EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1:3-14

EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1:3-14

THE BLESSINGS OF GOD

Thank you president loper for the opportunity.

Let us pray

A number of years ago, a madman, called Saddam Hussein, invaded Kuwait, bringing death and destruction. Knowing it would be next on Saddam’s hit list, Saudi Arabia called Washington and asked for help. On that occasion, President Bush was at his best. He picked up the phone and called England, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, and many other countries and built the famed coalition.

Men and women from different backgrounds, races, classes, cultures, and personalities all gathered in the Gulf with one focused agenda – to serve notice on this madman, demanding that he not take more territory and that he relinquish the territory already taken. The coalition was to inform him his days of rule in the Gulf were over.

Another mad person in history is called the Devil, against whom God, too, has built a coalition to wage war – it’s called the church. If we’re going to be a vibrant, successful force for God in the world, and if we’re going to have victory over the prince of the power of the air, then the church is going to have to function as an allied coalition.

When there is a common goal based on a common authority to set forth a common agenda, then we can have a common success. God has created one body made up of different persons, all of whom have received a common call from God in Christ.1

This is what the epistle to the Ephesians is all about - the unity of the church, a coalition of people with different religious, racial, and social backgrounds into one body to live as a powerful force for God in the world.

Written when Paul was in prison in Rome 61-63AD

Paul was writing to the saints in Ephesus. In Acts 19. Ephesus was a great city for its time. A major port for Asian minor. It was a great commercial hub. There was a lot of pilgrims who visited to trade and conduct other businesses. Because of Pegan practices going on in Ephesus, Paul writes to the saints to remain true to the faith and not mix their believes with Pegan believes (Syncretism), secondly, he was reminding the gentile Christians not to exclude Jewish Christians or anyone else from inclusion in the church.

Paul did not want to see 2 churches – one Jewish and one Gentile, he wanted both of these to be accommodated in one single body.

Let’s read for chapter 1:3-14

We could see from this passage that Paul was writing to the saints to tell them of the Spiritual Blessings they have in Christ.

God wants you to know that you have spiritual blessings in Christ.

Well, you may be here today and wondering ‘how can I have these spiritually blessings? I can tell you the answers are all graciously given to us in the passage of scripture we have read.

These four blessings can be outlined as follows

• Our predestination

• Our Redemption

• Our Inheritance

• Seal of the Holy spirit

Blessings from God that is the blessings that comes as a result of being in Christ as well as

• The blessings include: election, predestination, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, wisdom, and revelation of the mystery of God’s will

• Election: In verse 4, Paul states that God has chosen the believers in Christ before the creation of the world, this is the election of God, which is not based on anything that we do but on his sovereign grace.

• Predestination: In verse 5, Paul states that God predestined the believers in Christ to be adopted as his children, predestination is the fact that God, before the foundation of the world, decided to redeem and pour out His grace on a certain group of people drawing them neigh to Himself and give them eternal life.

• Adoption: In verse 5, Paul states that the believers in Christ have been adopted as God's children, this adoption is a legal term that means we have been given all the rights and privileges of God's children.

• Redemption: In verse 7, Paul states that the believers in Christ have been redeemed through Jesus' blood, redemption is the act of buying back something that was lost or stolen, and in this case, it means that we have been bought back from the consequences of our sins. Our sin demands death and judgement but thank God for the blood of Jesus and for its redemptive power. And because of this we are able to say we have redemption through his blood.

• Our Inheritance – we have obtained an inheritance. we will be able to appreciate what this inheritance is all about (1Peter 1:3-4) this inheritance is imperishable. undefiled and unfading. It is not corruptible; it is unstained and its beauty will never fade. As followers of Jesus, we await this inheritance. Amen

• Forgiveness: In verse 7, Paul states that the believers in Christ have been forgiven of their sins, forgiveness is the act of canceling a debt, in this case, the debt of our sins.

