The Fathers Work

Happy Independence Day. I would encourage you to seek out the part that Presbyterian men played in bringing about this amazing country. The great sacrifice made by the Presbyterian churches in the colonies. It wasn’t long ago that I learned that the Revolutionary War in England was referred to by many as the Presbyterian Revolt. And the revolution was lead by men of the cloth form the Presbyterian church, who were referred to as The Black Robe Regiment. Pastors that preached on Sunday and picked up a rifle to go forward and fight for what they believed was a Godly cause, the deposing of an ungodly monarch.

Prepare for Worship

Take this time and prepare your hearts for worship (Background Music)

Call To Worship

Responsive Reading - Psalm 146 pg 254, please stand as we read Gods word together

English Standard Version (Psalm 146)

5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God, who made heaven and earth,the sea, and all that is in them,

who keeps faith forever;who executes justice for the oppressed,who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;the LORD loves the righteous.

The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the widow and the orphan,but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

Song pg 464 Joyful, Joyful we Adore Thee

You may be seated

Confession

Prayer of Confession

Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed.

We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God.

Amen

Assurance of Faith

The Apostle John assures us of the effectiveness of our confession: 1 John - If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Jn 1:8–2:2). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Confession of Faith

Last week I spoke of adding, in time a new component of our liturgy, and that is a Confession of our Faith. Today I will read this confession for you, but soon we will read it together. Turn to page 14 in the front of your hymnal and read along with me the Apostles Creed (Ecumenical version - which is simply a modern language version). As this part of the service, I will ask you : Church what do you believe? The response will be:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord. who was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the Virgin Mary. suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church*, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Just a note for those who might be wondering, that is not a confession of belief in the Roman Catholic church, but rather the Holy catholic Church. the word catholic simply means universal. This is a confession in the belief of entirety of the Church throughout eternity, the church who is Christ’s bride and will rise together with him in the final day.

Join us now as we worship the God whom we confess. In your Hymnals we will begin with pg 293, and then pg 276.

Worship

Song 1 pg 293 This is My Fathers World

Song 2 pg 276 Great is Thy Faithfulness

Prayers of the People

Prayer Request

Steve’s continued struggles with health

The Phelps family as they make their way across the country

The Pettus family as we travel as well

The Husselman Family, Butch is in the hospital with fluid on his lungs

God The Father

We have so far looked at the historical and biblical context in which Paul has written this epistle to the church at Ephesus. We have found that Paul is striving to instruct them in their conduct. How they are to understand their salvation, and then live in light of that understanding. He is seeking to instruct them not simply of the biblical truth of their salvation, but rather how it should inform all of their life.

Last week we looked a the entirety of the epilogue that is verse 3 thru 14. In it we examined the obvious Trinitarian structure of this poetic retelling of the gospel The good news of not only the salvation of individuals but of the people of God. Today we now shift back to verses 3 thru 6 to look specifically at what we covered minimally last week, and that is the specific work of God the Father in the overall act of salvation.

Turn to Eph 1:3-6, these are the words of the true and living God

English Standard Version Chapter 1

3 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, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Thus far is the reading of Gods word

So we see in this passage a three fold work of God the Father, in verse 3 He blesses us, in verse 4 He chooses us, and in verse 5 He predestines us to adoption, and as verse 6 states all to His glory.

The Fathers Blessing

Eph 1:3 3 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

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Eph 1:3). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Paul begins with proclaiming a blessing upon the Father. Remembering that this is one giant run on sentence through verse 14. Here we see Paul praise the Father, he lifts Him up in thanks for all of the acts that will follow in all of the following verses. He gives credit unto the Father for all of the functions of salvation from all three persons of the Trinity.

After blessing God, Paul then goes on to describe the blessing of the Father. We see three distinct aspects of that blessing.

Every Spiritual Blessing

The passage tells us that the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with “every spiritual blessing”

Not a single spiritual blessing, or alot of spiritual blessings, but rather EVERY spiritual blessing. In this case we might better understand these “blessings” in terms of benefits as another means of translations. So this could be understood as benefits from the Spirit, or benefits for our spirit. Or it could very well be both.

but most significantly is the great amount of thees blessings. God is not holding back any blessings for those who believe in Him. This displays so much about God’s plan of redemption for His people. In His work of salvation, He wills to accomplish exactly what He desires, and therefore gives all. This is the same that any earthly father would do for His child in seeking their success. This displays the love of the Father for His children in his unfetter giving.

In Heavenly Places

The second aspect of these blessings is their seeming location: “in heavenly places.” To better understand this we must understand the nature of this description.

THis phrase only exists in Scripture in 5 total places, and they are all here in the book of Ephesians.

