Our Spiritual BlessingsOur Spiritual Blessings

Ephesians 1:3-14Ephesians 1:3-14

The Lord’s SupperThe Lord’s Supper

• Come to the Lord's table Come to the Lord's table – Celebrate the remembrance of His Celebrate the remembrance of His

death for us death for us – Focus on our salvationFocus on our salvation– Praise God that He has saved us Praise God that He has saved us

• Our salvation is fully the work of Our salvation is fully the work of God God

– It has been given to us – a gift It has been given to us – a gift – All the glory belongs to Him All the glory belongs to Him

One SentenceOne Sentence

• One of the greatest passages of ScriptureOne of the greatest passages of Scripture– God’s eternal plan for the worldGod’s eternal plan for the world– The great blessings of God poured out on those The great blessings of God poured out on those

who trust His Son Jesus Christ as their Saviorwho trust His Son Jesus Christ as their Savior• Verses 3-14 - all one sentenceVerses 3-14 - all one sentence

– Highly structuredHighly structured– Three distinct sectionsThree distinct sections

• the first addressing God the Fatherthe first addressing God the Father• the second God the Sonthe second God the Son• the third God the Holy Spiritthe third God the Holy Spirit

– Each section ends with the phrase Each section ends with the phrase “to the “to the praise of His glory”praise of His glory”

• vs. 6, 12, and 14vs. 6, 12, and 14

The One Who Blesses (v. The One Who Blesses (v. 3)3)

• God, the Father of Our Lord Jesus ChristGod, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ– God receives all the praise in salvationGod receives all the praise in salvation

• God is totally sovereign and all blessings come from HimGod is totally sovereign and all blessings come from Him• This is really Who and what this passage is all about!This is really Who and what this passage is all about!

– God has brought about salvation by His own will, God has brought about salvation by His own will, purpose, and designpurpose, and design

• Salvation does not result from anyone's will or meritSalvation does not result from anyone's will or merit

– The verb translated "He chose" is reflexive = "to The verb translated "He chose" is reflexive = "to pick for oneself" pick for oneself"

• God chose us for His own sake -- for Himself personallyGod chose us for His own sake -- for Himself personally• His choice of the saved was made before the world beganHis choice of the saved was made before the world began

The Description of His The Description of His BlessingsBlessings

• Every spiritual blessingEvery spiritual blessing– God’s best blessings are spiritual, not material blessingsGod’s best blessings are spiritual, not material blessings– Spiritual blessings are vastly superior to material Spiritual blessings are vastly superior to material

blessingsblessings• In heavenly placesIn heavenly places

– They are the They are the blessings of the inner manblessings of the inner man– They are They are permanent and perfect and eternalpermanent and perfect and eternal, lasting , lasting

foreverforever• In Christ In Christ

– Spiritual blessings are found only Spiritual blessings are found only in Christin Christ– He is in heaven and all heavenly blessings are HisHe is in heaven and all heavenly blessings are His– He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and all blessings are He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and all blessings are

in Himin Him– If a person is to experience the spiritual blessings, he If a person is to experience the spiritual blessings, he

must be must be in Christin Christ– To be To be in Christin Christ means to believe in God’s Son means to believe in God’s Son

Our Spiritual Blessings Our Spiritual Blessings vv. 4-14vv. 4-14

• He chose us - v. 4He chose us - v. 4– In ChristIn Christ

• Our only hope of ever living with God is to Our only hope of ever living with God is to believe in believe in Jesus ChristJesus Christ

– That we should be Holy and without blame before That we should be Holy and without blame before Him in loveHim in love

• ““holy” = to be set apart and consecrated to Godholy” = to be set apart and consecrated to God– Same word that is used for “saint” in Ephesians 1:1Same word that is used for “saint” in Ephesians 1:1

• ““blameless” = to be free from sin, dirt, and filth; to be blameless” = to be free from sin, dirt, and filth; to be above reproachabove reproach

– Before the foundation of the worldBefore the foundation of the world• God determined before the world was ever created that God determined before the world was ever created that

He would have a people...He would have a people...– who would be “in Him,” that is, in His Son, Jesus Christwho would be “in Him,” that is, in His Son, Jesus Christ– who would be “holy and without blame”who would be “holy and without blame”– who would live “before Him in love”—forever and everwho would live “before Him in love”—forever and ever

He predestined us to adoption He predestined us to adoption as sons - vv. 5-6as sons - vv. 5-6

