We noted last week that the Letter to the Ephesians is a letter to all saints. Saints are those who are faithful to Jesus Christ; in other words, if you have fully trusted your life to Jesus Christ, you are a saint now and forever!
As we continue to learn from this letter to the Ephesians we will note what Christians have from God. For those who have not trusted Jesus Christ as Savior and God, the letter is a reminder of what they are missing in life and for eternal life. If you have never received Jesus Christ as your only Savior and God, think about what is written and consider opening your heart to Christ today.
Before reading Ephesians 1, let us pray together our commitment to God’s Word………..
Please stand as we read God’s Word, Ephesians 1…..
What has God done for Christians?
Let’s start with the second part of v3………..
If you’re a Christian, make sure you understand what God is saying here about you! This is amazing stuff!! In the spiritual world, a Christian has every good thing! Christians belong where God is! Let us note that we Christians don’t have to ask or pray for spiritual blessings, we already have it; we just have to make it real in our lives! If you’re a Christian, you already have everything you need in the spiritual world, now and forever! This is why you as a Christian have power over the devil; All you have to do is say “I am a Believer of Jesus Christ and I don’t need anything from the devil. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord, depart from me you evil spirits!” Will you say this with me?
And what do we read in verse 4? God has chosen Christians to be holy and blameless in the sight of God.
Because Christians have Christ, God sees Christians holy and blameless! Do you understand what this means?
In spite of who we are and what we’ve done, because we have received Jesus Christ as our Savior and God, we are perfect to God! God sees us perfect through Christ!
Verse 5 tells us that in love God predestined Christians to be His children and God enjoys His children! This is another fantastic truth!! If you’re a Christian, God already thought about you before He created the universe and God is pleased when we run to Him and call Him Dad!
Would you close your eyes for a moment and prayerfully run to God for a loving embrace and say thank you Dad!!
I encourage you to do that at least once a day; find a quiet place, close your eyes and run to God for a hug!
I’m running to you Dad for your love!
I’m running to you Dad for I need you!
I’m running to you Dad for your protection!
I’m running to you Dad for your provisions!
I’m running to you Dad for your guidance!
I’m running to you Dad for healing!
I’m running to you Dad for strength!
I’m running to you Dad for ………
In verse 7, God reminds Christians that they are forgiven of their sins and brought back to God. Yes it is a gift from God that we are saved from our sins; but let us never forget that Jesus Christ paid the price for our salvation!
Let me ask a question; How often should we thank Jesus for what He did for us?? How are we doing on this?
And God reveals to Christians the mystery of life and eternal life through Christ!
And finally look at verse 13 again ………
When you know you are saved from your sins, you are included in Christ and you are sealed with a mark guaranteeing eternal life in heaven! I marked your hand today with a pen in order for you to be in church today.
If you’re a Christian, you are marked by God with His Holy Spirit so that you can enter His heaven. Conversely, if you don’t have a mark, you can not enter heaven.
Let me summarize. If you are a Believer of Christ you have every good thing in the spiritual world; you have power over the devil! If you’re a Believer of Christ, God sees you perfect! If you’re a Believer of Christ, you are a child of God who thought of you since the beginning of time and you can run to Him at anytime and call Him Daddy! If you’re a Christian, all your sins, past, present, and future have been paid for by Christ. If you’re a Christian, you know God and the future with God. If you’re a Christian, you are marked by God to enter eternal heaven!
Why would anyone not want to be a Christian?
Now, after all these reminders of God’s goodness to Believers, what did the Apostle Paul do?
Paul prayed for what Christians are to work on in response to what God has done. What are Believers to do in response to God? This is a pattern of God; God does something and then it’s up to us to respond! And God is such a good God, He gives us instructions on how to respond! God has done His part. How will you respond?
v15: Like Paul, we are to pray and thank God for other Believers.
v17: Believers are to know God better.
And how are we to know God better?
We are to know God better by praying and reading His Word. Read the Bible daily; this is God’s will for you!
And according to verses 18-23,
there are at least 3 things Christians are to know:
v18a: Our calling from God is for sure! In other words, God is serious about the calling of Christians to live for Jesus Christ till they are taken to heaven! How seriously are you taking your calling to be a Christian on a daily basis? We should be thinking about this calling everyday!
And in the second part of v18 and in v22-23, Christians are to know the richness of Christ! Jesus Christ is Lord of all!
And look again with me v19-21………
The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:10, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection!”
God wants every Christian to know that they have been given power over death!
We should all know what it means to be resurrected and think about that power for us on a daily basis!
One of these days……. The rapture will come!
You are wonderfully blessed if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your only Savior and God!
How are you responding to these blessings?
What is God telling you to work on?
Will you work on it?
Let me read for you what is meant for you from Ephesians 2:19-22………….. You and I are to be a Temple for God!
Pray about these things and make a commitment to live as you are called, a temple of God!
