To the Praise of God's Glory!

Introduction

What are your responses like to events, actions, achievements, or natural scenery that that are what we describe as mind-blowing or indescribable?

From the sports world maybe it is you are down by 25 pts in the Superbowl with only 1.5 quarters left and you come back to win.

Maybe your favorite basketball team is down 10 points with 1 minute left and they come back to win.

Maybe you visit the Hoover Dam and are blown away by the ability for people to build that or maybe you visit Egypt and see the Great Pyramid.

The list could go on.

I bring these illustrations up because maybe you have thought of things in yourself. However, the one event and truth that should truly and daily be awe-inspiring to us is the glorious truth of Christ’s redemption.

As Christians we do not meditate and allow the salvific work of God to truly be wowing us every day. If we were, our lives would be different. Our priorities would change. Our priorities would align better with the way God has aligned our priorities for us.

Priority #1: Love God with all our being and actions! Priority #2: Love others better than ourselves! Priority #3: Live this love out by making disciples through evangelism and discipleship.

Unfortunately we get ourselves into the middle, top, and bottom of the picture causing our priorities to not align with God’s.

In our passage this morning we do not have any imperatives. What we do have is a glorious picture that should both excite us and devastate us. Excite us because he has saved us and wants to save those who are still lost. Devastate us because many have not received the adoption and redemption. They have not been justified and sanctified. Both sides of this coin should motivate us going forward to truly be an evangelizing Christian making up an evangelizing Church.

Context

As we dive into our passage it is important to get a big picture of the letter Paul is writing to the Ephesian church.

The Book of Ephesians clearly spells out what we have in Christ, the riches we have in Him because of Christ death on the cross. The book of Ephesians is laid out in showing what we have, who we were, who we are, and what we are to do.

The main theme in Ephesians is the purpose of God in Christ for the Church for His glory. Paul mentions God’s glory 7 times in the first 3 chapters and one time in Ephesians 5. The central purpose is to glorify God through unity. The foundation (belief) of this unity is taught in chapters 1-3 and lived (behavior) in chapters 4-6. The first three chapters are filled with doctrinal thus declarative statements whereas chapters 4-6 have many imperatives/commands woven throughout.

In the first two verses Paul introduces this letter to the Ephesian church. He does so by describing the people of the church. He describes the believer/ Christian as one who is appointed by God, set apart for God, faithful to God, in Christ, and receive God’s grace and peace. This description alone ought to bring us a church to a deep contemplation of our relationship with God. Paul though does not stop here.

He goes from describing to delineating what has happened to the believer, to those a part of the church.

See, the book of Ephesians is about “What God is doing in the church through His Son for His own glory forever.” – Mark Minnick.

Paul begins his doctrinal teaching about the church with what many commentators have described as a magnificent hymn. This hymn contains truths that need to be sung as melody in our hearts on a daily basis. This hymn comes in three Stanzas followed by the same refrain. This refrain again is emphasizing the center, the core to Christian life!

This year we are placing a strong and concerted focus on evangelism. It should be our desire as a church to be actively alert and looking for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Whether a one-time presenting of the gospel or the building of a redemptive relationship that God graciously provides multiple interactions over periods of time. We ought to be a gospel preaching, gospel teaching, gospel believing, and gospel living church!

As we look at this hymn today we will see both the hope and power of the gospel. The challenge for us this morning is to evaluate your own life and see why you are not excited and energized by the hope and power of the gospel! As we look at this passage of scripture we will truly see that the reason for sharing the gospel is to the praise of God’s glory!

Our Main Truth: The blessings of salvation should motivate your evangelism to the praise of God’s glory!

As you follow these stanzas you see a progression from one stanza to the next. You find a Trinitarian progression.

Stanza 1 discusses the blessings come from God the Father. Stanza 2 discusses the blessings become ours in God the Son. Stanza 3 discusses the blessings are applied by God the Holy Spirit.

In all of these we still see a common thread—God the Father is the key worker. We see the refrains in 1:6, 1:12, 1:14 – “To the praise of His glory.”.

Let’s dive in!

I. Redemptive blessings come from God the Father, 4-6

A. Blessing #1: God chose us before the foundation of world, 4.

The word is used 51 times: 2 times it is used for choosing rooms in wedding, Lk.10:42; 14:7. 4 times use of God’s chosen Messiah, Lk.23:35. 8 times of Jesus choosing the 12, use of service as in choosing deacons etc. 30-32 times use of men and women to salvation and called the “elect”. Mt24:14; I Cor.1:21-28; Jm.2:5.

