EPHESIANS # 1
Who could have predicted the astonishing success of social media? I remember visiting our daughter, Christine, when she was working at a college just outside of Boston in 2006, and hearing about something called “Facebook.” She told that students were crazy about it. It got its start at Harvard in January, 2004. A decade later it has become world-wide, claiming that over 1 billion people have active accounts, meaning that they log in at least once a week!
Why do so many of us like Facebook? In part, in a world where we feel so anonymous, it is a way to say “I matter.” “I exist!” Never before, in recorded human history, have people been so connected, yet so separate. We can communicate instantly and visually with anyone on the globe who has an internet connection. We can watch events thousands of miles unfold in real time. Yet, many of us are lonely, living in isolation in our living rooms, not even knowing the people across the street.
If you’re wondering if you matter, our text from Scripture today is going to encourage you.
TEXT- Ephesians 1:1-14
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is one of the key books in the Bible for teaching Christians who God is and what it means to be “Christian.” In just a few short pages, we are assured repeatedly that God is loving, that we are ‘in Christ,’ that we are empowered to live in new ways, with purpose.
In the 1st chapter, which is my text today we are told what God thinks about us.
You matter to Him! Even as I say that, I know some of you are hearing echoes of a lie as old as Eden that is often repeated. If believed that lie keeps people alienated from the God who would give them a blessed, rich life. I’ve known Christians who because of disappointment or bitterness listened to this lie and grew apart from the Lord. “God is uncaring, distant, out of touch with you and your needs.”
Listen to the TRUTH. {READ TEXT}
“I am blessed... with every spiritual blessing!”
Do you take time, often, to thank God for His gifts to you, to regain perspective so that you can see His faithfulness?
Do you believe that you are blessed?
The inspired Word is not accidental, nor do the sacred writers simply pen thoughts in random fashion. They were used by God to communicate His truth to us. And, it is significant that at the beginning of this exposition about living the Christian life, we find an outpouring of worship and praise for our status as ‘blessed people!’
It is so natural to complain about what we lack, to see the problems of our life, to get fixated on what we perceive as ‘lack.’ God’s people, the Israelites fell into this temptation - time and time again. God miraculously intervened to free them from slavery in Egypt, a powerful empire. He led them, defended them, provided even their daily food. And, what did they do?
They complained! I am sure that living in tents, in a wilderness was not always a lot of fun. BUT... God was providing all that they NEEDED. They were ABUNDANTLY BLESSED!
If we are going to please our Father, if we hope to faithful to our Savior, Jesus; if we desire to be led by the Spirit - we need to start with worshipful praise for our status as ‘blessed ... with every spiritual blessing!’
“But, Pastor, things are tough in my life right now. My marriage is stormy. My kids are rebellious. I’m dealing with sickness. My parents are aging and I worry about them. The world is going to Hell right in front of my eyes. I’m not all that secure in my work. ....” Yes, those things may be true, and we don’t have to deny the reality of life’s difficulty in order to become thankful.
The fact is that even if all those things and more are true of your life right now - you are secure in Christ, your relationship with your Father is secure because of Jesus. Sometimes we have to make what the Bible calls a ‘sacrifice of praise.’ We exert our will to look beyond our troubles to thank God that we are “blessed with every spiritual blessing!”
“I am included in God’s family by His design and will.”
Ever been an ‘outsider?’ You just did not fit in. There was no place for you.
Ill.- I remember despising gym class in high school. I was (and am) a geek, a nerd. Throw a ball to me and I’ll drop it almost every time. I don’t run, I lumber along! My body simply does not have much coordination. I’m even a dance class flunkie. The worst time of every school day for me was the time when some guys could really shine. I just did not fit in with the jocks. I hated when teams got picked because nobody wanted the skinny uncoordinated geek on his team.
All of us, at one time or another, have felt the pain of rejection in ways that are way more significant than not getting picked for a team in gym class. God’s assurance is that we are included no matter how athletic we are, no matter our age, no matter our race, our past, our intelligence, our beauty.
God chose you! He chose me. Some people go off the rails when they read that word “pre-destined.” Please don’t. It just means that God had a plan to save you and me before the dawn of time. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow exist in His eternal consciousness. It was always His plan to love those of us He created and to make a way for us to love Him.
I feel real love when I receive a gift on which someone has spent time to plan, purchase, and deliver. Why? Because I know I was in their mind, that they were thinking of me.
This text reveals to us that we are on God’s mind! Yes, before we existed, God knew us, planned for us, and extended love to us that we could be adopted into His family! Vv. 11 and 12 MSG
"It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone."
“I am valued because He invests His grace in me.”
About what are you insecure? What keeps you from thinking of yourself as person of worth?
Some of you think you’re too fat.
Some of you think you’re too old.
Some of us think we’re too bad.
Americans are on a self-esteem binge. We protect our kids, best we can, from disappointment. We inflate grades. We say politically correct things. But, a sense of unworthiness nags at us. There’s a reason, and it isn’t just because people are mean.
On this point, many will take offense, but here’s the truth. Apart from Christ Jesus, we have wrecked our value, in our rebellion and resistance to God sold ourselves into slavery to sin and Self.
The Bible is graphic in describing our state.
Isaiah describes our plight - "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." (Isaiah 64:6, NIV)
David, in the Psalm, observes "All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one." (Psalm 14:3, NIV)
Paul says that we are, in our natural state, “slaves to sin, dead in our trespasses.”
A just God could have walked away from His Creation, left us to our deserved judgment, and abandoned us in our wrecked condition; but He did not! His justice is tempered by His mercy!
(Re-read v. 7-8) "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:7-8, NIV)
Now, I am valued because He invests grace in me.
“I am at rest because I am included in Christ.”
Re-read v. 13-14
“You were included in Christ... marked with a seal... a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.”
The intent of this closing thought is that we have found a place of peace, security, and therefore, we can rest. One of the saddest situations I know is a Christian who has not accepted fully what God has done for him.
Ill.- I read of a miserly woman of the last century, who lived on cold oatmeal for the last half of her life. She didn’t want to waste the money to boil the water to cook it! Her son nearly died of an infection while she shopped around to find a doctor who would treat him for free! When she died in 1916, her estate valued at $100 million, an amount comparable to billions of dollars today. Her foolishness makes us smile even as we think of her suffering. Why? Because it is just so dumb to live like that when there is all that wealth available.
But, there are Christians who live as if they are spiritually impoverished. They have no assurance of the love of God. They only HOPE that they are acceptable to Him. They think of death with some fear because they are not sure they are ‘good enough.’
The Word reminds that we can be at rest because we are invited to be ‘in Christ.’ He wraps us into Himself, grants us a new identity, and invites us to enjoy the wealth of His grace.
So what does God think of you?
Make these confessions from Ephesians 1 with me... and do it again and again this week, until you own them by faith as the life transforming truths that they are.
“I am blessed... with every spiritual blessing!”
“I am included in God’s family by His design and will.”
“I am valued because He invests His grace in me.”
“I am at rest because I am included in Christ.”
Amen
