Today, we come to the last verse of Ephesians chapter 1, though I cannot guarantee this will be the last sermon from this chapter; we may have one final message. More than all of you, I am eager to finish this chapter and move on, but the challenge is that every verse and every word may seem ordinary and small at first. However, when you dig—just like archeologists who find a small hole that leads to a cave door—once you enter, you find it leads to a vast panoramic vision of a massive underground gold mine that goes on limitlessly with magnificent sights. That is how this book is. If you dig into every word, you can see infinite depth.
For our small brains, we have condensed this chapter into two words: Praise and Petition. We use two abbreviations: Praise is EPRAISE, and Petition is HIP. Paul is petitioning God that we might have a spirit-given understanding of three great things: the Hope of our calling, the Inheritance’s riches, and the Power of God. He says this power is exceedingly great. He tells us to measure that power by how it was manifested in the four acts of Christ—RSSH: Resurrection, Session, Subjugation, and finally, today we will see the gift of Headship.
Verse 22: “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Let us grasp how the power of God is manifested in this fourth act: the giving of an exalted Christ to the church as its Head. I title this message: The Unspeakable Gift to the Church. You will realize the magnitude of this when I explain five things from this verse: the Giver, the Gift, the Gainer, the Grounds, and the Goal.
1. The Giver (Who gave?)
As in the other three acts, it is the Father of Glory who is the Giver of the gift. It is the Father who raised, seated, and subjugated all things, and then gave the Son as the Christ to be Head over all things to the church. Though we have seen this again and again, it is important to realize the distinct roles of the persons of the Trinity in the work of redemption.
Men fight much against the doctrine of the Trinity, but the New Testament reveals the Father, Son, and Spirit always in the context of redeeming sinners. The Trinitarian persons are always set before us as the Godhead at work redeeming a lost and perishing people. In other words, if the Godhead were not Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, there would be no redemption for depraved sinners. This mighty work can only be accomplished by the Trinitarian Godhead.
Blessings start with the Father, come through the Son, and reach us through the Holy Spirit. For us, the process is reversed: when we go to the Father, we start by the Spirit, through the Son, to the Father. Hence, all true Christian worship must be Trinitarian worship. If we worship God in any other way, it is either ignorant worship or idol worship. We must practice this personally and as a church. It is not enough to say we believe in the Trinity; we must learn to worship, pray, and approach God with gratitude by the Spirit, through the Son, to the Father. When we see the phrase “He gave,” we should not pass through that word without giving due honor to the Giver—the Father. He is the source; if He did not give, we would have nothing.
2. The Gift (What was given?)
The gift is Christ Himself. Verse 22 says He “gave Him to be head over all things.” This presents two thoughts: the gift is Christ, and He is given specifically as the “Head over all.”
In the original text, the words “to be” are not present; it simply says He gave Him as “Head over all things.” The emphasis is not just on Christ, but on Christ in His position as Head over all. In Paul’s language, “Head” signifies the highest exalted position of supreme importance and authority. How high is this position? It is over all things.
When something has been put under you, you are the Head over it. Paul prays for the spirit of revelation to illuminate our minds so we might know the measure of power in this act. Christ is not just given as a humble Savior dying on the cross; He is the raised, seated Ruler, highly exalted, and given back to His people to reign and subjugate all things so He can protect and redeem His church, ensuring they attain their inheritance safely.
Illustration: Assume you are in great danger, with hundreds of villains trying to kill you. Someone brings a man to be your protector. If he is out of shape, unskilled, and lacks influence, you would say he is useless. But if that man undergoes intensive training until he is the epitome of strength—a man who builds a business empire and becomes the President of a great country—and then he is brought to you as your guardian, you would say, “What a gift! I am safe!” Christ was given in humiliation during His earthly ministry to atone for sins, but now He is given to the church in the capacity of His exalted position as the supreme Ruler over all things.
3. The Gainer (To whom was it given?)
The recipient of this gift is the church. Can you believe it? The Father raised, seated, and subjugated all things just so He could give Christ to the church. The church is the recipient of this unspeakable gift.
What does the Bible mean by “church”? The Greek word literally means “the called-out ones.” It never refers to a building, but only to God’s people. The Bible uses “church” in two ways:
- The Local Church: People called out from the world, united to Christ through the ministry of the Word and the Spirit, properly constituted with elders and deacons.
- The Universal Church: The total number of the elect, including the “Church Triumphant” (in heaven) and the “Church Militant” (on earth).
There is no biblical validity for a Christianity outside the church. When Paul says this exalted Christ is given as a gift to the church, it applies to both the local and universal aspects. All the people of God are the gainers.