This is the marvelous doctrine of election, a doctrine that has confused some and confounded others. A seminary professor once said to me, “Try to explain election and you may lose your mind. But try to explain it away and you may lose your soul!”[i] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 11.

How? What makes election possible? Election is always and only in Christ.[i] We were chosen in Him. Eklegō (chose) is here in the aorist tense and the middle voice, indicating God's totally independent choice. Because the verb is reflexive it signifies that God not only chose by Himself but for Himself. His primary purpose in electing the church was the praise of His own glory (vv. 6, 12, 14). —MNTC

He chose us in Christ, not in ourselves.[i] [Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 11.]

By God's sovereign election, those who are saved were placed in eternal union with Christ before creation even took place. Although man's will is not free in the sense that many people suppose, he does have a will, a will that Scripture clearly recognizes. Apart from God, man's will is captive to sin. But he is nevertheless able to choose God because God has made that choice possible. Jesus said that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16) and that "everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die" (11:26). The frequent commands to the unsaved to respond to the Lord (e.g., Josh. 24:15; Isa. 55:1; Matt. 3:1-2; 4:17; 11:28-30; John 5:40; 6:37; 7:37-39; Rev. 22:17) clearly indicate the responsibility of man to exercise his own will. God's sovereign election and man's exercise of responsibility in choosing Jesus Christ seem opposite and irreconcilable truths—and from our limited human perspective they are opposite and irreconcilable. Since the problem cannot be resolved by our finite minds, the result is always to compromise one truth in favor of the other or to weaken both by trying to take a position somewhere between them. We should let the antimony remain, believing both truths completely and leaving the harmonizing of them to God. MNTC

When? Before the foundation of the world… Revelation 17:8

Spurgeon – “I am glad God chose me before I was born because he would not have chosen me after.” (somewhat cavalier)

The choice Christ made was in eternity past. It was before the World was created.

To say that election took place before creation indicates that God’s choice was due to his own free decision and love, which were not dependent on temporal circumstances or human merit. The reasons for his election were rooted in the depths of his gracious, sovereign nature. To affirm this is to give to Christians the assurance that God’s purposes for them are of the highest good, and the appropriate response from those who are chosen in Christ from all eternity is to praise him who has so richly blessed us.[i] ([i] Peter Thomas O’Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1999), 100.)

God elected us before the foundation of the world. Before the creation, the Fall, the covenants, or the law we were sovereignly predestined by God to be His. He designed the church, the Body of His Son, before the world began. Because in God's plan Christ was crucified for us "before the foundation of the world" (1 Pet. 1:20), we were designated for salvation by that same plan at that same time. It was then that our inheritance in God's kingdom was determined (Matt. 25:34). We belonged to God before time began, and we will be His after time has long run its course. Our names as believers were "written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain" (Revelation 13:8; cf. 17:8). MNTC

Why? …to be holy and blameless before God…

Holy and blameless in his sight mimics Colossians 1:22 (yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—). The purpose of Christ’s reconciling work is the presentation of his people to be holy, blameless and without reproach in the presence of Christ.

If the purpose in choosing us was to be holy and blameless that implies that we were deserving of judgment rather than redemption and the blessings found in redemption. We were chosen purely from God’s execution of his grace.

The ultimate goal is for every believer to be holy and blameless when appearing before him when he returns again. In the same light, we do need to still have concern over holiness and blamelessness today and going forward each day. Our holiness will not be consumated until Christ’s second coming. In light of this doctrinal truth each believer needs to live according o the kind intention of God’s will—to the praise of God’s glory.

B. Blessing #2: God predestinated the believer to adoption, 5.

Predestination and election happen simultaneously in the mind of God. However it is hard for us to think and explain it that way so God in his grace placed in scripture an explanation of the sequence. Here in 1:4-5 we see the relationship between election and predestination. The basis for God’s election is God’s predestination.

We can praise God the Father for choosing us because his purpose is to bring us into a deepening relationship with him as adopted children. God’s predestination weights God’s sovereignty and authority in salvation (O’Brien).

