Heavenly
Places
Ephesians
1:3
Introduction : One of the purposes of the Book of Eph. Is to cause the
Saints , to realize that though we are physically living on this earth according
to the will of God that we have a heavenly
connection.
We know that as God
people we will one day go to heaven …but Paul's message is that we do not have
to wait till we die before we experience heaven…that prior to going to heaven
we can to some degree bring heaven to us….
That truth is visible
all through the Scripture:
Matthew
6:32 says we have
a heavenly Father.
Hebrews 3:1 says we have a
heavenly calling
Hebrews 6:4 we have tasted the
heavenly gift.
Hebrews
11:16 –speaks of desiring
a better country ,that is an heavenly.
Now I do not want to
be misunderstood on this …I am not saying life on this earth is heaven…..Paul
said I Cor. 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in
Christ, we are of all men most miserable. Meaning if this life is all
there is it will be lacking to say the least , and disappointing at best.
But Paul did teach that :
- Saints
Can experience a heavenly ambition and a heavenly affection , We can
have heaven in our heart.
Col. 1:1-4 1If
ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ
sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life
is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with
him in glory.
One of the contrasting marks of distinction between Gods
people and those who are not his is that they "mind earthly things " while
the saint is to recognizes that as Paul put it in Phil. 3: 20 "…. our
conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ:
- Saints
can not only live on this earth with heaven in their heart but it is also
possible for Saints to live on this earth with their treasures in Heaven ….
Realizing that this earth is temporal and passing but that
heaven is eternal …Not only is our heart experiencing heaven out treasure is
also being directed there……Matt. 6: 19- 20 19Lay
not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21For where your treasure is, there will
your heart be also.
In the book of Eph .
Paul takes up the cause of impressing upon us the impact Heaven is to have on
us while we are on this earth….in this he a number of times uses the phrase "heavenly places" and he teaches those of
us who are presently in this life on this earth things we need to know
concerning "… heavenly places…"
- In this
life we need to know that Heavenly places describes where believers
dwell..
Those who have died
in Jesus are in heaven……they are experiencing what we have been promised..
But
that is not Paul's purpose in Ephesians …..as he teaches that Saints living in
this life are also in Heaven.
Eph. 1:20
Eph. 2:6
Those
statements mean that when God saved you God did for you spiritually what He did
for His Son Jesus physically when he raised Him and exalted Him back to the
heavenly realm.
Eph. 2:
Vs 5 quickened us together with
Christ
Vs 6 raised us up together ..note the "together " is not , primarily "
together with other saints" but "together
with Christ"
Vs 6 made us sit together…
Note this we are seated "with Christ" Vs 5 and "in Christ " Vs 6 both of those phrases are
extremely important.
"With Christ" establishes the
position of every Saint in heaven…… There are no ill favored or reluctantly
accepted children in heaven , no disappointments in heaven …every son is a
favored son…… no step children in heaven every son a fully accepted full heir .
"in Christ"
established that our position is
completely and fully because of Christ….we all came in through and
because of him , we are all "in Christ"
When
Jesus died the Bible says spiritually we died with Him.
When
Jesus was buried we were spiritually buried with Him .
When
Jesus was raised we were spiritually raised with Him.
When
Jesus was exalted to the right hand of the Father, we were spiritually also
placed in Christ at the Father's right hand.
While
we sit here tonight physically we are legally , spiritually seated in Heaven "with Christ" as a full son and " in Christ"
meaning because of Christ.
Now
think about what our heavenly position means to us….
A. Speaks to our
present security.
The
Saint cannot lose his salvation.
He
is already enjoying the winners circle…there has already been a photo finish
and Christ work already declared sufficient and thus while the Saint lives on
this earth He is spiritually already seated in Christ.
B. Speaks to the
promise of our Sanctification.
As
Saints in this life our performance is not always righteous…..
But
being a Saint we already have the perfect
righteousness attributed to our account….
That
is one of the reasons for the fire at the Judgement Seat of Christ that will be
the occasion the Lord forever burns all the imperfections and failures and all
evidence of our humanity and all that will be left is his perfect work
accomplished by him in us.
Being
presently seated with and in Christ assures me of the perfection that we so
strive for and that seems the more and longer we seek it the further we find
ourselves from it.
We
so want to be Christ like in every way and the longer we pursue and the Closer
we come to Him the more glaring my imperfections become …but being informed
that I am seated with and in Christ assures me of the perfection we desire.