4. The Grounds (On what basis?)
Why should the church be so favored? Why would the Father bypass great institutions and nations—even Israel—to give His exalted Son to this small, often pathetic group of people? Paul gives two answers: because the church is the Body of Christ and the Fullness of Him.
Today we will look at the church as the Body of Christ. This is an analogy to convey four spiritual realities:
- A Vital Union: This is an organic, living relationship. Just as life flows from a physical head to its limbs, the same life that flows through Christ flows through the church. It is a shared life.
- A Sympathetic Relationship: What happens to the church, Christ feels. When Saul persecuted the church, Christ said, “You are persecuting Me.” Whatever touches the members touches the Head. This should make us very tender and gracious with one another.
- A Functionally Submissive Relationship: Christ is the administrative, ruling Head. The church exists to carry out His will. A body that does not obey its head is paralyzed or sick. It is grotesque when churches do not obey the written Word. The only legitimate existence of the church is to carry out the will of its living Head.
- A Coordinated Relationship: Though we have different functions, we work together to achieve one goal. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” All faculties work under the same Headship, coordinated into a functioning whole.
5. The Goal (Why was it given?)
The goal is to ensure that the glorious hope of the church is never frustrated. This gift is granted so that the Head, using all His power, shall bring the church to its glorious destiny.
As Ephesians 5:27 says, He did this “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” There is a massive gap between what we are today—filled with spots and wrinkles—and that spotless destiny. How is that gap bridged? It is bridged by the fact that He is the Head over all things.
The gift of an exalted Christ is the pledge and certainty that we shall be brought to our inheritance. This is the “5G” of the Gospel: Giver, Gift, Gainer, Grounds, and Goal. While 5G internet gives you maximum data speed, grasping this spiritual 5G allows you to run your heavenly race with maximum confidence.
Application
Worship God for this gift. Serve Him with this “body vision.” The church has the authority and power to overcome all opposition because her Head is Lord of all. We can sing with Martin Luther: “And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.”
Do you see that the impossibility of failure should give you unshakable security? When you face a giant challenge—financial ruin, sickness, or spiritual attack—ask yourself: “Can this problem stop the One who has everything under His feet?” The answer is an electrifying NO.
When you see the chaos of the world—injustice, inflation, or global crises—put your mobile phone aside and see everything under His feet. He is not merely allowing these things; He is directing them to serve the church’s final glory. Trade your grumbling for praise and your anxiety for boldness. Your glorious hope will never be frustrated because everything is under the feet of your Head.
Serve God Within the Church with Body Vision
The image of the “Body” should regulate every activity of every member inside the church. What constitutes membership in the true church? It is not merely taking communion. It is being part of a body through which the very life of the Son of God flows. Do we see that God has joined us to the church and exalted us to such a high position by giving us this gift? The life of Christ flows through us in a sympathetic relationship; He feels everything we feel.
Are we a true part of the Body of Christ? Any group can call itself a church, but is the life of Christ truly flowing through us? Is there a shared feeling between the Head and the Body? The only visible evidence for that is a church that is functionally submissive and operates in a coordinated relationship. If Christ’s life flows in us, we must be submissive to the commands of the Head and function in a coordinated way. How abnormal it would be if just one hand or leg did everything! The church can function as Christ desired only when each of us uses our talents and makes a contribution.
We give evidence that the life of Christ truly flows through us by actively participating in the life of the church. If we are still struggling to attend meetings, we must ask our consciences: are we anywhere close to the biblical idea of the Body? See what an exalted position Christ has given us! The Head has determined to do everything through the Body; without the Body, the Head chooses not to achieve His purposes on earth. God has determined to reveal His glory to the world through a church that functions as His Body. Otherwise, it is a club, not a church.
Because we have this vision of what the church is, we should take church discipline seriously. When we see someone giving no evidence of Christ’s life flowing in them and they are not participating, we should exercise loving discipline to correct that. Otherwise, we may call ourselves a church, but like children, we are just “playing church.” We would be living a lie by maintaining something in the Body of Christ that appears to have no life.
Now do you see why there is so much stress laid in the New Testament on horizontal relationships? The New Testament is filled with “one another” commands: love one another, pray for one another, forgive, bear with, be gentle, speak the truth, and do good. A correct understanding of the Body of Christ undergirds our duties to fellow believers. The Bible says that if you say you love God but do not love the church, you are a liar; you are deceiving yourself.
My friend, if you are not actively involved in a visible Body of Christ and participating in its shared life, your sanctification is suspect. Anyone can deceive themselves into thinking they are holy while living in isolation. But once you start living with others in the church, the depth of your sanctification is put to the test. That is why God puts us in the Body. He said, “I want to make you like my Son.”
How the Body Image Regulates Church Activities:
- Submitting to Direction and Obeying Christ’s Commands: Just as the body obeys the head, believers must diligently study Scripture, pray, and listen to ensure their actions are directed by the will of Christ.
