Connected In Christ, Pt.1
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Intro; When Paul wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus he was in a Roman prison. Paul had invested a lot of time in these people on two of his missionary journeys [3 years]. In Ephesus, like many areas of the world at that time/today, Christianity confronted many man made philosophies, cults and other religions [Dennis shared in his message about the gates of hell being an altar to the god Pan close to Caesarea Philippi Mt 16:18/ Paul on Mars Hill/Areopagus in Acts 17]. So Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians to clarify “church”. What it is, how one becomes a part of it, and how one draws upon their spiritual resources for daily living as they grow in Christ.
In your wallet/purse most of us have some type of membership card showing that you are affiliated with that organization [Farm Bureau, Visa, Rotary, etc..] That card also carries privileges that you enjoy with that organization that others don’t have because they are not members. In a similar manner being a part of the “church” has it’s privileges that others do not enjoy.
In this series “My Life In The Church” we’re going to look at those benefits that Paul writes about in the Book of Ephesians. The first benefit we will look at is how we are “Connected In Christ”
Text; Eph. 1:1-14
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Church- [ekklesia/noun] assembly, a summoned group of people. [kyrakion/adjective]belonging to the Lord, the Lord’s house.
The church is an assembly of summoned people for the worship of Almighty God with the intent/purpose of public demonstration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
1. Chosen By The Father; 3-6
1. Chosen By The Father; 3-6
He Chose us- [By His will/love] In God’s amazing grace He implemented the perfect plan of salvation in Christ to redeem fallen man. To choose is not necessarily implying the rejection of what is not chosen, but giving favor to the chosen subject, keeping in view a relationship to be established between the one choosing and the object chosen for a greater purpose.
6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.
7 The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;
8 but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9 “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;
10 and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face.
11 Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.
God could have used anybody to be His people to live before a wicked world and prove the glory of His goodness, but He chose Israel for this.
Use the analogy of NFL draft picks chosen in order for the need of the team, not necessarily by the best players.
John 15:16 (NKJV)
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
Jesus chose the disciples, fishermen to fish for the souls of men.
Acts 9:15–16 (NKJV)
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Paul was chosen at a specific time to be saved to use his boldness for Christ instead of against Him, even to the point of suffering!
You are chosen by God for the blessing of salvation in Christ for the purpose of glorifying the Father here on earth.
9 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;
2. Redeemed By The Son; 7-12
2. Redeemed By The Son; 7-12
Redeemed- pay a ransom, to redeem one from bondage by paying a price.
Christ’s death was the price God demanded to redeem us from slavery to sin. God never skips over sin. Someone has to pay the price—either you or an acceptable substitute. Because we are not able within ourselves to pay God’s demand for our redemption, Jesus became our substitute. On the cross Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), meaning, “paid in full.”
[7] redemption, forgiveness of sins, according to His grace
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
[v.8-12] You and I have been Chosen by the Father to be redeemed by The Son. And God has made it known to each individual the mystery of His will that at the fullness of time one can understand His call, confess our sin and trust in Christ to the praise of His glory and our benefit of a eternal inheritance in Him!
3. Sealed By The Spirit; 13-14
3. Sealed By The Spirit; 13-14
Sealed- A small engraved object [ring/stamp] used to make an image in soft clay or wax indicating ownership, authority, or authenticity—much like a modern signature.
When God calls one to salvation and we respond in faith through repentance unto redemption, then the Holy Spirit becomes the seal of ownership, authority and authenticity over our life.
Seal of Ownership- knowing you are saved and belong to God. God leaves no doubt!
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
John 10:27 (NKJV)
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
Seal of Authority- the right and power to have influence over another. Since we belong to God He has rights over our lives and He initiates those rights through the power of the Holy Spirit. Two examples;
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.
2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.
6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
Seal of Authenticity- the quality of being real. A person who is truly saved is authentic in Christ and lives by the power of the Spirit to produce spiritual fruit.
Matthew 7:15–20 (NKJV)
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
That person who is sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise has the guarantee of the inheritance of God. “Well done thou good and faithful servant…, enter into the joy of your lord.”
Close;
Let’s compare our membership in the church to our membership in the organizations we looked at in the beginning of my message.
1. What will you gain?
Church; salvation, new family, Holy Spirit, truth, heaven
Card; certain perks on special days if you buy a certain dollar worth of merchandise
2. How much will it cost?
Church; Nothing! God will provide all our needs to be blessed in Him
Card; Annual dues, monthly payments, interest if not paid in full
3. How long will it last?
Church; Eternity
Card; Temporary
We need to thank God daily for the opportunity to be included in His family, the “Church.”
Ask yourself this week, “What can I do for God’s church?”
If you consider being a part of the church a privilege then share the gospel with someone this week or invite them to church with you.
“Get them Connected In Christ!”