A Beautiful Family

Introduction

>>>Turn to Ephesians 1 – reading verses 11-12

Title of the sermon: A Beautiful Family

PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!

I don’t know about you, but one goal that I have had as a father is to leave my children better off than the way that I had it.

Not necessarily in a financial and material sense, but more importantly in a Scriptural and spiritual sense.

You could call this the inheritance that I desire to leave for them. It might not look flashy or have worldly worth attached to it but it is invaluable for the long term of my children’s life. The inheritance that I desire to leave them is of eternal value.

This is not to prop myself up in any way. This is a desire that I have. It leads me to ask this question. What inheritance are you leaving behind?

If you are not at the stage of having it all set up, then what are you striving to leave behind?

Maybe you know of someone who mimics the parable of the rich fool, “the one who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 13:21).

Is this how we desire to treat those in our family? Not just in our immediate family, but in our church family?

You have no idea what kind of spiritual deposits are being made in one another as we love, encourage, and strengthen one another in the word of God. I believe the testimonies at the baptisms later this afternoon are but one example of these spiritual deposits in the lives of people.

This morning our focus is not going to be so much on a monetary or physical inheritance, but on the inheritance we are to God and the spiritual inheritance He graciously gives to us.

I want to note that the final four verses of this long discourse given by Paul takes a different turn in whom he is addressing, yet we will see that it encompasses the entire family of Christian believers.

I want us to see three parts of this beautiful family.

1. In Christ, that is made an inheritance (v.11a)

2. Predestined according to the purpose and will of God (v.11b)

3. That praises and glorifies God (v.12)

I. In Christ, that is made (or obtains) an inheritance (v.11a)

As this section focusing on Christ comes to a close, Paul stresses again that what follows is in Christ.

You could say that none of what follows, an inheritance, a predestination, and a praising of God is possible without being in Christ.

There is a critical switch in people to whom Paul is speaking. He is still speaking to the Ephesian church yet, as Kent Hughes says, “what arrests our attention here is that up to this point Paul had been speaking of all the elect in general, but now begins to make distinctions to emphasize the inclusion of Gentiles in salvation.”

This is seen in Paul’s usage of the word ‘we’ in verse 11. This is rightly understood when we look at verse 13. Paul begins with the words “In Him, you also.” There is no other sensical way to understand this. It would be ludicrous to think that Paul is saying this to divide the church, especially after what he wrote about all things being gathered up to Christ (v.10).

Paul concisely writes this in Romans 1:16. Salvation is for all who believe, to the Jew first and to the Greek (or Gentile). This is not because God is partial or loves some more than others. It is because this is according to His purpose and will.

Job 9:1-12 will settle our hearts down as we gaze upon the great power of God. Turn there with me. As I read, notice that every time man is mentioned it is in the negative because he is utterly powerless against God.

After reading this I must ask you this. Doesn’t God have the right to save those whom He so chooses? If He has the power for all that is said in Job surely, He has the power and authority to save and condemn!

Why do I stress on this being all about God? Because as soon as you leave this place, you are going back into a world that is constantly telling you that it is all about you! You and I must have our hearts and minds continually aligned with the inspired Word of God!

Our Inheritance as faithfully proclaimed by the Jews

Looking back at Ephesians 1, we see it is only by God’s grace that any one of us are a part of the inheritance of God, and that we receive the blessed inheritance in the future. God has absolute right and authority to predestine the Jews as His people who would first believe. To whom does Jesus give the great commission to? That’s right, Jews. They were entrusted to share it with everyone including fellow Jews and to the Gentiles.

Further, I am thankful that God planned for the Jews to first believe and that they would be faithful in carrying out the great commission so that we Gentiles could be saved! We are not saved because of the Jews, but because of Jesus Christ who has saved us by going to Calvary.

We must not look at verse 11 negatively. Why? Because as Gentiles, you and I are going to receive the same inheritance that the Jews are! Verse 14 speaks to that. Again, none of this is written in the negative.

I want to note that the word for inheritance is only used this one time in the Greek. This word is specifically used in conjunction with election (Vines). To obtain an inheritance means to cast lots. Casting lots is most familiar with the soldiers who cast lots over Jesus’ clothes. You could say that they gambled over who got Jesus’ clothes. There is no skill to the game.

With God, He doesn’t gamble over His people, because this is “indicative of His divine will” (BSL). In other words, what He does is He takes a people that would not be of choice status, then He changes them, remolds them, reshapes them, reforms them, and makes them new all at the same time!

The Jews were the portion that God obtained as an inheritance (Mounce) as Paul puts it in verse 11.

