All The Blessings

Murdo Campbell, delighted to welcome Murdo to the pulpit for this weekend.

He is a Stornoway boy. He became a member here in the congregation in 2006, he was just telling me.

And he's now been a minister in Barres Free Church for 10 years, and it was 10 years ago yesterday

was the date of his induction there. So we're very thankful to have Murdo with us, leading the

services over this weekend, and we do pray God's blessing on him and on us all together as we come

under the sound of the glorious gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And I'll invite Murdo now

to lead us in our worship. Well, good evening. It's lovely to be with you this evening, and God willing,

over this weekend. We do pray that we know the Lord's blessing as we meet around God's Word and

also around the Lord's table. You know, I was thinking as I was coming over the moor from Bonnie

Barvis, in our pulpit, or my pulpit, I have this sign that reminds me every time I stand in the pulpit.

It says on it, Sir, we would see Jesus. And I was thinking that's what we should be longing for

this coming weekend, that we would see Jesus, that we would see none other save Jesus only,

that he would be lifted up before us, and that in lifting him up, we would all be drawn to him,

to know him, to love him, and to follow him, and even to walk with him more closely.

So let us worship God this evening. We're going to sing to God's praise in Psalm 32.

Psalm 32, it's in the Sing Psalms version, on page 38, if you have the blue psalm book.

Psalm 32.

The tune is Arlington. We're singing from the beginning down to the verse mark 7.

Psalm 32, page 38. All of our psalms this evening, they focus upon the theme of blessing or blessedness.

And Psalm 32 is, it's a psalm that was written after Psalm 51. Psalm 51, it's my favorite psalm.

It's the psalm where David confesses his sin. And then he wrote, after he wrote Psalm 51,

he wrote Psalm 32, because he knew the forgiveness of his sin. He knew how blessed he was to receive

forgiveness for his sin. That's what David writes here. He says, how blessed the one who has received

forgiveness for his sin, whose sins are covered from God's face, whose debt is cancelled in God's grace.

There's no deceit in him. So we'll sing Psalm 32 from the beginning down to the verse mark 7.

Do you stand to sing? And we'll stand to sing, if you're able, to God's praise.

Amen.

When I kept silent, all my bones were thrown in heaven.

I felt entrapped. Both day and night, my strength was up, as in a summer drought.

Then I laid bare my sin to you, the guilt that lay within. I said, O Lord, I have transgressed,

and you forgive when I confess. You pardoned all my sin.

So let the Godly pray to you, while you are to be found.

Surely, when waves are sweeping past, and mighty waters rising fast, you keep them safe and sound.

You are my hiding place, O Lord, my true security.

You keep me safe and troubled days. You circle me with joyful praise, when you have set me free.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, let us come before the Lord in prayer. Let's pray together.

Gracious God and loving Heavenly Father, enable us this evening, as we meet together in worship,

to first of all be still, to be still and to know that thou art God.

Help us, Lord, we pray, to come aside from all the business of the day, and even the busyness of our week,

and to just stop, and to be still in the Lord's presence,

and to know that the promise remains true for thy people,

that where two or three gather in thy name, thou art there in the midst of them.

And that our prayer, Lord, as we meet together, is that thou wouldst be pleased to bless us.

And as the psalm has said, Lord, bless and pity us.

Shine on us with thy face, that the earth, thy way, and nations all would know thy saving grace.

And tonight we bless and praise thee for knowing the saving grace of God in our life,

to know that we have been brought from darkness, and to thine own marvelous light,

that we can say that we were once not a people, but we are now the people of God.

We are those who had once not obtained mercy, but now we have obtained mercy.

And what a mercy it is to know that God has been gracious and merciful towards us.

He has been long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth.

And it is no wonder that David praised the Lord in that psalm that we were singing.

And he said, how blessed is the one who has received forgiveness for his sin.

And tonight, Lord, help us to see that we are a people who are blessed.

We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.

We have received what we do not deserve.

And the Lord has kept from us what we do deserve.

That he has been so good to us.

That he has drawn us to himself.

That he has called us with that holy calling.

That he has made known to us the wonder and beauty of thy Son, the Lord Jesus.

And we thank thee tonight for him.

We thank thee, O Lord, that he is a faithful friend.

He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

He is our shepherd who leads us in every step of the way of life.

He is there for us even when we have to be confronted with the valley of the shadow of death.

That he is the one who is by our side.

