Ephesians 1:1-3

Greatly Blessed

 

INTRO: Several years ago the LA. Times reported the story of an elderly man and his wife who were found dead in their apartment

A.)     Autopsies revealed that both had died of severe malnutrition, although investigators found a total of $40,000 dollars in paper bags in closet

 

B.)     How tragic - they had a source of wealth that they didn't use - and consequently died - because of it!  Malnourished!

 

 

For many years Hetty Green was called America's greatest miser. When she died in 1916 she left an estate valued at $100 mill. that was an incredible amount of money in 1916

 

A.)     Despite her vast fortune - she ate cold oatmeal, in order to save the expense of heating the water

 

B.)     When her son had a severe leg injury, she took so long in trying to find a free clinic to treat him that his leg ... amputated

            1.)      Because of advanced infection

 

C.)     She was wealthy but chose to live like a pauper!

 

 

The thing I find interesting about Hetty Green and the elderly couple, is I think they are a GOOD illustration of  many Christians!

A.)They have been radically blessed - yet they live like spiritual paupers!

 

B) They struggle thru life & their walks because they are not appropriating the spiritual wealth – supplied IN CHRIST

 

 

Just like the elderly couple Some believers are in danger of suffering from spiritual malnutrition,

A) Because they do not take advantage of the great storehouse of spiritual nourishment and resources at their disposal.

 

B.)     Ephesians has been given such titles as the believers bank account , the                 Christians check book, and treasure house of the bible

     

C) This beautiful letter tells us of our great riches, inheritances, & the fullness in Jesus Christ and His church

 

D) This is a book that will help cure us of the tendency to lean upon our own strength / instead of appropriating our God given – Resources

 

Divided into 3 sections / Sit 1-3 / Walk 4-6:9 /  Stand 6:10

or wealth1-3  / walk 4-6:9  / warfare 6:10

 

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

A) Note – Apostle = One who was sent !!! –Ambassador Note 2 things about Paul’s apostleship

 

B) 1st – By the Will of God – Not His own doing – CALLING { Ministry

 

C) 2nd Apostle of Jesus Christ – Paul wasn’t doing his own thing

      1) Ambassador of Jesus – representative of Christ

 

“God did not save you to be a sensation; He saved you to be a servant”.

 

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

 

D)This letter was written about A. D. 61 from Rome during Paul's first imprisonment there.

1) It was written to the Christians in the Roman province of Asia. These were ordinary people Many of them were slaves/ doctors/ lawyers

                       General run of people

Paul calls them SAINTS – Holier than though / Perfect / religious

A.)     Saints - set apart ones/ Light shines thru

 

B) They were faithful in their Love for Christ

 

2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Why this Greeting over & over ?

A) Grace and Peace:  S. twins / Been said that  Grace - Charis - Grk - way of greeting;  Peace = Shalom, Hebrew way of greeting!  Paul covering basis

 

B) Some truth to that!  But Paul started almost every letter this way -  Why?   

      1) Holy spirit inspiration – Deeper reason

 

Been called The 2 great heritages of the Christian are grace & peace. A)These are two things you can always have, no matter what your circumstances.

 

B) Grace is all God's power, all his love, all his beauty, available to you.

    G.R.A.C.E.

1)       It is a marvelous term which wraps up all that God is and offers to us.

 

C) It comes from the same Greek word from which we get our English word charm. Grace is charming, lovely, pleasant.

  1)It is something which pleases, which imparts charm & loveliness to a life.

 

 

D) Grace is who God is!  Peace is the result of knowing Him

      1)   Peace is Rest!!! -  Rest of Knowing that I am right w/ God – that I am

         in God !!!      Peace is freedom from anxiety, fear and worry. –

 

E) SO Grace & Peace ……….

 

 

 

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

A.)     Paul Starts like a Conductor of a Symphony – Boom !!-3Blessed be our God and Father/ Praise be to God!  Paul excited about the Lord?

           

B.) Paul was a worshipper Knowing God was His passion!  Serving God was his life - only       because he discovered how great God is!  Recipient of Grace!

  1) Romans debtor

   2) Love of Christ compelled Him

 

C) Paul lived with a Passion for Worship because his life had been so affected by the Grace of God !!!!

 

Paul was a worshipper because He understood the magnitude of the Blessings that were his Because of Christ – note who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

A) Paul tells us 3 things here about these Blessing – 1st they are Present tense – has blessed us

 

B) 2nd they are Spiritual blessings that originate in Heaven - Every Spiritual blessing in the heavenly places

 

C) 3rd They are made available to us – In Christ –

1) Awesome Concept – Saved – Jesus doesn’t just come to live in us – But we are placed in Him

 

Now we are going to spend some time on Sundays looking at what Paul says here in Eph. About our Position in Christ – 12 or so  Statements

A) Tonight briefly breeze over some of these blessings – that are ours

 

B) V.4 Chosen: God Chose you to be His very own {  Team sports – picking { great feeling – I want that guy on my team

1) Horrible feeling to be the last one picked – Well we will take him..have to

 

C) Listen God Choose you to be on His team – because He wanted YOU!

1) He wanted you to be w/ Him – Decided it before He even made the world

 

Next V.5 Didn’t just Choose you – but He adopted you to be His Son / His Daughter –

5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

 

A) Friends who have adopted – They want this Child – love this Child

 

B) God didn’t Choose us & Adopt us to be a slaves / helpers / maids

1) Chosen to be a Son / daughter – Family –  Saw all our imperfections and Chose us anyway

 

Next V6 Made you accepted in that Family by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

A) Not 2nd Class –  { Divorce situations w/ adoption : Not the case here – not 2nd class – But Welcome

 

B) We see a wonderful Picture of this in 2 Sam 9 – David w/ Meph

1) Jonathan’s Son – David assumed throne – Lame { No use to David

Couldn’t fight Serve

 

C)  David said : He is accepted into our Family – eat at my David like one of my sons – Eating = Oneness –

1) All because of Jonathan – David Loved Meph – but it was because of His love for Jonathan

 

E) God loves us – Chosen us / Adopted us / Accepted us – Because we are in Christ –

 

 

 

 

 

But He did more for us than what David Did for Meph v.7 Redeemed us

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood

A) Bought out of the Slave pool of Sin –

 

B) And He has v.7 forgiven us - the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

 

C) Given to us Divine Revelation: v.9,10 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

 

We have been given insight into the Plan of God – Redemption

A) Unite Jews & Gentiles – one in Christ – Create a Body – Purpose for us in this world { Create a team that would reach the world

 

B) His plan for us beyond this world : V.11 –11In Him also we have obtained an inheritance

1) Something to look forward to

 

C) V.13 – Placed His Seal on us { His HS in our hearts } Seal stood for Possession – We belong to Him – but also Protection

1) Didn’t mess w/ something that belong to the King

 

D) We are Protected – anything that comes into our lives comes only as God the Father allows it – to Strengthen us & test us equip us

 

Not only that – But He also empowers us { Paul’s Prayer

V.19 Know what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

 

A) David couldn’t put life or power back into Meph feet – He was blessed but he remained lame

 

B) We were lame because of sin – God not only forgave our sin – but he took away our lameness – gave us power – to walk

1) Not just walk but run

    2) Not just run but Serve fight – Live in Victory

 

C) Get the picture { We are the recipients of Great blessings !!!!

 

Stop there: Continues into Ch. 2&3