C. Speaks of our
planned eternity in Heaven
Either
by the rapture or the resurrection , in the Lords time we are going to sit
forever in Glory with the Lord.
Not only are
believers seated in heaven.
- In this
life we need to know that Heavenly places is where our blessings are . Eph. 1:3
A. Christ Jesus has all authority to bless us ..Vs 21-22
B. Christ Jesus is the accomplishment of all spiritual
blessing…this is Paul's main point in Vs 3
Let me ask you a question : Understanding eternity , and
having Christ what could the Saint possibly need other than Christ…
Bottom line…. Understanding that this life is temporary ,
and that the Saint leaves this life upon Death and enters Heaven with the Lord
what could the Saint possibly need other than Christ.
In reality with Eternity in mind having Christ we have all
spiritual blessing.
Preacher what do you want me to do , quit my job and think
about Jesus and heaven…????
Now listen:
- God is not insensitive to our
physical needs …Matt. 6:32 says " your heavenly Father knoweth ye have need of all
these things.."
- God is
not impractical in enabling us to meet our physical needs through
enabling us to work and earn and provide.
- God is
not a miser he is generous to his Saints in this life and prospers us and
we should not feel embarressed about prospering at his hand.
But the reality is that this life is very short and eternity
forever and everyone of us will come to the point that all that will matter is
do we have Christ…and we will all enter Heaven singing the same song
.."Christ is all I need.."
Illustration : Ted Morrison hospice …what does he
need …Christ…we are all coming to that place…are we not.
Believers are in Heaven
Blessings are in Heaven
- IN this life we need to know that
heavenly places is where our battles are . Eph.
6:12
Note the words "high places " in Vs
12 is the same Greek word every where else in the Book of Eph.
Translated "Heavenly places."
The Greek word used
here as "high places" is translated
everywhere else in the book of Eph as "heavenly places"
Why did the translators
in this verse use "high places"
instead of "heavenly places" as they
did else where….???
the short answer is
God allowed it…..
the long answer may
be that in this verse he is not speaking of his throne and his right hand where
Christ and the Saints dwell…but rather a place where wickedness is conceived
and conspired.
Now I know Evil can
enter the presence of God …Job…is an example
But Heb. 1:13 makes a statement that makes us aware there
is a line , a realm where angels , fallen or otherwise are not invited … it
states 13But to which of the angels said he at any
time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
Not heavenly nor
fallen angels will ever occupy the position that Saints do , and so this " high places " in Eph. 6:12 can never be
as high as the throne where we are …
A. Our battles are in heaven meaning they are not in the
realm of the physical but rather spiritual and thus our war must not be reduced
to fighting with physical and earthly weapons….Vs 12
Our attacks need not
be directed against men on this earth but against evil and spiritual wickedness
in high places
B. Our battles are in heaven meaning that Every conflict
down here actually originated in high places..
C. Our battles are in heaven meaning they are already and
forever won by the Lord and being in the Lord and having the Lords Spirit in us
we are equipped for and fight from victory.
- We have faith that enables us to
stand on Gods promises against great odds
- We have the Word that cannot return
void…..
- We have prayer that moves heaven
upon our call….
- We have the enablement to
persevere
- We have a testimony that lives and
can have a greater impact even after we are gone…
Illustration
: Stephen is a good example …one might look at Stephen and the Battle that he
was in and say well he didn’t do so well , he lost …. he was killed…. He was
not victorious , he was defeated….Listen ….from that "defeat" God won
one of the most successful and productive of Satan’s army…..over to his
glorious cause …..That would be Saul who watched and consented to Stephens
death and Got a taste for Believers Blood but never got over the way Stephen
died…….Stephen died a winner , Stephen died Victorious He is the writer of this
book and
The Lord just moves
us with the victory he has already won , and with his might and power in us
from one battle to the next , one opponent then another..
Illustration
:Like In Job when Satan thought he wanted to go around with one of the Lords
Saints and the Lord said ….Have you considered my servant Job….and after fierce
Battle Job would not charge sin against or charge God foolishly….., he just
believed , he just prayed , he just stood and would not go away , and God all
the while showing his power and might through job.
Conclusion : the victory Job
experienced was actually provided By God….and so will ours be ..
As Believer s we are in Heavenly places
Our Blessings are in Heavenly places
Our Battles are in heavenly places
Is that where we live , is our mind and heart there , do we have
our affection and ambition there ….
