"SEVEN BLESSINGS OF GOD'S PEOPLE"

Read: 

Ephesians 1:4-6 (NIV)“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.”

 

Relate: 

Mesilla Elementary School

To be chosen is an amazing thing! At the thought of this, my mind races back to my early years at Mesilla Elementary. Those first six years of school were very difficult for me!

During recess, all the kids would gather on the playground. The boys would play in one area and the girls in another. Then came the dreaded “line up” of the boys as they began choosing their teams. Inevitably, I would always be the last to get chosen! You see, as a young boy, I was overweight, clumsy and slow.  So, with “good reason”, I was the last to be picked. I hated getting picked last and dreaded the feelings that followed. Day after day after day the process continued.
     

Scripture says “... he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”
     

God chose us first! Some of you may be thinking, “That’s great, so when is that going to happen? When do I start being this holy and blameless thing?” It already happened if you’ve given your life to Christ. Remember these are things we’re already been blessed with according to verse 3.
     

When did God choose us? “he chose us in him before the creation of the world ...” Do you think it really means that? I do! That means that before the world was ever created, God knew. He already had you in mind and He knew that you were going to ask Christ into your life. He knew all that in advance! God knew that someday He was going to look at you as a holy and blameless person. Not because of your own performance, but because of Christ’s performance.
     

This is a tremendous truth! It tells me that God thinks about me. It tells me that He has always thought of me.  Our salvation wasn’t just an afterthought with God. It was intentional! It was planned! Back to my playground story: someone would eventually choose me because they felt sorry for me. In essence, I was an afterthought. But not with God!
     

The second part of our text for this week says, “ ... he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ ...”
     

In brief, what is predestination?  How does it work? Some people may think if my life is all predestined, if God planned it all out, do I have to make any decisions?  Then there’s other people who may say, “No, it’s all us. God made us free moral agents. We get to choose.”
     

Which is it then? How does this predestination or election work?  How do we balance these two truths: the fact that God is sovereign, He gets to do whatever He wills. But it’s just as true that God has given us a free will. Jesus says, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” If He chose everybody and we didn’t have a choice, why would He even have said that?  He’d said, “All of you who are chosen will come to Me so I don’t even have to call you. You’ll just come to me automatically.”
     

Honestly, there are some things in scripture that we may continue to struggle with in this life such as predestination or even the trinity. That’s where our faith comes in.
     

The second part of this verse says, “... to be adopted as his sons.” I love the fact that I have been adopted by Christ.
    

Our son Matthew & grandson Issac

Many of you may know that our son, Matthew, adopted a young boy named Issac about three years ago. It was an awesome experience to go to court and participate in his official adoption ceremony.

Issac now legally bears our family name: Ortega.  A few days after his legal ceremony, we held a family ceremony in our backyard where all the members of our family participated in this intimate induction as an “Ortega”.
     

If you are a Christian, you have been adopted by God. It’s significant that Paul wrote the book of Ephesians from a Roman prison. In Roman society, it was serious if you were adopted. That was the law at that time that the father of the household had absolute power over the children. Not just while they were in his household, but all their lives until he died. In fact, he had the power of life or death over his children. In Roman society, a father could legally condemn one of his own children to death if he wanted to and a child couldn’t possess anything. When I say absolute power it includes the power of ownership.  For instance, if someone gives me a business, they are not giving it to me, but giving it to my father since he’s still alive. Even though I am a 54 yr. old adult, my father still control everything as long as he is alive! Everything comes from the father. In that society, as soon as a child was adopted, they immediately inherited all the rights of their adopted family, losing all the rights of their biological family. When adopted into a new family, you were no longer liable for the old debts acquired by your former family.
     

The human race has had a debt building up with God for a long time. It started back in the Garden of Eden. This debt is called sin.  Because of Jesus Christ, God took us out of one family, and adopted us into another family. The debt is forgiven, wiped out, cleared and all these blessings are now ours by simply asking for it. If that doesn’t make you feel a little good, you may not have a pulse!
     

Praise God that we have been chosen by Him to be holy and blameless in his sight and that He has selected us to be adopted into His family!


Reflect:

• Do you know anyone who has been adopted? What stands out to you about their relationship with their new family?

Respond: 

• Why did God choose us? Are you living up to those expectations? If not, what needs to change?
• How is your relationship with your adopted Father? Why? What needs to change?

Request:

• Take a moment to thank the Lord for choosing you and loving you enough to adopt you as His own child.

"OPEN MY EYES ..."

Read:  (Ephesians)

Research:  

A quartet of men left Rome in the year A.D. 62 bound for the province of Asia which was located in what was designated as Asia Minor and is currently called Turkey. These men had on their persons four of the most sublime compositions of the Christian faith. These precious documents would be invaluable if they were in existence today. Rome did not comprehend the significance of the writings of an unknown prisoner. If she had, these men would have been apprehended and the documents seized.
 

