In Love with our Eternal Father

New American Standard Bible (1995) Ephesians 1:1–6

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

“In Love with our Eternal Father”

Ephesians 1:1-6

Prayer

Introduction

Paul’s life bears testimony to God’s amazing power and to His ability to take our past rebellion and transform it and use it for His glory, His Church, and the world. Through God’s work in Paul’s life, we glimpse the miraculous beauty and possibilities of God.

4271—The Epistle to the Ephesians

AUTHOR: The apostle Paul, 2697.

DATE WRITTEN: Probably written at Rome between A.D. 60 and 64.

PURPOSE: To show believers their position in Christ and encourage them to walk accordingly.

TO WHOM WRITTEN: The church in Ephesus. PAUL’S MINISTRY AT EPHESUS …

(1)His first visit, Acts 18:18–21.

(2)His second visit, when the Holy Spirit is given to believers, Acts 19:2–7.

(3)His continuance of the work with remarkable success, Acts 19:9–20.

(4)His conflict with the silversmiths, Acts 19:23–41.

(5)His address to the Ephesian elders, Acts 20:17–35.

MAIN THEME: The converted Jews in the early churches were inclined to be exclusive and to separate themselves from their Gentile brethren. This condition in the church at Ephesus may have been the HISTORICAL OCCASION which led to the writing of this epistle. For this is the keynote of the book—the unity of the church, especially between Jew and Gentile believers.

Thompson, Frank Charles, and John Stephen Jauchen, eds. Thompson Chain Bible Book Outlines. Updated and Expanded. Indianapolis, IN: B.B. Kirkbride Bible Co., Inc., 1997. Print. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible.

Scripture of observation and application

Ephesians 1:1–6 (NASB95)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Outline:

Paul, an apostle

Eph 1:1

Grace to you and peace

Eph 1:2

blessed us with every spiritual blessing

Eph 1:3

He chose us in Him

Eph 1:4

He predestined us to adoption

Eph 1:5

He freely bestowed on us

Eph 1:6

Conclusion:

“In Love with our Eternal Father”

Ephesians 1:1-6

Walk by faith not by sight

2 Corinthians 5:7 (CWSB)

7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Hebrews 11:1 (CWSB)

“By Faith”

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Don’t live to just be Blessed, live to be a Blessing.

Job 42:10 (NIV)

10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.

Benediction:

Jude 1:24-25 (KJV) 

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.