Ephesians 4 v 8 thru 10 Part 2

Transcript

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Let's begin with reading the scripture. It says in verse 8, Therefore it says, When he ascended on high, he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men. And saying he ascended, what does it mean, but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word again today. Lord, we pray that it would speak to us and that your spirit would minister to our hearts, that it would draw us closer to you in Christ's name. Amen. So we talked about that verse 8. Really, there's three major interpretations on what it means to be that, or rather that Christ ascended, that He um He did these things, and then at the beginning of verse 9, that He descended. Some say that the lower parts of the earth refers to Christ's burial. Some say that rather it speaks of Christ's descent into Hades. Others that it refers to his incarnation, which I believe is the most accurate understanding of that, is that it's talking about when Christ became flesh and came into the world as a human. And so the reality is that he, we talked about from we see in Philippians 2 where it talks about that he laid aside his glory that he had in heaven. He didn't consider equality with God something to be grasped, and so he laid that aside. He humbled himself and came to earth and submitted himself to become a man and humbled himself even to death and death on a cross. And so it says though he was in the form of God, he emptied himself. And so Christ did that, and in that he condescended, he he lowered himself to uh become a human in a spiritual sense, but also uh in a physical sense, he came to earth. And so uh continuing on then uh in verse 9, it says, but that he all what does it mean, but that he also descended into the lower regions, the earth. Um uh the words that are used there, uh lower meaning uh it's it's uh carries with it the idea of something that's beneath something, or even can mean inferior to. Uh so Christ left the glory and splendor of heaven and came to an earth that was stained by sin. Uh and um region speaks of places, parts, it just means a different location, an area in uh specificity. And um the the idea is that um you could translate that to read the lower regions, that is the earth. Um that would be an accurate understanding and rendering of that rather than beneath the earth, as in speaking of his burial. Uh, Paul is contrasting here for us heaven and earth, and it it fits the context perfectly to understand it that way, um, because the one who dwelt in heaven in glory entered into our world and became flesh. Uh, John MacArthur said the descent refers to Christ's incarnation, his coming from heaven to earth in humiliation before returning in exaltation. So it's talking about his physical location, not necessarily his descending into the grave or descending to Hades, the place of the dead. Um the absolute wonder of the incarnation is that sometimes we become so familiar with Christmas that we forget how absolutely astonishing the incarnation really is. Um the think about the concept of the creator entering into his own creation, that he stepped outside the realm of perfection. He's the infinite one, always ever existing. The infinite becomes an infant. And so he gave the law in the Old Testament. So the lawgiver becomes subservient to the law. He says, I came to do the will of him who sent me. The will of God is obedience to the law. Um you have the judge. We saw uh years ago as we studied John's gospel that one day Christ will judge all people. He submitted himself to earthly judges. And he who is the king of kings took on his head a crown of thorns. Paul is inviting us to marvel. I mean, think about the Lord of glory, the perfect, spotless, undefiled Son of God kneeling down and washing feet. I don't know about you. I don't really like feet. I think they're kind of gross. But he submitted himself. He was setting an example that none of us is above the other. That we are here to serve each other, that that is our purpose in life. And the reality is there is no, what Paul is saying here is there's no ascension, there's no ascent back to heaven unless he first descended to the earth. There is no crown without the cross. There's no exaltation without Christ first humiliating himself and allowing himself. I mean, imagine, I know it's really, you know, culturally appropriate for us to see Christ hanging on the cross and he's got this cloth wrapped around himself. In reality, Scripture says he was stripped. He hung there naked. That's why the women stood at a distance, because it was not acceptable for them to be that close to a naked man. So he hung there completely exposed in every way imaginable, submitting himself to the will of God. John Chrysostom said he descended to the utmost depth that he might raise man to the highest dignity. I don't understand that exchange. But I'm sure I'm grateful for it. I am I am so thankful for it. Then verse 10, he who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens. Paul now is giving an emphasis toward identity. The one who descended, is the same one who ascended. He is telling us that there are not two Christs. Okay? Christ, the one who descended, ascended in the same way. Okay, there are folks out there who will tell you some of them like to come and knock on your door, usually like early and annoyingly on a Saturday morning with their magazine, Can You Want My Watchtower? They