Ephesians 1

Good evening, it's great to be with you this evening.

If you've got a Bible, I'd like to open it at Ephesians chapter 1 and verses 1 to 14.

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

Ephesians chapter 1 and verses 1 to 14.

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

We're going to be looking at that tonight.

You need to forgive me, I'm loaded with the cold and my eyes are watering like mad.

So if you see me bringing out this hanky and wiping my...

It's either because I'm sweating like mad or because my eyes are watering like mad.

Ephesians chapter 1, is this too loud? Is this alright?

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

Ephesians chapter 1 verses 1 to 14.

Ephesians 1:1–14

Paul writes, this is the word of God.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 as sons through Jesus Christ,

according to the purpose of his will,

to the praise of his glorious grace with which he blessed us in the beloved.

In him we have redemption through his blood,

the forgiveness of our trespasses,

according to the riches of his grace,

which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight,

making known to us the mystery of his will,

according to his purpose,

which he set forth in Christ

as a plan for the fullness of time

to unite all things in him,

things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance,

having been predestined according to the purpose of him

who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

so that we who were the first to hope in Christ

might be to the praise of his glory.

In him you also,

when you heard the word of truth,

the gospel of your salvation,

and believed in him,

were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

who is the guarantee of our inheritance

until we acquire possession of it,

to the praise of his glory.

Amen.

This is God's word.

Let me just pray before we look at this.

Father, we come before you,

Lord, humbled and in awe of who you are.

Father, we thank you so much that

even though we are fallen, sinful creatures,

Father, we're here tonight

only because of your grace and your love

which you've shown us through your Son.

Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are a God who speaks to us

and so, Father, we pray that you would speak

through your word to us tonight

and encourage us and build up our hearts

and help us to stand firm in our faith.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

A TV programme, Doctor Who.

I'm sure most of you know what it is

and will have watched it at some point in your life.

The few times I've watched it myself,

the TARDIS, the Doctor's time travel machine,

has totally fascinated me.

And it's fascinated me because from the outside,

the TARDIS just looks like any other police telephone box.

There's nothing unusual about it,

nothing impressive about it,

nothing significant.

From the outside,

it just looks like an old, ordinary police telephone box.

But it's not until the doctor opens the door

and you get to go inside

and see that it's not just an old police telephone box,

but it's something far greater than that.

It's not until your eyes are opened

and you get to see inside

that you get to see the significance of it,

that it's much more than an old police telephone box.

Well, friends, in a similar way,

it's the same with the church and the gospel, isn't it?

The church and the gospel

often don't look that impressive, do they?

Often it doesn't look as if the gospel

is making much impact in the world,

nor does it always look as if God's plans

and purposes are being worked out.

And it certainly doesn't seem as if the church

is where the action is really happening, does it?

But Paul has written his letter

and certainly the first half of this letter

to encourage and strengthen the Ephesian believers

by reminding them of the riches

they have been blessed with in Christ.

God's plans and purposes are being worked out in this world

despite the fact that how it looks to us at times.

God's plans and purposes are being worked out in this world

through the gospel to unite all things in Christ.

And the church is where God is displaying this

and making known his manifold wisdom

to rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

And so Paul in this passage

blows the Ephesian believers away

with what God the Father has done for them in Christ.

He sets out before them God's eternal plans

and purposes for the universe.

He leads them in praising God

for his glorious work in them

and for uniting them to Christ by grace.

And he's writing to remind them

and encourage them that they are part of God's plans

and purposes because of their union with Christ.

And he does that because he knows

that we're prone to forgetting

and prone to getting discouraged

and disheartened by the lack of sight that we have.

Now Paul went to Ephesus

during his second missionary journey

and he stayed there around two and a half years.

Ephesus was a huge place

with a big population and a lot of wealth.

It was also a place full of dark magic arts

and idol worship.

And there was a massive idol worshiping community

in Ephesus who worshipped the goddess called Artemis.

Now Artemis had supposedly fallen from the sky

and people thought that she was from heaven,

a god, the saviour of the world.

