LOCKED IN BY LOVE THREE WAYS - EPHESIANS 1:3-14

INTRODUCTION

TODAY’S MESSAGE:

LOCKED IN BY LOVE THREE WAYS

I. HE LOVED BEFORE BY POINTING TO THE CROSS (1:3-6)

A. We Are ALREADY Blessed FULLY

Ephesians 1:3 ESV

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,

B. We Were Loved Before Light Was Formed

EXPLAIN THE POINT

THEN STATE THE VERSE

Ephesians 1:4 ESV

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

NOTICE THAT WE WERE CHOSEN IN HIM

THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE JESUS WAS THERE BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN WHICH MEANS THAT THE CROSS WAS ALWAYS THE PLAN OF THE LORD.

GOD’S LOVE FOR ME IN THE BEGINNING WAS HIM POINTING TO THE EVENT OF THE CROSS THAT WOULD DEMONSTRATE AND SEAL HIS LOVE FOR ME

HOW WOULD YOU FEEL WHEN SHOWING UP TO WORK YOU FOUND OUT THAT PEOPLE HAD DONE A LOT OF PLANNING FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN - GOD HAD A PLAN FOR YOU

THE ADDED BEAUTY OF UNDERSTANDING THIS IS THIS:

IF GOD LOVED YOU BEFORE YOU WERE BORN THERE IS NOTHING THAT YOU COULD DO AFTER YOU WERE BORN TO CHANGE THE LOVE HE HAD FOR YOU BEFORE YOU WERE BORN

II. HE LOVED WITH THE CROSS (1:7-12)

A. He Brought Us Back with Blessed Blood (v 7)

Ephesians 1:7 (ESV)

In him we have redemption through his blood...,

B. He Forgave Our Intentional Sins (v 7)

Ephesians 1:7 (ESV)

In him we have ... the forgiveness of our trespasses,

C. He Lavished Us with His Thinking

Ephesians 1:8 ESV

which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

III. HE LOVED THROUGH THE CROSS (1:13-14)

Ephesians 1:13 ESV

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

A. He Allowed You to Hear the Gospel

THERE IS THE STORY OF A WOMAN NAMED LYDIA IN ACTS 16 THAT IS INSTRUCTIVE HERE:

Acts 16:14 (ESV)

One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

THE CONVERSION OF LYDIA - PICTURE OF OUR OWN

THIS IS HOW WE ALL COME TO KNOW THE LORD: HE OPENS OUR HEART TO HEAR

ALL THAT TIME YOU WENT TO CHURCH - BUT NOTHING

ALL THAT TIME YOU HEARD PEOPLE SPEAK ABOUT JESUS -BUT NOTHING

THEN - ONE DAY - YOUR EARS HEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME WHAT YOU HAD LISTENED TO MANY TIMES BEFORE

THAT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD OPENING YOUR HEART TO RESPOND TO THE SAVING TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST

THIS IS WHY WE MUST BE CAREFUL HOW TO TREAT PEOPLE WHO REJECT THE GOSPEL.

WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT

OUR WORDS THAT CONVINCE

OUR PASSION THAT CONVINCES

OUR LOGIC THAT CONVINCES

IT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD THAT OPENS UP THE MIND TO HEAR WHAT THE LORD IS SAYING TO THE SOUL

THAT IS WHY PAUL WOULD SAY

1 Corinthians 3:5–6 ESV

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

1 Corinthians 3:7–8 (ESV)

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth....

B He Secures By Sealing

Ephesians 1:13 (ESV)

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

IV. WE LOVE BECAUSE OF THE CROSS

Ephesians 1:6 ESV

to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:12 ESV

so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:14 ESV

who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.