Ephesians 1 - The Blessings of Belonging
Belonging to God’s Family (Part 2)
The Blessings of Belonging
Ephesians 1
Jeff Garrett
In Ephesians 1 Paul teaches us to overcome pride with humility, rejection with love, guilt with grace and insecurity with the hope. Then we can know the blessings of belonging to God’s family.
Paul’s humility
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
You can see Paul’s humility in v.1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Paul never ceased to be amazed by the fact that it was “by the will of God” that he was an apostle. Paul described himself in 1 Timothy 1:13 … I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man…. When Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus he was not going to church. He was going to persecute the church.
A.D. 55 Paul wrote - 1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
A.D. 60 Paul wrote - Ephesians 3:8 Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
A.D. 64 Paul wrote - 1 Timothy 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.
God opposes the proud but gives grace and peace to the humble. Look at verse 2.
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace always comes before peace. God gives us peace through grace. Notice three blessings in v.3-14.
The Father Chose Us (1:3-6): we are loved and accepted.
1:3 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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
God the Father is the source of every spiritual blessing.
v.3 He blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
v.4 He chose us and loves us
v.5 He predestined us
v.5 He adopted us
v.8 He lavished us with grace
v.9 He made known the mystery of his will.
v.9 He put it in effect when times reached their fulfillment
v.10 He brought all things under one head, even Christ
v.11 He planned it and work out everything in conformity to his will.
It is his love, his grace, his will, his plan, his purpose, and his good pleasure. You are not rejected or unwanted. God chose you before you were born.
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you
apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
Psalm 139:16 says “… All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Galatians 1:15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles
You say, “OK. I am humbled and amazed that God chose me but I still feel guilty because I am so sinful. How does God deal with my sin?” God forgave all your sins by the blood of Jesus who is “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev 13:8)
The Son Redeemed You (1:7-12): we are forgiven.
1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
“Redemption” means to “purchase back something that was lost, to pay a ransom. In the OT God told Hosea to marry an adulterous woman named Gomer. They had two children. They named the girl “not loved” and the boy “not my people” (Hosea 1:6,9). Hosea loved Gomer but she was unfaithful to him. She returned to prostitution and even paid men to be with her. When she hit bottom she sold herself as a slave. Then God told Hosea in Hosea 3:1 The LORD said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods. Hosea bought her back by paying 15 shekels and some barley. And then in Hosea 3:3 Then I told her, "You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you."
That’s what Jesus did for us. We have redemption through is blood the forgiveness of sins.
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or how guilty you feel, God will redeem you and forgive and wash away all your sins by the blood of Jesus. You say, “But how can I be sure?”
The Spirited Sealed Us (1:13-14): we are guaranteed and that takes care of insecurity.
1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.
Paul’s Prayer for enlightenment
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints ...
If God breaks through our dull minds and enlightens us to the fact that he has given us every conceivable blessing – the barriers to belonging would disappear and we would understand 19 … his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Jesus said, in this world you will have trouble. But take heart because I have overcome the world!”
Video
The Father chose us. The Son redeemed us. And the Spirit sealed us. I love to read the story of the baptism of Jesus. Matthew 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
I love that passage because when Jesus was baptized you all three members of the Godhead participated. When Jenn and Amanda were baptized last week they were baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit. The love between the Father, Son and Spirit is so perfect that they are one. Jesus said I love you like my Father loves me and here’s a new command that you love one another as I have loved you. Talk about gaining a sense of belonging! Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus and now Jesus is in us and we are in him.
Stop beating yourself up - there is a difference between humility and humiliation. Some people say “I know God has forgiven me, but I cannot forgive myself.” Well, I have a liberating word from God for you this morning. God said in Hebrews 8:12 says “I will forgive your wickedness and remember your sins no more.” If God Almighty does refuses to remember it why do you keep dwelling on it?
Repeat after me:
Our Father in heaven.
I trust your grace and forgiveness.
Deliver me from self-condemnation.
Set me free so I can feel like I belong.
In Jesus name, Amen!