But in reality it was just a massive rock

which they carved the goddess out of.

But not only was the idol worshipped,

it was also used for profit by some people.

They made smaller shrines

and sold them onto the people in Ephesus.

So they could worship not only at the temple

but at home as well.

But through the preaching of the gospel

by Paul and others,

the word started to take root

and bear fruit in Ephesus.

People were turning from the idol

to serve the true living God.

And because of this,

the people who made a living

from selling Artemis merchandise

started losing profit

and eventually started a riot because of it.

Luke writes in Acts 19 verse 23,

Acts 19:23

about that time there arose

no little disturbance concerning the way.

In other words,

it was mad mental mayhem.

There was no little disturbance there.

But in the midst of all that chaos,

a church was started.

And now sometime after all that

and after Paul had left Ephesus

and now in prison,

he's writing this letter

to encourage and build up

the believers in Ephesus

who are finding their Christian life

hard and difficult

in their present surroundings,

feeling weak and inferior

to the massive

and impressive-looking idol Artemis

looming over them in the background.

This goddess who was worshipped

by more than 50,000 people

in Ephesus and even further abroad.

Compared to the small

and not-so-impressive community

of believers who follow Jesus,

they felt intimidated and small.

At times they could hear

the deafening chants of the thousands

who would go to the temple

and proclaim,

great is Artemis,

great is Artemis,

great is Artemis.

And I wonder how they felt

when they heard those chants

and I wonder what they thought too.

Perhaps,

have we got this right?

Is this really God's plan?

We seem so small

and weak,

but they look so big

and strong.

Is this really

where the action is?

They probably felt

how a lot of us feel today.

intimidated,

disheartened,

and discouraged.

Today we are in a similar position

in the church,

although our contexts

are a bit different.

We don't have a massive temple

looming over us

and intimidating us.

But we live in a similar society

full of idolatry,

immorality,

a world that is totally against

the gospel of Jesus Christ

and his church.

We live in a similar position

where it's very easy

to get discouraged,

disheartened,

and down

because the church

can look very insignificant

and unimpressive

in comparison to the world.

In comparison to the impressive

looking things

the world offers

is the gospel

doesn't always seem

to be making much impact,

does it?

It doesn't seem like

this is where the action

really is.

The church doesn't seem

to be significant

or impressive

in the world's eyes.

if you went outside now

and told someone

you could take them

somewhere where the real action

in the world is happening

and you brought them here,

they would think

you're having a laugh,

wouldn't they?

They would think

you're half your nut.

They would say

you've got to be joking

the church.

Jesus,

there's no way

this is where the real action

is happening.

It's out there in the world.

It's certainly not here.

Nothing's happening in here.

Friends,

we also might be tempted

to think this

at times as well

throughout our Christian lives.

I know I am.

Like the Ephesians

we can be tempted

to think that action

is in more impressive

looking things

and places.

But as I said,

Paul has written this letter

to these discouraged,

disheartened,

downed believers

to encourage them

and strengthen them.

He wants them to stand firm

in their faith

to be built up

and to know God better.

He wants his readers

to have their eyes opened

to the unseen realities

and blessings

of being in Christ

and to see that God

really has blessed them

with every spiritual blessing

through their union

with Christ.

And this letter's here

for us also

to encourage

and strengthen

our hearts

so that we stand firm

in our faith

and to remind us

that the church

really is

where the action is.

look at verse 10.

Verse 10's a key passage,

key verse in this passage.

Through the gospel,

God is working

to unite

all things

together

in Christ,

things

in heaven

and things on earth.

Being in Christ,

being joined together

with Christ

is where the action

truly lies,

friends.

Because in and through Christ,

God is working

for his glory

and declaring

to the world

and his universe

his power,

authority

and reign.

And Paul says

that statement

12 times

in this passage.

In Christ,

in him,

through Jesus Christ,

in the beloved,

to ground us

and affirm us

in our faith

because Jesus

is the centre of all

that God is doing.

