Scripture: Ephesians 3:1–13
Speaker: David Hill
Sermon Series: Grace: At Home in God's Family
Date: October 25, 2026
Introduction
What is the purpose of the church? Is it simply a place where Christians gather, worship, and learn about God? Or is there something much greater happening when God's people come together?
In Ephesians 3, the apostle Paul reveals an extraordinary vision for the church. Through Jesus Christ, God is bringing people from every nation into His family and restoring the relationship humanity was created to enjoy with Him. In this message, David Hill explores how the entire biblical story points toward God's desire to dwell with His people and what that means for our lives today.
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Sermon Summary
From the Garden of Eden to God's Presence
The Bible begins in a garden where humanity enjoys a close relationship with God.
In Genesis 1–3, Adam and Eve are created to live in God's presence. They are given responsibility to care for creation and represent God's rule in the world. But they are also invited to something even more fundamental: simply being with God.
David describes these as two complementary callings. Humanity was created to serve as kings and priests and to steward God's creation while enjoying fellowship with Him.
When Adam and Eve disobey God, they are banished from Eden. Their separation from the garden represents the loss of the intimate relationship with God they were created to experience.
Yet the rest of Scripture tells the story of God making a way for humanity to return.
The tabernacle and later the temple in Jerusalem pointed toward this hope. Their design echoed the Garden of Eden, with imagery of trees, precious materials, and cherubim guarding the place associated with God's presence.
The temple reminded Israel that God desired to dwell among His people, even though access to its holiest place remained restricted.
The Church Is Now God's Dwelling Place
In Ephesians 2:21–22, Paul describes the church as a holy temple, a dwelling place where God lives by His Spirit.
This is a remarkable shift.
God's presence is no longer associated primarily with a particular building in Jerusalem. Through Jesus, people themselves are being joined together into a spiritual dwelling place for God.
And this new community is not limited to one ethnic group or nation.
In Ephesians 3:6, Paul explains that through the gospel, Gentiles—people who are not Jewish—are welcomed alongside Israel as members of one body and sharers in God's promises through Christ.
What Paul calls the mystery of Christ is now being revealed: through Jesus, God is forming one family from people of every background.
The church is therefore much more than an organization or a weekly gathering. It is a community through which God's presence and purposes are made known.
Our Calling: Sharing God's Grace with the World
David explains that the church has a calling that reflects humanity's original responsibility in Eden.
Paul describes himself as a steward of God's grace (Ephesians 3:2, 7–9). He had received something extraordinary through Jesus, and he understood that this gift was meant to be shared.
The same is true for every believer.
We each have a story of how God's grace has met us. Those stories matter because they help others see what God is doing in the world.
Our calling is to share both the story of Jesus and the story of what He has done in our lives.
Paul also teaches that through the church, God's wisdom is made known even to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 3:10).
David emphasizes that the church's purpose is greater than we often realize. When believers gather, proclaim Christ, and share His grace, they participate in God's work of pushing back darkness and making His kingdom known.
Worship and Prayer: Living in God's Presence
The church's calling is not only about what we do for God. It is also about being with Him.
Ephesians 3:12 declares that through faith in Jesus, we can approach God with freedom and confidence.
Under the old covenant, access to the innermost part of the temple was restricted to the high priest, who entered only once a year. But through Jesus' death, the way into God's presence has been opened.
David connects this to the church's calling as a kingdom of priests.
We are invited to worship God in His presence, not as people trying to reach a distant God, but as beloved children welcomed by their Father.
Prayer flows from that same relationship. Rather than approaching God as though He were far away or reluctant to hear us, we can pray confidently from a place of fellowship with Him.
And as we experience God's goodness, our prayers naturally turn outward. We begin to long for others to know His presence and for His kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.
This is the heart of the church's purpose: we are invited to be with God and to make Him known.
Reflection Questions
How do you understand your relationship with God? Do you primarily think about what you need to do for Him, or do you also make space to enjoy His presence through worship and prayer?
What is your story of God's grace? How has God met you, shaped your life, or revealed His goodness to you? Who might be encouraged by hearing that story?
How might understanding the church as God's dwelling place change your participation in it? What would it look like to approach worship, prayer, and community with a greater awareness of God's presence and purpose?
Come Experience City Church
City Church Boston is a multicultural Christian community in Greater Boston seeking to learn to live like Jesus together. Whether you're exploring faith, looking for meaningful community, or hoping to grow in your relationship with God, we'd love to welcome you!
Join us Sundays at 4:00 PM in Newton, Massachusetts, or learn more at citychurchboston.org
