Pastor Adam Gomez
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Scripture: Ephesians 1:1
Topic: “The Saints and the Faithful”
I have wrestled all week with the first fourteen verses of Ephesians 1, trying to decide how to best begin teaching it. We need to cover some information about how the apostle Paul arrived at Ephesus, then discuss some of verse one. I was never able to decide on a starting point, so let’s simply start moving down the road. It’s been said that a moving vehicle is easier to steer than a parked one.
The apostle Paul arrived in Ephesus towards the end of his second missionary journey.
Acts 18:1–3: “After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.”
Acts 18:18–21: “So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, but took leave of them, saying, 'I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.' And he sailed from Ephesus.”
When the apostle Paul first encountered Aquila and Priscilla, he must have been quite a sight to behold. He may have been legally blind (“See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!” – Galatians 6:11), five times whipped by the Jewish authorities (“From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.” – 2 Corinthians 11:24), three times beaten with rods (“Three times I was beaten with rods.” – 2 Corinthians 11:25), and once stoned (“Once I was stoned.” – 2 Corinthians 11:25). His head was likely misshapen from the stoning he endured in Lystra. His body was likely covered in extensive scarring from the beatings and whippings. He likely walked with a limp due to improperly healed bone fractures. What a striking picture of torture and suffering endured for the sake of the gospel.
The apostle Paul returned to Ephesus at the beginning of his third missionary journey.
Acts 19:1: “And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples…”
Probably disciples of Aquila and Priscilla.
Acts 19:8–10: “And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”
Many scholars believe that the school of Tyrannus was primarily used during the cool mornings and cool evenings, leaving availability during the heat of the day for Paul to use it to reason daily with those who dwelt in Asia.
Paul was involuntarily transported to Rome as a Prisoner in Chains.
Acts 28:30–31: “Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”
Philippians 4:22: “All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.”
While he was in chains in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote the Prison Epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
Ephesians 3:1: “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles...”
Ephesians 4:1: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called...”
Philemon 1:1: “Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother...”
Philippians 1:7: “Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.”
Philippians 1:13: “...so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ...”
In Chuck Swindoll’s book Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit, he writes, “Paul never viewed his confinement as a barrier to the gospel, but rather as a catalyst for wider impact. That’s the benefit of a learned contentment. When you live above your circumstances, you will have little trouble spreading the message of the gospel. Everyone near you will want to know how you’re able to live with such joyful abandon” (307).
Ephesians 1:1
NKJV: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
"Saints" - Greek Word: hagios (ἅγιος) which means holy, holiness, or holy ones. It speaks of believers who are separated unto God, separated from sin, and consecrated for His purposes. It directly addresses a believer's daily conduct and character.
Sainthood cannot be earned or attained by human effort. It is a state or standing into which God calls His people purely by grace. Once called, saints are to sanctify themselves—cleansing themselves from moral defilement and forsaking sin.
1 Peter 2:5 (NKJV): "...you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV): "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light..."
Every Christian is a saint, and every saint is a Christian.
Jesus said, “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14).
When we are in Christ, we have a new nature.
When we are in Christ, we have a new set of loyalties.
When we are in Christ, we have a new agenda.
When we are in Christ, we belong to a different kingdom.
When we are in Christ, we have a craving for the things of God instead of the things of this world.
We are called to live in the world, but challenged to do it without allowing the world to shape us.
Romans 12:2: “...do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...”
As believers in our day and age, we are constantly exposed to entertainment, social media, and pop culture that attempt to shape our thinking. (T.V.)
Daniel 1:8: But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Daniel 3:17-18: “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
Psalm 1:1-6: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Psalm 1:1-2 describes the blessed man as one who refuses to walk in the counsel of the ungodly but delights in the law of the Lord.
Psalm 1:3 says that “he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”
1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits.'”
If you wear white in a muddy environment, you should not be surprised when your clothes become dirty.
Every Christian is a saint, but not every saint is “saintly.”
The apostle Paul understood this. He wrote the following words to the Romans, “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway” (Romans 7:18-19, NLT).
The conviction that comes from the Holy Spirit is like having spiritual nerve endings.
"The Faithful in Christ Jesus" - Greek Word: pistos (πιστός) means faithful, trusty, trustworthy; believers. This word refers to someone who has proven reliable and steadfast.
The faithful are people who are believers in Jesus who show themselves faithful to follow His commands and can be relied upon to discharge their Christian duties in a trustworthy manner.
May we all be so faithful.
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus.”