Psalm 94 helps us to put this into context. Listen to verses 5 and 14. “They crush Your people, O Yahweh, and afflict Your inheritance” … “For Yahweh will not abandon His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance.” I ask you this. To whom was this written? Clearly, this was the Jews who remembered the promises or covenants of Yahweh!

Psalm 106:4-5… The Psalmist longs to see the goodness of Your chosen ones, the gladness of Your nation, that he may boast with Yahweh’s inheritance. This in a smaller sense is to the Jews.

But how much greater will it be in heaven when every person that has been called by God will rejoice as the inheritance of God! This is a far cry from the state of the world that we live in.

This week at the DNC, day 3’s theme was ‘freedom.’ There were cries for freedom as to how and who to worship, how to live, who to marry, how many kids to have, and regarding a woman’s right to choose. These were said to much applause.

As grim as this is, today, we have hope because it is ONLY in Jesus Christ that man has true freedom!

Consider freedom and this great outpouring in Psalm 106:4-5 when ALL GOD’S PEOPLE will worship Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:24), and it bears no weight at all what you look like, what nationality you come from, what your skin color is, your weight. None of it matters because the greater rejoicing is because you are identified in JESUS CHRIST!

The Psalmist is looking toward that day when the people of God, God’s inheritance, worship Him. No restriction, complete freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is our inheritance, and we are the inheritance of God! What a precious promise and gift!

II. Predestined according to the purpose and will of God (v.11b)

Moving on to the second point, and that is predestination according to the purpose and will of God.

Verse 11 is clear that there is no predestination without the plan and counsel of God’s will. These two are inseparable.

What does it mean to be predestinated? Does it differ in any way from election? Don’t they both mean to be ‘chosen’ by God?

These two doctrines are not exactly the same, but they are close in parallel. Election is the choosing of some and not of others for salvation. Predestination has everything to do with the foreknowledge of God. God foreknew the Jewish people as His people. He foreknew that the Jews would be the ones who were going to spread the gospel.

Romans 8:29-30 shows how these two doctrines work together yet are separate. Those who are predestined by God to be conformed to the Son’s image are chosen. This is not based on our faith that we are chosen as we saw before, but God knowing who are His (John 10:14-16).

The Working of Predestination and the Counsel of His Will

God in predestinating is working. God in exercising His will is working. This is the emphasis of the end of verse 11.

Our predetermined salvation is worked out like this. The Only holy and righteous God stooped so low to snatch you and me up from the mire and filth. He has taken us in spite of who we are. God does not declare without a work.

Consider creation. God declares light in verse 3, He declares the skies, the heavens, the earth, and all that is in it. He makes the birds, the creeping things, human beings, and then on day 7, He rests from the work that He has done in creating all things.

There are disagreements about the predestining work of God amongst Christians.

One aspect of this verse that all Christians can agree on is that God is actively working out His will. Every day of human existence God is working out His will. He never tires, nor takes a break.

The Greek word for counsel implies a series of actions that are taking place. Listen to how Paul applies this in Acts 2:22-23… Listen! God’s will is not all about you! The death of Jesus Christ as an atonement for sin pleased God the Father. If it would have been unpleasing to Him, He would not have done it.

God’s will and the praise and glory to God go hand in hand. The 1689 London Baptist Confession says this, “By God’s decree, and for the demonstration of his glory, some human beings and angels are predestined to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace.”

As part of the will of God, it was essential for Jesus Christ to die on a cross. In the same way according to God’s will, you and I are the inheritance of God, and He gives to us an everlasting inheritance.

Paul gives thanks in Colossians 1:12 “to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

Again, it is not possible in the plan of God to not predestine a people unto Himself and save them. Why? Because all the focus would be on our works in salvation. Predestination is a glorious doctrine; in that it shifts all the focus off us and puts it squarely and solely on God. He is the One who has done the work according to His will.

The Difference between Purpose and Will

It is important for us to see why Paul uses both the words’ purpose and will. What is the significance of this?

The word for purpose is plan. In other words, it is a part of God’s plan to have an inheritance in His people and to give us the inheritance in its fullest in paradise with Jesus forever. You and I are rest assured about our salvation and our inheritance for these things are all apart of the plan of God.

The word for will specifically homes in on God’s sovereign choice that dictates His will. R.C. Sproul simply states that, “(God’s) plan is fixed and … God’s will is immutable” (unchanging).

In other words, what God has willed it remains, and no human nor circumstance can change it.

In today’s world mankind will stop at nothing to possess full autonomy. A complete separation from needing God or anyone else for that matter. The will of God tells us this morning that God is the ONLY ONE who has the right, authority, and power to be complete autonomous. And this is due to His decretive will that is untouchable by anyone or anything.

