Blessed Be God

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 1:3–4 NKJV

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, 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,

Intro

2 Corinthians 1:3 NKJV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

Ephesians 1:1 NKJV

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

Ephesians 1:2 NKJV

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

He Blessed Us

Ephesians 1:3 NKJV

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,

Blessed - eulegatos -did well

Blessed -eulegatos - showed us favor

Blessing - a present to do well and promote the Christian life

Heavenly Places?

Heaven itself

Ephesians 4:10 NKJV

He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Philippians 3:20 NKJV

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Lower heaven

Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

He selected Us

Ephesians 1:4 NKJV

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,

2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

He Adopted Us

Ephesians 1:5 NKJV

having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Predestined

to determine hand

Acts 13:47 NKJV

For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Acts 13:48 NKJV

Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

Adoption

A legal creation of a parent child relationship

Ephesians 1:6 NKJV

to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

God so loved the world

John 3:16 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Blessed be those who accept the gift and become the beloved

Ephesians 1:6 NKJV

to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.