Spiritual Blessings

Introduction

Today we begin a series going through the book of Ephesians called ‘Body Building’.

(Ill.) The goal of this series is the same as the goal when you are going through the motions physically to build your body. Body builders work out so that they can grow larger and stronger.

We as the body of Christ should desire and labor for growing larger in size and stronger in our Christians walk.

(Summary of the book of Ephesus)

This letter was written to the church at Ephesus which Paul spends some time with them during his 2nd missionary journey, then much time during his third.

In Ephesus God saw revival: (Act. 19:17-20)

The heathen raged against the work of God (Act. 19:28)

A riot broke out (Remained of Act. 19)

This epistle is not one of correction or rebuke, but of encouragement and instruction.

If you were to break down this book in it’s most basic form, you could divide it into two parts:

Who they are in Christ (Eph. 1-3)

How to live in Christ (Eph. 4-6)

That being said, we’re going to go through sections of this book over the next couple months in the hopes that we can gain a better understanding of who were are in Christ, and how to better live IN and FOR Christ - that the BODY of Christ might be built.

I. An Introduction (v1-3)

The Bishop (v1a)

In this statement Paul says WHO he is, and WHY he is.

Paul here is giving his ‘credentials’. This is a position that he held through some controversy, due to the haste of Peter in Acts 1, where they selected Mathias to be the apostle to replace Judas.

Paul is stating with confidence that he is ‘an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God!’.

The word ‘apostle’ (def) commissioned by Christ to preach the Gospel. Jesus selected 12, yet Judas rejected the job which made the way for Paul. Peter had the right idea, but it was Jesus’ job to commission the apostle, not theirs.

Why is this important? Because it gave Paul authority. His words carried more weight.

So we see Paul has authority given by God to speak for Christ - this is the Bishop

The Beneficiary (v1b)

There are two target audiences that Paul is addressing:

The saints at Ephesus

The faithful in Christ Jesus

What’s important to understand is that Paul is addressing saved people.

That’s not to say that lost people can’t benefit from the letter - The lost need to hear Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” That’s a truth that they need! But the letter is DIRECTED to the saints, and the promises therein are to the saints alone!

The Beneficiary are the saved in Christ Jesus. Next we see a Blessing

A Blessing (v2)

Paul desires the best for this church.

Now I stated that this letter is not one of correction or rebuke - so it’s easy to see that Paul loves this church and wants the best for them. But do you know what was a letter of correction and rebuke? 1st Corinthians.

But we see something interesting: It says in 1 Corinthians 1:3 “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Almost exactly the same blessing he pronounces to the wordly church at Corinth that he is sending to the Godly church at Ephesus. Do you know why? Because he loved them both.

He loved the church at Ephesus, so he encouraged and instructed them.

He loved the church at Corinth, so he rebuked and corrected them - do you know why? BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT EACH ONE OF THEM NEEDED!

Do you know what church? Sometimes you need encouraged. But sometimes you need corrected. A good pastor / preacher will give you what you need. Paul told Timothy: 2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

Paul speaks a blessing because he loves them, but then turns his attention to the Blesser

The Blesser (v3)

Paul now says ‘Blessed be God’ - in other words, Paul is praising God BECAUSE God has poured out an abundance of blessings upon us.

Notice this: “…who hath blessed us with ALL spiritual blessings…”

Church, all your blessings can be (and should be) attributed to God

We should make sure that we’re giving the proper praises and blessings to the one who has blessed us with so much!

We see the Blesser

So we see the Introduction, next I want to look at the Inheritance.

II. An Inheritance (v4-14)

These are the Spiritual Blessings that Paul speaks of in v3.

Notice this church: Paul is setting the stage here. He’s laying the foundation. Right at the onset of this letter, he wants to church to understand just HOW GOOD GOD IS TO THEM!

This is important! If we neglect the goodness of God and somehow don’t recognize how good He is to us, then it affects our attitudes: Instead of living in the attitude of SATISFIED and APPRECIATIVE, many Christians live life SPOILED and EXPECTING.

Paul begins to count many blessings that God has bestowed unto them.

The Blessing of being Chosen (v4)

One thing to consider - there were both Jews and Gentiles in Ephesus, but it was largely a gentile church. (Why does that matter?)

It matters because of the way the Jews practiced their religion.

The Jews were isolationists. THEY HAD THE RIGHT GOD, BUT THE WRONG ATTITUDE TOWARD HIM!

The WERE a chosen people (the Jew) - but they were chosen, not to the exclusion of the world, but that they would REACH THE WORLD!

Now as far as I know, none of us are Jews - but friend, let me assure you this: You are chosen of God!

(Ill.) How many of you played pickup games when you were younger? Anybody not get picked first? The first pick was like ‘I’ve GOT _____’, The further down the list they got, then it’s like ‘well, I’ll TAKE _____’ Listen, God is not SETTLING WITH YOU - God has CHOSEN YOU BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD!

Now listen to me: Many Christians have the same isolationist attitude problem that the Jews had: God did CHOOSE you, but He chose you for a purpose - TO REACH THE WORLD!

