Bulletins - Sunnyside Church of the Nazarene

Your Grace Is Enough
Who You Say I Am
Good Good Father
Who Am I
30 May 21
Eph. 1 - Privileges in Christ
Turn to Eph. 1
In light of current events and the asinine insane depraved immoral culture in which we live, one might wonder why we are not talking more about those issues - equipping the saints to engage and respond to a Romans 1 world.
The answer is simple - it all comes down to identity. As hatred toward God increases, as hatred toward Jewish people and Christianity intensifies, what will keep the saints loyal? What will help you endure the persecution that is probably coming? What will help you remain faithful to Christ when the great deception is revealed? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, better read Matthew 24.
What helps a person not quit when times are tough? Ever heard the phrase “dig deep?” what are you digging for? You're digging deep for identity - to remember who you are. See, its identity that gives a person endurance and perseverance.
When I was in the Army, I had the identity and the mindset and the heart of a soldier. Soldiers don’t quit - don’t surrender - they accomplish the mission or die trying. I could face dangerous situation. I could endure hardships when I had the identity of a soldier.
So, why are we not talking about the chaos in our world? Because if we’re going to endure the crazy and the chaos and the hatred - we need to know who we are and have confidence in our identity in Christ. If you don’t know who you are in Christ – constantly grasping for something you can never reach. Tossed back and forth - and follow ….

Identity is a major theme in Ephesians - who we are in Christ. So as we go through these first three chapters, play close attention to who we are in Him.

Ephesians 1:3–6 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, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

In love, it says that we have been predestined.
Predestined = to decide beforehand.
Before something happens, a decision or a choice has been made. Friday night went out to eat with Mark and his wife. On Thursday, I chose where to eat. I predestined us to eat at Fajitas.
Regarding God - predestination is something God wants to happen in the future. In my theology, something that is predestined may or may not happen.
Before the foundation of the world, God predestined - He made the choice that He wanted all people to be adopted. Before we get into why - let’s think about the motive. What was the motive behind God’s decision to adopt? The motive - In love. Listen to those words. In love.
God is in love with humanity. Which means, God is in love with you.
If God is in love with you, me, all - what’s with all the evil?
Authentic, genuine, real love is risky.
See, authentic, genuine, real love makes room for good and bad to happen.
When Susan and I began talking about having children, part of the conversation included a “risk assessment.” Did we really want to bring a child into this chaotic world knowing all the things that could go wrong? Disease - deformities - accidents - ungodly influences - bad choices - trials and heartache - rebellion - finances - responsibility ….
When you put all the bad things that could go wrong on a scale, everything logically says do not bring a child into this world. The only way to prevent anything bad from happening to a child is to not have one. It’s risky having a child because so many things can go wrong. But then you add love to the mix - love says it's worth the risk. Love says - let's have children.
We knew there would be good times and bad times, joy, and pain - but it was worth the risk. We’ve experienced it all, but through it all we never stopped loving our children.
The only way God could have prevented evil and suffering in the world is to not have created humanity.
God knew all the risks to having children. Creating people would inevitably lead to rebellion, murder, suffering, disease, and all kinds of evils. Everything logically said, “God, don’t create humanity! Don’t do it!” But God, who is love, who is in love took the risk.
In love was God’s motive.
In love, God predestined us for adoption. But why adoption? God created Adam and Eve, so weren't they already in the family? Yes, but what did they do? They rebelled and so has every single human who has ever lived. What does that mean?
To understand the need for adoption, we need to understand God’s heart. He created humanity not so we can observe religions practices - but to be a family - His family. Think about the language the Bible uses to describe this relationship. Sons, daughters, our Father, children, heirs, inheritance, abiding together, orphans, bride, groom, wedding, offspring ….
Again, why adoption? We were predestined for adoption - God knew there would come a day when we would reject His family, and in His mercy, need to be reinstated - adopted - back into His family.
This how it works - when Adam and Even made that initial rejection or rebellion toward God - and we’ve all followed suit, they we’re saying, “We know better. We don’t need to follow your rules. We’ll follow our own” At that moment of sin, they aligned themselves with a different god other than the Yahweh. C.S. Lewis called it the Great Divorce. They chose spiritual emancipation from their Heavenly Father, and consequently, were “adopted” into a new family - the devil’s. If you don’t want to be under God’s parental care, there’s only one other “parental figure” to choose from.
Become orphans, spiritually dead (Eph. 2).

Listen to the words of Moses -
Deuteronomy 32:4–6 NIV
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. They are corrupt and not his children; to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation. Is this the way you repay the Lord, you foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?

Rejecting God emancipates from His family. God knew that would happen. That is why this God, who is in love with us predestined us for adoption - He made a way for humanity to come back into His family - through Jesus Christ.
The prophet Hosea has something to say about this. When Israel was rebelling and rebelling against God, God called Hosea to warn them. It was so bad, Israel had rebelled so much, God eventually said, “You are not my people, and I am not your God.” But God, in love, made a promise.
Hosea 1:10 ESV
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.”

Adopted. Reinstated - in Christ.
One more thing about adoption before we close. Something interesting to consider. I was an oops - unexpected. “Didn’t know he was coming.” Listen very carefully -
There is no “oops” with adoption.
No accident. Adoption is by choice - it’s willful, it’s intentional.
The adoptee is chosen - wanted - by the Adopter.
Lastly, adoption is not free. It costs.
Ephesians 1:7 ESV
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Discussion questions?
How will this help you?
In the days to come, remember your identity -

If you have never accepted Christ …
- - Ephesians 1:3–6NIV2011
- - Deuteronomy 32:4–6NLT
- - Hosea 1:10NIV2011
- - Ephesians 1:7NIV2011
No Longer Slaves

Ephesians 1:3–6NIV2011

Deuteronomy 32:4–6NLT

Hosea 1:10NIV2011

Ephesians 1:7NIV2011