When these men bade farewell to the apostle Paul, each was given an epistle to bear to this particular constituency. These four letters are in the Word of God, and the are designated the “Prison Epistles of Paul,” since he wrote them while he was imprisoned in Rome. He was awaiting a hearing before Nero who was the Caesar at that time. Paul, as a Roman citizen, had appealed his case to the emperor, and he was waiting to be heard.
  

The quartet of men and their perspective places of abode can be identified: (1) Epaphroditus was from Philippi, and he had the Epistle to the Philippians (see Phil. 4:18); (2) Tychicus was from Ephesus, and he had the Epistle to the Ephesians (see Eph. 6:21); (3) Paphras was from Colosse, and he had the Eplistle to the Colossians (see Col. 4:12); and (4) Onesimus was a runaway slave from Colosee, and he had the Epistle to Philemon who was his master (see Philem. 10).
 

These Epistles present a composite picture of Christ, the church, the Christian life, and the interrelationship and functioning of them all. These different facets present the Christian life on the highest plane.
 

Ephesians presents the church which is Christ’s body. This is the invisible church of which Christ is the Head.
 

Ephesians reveals the church as God’s masterpiece, a mystery not revealed in the Old Testament (see (Eph. 2:10). It is more wonderful than any temple made with hands, constructed of living stones, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It is the body of Christ in the world to walk as He would walk and to wrestle against the wiles (schemes) of the Devil. Someday the church will leave the world and be presented to Christ as a bride.
     

In this letter, Paul takes us to the mountaintops of Christian truth and invites us to look at the breathtaking view! When we do so, we see, that it is Jesus Christ who dominates that view. We see Him breaking down the wall between God and humanity. We see Him subduing the hostile cosmic powers. We see Him creating the church, a new social order of love and unity that transcends the racial, ethnic and social distinctions between people. In conveying this vision, Paul reaches into eternity past and eternity future to demonstrate how God, out of His love and glory, calls people to be reconciled to Himself and to one another through the cross of Christ. The cross provides forgiveness of sins, a new life and a new people. Between Paul’s greeting (1:2-2) and salutation (6:21-24), the letter divides easily into two parts. Part one (ch. 1-3) focuses on doctrine, specifically, the new life and new society God has created through Jesus. Part two (ch. 4-6) focuses on ethics, specifically the new standards and new relationships expected of believers.

Reflect:

• What team have you been a part of where the unity of the players was amazing? What made it that way?
• As you read through the Epistle to the Ephesians, what verse stands out to you?
• When you count your blessings, what do you put on the top of the list?
• Read (Eph. 6:10-20) How does it make you feel to know that you are in a battle against something/someone that can’t be seen? What can you do to better prepare yourself for warfare?

Respond: 

• “And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17) [NIV] To what do your eyes need to be opened, so that you can see God working in your life?
• “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints ...” (Eph. 1:18) [NIV] In what area does your heart need to be “enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you ...”

Request:
A prayer for us as we begin this series: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spirituals songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16) [NIV]

A GREETING AND A REMINDER

Read:  (Ephesians 1:1-3)

God has laid it on my heart to take you, verse by verse through the book of Ephesians. So make a commitment to join us every Sunday for this life changing series starting this weekend.

Ephesians is an Epistle, one of the apostolic letters that can be divided into two sections. Section one; chapters 1-3, deal with theology and section two; chapters 3-6 deal with ethics. It's a letter of encouragement with the point of view being the unity of believers in Christ Jesus. These are two things that are needed in the modern church, encouragement and unity among the believers.

Below you will find some comments I have excerpted from my “The Application Study Bible”. May they help you better understand the verses I will cover this weekend.

Research:
(v. 1a) “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus ...” Paul wrote this letter (Epistle) to the Ephesian believers and all other believers to give them in-depth teaching about how to nurture and maintain the unity of the church. He wanted to put this important information in written form because he was in prison for preaching the gospel and could not visit the churches himself. The words “... in Ephesus ...” are not present in some early manuscripts. Therefore, this was very likely a “circular” letter – it was first sent to Ephesus and then circulated to neighboring local churches. Paul mentions no particular problems or local situations, and he offers no personal greetings.

Paul had been a Christian nearly 30 years. He had taken three missionary trips and established churches all around the Mediterranean Sea. When he wrote Ephesians, Paul was under house arrest in Rome (see Acts 28:16). Though a prisoner, he was free to have visitors and write letters.

Ephesus was one of the five major cities in the Roman empire along with Rome, Corinth, Antioch and Alexandria. Paul first visited Ephesus on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:19-21). During his third missionary journey, he stayed there for almost three and a half years. (Acts 19). Paul later met again with the elders of the Ephesian church at Miletus (Acts 29:16-38). Ephesus was a commercial, political and religious center for all of Asia Minor. The temple of the Greek goddess Artemis (Diana is her Roman equivalent) was located there.
(v. 1b) “... to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus ...” - what an excellent reputation! Such a label would be an honor for any believer. Hold fast to your faith one day at a time; faithfully obey God, even in the details of life. Then, like the Ephesians you will be known as a person who is faithful to the Lord.