He is the one who assures us that his goodness and his mercy, they still follow us all the days of our life.

And that in God's house forevermore our dwelling place shall be.

And so, Lord, whatever or however we felt coming in here this evening.

However we felt in and of ourselves.

That how often, Lord, we look at ourselves and we see how sinful we are.

And that we are not becoming more holy.

But we feel that we are becoming more and more sinful.

And yet, Lord, we find ourselves confessing more and more with the Apostle.

That the good that I would, I do not.

But the evil that I would not, that is what I keep on doing.

But, Lord, help us, we pray, to see tonight that there is and there remains,

therefore now no condemnation, to those who are in Christ Jesus.

That we are those who have been given that spirit of adoption.

Whereby we are able to cry and call upon our Father which art in heaven.

And to know that he hears us and he answers us in accordance with his will.

Help us, Lord, we pray, to be persuaded.

As Paul was persuaded.

That neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers.

Nor things present, nor even things to come.

Neither height, nor depth, nor any other creature.

Is able to separate us from the love of God.

That is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And so, Lord, our prayer is, as we meet together as weak.

Saints traveling through this world.

Help us, Lord, to be encouraged by thy word.

Help us, Lord, to be lifted up to see Jesus.

That while we are looking at him, that, oh, as one of old said, that for every look at self,

to take ten looks at Jesus.

And that we might keep looking at him.

That we might keep focusing upon him.

Knowing that he is the lover of our soul.

He is the fairest among ten thousand.

He is the one who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.

And help us then, we pray, to see more and more of him.

That he would increase.

That we would decrease.

That he would ultimately have all the preeminence.

That thou, our heavenly Father, would have all the glory.

And that we, tonight, as we gather around thy word.

And as we seek thy face.

That, Lord, that we would know blessing.

That we would experience thy presence.

That we would know the power of thy spirit.

As thy word is opened.

And as thy word is read.

And as it is proclaimed.

Lord, that thou wouldest open our ears to hear.

Open our hearts to receive thy truth.

Open our minds to engage with it.

But, Lord, enable us, we pray, as thy people.

Not only to be hearers of thy word.

To be doers also.

To be living it out.

And to be living epistles.

Seen and read of those around us.

That we, O Lord, would do it ultimately for thy glory.

And the furtherance of thy kingdom.

Bless us, Lord, we pray, then, as thy children.

Remember this congregation.

That we thank thee for them.

That thou wouldest strengthen them and sustain them.

Uphold them and support them.

Remember the minister, Lord.

We thank thee for him.

We pray for our brother, Calamurdo.

Grant him, Lord, to know thy presence.

To know thy nearness.

And that even as he would enjoy a communion season.

With his own people here.

Bless him, Lord, we pray.

Remember his wife, Joanne, and their family.

And we pray, Lord, even for the vacancy in the congregation.

That thou wouldest provide for them.

Not only an under-shepherd.

But also a brother to work alongside Calamurdo.

One who will serve alongside him.

One who will seek to lift up the name of Jesus.

Encourage them, Lord, we pray, in the work of the gospel.

That as they plough their furrow.

And as they seek to break up the fallow ground.

And as they seek to invite people to come and hear this glorious gospel message.

Our longing is that more would be won to Christ.

That more and more would taste and see that thou art good.

And trust in thee and be blessed.

And Lord, remember us then, we pray this evening.

Remember those who are not with us.

Those who are confined to homes or to beds of sickness.

Those, Lord, who are laid aside.

Those whose longing and heart's desire is to be here.

And yet, Lord, they are confined to their homes.

Or wherever they may be.

But, Lord, we ask that thou wouldest meet with them.

At their point of need.

And, Lord, we pray also for homes and families that are separated by the gospel.

We pray for husbands that are out of Christ.

Or wives that are still strangers to grace and to God.

Or children that are on the broad road.

That leads to destruction.

Lord, our longing is that the prodigals would come home.

That they too would be found here on a Friday evening.

Seeking to worship the Lord.

Seeking to lift up his name.

Seeking to glorify and enjoy him forever.

For that is our chief end.

O Lord, bless us then, we pray.

Lead us and guide us by thy spirit.

And go before us in all things.

Taking away our iniquity.

And receiving us graciously.

For Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Amen.

But we're going to sing again.

This time in Psalm 119.

Psalm 119.

It's in the Scottish Psalter, page 399.

Psalm 119.