Romans 8:29-30. We are given an explicit order in which all of this takes place. Romans 8:29-30 list the order as:

i. Foreknowledge – scripture does not detail for us the basis of God’s foreknowledge. We must leave the secret things to God.

ii. Predestination – it is based on God’s foreknowledge

iii. Election – based on God’s predestination

iv. Justification – based on God’s election

v. Glorification – based on God’s justification

The purpose of predestination is to be conformed into the image of His son as we are adopted receiving an inheritance. God decides beforehand the destiny of those whom He chooses. They are to be adopted into His family. The purpose of predestination is to be conformed into the image of His son as we are adopted receiving an inheritance. God decides beforehand the destiny of those whom He chooses. They are to be adopted into His family.

What a privilege we have to be adopted into God’s family! God not only had a purpose for adopting us but he also takes delight in his plans. The believer is a part of God’s plans therefore God delights in us!

The Letter to the Ephesians 2. Praise for Election and Adoption, 1:4–6

I

The Letter to the Ephesians 2. Praise for Election and Adoption, 1:4–6

In this full phrase which focusses on the divine purpose that believers should praise God for his grace, the noun ‘glory’ (in the genitive case) is used adjectivally to assert that this

The Letter to the Ephesians 2. Praise for Election and Adoption, 1:4–6

‘Beloved’ marks out Christ as the supreme object of the Father’s love

II. Redemptive blessings come from God the Father through Jesus Christ, 7-12

A. Forgiveness comes through Christ’s death on the cross, 7

The Letter to the Ephesians 3. Praise for Redemption and the Forgiveness of Sins, 1:7–8

Those who praise God for his glorious grace freely given in Christ can rejoice in a deliverance from their trespasses through his sacrificial death on the cross.

What is the relation of forgiveness?

God's forgiveness of sin refers therefore to His act of putting sin away on a judicial basis, to His remitting the guilt and penalty

• What are we forgiven from?

Sin; The sense of the word here is the state of braking God’s law

The Scriptures sing in glorious harmony about the fullness of forgiveness:

Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 44:22; Jeremiah 31:34b

Micah 7:19; Matthew 26:28; 1 John 1:9

What forgiveness does…?

Divine forgiveness is essential to the restoration of a relationship with the Father

B. Forgiveness and God’s redemptive work flows from the riches of God’s grace, 7-8

God’s grace is lavished on the believer. It is far beyond our ability to comprehend or describe, yet we know it is according to the riches of that infinite grace that provides forgiveness.

This redemption points to the liberation from the bondage of sin that each person has apart from salvation—from redemption. Redemption is a present possession we own not just something we hope for in the future (13-14). Our redemption comes from Christ and Christ alone. We have been bought with a price—that price was Christ’s rejection, betrayal, denial, beating, crucifixion and burial. Christ died for the sin of the whole world. Our redemption is through the blood of Christ. (Romans 3:25 “25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;” )

The Letter to the Ephesians 3. Praise for Redemption and the Forgiveness of Sins, 1:7–8

However, ‘forgiveness of sins’ is implicit in the great Pauline themes of justification (cf.

According to Paul in Ephesians 2:1 (“1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,”) you and I were dead in our sin and needed divine forgiveness in order to restore one’s relationship with God the Father.

God’s grace provides wisdom and understanding. His grace provided not only redemption but insight and wisdom to live according to His plan. It was according to the riches of God’s grace. This giving of his grace was not just in a small miser way. It was lavished!

The Letter to the Ephesians 3. Praise for Redemption and the Forgiveness of Sins, 1:7–8

God’s lavish grace has bestowed on us not only redemption, but

C. Praising God for Future Blessings for the Redeemed, 9-10

We are given an understanding of God’s plan and purpose. It begins with the redemptive work of Christ and then through that redemptive work to unite all things in him. We find Paul mentioning more in chapter 3 that this will be done through the local church. Jesus Christ is the center of God’s revealing His plan. A great uniting will be complete at the fulness of time.

We are in this dispensation or stewardship of grace today. It is exciting to see how Paul later builds on this foundation of the Christ and shares another mystery that is revealed—the church! Because of the gospel we will share with other believers the glorious blessings of being united in Christ for all eternity!

The Letter to the Ephesians 4. Praise for the Mystery—God’s Plan to Sum up All Things in Christ, 1:9–10

‘Making known a mystery’ refers to the disclosure of a previously hidden secret. In Paul’s world ‘mystery’ was employed in the ancient pagan cults, philosophy, secular usage, and Gnosticism.

