Blessed with Every Spiritual Blessing

Ephesians Series Part 1

Ephesians 1:1–3 NKJV

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,

Eph

Introduction

The epistle to the Ephesisans

Paul is

City of Ephesus, a seaport in Roman province of Asia

A cosmopolitan, international trade center

present day Turkey

was considered a sacred city, worshipping idols, large statue of Artemis, Silversmiths abounded

Paul visited twice

stayed over 2 years and three months teaching (Acts 19:8-10)

letter was probably not solely for Ephesians, but meant to be circulated - ()

Eerdmans Bible Dictionary IV. Contents

The first three chapters concern spiritual privileges gained through Christ

The first three chapters concern spiritual privileges gained through Christ

There are privileges when you become a citizen of God’s heavenly kingdom

just as there are privileges to being an American, yet, these are eternal, and irrevocable, and far more valuable

In chapters 4–6 the apostle describes the practical consequences of his doctrinal vision

Being adopted into this family will change you

We are not who we were

There is a tension, a struggle between good and evil, that we become aware of through our adoption

We are no longer “tossed” around ignorantly in this struggle, but now have power, and responsibility.

Ephesians 1:1–3 NKJV

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,

Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ

The Author: Paul, introduces himself, an apostle

He is an Apostle of Jesus Christ

not becasue he was elected or appointed

not becasue he was approved of men, or popular among them

Not becasue he was deserving, or more qualified than others

Not because he was holy, or more righteous than others

By the will of God

He understood the basis of His position

You are who God says you are

You can do what God says you can do

As John said “you have an unction from the Holy one and you need not that any man should teach you”

He understood, as Elijah did, I am God’s servant and have done these things at His Word

If only more Christians were willing accept their calling “by the will of God”

Not by personal ambition, approval of men, peer recognition or pressure, expectations of relatives or spouses, but by the will of God

There is no higher calling than “the Will of God”

If I cook a meal by the will of God, it has no less value than this sermon

fixing a roof, sweeping a floor, planting a garden

Take hold of who God has called you to be

we don’t need to compare ourselves among ourselves, or measure ourselves by ourselves

A doorkeeper in the house of the Lord is better than the riches of the wicked

God has a calling and a purpose for you!

in fact He has a lifetime of calling and purpose for you

To The Saints - the Faithful in Christ Jesus

2.

God and Christ are mentioned 8 times in these three opening verses.

the intended audience for this letter is those who have chosen to follow Him

to the “faithful”

there simply isn’t enough talk in the church today about “faithfulness”

The doctrine of Selfianity has excused today’s carnal Christians from any form of the “faithfulness” described in the new testament

Paul warns the Ephesian Christians not to be deceived by vain words

We are reminded to be “faithful” becasue it is a struggle. It must be intentional

you must have already decided -

You will be tempted

You may be listening and thinking “does that apply to me?”

Maybe you don’t feel so “faithful”

Perhaps you have not yet made a decision to follow.

Perhaps you have no personal assurance of eternal life

So, are these words for you?

Yes! Yes, He wants you to know. These words are an invitation to come and be partakers together with us

You may be on the outside looking in. So Come in.

He stands at the door and knocks....

He invites you to be joint heirs with Jesus, with us who have received Him

To receive this Grace and Peace

Grace and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

3.

The blessing: grace and peace

We have received His Grace

3. the blessingh

through faith in Jesus Christ

this grace - not by works, not by will, but by the blood of Jesus

Amazing Grace - takes away our sin

And peace

We need His peace

in a world filled with strife, chaos and turmoil - it is inescapable

we need only look to him and receive His peace

peace in the midst of the storm

though the waves may roar and the boat may toss, we have peace,

we are going to the other side

Every Spiritual Blessing in Heavenly Places

Blessed be God

We have reason to praise Him!

Paul is overflowing with praise and adoration for this exalted God and savoir. So should we!

If we have received His grace, and redemption, we can’t help but praise Him

He is worthy of all praise - preeminence

You have reason to Praise!

Paul claims that we have received “every spiritual blessing”

Through Jesus’ victory on the cross, all that was lost through Adam is regained in Jesus

He has shared this with the church - us

every blessing - all the fullness of God is available to each of us, through Him

We access this through faith - with confidence

We are made equal with the angels

we are given authority over all the power of the enemy

spirits are subject unto us

our names are written in heaven - we have a passport into the divine and eternal kingdom

You have more available to you than you have ever thought -

exceeding, abundantly

access to the very throne of grace

Let you faith abound today

reach out in faith and begin to walk in these heavenly blessings

Ephesians 1:4–17 NKJV

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. 15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

eph1.4-1