A Glorious Grace

How many of you in this room have invited your one? Did you know that statistics tell us that 40% of people who are invited to attend a worship service will come. In today’s world I would say that is a pretty good percentage. We average around 650 in worship so if each person were to invite one and 40% of them actually came we would have over 900 people in worship on August 13th, and over 900 people staying for our ministry fair and lunch. What an incredible opportunity that is. Paul gives us the spiritual blessings that we get as a result of being in Christ. In the Greek, vv. 3-14 is one long sentence. The English translations have not kept the original punctuation, but this section of Ephesians mad a certain rhythm to it, and many think it might have been a hymn in the early church. The phrase In Him or Christ is used 13 times in this passage. Paul is making it obvious here that all of these blessings we receive are because of Christ. This morning I want to unpack these spiritual blessings that Paul mentions here. Follow along as I read Ephesians 1:3-10. 

He Chose Us:

"even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." — Ephesians 1:4

I realize this idea of God choosing us comes with controversy. Did we choose him or did he choose us? I will tell you at the outset this morning that we are not going to settle this issue in this sermon. In fact, it is a disservice to this text to focus on one small aspect of this passage. The issue in theological circles isn’t so much about the fact that God chooses, but the implications for what that choosing means.

I will tell you though that there is validity to the fact that God does choose. Go all the way back to Genesis 12. God chooses Abram, and tells him through you I will make a great nation. Abram was not the only human being on the planet at this time. God deliberately chose him, and the Israelites to be his special people. Now I realize that is uncomfortable for us, and I wish I could give you a perfect explanation. But God in his divine plan decided that the Israelites would be the people of God.

Here is what I would suggest you do with this verse, focus more on the fact that God had a plan before the world was even created and less on the choosing. Before Genesis 1, God already knew what would happen. God did not begin in Genesis 1. He has always been, and he will always be. He made this plan long before we were even a thought.

God’s choosing, however, does come with responsibility on the part of the ones that are chosen. There is a calling on the lives of the chosen ones to live holy and blameless. In other words, there should be a difference in the way our lives are from those around us.

I want you to listen closely to this. There is a tension that every believer in Christ must manage. How do I keep myself set apart from the rest of the world, but yet at the same time not isolate myself in a way that turns people off to the Gospel? If you are ever comfortable with this tension, most likely that means you are leaning too much in one direction. I cannot give a formula that will solve this tension for you. But I do know that if you are completely immersed in this world and no one knows you are a believer in Christ you are wrong. And I also know, if you are completely immersed in your Holy huddle and have no relationships with people outside this church you are wrong as well. The only solution to this tension is to manage it.

He Adopted Us:

"he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will." — Ephesians 1:5

There is a debate about what to do with the phrase “in love.” That we find at the end of verse 4. Does the “in love” go with verse 4 or introduce verse 5? Are we predestined for adoption because of his love for us? Or does the “in love” belong with verse 4, which puts the emphasis on our being holy and blameless because of the love we have for him. Different English translations put it in different spots.

To me, the “in love” belongs with verse 5. He loved us and the result is he predestined us for adoption. Don’t miss the importance of our adoption in Christ. The biblical rationale behind spiritual adoption is the reason why adoption should be celebrated in the church today. If God lays it on your heart to adopt, then know that you are modeling what Christ did for you. 

We were spiritual orphans. Living in isolation with no where to go. We needed a spiritual home. If you are a believer in Christ this morning, you need to realize that God adopted you as you were.