The Letter to the Ephesians 4. Praise for the Mystery—God’s Plan to Sum up All Things in Christ, 1:9–10

the apostle normally employs the term with reference to the revelation of what was previously hidden but has now been disclosed by God (

The Letter to the Ephesians 4. Praise for the Mystery—God’s Plan to Sum up All Things in Christ, 1:9–10

God’s saving purposes, planned from eternity, had as their final goal the uniting of all things in heaven and earth in Christ, the details of which are spelled out in what follows.

The Letter to the Ephesians 4. Praise for the Mystery—God’s Plan to Sum up All Things in Christ, 1:9–10

The content of the mystery

The Letter to the Ephesians 4. Praise for the Mystery—God’s Plan to Sum up All Things in Christ, 1:9–10

Christ is the one in whom God chooses to sum up the cosmos, the one in whom he restores harmony to the universe. He is the focal point, not simply the means, the instrument, or the functionary through whom all this occurs.

In fact in Romans 11:36 (“36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”) Paul tells the believers in Rome that everything comes from Christ. He is the final authority.

All things work to the counsel of God’s will!

The Letter to the Ephesians 5. Praise for the Assurance of the Believers’ Heritage, 1:11–14

In v. 5 the adoption of believers as God’s sons and daughters, which was the purpose of their predestination, redounds to the praise of his glorious grace.

III. Redemptive blessings come from God the Father through Jesus Christ and kept by the Holy Spirit, 11-14

Our salvation is a guarantee. So what is a guarantee?

Illustration: Guarantee defined - a formal promise or assurance (typically in writing) that certain conditions will be fulfilled, especially that a product will be repaired or replaced if not of a specified quality and durability.

Find guarantees in history

- Joe Namath in Super Bowl 3

- Babe Ruth in World Series

Man’s problem: It is the nature of men and women to break promises. Governments make and break promises. Advertisers, politicians, and employers all break promises. Church members, family members, leadership, husbands and wives, friends and relatives all break promises they made. Some of these promises are made with the best intentions and some are made for the purpose to deceive and exploit. All of us find ourselves making and receiving promises that for whatever reason do not materialize.

Praise the Lord God’s promises are not as ours. His are eternally true and eternally accomplished. Not one single promise of God will ever go unmaterialized! We can place hope and trust in that (Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, lhe was able also to perform.)!

It is at the end of this hymn that we see God’s immeasurable grace in the presentation of “God the Father’s guarantee of His divine promise to His children. They are certain to receive the full, undiminished inheritance of Jesus Christ.”[i John MacArthur, Ephesians, page 28.] What a spiritual blessing for us to have as Christians.

The believer’s inheritance and security comes in Christ though the Holy Spirit.

By faith, we can claim God’s promises and draw on His limitless grace to be encouraged of what we have in Christ.

A. The foundation of our inheritance, 11a – 13a

The Christ who is at the center of God’s plan to sum up all things in heaven and on earth is also the one in whom we were claimed by God as his portion. When something in the future was so certain it could not fail the Greeks spoke of it as if it had already occurred.

In Christ we have a wonderful inheritance (1 Peter 1:1–4), and in Christ we are an inheritance. We are valuable to Him. Think of the price God paid to purchase us and make us part of His inheritance! God the Son is the Father’s love gift to us; and we are the Father’s love gift to His Son. Read John 17 and note how many times Christ calls us “those whom Thou hast given Me.” The church is Christ’s body (Eph. 1:22–23), building (Eph. 2:19–22), and bride (Eph. 5:22–23); Christ’s future inheritance is wrapped up in His church.

We can celebrate that our inheritance IS IN Christ! (God’s spiritual blessings are only given to those who are in Christ (1:1, 3-4, 6-7, 10))

Being IN CHRIST signifies a radical transformation.

2 Corinthians 5:17; a new creation; a radical reorientation and total spiritual change. Philippians 1:21 For me to live is Christ...

2 Corinthians 3:18; daily being transformed

Being IN CHRIST brings an astounding and dynamic unity.

This unity is centered on the gospel! It is centered on Christ!

Being IN CHRIST brings deep satisfaction.

