Ephesians 1:11-14

я

я

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Amen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Amen.

Let's stand and sing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

One church.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Amen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We're in the

and we're in the

and we're in the

in the

and we're waiting for the

that is our inheritance.

face forever.

We have redemption.

We're waiting for our inheritance.

If you're satisfied.

and you're in the and we're in the

there's a team.

and if you're sitting in this waiting room

and you're tired and you're weary

and you think that there's no end

hear this

there is an end

and it's so worth it

you have an inheritance

and it is glorious

and you will look back on this life

at the end of time

you will look back on this waiting room

and you will think

that was so worth it

that was so worth it

I'm glad I made it to the end

but when you're waiting for something

when you're waiting for the inheritance

it can feel like it's never coming

and how do we know it's coming

how can we be sure of what lies ahead of us

well Paul spends the rest of this passage

assuring us of what's coming

but he doesn't tell us to look forward

he tells us to look back

at what God has done

he says we can be sure of what's coming

because God has predestined us

and this is my next point

we have been predestined

we have been predestined

so look to verse 11 again

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

we're in Christ

and we have this inheritance

because we've been predestined

now we saw this word a few weeks ago

so it's a bit of a big word isn't it

predestined

it just means

God writes the ending of your story

before your story's even begun

God writes the end of your story

before your story's even begun

and so God has chosen his people

from eternity past

and written their ending

saying they will receive an inheritance

and there's no other ending

it has to happen this way

and it will happen this way

for those in Christ

God has written your ending

saying they will be mine

and they will be with me for all eternity

and you can have no other ending

because look what else Paul says here

we're predestined according to the purpose of him

who works all things

according to the counsel of his will

so God not only writes our ending

he works all things to make it happen

he's the one who works all things

did you see that?

he works all things

now this is a profound truth about God

Paul is saying

God works all things

God controls

and has his hand on all things

so not just some things

not just a lot of things

God works all things

according to the purpose of his will

that means God has his hand over creation right now

and is in charge of every single part of it

God controls the movement of the earth around the sun

he controls every global event in this world

he controls every moment of your life

even every atom in the air

not a single thing can happen

unless God decides it

and says it can happen

he's working in this room

right now

you know the kids song?

it's a great song

he's got the whole world in his hands

that's not just a kids song

that kids can sing

that is a profound truth

God has the whole world in his hands

look what else Paul says

it's all

he says all this working

is according to the counsel of his will

now counsel just means advice

you might say I'm seeking counsel from someone

which means you're seeking their advice

but who does God seek advice from?

well

he says he works all things

according to the counsel of his will

he looks to his will

he looks to himself

when working all of this

and planning all this

he looks to no one else

he relies on nothing else

this means

God has

when God has decided to do something

to give you an inheritance

to unite you to Christ

and bring you to that final inheritance

Paul is saying

he makes it happen

nothing can stand in his way

he doesn't look to sin

and think

oh no

I didn't know about that

I need to change my plan now

no

he doesn't look to the devil

and think

oh I didn't see that coming

okay

I need to work something else out now

and he doesn't look at you

and say

oh I know I chose them

but look at them

look what they've done

or look how they're feeling

I don't think they're going to make it to the finish

no

God works all things

he makes it happen

he works all things

according to the counsel of his will

so that you will receive this inheritance

he brings you to the end

so just look to verse 12

he works all things

so that we who were the first time in Christ

might be to the praise of his glory

so he doesn't just work all things

so that he can just say

I'm in control of all things

he doesn't just do things aimlessly

he has something particular

at the centre of all he does

he works out all things

he works all things out

so that we might be to the praise of his glory

he works all things out with us

the church in mind

so that we will reach the finish line

and receive our inheritance

and praise and glorify God on that last day

God is crafting history

so that you will make it to the end

now

it may be that God does things in your life

that you can't understand why

like you think

how is this helping me get to the end

why is God doing this

or why did God do that

and in those times

we need great faith and humility

because we can't understand

why God does everything

it doesn't always make sense to us

but it's very clear here

what has God told us

everything in our lives

is planned by God

to bring me to that end

and so we can say

in those moments

even if I don't understand it

even if this is painful

I know that this is for my good

and this is God

bringing me to my inheritance

he's working all things in your life

to bring you there

and when we get there

at the end of time

we can look back on our lives

in the waiting room

and we will see

ah yes

that was all for my good

that was all for God's glory

he really did bring me to my inheritance

and that's what Paul is showing us

behind the scenes here

that God is working right now

in every moment of our lives

but the question remains

how do I know I'm one of those

who God is bringing to the end

maybe you've thought that

how do I know

if I have this inheritance

well this is my final point

we have been sealed

we have been sealed

look to verse 13 with me

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

Paul says that we've been sealed

with the Holy Spirit

now what does that mean

well a seal is something

you might see on the back of a letter

so a king can't write a letter to someone

and then you put wax on the back

have you ever seen that wax on the back

and it closes up the letter

and then he would stamp

his personalised royal stamp on the wax

and it kind of engraves on the wax

and you see his royal marking on it

well that royal marking on the back of the letter

that's his royal seal

so not kind of like walruses

and penguins

not that type of seal

a seal is like a marking

it's a distinctive marking

that letter has been sealed

by the king

and what does that seal do?

