The Blessings That Make Up Our Spiritual Wealth
The Riches of God’s Grace • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Ephe.1
Talk about the Series in the book of Ephesians: "The Riches of God's Grace"…
Today many believers in Jesus do not understand who they really are in Christ, what they have and how to possess what is already theirs.
In order for you to live the life that Jesus came to give us (John 10:10) you need to understand what God says about you.
You need to know who you are, what you have in Christ and how to use what you have.
If someone asks you what is happening at NUBC you can say we are discovering "The Riches of God's Grace"…
That's what's happening …
Today we will discover
"The Blessings That Make Up Our Spiritual Wealth"
Blessings from God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 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. 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.
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. 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.
In the Greek Bible (the original language of the NT) This is the longest sentence in the Bible.
Paul started talking about the blessings and couldn't stop.
He was so excited that he got carried away.
Paulo was excited, and what excited him?
The blessings that make up our spiritual wealth!
The first thing he tells us is about the
I. Blessings from God the Father (Ephesians 1:4-6)
I. Blessings from God the Father (Ephesians 1:4-6)
A. The Father Chose Us - v.4
A. The Father Chose Us - v.4
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
We, dear friends, are God's chosen people.
God determined our foundation—our salvation—before the foundation of the world.
Before he put this planet in place, before he hollowed out the oceans, before he piled up the mountains, and before he cast out the stars, we, the Church, were in the heart and mind of God, because, you see, God is a God of love.
And what's the point of being a God of love if there is no one or nothing to love? So, God simply placed His love upon us.
God set His affection on us, and God chose us long before we knew anything about Him, long before we came into existence.
The most incredible thing of all is that there is nothing that would have made God choose us before or after our existence, because when God saw us, he saw our weakness, he saw our sinfulness, he saw our unworthiness.
But God has set His affection on us.
Now, when we read here that we are chosen - it does not mean that God chose one sinner above another sinner.
- does not mean that some are chosen to be lost and others to be saved.
God desires all men to be saved.
I want you to write it down: 1 Timothy:2:3-4. And never let anyone teach you otherwise. Listen now:
3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Never think that God chose one man to go to heaven and another to go to hell. God desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
We must preach the gospel to EVERY Creature. And the Bible says:
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
The desire of God's heart is "that no one should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
And if a man perish, it is not because he was predestined to go to hell; it is because he does not want to come to Jesus, who said, "Come to me...and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
He chose us: he placed his affection, his love in us. The church was in the heart of God before the foundation of the world.
In other words, God's choice for us enables us to make our choice for Him.
God allows us to choose, and we must choose.
19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
We can choose or refuse, but we cannot choose Him unless He has chosen us first.
And His choosing us allows us to choose Him.
1. The Father Chose Us
B. The Father Predestined Us- v.5
B. The Father Predestined Us- v.5
5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
Things keep getting better and better:
We were chosen before the foundation of the world and, afterwards, we are predestined to adoption and to be like the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, predestination is not God saying from eternity that this man is going to heaven and this other man is going to hell.
No, predestination is what God does for saved people, they choose Christ as their Lord and Savior - Write it down:
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
This is what the Bible tells us in Romans 8 and verse 29: "Those whom God foreknew he also predestined" (Romans 8:29)
What this means is this: that God, before creating this world, determined that it would have a family with many children-His Church.
And so, because of His choice for me, His love for me, I was able to choose to love Him. Because of that - then God says, "you will have the right to become a son/daughter of God." (John 1: 12)
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.
Believing that Jesus is the Christ solves everything!
1 John 5:4–5 “4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
Believing that Jesus is the Christ solves everything!
And God, looking down from His abode in eternity, said, "I will predestine that young man, that young woman, that man, that woman, to be like Jesus."
And friend, that's where our safety is, my safety is in Jesus!
I am "[predestined] to be conformed to the image of [God's] Son" (Romans 8:29).
And I want to tell you, dear friend, that what was predestined in eternity can never be undone in time.
I want to tell you that I am as sure of going to heaven as if I were already there.
One day I will be like Jesus. I am predestined. This is established in the heart and mind of God the Father before the foundation of the world.
1.He chose us
2.He Predestined us
C. The Father Adopted Us
C. The Father Adopted Us
Look again at verse 5:
5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ
Now, I want to ask you a question: a Theological Question
How do we enter the family of God? “Are we born into the family of God or are we adopted into the family of God?”
????
The answer is yes and yes. Yes, we are born into the family of God and we are also adopted into the family of God.
My wife’s response…
We are spiritually born into the family of God, and this concerns our position in Christ. And then, we are legally adopted into the family of God, and this concerns our privileges in Christ.
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 11). Victor Books.
"Adoption has a dual meaning, both present and future. You do not get into God’s family by adoption. You get into His family by regeneration, the new birth (John 3:1–18; 1 Peter 1:22–25).
Adoption is the act of God by which He gives His “born ones” an adult standing in the family. Why does He do this? So that we might immediately begin to claim our inheritance and enjoy our spiritual wealth! A baby cannot legally use this inheritance (Gal. 4:1–7), but an adult son can—and should!
This means that you do not have to wait until you are an old saint before you can claim your riches in Christ.
The future aspect of adoption is found in Romans 8:22–23, the glorified body we will have when Jesus returns. We already have our adult standing before God, but the world cannot see this. When Christ returns, this “private adoption” will be made public for everyone to see!
