Ephesians 1:15-16

 

Ephesians 1:15-16

I Heard of Your Faith

 

Eph 1:15  Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 

Eph 1:16  Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 

          ·         Three Essentials of Christianity

          1.      Faith in the Lord Jesus – vs. 15a*

a.       The first thing we see here is that we do not deserve any credit for our salvation. Paul doesn’t thank them for their faith but rather the God who gave it to them.

                                                              i.      Faith is a gift

1.      Ephesians 2:8 

                                                            ii.      God is to be thanked for the freedom you have been given

1.      Romans 6:17 

                                                          iii.      Paul begins and ends his letter with what it is all about – faith and love

1.      Ephesians 6:23 

            2.      Love for the Brethren – vs. 15b*

a.       It is the grace of God that produces true faith and love in our lives

                                                              i.      1 Timothy 1:13-14 

b.      Faith and love are inseparable twins. It is impossible to truly love others without a faith in God

                                                              i.      1 Thessalonians 1:3 

                                                            ii.      1 Thessalonians 3:6 

                                                          iii.      1 Thessalonians 5:8 

                                                          iv.      1 John 3:23 

c.       True faith produces a love for others

                                                              i.      Galatians 5:6   

d.      Love for your fellow believers is evidence of true saving faith

                                                              i.      1 John 3:14 

e.       Faith without love in action is empty and useless

                                                              i.      James 2:26 

           3.      Prayer for our Fellow Believers – vs. 16*

a.       A true love for our brothers and sisters in Christ is demonstrated by a committed prayer life

                                          i.    Romans 1:9

God with Us - Charles Spurgeon Christmas Audio Sermons

1 Timothy 3:16

 

1 Timothy 3:16

Great is the Mystery

 

1Ti 3:16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 

        1.      It is an Indisputable Fact That Christ Came to Earth and was Born in a Manger

a.       There is much more historical evidence that Jesus was born in Bethlehem than Julius Caesar ever existed.

b.      Yet the most important evidence is God revealing it to us in His Word

                                                              i.      Matthew 1:21-25   

        2.      It is Still a Glorious Mystery

a.       Even though the birth of Christ can be proven historically and biblically it is still a beautiful mystery that God became man and dwelt among us

                                                              i.      1 Timothy 3:9 

                                                            ii.      Ephesians 1:9 

                                                          iii.      Romans 16:25-26 

        3.      God was born as a Lowly Baby in a Manger in Bethlehem

a.       Psalm 8:3-5 

b.      John 1:14 

        4.      God was Vindicated by the Holy Spirit

a.       Jesus’s divinity was authenticated by the Father and the Holy Spirit at His Baptism

                                                              i.      Matthew 3:16-17 

         5.      God was Gazed Upon by the Angels

a.       Angles announced the birth of Christ with a glorious beauty

                                                              i.      Luke 2:8-19 

         6.      God was Preached to All the Peoples of the Earth

a.       This is the mission statement of the Church – to reach the world for Christ

                                                              i.      Matthew 28:19-20 

         7.      God Ascended to be With His Father

a.       Jesus continues to be at the right hand of God the Father praying for us. We are now to do His work on earth.

                                                              i.      Acts 1:6-11

Ephesians 1:14

 

Ephesians 1:14

The Eleventh Blessing: The Holy Spirit is the Pledge of what is to Come

 

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 

           1.      The Giving of the Holy Spirit is God’s Pledge to us of our Coming Inheritance

a.       If the Holy Spirt could raise Christ from the dead, he certainly can and will raise us from the dead as well

                                                              i.      Romans 8:11 

b.      The Holy Spirit is a foretaste of the glory that is to come

                                                              i.      Romans 8:23 

c.       Death is not the end of a believer’s life but the beginning

                                                              i.      2 Corinthians 5:1-8 

d.      The Holy Spirit sustains us through the storms of life

                                                              i.      2 Corinthians 1:21-22 

e.       The Holy Spirit helps us to be content no matter our lot in life

                                                              i.      Philippians 4:10-13 

          2.      The Coming Inheritance, Which is Promised to Us, Will be Given to Us When Christ Returns

a.       This is inheritance that is kept by the work of the Holy Spirit and cannot be lost

                                                              i.      Ephesians 4:30 

          3.      Christ is Coming Back to Get What He Paid His Precious Blood For – His Church

a.       Human leaders of the church bear a great responsibly in their service to the precious bride of Christ

                                                              i.      Acts 20:28 

          4.      This is All to the Praise of His Glory

a.       It is the glory of God that the unbeliever will miss out on

                                          i.    2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 

Ephesians 1:13b

 

Ephesians 1:13b

The Tenth Blessing: You Have Been Sealed by the Holy Spirit

 

Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 

         1.      First You Believed

a.       The Holy Spirit begins to work in the life of the believer after faith has been planted in their heart

                                                              i.      Romans 5:1-5 

         2.      Then You Were Sealed

a.       The Holy Spirit plays an essential, but often overlooked, role in the life of the believer

                                                              i.      He is given to us by faith alone - Galatians 3:2 

                                                            ii.      He enables us to live without condemnation - Romans 8:1 

                                                          iii.      He sets us free from the law of sin and death - Romans 8:2 

                                                          iv.      He fulfills the law in us - Romans 8:4 

                                                            v.      He raises us from the dead - Romans 8:9-11 

                                                          vi.      He confirms our adoption into the family of God - Romans 8:14-16 

                                                        vii.      He makes intercession for us - Romans 8:26 

                                                      viii.      He is our comforter - John 14:26 

                                                          ix.      He gives us diverse gifts - 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 

                                                            x.      He empowers us to live a godly life - Galatians 5:22-23 

                                                          xi.      He seals us in Christ - 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 

1.      What does it mean to seal something?

a.       Esther 8:8 

                                                        xii.      He can be grieved by our actions - Ephesians 4:30 

                                                      xiii.      His coming was foretold of old - Joel 2:28-29 

                                                      xiv.      He is the down payment to our coming inheritance - 2 Corinthians 5:4-5