will tell you Christ only arose spiritually, that his body did not rise from the grave. That is not what Scripture tells us. How is Thomas then instructed to put his hand in the wounds of a spirit? That doesn't make sense. How is a spirit kneeling on the seashore fixing breakfast for some tired disciples? He arose physically, and he will return that way. The humbled Christ is the exalted Christ, the same Christ who descended, who lowered himself, who humbled himself, who came to earth, is the same Christ who ascended back to heaven. And he is the same one who will return again because the suffering servant of Isaiah chapter 53 will return as the exalted king one day. The one having descended is literally the Greek there, is a reference to Christ humbling himself. It's the same verb that is used in verse eight for ascended. His humiliation is complete. He has humbled himself, he has lowered himself, he has made himself human. And he has now completed his exaltation because he has ascended back to heaven. And it says there that he went far above, it means exceedingly above, transcending the heavens. Heavens in that context is referring to the sky, the air, the clouds. And this word for far above is used back in chapter one. If you flip back to chapter one, verse 21. Actually start in verse 20, that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, right here, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. Christ is that far above the heavens that we can see. The way he is above all of those classes of angels that are listed there. And the picture is that he's above every ruler, he's above every authority, he's above every power, every dominion. There is no realm in the entire universe where Christ is not Lord. Let me say that again. There is no realm in the entire universe where Christ is not Lord. Plain and simple. He is Lord of all, Scripture tells us. And his authority extends beyond the created heavens that we can see. John Calvin said that Christ ascended not merely to occupy heaven, but to exercise his government over the whole universe. He is seated at the right hand of God, speaking of the power, the authority of God. The right hand is power and authority and strength. He's seated at the right hand of God. Hebrews says he's seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high. And what is he doing there? One of the things he's doing is making intercession for us, according to Hebrews chapter 7. Meaning he's pleading our case. And then the climax of this section, verses 8 through 10, is the last phrase in verse 10, that he might fill all things. It is to fill or to complete, to bring to fullness, to permeate, so to fill in every way in every crack and crevice, and nothing left unfilled. Nothing left again where Christ is not Lord. Paul has already used this vocabulary throughout Ephesians. He says that Christ fills his church, that Christ fills the universe with his sovereign presence. Christ fills his people through his spirit. This is not some sort of pantheism that would say everything we see is theistic. It is God. The trees, the rocks, the grass, the ground. That's not what this is talking about. Paul is describing the universal lordship of Jesus Christ, that he is Lord of all. And leaving no doubt that every realm in all of creation falls under the authority and headship of Jesus Christ. Every inch of creation belongs to him. There is nowhere you could go that Christ is not and that he is not Lord. So the picture of the psalmist who said, you know, where can I go to escape your presence? If I ascend to the heavens, you're there. If I descend to the pit, you're there. No matter where we go, Christ is there. Why? Because Christ is God. Every inch of creation belongs to him. And it really gives us a. There's a great declaration by a man by the name of Abraham Kuiper. He said, There is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry mine. Not an inch. It all belongs to him. And he is Lord over all of it. And Kuiper wrote centuries after Paul, he, I think, wonderfully captures the theological description of what Paul is saying here. That he is over all. He sends his spirit. He distributes gifts. He advances his kingdom. See, the the ascension, I think sometimes people get this wrong. When Christ hung on the cross and he said it is finished, he was talking about all that is necessary for our salvation has now been accomplished. And then he, I love the way the King James words this, gave up the ghost. ESV, I think, says he gave up his spirit. He bowed his head and died physically. And the problem is, I think sometimes folks think that the ascension was Christ's retirement. Now he just went to heaven and he's just hanging out. That is not what Scripture tells us. His ascension was his coronation. And I I love the way Charles Spurgeon put it. He said the ascension, this is from a sermon, he said the ascension was the public proclamation that redemption was accomplished and the king had taken his throne. That's the ascension in a nutshell. Christ humbled himself. Because of that, God exalts him. That's Ephesians 2. We have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, Hebrews chapter 4 tells us. And chapter 7 again says that he always lives to make intercession. Colossians 1 says that Christ is preeminent over all creation. I love how the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to put that in Colossians 1. Beginning in verse 