We're singing from the beginning down to the verse marked 6.

As you know, Psalm 119.

It's the longest psalm in the Psalter.

And for good reason.

It's a psalm that reminds us about the importance of God's word in our life.

That God's word is to be central to our life.

And when God's word is central to our life.

As the psalmist reminds us there.

We are blessed.

He says there in verse 1.

Blessed are they that undefiled and straight are in the way.

Who in the Lord's most holy law do walk and do not stray.

Blessed are they who to observe his statutes are inclined.

And who do seek the living God with their whole heart and mind.

So we're singing Psalm 119 from the beginning down to the verse marked 6.

It's on page 399.

We're singing to the tune Jackson.

And we'll stand to sing if you're able.

To God's praise.

Blessed are they that undefiled and straight are in the way.

Who in the Lord's most holy law do walk and do not stray.

Blessed are they who to observe his statutes are inclined.

And who do seek the living God with their whole heart and mind.

Such endless ways to walk and lay.

To know any clergy.

Thou hast commanded us to keep thy footsteps carefully.

O that thy statutes to observe.

Thou wouldst my ways silent.

Then shall I not be shamed when I by three steps always pray.

Amen.

We're now going to read the word of God.

As we find it in Paul's letter to the Ephesians and chapter 1.

Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

And chapter 1.

Ephesians chapter 1, we're going to read the whole chapter together.

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

So let us hear the word of God.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

in the heavenly places,

far above all rule and authority

and power and dominion

and above every name that is named,

not only in this age,

but also in the one to come.

And he put all things under his feet

and gave him as head over all things

to the church, which is his body,

the fullness of him who fills all in all.

And so on, may the Lord bless

that reading of his own holy word.

We're now going to sing again

before we consider that passage

in Ephesians chapter one.

We're going to sing again.

And I want to apologize to Ali

before I open my mouth.

It's Psalm 89, I should have said to Ali.

I don't know why I wrote 78.

I hope that's okay, Ali.

That's good.

Psalm 89, it's at verse 15.

When I had turned to Psalm 78,

I was looking at it thinking,

why on earth did I choose that Psalm?

It's not what I was wanting us to sing.

So Psalm 89, it's on page 345.

It's in the Scottish Psalter.

Psalm 89.

And we're singing from verse 15

down to the verse marked 18.

And the reason we're going to sing Psalm 89

is because it reminds us that as a people,

we are a blessed people.

Not only blessed, we are greatly blessed.

That's what the psalmist reminds us in verse 15.

O greatly blessed the people are,

the joyful sound that know.

In brightness of thy face, O Lord,

they ever on shall go.

They in thy name shall all the day rejoice exceedingly.

And in thy righteousness shall they,

exalted, be on high.

So we'll sing Psalm 89 from verse 15

down to the verse marked 18.

And we'll stand to sing, if you're able,

to God's praise.

Amen.

O greatly blessed the people are,

the joyful sound that know,

and brightness of thy face, O Lord,

they ever on shall go.

They in thy name shall all the day rejoice exceedingly.

And in thy righteousness shall they,

and in thy righteousness shall they,

exalted be on high.

because the glory of their strength,

doth only stand in thee.

and in thy faith shall our horn,

and power exalted be.

for God is our own.

For God is our own.

He begs and thee,

to us doth safety bring.

The holy one of Israel,

is our almighty King.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, if we could, this evening,

with the Lord's help and the Lord's enabling,

if we could turn back to that portion of scripture that we read,

Paul's letter to the Ephesians,

and chapter 1.

Ephesians chapter 1.

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

And if we read again in verse 3.

Actually, we'll just read from the beginning.

Where Paul 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.

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.

And so on.

If I were to ask you this evening,

how are you?

How would you answer?

Would you slap on a smile

and give the generic answer

that we almost always give to almost everyone?

Would you just say,

I'm fine, Murdo?

Not bad, Murdo?

But you know, more often than not,

the truth is we're not fine

because we're all struggling in some way.

We're all struggling with sin

or with sickness

or with stress

or with stress

or sorrow

or separation.

We're not fine

because we're all broken people

living broken lives

in this broken world.

But even though we're broken people,

Paul reminds us that,

as believers,

we are blessed people.

We're blessed people.

You know,

when I was studying in the Free Church College,

which wasn't yesterday,

I was there with a private student

and every time I saw this private student

and I asked him the question

I've just asked all of you,

I would ask him,

how are you?

