Ephesians 1:7-10 - Praise the Son

The Football Tailgate was fun last week.

Only a few of us stayed, but there was some fiery parts.

I usually get invested by the end of the game, when it gets down to the wire.

Dawn gets in at kickoff.

There was a big play after the 2 minute warning and we were all cheering.

That’s sort of what’s happening here.

Paul is cheering

Context

Paul opens this letter differently than others—He opens by singing.

Ephesians 1:3-14 is 202 greek words/one sentence.

Paul is celebrating the work of the Triune God in our salvation.

He’s leading us in this worship song because of the God who saved us and how He did it.

He is widening our scope of our salvation.

He wants us to see this big picture of God that should lead us to sing!

He illuminates God the Father’s work in election in eternity past that should lead us to praise because God chose to love us.

He now switches the gaze to celebrate the present and future effects of God’s work in salvation.

Big Idea: Praise the Son

Paul just covered the work of God the Father

Chose us to be holy in Christ.

Predestined us to be sons through Jesus Christ.

God the Father initiated our salvation in eternity past.

Paul is turning the gaze to the second person of the Trinity, God the Son.

Stand to read

Ephesians 1:7–10 ESV

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Leader: This is God’s Word

Everyone: Thanks be to God

Redemption is the act of buying something back.

Gaining something by paying or clearing a debt

When we paid off the truck, we redeemed the title.

It officially became ours/put in our name.

Why do we need redemption?

Redemption/salvation denotes freedom from imprisonment.

The Fall.

God created the world, and then created man in His image.

In the garden of Eden, we had a representative.

As humanity, we were in Adam.

The first man sinned—Now all men have sinned.

Sin is hereditary.

It has spread throughout all generations.

So there I was in 7th grade, there was a really hard biology test.

There were a lot of people who got D’s.

Only 1 person got a 96% and our teacher went bananas.

Keaton talked him appealed to his sports-side.

“If I can make the a shot from across the room into the trashcan, everyone passes. If I don’t, we retake the test.”

He had already passed. He was offering up his grade for the sake of everyone elses.

He stood up as our representative. He makes this shot, we all pass and can move forward.

He missed… and we all received poor grades we deserved.

Everyone born of Adam is in need of redemption because in Adam and with Adam, we have all sinned against God.

God the Father had a plan before the foundation of the world.

The Father set the stage before the world was created to bring us into His family.

He remains faithful and steadfast on His good plan, even when we rebel and attempt to derail it!

Paul celebrated the work of the Father before time began, and now He says that in Christ, we have redemption!

God the Father initiated our salvation, but now, In Christ, it has been accomplished.

Church,

God the Son accomplished our salvation (vv. 7-8)

Paul says that we have redemption—not “we hope to” have redemption.

He addresses it as an event that’s happened—past tense.

God the Son took to Himself a human flesh.

Truly/fully God and man.

He wasn’t just undercover—He is one of us.

The eternal second of the Trinity has blood to bleed and it’s was intended to secure redemption.

Redemption came at a cost—blood.

But we have redemption through His blood—Forgiveness of our sins!

Jesus Christ went to the cross, shed His blood, and laid down His life so that your sins could be forgiven!

The only way to buy us back from sin and death was to be our substitute.

God poured out all His wrath for your sins onto Christ

God’s hate for sin was poured out onto Jesus so that His love could be poured out onto us.

Jesus died so to redeem us and forgive us of our sins, and make us His!

We have forgiveness through Jesus’s blood

“Man, I’m not worthy of forgiveness.”

That’s the point of forgiveness.

The Lord doesn’t love you because you’re smart and funny.

The Lord loves you because from eternity past, God the Father set His love and affections on you.

He did this “according to the riches of His grace” (v. 8)

Ephesians 1:7–8 ESV

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

He loves according to His character and His promise, not worthiness.

From eternity past, God the Father chose to love us.

At the right time, He chose to keep His promise and send His Son to us to forgive us of our sins!

No, you’re not worthy of forgiveness—but God is a good Father who keeps His promises and planned to lavish His grace on us.

Many of you have put blinders on yourselves and struggle to see God’s plan for your life or refuse to receive Him.

You don’t see what God is doing.

Paul wants you to see the bigger picture of redemption!

He said, “in all wisdom and insight…” (v. 8)

Ephesians 1:9–10 ESV

9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

God has given us a massive privilege in knowing Him and His eternal plans because of Jesus.

Jesus Christ is God’s plan for your life revealed.

The Lord’s plans are always beyond our complete understanding.

There are things in our lives that we don’t understand how they fit into God’s plan.

His plan is so much larger than our minds can comprehend

It’s hard for us to look past a current situation or suffering because we’re so small.

What Paul does here is widen the scope of salvation.

He lets us see the bigger pictures of God’s eternal plan.

The secret has been revealed.

We now know God’s intentions for us and for the world.

What is that plan? (v. 10)

To unite all things in Him.

God the Son unites us to heaven (vv. 9-10)

God’s plan for the universe and for your life is to reorder everything into submission to His Son.

Jesus will fully restore everything under His rule and reign as sovereign King.

Every rebellious spirit/rebellious human being

Everything that is broken on earth will be reunited with the perfection of heaven!

I read a story. In a city on the shore of a great lake lived a small boy who loved the water and sailing.

So deep was his fascination that he, with the help of his father, spent months making a beautiful model boat, which he began to sail at the water’s edge.

One day a sudden gust of wind caught the tiny boat and carried it far out into the lake and out of sight.

Distraught, the boy returned home inconsolable.

Day after day he would walk the shores in search of his treasure, but always in vain.

Then one day as he was walking through town he saw his beautiful boat —

in a store window!

He approached the proprietor and announced his ownership,

only to be told that it was not his,

for the owner had paid a local fisherman good money for the boat.

If the boy wanted the boat, he would have to pay the price.

And so the lad set himself to work doing anything and everything until finally he returned to the store with the money.

At last, holding his precious boat in his arms, he said with great joy,

“You are twice mine now — because I made you, and because I bought you.”

Because of human sin, the cosmos is evil and broken.

When Adam sinned, we sinned too.

We are all wretched, black-hearted sinners.

But because of God the Son, we have hope.

God the Son has accomplished the plan of salvation that the Father initiated.

The paradise that was lost in Adam, will be restored in Christ.

Things will not always be as they are now, but they will be unified in Christ and at the proper time, Jesus will make all things new!

What does this mean for us?

We can rest in the fact that God has not left any part of His plan to chance.

God the Father initiated our salvation that He will fulfill in Christ, His Son.

For those who are in Jesus, death no longer has the final say.

When Jesus rose from the dead, His life gives us this promise—Death is done for.

When Jesus returns, He will be restoring and uniting all things.

Everything will be made new.

Jesus will bring heaven down!

Everything we lost in Adam is restored through faith in Christ.

Gospel appeal

Right now, you can have a relationship with God the Father, through Christ the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Will you receive the riches of God’s grace toward you to give you hope and a future?

Do you want to go to heaven?

Everything that is broken and grim, Jesus will pick up in His resurrected arms.

That can be you.

You can with us sing, “Oh, how I long to breathe the air of heaven.”

Redemption and forgiveness can be yours in Christ

Repent of sins, confess Christ as Lord, and be forgiven of your sins.

You can be united with heaven today—Will you trust in Jesus?

Will you take one step of faith toward Jesus?

Will you pray, “Lord, I’m a sinner! Forgive and save me!”

Profess your faith in Christ today and be united with God!

How can I take a next step?

Take the Next Step

Receive forgiveness through faith in the Son of God.

Offer someone forgiveness (In Christ)

Invite someone to heaven.