well it shows that that letter

is authentic

it's the real deal

it's not some sort of scam

this really is a letter from the king

and it also shows that

this letter is special

it shows that

this isn't any old letter

this is different from all other letters

this is a royal letter

how can you tell?

well look at it's sealed

you can see it

it's been sealed

well Paul says

we were sealed

with the promised Holy Spirit

so we don't have a wax stamp on us

but Paul says

we've been stamped

with the Holy Spirit

when God saves you

and unites you to Christ

God gives you something

well actually

he gives you someone

he gives you

his Holy Spirit

and the Holy Spirit

permanently

marks you

the Holy Spirit

dwells in us

and says

this person is authentic

this is one of God's people

this is the real deal

he says

you are special

and you've been set apart

by God

and you will receive

an inheritance

so look at verse 14

verse 14

the Holy Spirit

is the guarantee

of our inheritance

now here's another big word

quite a few big words today

a guarantee

is like a down payment

or a deposit

so if you buy a house

you usually don't pay the money

straight away

you normally pay

a small amount first

and that small amount

that you pay first

that's the down payment

or the guarantee

and that guarantee

says

don't worry

more is coming

more money is on its way

you're going to get

the full amount later

I'm just giving you

this first bit now

as a promise

to show that

I'm going to pay

the full amount later

well the Holy Spirit

is God's guarantee

saying

I will give you

the Holy Spirit now

and that is the promise

to guarantee

that your inheritance

is coming

don't worry

God says

more is coming

on the way

and so this means

a true believer

can never lose

their salvation

when God chooses

someone

he saves them

and when he saves them

he seals them

and when he seals them

100%

100%

guarantees

they will inherit

eternal life

truly they can never

lose their salvation

and so

when did he give us

the Holy Spirit

when were we sealed

in verse 13

you can see it

in him

you also

when you heard

the word of truth

the gospel of your salvation

and believed in him

were sealed

by the promised Holy Spirit

if you've heard

the gospel preached

and you believe it

you trust in the Lord Jesus

and love him

then you have been

sealed

hearing

and believing

means sealing

now

we can't always

pinpoint

when that first happens

some people

have a clear memory

in their heads

of when they were

converted

and they

can kind of pinpoint it

or

or maybe that's not you

maybe you grew up

in a Christian home

and you've just

you've always believed

or you just can never

pinpoint at any point

like that

well whatever it was

you may or may not know

when you first believed

but what we can know

is that

if we believe

if we believe now

then

there was a first time

you believed

if you look to the Lord Jesus

now

you know that there was

a first time

you believed

and when you did

you were sealed

with the Holy Spirit

your salvation

was locked

in forever

and your inheritance

was guaranteed

and if you're still thinking

oh

but is that me

what if I fall away

what if I don't last

to the end

well can I encourage you

can I encourage you

not to think

in that way

the Bible never

gets us

to look

to our future

and to look

into ourselves

and to doubt

our salvation

and to think

and to rely

on ourselves

because if we do that

that just takes

our eyes off Jesus

and we start

to just look

at ourselves

and rely

on our own strength

no

the Bible

makes us look

back

to assure us

what God has already done

he's united you

to Christ

he's predestined you

he's sealed you

so believe in the Lord

Jesus now

and know in him

you are sealed

forever

and your inheritance

is coming

for those in Christ

you can never be lost

Christ will never lose you

the end of your story

is written

and there's an inheritance

at that ending

this is what lies

behind the scenes

of us

here today

as we open up

the curtains

it's the ending

of our story

and we can see

that it's all planned

and sealed

and secured

by God

your ending

is already written

and a glorious

eternal treasure

is waiting for you

let me pray

Lord God

we thank you

for the Lord

Jesus Christ

and we thank you

that we are

in Christ

and in him

is every

spiritual blessing

and we thank you

for our inheritance

that is

waiting for us

and we pray

that you strengthen us

and keep us

looking to the Lord

Jesus

give us strength

when we are weary

and keep our eyes

on the hope

and the glory

to come

we long for our

inheritance

and we long

for the Lord Jesus

in his name

we pray

Amen

we will respond

to God

by singing

all mercy my God

in a theme

of my song

the joy of my

God

of my soul

of my soul

is

Let open the channel of mercy for me.

Your mercy is more than a match for my heart.

Great wonders to fill it so proud as we bow.

The door has your goodness, my Lord, to the ground.

And ring to the praise of the mercy I come.

The door of your mercy stands open to all.

The poor and the needy, whoever shall go.

No sinner who's come singing mercy today.

Is that the by Jesus sent empty away?

Bring thou the whole mercy to whom it's all.

And thou the land of all who first in my sight.

O praise to the spirit whose whisper divine.

Sills blessing and pardon and righteousness die.

People of God, receive the blessing by faith of our God too.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.

The Lord lift up his confidence upon you and give you peace.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.