Happy

Happy video at intro

Jeremiah was a bullfrong possible?

Ephesians 1:1-10 (ESV)

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pauls Letter to the city of Ephesus modern day Turkey.. Josh julie wentz. missionaries

City 1-5 pics

Pauls 1st journey acts 13.. more info in acts 18, 2nd acts 15, 3rd Acts 18.. then we see in Acts 19 his desire for ephesus

.. some believe this letter from Paul was meant to be circulated to all the churches..

Paul was in prison while writing this letter.. talk about isolation.. used his time wisely..

Priscilla and Aquilla

As well as Timothy..

Broken in half

First 3 chapters is solid theology

Last 3 chapters are practical living for Christians

Well why the Mystery Joe..

Paul unlocks the mystery for gentiles..us.. no jewish people.. can now be part of the family of Christ, we can now experience the same promises. .. We see that throughout the book but specifically in chapter 5 when paul relates the church to marriage.

will of God…

Why a believer should be happy

Ephesus is going through turbulence..

Soteriology.. doctrine of salvation

Christology.. Christ the center of your life.. he fills us to live

Ecclesiology.. doctrine of the church

Spiritual warfare…

God thought about you a long time ago

Ephesians 1:3-6a (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 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 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace

Blessed be God because he blessed you

He gave us Jesus

WE just spent the past year in John

John 3:16

Spiritual Blessings

When we are connected with Jesus, we are connected to the Spirit.

These are not Material blessings..

He Chooses you

God is the source of our blessing

James 1:17 (ESV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Its not luck.. God blesses…

Every spiritual blessing through Christ

who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places

Michael Jordan picking me for his team

Consider every blessing you have received in your life.. your family.. your church …friends.. those who where there for you… your salvation.. From God

He chose you before creation

Predestined.. Election.. before you ever heard the gospel, went to church.. he chose you!

Charles Spurgeon used to describe how a person entering heaven would look up and see some words inscribed on the front of the gate.  It would say, “Come, whosoever will”.  And as a person would walk in through the gate of heaven, they could look back over their shoulder and see the other side of the gate, where the sign said, “Chosen before the foundation of the earth”.  The idea is that from this side of heaven, we have a responsibility to choose to follow Jesus.  But when we get to heaven, we’ll find out that we had been chosen all along.

He chooses to make you Holy

Too often we hear what we are saved from and maybe not enough of what we are saved for!!

Make us in his iamge

Genesis 1:26 (ESV)

Then God said, “Let us make man[a] in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Through sacrifice

Hebrews 10:10  (ESV)

10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Through the Holy Spirit

Romans 5;5 (ESV) 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

1 Corinthians 12:3 (ESV)

3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

This is how he does it

Create in us a clean heart

Psalm 51:10 (ESV)

Create in me a clean heart, O God,     and renew a right[a] spirit within me.

Refine us

Malachi 3:3 (ESV)

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.

In tune with God

He chooses to give you Love

Romans 5:5 (ESV)

5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

He chooses to make you His own

he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace

John 1:12 (ESV)

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

This is Security…

John 10:28-29  (ESV)

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

You are part of His purpose

Philippians 4:19 (ESV)

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Tim not only does micheal Jordan pick me for his team.. but he wants me to start.. he wants me to play.. with Him..

Whose happy?

God redeemed you in Christ

Ephesians 1:6b-10 (ESV)

with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Blessed again..how so?

You are forgiven

Aphesis… afusis release from bondage or imprisonment.

Psalm 32:1-2  (ESV)

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,     whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,     and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

As beleivers we depend on God’s grace because we are sinners..

We are not dependent on being Good people we are dependent on a graceful God

This is God’s motive … Grace.. Love..

You are lavished with wisdom

8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

The wisest thing you can do is fear God

Job 28:28  (ESV)

28 And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,     and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Psalm 111:10  (ESV)

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;     all those who practice it have a good understanding.     His praise endures forever!

Proverbs 1:7  (ESV)

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;     fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 9:10  (ESV)

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,     and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Then God reveals the mystery to you

Job 11:5-6  (ESV)

5 But oh, that God would speak     and open his lips to you, 6 and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom!     For he is manifold in understanding.

You know the secret (mystery)

9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ

William Barclay said, “In the New Testament sense a mystery is something which is hidden to the heathen but clear to the Christian.”

Disney card Pic

The word mystery here in Ephesians is not a famous who do it ..something we can get the clues to and solve.. not.. It is only something that God can reveal to us.

Some might not understand scripture..some the ways God has called us to be obedient.. but see when we have a relationship with God His mystery is revealed to us.

Romans 8:15  (ESV)

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

YOU ARE UNITED WITH HIM

10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

You are on the winning team

1 Peter 1:4 (ESV)

4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

Paul E. Billheimer, in his book, Destined for the Throne, observes, “If one wants to know the meaning and purpose of history, he must look at the end, the final outcome, the net result.

Titus 1:2 (ESV) in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began