to go into a detailed exegesis this morning we'll do that when we come to this part in our study but notice how he describes the structure of the church under the imagery of a temple Ephesians two and verse twenty being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Christ Jesus himself the chief cornerstone now whether those prophets are New Testament prophets is not germane to the argument this morning but it is the issue is this you have foundation and you have superstructure and he says the superstructure are all the elect of God called out of old Jewry and out of Gentile nations

45:54 who comprise one great temple which is the dwelling place of God through the spirit so all the elect of God gathered from the four corners of heaven Jew and Gentile form the superstructure and he's he says everything that's formed in the superstructure rests down upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ the cornerstone indicating that the apostles had a unique place in the structure of the church God is not putting in any more foundation stones blessed be his name he's increasing the superstructure and will go on until every last time , purchased by the blood of Christ is brought into that superstructure but the foundation has been laid and with the death of the last apostle the last stone in the foundation was laid and all that the church will ever need for her well-being is to be found in apostolic instruction is to be found in the words of the prophets both the New Testament prophets and the Old and then it's no surprise to turn to the book of the Revelation and to see in the description again vivid imagery Revelation 21

47:22 in this imagery of the holy city the new Jerusalem a picture of the church of Jesus Christ if you have any questions that's what it is see me afterward and I'll be glad to demonstrate it verse 14 and the wall of the city had twelve foundations and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the land that great structure of the church seen in this figure of the new Jerusalem is found with its foundations described as the twelve apostles of the land so then the third line of truth is warranted when I stated they were afforded a unique position in the church for all time that's why Paul so vigorously defended his apostleship first Corinthians nine second Corinthians twelve Galatians one why did he defend his apostleship for the simple reason if people could undermine the genuineness of his apostleship they could discard the binding nature of his doctrine and his directive but once his apostleship is established then their minds must think the

Paul's Apostleship: By the Will of God and the Theme of Ephesians

48:51 thoughts that he unfolds and their lives must conform to the directives which he lays upon them and then just briefly why did he ever assume this office he states the nature of his office Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God as one author has so simply and yet beautifully said he did not come to this office by personal aspiration he wasn't on the road to Damascus saying you know I've got a good scheme here I've got a good reputation amongst the Christians now they know me as the one who likes to go around put him in prisons and kill him so I think maybe I'll just do an about face and now I can assume a real place of leadership you see I'll be real famous I've already got a reputation no no he didn't come to it by personal aspiration he didn't come to it secondly by sinful usurpation he didn't usurp this office to himself he didn't come to it by corporate nomination group of people didn't get together and say you know I think it'd be a nice idea to have this fellow as one of the no no how did he come to it listen to his statement here in Ephesians 1 Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by or through the will of God he came to this office by divine preparation and by divine calling it was the operation of the sovereign will of God

50:20 which called him into grace and unto this peculiar office read about it in Galatians 1 13 to 16 where he gives a vivid description of this very thing so then as the word Paul displays the theme of Ephesians the grace of God as the word Jesus Christ displays the channel of that grace Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ so the words by the will of God display the teaching of Ephesians as to the cause of all the grace that comes through Jesus Christ namely the exercise of his sovereign will and so in these first few words and it was amazement to me because it was something that missed me in my previous study and I didn't see it in any of the commentators God takes a normal thing like an introduction and he really lays before us the theme of the whole book Paul grace where does grace come from through Jesus Christ an apostle of Christ Jesus well how does grace come through Christ it comes in keeping with God's sovereign will Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God and so this morning if you sit here a stranger to that grace you won't be able to enter into Paul's enthusiastic eulogy starting in

51:49 verse 3 why he just gets carried away as he thinks of grace and how that grace has come to him the grace of the Father the Son and the Spirit and so I would entreat you this morning if you know nothing of that grace to pray that God would be pleased to subdue your heart and lay hold of the one whom he sets before you in his word and dear child of God I trust that though this has been somewhat technical in terms of the study of an apostle that you'll take seriously the teaching I've given you this morning because if you don't need it right now you're going to need it sooner or later and if there's going to be increased satanic activity as the restraints of common grace are loosed there'll be more and more that will have the appearance of the miraculous and when someone is seemingly doing miracles and on that basis says listen in the light of what I'm doing listen to my miracles and message you beware there are no new revelations because there are no further apostles because those who were uniquely qualified have done the job God gave them to do and though it's homely and though it's not spectacular and though it doesn't cause a lot of front line stories God's church will be built as apostolic doctrine and directive is understood through careful

53:19 study painstaking exegesis fervent prayer and just plain old hard-nosed obedience to what God has said and in this way the superstructure is erected God is glorified in the midst of his people so if you've got an itch for any new apostles just get rid of it and just settle down and say I'm going to be shut up to that book for the rest of my life may God help us so to do for our safety and for his glory let us pray let us pray