073006 Pentecost 8
Pentecost 8
Ephesians 1:3-14
July 30, 2006
(We have been chosen for the praise of God's glory.)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
(Paul offers up this doxology—this word of glory to God because he has received blessing beyond all reason or understanding. He goes on to explain.)
He has been blessed in Christ (“In Christ” indicates the source of God’s blessing)
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
(It is not material things that Paul is so ecstatic over, but “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” He tells us more about this heavenly experience in 2:5 & 6)
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
(These heavenly [spiritual] blessings have something to do with God’s own choosing)
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,
(There are a couple of passages that help us understand “before the foundation of the world.”)
Matthew 13:35 (ESV)
(Stating the reason why he spoke in parables, Jesus said) 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
(The apostle Peter adds to our understanding)
1 Peter 1:18-21 (ESV)
you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake, 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
(The reason for God’s choosing is so that, like His own Son …)
we should be holy and blameless before him.
(Be sure to understand that this is not a command to somehow purify one’s self—but rather a blessing that renders us “holy and blameless before him.”—this is only a small measure of the love God has for us. It is this love and blessing that allows us to know and cooperate with God.)
In love 5 he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ,
(Again the secret is in the prepositional phrase—this time, “through Jesus Christ.” This was all done before the foundation of the world was laid. It was all done in accordance with God’s own purpose and plan. This is what God’s choosing, His predestination, is all about. It’s about God appointing His own Son to be the promised heir of Abraham whereby all Nations will be blessed. Those who become aware of this awesome work and believe what God has done are—by way of adoption—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ Jesus. And it’s all … )
according to the purpose of his will,
(What God did according to the “purpose of His will” is nothing less than miraculous. It literally moves a person into a new status “in the Beloved” (Son). Paul, and we ourselves when we take hold of this can do nothing less than praise …)
6 to the praise of his glorious grace,
with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
(Again, the prepositional phrase “In Him” tells us what God’s election, His choosing, His predestination of us, is all about. It’s all about being a pleasing and treasured possession of our God. Just listen to Paul’s ecstatic, sudden and passionate word of praise.)
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.
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.
(These spiritual heavenly blessings are given by God, not just for Paul, but for all humanity. But not all will believe this truth. Some will choose for themselves a teaching that is not of God, and they will be tormented in eternal fire as it is said in the 13th chapter of the book of Revelation of those who worship the beast. 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear: But, for those who hear and believe there is this eventful promise of our election … )
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.
The point is this: The church, the faithful gathering of God, comes into being by God’s will “in Christ.” That is where election took place “in Christ.” There are no exceptions. For this we take special note of the constant recurrence of words denoting God’s plan and purpose in Christ Jesus, (purpose, will, mystery of his will, plan, counsel, chose, destined, and appointed—these are all actions of God). Connecting all of this and running like a red thread through the whole doxology—like a signet of shed blood—are the prepositional phrases that put it all “in Christ”! God has indeed made Him to be head over all things in heaven and on earth. And He has become our head because (We have been chosen for the praise of God's glory.) Amen.