Ephesians
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Ephesians 1:3–14 (NIV)
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Blessings in Christ
Blessings in Christ
Today I want to start looking at the book of Ephesians.
Paul wrote 13 letters or books of the New Testament. (Romans - Philemon) Many people think Paul probably wrote the book of Hebrews, but the author is not identified in that book and it is open for interpretation.
Donald Nash, one of my professors at Kentucky Christian College, taught a class on the book of Hebrews. He always believed Paul wrote that book.
The book of Ephesians was one of four letters that we call Prison Epistles, because Paul wrote them while he was imprisoned in Rome. The first verse of chapter 1 establish his authorship of this book.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Notice how Paul introduces himself. “An apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.”
Review Paul’s story:
Remember how we first met Paul? He was known as Saul, a Jewish Pharisee, who would have taken great pride in knowing God, and especially knowing the law. Pharisees would spend their days discussing and debating scripture. They would discuss situations to determine how they would respond. Saul seems to have been a fervent young man of faith. In fact, we might say he was a “fanatic.”
In Acts 7 when Steven was stoned, becoming the first Martyr for Jesus Christ, verse 58 says the “witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man names Saul.”
Chapter 8:1 says “Saul approved of their killing him.”
By chapter 9 of the book of Acts, young man Saul became the leading persecutor of Christians. In fact verses 1 & 2 tell us he this:
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
As we were studying through the Bible, using The Story as our guide, we stated again and again how God often uses unexpected people to accomplish his goals and purposes.
I think we would all agree Saul would fit that category.
How could you possibly expect that this man would become a follower of Jesus, and one of the most influential Christians of the first century? Yet that’s exactly what God did.
Look at verse 1 again:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Paul was chosen by God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. In fact he was chosen and called by Jesus himself.
While travelling to Damascus, Saul was blinded by a bright light and Jesus spoke to him.
Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?
To which Saul answered - “Who are you Lord?”
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”
Saul is blinded, led into Damascus where Jesus sends a reluctant servant Ananias to go see Saul. Ananias has heard of Saul’s reputation and doesn’t want to go, but God tells him he has very specific plans for Saul.
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
That was the cliff notes version of how Saul the persecutor, became Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ, as he said, Chosen by the will of God.
Paul begins this letter saying he is writing this to the “Holy People of Ephesus, the faithful of Christ Jesus.
While it may have first been written to the church in Ephesus and distributed to them, it was surely distributed to many of the early churches who would have found it’s information helpful and encouraging.
We could just as easily take out the word Ephesus and substitute Jacksonburg, or Cambridge City, Centerville or Hagerstown, because Paul’s words are just as important to us today.
Let’s get back into Ephesians and see Paul has to say.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
What does it mean to be blessed?
Blessing are “Favor, support or protection”
Blessing may be best understood when we think about your parents treated you, or think about how you treat your children.
Do we favor our children? Of course. We support them and encourage them.
When they draw a picture - it’s the greatest picture ever drawn.
When they make us cookies or cake for the first time, we make sure they know it is the best cookie we’ve ever had.
We support them in school, in sports and in any hobby or club they might be in.
Do we protect them? Of course, and most of us would do anything or give up anything to help our children.
That’s blessing.
Paul says God has blessed us, with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Thankfully, in the next few verses Paul explains what those spiritual blessings are.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
God chose us before the creation of the world. He predestined us for adoption.
What does this mean?
This makes it seem like we have no choice in the matter.
In fact some groups teach that very idea, that we have no choice in who will be saved.
But if we think about it, that can’t be true either. We do have a choice.
Verses like 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
1 Timothy 2:4 “who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Those are just a few versed which make it clear, the choice to follow God is up to us.
So if we have a choice, what do these verses in Ephesians mean?
Earlier I mentioned Donald Nash, a professor at Kentucky Christian College who always explained this passage this way. He said:
God predestined the plan, not the man!
Paul, in writing this letter, is wanting us to know that God had a plan to bring us back to him since before the creation of the world.
In matthew 25 Jesus tells the story of the sheep and the goats, in essence telling us who will be saved and rewarded in heaven and who will not.
Remember he says when I was sick and you visited me, When I was hungry and you fed me. .... whenever you do these things to the least brothers and sisters of mine you did them unto me.
Matthew 25:34 ““Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”
So how do we understand this?
God had a plan or a path of salvation determined from the beginning of time.
God knew that we would need some help. We cannot make it on our own, so He sent His son to earth to die and gain our forgiveness.
That ties the blessings and promises we have been speaking about together doesn’t it.
