Ephesians 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints (not sinners) who are at Ephesus (Turkey) and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (showing His divinity)

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

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, (Calvin vs. Arminius, freewill)

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (Michael W. Smith song)

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood (which cleans us; kind of like a respectful coupon)

the forgiveness of our trespasses (sins of commission and omission), according to the riches of His grace

8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight

9 He made known to us the mystery of His will,

Sometimes it is challenging finding out what it is. I’ve told you how I knock on doors and see what opens.

according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him

10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him

11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after (according to) the counsel of His will,

12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Have you been sealed yet? If not, ask for it at the end of the service.

Verse 2 shows the first 2 persons of the Trinity, this one shows the 3rd. I was at a Denver Seminary doctoral class in Marriage and Family Counseling, and I was reminded it’s good to emphasize Jesus / the Holy Spirit if someone has natural father issues, which may influence their view of the Father (heart) of God.)

14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. (3rd time)

15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints (sinners),

Have others heard of our faith and our love for all?

16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;

Are we giving thanks and are we mentioning others in our prayers? Family, friends, enemies, etc.?

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

This is similar to the gifts I taught on in 1 Corinthians 12.

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.

so that you will know what is the hope of His calling,

Do we have hope? Do we give hope?

what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, (sinners)

19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might

20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, Why the right hand?

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

This is a hint of my message for Ephesians 6. Strong’s Concordance:

Rule - Arche - beginning, origin the person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause the extremity of a thing of the corners of a sail the first place, principality, rule, magistracy of angels and demons

Authority - exousia - power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases leave or permission physical and mental power the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege) the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed) universally authority over mankind specifically the power of judicial decisions of authority to manage domestic affairs metonymically a thing subject to authority or rule 4c jurisdiction one who possesses authority 4c a ruler, a human magistrate 4c the leading and more powerful among created beings superior to man, spiritual potentates a sign of the husband's authority over his wife the veil with which propriety required a women to cover herself the sign of regal authority, a crown