The Reason
Ephesians 1:1-14
Focus: Though difficult, the call for Christians to live lives different than the world around us
is based firmly in what God has done for us– He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing
in Christ!
Function: To encourage Christians to see how God has blessed them in Christ & to be
motivated to live differently because of it.
In 1991 a young missionary named Brian Davis who had grown up at the Brainerd church came to the elders with the proposal of beginning an inner city ministry in downtown Chattanooga. The goal was to involve Christians from all over the area in spreading the gospel through the urban communities and to plant a new congregation in the inner city.
The ministry immediately began working in the city’s south side and God blessed their efforts tremendously. Many individuals- mostly young men-
came to faith and were baptized! As Christians continued to work, God continued to bless and eventually a new facility was needed to meet in and
operate out of. I’m convinced it was the working of God, because an older congregation across town- but still in the downtown region- voted to close its
doors. It had been a long-standing congregation that had simply died. Its members had grown too old and too few to maintain the facility and so they
donated to the work of the inner city. It was a wonderful boost and blessing to the new Inner City church of Christ!
But . . . the building was on the city’s east side! Now, Chattanooga doesn’t have ‘gangs’ like a New York or an L.A., but there does exist a ‘gang’
mentality among many of the young people in the inner city. And for the church to move from the city’s south side – where the gangs dressed in blue– to the city’s east side -where the gangs preferred red to separate themselves from the blue- was to be a monumental challenge! Brian discovered it wasn’t
unlike the initial undertakings of Paul in taking the gospel to the Gentiles!
After their first church service in the new territory, a fight broke out in the parking lot between the ‘reds’ and the ‘blues’. Even though all these folks were either Christians or had encountered the gospel through the ministry . . . they hadn’t changed overnight! Brian found himself pulling one young
Christian off of another young Christian- going at each other simply because of the color of their bandana and what side of town they lived on.
We who have been Christians for many years might have expected them to simply drop their previous way of life like a snap! But it just wasn’t that simple!
To them, their gangs and the rivalry that they had was so much a part of their lives BEFORE becoming Christians, that it wasn’t something that could change overnight. Sometimes its tough to change! Sometimes its tough to live for Jesus!
It took the better part of the next year in concentrated teaching on the part of Brian and the other missionaries for things to settle down in their new neighborhood and for the young church to realize that living for Jesus meant that some of the old ways of life had to be done away with!
We might hear this story and think that it is far removed from us. WE certainly wouldn’t have gotten into a fight after church, would we- over something so
silly? Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean that you or I changed overnight when we came to Christ, did we? Did the alcoholic who became a Christian no longer desire another drink? Did the person who had lived a sexually immoral lifestyle all of a sudden no longer desire the opposite sex? Did the person who had become so accustomed to deceit and lying that it had become a way of life all of a sudden become a pillar of truth?
For some, yes. Their experiences of conversion were so powerful that their lives did an immediate 180! But for most of us, the process is a slower one and sometimes a painful one. We don’t change overnight. We don’t change easily- some of us. If this describes you, relax- you’re in good company.
That’s just the folks that Paul is writing to in the book of Ephesians!
Eph 2:1-3
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which
you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the
kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful
nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects
of wrath. (NIV)
We introduced Ephesians last week & you’ll remember that one of Paul’s key emphases is on the CHANGED life. Life “in Christ” looks different than life “in the world.” Being a Christian makes a difference in the way you live your life! But, Paul also knows that sometimes that transformation is a difficult and arduous process and so he begins his letter by giving us the motivation behind the change that God wants to see in us!
In other words . . . Paul doesn’t demand a change in our lifestyle by guilting us into it; or by threatening us into it; rather he spends the first 3three chapters describing what God has done for us so that we might live for him! In so doing, he mentions seven blessings that are ours in Christ and should motivate us to live for Him . . .
Text: Ephesians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus,
the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 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.
I. God has blessed us SO completely!
The words transl. ‘Praise be to God’ are actually, “Blessed is the God.” Paul is playing off of the word ‘blessing’ which we miss in the NIV by saying, “Blessed is the God . . . who has blessed us . . . with every spiritual blessing!”
We typically think of ‘blessings’ in terms of material‘blessings’, don’t we? Or physical? Good health, a house, a car, children, grandchildren, a job, a well-performing 401k? But as I mentioned during November, Paul often uses this section of his letters to describe blessings that are ‘other worldly’, blessings that we don’t usually think of as blessings.
These are ‘spiritual’ blessings that are found ‘in the heavenly realms’. That’s not to say that we have to wait till we get to heaven to receive them– they are ours NOW! But it is to say that they are blessings found in the Kingdom of God & in the church; among God’s people.
So, if we have been blessed so thoroughly, why is it still hard to live for Jesus?
II. Paul goes on to describe these blessings . . .
A. We live for Him because . . . He has Chosen us
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and
blameless in his sight.
A lot of people get hung up on this language of
‘election’ or God’s ‘choosing’ us. Does God pick &
choose among humanity whom he will save and whom he won’t? If so, where is our free will? Do we have a choice in the matter? Some believe & teach that God chooses us to be saved and that we have no choice in the matter. That necessarily means, that God chooses for others to be lost– I have a problem with that. God
wants ALL to come to repentance & be saved! (2 Pet. 3:9)
No, remember who Paul is talking to: the church-
NOT individuals! Notice, too, where the choosing
takes place! “In HIM”; that is- CHRIST! God knew that if he created man, that man would sin and separate himself form God-- so He chose (from the very beginning before the creation of the world) that those who would choose to be ‘in Christ’ would be made holy & blameless.In other words, if you have committed to make Jesus the Lord of you life- then you have chosen to be chosen! Properly understood- the emphasis is STILL on God! We’ve still not done anything worthy of being chosen! But God has chosen us anyhow!We, the church, are the CHOSEN! How wonderful!