To the serpent in the garden - one who is coming who will crush your head.
To Abraham - all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
To David - the messiah would be his heir.
All of those promises point to Jesus and ultimately to us.
God determined a plan to bring us back to him. He had this plan before He created the world. Paul tells us this is a great blessing.
We are blessed because:
We are blessed because:
God Chose us before the creation of the world
How did He do this? Verse 7 & 8 provides the answer:
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,
Wow! This is a big deal.
The blessings Paul is talking about, come about because God send Jesus to redeem us.
In Him (Jesus) we have redemption.
We who decide to believe and obey have been chosen by God to be adopted into God’s family. (verse 5)
Notice verse 8: the riches of God’s grace have been lavished on us!
Paul wants us to see how wonderful, how great the blessings of God are.
I’m not sure we’ve always done a good job of sharing and explaining the blessings that come through a life for God.
Many of us have decided to follow out of a fear of going to hell, and we don’t want that to happen.
We have listened and believed enough to know we need to believe, repent, confess and be baptized, but after that we’re not sure what comes next or what happens.
Often times we live our christian life, unable to explain why we made those choices or what happens.
Paul wants us to see how wonderful, how rich, how great, life with Christ is.
You were chosen by God before creation.
We are blessed because
We are blessed because
2. He adopted us as sons and daughters
You are adopted into His family.
I don’t know all your family situations. I don’t know if you had loving parents or not. I don’t know if your childhood was good, or you’d rather not talk about it.
Maybe your family is gone. Maybe you’ve lost loved ones. Maybe you have noting to do with your family?
Whatever has happened, God has adopted you into his family.
God the Father loves us as a Father should.
verse 8 says You have been lavished with God’s love and forgiveness.
You should no longer feel alone, afraid or abandoned.
God the Father is everything a Father should be. We are now part of His family. Brothers and sisters together to work, honor and glorify God!
We are blessed!
These were things that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and even David longed for. They knew God had something great in mind, but they couldn’t see it.
It has been revealed to us, made know to us, made available to us!
We’re running out of time today, but let’s look back Ephesians to see one more great blessing we have because we are united with him:
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
We are blessed because
We are blessed because
3. We have a guaranteed inheritance
We’re often told that there are no guarantees in life, except death and taxes.
That is wrong.
As children of a faithful God, who has long proven that what he says is true.
As part of the family of God, who keeps his promises, and makes them happen, we are guaranteed an inheritance.
How do we know? Paul says we are marked with a seal - the promised Holy Spirit.
Wait, marked? Does this mean we all have to get a tattoo?
I don’t see any outward signs or markings.
Paul says we are marked with the Holy Spirit. Huh?
When did this happen? Are any bells going off in your head? does any of this sound familiar? where have we heard this before?
Peter’s sermon in Acts chapter 2 ends up very clearly stating this doesn’t it?
Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
That’s right - when we are baptized, when we commit our lives to him.
Do you begin to see God’s big picture? Do you see how God’s story is connected from beginning to end.
The bible is not some random, hodge podge collection of books, but a story, a plan unfolding throughout history.
Luckily for us we live in a time when the story has been told. We’re seeing it come to fruition.
We are blessed by God’s story. We benefit from God’s story, and it’s sealed, it’s made know as sure by the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.
Don’t be afraid of that. The Holy Spirit is often described as our comforter and our guide.
Promised to be with us, until Christ’s return.
The Holy spirit guides us, he helps us make decisions, to lead us, to comfort us.
I think he’s that voice in our head that reminds us of scriptures or songs right when we need an encouraging word.
He’s the gentle push on our shoulders when we know we should go talk or help someone and it seems just a little out of our comfort zone.
And he’s there to wrap his arms around us and hug us when we’re alone and think all is lost.
God promised to never leave us alone. He gave us the Holy Spirit to fulfill that promise and remind us of what’s to come.
We are blessed by Him. How?
We were chosen before creation.
We were adopted as sons and daughters.
We are guaranteed and inheritance.
God’s family is the best thing you’ll ever be a part of.
It starts with a loving Father who wants to bless and protect us.
He did that by sending His son to die for us.
Forgiveness made possible because Jesus died for us.
We become a part of that when we commit our lives to him in obedience, marked by the holy spirit when we are baptized.
If you’ve already made that decision I pray you take great comfort in the blessing provided by God in His great big family.
If you’re not a part of that family, if you haven’t yet enjoyed his blessings and comfort we give you the chance to do that today as we sing our invitation hymn.
