Blessings in Christ Pt. 3
Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Our series in the Book of Ephesians began with a celebration of the blessings that we have in Christ… and we continue today by talking about yet another blessing in the Lord!
We know that the life we have in Christ… is truly a blessed life!
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
God blesses His people! God blesses those who have come to repentance and found new life through the gift of His son! And Ephesians 1 has helped us to remember just a few of God’s many blessings!
One, the knowledge of knowing that God chose us. God sent His Son to the world to die for the sins of the world. God chose to make a way for the forgiveness of our sin.
Two, In Christ, we are redeemed. Our sins are covered by the blood of the Lamb. The price for our sins has been paid in full!
Three, In Christ, God’s will for our lives is revealed. God has a plan and purpose for us! His plans are good. His purpose is good! Jeremiah 29:11 reinforces this truth!
Four, the Holy Spirit is given to those who believe and acts as a mark or seal of God on our lives. His Spirit is a deposit of guarantee regarding the inheritance to come. If you are in Christ, His Spirit is in you… and serves as a seal AND a witness to our belonging to God.
These are tremendous blessings for sure! Within them is a theological truth that must be considered as we walk through Ephesians 1. That truth deals with the topic of predestination.
First, let’s look at an example verses from Ephesians 1.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
We see in verse 5 the use of the word “predestined.” We see use of this same word once again in Ephesians 1:11.
Paul seems to be emphasizing a theme or truth in his teaching. So the next thing we need to look at is...
What does this word predestination mean?
Two weeks ago, we celebrated the truth that God chose us! And in this truth often comes the question regarding predestination.
What is predestination?
The original word used in the text literally means to decide beforehand.
But what was it exactly that was decided beforehand?
This brings us to the question that is often brought up because of the use of this word: Did God choose beforehand those who would be saved… and those who would perish for all eternity?
This question has been around for a long time… and it serves as a point of difference among congregations.
On one hand, there is the belief that God has in fact predestined those who will be saved. This means God willing and knowingly chose those who would accept His Son, and those who would reject His Son. This teaching states that God plants the desire to accept His irresistible grace in the hearts that choose Him. This indicates that God made the choice for the person.
On the other hand, there is the belief that all people have been given the choice to accept Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. This teaching states that while God may know the outcome for a person’s spiritual life, He did not determine the outcome for their spiritual life. God does not have to predestine in order to foreknow. This is what we believe and teach here at HWC… the choice to believe has not been made for all people but all people have the choice to make regarding their belief in Christ.
This morning, we are going to look at what the Bible says and talk about the truth that is conveyed.
First, we need to understand that ALL people matter to God. ALL PEOPLE. To say that God chose some to be saved and others not to be saved simply goes against His character, His love and frankly, His Word. The Bible makes clear that His desire is for ALL to come to repentance.
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
If God who doesn’t want anyone to perish and He predestines our eternal outlook for us, wouldn’t He choose to Christ for all people? I believe He would… but such a decision would be a violation of a blessing He has given us known as free will.
Secondly, The Bible makes clear that God’s love is for ALL PEOPLE.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God did not send His Son for some… He sent His Son for ALL. God does not choose who will believe… but gives ALL the opportunity to place their belief in Christ.
Take note of something in John 3:16… it doesn’t say that whoever God has predestined to believe… it says that WHOEVER believes… signifying a personal choice of every believer.
Here’s the deal: A person can choose to be a believer, or a nonbeliever. A person can choose to follow Jesus, or follow the ways of the world. God DID choose all sinners despite their sin when He sent Jesus to die on the cross. He has given us the choice to choose redemption through the blood by placing our faith and belief in Christ. Again, it is the blessing He has given all people known as free will.
Although there is much more that can be said regarding this… these two verses do well to convey the truth that God has not personally selected who will be saved and not saved, but rather God personally chose… in His amazing love for us… to make salvation available to all people.
So how are we to understand the use of this term predestined in Ephesians and how does it apply to our daily walk in the Lord? That is what this message is about today.