15, he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church, he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And here's the most amazing part of all of that. Verse 21 in Colossians 1 says, And you, who were once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. It's all about Christ. It's all about Christ. And so he is overall. The very next chapter in Colossians says that he disarmed the rulers and authorities. Acts two, Peter proclaims Christ's exaltation to the Father's right hand. Matthew twenty-eight, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations. No religion presents a God who humbles himself like Christianity. That's why people struggle with the concept of God becoming man. It's why people can't fathom that idea because if they were raised in another tradition, they could never picture their God who typically is simply a God of wrath. There's no justice, there's no mercy, there's no grace, it's just wrath. They cannot fathom that false God humbling himself to become a human for their benefit. But what does Luke tell us that Jesus came to do? Say it out loud. Who said it? Mark. Seek and save the lost. He came to seek sinners. That's good news because guess what? We all sinners. It's great news that he came to seek and save sinners. He entered into poverty. He embraced suffering. He knew it was coming. He knew what was coming for him at the cross. He knew not just the physical torture, but taking on himself sin. And it vexed him to the point that the capillaries under his skin burst and blood came out of his pores. The gospel writers tell us he sweat, as it were, great drops of blood. That's anguish. That's extreme anguish. And he endured the cross. But the ascension guarantees Christ's reign. It guarantees Christ's reign. Because here's the reality. And I know I say things like this, it seems like every four years when we're looking for somebody to sit in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. History is not controlled by politicians. History is not directed by the stock market. And the reality is, history is not governed by Satan either. History is governed by Christ. And every event unfolds beneath his sovereign authority. Augustine said, Christ reigns above, yet he does not cease to govern below. Third, Christ's exaltation assures the church's victory. Because Christ reigns, the church will never ultimately fail. They're called Black Hebrew Israelites. They're nuts. Just to tell you right off the bat. They believe that the true Israelites are not the people who claim to be Israelites now. They're actually African. They're black people. And they are so in depth, and I don't mean this to sound the way it's going to sound. They are so in depth in their knowledge that every reference they make to anything to do with Hebrew comes from Strong's Concordance. I have one at home. It's red, it's about yay big that tall. And it has every word in the King James Bible with a number attached to it, and you can go in the back into the lexical aid and look up the definition of that word for both Greek and Hebrew, the Old and New Testament. The issue is this, as I heard it put one time by someone who is actually a Greek scholar, Strong's Concordance is kind of Greek and Hebrew for dummies. Okay, it's a very basic level. And um I've mentioned these people because on all their videos, and I see them, I maybe it's because I talk about them and you know how social media works. You say something, and all of a sudden, poof, there's 50 ads for it. Uh, but I keep having these reels pop up of these black Hebrew Israelites, and and as I heard John MacArthur put it, talking about the new apostolic reformation, they're kind of like grape nuts. It's not grapes and it's not nuts. Um, these people are black, but they are not Hebrews and they are not Israelites. Uh and and the problem is that their statement is the Christian church is over. If Christ is reigning, his church is not over. Let me rephrase that. Since Christ is reigning and will forever, his church is not over. It cannot fail. Why? What did he say in the passage that the Roman Catholic Church takes out of context to say, ooh, look, Peter's the first Pope? Jesus said, Who do men say that I am? Well, some say you're Elijah, some say you're this guy and that guy. And then Jesus says, Who do you say that I am? And Peter says, You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus says, You are Peter, Pebble. And on this rock, different word, Rock of Gibraltar rock, I will build my church. If Christ is building his church, there's no human entity that's going to overcome that. And because that is the case, we have nothing to fear. The gospel can't be stopped. Hell can't overcome the church. The kingdom cannot be destroyed. John MacArthur wrote this. He said, The ascension is the Father's declaration that the Son's work was accepted, his sacrifice sufficient, and his reign eternal. That's the reality, that's the picture. He might fill all things. That word might is not maybe. It's not how we typically use might in our in our language today. Well, I might do this, or I might, that's that's a maybe. It's possible that I could. This is a declaration that he might fill all things. It is that he is because of these things, now he does this. It is a definitive statement. He has done all the he descended, he ascended. Why? That he might fill all things so that he now, because everything that needed to happen for this to happen according to God's