God's Eternal Plan
Notes
Transcript
Today’s lectionary epistle reading from letter to Ephesians
1 of longest single sentences in Greek in NT - its really difficult to unravel!!
Apostle Paul fits so much in these verses impossible to cover in even a few sermons
But there’s some things want to touch on as we look to New Year (slide)
God’s Eternal Plan
God’s Eternal Plan
As look at world today - hard not to just focus on chaos, war, disease, injustice, climate change...
Easy think no-one in control - its all human created issues, happening at once, no real hope...
There are lots of heroic people fighting for justice, for people’s health, fighting for peace
But odds against them are overwhelming
Which why we need to come back & read passages like Ephesians 1
Remind ourselves there IS someone in control & there is plan for our world & humanity (slide)
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
First I want you to take note of vs 4 - God had plan before anything was created
Means God’s plan eternal, not temporary, not limited or restricted by time or anything else
Also means His plan is expansive - nothing is missed out in his plan
covers all history, all creation, all people, all that has ever existed & ever will existed
This plan also encompasses a weird paradox & principle of bible which no one truly understands
Idea God has already chosen as His people even before they born to fulfil or complete his plan
Now if God chooses us before we even born - doesn’t that mean I don’t have free will to choose?
why do I still have to put my faith & trust in Jesus if God’s already chosen me? (Slide)
That’s why its paradox = both things true - God chosen you & still need put faith in Jesus
What it does means = our faith in Jesus isn’t accident or surprise or unimportant
When put faith in Jesus become part God’s plan / purpose;
God chosen us personally to accomplish things only he knows about
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Idea of being chosen started in OT- God chose Abraham... then chose Hebrew people (slide)
For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
Why did God choose Abraham, Hebrew people, then nation Israel to be his special people?
Well go back to vs 4 we’ll see part of reason… (slide)
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
God’s intention - we’d live life that was free from faults - doing wrong, breaking God’s moral law
God chose us live completely dedicate to God & fulfilling his plan/purpose through us (slide)
But that’s not all - as read in Colossians last week again read - adopts us as His children
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
Notice God also decided to adopt us into his family before you were even born
It was always God’s intention you’d be His child - wasn't accident or last minute decision
Then in vs 3 we read something more...
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,
So we were chosen before birth; we were adopted as God’s children - with inheritance & status...
& receive continuous flow of all spiritual blessings - spiritual / heavenly realm has to offer
See blessings immediately think material stuff - cars, houses, jobs… although might incl.
These blessings only be appreciated / enjoyed in spiritual realm - through Spirit
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
Notice in Vs 5 - through our faith in Jesus - we’re brought into family - into relationship with God
God wants us in his family, having us in his family brings him joy & happiness
its an amazing, wonderful plan we’re a part of but its still long way from being finished!
Illus - Like electricity - we all take it for granted - but do you know how long took for us to get it?
1600 English scientist William Gilbert first studied effect of static electricity
He was 1st one to come up with term electric / electricity in 1646 (slide)
But Benjamin Franklin in June 1752 over 100 years later did 1st research into electricity
metal key tied to kite string flown during storm conducting electrical sparks to hand
Then wasn’t until 1882 first steam engine generator turned on in New York
Took until 1920 before most US cities had generator powered electrical lights
No appliances - just lights… took over 300 years before electricity caught on
God’s plan = external, extensive covering all creation so will take long time to be completed
But none of it would be possible without Jesus… He’s key to God’s plan (Slide)
Fulfilled in Christ
Fulfilled in Christ
Eph 1:6 describes Christians as belonging to God’s Son - to Jesus
Word ‘belonging’ sounds like Jesus owns us - like he purchased us, we’ve been bought - right?
He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Only reason we receive God’s blessings, grace, adoption, inheritance etc...
Is because we have been set free from the thing that owned us / kept us in slavery before
We talked bit about this last week in Galatians
God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.
Paul talks about being freed by being purchased - he uses language of slavery (slide)
We were in bondage to sin - all things think & do makes something else our #1 idol/god
In order be released from slavery / bondage to sin - or set free from belonging to sin
Jesus had purchase us by paying penalty required so our sin could be forgiven (slide)
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
All way through OT we’re told only shedding of blood or taking of life can pay for sins committed
Why so many animals sacrifices made by Jews - only way they knew to receive forgiveness sin
He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
So Jesus made ultimate sacrifice by pouring out His own life’s blood so we could be forgiven
Through accepting Jesus sacrifice in our place through faith we then belong to Him
We are His people - united with Christ & able to be united to God Father in fellowship
And receive our adoption through Jesus - there’s so much more could say…
Illus - Technology has advanced so much in past 100 years
from 1920 & electric lights throughout US cities to this… [play video]
Our technology can achieve so much to help people’s lives to become better
But we can only do so much to help one another (slide)
Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
But Paul reassures us that whatever happens in our lives … nothing surprises God
Nothing can upset or stop his plans & purposes - Our connection to Christ means… (slide)
God can take even worst of circumstances & turn them around for our good & His purposes
God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
How God was going to accomplish his plan couldn’t be understood until Jesus came to earth
But now Jesus has come its been made clear what God’s intentions are in His plan
That’s to restore all humanity & creation & unite it in peace & wholeness
Under Christ’s authority & rule as King - this is ultimate end we look forward too (slide)
People of Faith Praise God for Abundant Blessing
People of Faith Praise God for Abundant Blessing
So God has this massive plan we’ve become part of - what is our responsibility in all this? (slide)
God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.
God’s people of faith are chosen to bring praise & glory to God… beginning with Jewish people
Who were chosen point people to God & tell them of wonderful things He’s done for all people
the people whom I formed for myself
that they might declare my praise.
God expected Israel to reveal God’s glory - his Character & nature in world (slide)
And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
So now we’ve had opportunity to hear gospel message - good news of Jesus coming to save us
We’ve received Spirit who’s our guarantee that God’s plan & purpose will happen in future
That we’ll be fully adopted as God’s child & receive every spiritual blessing possible
We now have means through God’s Spirit to live in way that draws attention to God
Through our lives Spirit helps us to live differently bringing God praise & glory (slide)
Illus - [play video] humanity has imagined most amazing things for our future
But we will never come close to imagining what God’s future will look like
Because God’s plan is eternal, expansive, limitless involving all creation
And will bring restore & unite universe in peace & wholeness under Christ’s authority
And we can be part of that as God’s children - blessed in ways we can’t imagine
But you will only be part of that if you have asked for God to forgive you of sin
And believed in faith in all Jesus has done for you to receive God’s forgiveness
Everything rides on our confession of our failure to be perfect like Jesus
our need to be saved from our sin & rejection of God for false idol (slide)
So my question for you is this
Have you genuinely asked for God’s forgiveness & put your faith & trust in only Jesus?
If you have then in spite of last year being horrible God can use all that’s happened for good
You have a future & inheritance that no one can take away & a part to play in God’s plan
If you can’t answer this question then why not start the New Year off right
by acknowledging your sin, asking for forgiveness, & putting security for your life & future
In God’s hands.... If you’d like me to pray with you please come see me at the end
Let’s pray
Almighty God
Who planned a future for us that we can’t imagine
& made a way for us to enjoy it through Jesus life, death, & resurrection
We admit we’ve failed you, have placed other things ahead of you
And forgotten that our future is secure through faith in Jesus...
the presence of Spirit, & promises we find in your Word
Give us the strength & perseverance to begin this year in faith, acknowledging that whatever happens...
We will be your people & will seek to bring you the praise & glory through everything we do
In our saviours Jesus name we pray, Amen