• Wisdom and Revelation: In verse 8, Paul states that God has given the believers in Christ the wisdom to understand the mystery of his will, and in verse 9, he states that God has made known to the believers in Christ the mystery of his will, wisdom and revelation are the ability to understand and know the things of God.

1. Sealing With the Holy Spirit (1:13-14)

• Paul’s prayer for the believers to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit

• Paul’s statement that the believers have been sealed with the Spirit as a pledge of their inheritance

Ephesians 1:13-14 is a passage that highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life. In verse 13, Paul states that, "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

Here are a few key points that can be gleaned from this passage about the work of the Holy Spirit:

• The Holy Spirit is the one who brings salvation: In verse 13, Paul states that it is through hearing the word of truth, the gospel of salvation, and believing in Jesus Christ, that the believer is sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. This implies that it is the work of the Holy Spirit that brings salvation to the believer.

• The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance: In verse 14, Paul states that the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance. This means that the Holy Spirit is the one who assures us that we have a future inheritance in heaven, and that the inheritance is secure.

• The Holy Spirit is the one who seals the believer: In verse 13, Paul states that the believer is sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. The sealing of the Holy Spirit is a biblical metaphor, it means that the believer is marked as belonging to God and that his salvation is guaranteed.

• The Holy Spirit is the one who empowers the believer: The Holy Spirit gives the believer power to live a godly life and to be a witness for Jesus Christ. The work of the Holy Spirit is not only to bring salvation but also to empower the believer to live a life that pleases God.

Illustration of the pregnant woman…

yet in a more significant way think about us as parents especially mothers

think about that nine-month period known as pregnancy right you find out you have this baby that God has given life inside of you and it six weeks older so you hear the heartbeat and you know that baby is there you know it because the doctors give you proof but nothing seems different right time goes on and you begin to show it becomes a little more real that this baby is yours and then you feel that baby move for the first time and then the realness really sets in and then that baby begins to grow and starts doing gymnastics and somersaults inside your belly and there's no question now that this baby is yours and then from our side as men we get to experience that because as time goes on we can put our hand on that belly and we can feel that baby move and doing all of his or her gymnastics in there all right how long is real that you have a baby from the moment of conception you have life living inside of you the baby is yours in a very real sense but in another sense you're waiting for the fulfillment aren't you you're waiting for the birth when you can hold that child when you can look at him when you can touch her when you can kiss his cheeks when you can cuddle her in your arms Paul even uses this analogy of pregnancy in Romans 8 to speak of us as humanity and even creation as we await the fulfillment of what God is going to do Romans 8 22 and 23 we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now and not only the creation but we ourselves who have the first fruit to the spirit that's what he's talking about here the sealing that we've been given the first fruits of the Spirit we groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons the redemption of our bodies you see just as creation is awaiting renewal so we as sons and daughters of God are doing the same and the Holy Spirit is given to us God by God the Father as a spiritual blessing in Christ to be that guaranteed to be that down payment that proof of purchase for this inheritance that we await possession of and all of this he says look at how he ends the passage in verse 14 all of this again to the praise of his so how might we as God's people this morning take this passage and apply it to our lives well there are dozens I'm sure indeed but let me give you just and then offer a few specifics I think that as we think about this passage these spiritual blessings in Christ should affect every aspect of our lives Paul begins his letter with in the book of Ephesians extolling the work of God for us in Christ because it's here that we need to start we don't need a list of 33:37do's and don'ts do we we don't need tips for good living for a happier family for a healthier life for a better you know we need the reminders of what our holy

What we learn from this chapter

1. Spiritual blessings are only available in Christ.

2. Spiritual blessings are far more valuable than material blessings and they are given for free. (Spiritual blessings are eternal)

3. Spiritual blessings are enhanced and appreciated through prayer (many at times what is missing in our spiritual journey is prayer and how to appreciate God’s gift)

These spiritual blessings should affect all aspect of our lives

God wants you to know that you have spiritual blessings in Christ.