Eph 1:20 Jesus is enthroned in the heavenly places

Eph 2:6 God seats us with Him in those heavenly places

Eph 3:10 it is through His church that His wisdom is displayed in the heavenly places

Eph 6:12 and it is in the heavenly places that we battle

Upon Christ ascension, we are assured here and elsewhere that Jesus was enthroned as King over His kingdom of which we are apart. Therefore, as Christ Kingdom here on earth grows larger and larger, we see the manifest blessings that arise from this seating in the heavenly places. This displays the majesty of the Fathers blessings as he gives us not simply earthly blessings whisch wither and decay, but rather he gives us all the blessings in heavenly places which will never pass away.

In Christ

in these two simple words we see the profound truth that will repeat itself over and over throughout all of these passage, and that is this…Christ is the center point. He is the means and ways by which all of the work of salvation is accomplished. This displays the Fathers wisdom in His blessing, in that without Christ as the means of the blessing, we would never receive it.

He Chooses Us

Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Eph 1:4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

We move now from God’s blessing into His choosing. I mentioned in my first sermon on Ephesians that as we worked through this book, we would face the truly hard sayings of Paul. And Paul never disappoints as He starts the letter off immediately with one of those points.

As we examine the nature of God’s choosing of His people, we must remember this fact. Regardless of how we struggle with this teaching, it is clear that Paul in writing this to the original recipients considered it an indispensable truth that needed to be part of His exposition of the Gospel to these people. He believed it, and He expected those who read the letter to believe it.

So what was it that He believed in regards to God's work of choosing in salvation? This passage again provides us with three aspects of this function of the Father in salvation. Firstly the choosing happens in Christ, secondly the choosing happens before the foundation of time, and thirdly the choosing accomplishes a specific work, mainly is sets apart (or holies) a people, and it makes them blameless before God.

In Jesus

“even as” he choose us in Him. This word even as ‘kathos’ is similar to the word therefore in the Bible. Whenever we see it we must ask what it is tying back to. Here it is obvious that it is tying back to the blessings in the heavenly places. Other translations of the word are “since, seeing that, when, just as, in the degree that.” So this “even as” tells us as we listen that this choosing, is at least one of the spiritual blessings, or it proceeds from these spiritual blessings.

even as “he chose us” in Him. The choosing of the Father is of us. Who is the us? Who would the original hearers have understood as us? It is clear from Paul’s addressal “to the saints (who are in Ephesus) and are faithful.” To the saints who are faithful in Jesus Christ. This is the intended audience. The believing ones of God. Those who had experienced salvation and had come to Christ, and Paul himself are the us who are understood to be chosen here.

even as He chose us “in Him.” Again we see the centrality of Jesus, even the Father’s choosing of a people for Himself, it is made clear that this choosing must be in Christ. All throughout Scripture we see that we are “in Christ” as believers. He is our only means to salvation.

Before the Foundation of the world

Enter the “hard part.” According to Scripture. The Word of God from the Holy Spirit through Paul, this choosing was conducted from our temporal understanding of how time works, before creation.

This hard truth illustrates some profound truths about God.

Scripture tells us that God says “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” it tells us that God says “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure”

We must affirm that God has had a plan from before creation. We do not understand, nor should we seek to understand how or why God has made His plan because where Scripture lies silent on a subject we must not speculate. But here God tells us through His word that this plan was made before the foundation of the world, and we accept His word on faith.

We are told that God cannot lie, therefore He reveals to us those things that are true to us, and He does so in the best way that we might be able to understand.

And this truth, as hard as we might find it reveals an even more wonderful truth. Nothing in this world is purposeless. God has declared the beginning from the end, and according to Scripture as it unfold in real time for us “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Holy and Blameless

What then is the purpose of this choosing. Remembering that the greatest purpose of all of Gods plan is His own glory. What function does this choosing work in our lives?

We are told in this passage that this choosing before the foundation of the world is “that we should be Holy and Blameless before Him.”

This is the good things working together for good. Every moment of our lives we are be shaped and molded by God. Being chosen in Christ as a holied (set apart) people that we might be blameless before God on the day of Judgement.

We each have a testimony of salvation. And I would venture a guess that this testimony is a story of your entire life. The ups the downs. The periods of strong faith, the periods in which faith waivered. For those who came late in life to faith, you usually have a story that preceeds that salvation. Its often a story that is filled with trials and struggles that most could not fathom undergoing. I have yet to meet the adult that comes to faith, and has a story about how perfect life was before coming to Christ. For the lifelong Christian, you recall that point in your life when Christ was made clear to you as your savior. And then as most you have a rollercoaster story to follow. As God forged you in the fire.

Gods plan in your life has worked out exactly as He planned.

Our being chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, provides us a great comfort. That our God has our life in His hand and nothing can undo that.

Predestined to Adoption

“In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ,”

Paul continues with the work of the Father. Telling us that He predestined us to adoption. This point then should be no harder for us that the previous. So let us seek what is being said here. Again there are three aspects of this work of predestining. We are predestined unto adoption as sons, through Jesus, To the Father.