plan has taken place. Now he's going to fill all things. That's the picture of that statement. And so, because of that, our future is secure. We are united to the ascended Christ by grace through faith. Where the head is, the body will follow. That's true in a physical sense, and that's true in the church. Jesus prayed in John 17, 24 in his high priestly prayer. He said, Father, I desire that they also may be with me where I am. That's the end result for the church. Peter makes it very clear that our citizenship is already in heaven. We are strangers here, we are sojourners, we're foreigners, we're travelers here on this earth, and our inheritance is secure. How do we know? Because we read back in chapter one that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. And because our Savior reigns, because he's seated on the throne. So Paul's explanation here of Christ's descent and ascent is more than just an academic exercise. It's more than Paul just giving us here's here's a factoid. Rather, it is the pinnacle of the story of redemption that Christ came to earth and that when he had accomplished all that he needed to accomplish, he ascended back to heaven. He descended into our world not because he ceased to be God. There are people who would tell you he cannot simultaneously be God and be human. God can't. Against his character. Like we we have an example of that in scripture. God who cannot lie. Why? Because that would go against his nature. God who cannot change. Why? Because if he changed, he wouldn't be God anymore, he would be something else. So he didn't descend because he ceased to be God, but he willingly, according to Philippians 2, he clothed himself in the humility of a human, the flesh of a human being. And he humbled himself through a life of perfect obedience to the law of God and to a death under divine judgment. Again, Philippians 2 says he humbled himself to death, even death on a cross. And he did that under God's divine judgment against sinners. It was the will of the Father to crush his son. Isaiah 53. 11, 10. One of those two. It was the will of the Father to crush his son. And so having accomplished redemption, then, Christ rose from the dead. He spent some days seeing his disciples. Paul tells us he appeared, I believe it's in 1 Corinthians 15. He talks about how he appeared to 500 people at one time. And then he ascended in triumph and was enthroned at the seat of authority by the majesty on high, far above every other authority and power. And now he reigns over all things. He fills all things with his sovereign rule. He intercedes continually for his people. He is pouring out his spirit. He distributes his gifts to the church. And we're going to get into that next week, Lord willing, in verse 11, and start talking about what those gifts are and what they mean. And he governs history toward the appointed end that is already there for history. What is that? Well, that is Christ's church going to be with him. That is judgment and wrath. That is, let's see, earthquakes, pestilence, distress of nations, famine. That is people who have refused to turn to Christ, praying that the mountains would fall on them and destroy them rather than face the wrath of God in judgment. It's why the church can do what we do with confidence. Because our mission doesn't depend upon our own intelligence or our own ingenuity of how to make this thing work. It doesn't depend on cultural influence. We need to be relevant. There's nothing in this universe that is more relevant than what this book says about God and who He is. And it amazes me when I hear people who claim to be Christian preachers say, well, this passage is not relevant. It's all relevant. Every jot and tittle is relevant. Every bit of it. And it doesn't depend upon earthly might. We don't need an army to build the church. Hello, Rome. If you know anything about church history, we don't need earthly strength. Why? Because the church exists and depends upon the authority of the risen exalted Christ. It depends upon him who possesses all authority in heaven and on earth, Matthew 28 again. Because he reigns, the gospel is going to accomplish his purpose. Isaiah 55, my word shall not return to me void or empty, but will accomplish what I sent it forth to do. That's the reality. It is because Christ reigns that the church will endure. The church must endure. And because he reigns, every promise of God is absolutely certain. It is absolutely certain. So as believers, our response should be one of worship. It should be one of humility. It should be one of confidence in him, not in ourselves. And it should be a life lived in faithful service to him. We bow before the one who descended before us and for us. We rejoice in the one who ascended for us and who will return. And we gladly use the gifts that he has given us for the building up of his body, and we look forward to the day when, as scripture says, our faith becomes sight. We no longer have to trust in God because we will see. First John says, We will know as we are known. And when that happens, guess what? Philippians also says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. John Calvin fittingly concluded Since Christ has ascended above the heavens, let our hearts also ascend, seeking those things which are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God for the glory of God alone. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word again today. Lord, I thank you for