And he would say it to me

in his strong Glaswegian accent,

and I'm not going to try his Glaswegian accent,

he would say,

Murdo, my friend,

I'm blessed.

Murdo, my friend,

I'm blessed.

Because you know,

despite his struggles,

and he had many of them,

he was sure of who he was

in Christ.

And that as a child of God,

he had received,

as Paul writes,

he had received

every spiritual blessing

in heavenly places

in Christ.

And that's where Paul begins

his letter to the Ephesians,

because Paul wants to remind us

and reassure us this evening

of how we are tonight

as believers.

So that when someone asks you,

how are you?

You're not to give the generic answer

that you always give.

Paul tells us that we are

to respond and say,

I'm blessed.

I'm blessed with every

spiritual blessing

in heavenly places

in Christ.

And that's what I want us

to see this evening

from this passage

as we consider three things.

We consider, first of all,

all the believers,

then all the blessings,

and then all the benefits.

So there are three headings,

all the believers,

all the blessings,

and all the benefits.

So first of all,

all the believers,

we see that in verses 1 and 2.

Paul writes there, he says,

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.

You know, the word Ephesus

means desirable,

because the ancient city of Ephesus

was a desirable place to live.

Ephesus was this wealthy seaport city

situated along the southwest coast

of what is now modern-day Turkey.

And as a seaport city,

the city of Ephesus

that had built up its reputation

as this key trade route

along the Aegean Sea,

so much so that Ephesus

became this important

and influential city

within the Roman Empire.

Sadly, Ephesus was also known

for its idolatry.

They had built a temple

double the size of any other temple

around them

to this Greek goddess Diana,

making it what's been known

as one of the seven wonders

of the ancient world.

It was also known for its immorality

because as an idolatrous city,

that often meant two things.

It meant temple priests

and also temple prostitutes,

making Ephesus nothing more

than what it was, sin city.

And yet around 54 AD,

it was into that dark context

and culture of idolatry

and immorality

that the Lord directed Paul

to plant a church

and to place a lampstand

in this what was a cosmopolitan

and even a commercial seaport city

of Ephesus.

And Paul remained there.

He stayed there for about

two to three years

where he challenged

and confronted their idolatry

and all their immorality.

And by God's grace,

many of the Ephesians,

they turned away

from their idolatry,

they left their immorality,

and they began worshipping

the living and through God.

In fact, the gospel

had such an impact

and such an influence

upon the church in Ephesus

that they became

this church that was a light.

They were a church

that was a light in darkness.

And for that reason,

Paul's letter to the Ephesians,

in many ways,

it's a unique letter

because it's a letter

unlike many of his other letters.

As you know,

in all of his other letters,

Paul is addressing

and dealing with division

or heresy

or false teaching

or counterfeit Christianity.

But in the letters

of the Ephesians,

Paul doesn't deal

with any of those problems

because as a church,

this church,

as we said,

was a light.

But the Ephesians,

they just seemed to be

faithfully plowing away

in their furrow.

The Ephesians were faithfully

plowing away

in their furrow.

And yet Paul writes to them

because as a seasoned pastor

and preacher of the gospel,

Paul always knew

that when things are going well,

there's always this temptation

to lose focus

and to forget the Lord.

That's why he encourages

and even exhorts the Ephesians

throughout this entire letter.

And you know,

it's actually a beautiful letter.

It's a letter that's split

and you could see

it's separated into two halves.

It's a game of two halves,

the letter to the Ephesians.

Because chapters 1 to 3,

Paul is teaching.

Chapters 4 to 6,

Paul is telling.

Chapters 1 to 3

are full of information.

Chapters 4 to 6,

full of application.

Chapters 1 to 3

are full of indicatives.

4 to 6 are full of imperatives.

Chapters 1 to 3

are full of encouragements.

And chapters 4 to 6

are full of exhortations.

Because Paul,

he encourages here

all the believers at Ephesus

and us here this evening.

And he does so by reminding us

about all the blessings

and all the benefits

of salvation in chapter 1.

He tells us that we're saved

by grace alone,

through faith alone,

in Christ alone,

in chapter 2.

He tells us all about

the length and the breadth

and the depth

and the height of God's love

that has been displayed

and demonstrated towards us

in Jesus Christ.

He does that in chapter 3.

So chapters 1 to 3,

they're full of encouragements

for the Christian.