God’s Will and Sovereignty

Predestination and the will of God automatically usher the truth of the sovereignty of God. You might be asking, where is the sovereignty of God in this text?

We see it in the phrase ‘all things’ and in the ‘counsel.’

What do I mean? I mean this. That God has all things under control according to His will. Since no one can trump or dissuade God’s will, then God is in complete control. Simply put, as God exercises His will He is executing His sovereignty over all things.

Listen to how clearly David articulates this. Psalm 24:1-2 says, “The earth is Yahweh’s, as well as its fullness, the world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.”

I don’t think you can get any clearer than this! Praise be to God that He is sovereign in all things. Even when this world is spinning off its axis and it is going off the rails. God has not forgotten His will and His sovereign purpose! These things will come to absolute completion.

III. That praises and glorifies God (v.12)

The confidence that we have that God’s will will be completed to its fullness brings us to our last point. Verse 12 gives us the means to the end of all these spiritual blessings, the carrying out of the purpose and will of God. And that is “to the praise of His glory.”

In other words, all that has been said up until this point serves one purpose and comes to one concrete end, the praise and glory of God.

Another inseparable truth. All those who possess the spiritual gifts and have been predestinated according to the purpose of God willpraise and worship God.

The Jews to the praise and glory of God

Paul is speaking to the Jewish person, still, in verse 12. And what he is getting at is not the Jewish person, but the predestining of the Jews to the praise and glory of God.

If we were to take a simple trip back to the OT, we would see over and over again the delight that God has in His people the Jews.

Speaking to the Israelites, Moses says in Deuteronomy 7:6, “For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God; Yahweh your God has chosen you to be a people for His own treasured possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 10:15, 14:2, 1 Kings 3:8).

Turn to Jeremiah 29. Listen to verses 11-13. I am sure that you are familiar with verse 11. But do you see the purpose behind the future and the hope? The hope and the future are for the purpose of God’s people to come and call Him, pray to Him, seek Him, and search for Yahweh with all our hearts!

This is all true for the Gentile as well, for each section in verses 3-14 ends with the praise and glory of God. Therefore, we will see this in verse 14, Lord willing, next week.

The Whole of Scripture points to the praise and glory of God

Remember, this text as well as the entire Bible is always and forever all about God!

We must never forget this truth because the Bible is always directed to God and what God says and does. This is why the praise and glory to His name is so important.

Listen to these two verses from Isaiah and notice the emphasis on the praise and glory of God.

Isaiah 11:10, “Then it will in that day, that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who will stand as a standard for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious.”

Isaiah 12:2, “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not dread; for Yah – Yahweh Himself – is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.”

In both these texts praise and glory in worship is offered to God. This is the end of our salvation. The first question and answer from the Westminster Confession of Faith points to this. Question, what is the chief end of man? Answer, Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Listen! The praise of Christians to Jesus Christ is not only out of gratitude but recognition that Jesus rightly deserves our praise and worship. In light of all that He has done, it is our duty and privilege as His followers to worship Him.

Conclusion

God has given us all that we need to live as the spiritual family of God both on this earth and in the glorious eternity to come. But for now, how do we take this truth home?

I. It is only in Christ that you and I possess an inheritance. For no other reason do we have it. That being said, what inheritance are you passing on? Are you making large and significant deposits into the people that God has give you? How about those in your family? Regardless of the age, there is much that can be deposited into their spiritual bank account. How about those in the church? Are you investing in the next generation of believers? It doesn’t stop at baptism! The next generation need our prayers and support, but they desperately need the spiritual wisdom deposited within them.

II. God is in complete control of absolutely everything. This is not a new thing, but it is a comforting thing. God is in such control that He has predestined His plan and everything that occurs on this planet is in accordance to the full counsel of His will. What does that mean for you? That means that every person that is placed in your life is ordained by God Himself. Whether it is for a moment, or for the long haul. Are you best using your time that God has given you? What captures your heart? Is it these precious truths of Christ, or is it the things of this world? Those who are a part of the kingdom have their heart and affections upon Christ. Do you?

III. Are you one who rejoices in God? Is said of you that you “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4)? Why do I ask? Because the means to the end of our salvation is praise and worship. Is this true of you? Not just on Sunday mornings. What about the rest of the week? Are you a worshipper of God in those secret places, where only God sees your praise and glorifying in Him? This is something that is necessary for the youngest of Christians and the oldest of saints. Praise and worship of God NEVER ENDS. This is what eternity looks like. Praise and worship of our Almighty King!

Let’s pray!

Benediction

Romans 11:36