Ephesians 1b1
Our Possessions in Christ
(P) Introduction
I. Review
A. (P) Blessed us with all blessings (3)
1. Summary statement of what follows
2. What are the blessings
a. Note: these are not earthly blessings like health, wealth and prosperity
b. Something far greater than these.
(P) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Co 4:18) .
B. (P) Chosen us to be holy (4)
1. Three things happened before creation of cosmos:
a. (P) Jesus foreknown (pro) 1 Pe 1:20
b. (P) Father loved Son (pro) Jn 17:24
c. (P) We were chosen (pro) Jn 17:24
(P) As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pe 1:14) .
C.(P) Predestined us to adoption (5)
1. Long before creation, planned to adopt
2. What motivated Him?
3. Lit: pleasure of will: was satisfying
4. (P) Three things that pleased God
(P) It was Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him (Col 1:19) .
(P) It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Php 2:13)
(P) Predestining us to adoption as sons.
D.(P) Bestowed grace abundantly (6)
1. Grace is that freely given, undeserved.
2. Continually provides what we need.
II. (P) Redeemed us (7-8)
A. (P) DEF: To obtains something back by means of payment
B. Our need - Redemption
1. We’re owned by someone/something
2. ILLUS: Trash talk basketball players after they beat their rivals: Bragging rights. Final taunt. We own you!
3. We have been owned by Satan
4. Slaves to sin, also.
(P) Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? (Ro 6:16)
C.What: Forgiveness of trespasses (some trans. sin)
1. Trespass: go against God’s commands.
2. Violate purpose for which were created.
3. David when he sin w/Bathsheba, Uriah:
(P) Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight. (Ps 51:4)
(P) The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? (Je 17:9)
(P) He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (Jn 3:36)
4. You will never understand value of redemption until understand the need.
5. Downplayed today
a. To talk about sin is un-cool.
b. Sounds moralistic, judgmental
c. YES, it is. God does it
d. Don’t shoot the messenger!
D.Cost: It came by the price of his blood.
1. Bottom line: What will it cost me?
a. Will you give everything?
1) If your child kidnapped, how much would you give ransom?
2) Cash out your life savings? Mortgage home, sell car?
3) What about your life?
b. Only hope is redemption thru ransom
2. Who required the ransom?
a. God did!
b. Set up rule of cause/effect.
c. (P) General rule of univ.
d. Adam/Eve sin – they die
e. Cause -- Effect
f. God gives us a choice.
3. Problem:
a. We all die. No relationship w/God.
b. We were made in His image.
c. He doesn’t want to give up on us, like potter throwing out lump of clay.
4. (P) God accepts a substitute
a. In OT, animal was used. It prepared the way for a the perfect sacrifice.
b. Required the blood of Christ.
c. Obviously, there was no physical blood at the moment you were saved.
d. But there was blood when Jesus died
e. OT: life is in the blood.
5. Redemption: release effected by payment of a ransom.
a. Forgiveness of sins.
b. Guilt removed: no longer is master over us.
c. Pass on the Great White Throne judgment of God (talked about in Revelation)
d. Liberation from slavery to sin
1) No longer a slave to living life for all the wrong purposes.
6. Attitude:
a. God did not do it grudgingly (7b-8a)
b. It was according to the wealth of his grace which he lavished on us.
c. Grace
d. Wealth of Grace
e. Wealth of Grace lavished on us.
f. Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more.
g. Many Christians don’t really understand this. We are wealthy in the grace of God.
h. (P) ILLUS:
1) (P) Suppose you were given $1,000. What would you buy?
2) (P) 10x that. Good used car. Put away for education.
3) (P) 10x - $100k. Brand new, small house?
4) (P) 10x that - $1M. Car for everyone in family. $300k house. Education for your children at Ivy League schools.
5) (P) 1000x more - $1B? House & car for everyone at CBF. Huge church building, w/automatic doors. $100M to missions. College education for children. Build your own university.
6) Multiply that 54 – you get the net worth of Bill Gates.
7) (P) Now multiply that by another 1000 à a trillion. 10x close to paying off the entire debt of US.
i. God has lavished his grace on us according to his wealth. WOW!!
j. That means he has fully equipped us to be all that he has created us to be.
k. Doesn’t matter hardships, struggles, temporary setbacks.Past memories, the personal shortcomings.
l. Any wonder, God says: My grace is sufficient for you. (2 Co 12:9)??
m. ILLUS: Dinner w/Bill Gates, takes the bill, you ask, “Got enough to cover it?” Ans: “I have sufficient.”
7. WHEN WILL WE START BELIEVING?
a. Christians walking around with guilt.
b. Take your guilt to Christ. Don’t deny, confess, believe grace is suff.
c. God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able.
d. Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more.
[TRANS: When we get our hearts and souls around this truth that we have been redeemed by God for Himself, the blessings get better. . . ]
III. (P) Revealed the mystery to us (9)
A. “In all wisdom and insight” can go with the proceeding phrase or the following.
B. If with preceding:
1. The wealth of His grace affects our wisdom/insight
2. Wisdom: more than just knowledge. Wisdom beyond our human ability.
(P) How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding. (Pr 3:13)
(P) The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills I was brought forth” (Pr 8:22)
3. Insight that is gracious: seeing life from gracious view point.
C.Fits better with the following
1. In God’s wisdom and insight, He made known to us…
2. It was wise/insightful of God to do this.
3. Mystery before, but now known.
4. What is that mystery?
a. God has made us privy to what He is doing? His master plan.
b. Oh, we are often blinded to it by the difficulties of life.
c. We don’t believe the Word of God. Like seed choked by cares of world. Or in rocky soil and doesn’t go deep.
5. Mystery == His will (9)
IV. (P) Summed up all things (10)
A. It’s all about Jesus
1. Look how many times “Jesus Christ” is mentioned in Ephesians -- 45 verses.
2. That’s why so significant that we are “seated with Christ”
3. We are in the center of it. Part of God’s plan from before foundation of cosmos.
B. Administration of all this (10)
1. We who know are now part of process
2. Find our niche, our part in whole thing
3. God has a plan, we are now part of it.
C. Mystery to unsaved, but to us revealed.
The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. Albert Einstein
D. More about this mystery in chap. 2
V. (P) Given us an inheritance (11-12)
A. Since we are now children (vs. 5), we are entitled to an inheritance
1. Inheritance == the blessings of vs. 3
2. All that is Christ, as son, becomes our.
B. We are co-heirs with Him
(P) You are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. (Gal 4:7)