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Scripture: Ephesians 1:1
Topic: “The Saints and the Faithful”
I have wrestled all week with the first fourteen verses of Ephesians 1, trying to decide how to best begin teaching it. We need to cover some information about how the apostle Paul arrived at Ephesus, then discuss some of verse one. I was never able to decide on a starting point, so let’s simply start moving down the road. It’s been said that a moving vehicle is easier to steer than a parked one.
The apostle Paul arrived in Ephesus towards the end of his second missionary journey.
Acts 18:1–3: “After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.”
Acts 18:18–21: “So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, but took leave of them, saying, 'I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.' And he sailed from Ephesus.”
When the apostle Paul first encountered Aquila and Priscilla, he must have been quite a sight to behold. He may have been legally blind (“See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!” – Galatians 6:11), five times whipped by the Jewish authorities (“From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.” – 2 Corinthians 11:24), three times beaten with rods (“Three times I was beaten with rods.” – 2 Corinthians 11:25), and once stoned (“Once I was stoned.” – 2 Corinthians 11:25). His head was likely misshapen from the stoning he endured in Lystra. His body was likely covered in extensive scarring from the beatings and whippings. He likely walked with a limp due to improperly healed bone fractures. What a striking picture of torture and suffering endured for the sake of the gospel.
The apostle Paul returned to Ephesus at the beginning of his third missionary journey.
Acts 19:1: “And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples…”
Probably disciples of Aquila and Priscilla.
Acts 19:8–10: “And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”
Many scholars believe that the school of Tyrannus was primarily used during the cool mornings and cool evenings, leaving availability during the heat of the day for Paul to use it to reason daily with those who dwelt in Asia.
Paul was involuntarily transported to Rome as a Prisoner in Chains.
Acts 28:30–31: “Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”
Philippians 4:22: “All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.”
While he was in chains in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote the Prison Epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
Ephesians 3:1: “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles...”
Ephesians 4:1: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called...”
Philemon 1:1: “Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother...”
Philippians 1:7: “Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.”
Philippians 1:13: “...so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ...”
In Chuck Swindoll’s book Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit, he writes, “Paul never viewed his confinement as a barrier to the gospel, but rather as a catalyst for wider impact. That’s the benefit of a learned contentment. When you live above your circumstances, you will have little trouble spreading the message of the gospel. Everyone near you will want to know how you’re able to live with such joyful abandon” (307).
Ephesians 1:1
NKJV: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
"Saints" - Greek Word: hagios (ἅγιος) which means holy, holiness, or holy ones. It speaks of believers who are separated unto God, separated from sin, and consecrated for His purposes. It directly addresses a believer's daily conduct and character.
Sainthood cannot be earned or attained by human effort. It is a state or standing into which God calls His people purely by grace. Once called, saints are to sanctify themselves—cleansing themselves from moral defilement and forsaking sin.
1 Peter 2:5 (NKJV): "...you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV): "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light..."
Every Christian is a saint, and every saint is a Christian.
Jesus said, “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14).
When we are in Christ, we have a new nature.
When we are in Christ, we have a new set of loyalties.
When we are in Christ, we have a new agenda.
When we are in Christ, we belong to a different kingdom.
When we are in Christ, we have a craving for the things of God instead of the things of this world.
We are called to live in the world, but challenged to do it without allowing the world to shape us.
Romans 12:2: “...do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...”
As believers in our day and age, we are constantly exposed to entertainment, social media, and pop culture that attempt to shape our thinking. (T.V.)
Daniel 1:8: But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Daniel 3:17-18: “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
Psalm 1:1-6: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Psalm 1:1-2 describes the blessed man as one who refuses to walk in the counsel of the ungodly but delights in the law of the Lord.
Psalm 1:3 says that “he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”
1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits.'”
If you wear white in a muddy environment, you should not be surprised when your clothes become dirty.
Every Christian is a saint, but not every saint is “saintly.”
The apostle Paul understood this. He wrote the following words to the Romans, “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway” (Romans 7:18-19, NLT).
The conviction that comes from the Holy Spirit is like having spiritual nerve endings.
"The Faithful in Christ Jesus" - Greek Word: pistos (πιστός) means faithful, trusty, trustworthy; believers. This word refers to someone who has proven reliable and steadfast.
The faithful are people who are believers in Jesus who show themselves faithful to follow His commands and can be relied upon to discharge their Christian duties in a trustworthy manner.
May we all be so faithful.
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus.”
Crossroads Church of Denver
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