Blessed in Christ
Notes
Transcript
Handout
The Letter from Jesus
The Letter from Jesus
Imagine you are part of Ephesus Christian Church
Rich, prominent city
Pastors: Paul, Timothy, John (last apostle)
Received three letters that would end up in the Bible
Your pastor, who is in jail, sends you a letter
What they are doing right:
They work hard
They cannot tolerate wicked people
They endure hardships.
But:
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
In spite of all their hatred of wickedness, they have lost their love.
Our faith cannot survive on HATE—it must be rooted in LOVE. Revelation 2:1-7;
Paul’s Love
Paul’s Love
[EPHESIANS 1:1-10]
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. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
Paul is joyful in PRISON because he is focused the blessing of being IN CHRIST. v. 1-10
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.
All the blessings God gives to Jesus are SHARED with everyone who is IN CHRIST. v. 11-14
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. 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, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength
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.
During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said:
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king.”
“Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
“I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this.
“So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: ‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’
Paul wants the Ephesians to understand the MYSTERY: God is uniting all things IN CHRIST. v. 15-19; Daniel 2:19-23, 7:11-18;
and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 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.
Imperator Caesar Divi Filius Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, Consul XIII, Imperator XXI, Tribuniciae Potestatis XXXVII, Pater Patriae
Emperor Caesar, Son of God, the Majestic One, Chief Priest (13 Times), Commander in Chief (21 times), Power of the Tribune (37 times), Father of the Fatherland
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
The resurrection has DISARMED all the powers that threaten us in THIS WORLD. v. 19-23; Col. 2:15;
Back to love:
Back to love:
Our joy is based on what happened TO JESUS, not what is happening TO US. v. 4
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Our hope is based on the RESURRECTION, which has already defeated the POWERS. v. 19-20
and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
Our love is based on the LOVE that God has already SHOWN for us. v. 4-5, 15
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—
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,