In Christ

Main Theme

The Spiritual Blessings in Christ Jesus

Welcome

Welcome to House of Bethany. My name is Samuel Teka, I serve as the pastor here. 

If it’s your first time, I’m are glad you are here. And if you’re already part of the family, happy to see you guys again. 

Our what and why is very simple here: We create a space for people to encounter Jesus and be transformed. 

Regardless of who are or whatever your beliefs or background is, I believe one encounter with Jesus can change everything.

You don’t have to have it all figured out to have a place here.

My/our hope is that you would experience the love and presence of Jesus in a real way as you keep on coming. 

Main Passage

Ephesians 1:1–14 ESV

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Title

In Christ

Prayer

In Jesus name, Amen!

Introduction

Story

Car Wash Story: Entering/Inviting IN.

Explanation

Three of Pauls favourite words when you read his letters are:

In, With, and Through Christ. All things are ‘with’ Christ, ‘through’ Christ, or ‘in’ Christ.

As followers of Christ: who we are, what we have, and what we need is IN Christ.

Illustration

Colossians 1:15–17 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Application

ME:

I remember when I was at the Jesus image Conference, there was this moment where I was encountering the Lord during worship and I had this revelation that transformed me. My outlook has never been the same since. It was simple but had a profound impact on me.

Anytime I feel self-sufficient or forget that Jesus is the source of all things, I go back to that moment where I saw the Lord and there was all these things around him, things I saw more worthy than Him, and this statement, sincerely, came out of my mouth:

There is none above you, none beside you, and none below you. All things are in you, for you and through you.

WE:

My prayer for all of us is that we live in this reality that everything that exists is through Christ, with Christ and In Christ. There is nothing above Him, beside Him, or below Him. Everything of who we are, what we have, and what we need is IN Him.

Context

Historical Background

Author:

This is what Paul is conveying as he write his letter to the church in Ephesus, which is in other words called the letter to the Ephesians.

Place:

Scholars believe this letter was encyclical, which means it was distributed to several house churches in Asia with Ephesus being the primary church addressed.

Probably because (1) Ephesus was the capital city of Asia during that period of time and (2) Paul stayed in Ephesus for 3 years, which is the longest he’s ever stayed in a city during his missionary trips (Acts 19-20).

Time:

The letter was written in 60-62 AD, which is around the time Paul was imprisoned in Rome and later on martyred.

Ephesians is what scholars call the “Prison Epistles” along with Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

Purpose:

Unlike Pauls other epistles, there is no particular problem he’s addressing, instead the main theme is unity IN Christ.

One scholar says:

“All things are held together in Christ, and christians need to consciously resist forces that seek to divide them.”

Transitional Sentence

Today we will talk about the spiritual blessings the church has because we are united IN Christ! We will only tackle one spiritual blessing for today.

Points

1: Blessed

Explanation

Ephesians 1:3–4 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

Explanation

The word Blessed is an adjective, which means it’s describing a person. Like He/she is beautiful.

Blessed in the Greek is ‘Eulogetos.’ The root of the word is lego which means: “Say or tell” and then there is a prefix added to the word to change it’s meaning.

It doesn’t just mean say or tell but now it means “tell or say of someone that they are blessed.”

In this case, Paul is expressing and describing, verbally and out loud, about how good, lovely, precious and blessed God is.

Illustration

John 4:39 ESV

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”

Acts 3:7–10 ESV

And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

“The praise is not in what God does, it’s in what God does because of who he is.”

2: Blessing

Ephesians 1:3–4 ESV

who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places

Explanation

The word blessed/blessing here is different. Same root word but different prefix. The meaning of blessing here is: a generous gift.

The sense of the word is a present given as a sign of gracious kindness to promote the livelihood of the recipient.

Illustration

It's like someone giving you a gift out of the kindness of their heart, a gift you've been asking for because you know it will change your life for the better.

In the same way, Paul is saying: God is blessed and worthy to be praised because he’s given me a gift (a blessing) IN Christ.

So what is this gift that can only be found IN Christ?

3: Holy and Blameless

Ephesians 1:3–4 ESV

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Explanation

Often we hear what Christ did for us, and that’s important. However it’s also important we also understand and live in the reality of being in Christ.

What does it mean that we are IN Him so that we should be holy and blameless before Him?

First, let me say this: it's important that we communicate our position in Christ, our identity in Him.

Yes, we are called to live holy lives, and that matters. But our holiness doesn't begin with our behavior; it begins with who we already are in Christ. The way we live should flow from our position, not the other way around. We pursue holiness because of our identity in Christ, not to earn it.

What does it mean that we are IN Him so that we should be holy and blameless before Him?

In Easter Christian Orthodox tradition there is a term called Theosis or Defication - it means participating (being in union or joining) in the life of God to become like Him.

Theologically the way this happen is through Incarnation, where divinity first joins to humanity.

It wasn’t our initiative but God’s.

And then we are invited into participating in His life, being in union with Him, the one who is Holy and blameless, by receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Illustration

John 4:7–15 ESV

A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

Application

ME:

I thought for so long I needed to earn being holy but it left me frustrated, failing, and incapable of living the life Christ had called me to. However, when I started receiving and resting in Christ, living holy was the bi-product.

WE:

I wonder how many of us in the room are frustrated, filled with guilt and shame, and find yourself falling and failing. I want to encourage us to live in Him — to rest and receive Him.

This touched my heart when I was sitting with this passage the other day:

Ephesians 1:3–4 ESV

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

He saw all of our mess ups, screw ups, and our fallen way and yet still decided to choose us to be Holy and Blameless in Christ. He loves you even in your brokenness.

Call to Action

Unbeliever: Accept the invitation of Christ to come IN by receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Believer: Daily participation in the life of Christ, to be found in Him — the one who is holy and blameless.

Communion

Matthew 26:26–29 ESV

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Prayer/Blessing

Numbers 6:24–26 ESV

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. In Jesus name, Amen!