Our Spiritual Our Spiritual Blessings Blessings in Christ in Christ

Our Spiritual Our Spiritual Blessings Blessings in Christ in Christ

Forest Hills Bible Forest Hills Bible ChapelChapel

18 January 200918 January 2009

Forest Hills Bible Forest Hills Bible ChapelChapel

18 January 200918 January 2009

Eph. 1:3-14Eph. 1:3-14Eph. 1:3-14Eph. 1:3-14

Some Background Some Background ObservationsObservations

• Ephesians is written relatively late in Ephesians is written relatively late in Paul’s career, and as such it Paul’s career, and as such it constitutes a sort of “capstone” of constitutes a sort of “capstone” of Paul’s epistles.Paul’s epistles.

• The contents of Ephesians The contents of Ephesians represents the ultimate outworking represents the ultimate outworking of the implications of Paul’s gospel.of the implications of Paul’s gospel.

• In Ephesians, the word “church” In Ephesians, the word “church” speaks not of local assemblies (as speaks not of local assemblies (as elsewhere in Paul’s epistles), but the elsewhere in Paul’s epistles), but the universal people of God.universal people of God.

Ephesians 1:3-14Ephesians 1:3-1433Praise be to the God and Father of our Praise be to the God and Father of our

Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. spiritual blessing in Christ. 44For he For he chose us in him before the creation chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love in his sight. In love 55he predestined he predestined us for adoption to sonship through us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— pleasure and will— 66to the praise of to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he lovesfreely given us in the One he loves

Ephesians 1:3-14Ephesians 1:3-1477In him we have redemption through In him we have redemption through

his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s accordance with the riches of God’s grace grace 88that he lavished on us. With that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, all wisdom and understanding, 99he he made known to us the mystery of his made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, which he purposed in Christ, 1010to be to be put into effect when the times reach put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under things in heaven and on earth under Christ.Christ.

Ephesians 1:3-14Ephesians 1:3-141111In him we were also chosen, having In him we were also chosen, having

been predestined according to the been predestined according to the plan of him who works out plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, purpose of his will, 1212in order that in order that we, who were the first to put our we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. praise of his glory. 1313And you also And you also were included in Christ when you were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. of your salvation.

Ephesians 1:3-14Ephesians 1:3-141414who is a deposit guaranteeing who is a deposit guaranteeing

our inheritance until the our inheritance until the redemption of those who are redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.of his glory.

Amazing GraceAmazing Grace• 1. God is worthy of our praise, for the 1. God is worthy of our praise, for the

blessing He has given us in Christ – v. blessing He has given us in Christ – v. 3.3.

• 2. God chose us – (we didn’t choose 2. God chose us – (we didn’t choose Him!) –vv .4-6.Him!) –vv .4-6.– To be holy and blameless in His sight – v. To be holy and blameless in His sight – v.

44– He adopted us, so that we might praise He adopted us, so that we might praise

His glorious grace – vv. 5-6His glorious grace – vv. 5-6

• 3. God has lavished his love and grace 3. God has lavished his love and grace upon us – vv. 7-8upon us – vv. 7-8

• 4. God has made known to us His will 4. God has made known to us His will – vv. 9-10– vv. 9-10

Amazing GraceAmazing Grace• 5. We were chosen in Him (Christ) 5. We were chosen in Him (Christ)

– vv. 11-14– vv. 11-14– We were predestined according to His We were predestined according to His

plan – v. 11plan – v. 11– In God’s eternal plan, “we” and In God’s eternal plan, “we” and

“Christ” are inseparable – v. 11“Christ” are inseparable – v. 11– We were intended to live for the We were intended to live for the

praise of His glory – v. 12.praise of His glory – v. 12.– We were sealed with “the Holy Spirit We were sealed with “the Holy Spirit

of promise” – Who is the guarantee of of promise” – Who is the guarantee of our redemption.our redemption.

Amazing GraceAmazing Grace

• It is, indeed, as Charles H. It is, indeed, as Charles H. Spurgeon Spurgeon said, “All of Grace.” God’s work said, “All of Grace.” God’s work in in our lives is all of grace, from our lives is all of grace, from beginning to end!beginning to end!