B. We Live for Him because . . .He has pre- planned for our adoption as sons
In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in
accordance with his pleasure and will--
Again, lots of folks get hung up on the word ‘predestined.’ That just means that God had the end in mind when He began. When he created man it was with the idea that we would spend eternity with Him in Heaven. His idea for our destiny was heaven! What more beautiful imagery than ‘adoption’ to speak of what God has done? When we went to the hospital for Celeste to deliver our children- we took home what we were given! No choice in the matter! Whatever came was what we would love- warts & all! With ‘adoption’ there’s a choice! You see what you’re getting BEFORE signing the papers! You see the warts- & you choose to bring them home anyway! That’s what God has done-- out of love! Even when we were dead in our sin (full of warts?) God chose to make us his children! Because he loved us anyway! And notice- “in acc. With his pleasure” - it brought him great joy!
C. We Live for Him because . . .He has freely bestowed upon us His glorious grace
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One
he loves.
Grace- def. ‘Undeserving loving kindness’
We didn’t deserve it- but he loves us anyhow
Given freely- it is a ‘gift’; we don’t earn it- work for it-deserve it at all!
But though offered to everybody- it is only given “in Christ!”
D. We Live for Him because . . . He has redeemed us & forgiven us
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in
accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom
and understanding.
The concept of redemption is an interesting one-
with its roots in the Old Testament idea of covenant
and the language of the ancient marketplace. In both instances it involved the purchasing or buying back some item/ or person that would otherwise be lost, taken prisoner or destroyed. In the OT, God redeemed Israel from the Egyptians (2 Sam. 7:23).
The greeks would have used the word in connection with the purchase of a slave’s freedom. God redeemed us from certain destruction . . & the price was the blood of His Son! We have been released from bondage because Christ died on the Cross!
We also have received forgiveness of our sins through that blood; that act of redemption! That’s GRACE- lavished upon us - not grudgingly or without full knowledge of our sins & our undeservingness– but purposefully! “With all wisdom & understanding”
E. We Live for Him because . . . He has revealed His will to us
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good
pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times
will have reached their fulfillment-- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together
under one head, even Christ.
We typically think of a ‘mystery’ as something
unknown . . like a crime to be solved; a Sherlock
Holmes novel or Columbo tracking down a killer. In Jewish & Christian literature, ‘mystery’ refers to the divine plan of God that had at one time been hidden but is now revealed by God! God’s plan for mankind is revealed! It is known! There is no reason for us to be ignorant of the fact that God has sent his Son so that those who believe in him would not perish but have eternal life! If it has been revealed, then why hasn’t everyone heard the good news of this plan? God has revealed Himself thru Jesus Christ! God has revealed Himself thru His Word! Yet I read this week that fully 1/3 of the people in the world don’t have access to a Bible- His Word. What does that say to Christians?
F. We Live for Him because . . . He has planned for us a purpose
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan
of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12
in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his
glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation.
Again, Paul says we are ‘chosen in Christ’ by God
himself according to his master plan. What is that master plan? That we spend eternity with Him! Folks, we weren’t created to simply exist, go to work, come home, go to work, maybe raise a family, make some money, leave a few good works, have a few laughs and die- that being the end! NO! We were created to live with God forever praising Him! If you don’t spend eternity with God- then you’re not doing what you were created for!
G. We Live for Him because . . . He has marked us with the Holy Spirit
Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14
who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are
God’s possession-- to the praise of his glory. (NIV)
Seals in Paul’s day worked much like they do today- they were a symbol of authenticity, of genuineness,
of proof of purchase!
Illus. When I was a kid I can remember sending off
for special offers in the mail– usually a new toy not
available in any store. To do so, I’d have to include
a receipt of the thing I had bought that had the
special offer & the proof of purchase or seal. That
was the proof/ evidence that the special offer
belonged to me. I was its legal and rightful owner!
So I had a right to the thing I was sending off for.
The Holy Spirit for the Christian is the proof of
purchase; the seal that guarantees that God is the
rightful owner! Therefore we have a right to our
inheritance because we are God’s possession! We’ve been marked!
Conclusion: As you can see, God has blessed us thoroughly in Christ! So completely!
• Why would we NOT want to live lives that reflect Jesus to those around us?
• If God has done so much for us, and wants us to change our habits, actions or lifestyle– how could we say no?
• Of course, this is Paul’s point.
Are you living for Christ? Do you have these blessings we’ve mentioned?
They’re yours if you’re “in Christ.” Are you?
• have you named him as the Lord of your life? Have you turned away
from sin? Have you been baptized into Christ for the washing away
of your sins?
• Let us encourage you this morning to do so!
Maybe you are a Christian and we should ask this morning, “Are you enjoying
the benefits of these blessings that you already have?” Did you know you had
them?
• But I’m reminded of a story before we end. It’s the story of an old pauper lady. She spent her days collecting aluminum cans and newspapers for recycling. She lived in an old worn out shack on the verge of collapse. Her clothes were old, tattered and torn. She had no family and no one to take care of her. So, when she died the agents of the state went into her house expecting to find very little. Instead they found stacks & stacks of old newspapers -each with a crisp new $20 dollar bill in its pages. She had wealthy– extremely wealthy for the small town in which she lived! But she had never enjoyed its benefits!
• Are Christians sometimes like that? We’ve been blessed beyond our own comprehension, yet we still live as if we were paupers!
• How many of us have tried to live our Christian life like that?