- Absolute Unity and Equality: There is no room for division or classism. Since all believers are part of one Body, differences based on wealth, race, education, or social status are meaningless and contradictory to their nature (Ephesians 2:14-16).
- Necessary Interdependence: Every member is vital. No one can say, “I have no need of you.” This commands believers to seek out ways to use their specific spiritual gifts to support and build up others.
- Sympathy and Care: We must have genuine compassion. If one part of the body suffers, all parts suffer with it (1 Corinthians 12:26). This requires believers to feel and act on the pain and needs of others in the fellowship.
Serve God Outside the Church with Body Vision in Gospel Work
- Representing Christ on Earth: As the “fullness of Him” (Ephesians 1:23), the church is the visible means by which Christ’s presence, message, love, and works are demonstrated to the world.
- All Power and Resources are Available in the Head: We may feel empty, weak, or cowardly, but let us learn to look to our Head. In Him is an ocean of power and overflowing grace. He is the reservoir of all spiritual blessings and everything the church needs for her life and ministry. We rely on Him for the progress of the church. Because of this, believers pray boldly, knowing they are communicating directly with the One who holds all authority in heaven and on earth.
- Universal Authority: The church works with confidence, knowing that no government, power, or philosophy can ultimately thwart its purpose because its Head rules over all those things.
- Security and Protection: We have courage in the face of persecution. The church does not fear its enemies because the Head is exalted far above all hostile spiritual and earthly powers. He keeps the Body safe.
- Hope in Evangelism: Because Christ is the Head over all things, evangelism is never done from a position of weakness or apology. The evangelist speaks knowing the Gospel is backed by the highest authority in the universe. This message is universal; it is not just a local tradition but concerns the Lord of the cosmos, making it relevant to every person regardless of culture, class, or background.
- The Mandate: In Matthew 28:18, our Lord says, “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Therefore, we go. We don’t have to use worldly means or false promises. Even if we feel like a bunch of weak nobodies, when we go out for the Gospel—sharing tracts or testimonies with the love of Christ—the Head will bring elect sinners to the church. Our Head has the authority to bend the will of even the proudest sinner. That is our hope.
- Rejecting Worldly Methods: The church resists relying on human wisdom, secular trends, or manipulative tactics, knowing that the Head contains all the wisdom and power needed for success. We should not use worldly methods to attract people for entertainment. We do not want to take anyone into membership who is not truly joined to Christ just to increase our numbers. We must maintain the purity of the Body of Christ by using only the biblical Gospel, trusting that the sheep will hear the voice of the Head.
A Final Call
To everyone listening now, and those on YouTube: if this gift of Headship is given to the church, then all His blessings are given only to the church. His subjugating power of protection is for the church. The gates of hell shall not prevail only against the church. He is ruling for the good of the church; His redeeming and sanctifying work happens inside the church. It is for the church that He is coming back. He will raise the church from the dead, vindicate them in judgment, and glorify them.
The great question you must ask is: Are you inside that church? What place does the church hold in your life? There is a lot of false teaching today that devalues the church or gives all importance to a specific geopolitical idea of Israel, leading people to think they can attend any false church for selfish reasons and still call themselves Bible believers. Stop deceiving yourself. Wake up from your sleep.
Are you inside the true Church of God? I am not asking if you have simply joined a membership list externally. You can join many organizations that way, but we have seen that there is a living, life-flowing relationship between Christ and His church. You can only truly join the church when you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and His work, repent of your sins, and are united to Him by faith. Faith is the umbilical cord through which His life flows into you. You become a “new creature.” The only way you become a true member is through the work of the Spirit incorporating you into Jesus Christ.
If you are not in that Body, you are not saved. To get into the Body, you must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and repent; the Holy Spirit will then join you to the Body. When you are united this way, you will give the highest place to the church. You will have a divine sense that Christ the Head has brought you here. You will be faithful to the responsibilities of the church. Through the church, the Head uses the truth and the means of grace to sanctify you, grow you, and give you victory over your enemies.
If the Father has exalted Christ so highly and given Him as Head with all authority, it is a spiritual impossibility to claim you are united to Him while not submitting to Him. Everyone whom the Father brings into the church is brought in bent and bowed to the kingship of Jesus. If you have not been broken and bowed, God has not yet incorporated you into the church; you may have taken a baptism externally, but nothing happened inside. Examine yourself. The Holy Spirit breaks the proud heart to bring it into submission to King Jesus. Just like Paul, who was once an uncontrollable horse until he was struck down and asked, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” If you are not spiritually united to Christ, go to Him in faith, ask for mercy, and ask Him to incorporate you into His true church.