We have the Blessing of being Chosen

The Blessing of Adoption (v5)

This second point goes along with the first, in that when one is adopted, they are chosen - but it goes further than that.

Paul is telling that church, “Hey, you’ve been adopted - you have been brought into the family of God!”

We’re not only chosen, but chosen to be family

This is not a passive friendship - it’s an intimate relationship

There’s not only an intimacy in family, but there’s a permanence as well!

That’s one thing that I can’t understand about people and doctrine that believe you can loose your salvation. They apparently don’t understand the concept of family.

(Ill.) I am the proud parent of two children (not children so much anymore). But ask me this: ask me what great sin they could sin against me that I would negate my relationship with them? There’s nothing they COULD do! They are MY children, and they’ll always be MY children!

Don’t you think it’s the same way with God?

Sure, there’s been times when my children have disappointed me, but they’re still my children - and I love them - and I want to help them. That’s the way God is toward His children as well!

We have the blessing of Adoption

The Blessing of Acceptance (v6)

I’m blessed with being Chosen of God

I’m blessed with the Adoption of God

I’m blessed with the Acceptance of God - as opposed to the rejection by God.

Two things:

I’m accepted by God because of His Grace and because of what HE has done (v6)

Secondly, thank God I’m not one who is rejected by God.

Jesus tells a story of some in Matthew 7:22–23 “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

There are some who have never been adopted, and when they leave this world, they will experience rejection by Christ! I pray that’s not you!

We - the CHURCH - the Saints of God - have the blessing of Acceptance

The Blessing of Redemption (v7)

The church - the saints of God have the blessing of Redemption. But what does that mean?

Redemption (def) the act of procuring the deliverance of persons or things from the possession and power of captors by the payment of a ransom.

(Ill.) Let’s illustrate this: _______ is a prisoner. He’s in the possession of ______ - and they are holding him for ransom. I want to free them, but in order to free them, I must pay the price that is placed upon them. I can’t take them by force, for that wouldn’t be just. I must pay the price for them - once I do, then they will be redeemed.

Spiritually speaking, I was a prisoner. What held me captive was sin. Jesus Redeemed me! We see in this verse the price that He paid was His blood, and He redeemed me because of His Grace!

Do you understand that today? If you are saved - if you’ve been redeemed, it’s not because you’re so good, it’s because God is SO good and FULL OF GRACE!

We’ve experienced the blessing of Redemption - we’ve been freed from the bonds of sin by the blood of the Lamb of God!

The Blessing of Revelation (v8-10)

Paul is saying in these verses - “Hey, we know the outcome of it all - we have an understanding of the mystery”.

(Ill. There was a movie some years ago (City Slickers) where the main character was trying to figure out the meaning of life. Come the end of the movie, he thought he’d figured it out (but yet in truth, still hadn’t).

There’s many people even today that don’t know what meaning there is in life - they don’t know what happens when they leave this world - some think that the ‘one who dies with the most toys wins’ and that there’s nothing after this life - but for the Christian, God has given to us the TRUTH through revelation!

The purpose of life is to know God and make Him known

The culmination of life is en eternity where there’s no more pain nor sorrow or suffering

One day, my Lord is going to part the eastern sky and call His children home! WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY THAT WILL BE!

We’ve been given the blessing of Revelation

The Blessing of Predestination (v11)

This is the second time he’s used this word (v5)

Predestined (def) to limit in advance; predetermine

Some will tell you that this means that God has before ordained the winners and losers. That God has unilaterally chosen some to go to Heaven and some to go to Hell - but friend that’s not the case at all! Christians have been predestined, but not because of God’s choice, but our own. (Read Rom. 8:28-30)

We are predestinated according to the foreknowledge of God. We see it again in 1 Peter 1:1–2 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

Why does this matter? It matters because if you’re lost today, it’s not by God’s choice, it’s by your own! The Bible tells us: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Secondly, it matters to us Christians because we can rest in the truth that we are - and have always been part of the plan. God Chose us, Accepted us, Redeemed us, Predestined us - because He loves us!

The Blessings of Predestination

The Blessing of Assurance (v12-14)

I don’t have a hope so religion - I have a KNOW-SO religion! The reason is found in these verses. In these verses we see the order of the saved.

You hear the word of truth

AFTER that, you believed (trusted - v12)

THEN we are sealed by the Holy Spirit

We’ve recieved the ‘earnest’ of our inheritance - and it will last us UNTIL the redemption of the purchased possession!

Then all there is left to do is give praise to His glory!

What a wonderful thing it is to know that you’ve passed from death unto life! What a great thing it is to Know that Heaven will be your home when you leave this earth! God is so good!

Conclusion

Consider this message for a moment:

Paul had all authority to write what he wrote - and as a Christian, thank God for the things in which he wrote! What blessings I enjoy!

I enjoy the blessings of:

Being Chosen; Adoption; Acceptance

Redemption; Revelation; Predestination and Assurance

Let me ask you this Christian: Have you blessed God for blessing you?

Lost soul - wouldn’t you like to claim these blessings? You can today!