(v. 2) “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” This form of greeting was very common, almost universal, in Paul's Epistles. It is in a very peculiar sense a Christian form of greeting. Grace is the central fact of the gospel, the key to its meaning. The essential and primary meaning of the word “grace” is undeserved favor bestowed by a superior upon an inferior. In the gospel, it is that active and energetic love of God which, in and through Christ, clothed itself in human form, and continue now to work for man's redemption. “Peace” is the result of the action of this grace of God in the human heart.

Excerpted from Studies in Ephesians by E. Y. Mullins

(v. 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.” Means that in Christ we have all the benefits of knowing God – being chosen for salvation, being adopted as his children, forgiveness, insight, the gifts of the Spirit, power to do God's will, the hope of living together with Christ, we can enjoy these blessings now. The heavenly realms means that these blessings are eternal, not temporal.

Reflect:

• Ephesians 1 speaks of the awesome beauty of Christ. Have you ever had a wow-moment in nature where you were just blown away by the beauty of creation? If so, what was it?
• Take a moment and read through Ephesians chapter one, what did you find most fascinating or interesting?

Respond: 

• What would it take for others to characterize you as faithful to Christ?
• As you reflect on these verses and this chapter, were there any one or two things that God seemed to be saying to you, specifically?”
• In light of what you believe God said to you, how is your life being changed, or in what ways does it still need to change?”

Request:
Pray, asking the Lord to help you change those things that He brought to your attention.

"NO EXCUSES"

Read:  (Luke 12:49- Luke 13:5)

Research:

You may notice that there is a lot to cover in all of these verses. So, for sake of time and space, we will only look at Luke 13:1-5  However, I want to give you an overview of the other verses.
    
In Luke 12:49-59, Jesus warns about the coming of relational divisions. In verses 54-59, he warns against future crisis’ and in Luke 13:1-5, He calls people to repent!    
 

While walking on our university campus a few months ago, I noticed a man who was standing on a planter in front of Corbett Center holding a sign and proclaiming, “Repent or go to Hell!” The word "hell" sounded almost like "hail," stretching out a "long a" sound in a high pitch voice mimicking the voice of a southern television evangelist!
   
I was so embarrassed for him. He seemed almost foreign to the campus culture, obviously distracting other passersby. While I was trying to communicate God's love and forgiveness to the international students in our small group, this man was making a spectacle of himself while preaching about Hell. He was the very stereotype that I was trying to dispel!
    
Yet, while his demeanor and method seemed to be ineffective and out-of-context, his message was Jesus' message! Jesus, like his predecessor John the Baptist, was a preacher of repentance. His earliest message was this: “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15).
    
Repentance means change. The Greek word “metanoeo” means: to change one's mind; to feel remorse; repent; be converted; that is to turn from our sinful behavior. When God speaks to us about our sinful living, he gives us only two options: to repent or perish!
    
So, what is true repentance? It involves confession with the mind AND the mouth. It’s agreeing with what God says is sin. It’s saying, “I’m guilty! No excuses! No buts! No blame! I accept responsibility for my behavior!”
    
Repentance also involves contrition, a word that we don’t often use. The program on my Macbook defines it as: the state of feeling remorseful and penitent, involving one’s emotions and expressions. It is obvious by your countenance that you are truly repentant!
    
It also involves change, which engages your will and your works. You prove yourself repentant by actually taking some steps towards change and by being accountable to someone.
 

So you see, repentance is not just guilt, though guilt sometimes motivates repentance. Repentance is not mere remorse, though remorse sometimes triggers repentance. True repentance is about change!
    
When people hear the Good News of the Kingdom of God coming in Jesus, the Messiah, they must change from their sinful ways or be judged with an awesome judgment.
    
Jesus was not a prophet of the status quo. He often offended the high priests of established religion. He scandalized the self-centered symbols of the “religious right” of that day. Jesus spoke words of hope and glory, but also demanded change. Repent or perish! Change or be judged! It grieved Him that for many, their choice, their end would be judgment
    
Although, this is a relatively long passage, I’ll be moving rather quickly this week so we can see and appreciate this oft-neglected part of Jesus' message and mission. I’ll see you this Sunday... no excuses!

Reflect:
What type of things divide families today, even Christian families?
What does the “fire” that Jesus comes to bring represent? Why does He long for it to be kindled?
Why does Jesus insist that they all should understand the current times?
What are the consequences for failing to settle debts before facing the judge?
What does Jesus teach about the nature of judgment?

Respond: 
In what ways do these verses surprise you or challenge your image of Jesus?
How does your life reflect the “urgency” with which Jesus calls for repentance?
How are we living hypocritical lives by ignoring the “signs of the times”?
What “debts” do you still have to settle?
What sin do you have in your life that you need to repent of?  Where in your life do you need to repent of thinking that your sin is “not as bad as others”?

Request: 

Take moment to ask the Lord to help you (re)ignite a fire, a passion for Him and to help you live 2011 with NO EXCUSES!

Some quotes excerpted from: www.jesuswalk.com