And then chapters 4 to 6,

they're full of exhortations

to the Christian.

Because as Christians,

Paul tells us in chapter 4,

that we are to walk worthy

of the calling

to which we have been called.

In chapter 5,

he tells us

that we are to live our lives

as children of God,

imitating our Heavenly Father.

And in chapter 6,

he tells us

that we're to stand firm

against the wiles of the devil

by wearing the whole armor of God.

You know,

Paul's letter to the Ephesians,

it's a beautiful letter

full of encouragement,

full of exhortation.

But as you know tonight,

as Christians who are struggling,

we need encouragement.

We seek encouragement this evening,

even as we prepare

to come to the Lord's table.

Because, you know,

regardless of who we are,

we all need encouragement.

We all need to be reminded

of the great and precious promises

of God's Word.

We all need to be reassured

of the glorious gospel

of Jesus Christ.

And that's what Paul does here.

Right from the outset of his letter,

he seeks to encourage

all the believers

in the city of Ephesus.

And he seeks to encourage

all the believers tonight

in the town of Stornoway.

And he does so by reminding us

and reassuring us

of all the blessings

that we have in Christ.

And that's what we see secondly.

We see all the blessings.

So he talks about,

first of all,

all the believers

and then all the blessings.

All the blessings, secondly.

He says there in verse 3,

Blessed be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us in Christ

with every spiritual blessing

in heavenly places.

You know, when I was in school,

there was one subject

that I hated

and that was English.

I loved maths,

I loved physics,

I loved chemistry,

but I hated English.

And I'm sorry if you're

an English teacher

here tonight.

But the thing is,

I could never get my head around

writing proper paragraphs.

And I could never get my head around

using punctuation.

Because I would write

all these long sentences

with no paragraphs

and little punctuation.

It would just be,

this happened

and then that happened

and then and then

and then and then and then.

And I always got into trouble for it.

Never got good marks

when it came to English.

But you know,

when I come to Ephesians chapter 1,

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

I take comfort.

And I take comfort

because verses 3

down to the verse 14,

they have no paragraphs

and they have no punctuation.

Verses 3 to 14,

it's one long sentence.

In the original language,

it's one long sentence.

Now as you know,

the average length of a sentence

is about 15 to 20 words.

But this sentence,

it's 10 times that.

Because I've counted,

it's 203 words in Greek

and it's 244 words in English.

It's one long sentence.

And of course,

all our Bible,

our modern Bible versions,

they seek to try and tidy up

Paul's sentence

by adding in all the paragraphs

and adding in all the punctuation.

But when Paul penned this,

or these verses originally,

when he penned this sentence

to the Ephesians,

there were no paragraphs.

There was no punctuation.

It was just one long sentence.

In fact,

it's the longest sentence

in the Bible.

But Paul wrote this one long sentence,

not because of his lack of education like me,

but because he was full of excitement.

Paul was full of excitement

about what he's writing.

Because in this long sentence,

Paul is describing

all the blessings

that all believers receive

in and through Jesus Christ.

And that's how he begins this long sentence.

He says there in verse 3,

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.

And you see the emphasis

on the word blessed.

Now this word blessed,

it's a beautiful word.

It's a beautiful word.

And you know,

I often feel that we,

it's a word that we misunderstand

and it's often a word

that is misused by people.

Because the word bless

or blessed

literally means

to kneel.

It literally means to kneel.

And you know,

it's a word that gives to us

this picture,

this,

it portrays to us

this image,

this illustration

of a king.

A king standing up

from his throne.

And before the king

is his subject

or his servant.

And this servant has,

he's adopted

this position

and posture

of kneeling

in submission

and surrender

before his king.

And of course,

for Paul,

the king is obviously

King Jesus.

Because,

as Paul tells us,

he's the king of kings.

He's the Lord of lords.

And when King Jesus,

he describes,

when he stands up

from his throne

and sinners

are in his presence.

He says,

sinners are to assume

and adopt

the position

and posture

of kneeling.

Kneeling in submission

and surrender.

And we are to kneel.

And this is the description

he's given.

We are to kneel

with our head bowed

and our hand outstretched.

And our hand

is to be outstretched

in order to receive

from the hand

of King Jesus

something

that we don't deserve.

That's how we're to come.

That's what blessing is.

Because when our head

is bowed

and our hand

is outstretched

and we're receiving

something

from the gracious

hand of King Jesus,

what we don't deserve,

Jesus graciously,

lovingly,

and mercifully

gives it to us.

