Downtown Church: Memphis, TN Downtown Church

Prayer: (v 1) “prisoner of Christ, (v13) “don’t lose heart”

Eph. 3:2-6 – Paul’s role in God’s plan

Eph 3:7-12 – The church in God’s plan



1. God’s plan for the world

2. The church in God’s plan

3. Individuals in God’s plan



1. God’s plan for the world

“Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me” – Eph 3:1 (ESV)

“to bring to light for everyone what is the plan” – Eph 3:10 (ESV)

“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.” – Eph 1:9-10 (ESV)



2. The church in God’s plan

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. – Eph 3:9-10 (ESV)



“with” compound verbs in Ephesians 2 & 3

“made us alive together with” – Eph 2:5

“raised us with and seated us with – Eph 2:6

“fellow citizens with” – Eph 2:19

“being joined together with” – Eph 2:21

“heirs with, members of the body with, partakers of promises with” – Eph 3:6



"The church is unified across ethnic lines and is a newly created human being. By its very existence as a unified body, then, the church makes known to the evil spiritual rulers and authorities the vastness of God’s creative wisdom: he not only created the universe with its endless variety, but in a wholly surprising way he has also begun to restore the crowning achievement of his creation—humanity—to its original unity." – Frank Thielman



3. Individuals in God’s plan

Central Idea: Christians tear down walls that divide to build a house that unites.



1. Our Hostile CONDITION. Verse 11-12

"You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.” Acts 10:28



2. Christ’s Peaceful CONSTRUCTION. Verse 13-18



3. The Church’s Pressing CHARGE. Verse 19-22

How to be a Peacemaker:


Pray: God, your will be done, and your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
Forgive those who have offended us, and we seek forgiveness from those we have offended.
Pick up our crosses and die to our worldly allegiances.
Extend the grace you have been given.

Main idea – God’s gift of salvation revives the walking dead to live for God’s glory



1. Salvation is because of grace

2. Salvation gives us new life

3. Salvation is by faith



“God’s workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10) vs. “that which God created” (Romans 1:20)

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made.



2. Salvation gives us new life

3. Salvation is by faith

I. The Currency: God’s love and mercy

[4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,



II. The Transaction: Christ made dead sinners alive and holy

[5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved

[6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,



III. The Receipt: God’s eternal commitment to His people

[7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

This Sunday we continue our series "Ephesians: God's plan for all people"

Rev. Sir Gregory Thornton will preach from Ephesians 2:1-3, "It's Worse than You Think." 

1. Experience the hope of your calling (Verse 18)

2. Experience that you are God’s glorious

inheritance (Verse 18)

3. Experience God’s power at work in you (Verse 19)