• The dimensions of our adoptionThe dimensions of our adoption– By Jesus ChristBy Jesus Christ– To HimselfTo Himself– According to the good pleasure of His willAccording to the good pleasure of His will– To the praise of the glory of His graceTo the praise of the glory of His grace– By which He made us accepted in the BelovedBy which He made us accepted in the Beloved

• Consider how sinful and depraved we are and how Consider how sinful and depraved we are and how much we have cursed, rebelled, and rejected Godmuch we have cursed, rebelled, and rejected God

– ““predestination” (predestination” (proorisasproorisas) = to appoint before, to ) = to appoint before, to foreordainforeordain

– The root Greek word (The root Greek word (proorizoproorizo) = to mark off the ) = to mark off the boundariesboundaries

• What God has done for the believer: What God has done for the believer: – Marked off the boundary of being adopted as a child of Marked off the boundary of being adopted as a child of

God!God!– The believer’s eternal destiny is determinedThe believer’s eternal destiny is determined

He redeemed us He redeemed us v. 7av. 7a

• Through His bloodThrough His blood• In HimIn Him

– ““redemption” (redemption” (apolutrosinapolutrosin) = setting a ) = setting a man free by paying a ransomman free by paying a ransom

– God Himself has paid the ransom for God Himself has paid the ransom for our release through the blood of Jesus our release through the blood of Jesus ChristChrist

– Why? - because of the riches of His Why? - because of the riches of His grace!grace!

He forgave us He forgave us v. 7b-8v. 7b-8

• According to the riches of His graceAccording to the riches of His grace• Abounds toward us in all wisdom Abounds toward us in all wisdom

and prudenceand prudence– ““wisdom” (wisdom” (sophiasophia) = seeing and ) = seeing and

knowing the truthknowing the truth– ““prudence” (prudence” (phroneseiphronesei) = seeing how ) = seeing how

to use and do the truthto use and do the truth• It is seeing the direction to takeIt is seeing the direction to take• It is understanding, insight, the ability to It is understanding, insight, the ability to

solve day to day problemssolve day to day problems

He made known to us the mystery of He made known to us the mystery of

His willHis will vv. 9-10vv. 9-10

• The key thought and great theme of Ephesians The key thought and great theme of Ephesians – In the Bible a mystery is not something mysterious and In the Bible a mystery is not something mysterious and

difficult to understanddifficult to understand• It is a truth that has been locked up in God’s plan for ages until It is a truth that has been locked up in God’s plan for ages until

He was ready to reveal itHe was ready to reveal it

• The mystery of God’s willThe mystery of God’s will– God is to gather together and unify all things in Christ JesusGod is to gather together and unify all things in Christ Jesus– All things are to be brought under the authority and All things are to be brought under the authority and

glorification of Jesus Christglorification of Jesus Christ

• God has an eternal purpose and plan for the worldGod has an eternal purpose and plan for the world– It is His pleasure to bring it aboutIt is His pleasure to bring it about– What He does is all goodWhat He does is all good– A new and perfect and eternal creation will be established A new and perfect and eternal creation will be established

for the Lord and His followersfor the Lord and His followers

He gave us an inheritance He gave us an inheritance vv. 11-12vv. 11-12

• God has given us an inheritance God has given us an inheritance – ““inheritance” (inheritance” (eklerothemeneklerothemen) = ) = heritageheritage– God takes the believer and makes him His own God takes the believer and makes him His own

heritageheritage– The believer himself is made the inheritance of The believer himself is made the inheritance of

God God – Ephesians 1:17-18Ephesians 1:17-18

• Predestined according to the purpose of His Predestined according to the purpose of His willwill

• To the praise of His gloryTo the praise of His glory– We will live forever in the new heaven and earth We will live forever in the new heaven and earth

as the perfect demonstration of His gloryas the perfect demonstration of His glory

He sealed us He sealed us vv. 13-14vv. 13-14

• God has sealed us with the Holy SpiritGod has sealed us with the Holy Spirit– ““earnest” (earnest” (arrabonarrabon) = pledge, guarantee, a ) = pledge, guarantee, a

down payment down payment – The Holy Spirit is given to the believer as The Holy Spirit is given to the believer as

perfect assurance of his salvationperfect assurance of his salvation

• How does a person receive the How does a person receive the inheritance? inheritance?