• I recently listened to an interview with Ernie Johnson Jr. He is known primarily for being the host of TNT’s NBA studio show. But he is also a believer in Christ, and his wife was struck by a 20/20 episode that talked about Romanian orphanages. She told Ernie that she wanted to adopt from Romania, so a few months later she went and they were looking for a girl between in the 3-12 month range with no physical handicaps. But instead, Ernie’s wife was struck by a three year old boy who couldn’t talk and had never been outside of the orphanage. After they brought their son, Michael home the doctors said he will never talk, he will never bond with people, and he will never walk. He was eventually diagnosed with muscular dystrophy and just a few years ago was put on a ventilator, and the dr’s said he won’t be able to live without it. On the surface, it would appear that Michael has nothing to offer. Ernie and his wife have to bathe him, feed him, and change his clothes. Why do they do these things? Because he is their son. Spiritually speaking, you had nothing to offer God. He was perfect, holy, blameless, and you were imperfect, and full of sin. And yet, God looked on you and said I love you anyways. I don’t need you, but I love you and I want to use you to bring myself glory. I want to make you my son or my daughter. What an incredible gift adoption is. 

He Redeemed Us and Forgave Us: 

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace." — Ephesians 1:7

Everyone loves a story of redemption. Someone who is able to overcome so much, and in the end be celebrated. I am sure some of you are thinking right now of movies you have seen or people that you know who have been redeemed.

Redemption is a theme that we find throughout the Bible. The Israelites after being put in slavery in Egypt are ultimately redeemed through Moses leading them out of slavery in Exodus, and eventually into the Promise Land. Later after the Israelites are exiled into Babylon, God eventually allows them to return as we read through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Notice though, how redemption happens. It happens through his blood. Redemption does not happen through our giving money to the church, through our church attendance, through our involvement in charitable activities. No, it only happens through his blood. Salvation in Christ can only happen because of the blood that was shed on the cross. The writer of Hebrews tells us that, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.”

• As many of you know, we go every week to Jefferson Health Care and teach a Bible study to the residents there. A few weeks ago I taught on the parable of the unmerciful servant. You know this story, the servant couldn’t pay the debt he owed and the master forgave him his debt, but then that same servant went to some of his servants and chocked one of the guys and said pay me know. The servant couldn’t do it, and he had the servant thrown in jail. I have been teaching at that nursing home off and on for 3-4 years, and the response I had to this message of forgiveness was powerful. I had more people sharing and interacting with this passage than any other I have shared. Why?

The message of forgiveness resonates with every human being. Friends, the forgiveness you and I receive as a result of our relationship with Christ is transforming.

The power of forgiveness has more than just spiritual implications. If you have ever held a grudge against someone or been bitter against someone, it can create physiological problems in your life. Anxiety, depression, and anger can all happen as a result of not forgiving. 

• Listen to this lady describe the experience she had as she forgave a young man who shot her son. She said, “I began to feel this movement in my feet. It moved up my legs, and it just moved up my body. When I felt it leave me, I instantly knew that all the anger and hatred and animosity I had in my heart for you for twelve years was over. I had totally forgiven you.”

There is healing in forgiveness. Who are you holding a grudge against? Who do you have bitterness towards? The story of the unmerciful servant ends by saying that those who show no forgiveness like the servant, the heavenly father will do to you as well, if you do not forgive from the heart.

You will never be able to forgive others, however, if you can’t receive the forgiveness that Christ offers. You must receive his forgiveness. No one has sin that cannot be forgiven. Come to Jesus friend, receive the forgiveness that he offers through his grace.

He Revealed His Will to Us:

"making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ." — Ephesians 1:9

The most common question Christians throughout the generations have asked is, “What is God’s will for my life?” And yet, we see Paul telling us here that the mystery of his will has been made known to us. Well we are talking about God’s overall will for mankind here not the personal understanding of God’s will for your life. 

God’s will from the beginning was Christ. Jesus was always the plan. God knew this before the foundation of the world.

So what does that mean for you? It means that God wants you to know his love through Jesus. He wants you to know forgiveness through Jesus. He wants you to know pure joy through Jesus. He wants you to be restored through Jesus. The mystery of his will is Jesus.

So in light of what we have just read, what is God’s will for your life? That you come to know Jesus. That you believe that he came to this planet and lived a perfect life, and yet was crucified for my sin and yours. And then he was raised from the dead three days later showing that he has the power to conquer sin.