1.We Were Chosen
2. Predestined.
3. Adopted……
D. The Father Accepted Us
D. The Father Accepted Us
See, in verse 6:
Ephesians 1:6 (NKJ)
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved
Think about how wonderful this is.
Chosen in the past,
predestined for the future
and accepted in the present!
This is wonderful!
And the Bible says that “He accepted us in the beloved.
Don't you like the word accepted?
When you walk around and see a sign that says, “Do Not Enter. "Keep Out" Stay out. Members only. Rejected. "Rejected - Denied" Isn't that bad? It's negative!
When we make an application and the answer comes "You have been accepted..." "Approved"... isn't that good?
“He accepted us in the beloved”
Now, what does it mean – “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6)? Who is the beloved? The beloved is Jesus.
In the Lord Jesus Christ, you, my dear friend, are accepted! Accepted!
You are accepted because you are in Christ. Remember, Jesus is called “the beloved Son.” God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son.”
Saying that you are “accepted in the Beloved” simply means that you are accepted in Christ.
When God sees you, He doesn't really see you; He sees His Son Jesus, because you are in Christ.
Note this passage: John 17, verse 23. Jesus is speaking of the union and communion of the son of God with himself, and He said:
23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Here is a verse for you to meditate on…Do you know what this verse says?
Jesus says that God loves me as God loves His own Son.
That's what Jesus said. God loves me like he loves Jesus.
Listen again: “I in them…you in me…” - “so that…” – “…the world may know that you sent me and have loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23).
The same love that God has for His dear Son, He has for us.
You see, we are “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).
This is really wonderful!
When we are in Christ, then I have the same acceptance that Jesus has.
Now listen: Was I accepted? Yes! But I am not accepted on my merits. I can't go around bragging and being proud because I accepted …
""to the praise of the glory of His grace,” (Ephesians 1:6).
There will be no peacocks with puffed-out chests in heaven. It will be like our brother's song by
Asaph Borba: It was Grace
When this life ends
And there in heaven I arrive
There will be a multitude of brothers
Waiting to hug me
And they will ask me
Oh tell us how you, brother
He won and got here
And I will speak, and I will sing
Of Jesus who loved me
And that for this sinner
He gave himself up
And I will speak, and I will sing
Of Jesus who loved me
And that for this sinner
He gave himself up
It was grace, grace, super abundant grace
Grace, grace, precious, sweet grace
It was grace brother, grace brother
I tell you it was like this
It was only by the grace of Jesus
That I won and got here
In heaven we will all have to say "It was only by the grace of Jesus That I won and got here”
(Check the time… …) Next week we will see the Blessings of God the Son…
Conclusion
Please stand up:
Let us bow our heads together in prayer.
Heads are bowed. The eyes are closed. Do you know Jesus? Oh, dear friend, He has set His affection on you. He chose you - He chose you! He “does not want [you] to perish” (2 Peter 3:9).
He wants to save you-He wants to save you so that He can enrich you and meet all your needs.
I wonder, while heads are bowed and eyes closed - no one moving, no one looking around - no one walking.
This is a divine moment, spiritual battle moment… fight in prayer…
How many here present can say: "Pastor Samuel, I have already received Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord.
And not only that, but the Spirit of God, the pledge of my inheritance, testifies with my spirit that I am a child of God.
And not only that, I have confessed Jesus Christ openly and publicly before men. Because in obedience to the commandment of my Lord Jesus I was baptized by immersion after being saved.
And not only that - I am now living for the Lord Jesus in the fellowship of a New Testament, Bible-believing, Bible-preaching, soul-winning church."
If you identify with what I just said, could you raise your hand as a testimony of your faith?
Raise your hand as a testimony of your faith, and with your hand raised, say: "Thank you, Lord, for everything you have done for me. Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus." Now, lower your hands.
Some of you couldn't raise your hand. Some of you couldn't raise your hand because you never believed that Jesus is the Christ, you never confessed with your mouth Jesus as Lord and you never repented!
You even feel the desire and need for Jesus, but you still haven't had the courage to go to Him, and that's why you haven't received forgiveness yet.
Others here have already been saved, but have not yet made it public. Some of you have not yet followed Jesus in baptism.
Some of you are not completely sure of your salvation.
Some of you are not members of a Bible-preaching church.
And you know you have to make a decision, and I want to pray for you, that you will make a decision and make it right.
Everyone continue with their eyes closed in prayer:
If you identified with what I just said, could you raise your hand so I can pray for you?
If you feel the desire and need for Jesus’ forgiveness in your life, raise your hand!
I'm talking to You who have already been saved, but have not yet made it public. You have not yet followed Jesus in baptism. Raise your hand!
I am speaking to You who are not completely sure of your salvation. Raise your hand!
I'm talking to You, you're not a member of a church that preaches the Bible. Raise your hand!
Father, I pray for those who raised their hands saying they need the Lord Jesus. Father, They are saying Yes to Jesus your son!
Lord, I know that this is your work, perform this divine miracle in their hearts! I present them to you.
Pour the gift of the Holy Spirit upon them.
Baptize them with your fire and purify them with the blood of Jesus! Strengthen them with Your Word.
And from now on, operate your will and doing in their lives.
This is the prayer of YOUR church. In the wonderful and sublime name of Jesus. Amen.
ADVERTISEMENT