Ephesians 1:6

 

Ephesians 1:6

The Third Blessing: God Made Us Highly Favored in Christ

 

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

          1.       We Have Been Made Highly Favored in Christ

a.       Christ is God’s Beloved

                                                              i.      Only Jesus is eternally begotten

1.       1 John 4:9-10 

                                                            ii.      God declared His love for His Son from Heaven at His Baptism

1.        Matthew 3:16-17 

                                                          iii.      God declared His love for His Son at the Transfiguration

1.       Matthew 17:5 

                                                           iv.      Even Jesus Himself talks of this special love of the Father

1.       Luke 20:13 

b.       You are God’s Beloved

                                                              i.      Yet God would not hold back His Son to save you

1.       Romans 8:32 

                                                            ii.      This is how we know that in Christ we are also God’s Beloved

1.       Paul Says it

a.       Colossians 3:12 

2.       Jesus Himself says it

a.       John 17:23

       2.       So that His Grace Would be Glorified

a.       All the praise and glory belongs to God

                                                              i.      God’s glory is the theme of both the Old and New Testament

1.       Old Testament

a.       Isaiah 40:1-2 

2.       New Testament

a.       Luke 2:14 

b.       God’s merciful grace is absolutely, wonderous

                                                              i.      God’s gospel is glorious because it saves men

1.       1 Timothy 1:11 

2.       2 Corinthians 4:4 

                                                            ii.      Saved men bring God glory by their changed lives

1.       Matthew 5:16 

Ephesians 1:5

 

Ephesians 1:5

The Second Blessing: You have Been Adopted by God

 

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

         1.      God Predestined Us to Become a Part of His Family

a.       God adopted us into His family, which now means that we enjoy the same rights and privileges that Jesus does

                                                              i.      This means we are no longer condemned by the law and are now a son or daughter of God

1.      Galatians 4:5-7

                                                            ii.      We are no longer under the spirit of bondage

1.      Romans 8:14-16 

         2.      We Were Predestined by the Work of Christ on the Cross

a.       We are no longer alienated from the Father because of sin but now reconciled back to him

                                                              i.      Colossians 1:19-20 

         3.      We Were Chosen by God for His Own Good Pleasure

a.       We are not a burden to God but truly His delight

                                                              i.      Philippians 2:13 

                                                            ii.      Luke 12:31-32 

         4.      We Were Chosen Entirely by the Will of God

a.       Did God choose me because I am somehow better than others?

                                                              i.      1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Is Christianity Hard or Easy? by C.S. Lewis Doodle (BBC Talk 24, Mere Ch...

I really enjoyed this presentation. As always C.S. Lewis does not disappoint. He has such a wonderful out of the box way of explaining things.

Ephesians 1:4

 

Ephesians 1:4

The First Blessing: We Have Been Chosen by God

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 

             1.      The First Blessing Given to Us by God Through Jesus Christ is that We have Been Chosen by Him – vs. 4*

a.       We have been chosen by God in Christ

                                                              i.      There is incredible insight into this truth found in the prayers of Jesus to God the Father for us

1.      We are given to the Son by the Father so that the Son can give us eternal life

a.       John 17:1-2 

2.      Those that are given to the Son are the ones that have true faith

a.       John 17:6 

3.      The Son prays exclusively for those that are given to Him by the Father

a.       John 17:9 

b.      God chose you before the beginning of time

                                                              i.      Before there was a need for salvation God had a plan to save us

1.      1 Corinthians 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:9 

c.       Paul gives us three reasons why we have been chosen by God

                                                              i.      That we would be holy

1.      Hebrews 3:1; 1 Peter 2:9 

                                                            ii.      That we would be blameless

1.      Philippians 2:15 

                                                          iii.      That we could stand before God in His love

1.      Those that Confess Christ stand in His love

a.       1 John 4:15-19 

2.      Those that have Christ in their hearts are rooted in His love

a.       Ephesians 3:17 

3.      Those that have accepted Christ’s sacrifice for them walk in His love

a.       Ephesians 5:2 

4.      Those that allow Christ to work through them share His love with others

a.    1 Thessalonians 3:12

Ephesians 1:3

 

Ephesians 1:3

Praise God from Whom all Blessing Flow

 

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

 

         1.      Praise God the Father

a.       How can Jesus who is God Himself have a God?

                                                              i.      Christ has a God experientially in order to identify with you and me

1.      Philippians 4:20 

2.      John 20:17 

                                                            ii.      Just like you and me Christ calls out to His God in time of suffering

1.      Matthew 27:46 

                                                          iii.      Christ must submit His will to the Father just like you and me

1.      Luke 22:42 

                                                          iv.      Christ is the perfect representation of His God

1.      John 1:14 

                                                            v.      Christ is the most precious gift God the Father can give us

1.      Romans 8:32 

                                                          vi.      Christ is the path by which we are reconciled back to God

1.      Ephesians 2:16 

        2.      Who through Jesus has blessed us with all spiritual blessings

a.       What kind of blessings do I receive in Christ?

                                                              i.      You are no more a stranger to God

1.      Ephesians 2:19 

                                                            ii.      You have been given immortality

1.      1 Corinthians 15:42-44

                                                          iii.      Nothing has been held back from you

1.      2 Peter 1:3 

         3.      In the heavenly places

a.       Christianity is inherently spiritual, while we may receive physical blessing from God, it is so much more than mere temporal gifts

                                                              i.      Colossians 1:13-14 

Lions & Lambs | John Lovell

Ephesians 1:2

 

Ephesians 1:2

Unlikely Gifts

 

Eph 1:2  Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 

          1.      The Believer has Been Given Grace

a.       When we were born, we were not God’s friend but His enemy

                                                              i.      There is no peace with others when we are at enmity with God

1.      James 4:1-4 

                                                            ii.      Christ died for us when we were His enemy

1.      Romans 5:6-8 

                                                          iii.      The grace given to us in Christ changes who we are

1.      Ephesians 2:1-6 

        2.      The Believer has Been given Peace

a.       Christ’s death and resurrection for us gives us peace with God

                                                              i.      Romans 5:1 

b.      Christ’s death and resurrection brings us back to a unity with God

                                                              i.      Ephesians 2:14-17 

        3.      These Gifts Come from God the Father

a.       We often imagine that God is the one that is angry, and Jesus is the one that is forgiving, but Paul is insistent that the Father and Son are united in the work of our salvation

                                                              i.      John 3:16 

        4.      These Gifts Come from the Lord Jesus Christ

a.       One must recognize the divinity and Lordship of Christ as Savior before one can receive the gifts that the Holy Spirit longs to give us.

                                                              i.      Romans 10:9 

                                                            ii.      1 Corinthians 12:3