Prayer Time
The Blessings of Belonging
Ephesians 1
Jeff Garrett
In Ephesians 1 Paul teaches us to overcome pride with humility, rejection with love, guilt with grace and insecurity with the hope. Then we can know the blessings of belonging to God’s family.
Paul’s humility
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
You can see Paul’s humility in v.1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Paul never ceased to be amazed by the fact that it was “by the will of God” that he was an apostle. Paul described himself in 1 Timothy 1:13 … I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man…. When Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus he was not going to church. He was going to persecute the church.
A.D. 55 Paul wrote - 1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
A.D. 60 Paul wrote - Ephesians 3:8 Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
A.D. 64 Paul wrote - 1 Timothy 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.
God opposes the proud but gives grace and peace to the humble. Look at verse 2.
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace always comes before peace. God gives us peace through grace. Notice three blessings in v.3-14.
The Father Chose Us (1:3-6): we are loved and accepted.
1:3 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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
God the Father is the source of every spiritual blessing.
v.3 He blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
v.4 He chose us and loves us
v.5 He predestined us
v.5 He adopted us
v.8 He lavished us with grace
v.9 He made known the mystery of his will.
v.9 He put it in effect when times reached their fulfillment
v.10 He brought all things under one head, even Christ
v.11 He planned it and work out everything in conformity to his will.
It is his love, his grace, his will, his plan, his purpose, and his good pleasure. You are not rejected or unwanted. God chose you before you were born.
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you
apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
Psalm 139:16 says “… All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Galatians 1:15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles
You say, “OK. I am humbled and amazed that God chose me but I still feel guilty because I am so sinful. How does God deal with my sin?” God forgave all your sins by the blood of Jesus who is “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev 13:8)
The Son Redeemed You (1:7-12): we are forgiven.
1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
“Redemption” means to “purchase back something that was lost, to pay a ransom. In the OT God told Hosea to marry an adulterous woman named Gomer. They had two children. They named the girl “not loved” and the boy “not my people” (Hosea 1:6,9). Hosea loved Gomer but she was unfaithful to him. She returned to prostitution and even paid men to be with her. When she hit bottom she sold herself as a slave. Then God told Hosea in Hosea 3:1 The LORD said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods. Hosea bought her back by paying 15 shekels and some barley. And then in Hosea 3:3 Then I told her, "You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you."
That’s what Jesus did for us. We have redemption through is blood the forgiveness of sins.
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or how guilty you feel, God will redeem you and forgive and wash away all your sins by the blood of Jesus. You say, “But how can I be sure?”
The Spirited Sealed Us (1:13-14): we are guaranteed and that takes care of insecurity.
1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.
Paul’s Prayer for enlightenment
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints ...
If God breaks through our dull minds and enlightens us to the fact that he has given us every conceivable blessing – the barriers to belonging would disappear and we would understand 19 … his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Jesus said, in this world you will have trouble. But take heart because I have overcome the world!”
Video
The Father chose us. The Son redeemed us. And the Spirit sealed us. I love to read the story of the baptism of Jesus. Matthew 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
I love that passage because when Jesus was baptized you all three members of the Godhead participated. When Jenn and Amanda were baptized last week they were baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit. The love between the Father, Son and Spirit is so perfect that they are one. Jesus said I love you like my Father loves me and here’s a new command that you love one another as I have loved you. Talk about gaining a sense of belonging! Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus and now Jesus is in us and we are in him.
Stop beating yourself up - there is a difference between humility and humiliation. Some people say “I know God has forgiven me, but I cannot forgive myself.” Well, I have a liberating word from God for you this morning. God said in Hebrews 8:12 says “I will forgive your wickedness and remember your sins no more.” If God Almighty does refuses to remember it why do you keep dwelling on it?
Repeat after me:
Our Father in heaven.
I trust your grace and forgiveness.
Deliver me from self-condemnation.
Set me free so I can feel like I belong.
In Jesus name, Amen!
Prayer Time
posted by Jeff Garrett at 1:27 AM
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