How to Be the Household of Faith, Part 1

I. You are…(vv. 3-14)

Ephesians 1:3 NIV

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.

Ephesians 1:4–6 NIV

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Ephesians 1:7–10 NIV

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Ephesians 1:11–12 NIV

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13–14 NIV

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, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

a. You are chosen (v.4)

b. You are predestined for adoption (v.5)

c. You are the recipients of his grace (v.6)

d. You are his redeemed (v.7)

e. You are those given the mystery of God’s plan (v. 9)

f. You are made a heritage (v.11)

g. You are sealed with the Holy Spirit (vv. 13-14)

II. A Prayer for understanding

Ephesians 1:15 NIV

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,

Ephesians 1:16 NIV

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

Ephesians 1:17 NIV

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Ephesians 1:18 NIV

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,

Ephesians 1:19 NIV

and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength

Ephesians 1:20 NIV

he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,

Ephesians 1:21 NIV

far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Ephesians 1:22 NIV

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,

Ephesians 1:23 NIV

which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

a. Prayer for spiritual understanding (vv.17-a8a)

b. Prayer to know the hope of his calling (v. 18b)

c. Prayer to know the riches of his inheritance (v.18c)

d. Prayer to know his power (vv.19-23)

III. The victory in Christ, and in Christ alone

a. What we were

Ephesians 2:1 NIV

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

Ephesians 2:2 NIV

in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Ephesians 2:3 NIV

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

b. What God did

Ephesians 2:4 NIV

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

Ephesians 2:5 NIV

made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:6 NIV

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 2:7 (NIV)

in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8 NIV

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Ephesians 2:9 NIV

not by works, so that no one can boast.

c. What we are now

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Seated with the King

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 NIV

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 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.”

1 Corinthians 11:25–26 NIV

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.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.