IN CHRIST | To You In Christ | Ephesians 1:1-2 | Philip Anthony Mitchell

Philip Anthony Mitchell (0:05)

And this same energy you got right now, carry that into access on October 10th, at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time or Central Standard Time, when 80,000 of us cry out to Jesus in AT&T Stadium, thousands outside. And I'm calling on the body of Christ across America and around the world to set aside our differences for the space of an hour to pray from anywhere you are in the country or around the world. 7 o'clock Central Standard Time, one hour of prayer to shake heaven and to shake the nation. This is bigger than 2819

And if you are a guest, we welcome you to this sacred gathering, and this church will be as serious. I am about the spread of the gospel and the multiplying of disciples. In these last days, this time is running out. And to all of our digital disciples watching live across America and around the world, we welcome you. You are a family in cities all around this country and to the ends of this earth. We pray for you. You are a family. And if you are crept into this room and you are unbeliever, you crept in at the right season and at the right time. And our prayer for you is that by the end of this next collection of messages that you might come to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today is the beginning of a brand new series called In Christ.

A teaching series through the New Testament letter of Ephesians.

Perhaps one of the most profound Christological documents ever written and recorded for us in the New Testament. It exalts the person and the work of Christ.

It exalts the gospel of Christ and the new life we have in Christ. It has powerful teachings about the mind of God and the sovereign work of God and the gospel and salvation and about unity and oneness and wisdom for relationships and calling and marriage and family and spiritual warfare and the unseen realm and what our life looks like in the unseen realm. This letter, so Christological, so theological, so powerful, so perfectly written by the Holy Spirit, the first three chapters, powerful theology, the last three chapters, powerful the practicality, the whole letter, just powerful in application. Life changing. You cannot study Ephesians and remain the same. It is impossible for the one that leans in with their whole heart. And this will be my prayer for us by the time we walk out of this letter, some 26 weeks here, that you will be a brand new man and a brand new woman. You will not, you cannot remain the same. I refuse by the power of the Holy Spirit. You cannot and you will be a different man. And you will be a different woman by the end of Ephesians.

Our text today is coming from Ephesians chapter one.

I was going to do one through six, but I can't because chapter one is so heavy and it's so loaded. It's like somebody dumping a billion dollars on you in a moment and you have no idea what to do with it. It's like drinking water out of a fire hose. So I can't even do the whole thing. I was supposed to do one through six. Can't do it. Too heavy, too loaded. And in fact, chapter one of Ephesians is so heavy, so theologically loaded, it pushes the boundaries of human comprehension and language to even attempt to explain what is in there. No sermon will even do it justice. And for real, I don't even think a human being can understand it apart from a supernatural act of the Holy Spirit. So today, we will just open it. So verses one and two only today.

And then next week, we'll break the seals on the deep theology of Ephesians chapter one. Today, we're just appetizer. Just one and two.

Eternal God and ever wise father, oh yes. We feel your powerful spirit in this room and across this camera. We your sons and daughters who have come to sit at your table to feast on your word, not to feast on entertainment or emotional hype. Give us stamina to listen. We will not be sleepy or tired. We will not dishonor you in your presence. We want to break that bread with the oil on it, and eat, and be taught, and learn. I pray, God, Lord, for just a mighty outpouring of your spirit for this entire series as we break the seals of one of the most profound documents floating around in society. I ask for help, Lord. You know I am weak and tired. I ask for help in the mighty and the majestic and the matchless name of our soon coming King, the Lord Jesus Christ. And all God's people say amen and amen and amen.