Wednesday, October 4, 2023 - Spiritual Blessings

Ephesians 1:3, 9-14

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God hath done;

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings, money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God hath done;

In our Wednesday night study through the book of Ephesians, we have been talking about our spiritual blessings from God. While the lyrics of the song could be related to material blessings, of which God also provides and we are so very thankful for; the ultimate blessings are the spiritual blessings. While we can and should be thankful for what God has done for us here on this earth, the blessings He pours out for us every day; while we should be grateful and come to Him in a spirit of Thanksgiving for these blessings; we know they are only temporary, but the spiritual blessings we are given through the grace of God at our justification, are far superior.

Paul has laid out these blessings:

Spiritual Blessings:

1. We are Holy and Blameless in God’s sight

2. We were predestined to be adopted into His family

3. We have been redeemed to His glory and holiness

4. God has given us wisdom of redemption and understanding to apply such wisdom to our lives.

Tonight, we are going to look at the final three spiritual blessings Paul lists for us in the first part of the Ephesians, chapter one.

Text: Ephesians 1:3, 9-14

3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him 10 for the administration of the days of fulfillment—to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him.

11 We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.

13 When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. 14 He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.

5 - found in verse nine and ten. God has revealed to us, the Church, the followers of Jesus Christ under the New Covenant, the mysteries of His will.

We have mentioned this a little bit here in this study, but have looked at it even deeper on Sunday nights, especially this past Sunday;

A Biblical mystery is not a concept, thought, or ideal that God makes difficult to understand or comprehend.

When we think about mysteries in our usual way, murder mystery shows, or an illusionist who does tricks, we think of something that has happened that has not been able to be unraveled, understood, n or to have the details revealed.

A Biblical mystery is a truth which has been locked away by God until it’s appropriate time or reveal.

Until it is in HIS will the mystery be made known. When the time had come, according to His will and His desire, the Mystery was revealed by God to mankind.

The Mystery that is revealed to us here, is that God is going to gather together all things, both the visible and the invisible unto Himself.

All things will be brought into perfect harmony and a peaceful, eternal state under the authority of Christ.

All that we see in our world today; all that we witness in the church, all that we witness in creation, is all part of God’s plan to move history to this climactic culmination.

Ephesians 1:9-10

9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him [Jesus] 10 for the administration of the days of fulfillment—to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him.

five thoughts on this one text.

I. God has an eternal purpose and plan for the world.

We talked about this last Wednesday, as well as on Sunday morning. God purposed before He ever laid the foundation of the earth, the timeline, the existence, of the earth, as well as the redemption of mankind. He desires to bring all of creation back into perfection as was intended in the garden. He finds joy in working this plan together, and all that He does is good and for this purpose.

II. There is division throughout the universe.

Because there exists a plan to “bring all things together,” there is indication of division.

Ephesians 6:12

12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

And because we see that God’s plan of “bringing all things together,” has existed since creation, that shows how devastating and destructive the division is. The message of this letter is Redemption; redemption is not necessary if there is not destructive division.

III. There is to be a climax in history.

Again, based on the “Bringing all things together” phrasing, we can also know there will be a consummating point in time when this work has been accomplished. Once all things are brought together in Christ, a new order of peace and harmony will exist under the authority of Jesus. God is in control, calling the shots, and handling the movement toward this climax. The world is not spinning out of control toward a destructive end, but very much under control to a glorifying end. That does not mean all is good, but that all WILL BE good under the plan to bring about a new order.

Galatians 4:4-6

4 When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

Ephesians 3:9-11 (New American Standard)

9 and to enlighten all people as to what the plan of the mystery is which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; 10 so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

IV. Jesus is God’s appointed head over the new creation.

(To bring everything together IN THE MESSIAH). Jesus is the head of the Church in the current age, and He will be the head of the new creation and order.

Ephesians 1:22-23

22 And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way.

V. The Church is God’s chosen instrument of reconciliation.

When we examine the teachings of Jesus, we see the instructions to the church. We are told to do two things. We are to carry the reconciling message of the Gospel to the world. The message of harmony and peace with God through Christ is to be proclaimed. And, number two, the church is to practice this reconciliation within its context. The barriers and divisions that exist within the world, that create strife and contention, are to done away with in the Church. We are to be a speck, a picture of God’s reconciliation on earth.

2 Corinthians 5:19-21

19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Spiritual blessing number five: God has revealed to us, the Church, under the New Covenant, the mysteries of His will.

Spiritual blessing 6: We have been chosen to receive an inheritance, the heritage of God in Christ.

Ephesians 1:11-13

11 We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.

13 When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

A few things to note concerning our inheritance in Christ.

I. This inheritance was predestined or foreordained.

As mentioned many times before, God foreordained that all who placed their faith and trust in His Son, His death, burial, and resurrection would receive this inheritance. This decision based on the will and wisdom of God was made before the foundation of the earth.

II. The inheritance is that we should exist eternally

The Word that translated to the phrase in verse 11, “we…Have also received,” is translated in other versions as, “we…have been chosen.” The Greek word that originates this phrase means to be “assigned to or allotted to another as a possession.” In that phrase, we are chosen as the inheritance, or maybe better yet, the heritage of God. We are His legacy; to be with Him for eternity. We are his eternal possession.

1 Peter 2:9

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

III. The reason we were chosen is so we exist for the praise of His Glory.

The fact that God would take separated sinners and cleanse them from their sin by His own sacrificial doing, will bring praise upon praise to His name. His love will be glorified forever. All of creation will stand in awe of His eternal grace and love shown through Jesus.

IV. How does one receive this inheritance.

An inheritance is received by those chosen by its possessor. Old Testament inheritance went to the family, the sons, and daughters of the Father. To receive the inheritance and heritage of God, you must be a child of God.

Ephesians 1:13 (NIV)

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

By hearing the Word of God and believing on its truth, you are included as a coheir with Christ.

Romans 10:17 (HCSB)

17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

John 5:24

24 “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

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Spiritual blessing number five: God has revealed to us, the Church, under the New Covenant, the mysteries of His will.

Spiritual blessing number six: We have been chosen to receive an inheritance, the heritage of God in Christ.

Spiritual blessing 7: God has sealed us with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13

13 When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

The word translated here as sealed, means to pledge, or guarantee; a down payment.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is a down payment on the eternal glory we will share in as part of our inheritance with Christ.

We receive the New Spirit as a mark of our faith in Christ.

Romans 8:16

16 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,

2 Corinthians 1:22 (NIV)

22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Galatians 4:6 (HCSB)

6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

These are God’s eternal blessings given to His children; those who believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.