God At Work Series

God At Work

Rev. Erick J. Adams

Kiel Alliance Church

April 3, 2005

Ephesians 1:1-14

1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

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

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,

6. to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

7. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, 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, 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 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,

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.

Simple Facts

* Ephesians is a book of blessings which are ours IN CHRIST.

* From Ephesians we will learn how the body of Christ functions

* From Ephesians we will learn practical lessons on how to live life.

* From Ephesians we will learn profound truths about marriage and parenting.

* From Ephesians we will learn how to stand in the midst of spiritual attack.

* Letter was written around AD 61.

* Written by Paul during first imprisonment.

* Authored by GOD.

* Circular Letter.

* Written to Christians.

What To Learn From An Intro?

* Paul’s Credentials.

– “An apostle…by the will of God”

– An apostle was one sent with a message.

– When we read Paul we are reading an authorized spokesman for the Lord Jesus.

– You can not say “I don’t agree with Pail.”

* “By the will of God”

– He did not claim his great learning, his status or his birthright.

– He just claimed the “Will of God.”

* “Saints who are faithful in Christ Jesus.”

– SAINTS

– NT Saints are just like us, the only difference is that a NT saint handles life differently.

Grace & Peace

Grace = God at work in our life!

Peace = A sense of security and trust!

Thesis:

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, 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, (V 3)

Four Elements Of Paul’s Thinking

God is Behind All

* The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is behind all these blessings.

* Paul’s starting point is GOD.

* We tend to only see what we are going through by our own vision not through the eyes of God.

The Praise Of God’s Glory

* God’s aim is to bring a world, a universe filled with blessing.

– He wants us to be so enamored with what HE has done that are hearts cannot help but give glory to HIM.

– Paul list seven things that should make us jump for joy.

* God had a plan from the beginning. (4)

* We are members of the family. (5-6)

* Our Guilt is removed. (7-8)

* We know some of the details. (9-10)

* Appointed us for demonstration. (11-12)

* We have truth. (13a)

* We are sealed by HIS Spirit. (14)

In Christ

* All of this comes to us “In Christ.”

* In the person and work of Christ.

* Christ is central, He is the key.

* “In Him & Through Him.”

* Our cry needs to be “Just Give Me Jesus.”