He blesses us.

That's what the word

blessing means.

He blesses us.

When we are on our knee

before King Jesus,

blessing comes to us

from his hand.

Blessing only comes,

my friend,

from the hand

of King Jesus.

And this is why

Paul writes

this one long sentence.

Because he's full

of excitement.

He's full of excitement

and he wants

to encourage

all these believers

in Ephesus

and in Stornoway tonight.

He wants to remind them

and reassure them

of all the blessings

that we have graciously

and lovingly

and mercifully received

from the hand

of King Jesus.

He says,

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.

And you know,

I think it's important

that we also stress

the word every.

Not only the word blessed

but the word every.

Because in Paul's words

of excitement

and encouragement

to us as believers,

he says that we've been blessed

with every spiritual blessing

in heavenly places

in Christ.

There is nothing lacking.

It's every spiritual blessing

in heavenly places

in Christ.

And I stress the every

and I think it's important

because you know,

there are many Christians,

not reformed Christians,

I hope,

but there are many Christians

that will tell you

that you're not

a proper Christian

until you have received

the second blessing

and you can speak

in tongues.

And you know,

I'll never forget

Dr. Steve Lawson's answer

when he was asked

by a Pentecostal pastor,

have you received

the second blessing?

Have you received

the second blessing?

And Steve Lawson said,

yes,

and the third blessing,

and the fourth blessing,

and the fifth blessing.

In fact, he said,

I have received,

as Paul tells us,

every spiritual blessing

in heavenly places

in Christ.

My friend,

you know,

all believers,

they receive all the blessings

in and through

Jesus Christ.

And what Paul is encouraging us here,

what Paul is excited

to tell us about tonight

is that there is nothing

lacking in your salvation.

You have received all of it

graciously,

mercifully,

and lovingly

from the hand of King Jesus.

And you know,

in order to emphasize

and even explain

the beauty of this blessing,

Paul repeatedly uses

one of the shortest words

in this long sentence.

It's one of the shortest words

in the longest sentence.

He focuses upon the word blessed,

the word every,

but also the short word

in.

In.

In fact,

he uses the word

in 13 times

in this one long sentence.

And when you read

through the sentence,

and I want you to read

through it,

because this is all

that you have.

This is all that you've received.

When you read

through this sentence,

you see that Paul

repeatedly says

that all believers,

they have graciously,

mercifully,

and lovingly received

all the blessings

from the hand of King Jesus

because they're in Christ.

They're in him.

And they're in the beloved.

We are in Christ.

We're in him.

And we're in the beloved.

And you know,

it's often said

that large doors

swing on small hinges.

And in the Bible,

large theological truths

swing on small words.

And you can't get

much smaller

than the word in.

In Christ.

And with this small word,

Paul is,

he's reminding us,

he's reassuring us

that as a Christian,

as a Christian tonight,

you are blessed.

You're not fine.

You're not okay.

You are blessed,

my friend.

And you're blessed

not because of who you are

or what you've done

or what you've achieved in life.

You are blessed

because you've graciously

and lovingly

and mercifully

received all the blessings

from the hand of King Jesus.

And as we said,

Paul repeatedly uses

this one small word

in the longest sentence

in order to emphasize

the beauty

of our blessing.

And he does this,

you know,

the reason he does that

is because,

you know,

what we often forget

or even fail to remember

is that

when this letter

was written,

it was written

to be read

audibly.

They didn't have Bibles.

They couldn't read.

So when this letter

was written,

it was written

to be read audibly.

It was written

to be read out loud.

And as you know,

when someone is speaking audibly,

repetition is important

in order to make an emphasis.

Repetition is important

in order to make an emphasis.

That's what a preacher does.

That's what Paul does here.

He repeatedly uses

the word in.

And he does so

in order to emphasize

that all the believers

receive all the blessings

because we're in Christ.

We receive all the,

all the believers

receive all the blessings

because we're in Christ.

and that our salvation

is precious

and our salvation

is personal

because we are in Christ.

We have this union

with Christ.

And for Paul,

he stresses the in

because he loves

the doctrine

of union with Christ.

And he writes about it

in almost

all of his letters

because Paul knows

that our union

with Christ,

our being united

to Jesus Christ

is what underlies

every aspect

of our salvation.

