You ARE Blessed

I INTRO

A. Where we’re Going

a. Illust.

B. Main Text

Ephesians 1:1–3 ESV

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and 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 in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Eph 1:1-3

C. Pray

II. BODY

A. Context:

Ephesians 1:1–2 ESV

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:1 ESV

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

a. Paul is

1. Apostle - rep in msg & pwr; church starter

2. Paul wrote this letter while in prison, probably in Rome about a.d. 60.

b. Eph r - churches in region o Eph.

c. structure o letter is

1. The first 3 chapters focus on what Christians should believe, unfolding the glorious riches of God’s grace in Christ.

i. Dead sinners are made alive & gain eternal salvation “by grace … through faith” (2:8).

The first three chapters focus on what Christians should believe, unfolding the glorious riches of God’s grace in Christ. Dead sinners are made alive and gain eternal salvation “by grace … through faith” (2:8). The last three chapters explain the implications of God’s grace for the church, for individuals, and for families. This second section comes to a climax with a command to stand with the armor of God against the devil. Paul wrote this letter while in prison, probably in Rome about a.d. 60.

2. The last 3 chapters explain the implications of God’s grace for the church, for individuals, & for families.

i. This 2nd section comes 2 a climax w/ a command to stand w/ the armor of God against the devil.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Eph). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Ephesians 1:2 ESV

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

d. Grace & Peace

1. def:

i. Grace: God’s unmerited fav. & intervention (Salvation frm sin greatest expression)

ii. Peace: nothing missing nothing broken; right rel. w/God, ea. other, creation

2. frm 1 place- God & Jesus

i. not frm: econ, gov, our own hands

ii. not frm just any god (not all rel. r equal) or faith in anything (u can do it cause u believe u can)

a. What’s it mean 2 b blessed?

1. context is everything!

i. “be attitudes” Happy is the poor…etc.

ii. then theirs God’s blessings: literally means to prosper

b. in what way can God be blessed?

iii. frm the action o God through Jesus on our behalf;

1. in this context: Blessed- "to speak well of”; “to praise, to celebrate with praises,

2“to praise, to celebrate with praises,

i. Paul is literally saying: Awesome is God!

Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p. 69). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.

Ephesians 1:3 ESV

3 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,

Eph 1:3

B. God is Blessed?

a. What’s it mean 2 b blessed?

1. context is everything!

i. “be attitudes” Happy is the poor…etc.

ii. then theirs God’s blessings (ex. “who has blessed us in Christ”): literally means to prosper

b. in what way can God be blessed?

1. in this context: Blessed- "to speak well of”; “to praise, to celebrate with praises,

i. Paul is literally saying: Awesome is God! Who has prospered us in Christ w/every spiritual prosperity in KOG!

C. You Are Blessed

a. But pastor...

1. u don’t know my circumstances

i. I’m broke

ii. my health is failing

iii. I’m homeless

iv. My rel. r broken

2. I would respond: my blessings transcend my circumstances

i. conv. w/ Norm.

-how are we blessed?

Ephesians 1:4–5 ESV

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

Ephesians 1:4 ESV

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

Eph 1:4

a. But pastor...

b. Blessed being Chosen Beforehand (Chosen for what?)

1. Chosen as Holy

2. Chosen as Blameless

i. who here is blameless; once accepted Jesus stopped sinning?

-So then, r we blameless? - YEP; how so?

Colossians 1:21–23 ESV

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

ii. Jesus did the work on the cross declaring us blameless and above reproach

- Our Job: continue in the faith & act like it… (u r followers o Jesus & barers of God’s image so act like it!

3. Chosen as Adopted

John 1:12–13 ESV

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:13 ESV

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

i. not every1 is God’s kids (all bare God’s image, but Sin nature broke that image)

ii. his kids through Jesus (eph 1:5)

- adoption process: rec. trust,

*how else r we blessed?

iii. Illust. James & Chase: they didn’t pick us, we chose them.

Ephesians 1:6 ESV

6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

c. Blessed to be in the church

1. the church is often described as “beloved”

2. often said...

i. don’t have to go to church to follow Jesus; true, but why wouldn’t u b part o a local church?

-God provided it as a blessing 4 us; how?

*blace o belonging

*place o help (look out 4 one another’s needs)

*bare ea. other’s burdens

-why don’t lots o folks go 2 church?

ii. those folks hurt me!

-Illust. supermarket

3. God provides the church u/us to b a blessing

i. God wills that we be prosperous in the areas we serve

ii. he created us w/specific gifts so that we knit together in the church so that the church functions as it ought

-how else r we blessed?

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

Eph 1:7

d. Blessed to be redeemed

1. Redemption:

i. Articulate the Gospel

ii. This is the good news!

2. These blessings stem frm his grace.

i. How else r we blessed?

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

Eph 1:9-

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.

e. blessed with knowing his will (what’s his will?)

1. through Christ all things are being united (united to who?)

Colossians 1:20 ESV

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

i. united to Himself

-life b4 the curse (garden of eden)

-the curse o sin broke & separated all creation from God.

-So, Christ died to set right what humanity broke in the beginning.

Ephesians 1:11–14 ESV

11 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, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 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, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Eph 11

f. Blessed with an inheritance & the Holy Spirit (what’s this mean?)

f. Blessed with the

1. He is our guarantee of the inheritance

i. what’s this guarantee look like?

-We rec H.S. upon conversion

*the beginning o the process o being made new!

    -Then when baptized in the H.S. pwr is activated in our life

    *This is when we c the Gifts begin 2 manifest!

    *Prophecy, tongues, knowledge! 

    ~Prophecy, tongues, knowledge! 

    *awesome!! - find ourselves in his presence

    ~illust. - God moved in Grace Community Church Service

    ii. the thing is…these r only the beginning. 

    -These gifts r only the down payment o our inheritance.

    *take a moment & let this sink in…

    ~our pentecostal experience is only the down payment, experienced in this life. 

    ~can u imagine what it will be like when we c God face 2 face?

    ~imagine the intimacy w/God when Jesus returns 4 us & we c the fullness o a life lived w/God

    ^When we put off the perishable body & put on the imperishable we will experience his presence in a new indescribable way!

    ~imagine what it will b like 2 simply walk w/God & not needing prophecy, tongues, words o knowledge

    ^Just 2 hear his voice directly

iii. didn’t think u had something to rejoice in b4 u got here? 

    -U do now

    -Somebody give God some praise 4 what’s to come.

                -This, our future hope, makes all our current circumstances pale in comparison

    *I’m convinced that this is the reason Paul (our author) was able 2 endure & overcome such painful life experiences 4 sake o Gospel

                        ~Everything we go through pales in comparison 2 the revelation o eternity spent intimately w/God

This weeks study: .