God did not make the choice for you to believe… but in your choice to believe, He predestines certain things for those who choose to follow Him. The predestined… are those who make the choice to give their lives to Christ. In Christ, they experience God’s predetermined plan for their lives. But never forget… ALL people are given the opportunity to choose.
The first thing we must keep in mind regarding this truth is context.
Christ is CENTRAL in the Lives of the Predestined.
Christ is CENTRAL in the Lives of the Predestined.
Ephesians 1:4 is where we see this. The text says He… being God… chose us in Him… who is Christ… meaning that all talk of predestined action takes place within a relationship with Jesus.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
God made the choice to send Jesus. In this action, He chose to make a way for all sinners to come home.
What Christ did on the cross was proof of God’s love for all the world. He choose to move on our behalf despite the sin in our lives.
It is now up to the world to choose God through the gift of His Son.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the only way back to the Father.
Jesus is CENTRAL in God’s redemptive plan for our lives. God’s entire plan hinges on the power and purity of Jesus. Jesus is CENTRAL to our lives being redeemed.
OUR decision to follow Christ is a step out of the old and into the new. ONLY Jesus can make that change in our lives. When that change becomes our reality, we follow a new way… a new way that has been laid out for us.
Consider the words of Jesus regarding what is required to be His disciple.
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
WE make the choice to say yes to Jesus and to follow Him. In that following, we deny our self and take up our cross daily. WE HUMBLY AND WILLFULLY SUBMIT OURSELVES TO THE LEADING OF OUR SAVIOR. Jesus WILL lead those who CHOOSE to follow.
We don’t question His leading, we don’t doubt His leading, we simply trust and obey His leading KNOWING He is leading us closer to the Father.
23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
God directs the steps of those that live for Him. AND WE CHOOSE TO FOLLOW HIS DIRECTION. We can and probably will stumble, but WILL NOT FALL. Why? Because the Lord holds us by His hand!
Again, this all happens within the confines of a relationship with Jesus.
Here’s an important check point: You cannot call yourself a disciple and not follow Jesus. You cannot live for yourself and follow Jesus. You cannot chase personal pleasure and flee from suffering and follow Jesus.
In Christ, it’s not about your self, it’s about the Savior.
In Christ, it’s not about easy living, it’s about sacrificial giving.
In Christ, it’s not about God giving you want you want and crave… it’s about giving all that you are for the sake of His name.
And… you better believe that God has GOOD things in store for those that give of themselves for His name sake!
THE BEST LIFE ANY PERSON CAN LIVE IS FOUND BY FOLLOWING JESUS!
YOU must choose to call on His name. In Christ, God has predestined good things and good works for you.
What do those things and works look like? That’s a great question! And that is the focus of the next point. As Christ is central in the lives of the predestined…
God Defines The Life of the Predestined
God Defines The Life of the Predestined
What does that mean exactly? God becomes what the life of the believer is about. We become living sacrifices to His truth, presence, plan, and purpose. And I want us to see what Scripture says about the life we have in God. Yes, God has predetermined things in store for those who trust in Him.
God determines that those who follow Him are to be CALLED.
30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What does it mean to be called or to live in His calling? Scripture makes clear that every believer is called by God… called to do what?
The call of God on a believer’s life is the direction the Lord leads us to go. In every calling comes a mission of ministry - every believer is commissioned to go and make disciples. But God leads us into various “mission fields” in order to live out that calling.
God may call you to be a teacher, or a farmer, or a doctor. God might lead you to be a mechanic, or a welder or a postal worker. God might call you to be a nurse or a bus driver, or a small business owner.
God can use you in that specific field to bring in His harvest… to glorify His name… to share your testimony with others in that field.
Romans 8:30 also says that God determines that those who follow Him are justified.
Justification is truly incredible. It means to be made righteous in the eyes of God. This was something we could not do on our own.