– By hearing the Word of GodBy hearing the Word of God• A person has to hear the Word of God before he can A person has to hear the Word of God before he can

ever know the truth, the glorious gospel of salvationever know the truth, the glorious gospel of salvation

– By believing and trusting in Jesus ChristBy believing and trusting in Jesus Christ

• We know that we are redeemed by the We know that we are redeemed by the Holy Spirit who lives within usHoly Spirit who lives within us

Why Does God Bless Us?Why Does God Bless Us?

• To the Praise of His Glory To the Praise of His Glory – 3 Times!3 Times!– Only God deserves credit for our Only God deserves credit for our

salvationsalvation• His bloodHis blood• His graceHis grace• His purposeHis purpose• His willHis will• His good pleasureHis good pleasure• His gloryHis glory

Why Does God Bless Us?Why Does God Bless Us?• Jesus said that all who don't believe in God's Jesus said that all who don't believe in God's

Son are condemned already - John 3:18Son are condemned already - John 3:18– God in His sovereign grace has chosen to save those God in His sovereign grace has chosen to save those

who are saved - Romans 9:8-13who are saved - Romans 9:8-13– A humbling truthA humbling truth– Why did God choose us and not others? Why did God choose us and not others? – Not because we deserve salvation but to Not because we deserve salvation but to

demonstrate "the riches of His glory" - Romans 9:14-demonstrate "the riches of His glory" - Romans 9:14-2323

• God’s sovereign election does not eliminate God’s sovereign election does not eliminate man’s choice in faith man’s choice in faith

– God’s sovereignty and human response are integral God’s sovereignty and human response are integral and inseparable parts of salvationand inseparable parts of salvation

– Exactly how they operate together only the infinite Exactly how they operate together only the infinite mind of God knowsmind of God knows

Why Does God Bless Us?Why Does God Bless Us?

• God saved us by His own free will, yet from our God saved us by His own free will, yet from our perspective we do two things: perspective we do two things:

– we hope in Christ - v. 12we hope in Christ - v. 12

– we believe in Him - v. 13we believe in Him - v. 13

• That too is to God's own praise and glory - v. 12That too is to God's own praise and glory - v. 12– God gives us the power to hope in ChristGod gives us the power to hope in Christ

– Our faith is a gift from Him - Ephesians 2:8-9Our faith is a gift from Him - Ephesians 2:8-9

– He opens our ears to hear the message of truth, and He opens our ears to hear the message of truth, and enables us to believe enables us to believe

– The entire process of salvation is powered by the Holy The entire process of salvation is powered by the Holy Spirit, without whom no one could ever hope or believeSpirit, without whom no one could ever hope or believe

Why Does God Bless Us?Why Does God Bless Us?

• To the Praise of His GloryTo the Praise of His Glory• Because we are “In Christ”Because we are “In Christ”

– This phrase qualifies the blessings of GodThis phrase qualifies the blessings of God– ““in Christ” - a key theme in the passage in Christ” - a key theme in the passage

• Occurs 11 times in the sentence! Occurs 11 times in the sentence! – Drives the point home Drives the point home

• It is only in Christ that we experience the It is only in Christ that we experience the blessings of Godblessings of God

• There is no other way to the Father but There is no other way to the Father but through His Son, Jesus Christ!through His Son, Jesus Christ!

““More to Follow”More to Follow” Charles Haddon SpurgeonCharles Haddon Spurgeon

• Every blessing that comes from God is sent with Every blessing that comes from God is sent with the same message the same message "And more to follow""And more to follow"

– "I forgive you your sins, but there’s more to follow" "I forgive you your sins, but there’s more to follow" – "I justify you in the righteousness of Christ, but there’s "I justify you in the righteousness of Christ, but there’s

more to follow" more to follow" – "I adopt you into my family, but there’s more to follow" "I adopt you into my family, but there’s more to follow" – "I educated you for heaven, but there’s more to follow" "I educated you for heaven, but there’s more to follow" – "I give you grace upon grace, but there’s more to "I give you grace upon grace, but there’s more to

follow" follow" – "I have helped you even to old age, but there’s still "I have helped you even to old age, but there’s still

more to follow" more to follow" – "I will uphold you in the hour of death, and as you are "I will uphold you in the hour of death, and as you are

passing into the world of spirits, my mercy shall still passing into the world of spirits, my mercy shall still continue with you, and when you land in the world to continue with you, and when you land in the world to come there shall still be come there shall still be “more to follow”“more to follow”

Our only proper Our only proper responseresponse

Ephesians 1:3Ephesians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christheavenly places in Christ