Praise the Father
Notes
Transcript
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and 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 should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
To understand this text we need to establish some key principles:
First, Verse 1-14 is one uniquely long sentence in the Greek, presenting one cascading description after another of what God has done.
First, Verse 1-14 is one uniquely long sentence in the Greek, presenting one cascading description after another of what God has done.
Second, we have to understand how people viewed the world when this was written compared to now.
Second, we have to understand how people viewed the world when this was written compared to now.
They viewed family as one cohesive unit.
They saw the world as two people groups. Jews were the people of God, and everyone else were Gentile heathens.
We view everything from a individualistic point of view. That doesn’t work when we approach this text. That is the source of much confusion when interpret this passage.
It is clear that he is speaking of people groups in the sense of Jews and Gentiles not individuals. Does it apply individually? Yes, but not to the degree that people try to press it.
Third, we have to understand Paul’s ministry and the conflict that it brings.
Third, we have to understand Paul’s ministry and the conflict that it brings.
Ministry to the Gentile nations.
Bringing a Jewish Messiah to a non-Jewish world, and bring a non-Jewish people group into a predominately Jewish faith.
The letter was written for the purpose of unity and the terminology was intended to unify.
Fourth, we need to realize that three perceptions of time are in view in this text.
Fourth, we need to realize that three perceptions of time are in view in this text.
God’s activity in Eternity
God’s activity in Human History
God’s Activity in the Future at the End of History.
Last and very important, we must realize that these verses are written to praise to God for the grace, love, and blessing of His Sovereign will and purpose. Not to focus on us. The word for blessed used in the Greek is similar to our word eulogize, it carries the idea of speaking of someone’s renown. In other words we glorified the reputation of the Lord.
Last and very important, we must realize that these verses are written to praise to God for the grace, love, and blessing of His Sovereign will and purpose. Not to focus on us. The word for blessed used in the Greek is similar to our word eulogize, it carries the idea of speaking of someone’s renown. In other words we glorified the reputation of the Lord.
This brings us back to our individualistic society. We think that everything orbits around us.
If you view this passage with that mindset, you are sure to misinterpret it.
Now, because of God’s great love wherein He loves us, His will includes us, but it should drive us to praise Him.
So, the question this morning is, why should we praise the Father for His work in eternity past? There is at least three important exercises of God’s will that should cause us to praise Him without ceasing. We will look primarily in verses 3-6 to glean this. First is found in verse 3-4
He has Chosen Us for Himself
He has Chosen Us for Himself
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 should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
We find in this text the word chose. This word causes us some fear.
A few weeks ago I had someone come to me that was troubled over the idea of being chosen, and it applies very well to this text. He said that he had been watching the news and they said that Israel was God’s chosen people. He concluded that if he wasn’t Jewish, then he was chosen, and if he wasn’t chosen he was destined to be separated from God. Or in other words, since he wasn’t chosen, then God didn’t want him.
If we read the rest of Ephesian 1-3 we see that this is exactly what Paul is addressing.
God’s purpose and plan from the beginning was to include all nations and people groups, but it wasn’t revealed until the last days.
God’s salvation is much wider than the Jewish people thought. It is more than earthly, it is eternal. God is saving people far off and those who are near.
God is bringing what seemed to be two different people groups and is making ONE NEW humanity in Christ Jesus. And that was His plan before the foundation of the world. He predetermined this, it is not a new development.
To grasp this read the rest of the epistle, but I also want to look at some references:
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
The Gospel tears down walls of hostility and disunity according to Ephesians 2:14-15
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
We who were once far off are now part of the chosen.
What does it mean to be Chosen?
What does it mean to be Chosen?
Wanted — I love the nuance of this word in the Greek. The idea is to selected or called, but it is so much more intimate than that. It is modified with the idea of chosen for Himself. In other words God has claimed us for Himself. Drawn us to Himself. It has the feel of an embrace. Listen to Ephesians 1:4 again.
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Listen, if you have believed the Gospel and responded in repentance and faith. You are just as loved and part of the fellowship of saints as Abraham.
Second — Loved, to be chosen means that God graciously brought us into His love. He desires to share His love with us. Look with me at an Old Testament text. Deuteronomy 7:6-8 it is God speaking to Israel about their chosen state.
6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. 7 The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; 8 but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
God chose them not because of their size, strength, beauty, and certainly not the faithfulness, righteousness, or consistency. If anything the pattern shows that God is loving, patient, kind, long suffering, and merciful. A new testament text would be Titus 3:5
5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
I think I could go on and on of the wonderful things that it means to be chosen, but I don’t want to run out time before I mention this one.
To be Chosen means to be in Christ.
To be Chosen means to be in Christ.
One aspect of being chosen is to be called out.
There is no salvation outside of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The way God has purposed for us to be chosen is through the Gospel. It is God’s call.