B. The incredible guarantee of our inheritance, 13b-14a

Sealing of the Holy Spirit

The sealing of which Paul speaks here refers to an official mark of identification that was placed on a letter, contract, or other important document. The seal usually was made from hot wax, which was placed on the document and then impressed with a signet ring. The document was thereby officially identified with and under the authority of the person to whom the signet belonged.—MNTC

The Spirit’s Sealing Shows 4 primary truths:

Security

Ownership

Authenticity

C. The aim of our inheritance, 14b

TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY! This refrain praises the greatness of God for the inheritance and sealing that we have in Christ through the Holy Spirit! Our salvation is guaranteed!!!

The great, overriding purpose of God's redemption of men is the rescuing of what is His own possession. All creation belongs to God, and in His infinite wisdom, love, and grace He chose to provide redemption for the fallen creatures He had made in His own image—for His own sake even more than for their sakes, because they do not belong to themselves but to Him. As Paul has already twice declared (vv. 6, 12), God's ultimate goal in redeeming men is the praise of His glory. We are not saved and blessed for our own glory but for God's (cf. Isa. 43:20-21). When we glorify ourselves we rob God of that which is wholly His. He saved us to serve Him and to praise Him. - MNTC

Let us live to the praise of God’s glory and echo the Psalmist’s words in Psalm 150:

Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;

Praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his acts of power;

Praise him for his surpassing greatness.

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

Praise him with the harp and lyre,

Praise him with tambourine and dancing,

Praise him with the strings and flute,

Praise him with the clash of cymbals,

Praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord. (Psalm 150)

Application: Our Rejoicing Response to the Blessings of Redemption!

Response #1: Proclaim the gospel with confidence!

The blessing of the believer being chosen I find to be 3-fold:

The pressure of saving people is removed

The believer has the power of the all-knowing God the Father behind them.

The believer is a part of God’s saving plan to share the gospel with many. It gives life a purpose plan of utmost importance!

Response #2: Live gratefully because of the redemptive blessings!

Romans 12 gives to us who are no longer condemned in sin the ultimate purpose—living sacrifice! Our cry should be as Paul in Philippians 1:21—For me to live IS CHRIST!

Live humbly and with discernment

Serve in the capacity God has enabled us

Be loving and devoted to believers

Rejoice and live with joy and devotion to prayer in every circumstance

Live in unity

Forgive and respect righteousness

Do not show partiality and leave repayment for sin to God

Being a living sacrifice is the biggest way you and I can show our gratitude to God for Jesus ultimate sacrifice. Dying daily to self by living and proclaiming the gospel!

Response #3: Peace comes from recognizing the Holy Spirit’s part in redemption.

The believer never has to live in doubt of their position with God. The Holy Spirit has sealed every Christian and no one can lose their salvation but are sealed forever. This truth brings a peace that passes all understanding.

Are you preaching the gospel to yourself daily? The gospel brings peace into the life of the believer and with that peace can then confidently and thankfully serve God by obeying the amazing commission of proclaiming the gospel to those dying in their sin and need the gospel and salvation.

Church family and friends and guests all day we have remembered and thought through the gospel. Earlier this afternoon we saw the theological truth of God’s power and the gospel. We saw what it means to not be ashamed. After this passage we just looked at, why would you live in shame or timidity over it? It should drawn confidence, gratitude, and peace in living and proclaiming the gospel. These wonderful blessings of salvation should excite you about talking to someone and building redemptive relationships.

Let’s be a church characterized by the gospel that as people see you wherever you are that God is real, that Jesus is real, that the Holy Spirit is real and they acknowledge they have a need!

As a church we have invested in materials to assist in you sharing these blessings with people. The Exchange materials are a helpful and easy to use tool focused on biblical truth to aid in proclaiming the gospel. Starting this Wednesday we will be taking time to walk through the 4 Lesson Study. This is for our whole church as we unified go as ambassadors for Christ into our respective spheres of influence. Pastor Dwight, Carl, and myself strongly encourage you to come on Wednesday. Some may have legitimate reasons why you cannot attend on Wednesday evening. This is why on Wednesday morning during our prayer time we will be walking through the truth of the gospel and sharing it with others. Each of these times fellow shipping together will also have the second part be us uniting in prayer.

God has given us a command to proclaim the gospel. He has commanded the church to be unified. If you take the book of Ephesians it starts with the doctrine of the gospel and then the church. We must be excited to fellowship together around the gospel! No better truth to gather around and discuss and grow. To grow both inwardly and outwardly. Inwardly in it changing you and outwardly it changing others!

Let’s not be ashamed and go with the power of God as God uses our church to impact our communities for eternity!