Blessings from Above
Ephesians 1:3-14
Today we launch a new series through a tiny book of the Bible called “Ephesians.” The Apostle Paul wrote this six-chapter letter to the church in Ephesus while he was imprisoned in Rome. Most scholars believe it was meant to be a form letter, something that the churches circulated around all of Asia Minor. It makes sense, because Paul doesn’t address any specific problems in this book like he does elsewhere.
In many of Paul’s letters, he spends the first half talking about who we are in Christ, and then the second half talking about how that identity should affect our lives. That layout is certainly evident in Ephesians. The first three chapters talk about who we are and the last three about how we should live.
Chapter 1 is all about blessings God sends from heaven. Verse 3 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” We tend to think of blessings in terms of money, stuff, or things we get to do. Paul instead talks about blessings like salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life. Today I want to focus in on three things that God does for you, the believer, that are absolutely mind-boggling when you really give them some thought. You’ll see them on your outline. First, consider that ...
1. God chose you (vv.4-6, 11)
Do you know how long you’ve been on God’s mind? Listen to verse 4: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world.” That’s a long time! God has had you on his radar since even before creation! And think about the word “chose.” It reminds me of middle school PE, when the coach picks two team captains for softball, and they start choosing people for each team. Am I the only one here that was always chosen LAST? Yet, in God’s plan, he chose you FIRST! Verse 4 says he chose you “to be holy and blameless in his sight.” God is holy and blameless, and he chose us to be the same. He chose us to be in relationship with him.
Another word that’s used here to talk about God choosing us is “adoption.” Verse 5 says, “In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ...” Ladies, don’t be offended by the word “sonship.” It includes the idea of “daughtership” as well. The phrase, “adoption to sonship,” was a legal term in the Roman Empire. If you chose to “adopt to sonship,” you made your adopted child your legal heir in all senses of the word. In the eyes of the government, it was as if the adopted child had always been your biological child.
Paul writes about this in his letter to the Romans. He says, in Romans 8:15, “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” Abba is not a rock band here; it is the Aramaic word for "daddy." We don’t live in fear as God’s slaves. We live in joy as God’s children. He has adopted us into his family, and in a way as if we were always in his family: adoption to sonship.
I heard a story about a child who was bummed to learn that he had been adopted. His father called him aside, apart from the other kids, and said, “Son, do you really know what adoption means? It means we didn’t just have you; we chose you!” Adoption is another word signifying that God chose us to be in his family.
Sometimes people get upset about the word “predestined,” which means to set the boundaries in advance. God knew from the very start of creation who all would be in his family. Does that mean we don’t have a choice? Does God force us into his family? No. I can’t explain it, but the Bible carries a holy tension between God’s choosing us (God always takes the initiative) and our responding freely to God. Even though God knows in advance, we are still held accountable for choosing or rejecting him. We choose him, even though he first chose us. Both statements are true. We may not fully understand how, but that doesn’t make them any less true. Just know that God chose you. That’s a good thing. That’s something worth responding to by choosing him! And then...
2. God forgives you (v. 7)
Even though God chose us from before the beginning of creation, and even though we responded to his call and entered his family, we still sin. Adam and Eve sinned, and God wasn’t taken by surprise. God knows everything. God knows we will sin, like our first parents. We fail our Father God, who longs for relationship with us above all. It’s a sad story.
It’s the story of the rejected lover, the one who pours everything into his beloved, only to be royally snubbed. The prophet Hosea had an unfaithful wife, and God used his life as an illustration for the Israelites who had been unfaithful to their God. The same is true for us: every time we sin, we cheat on God. He loves us, and we love our sin more. We have an affair with our sin.
Yet, Paul explains that God has solved our sin problem. Listen to verse 7: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Who is the “him” here? It’s Jesus Christ. Jesus has redeemed us. He bought us back. That’s what “redeemed” means. He redeemed us through his blood. When Jesus died on that cross, he became the one perfect sacrifice to end all sacrifices. Never would the high priest have to offer up a sacrifice again. That’s why the Temple curtain tore in two during the crucifixion. The Holy of Holies was open to all. Jesus paid the price. His blood purchased our forgiveness, for all time.
When did God come up with this plan? A long time ago. Revelation 13:8 describes Jesus as “the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.” Just as God chose you before creation, God at the same time set up a plan to deal with your sin. That’s advanced planning, huh?
Now apply the idea of forgiveness personally: God...forgives...you! Whatever weight of guilt and shame you have been carrying, give it to Jesus. Let it go. Accept his forgiveness. Believe 1 John 1:9 which tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from ALL unrighteousness.” Hear him set you free as he says, “Go and sin no more.”
God chose you, God forgives you. And lastly,
3. God seals you (vv. 13-14)
Verse 13 states, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.” Isn’t that a nice word: “included”? God included us in Christ the moment we heard the gospel, when we really, really heard it, and were saved.
Verse 13 continues on your outline: “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession... (vv. 13b-14a) Another rich word here: the moment you believed, you were marked, you were marked with a seal. The seal was used to stamp important documents of the king that could not be opened by anyone except the recipient. The Holy Spirit is our seal.
In Texas terms, God is the rancher who puts his brand on us. The brand, the Holy Spirit himself, identifies us as one of God’s children. We belong to God, so the Holy Spirit brands us “until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.”
Another image here: The Holy Spirit is our deposit, our earnest money, our down payment, which guarantees our inheritance until the final redemption takes place. We are kingdom citizens now, with all the heavenly blessings already given to us. God has pledged all these things that will be fully realized someday, and God’s guarantee is the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit does lots of things in our lives. He convicts us, he warms us to God’s presence. He guides us. He protects us. And here we see that he seals us. The Holy Spirit whispers to your soul, “Yes, you’re a child of God. Don’t listen to the evil one. Your salvation is real. It’s promised. It’s coming, and it’s already here. God will take care of you. You are never alone. I will never leave you or forsake you.”
Listen, we have just dusted the surface of these amazing 12 verses: Ephesians 1:3-14. It’s a grand entry into this precious book of Ephesians. A little Bible trivia: did you know that these 12 verses in the original Greek are one long single sentence? It’s like Paul got so excited writing that he couldn’t stop, not even for punctuation. One long sentence, with lots and lots of blessings in it. And to summarize them: you are chosen, you are forgiven, and you are sealed. When God puts you on his team, God will keep you on his team, from now through eternity. Let’s pray:
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for all the blessings from heaven above. It’s hard to believe. Your love is so amazing. Your forgiveness is so complete. Your salvation so sure. You never break your word. We are yours. Help someone here today become yours for the first time. Woo them into the kingdom as you did us. You already know who they are, Lord. You knew from the beginning of time. So help them choose you, as you first chose them. And help us remember every day that we are yours. We have been bought at a price, the precious blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In his name we pray, amen.
