Privileges of the Saint (3)
Notes
Transcript
13 Jun 21
Eph. 1:6-7 Privileges in Christ
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Let’s focus on
to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
Grace - God’s favor - love - blessing - benefits - toward humanity. Grace. Glorious grace.
What makes His grace so glorious? Sticking with the passage - we have received spiritual blessings, we have been chosen, predestined for adoption, redeemed, forgiven, inherited eternal life, received the Holy Spirit …. Name one of these graces you and I have received from Christ because of our own merit? Our own performance? Our own goodness? What have we done that caused God to be indebted to us.
Which of those blessings have any of us earned? How did we receive adoption? Through Christ. How did we receive forgiveness? Through Christ. How did we receive redemption? Through Christ.
So what makes His grace so glorious - so amazing?
1. God’s Grace is always given - never earned
Might I add it is always given to the undeserved - to the sinner and the saint. Grace is given to whom? All. Grace is for everyone. Always given. Always received. Never earned.
Listen to the lyrics from the song,
One by Sleeping At Last
The list goes on forever
Of all the ways I could be better - In my mind
As if I could earn God's favor given time - Or at least congratulations
Now I have learned my lesson
The price of this so-called perfection - Is everything
I've spent my whole life searching desperately
To find out that grace requires nothing of me
Question: What does that mean to you?
So what makes His grace so glorious - so amazing?
2. God’s Grace is always greater than sin
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
Abound - literally superabound - always beyond - always in excess.
Remember the analogy - if you have 100 lbs. of sin, God gives 150 lbs. of grace.
His grace is glorious and amazing because it is always given and always superabounding. Always beyond …..
Q - What hinders us from receiving God’s grace?
It’s the only way. See v8.
Grace is to be utilized, received, accepted, appreciated ….
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
Again, we have redemption and forgiveness according to His grace - nothing of our own accord.
I began asking myself, do I live as a redeemed person? Or just as a religious person?
This led to the question - How does a redeemed person live?
First, need to know what redemption is. In summary, and in a spiritual sense, through our own rebellion, humanity was sold into slavery (in bondage to sin, satan and death). In order to be free from bondage - from the power of sin, satan and death, someone had to redeem us - to purchase our salvation, to purchase our forgiveness, to purchase our freedom ….
That’s where Jesus comes in. Jesus came to take away sin, propitiation of sin, destroy the works of the devil, to give eternal life …. All of that and so much more is a part of redemption.
How does a redeemed person live?
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
How does a redeemed person live? A redeemed person lives is a purchased person. A bought person. If we are in Christ, we are not our own. So this begs the question - do I live as a purchased person? As if I belong to Him?
A redeemed (purchased) person:
A Life of Gratitude and Contentment
A Life of Availability
Jack Deer - Surprised by the Voice of God
Who are the people who hear God’s voice? Those who are available
Ultimately, a redeemed (purchased) person understands that their life is not their own.
A redeemed person says, “Lord, I’m available 24/7. Call me anytime”
A religious person says, “Lord, I’m available Tuesday and Thursday before I go to work. And on Sundays, if I make it to church.”
Have you received God’s grace?
Redeemed - are you living as a purchased person?
What needs to change in your mind and in your heart in order to be available to Christ all day every day?