And to be in Christ

or to be united to him

means to have

a personal relationship

with him.

It belongs to him

to be joined

to him

and to look at him

as saviour

and Lord.

It's a bit like marriage

as Paul tells us

in chapter 5

where two people

become one

and are joined together.

They are united

as one

and share

in each other.

And so it is

with us

in Christ.

And because of that union

we share in all

the eternal blessings

in him.

There's no greater union

that we can have

than having union

with Christ.

And what better way

to encourage

the disheartened believers

in Ephesus

than telling them

they are in Christ.

They are part

of the action.

Whether they feel it

or not

or even at this point

realise it,

they are part

of God's eternal plans

and purposes

for this world

because of the simple fact

that they are in Christ.

Because God

had set them apart

and chosen them

in him.

the action

isn't in the more

impressive

or successful

realities around us

in the world.

Celebrities

or other religions

that more people

follow.

Successful businesses

people with money.

The real action

is happening

in the thing

that the world hates

and the unimpressive

thing in the world's eyes.

The action

is happening

right here

in the church

through the gospel

of Jesus Christ.

What better way

to build us up

and to help us

stand firm

in the midst of pressure

to stand firm

in our faith

than to hear

of the great blessings

and realities

of being in Christ.

So let's look

at this amazing beginning

to Paul's letter

together then.

Begin to be

in awe and wonder

of the blessings

we have received

in Christ

and through our union

with him.

Well first of all

Paul begins

with his usual

greeting

in his letter

and greets

the Ephesian believers

here in a very

encouraging way

and addresses them

as the saints

who are in Ephesus

verse 1

he writes

Paul an apostle

of Christ Jesus

by the will of God

to the saints

who are in Ephesus

and are faithful

in Christ Jesus.