And that every

spiritual blessing,

it flows to us

and it follows behind us

because we're in Christ.

We're in Christ.

You know,

one theologian

put it this way

and you know,

I read this quote

a number of years ago.

I don't know who wrote it

but I've never forgotten it

because he said

that union with Christ

is the fountainhead

from which every

spiritual blessing

flows

down to the Christian.

Repentance and faith,

pardon,

justification,

adoption,

sanctification,

perseverance,

and glorification.

It's all ours

because we're

in Christ.

You know,

Paul here,

he's excited.

He wants to encourage us

this evening

because when you're

a Christian,

when you're a Christian,

everything you have

as a Christian

and everything you are

as a Christian

is because you're in Christ.

You're in union

with Christ.

You're united

to Jesus Christ

and you can say tonight

with Solomon,

my beloved is mine

and I am his.

My beloved is mine

and I am his

because I am in Christ.

And here Paul,

he reminds us

and reassures us

that all the believers,

they experience

all the blessings

and they enjoy

all the benefits

because we're

in Christ.

All the believers

experience

all the blessings

and enjoy

all the benefits

because we're

in Christ.

And that's what

I want us to think

about lastly.

All the benefits.

All the benefits.

All the believers,

all the blessings

and all the benefits.

All the benefits.

Look at verse 3 again.

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 through

Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace with which he

has blessed us in the beloved you know in this one long sentence with over 200 words Paul is excited

he wants to encourage by speaking seeking to show us that God the Father has blessed us he has

graciously given us all these gifts through our union with his beloved and his only begotten son

Jesus Christ and when Paul lists all these gracious and glorious gifts that have come from God the

Father he begins where God began because God began with our election

because our election as you know it's all of grace where as Paul writes we were and Peter writes we

were elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father but the truth is God didn't have to choose

any of us in fact there was no reason why he chose any of us there was nothing good in us nothing

gracious about us nothing great that we had done that God would ever choose us and yet he chose us

even as he chose us Paul writes in him he chose us in him before the foundation of the world

that we should be holy and blameless before him and in love he writes he predestined us because our

predestination as well as our election it's all of grace in love he writes verse 5 he predestined us

for adoption through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious

grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved in other words the gracious benefits of our election

our predestination our predestination and our effectual calling they are our adoption into the family of God

our justification before a holy God and our sanctification to be conformed to the image of God

and it's all according to the purpose of his will it's all according to the praise of his glorious grace

because he has blessed us he has blessed us in the beloved but there's more because all the blessings

and all the benefits for all believers Paul says they just keep on flowing towards us he says verse 7

in him we have redemption in him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to

the riches of his grace it's all of grace he says from beginning to end it's all as I was taught in

Sunday school in Melbost a long time ago it's all g-r-a-c-e God's riches at Christ's expense it's all of grace

we've been redeemed not with corruptible things such as silver and gold but by the precious blood of Christ

which verse 8 which he has 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 do you know my friend our perseverance

and our preservation as saints in other words the fact that we are kept it's not our own doing

Paul tells us it's all his doing and it's all according to his purpose which he has set forth in Christ

it's all of grace the fact that we are kept tonight is all of grace you know we have an elder in Barvis and he always says

that the first step after being saved is being kept the first step after being saved is being kept

and that's because we are kept as Peter tells us we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation

but you know for Paul in verse 10 there's an end product there's an end purpose because there's a plan

and this plan that God has put in place for the fullness of time he says in which our glorification in Christ

will see the unification of all things through a new heaven and a new earth he says that in the

father's house are many mansions and in him in him we will obtain our inheritance an inheritance

that is incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away but is reserved in heaven for us and you're in these

verses from verse 3 just down to verse 11 Paul is reminding us Paul is reassuring us tonight as

Christians that our election our predestination our adoption our justification our sanctification our

redemption our redemption our forgiveness our perseverance as saints our glorification and our

eternal inheritance in glory it's all of grace

and we should never forget it it's all of grace because all the blessings and all the benefits

for all believers when we submit and surrender our lives to King Jesus when we come kneeling before him

we are given and gifted every spiritual blessing from the gracious merciful and loving hand of this

wonderful king and you know you'd think that Paul would stop there and put a full stop in you'd think

that he'd draw a breath or put in a semicolon especially once he'd reached out heavenly inheritance

but Paul is excited Paul wants to encourage Paul wants to remind us he wants to reassure us of all these

