Intro: Have you ever thought that if we are only a simple chance combination of molecules that life is without plan or purpose?
There are actually people in the world that believe we happened here by chance. I like use this illustration to tell them different. Take all the pieces of a car throw them in a shed and shake it up what do you get? Well all the parts of a car shaken up in a shed of course.
Paul is not using such a simple argument in Ephesians Ch. 1. However he does believe that God has a plan and a purpose for all of our lives.
As I studied through the book of Ephesians I saw Paul’s natural breakdown. Chapter 1-3 he tells the doctrinal (what we should know). Chapters 4-6 he tells the practical (what we should do).
We could see it as The benefits of Being in God’s family, and the Boundaries of Being in God’s family.
This morning we begin with the Benefits.
I. Recognize God’s undeniable plan
Ephesians 1 “by the will of God”
The apostle Paul realized that God had a plan and a purpose for his life. Life is not an accident. We are not merely an accidental combination of molecules adrift in the sea of life. God has a plan and a purpose for all of us.
Where God wants you, what God wants you, that is God’s will. God’s perfect plan for man is for all of us to be a “saint.”
According to Dr Adrian Rogers there are two types of people in the world there are saints and there are aints.
Paul is talking to saints in His letter to the Ephesians.
A) His Selection
1.1 “to the saints”
1.4 “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.”
Somehow the wrong idea has come about that saints are Christians who lived extraordinary lives of faith. After their death they are exalted to sainthood.
Here we see Paul is writing to the saints. The word merely means “the set apart one.”
It speaks of you new position with God. It not because of what you do but because of what He did. It is who you are not what you do.
1) An Eternal People
God chose before creation to have a people for Himself – It is known as the doctrine of election. (Wise old pastor said God voted for my salvation, devil voted for my damnation I voted with God and got the majority)
2) A Worldly Purpose
“In Christ” 11 times used in Ephesians
(I said you are a saint because of who you are, well who you are should affect what you do!!!)
a) Stand with Christ—Chosen before the foundation of the world
b) Stand for Chirst -- Ephesians 5.1 “Therefore be imitators of God as beloved Children.”
In this world we stand as Jesus’ representatives. As children of mine McKinely and John represent our family, our name. What they do reflects on who I am as a father, a Christian, and even a pastor. It affects how others view me and accept or reject me.
The same is true of God if we stand with and for Jesus we are reflecting who God is. Do we reflect His true character, love, grace, mercy, justice, etc..
If we are chosen then it is our responsibility to stand for Christ.
B) His Intention
If we are to reflect God and His character what does He intend us to reflect?
1) Holy
“To be set apart to God.” It carries the idea of reflecting or representing God’s moral purity. In today’s Culture God is seeking a people that are morally pure.
2) Blameless
This word carries the idea of having no spot or blemish. The perfect sacrifice in the OT was this way.
As Christians this will not be completely realized in our life here on earth. But we should in our ongoing relationship with Jesus become more holy and blameless.
II. Rely on Our available resources
Ephesians 1.2
The apostle Paul combines two very ordinary words in his greeting. Grace and Peace. One Grace a Geek word you would use walking through a Greek City. Peace is the word of welcome you would use in a Hebrew city. They were both common words to say Hello.
As someone said Paul baptized them into Christianity and elevated them in meaning. They are no longer words of welcome but are wonderful resources.
A) God’s Grace
Eph 2.8 “We are saved by grace through faith”
The hearers of the letter had already received salvation. We see this in that they were called saints and the faithful.
The resource is God’s divine assistance for daily living.
Illustration: We can see God’s divine assistance in the Israelites journey out of Egypt.
· Day a pillar of smoke led them.
· Night a pillar of Fire led them.
B) God’s Peace
Peace here is a spirit of rest in the ever-changing circumstances of life.
Romans 5.1 “therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
When you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and savior you receive Peace with God.
But dear friend as you realize the riches of God in Christ you realize you can also have the peace of God. A calm settled response to things of the world.
Important: Notice that Grace comes before peace. If you don’t deal with sin through Grace then you will not deal with life in peace.
Because we have peace with God and the peace of God we also have the riches of God.
C) God’s Riches
Ephesians 1.7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgivness of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace.”
Redemption: Spoke of buying back a slave. Or paying someone else’s debt
Forgiveness: Not only did His blood pay the penalty of our sin but God forgave us the debt. (God paid the note for us and then wrote if off in Jesus’ blood)
Many people in the world are physically rich. Bill Gates is boasted as being the richest person in the world worth more that 24 billion dollars. However if He doesn’t know Jesus Christ. The perfect plan for his life is not being fulfilled. He will leave this world and when He does he will leave his money, his mansions, all that He has.
If he does not know Jesus Christ He will enter the eternity as a pauper, naked, no money, no mansion.
However, if you know Christ it does not matter what you have in this life. Because you will enter eternity a child of the king, adopted into the riches of God.
Those riches are not merely some idea but are a reality we can experience today.
We can enjoy all of the heavenly blessings, benefits today!!
The riches of His presence (God with us)
The riches of His peace (God in us)
The riches of His Power (God for us) and so much more
Transition: When we see God’s undeniable plan, and our available resources, we should recognize our reasonable responsibility.
III. Respond to Our reasonable responsibility
A) Praise the Father who selected us
Do you remember grade school? I do. I was the fat unpopular kid. When it came to choosing people for a team I was not a first thought, maybe not even an after thought. However God’s word shows us that We were His first thought.
Ephesians 1.3 just as He (God the father) chose us in Him before the foundation of the world”
Gen 1.1 “in the beginning God chose us.”
We are not an after thought we were His first thought!!! We have been chosen and for that we ought to give the Father Praise. Praise Him because He selected you!! Lift up your heads and hearts and praise the Lord!!!
B) Praise the Son who saved us
In the old testament they offered sacrifices of animals to God.
In the new we offer ourselves and our praise as a sacrifice to God. We offer it through Jesus the Son.
Hebrews 13.15 “Through Him (Jesus Christ) then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to Go, that is the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.”
We can and should constant attitude of thanks for salvation.
C) Praise the Spirit who sealed us
A seal in biblical times carried several ideas. It Showed authenticity and shared authority.
If you are “in Christ” you are sealed with the Spirit. You are God’s
We are to praise The father through the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion: Do you have a planned and purposeful life? If you know Jesus as Lord and Savior you do. He has a plan and a purpose for each of us. And part of that plan is out relying on Him for all our resources and giving Him all our praise.