Grace to you

and peace from God

our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now in Paul's letters

when he says

to the saints

and faithful

in Christ

are those sanctified

in Christ

he means those

who have been set apart

those who are holy

because of what God

has done for them

those who are possessed

by God

and indeed that is

what Paul goes on

to expand on

in the rest of the passages

he goes on to tell them

how this came about

and the same can be said

of all those

who are trusting

and have put their faith

in Christ

as saviour

they are called saints

holy ones

set apart

by God

through Christ

but we are not saints

in the sense

that

some think of saints

Paul doesn't mean

those eerie pictures

of guys

in stained glass windows

who are made out

to be almost

unhuman

and spiritual giants

people who

no one can relate to

and who make us

feel crushed

because we think

we'll never be

as spiritual as them

that's not what

Paul means here

when he says saints

Paul means

they are saints

in the sense

of what God

had done for them

it's real people

Paul is saying

this to here

people who struggle

who fall

and people

who are sinners

and so often

wander

it's people like us

which Paul says

are the saints

they are the spiritual ones

every Christian

past, present

and future

are saints

everyone who is in Christ

is a saint

it's not just

the spiritual elite

and so Paul goes on

to explain

how they became

the saints

in Ephesus

in the rest of the passage

look at verse 3

being in Christ

means you

have every spiritual

blessing

Paul writes

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

if you're here

as a Christian

tonight

it doesn't matter

how long you've been one

it could be 5 minutes

5 years

or even 50 years

every spiritual blessing

is yours

in Christ

you have been given them

you have them all

God the Father

has blessed you

abundantly

with everything

that you need

but note what Paul

means here

is not that

in Christ

we have been

or will be

blessed

with every

material blessing

again

it's not what

some people say

today

come to Jesus

and everything

will be great

and you'll have

health

wealth

and prosperity

we all know

that's nonsense

don't we

because some of us

who are here tonight

are skint

some of us

don't have the best health

and some of us

are not prospering

are we

but that's not to say

that God doesn't bless us

now in particular ways

he does

but that's not

Paul's concern here

so what does Paul

mean here

when he says

we have been blessed

in Christ

with every

spiritual blessing

well it's not

material blessings

it's so much

more glorious

than that

the spiritual blessings

that Paul is talking

about here

are in the rest

of the passage

but notice

that these blessings

are in the heavenly places

literally the heavenlies

which is not heaven

but the unseen realm

where the spiritual powers

and authorities dwell

they are unseen realities

which we have received

through our union

with Christ

which is important to know

and be reminded of

because we don't always feel

or necessarily see

the blessings visibly

but nevertheless

they are still

realities

all the great riches

that Christ

have been given to us

because we have been

united

to him

Christians are the most

blessed people

who walk this earth

and I hope that

encourages you tonight

if you're a Christian

here tonight

you're the most

blessed person

who walks this earth

well in the rest

of the passage

we see what these

blessings are

look at verse 4

where Paul encourages us

with a past blessing

we have been lovingly chosen

and adopted in Christ

all the blessings

of salvation are ours

because God has chosen us

in Christ

before the dawn of time

before the world

was created

even before the foundation

of the world

that's a mind-blowing thing

to think about

isn't it?

God had his mind

before any of us

were even born

or thought of

before anything

was ever made

when it was just God

Father, Son

and Spirit

he had chosen us

in Christ

how can that be

you might think

because God is God

and well that's the wonder

and majesty

of God's sovereignty

and election

isn't it?