So God, through His Son, did something incredible. For those who are in Christ, our sins were nailed to the cross with Him. In its place, we take on the righteousness of Jesus. He took on our sin, we take on His righteousness.
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
When God looks upon those who have given their lives to Jesus, He no longer sees their sin… He sees the righteousness of His Son.
The blood of Christ has become our new atonement or covering for our sin. This is what God offered to us through Jesus… and once received, God determines we are justified by faith.
God determines that those who follow Him are also:
Holy and blameless - Ephesians 1:4.
Adopted as God’s children - Ephesians 1:5.
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb - Ephesians 1:7.
Recipients of the Holy Spirit - Ephesians 1:13.
Conformed to the likeness of His Son - Romans 8:29.
Created to do good works - Ephesians 2:20.
Living for His honor and glory - Ephesians 1:12 and 1 Peter 2:9.
Recipients of an eternal inheritance - Ephesians 1:14.
Glorified, honored and ultimately rewarded with a place in God’s eternal kingdom - Romans 8:30.
God has determined or predestined these things for those who are in Christ Jesus. He has done this because in Christ, your life is not your own.
1 Corinthians 6:19 declares that the heart of the believer is the temple of the Holy Spirit. YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN. It goes on to say that you were bought at a price and that we should honor the Lord.
Church, this is a moment for honesty and transparency. Our old way of doing things was falling short. We know this. We lived it. We needed a Savior and God delivered on that need.
In a sense, you could look at it this way… before Christ, we tried things our way… and it wasn’t working. Spiritually, we were dying inside. So God sent His Son with the message, “You tried it your way, now let’s try it my way.” When we accept Christ as Savior, we submit our lives to His way. JESUS WILL GRACIOUSLY LEAD, WE MUST CHOOSE TO FOLLOW FAITHFULLY.
Consider this: a common thing for people to do when they want to get into better shape is join a gym or a diet program.
The person makes the decisions to commit to the program… they sign the dotted line.
The person FOLLOWS the predetermined program to get in better shape. The decision to join leads to a commitment to follow.
In Christ, we don’t join a program, we enter into a new covenant - made available by the blood of Christ.
We enter into this covenant through His blood - through repentance and forgiveness.
We follow Christ and submit to God’s predetermined plan for our lives - a path that leads to life to the full.
God defines the life of the predestined… We are no longer identified as we were… God has redeemed our purpose and has brought us into His plan.
The list of predestined truths in our lives… these things define us in the Lord. In Christ, we ARE called, we ARE justified, we ARE holy, we ARE adopted, we ARE redeemed, we HAVE received the Holy Sprit, we ARE conformed to the likeness of Jesus, we ARE created to do good works, and we WILL receive eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!
This is who we are and whose we are! And it’s all because God chose to send us His Son that we might choose to follow Him!
Closing
Closing
When we choose Christ for our lives, we choose to receive the life God has for us. God does in fact have a plan for every believer. He does not force His plan upon us… we must humbly summit ourselves to it.
But we cannot know His plan… until we have chosen His path. It is up us to choose God. And in choosing God, we choose what He has in store for us.
You see, God has given all people a beautiful gift known as.... free will. We see this gift exercised clear back at the dawn of creation.
Why did God give us the power to choose? Because in order for our love for God to be genuine, we had to be given the choice not to love Him.
He gave us free will… so we can freely choose. God desires to have a genuine relationship with His people… but His people must freely choose what God offers to us today.
And Christ is CENTRAL in this choice. None of this would be possible without the gift of the Son.
God chose to send Him, we must choose to receive Him. In a moment, we will remember the price that was paid… but first I want to give opportunity for us to freely choose what God is offering this morning.
God is offering you forgiveness and freedom from sin. God is offering new hope, peace and joy. God is offering healing, provision, protection, and promise. God is offering eternal life to all who CHOOSE to believe.
He chose the world by sending His Son to us. Will you choose Him today?
PRAYER - Salvation
Communion
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.