glorious and and great gifts and he wants to tell us that they all come to us with a guarantee

not a one-year guarantee not a three-year or even a 10-year guarantee but this eternal guarantee

because verse 13 in him in union with him when we are united to him he says in him you also when you

heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and believed in him you 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

my friend the holy spirit is your guarantee a guarantee of all these glorious gifts and graces which you have

graciously mercifully and lovingly received from the hand of King Jesus they're all yours

they're all yours tonight and they're all yours for the whole of time until you draw your last breath

and they're all yours for all eternity because you have been blessed in every with every spiritual blessing

in heavenly places in Christ it's all yours what an encouragement you know when we consider Paul's

encouragement that all the believers experience all the blessings and enjoy all these benefits because

we're in Christ we're in union with Christ you know it's no one no wonder Paul concluded his words of

encouragement at the end of chapter 3 with that beautiful benediction there even at verse 20

he's encouraged the believers he's reminded them of every spiritual blessing that's theirs he's reminded

them that they're saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone he's reminded them that they are

loved absolutely loved the length and breadth and depth and height of God's love has been revealed and

demonstrated to them in Christ and what does he say he gives this beautiful benediction now unto him

who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all more than we could ask or even think according to the

power there is at work in us unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end

amen

what blessings we have received my friend what benefits we enjoy all because we are believers

we are believers in the church by God's grace and God's goodness and so if on the way out of church tonight

someone asks you

how are you

what are you going to tell them

are you going to say I'm fine

I'm not bad

no no my friend

you're going to tell them the truth

of who you are in Christ

you're going to say I'm blessed

my life not me might not be the way I wanted it to turn out

I've gone through providences that I never expected

but still I'm blessed

I'm blessed with every spiritual blessing

in heavenly places

in Christ

I'm blessed

and if that's your testimony my friend

and you've never sat at the Lord's table

then that's where you should be sitting

this coming Lord's day

may the Lord bless these thoughts to us

let us pray

our Father in heaven

we bow in thy presence

realizing that everything we have

and everything we are

is in and through thy Son

the Lord Jesus

and help us we pray

not only to see the blessings

but to see the benefactor

to see the one who bestows every blessing upon us

that we might keep looking to him

and keep lifting our eyes towards him

that as we kneel before him in worship

as we adore him day by day

and as we walk with him through every providence in life

help us Lord to know that we still have

every blessing

they are ours for time and for eternity

encourage us we pray

lift us up we ask

lift us up Lord to see more and more of Jesus

and to see less and less of self

help us Lord to see his glory

that we might see the glory as of the only begotten of the Father

full of grace and truth

hear us then we pray

part us with thy blessing we ask

for we ask it in Jesus name

and for his sake

Amen

we're going to bring our service to a conclusion this evening

we're going to sing the words of Psalm 133

Psalm 133

it's in the Sing Psalms version on page 175

Psalm 133

Psalm 133 page 175

we're singing the whole psalm

Psalm 133

it's a psalm that I'm sure we're familiar with

but it's a psalm that asks the question

how does the blessing come?

how does blessing come?

and it comes when God's people

come together in unity

and seek to live

for God's glory

they live

as they should

that's how the blessing comes

that's what the psalmist tells us

how excellent a thing it is

how pleasant

and how good

when brothers dwell in unity

and live as brothers should

for it is like the precious oil

poured out on Aaron's head

that running over down his beard

upon his collar spread

like Herman's dew

and Herman's dew was like rain

wasn't dew that we get

it poured like rain

that's what he wants

he wants God's blessing

God's outpouring

like Herman's dew upon the hill

of Zion it descends

the Lord bestows his blessing there

the life

that never ends

we'll sing the whole psalm

and we'll stand to sing if you're able

to God's praise

how excellent a thing it is

how pleasant and how good

how pleasant and how good

when brothers dwell

when brothers dwell

in unity

and live as brothers should

and live as brothers should

and live as brothers should

and live as brothers should

for it is like the precious oil

poured out on Aaron's head

poured out on Aaron's head

that running over down his beard

upon his collar spread

upon his collar spread

upon his collar spread

upon his collar spread

like Herman's dew upon the hill

of Zion it descends

of Zion it descends

the Lord bestows his blessing there

the life that never ends

the life that never ends

the life that never ends

the life that never ends

the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ

the love of God the Father

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

be with you all

now and forevermore

Amen

Amen

Amen