and the more you think

about it

the bigger and bigger

it gets

we can never here

and now I don't think

fully understand

or take that in

but simply to be in awe

wonder

and praise of it

and I think that's

what Paul wants to happen

as we read this

he wants us to be in awe

and wonder

and amazement of God

but notice that

this is not a mechanical thing

God doesn't just

randomly choose people

he doesn't put his hand

in a hat full of names

and pick one out

and that's the next person

nor does he see

something in us

that makes him think

we deserve such

electing grace

and mercy

and to be adopted

into his family

if we think that

there's something good in us

that would make God choose us

and we've got the wrong

end of the stick

friends

as we find out

in chapter 2

we are dead in our trespasses

and sins

without hope

and enmity with God

and disobedient

to all his ways

and what

following the prince

of the power of the air

who is Satan

that was

and is the sad state

and predicament

of being outside of Christ

sorry my nose

is running now

that's bogging in it

so there was

and is nothing

in us

that God

can

or could see

that would make him

want to choose us

so what did make him

want to choose us

well we see it here

don't we

look at verses 4

and 5 again

it was his love

for us

someone said

predestination

rightly understood

as the most comforting

and enriching

and thrilling

of all truths

he goes on to say

what an answer this is

to the rootlessness

of life

for a man to discover

that in Christ

he is rooted

and grounded

in everlasting love

to get through

to ultimate reality

and find not nothingness

but a smiling father

who has lovingly

chosen him

it was God's will

it was God's purpose

and it was to the praise

of his glorious grace

to shower upon us

his love and choosing

predestining

and adopting us

and his purpose

and result in all this

was for us

was that

we would be holy

and blameless

before him

scandalous thing

about all this

friends

is not that God

has predestined

elected

and adopted

some in his kingdom

but that one day

you believer

who deserve nothing

but wrath

and judgment

will stand before God

and because of these

things you have received

and been blessed

with in Christ

and through your union

with him

you will be welcomed

by your heavenly father

with open arms

you will be welcomed

into your heavenly father's home

because you have been chosen

and adopted

in Christ

isn't that great

secondly

verses 8

and 7 and 8

Paul encourages us

with a present blessing

we have been graciously

redeemed

and forgiven

not only has God

lovingly chosen us

and adopted us

he's also

graciously redeemed us

through Christ

Paul writes

in him

we have

notice the present tense there

we have

redemption

through his blood

the forgiveness

of our trespasses

according to the riches

of his grace

with which he lavished

upon us

in all wisdom

and insight

friends

the world sees the cross

as being one of the most

foolish things

to have ever happened

they don't want a saviour

who looks weak

who is unimpressive

and had to die

to save them

the world wants someone

who is strong

who looks strong

and impressive

someone who looks powerful

who can overcome

anything

and conquer

but they can't see

that the cross of Christ

is where the power

of God is

it's there the wisdom

of God is shown

Paul says in 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1:18

1 verse 18

for the word of the cross

is folly

to those who are perishing

but to us who are being saved

it is the power of God

God in sending

his son Jesus

and him dying

on the cross

in our place

with his blood

being poured out

and him hanging

on the cross

there the pure

and just

wrath of God

was laid

and directed

straight upon him

but it wasn't

for his own sake

that he died

or for his own sin

it was in our place

it was our shame

he took

and it was our sin

which was laid upon him

and what happened

when we walk away free

we stand before the Lord

justified

holy

and blameless

in his sight

the God

who we were

created by

and for

and created to know

but were alienated from

and ignorant of

whose word we disobeyed

and rebelled against

we have now been

reconciled to him

through Christ's death

and the cross for us

it's breathtaking to think

is it not

that the God

that we offended

and rebelled against

gave up himself

to be a ransom for us

that's what it means

to be redeemed

to have redemption

it means to be

bought with a price

it means to buy back

what is rightfully yours

and what a cost

it costs

what a price

it costs

to God

who lovingly chose us

and adopted us

cost him his own son

this grace

which has been lavished

upon us

Paul tells us

brought us this redemption

through his blood

the forgiveness

of our trespasses

every command

that God gave us

that we walked over

every loving thing

that he did for us

that we despised

and rejected

every trespass

that we made

has been forgiven

in Christ

and again

hopefully

and I prayerfully

hope

that that helps

someone

here tonight

again helpfully

someone said

by his death

on the cross

Christ has justly

purchased his back

for God

at the cost

of his own blood

he has dealt

with our guilt

to bring his pardon

he has overcome

the cosmic forces

of darkness

which bound

and enslaved us

he has died

to the reign

of sin

that mastered us

and has risen

in triumph

over all his

and our enemies

he was

our great exchange

as the hymn says

bearing shame

and scoffing rude

in my place

condemned

he stood

sealed my pardon

with his blood

guilty

vile

and helpless

we

spotless

lamb

of God

was he

full atonement

can it be

hallelujah

what a saviour

in him

we have redemption

through his blood

the forgiveness

of our trespasses

again

a good friend

sent me this one day

God took the place

of the guilty

enduring in himself

the condemnation

for sin

when a cry

went up before him

that sin must be covered

he gave himself

in Christ Jesus

God almighty

came and took

our human nature

precisely in order

to put himself

