Chosen to be Holy and Blameless

Good morning, welcome to NHCC. Please open your Bibles to Ephesians 1.

Michelle baptism

Read Ephesians 1:4- ...even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love...

Pray.

Luke 15- Parable of the lost, or prodigal, son.

Two sorts of life are mentioned. One in the home and presence of the Father, one in the world, seeking every ounce of pleasure and meaning that we can find.

Jen Oshman- “The first story is broadcast loudly across pop culture, social media, and all media. It proclaims that you and I are the center of the universe. We are unique individuals, and we can be awesome. We just need to create our identities. By making the right choices with our wardrobes and weekends, and by hanging out with the right people and doing the right things, we can be limitlessly happy. The world offers you and me an amazing life; we just have to go out and make it happen.”

Jen Oshman- “The second story is quiet. It’s more of a whisper from the back burner in our brains, but it refuses to be silenced. It will not go away. It’s there in the quiet, in the middle of the night, when the new novelty doesn’t measure up or the relationship breaks rather than binds. It’s the questioning and the longing when the over-promises of the first story under-deliver. The whisper tells us we were made for more. In a hushed voice it insists that we have an immoveable and important identity, a sort of real home somewhere out there. We’re longing for it, and we know it’s not just in our imaginations. There’s got to be more to this life, it nags.”

Our text- encouragement given by Paul to remain in the household of the Father.

Centers on the topic of eternal life. How is eternal life defined? What has been gained? What has been accomplished on our behalf?

1. Eternal life is given.

Chose us in him before the foundation of the world.

If you are in Jesus, you have been chosen.

Our lives are often lived in the pursuit of approval.

Much of our life is spent asking how we stack up- one big kickball game. When will we be picked?

Constant re-evaluation of works- Have I done enough good?

David Dickson- “I have taken all of my bad deeds and put them on a heap, and I have taken all of my good deeds as well, and I have put them on the same heap. And I have run away from the heap into the arms of Jesus. I die in peace.”

Does away with anxiety, does away with depression, the feeling that we are not enough, that we don’t measure up.

Before the foundation of the world.

Chosen outside of the constraints of time.

What is outside of the constraints of time is not subject to change.

Immutable- God and His plans, His intentions.

Why is God’s immutability such a big deal? It carries massive implications for you.

If God does not learn, or adapt, then neither can His plans, His choices.

Nothing can surprise God to make Him change His mind.

Charles Spurgeon- “I have no doubt that the Lord can see more fault in his church than I can; and I have equal confidence that he sees no fault at all. Because he covers her faults with his own love- that love which covers a multitude of sins; and he removes all her defilement with that precious blood which washes away all the transgressions of his people.”

What God does has been set from eternity past. You are unable to change His will.

God sees you in the pig pen, and God loves you in the pig pen. Is there any greater encouragement that can be given?

2. Eternal life is formative.

Eternal life changes a person. It doesn’t leave you where you have always been.

The blessing of God’s salvation does something to a person, it places a person before God as both blameless and holy.

Notice the wording- this is your status before God.

You stand with something and without something else.

You are holy.

Chosen, set apart, consecrated for God’s work.

You are blameless.

Without blame. When God sees you, He doesn’t hold your sin against you because your sin has already been dealt with on the cross of Christ.

Can you imagine being blameless? Remember how we live asking how we stack up? Much of our evaluation comes from what people know of us, especially concerning the worst of us.

This is your identity in relation to God. This is how He sees you. Holy and blameless.

The temptation would be to consider ourselves as though we had arrived at complete holiness and blamelessness.

Consider the words, “in Christ.”

Galatians 2:20- I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Is this true? Is it Christ who lives in you? Are you in Christ? Absolutely. 100%.

The point of this introduction from Paul is that you would know that you are in Christ.

That being said, do you live as Christ lived? Not entirely.

Eternal life is motion, movement. Shaping. Molding.

Eternal life doesn’t coast. We are in Christ and yet we become more like Christ.

But what does it mean to become more like Christ?

3. Eternal life is Jesus.

Jesus is everything to our eternal life. The sacrifice. The source. The sustenance. The sight.

His plan, His design, His death, his resurrection, His accomplishment, his follow-through.

He is the goal, the end, the aim at which we simultaneously find ourselves possessing and yet ever working towards.

After all, Jesus is the holy one, the blameless one, the pure and spotless lamb offered on our behalf.

When we are told that we are holy and blameless, we are being told that we possess the same status as Jesus Himself.

So how do we find evidence of eternal life? How are we to be growing into the person and character of Jesus Christ? Let’s look at a few characteristics:

Jesus obeyed the Father and delighted in doing so.

John 14:31- ...but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

Jesus loved His disciples.

John 13:34-35- A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Jesus was gentle, kind and patient with both His disciples and with sinners in general.

Matthew 12:17-21- This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Jesus cared for the lost, and not merely the spiritually lost.

Matthew 9:36- When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Are you lost? I often feel lost. Spiritually lost. Mentally or emotionally lost.

This is the life of living at home, not turning our back on the Father to seek other pleasures, but living as we were created to live.

I wonder which story you find yourself living right now. The one blasted from the loudspeakers telling you to make something of yourself? Or the one whispered in the dark of the night encouraging you to pursue what is truly better.

You have the choice. And you know that you do. Which story will be the pursuit of your life?

Ken Puls- Praise our God, His love eternal; Who can measure its degree? Spanning 'fore the world's creation, Reaching through eternity. Pause and wonder, all His children; See how great His love for thee! May the truth of sov'reign mercy, Lay man's pride into a grave. Man has nothing he can boast in; God and God alone does save. Full of power, full of mercy, His love reaches down to save!