A Place Of Grace
1-11-26
  • I expect and hope that this week you read Ephesians through at least once.
    Reading through once a week as we study through this letter in Scripture will solidify the theme of BELIEF CREATES BEHAVIOR…
    In your reading of this letter you are fully aware that this morning we are looking at some very powerful and deep theology and doctrine
    I want to read through our verses for this morning first, … I will summarize some things, … then we will look at these verses in closer detail.…
    Join with me as I read Ephesians 1:3-14 in the New Living Translation…
    Ephesians 1:3–14 NLT
    All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 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. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. 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. 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. God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. 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.

    Summation of Chapter One

    Paul is deliberate here to make sure GOD GETS THE GLORY! Especially in chapter one… Remember where Paul is??? In a prison!
    VS 1-2 Christ is mentioned 3 times! It’s ALL about Christ
    Paul knows what he was saved from! Vs 3:8 “the very least of the saints”
    VS 3-14           Paul praises God
    VS 15-23         Paul prays for his readers
    Wait a minute… praise God, pray for others in the midst of trials and hardship???You might think “Only a Saint could do that!” (vs 2…!!!)
    "As the least of the saints”… Paul is reflecting on ALL God has done…
    Christ has control of Paul’s mind and heart!
    This portion of scripture, this whole letter in fact is permeated with GRACE!
    As Paul writes this he can’t even pause for a period. THIS IS ONE SENTENCE IN GREEK! Our English translators broke it into multiple sentences for us.
    As we read and we see “In Christ” understand that this is a key phrase.
    This is our position!!!
    You and I are as close to God as His Son Jesus Christ positionally!
    Consider the powerful work of the TRINITY Paul is describing before us this morning…
    Vs 3-6              The Father Initiates
    Vs 7-12            Christ Implements                   The Trinity Working in Grace
    Vs 13-14          The Spirit Seals & Empowers
    Paul here takes us through a list of doctrinal truths
    Not really entertaining but necessary!
    Grocery shopping is not entertaining but necessary for a great meal
    We will come away with some great understanding of God’s Blessing as we study this section.
    Verses 3-14 is explicitly what GOD DOES… NOT what Mankind does for God… this is His work and He deserves praise!

    A Eulogy…

    It is said that Alfred B. Nobel through a series of events was able to read his eulogy written about him. He realized that the summation of his life was was known for (Dynamite/Death) … upon this realization he changed the course of his life in many ways and and created a foundation that honored those committed to peace and helping humanity. The award today is known as the Nobel Peace Prize.
    A eulogy is to speak a good word of someone, to speak well of someone (Typically upon thier death)
    A blessing or a Praises of an individual
    Verse 3 uses the Greek word εὐλογία  “eulogia” is interpreted “Blessed or blessing”
    Verses 3-14 are not the Eulogy of one who is dead but One who died and is living!
    Let’s look now closer at this One who deserves our praise who has BLESSED US!!! (please reference your handout)

    A Closer Look

    [Main Emphasis] All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms
    because [WHY] we are united with Christ [this is our position]
    Even before he made the world, [the WHEN… God’s foreknowledge]
    God loved us and
    chose us … in Christ [ELECTION]
    Election & Predestination
    Election refers to making a choice and pertains to persons
    Predestination refers to purposes for those elected persons
    We grapple with God’s choosing and Mankind’s free will… YET BOTH ARE IN SCRIPTURE!!!
    John 15:16–17 NLT
    You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.
    Romans 8:29–30 NLT
    For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
    Then we see the verses that express free will…
    John 1:12 NLT
    But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
    John 3:16 NLT
    “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
    John 5:24 NLT
    “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
    Romans 10:13 NLT
    For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
    The following verses in Romans here calls for believers to share the gospel that people may hear, believe, and be saved! GREAT COMMISSION!
    And I absolutely love God’s heart in 2 Peter 3:9
    2 Peter 3:9 NLT
    The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
    sometimes we get so caught up in the discussions of election and predestination that we fail to see what is right before our eyes… He chose us to BE...
    to be holy and
    without fault in his eyes [His desire for us from creation!]
    God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family [Predestination
    Adoption:
    This refers to the Father’s act of giving one the status of adult sonship within the family.
    Adoption is our ELECTED PURPOSE!
    Adult standing gave the one adopted full privileges and blessings.
    This was a blessing offered to be chosen
    One would leave all identity behind and LIVE as according to his new family
    by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ [how God did this for us!]
    This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure [WOW!!!]
    So we praise God for
    the glorious grace he has poured out on us
    who belong to his dear Son  [what a blessing!]
    He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom [ there was a cost!… this is redemption!]
    with the blood of his Son
    and forgave our sins [GRACE!]
    He has showered his kindness on us, [LAVISHED]
    along with all wisdom and understanding [BONUS!!!!!]
    God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: [you and I are now brought close (family) and told His plan and purpose!]
    At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth [Christ Reign!]
    Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, [oneness]
    we have received an inheritance from God, [wealth, blessings, because of being heirs/family/adopted]
    for he chose us in advance, [God’s will and foreknowledge]
    and he makes everything work out according to his plan
    God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God [Purpose]
    And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, [The Holy Spirit working in and through God’s people for His purpose!]
    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 [we are sealed… an adoption of Paul’s day could not be revoked. The Holy Spirit serves as OUR SEAL… not what we do or don’t do to be guaranteed]
    give us the inheritance he promised
    and that he has purchased us to be his own people
    He did this [verses 3-14] so we would praise and glorify him. [the RESULT… is blessing/praise/ eulogy… ]

    Every Spiritual Blessing!

    A cartoon showed a pompous lawyer reading a client’s last will and testament to a group of greedy relatives. The caption read:
    “I, John Jones, being of sound mind and body, spent it all!”
    When Jesus Christ wrote His last will and testament for His church, He made it possible for us to share His spiritual riches. Instead of spending it all, Jesus Christ paid it all.
    He wrote us into His will, then He died so the will would be in force. Then He arose again that He might become the heavenly Advocate (lawyer) to make sure the terms of the will were correctly followed!
    In this long sentence, Paul names just a few of the blessings that make up our vast spiritual wealth and blessings.
    · Reading this will and testament, Paul’s Eulogy or blessings of God let us allow it to change how we live
    · We are chosen children of God, Heirs with Christ, Grace abounding Saints
    What will your obituary say one day? I want mine to say he lived as a child of God, walked in the grace given through Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit!
    [1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 10). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

      • Ephesians 1:1–14NIV2011

      • John 15:16–17NIV2011

      • Romans 8:29–30NIV2011

      • John 1:12NIV2011

      • John 3:16NIV2011

      • John 5:24NIV2011

      • Romans 10:13NIV2011

      • 2 Peter 3:9NIV2011

    A Place Of Grace
    office@aplaceofgracegbc.com
    9702859862
    http://www.aplaceofgracegbc.com
    77 members • 25 followers