in a position

where he had

blood to shed

and a soul

to pour out to death

to redeem us

friends in here

in Christ

here tonight

you have that

now

you who are in Christ

and have been

united to him

have that now

redemption

and forgiveness

in Christ

finally we can see

in verses 11 to 14

Paul encourages us

with a future

blessing

of a guaranteed

inheritance

I read a story

once

on the internet

two homeless guys

who used to

live in a cave

in Hungary

they used to walk

the streets

looking for scrap metal

that they

could sell

for pennies

but this pair

of penniless

down and outs

this article

described them

one day

when roaming

the streets

were approached

by a stranger

and were told

that they had just

inherited

a four billion

pound fortune

from a relative

of theirs

who just died

and you can imagine

their reaction

can't you

they were overjoyed

well friends

we were like

those pair

of penniless

down and outs

before we had

nothing

we were so poor

before God

we had the scraps

of this world

but now

because Christ

died for us

and because

of our union

with him

we have a

glorious inheritance

but that

inheritance

friends

is not a

four billion

pound fortune

it's better

so much

better than that

look at verse

11

in him

we have obtained

an inheritance

having been

predestined

according to

the purpose

of him

who works

all things

together

according to

the counsel

of his will

now the

inheritance

that some

get today

is just

stuff which

will all

decay

it will all

perish

and will one

day fade away

there is no

guarantee

that it will

last

one day

it will be

gone

and be

spent

that four

billion pound

that those

two homeless

guys inherited

will one day

be gone

either they

will spend

it

or they

will die

and it

will go to

someone else

and they'll

spend it

it isn't

guaranteed

really

is it

but look

at the

Christians

inheritance

look at the

inheritance of

those who are

in Christ

in verses

13 and

14

in him

you also

when you

heard the

word of

truth

the gospel

of your

salvation

and believed

in him

were sealed

with the

promised

Holy Spirit

who is a

guarantee

of our

inheritance

until we

acquire

possession of

it to the

praise of

his glory

friends

this inheritance

of ours

in Christ

is guaranteed

when we

heard the

gospel

and believed

in Christ

we were

sealed

by the

promised

Holy Spirit

and given

the promise

of this

inheritance

the Holy Spirit

is a stamp

of approval

on our lives

and the seal

by which

we will

receive

our inheritance

inheritance

but what is

this inheritance

well really

it's all the

blessings

that Paul's

spelled out

for us

here in this

passage

but simply

put

it's eternal

life

that's what

Jesus said

himself

didn't he

in John's

gospel

all who

come to me

will receive

eternal life

and just as

that eternal

life is found

in him

so is

our eternal

security

because we

have been

predestined

by the will

of him

who works

all things

according to

the counsel

of his will

and what is

the will

of the father

who sent

his son

what Jesus

said in

John chapter

John 6 · chapter mention

6

this is the

will of him

who sent

me

that I

should lose

nothing

of all

that he

has given

me

but raise

it up

in the

last day

that's how

it's guaranteed

friends

all this

we have

received

in Christ

and because

of our

union

with him

isn't that

so encouraging

to be reminded

of

doesn't that

build us

up in our

faith

there's nothing

greater to hear

is there

than God

the father

in love

sent his son

to die

on the cross

to shed his

blood

so that we

his rebellious

creation

might be united

to him

through his son

and receive

eternal blessings

we constantly

need reminded

of that

don't we

of the effect

the gospel

has had

on our own

lives

why

because as I

said at the

beginning

often we don't

see the effect

the gospel

is having

in our world

which makes us

think that the

gospel is having

no effect

at all

but here just

like when the

doctor opens

the door

of the TARDIS

and you get

to go inside

and see

that there's

a much bigger

picture

it's much bigger

than what you

think

so Paul does

here and reminds

the Ephesians

and us

of the glorious

blessings we

have received

in Christ

to remind us

that God's

plans and

purposes

are being

fulfilled

in this

world

through the

gospel

God's

plans and

purposes

to unite

all things

in Christ

things in

heaven

and things

on earth

are being

worked out

and friends

where's the

evidence of

that

well it's in

the church

isn't it

it's in the

church where

lives have

been changed

and transformed

by the gospel

just as we've

looked at

lives which

have been

blessed by

every spiritual

blessing

in the heavenly

places and

have been

truly united

to Christ

my friends

I know at

times it

doesn't seem

like the gospel

is having much

impact on the

world around us

I know we

aren't seeing

many coming to

Christ in our

churches every

week but

nevertheless every

time we preach

proclaim and

share the gospel

although we can't

see it

God is at work

God is at work

every time we

talk to somebody

about Jesus

Christ and

about the

gospel every

time so

brothers and

sisters be

encouraged and

don't be

deceived by

the lack of

sight that we

have take

courage and

boldly proclaim

and keep on

sharing the

gospel of Jesus

Christ in this

world because as

we do this

as we proclaim

the gospel of

Jesus Christ in

this world

God's plans and

purposes to unite

all things in

Christ are being

fulfilled to the

praise of his

glorious grace

let me pray

heavenly father

we thank you so

much for these

promises that

Paul spells out

for us here in

Ephesians 1

father we thank you

so much that you

have united us to

your son and

father we thank you

for the encouragement

that we have from

that that we are

part of the big

plan your

eternal universal

plan to unite all

things in Christ

things in heaven

and things on

earth and father

we praise you for

these great blessings

in Christ's name we

pray amen