The word predestined has nothing to do with our destination or even our destiny per se. It simply means what was communicated in the previous verse: “God decreeing from eternity”

Adoption as Sons

Scripture tells us we are one of two families; children of God or children of Satan. Those to whom the letter is written, once again those saints faithful in Christ (disciples of Christ) here they, along with those believing today are told that they are adopted children of God. They have been brought out of the family of Satan, cleansed, set apart, and brought into the Fathers House.

As we continue later to explore the remainder of this epilogue of Paul we will find that this is the string that binds, we find the Fathers predestining unto adoption, the sons redemption of that inheritance, and the Spirits guaranteeing the reception of that inheritance.

Our adoption is the hope that we have recieved. Because we know God to be a perfect father. If He chose us out of the family of Satan and prepared us for Himself to come before Him blameless, we can be assured that He in nowise will cast us out.

Through Jesus Christ

We can be assured of this truth for the means by which He brought us into adoption. The means by which he blessed us and made us blameless. Through Christ. Through the death, resurrection, and ascension of His Son. John 3:16

To Himself

He predestined us to Himself as sons. We are not brought into the Kingdom as mere servants, but rather we are sons of the King. The one who possess the cosmos, He is the one who adopted us to Himself. And is preparing for us an inheritance

We should note as well that the sentence, though divided by the verse marker, begins with “in Love.” We are told that this action of predestining to adoption is and action that is rooted in love.

How and Why

Earlier I cautioned that it is not ours to question why or how when Scripture is silent, in the context of God actually formulating His plan for the world. Believe me there are many theologians who will bend your mind a thousand ways with those discussions. But, where it is clearly revealed we are safe to seek to understand Gods’ how and Why.

How

In asking how did God make such profound moves in the lives of believers, I am not asking the mechanics, but rather the standard by which it was done. If I ask you how do you decide whats for dinner, you will explain to me the thought process, the standards of your eating that inform your meal choices, that determine your plan for dinner tonight.

So God tells us here the same thing the standard of His decision making. “according to the good pleasure of His will.” The functions of salvation, done by the Father, that we have just explored, have all been conducted by no other influence than His own will.

A couple notes. It is important to remember here that the will of God is not divided between the persons of the Trinity, so when we focus in on the actions of a singular person of the Trinity, we must keep in mind that the fullness of the Godhead is always involved in all actions and decisions.

Secondly, see in this comfort we can have in God. We confess God as all good, all loving, and all benevolent. Therefore, in these actions we can have comfort that His blessing, choosing, and predestining are all done in love, goodness, and benevolence.

Why

But why? Why would a good God, who is aware of all of our sin, our failing, our depraved state, why would He bless us, chose us, adopt us? We are undoubtedly unworthy. So was it for our good? So that we might escape the punishment that we so rightly deserve from this just God?

If so then it makes the last sentence a lie. God does all he does not because of any outside influence. Especially our pitiful offerings of good works, or striving for righteousness. Paul tells us in Romans: “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”

Why then? “to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” He does all He does so that we will see the glory of His grace and praise Him for it. For it is that grace which is the means of us being blessed in the Beloved. Which we will look at next.

Conclusion

Last week we examined the grand Trinitarian nature of the work of salvation in our lives. This week we have seen what functions in that overall work have been attributed to the person of the Father. We have seen how his blessing, choosing, and predestining to adoption were all functions of His love for first and foremost His Son, and in turn to those who are in His Son, by the blessing of his grace alone.

How then shall we live? In the 1970’s there was a series of TV programs and an accompanying book created by a man that could be hailed as one of the greatest theologians of last century called How then Shall we Live? He worked hard to reveal the fullness of the Gospel and how it has effected all of history, then He asked us to find our how to live out our faith in light of these truths.

So I ask the same today? How do we take these profound truths provided to us in Scripture and internalize them in such a way that it ultimately effects how we view the world, and how we live with that worldview.

I suggest this to you today. Seeing that God has laid down this plan for your life from before the foundation of the world, and He has done so through such great sacrifice on His part. Should we not then find a new level of hope? a new level of gratitude for the God who works all things for our good? And should we not then stop seeing the world as nothing but a random string of events with no purpose?

If you are here today and you know the Lord Jesus as your savior and King, then you can take the words of God read herein and radically transform your entire understanding of your life. God has saved you for a purpose and a reason, He holds your life in His hands and each and every challenge you face is meant for a purpose. Seek out in each part of life how it is ultimately a blessing form God, a blessing that is designed to set you apart and make you blameless before Him, and it is a blessing of grace to which your right response is to praise His glory.

Doxology

Stand with me please now as we sing our Doxology, which can be found on pg 592 of your Hymnal

Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below, Praise Him above ye Heavenly Host, Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Commission

English Standard Version Chapter 3

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen