THE ETERNAL PLAN OF GOD FOR THE CHRISTIAN

A.  THE BLESSING OF GOD

-- { Ephesians 1:3-14 }  ³ 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, ⁴ just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. ⁵ He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹ he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, ¹⁰ as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. ¹¹ In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, ¹² so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³ In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴ this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.  -- NRSV

Breath Prayer For The Week (A "breath prayer" is a brief sentence or simple phrase that can be repeated often to Jesus in one breath.)

Lord Jesus, I am Yours.

Dear Friend, grace and peace be unto you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ.  Amen.

This is one of the greatest passages of Scripture.  It deals with God’s plan for the world – His eternal plan.  It deals with God’s blessing, which He pours out upon those who trust His Son Jesus as their Savior.

God’s blessings are heavenly blessings, not material (1:3)  “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.”

Four things should be noted as we begin.

1. Spiritual blessings are of the Holy Spirit.  These are blessings that enable a person to control their life.  To find joy in sadness and victory over the trials of life.  It is the blessing of the Spirit that we must have in our lives if we are to live abundantly as Jesus desires.

2. Spiritual blessings are the opposite of temporal or worldly blessings.  They are inner blessings of the heart and mind.  They form the new mind of Christ within us for meaningful life.  They bring peace.

3. Spiritual blessings are greatly superior to material blessings.  They are permanent, perfect and eternal.  They are of the very nature of God Himself.  

4. Spiritual blessings are found only in Jesus.  To experience Spiritual blessing we must be in relationship with Jesus.

Paul shares with us seven blessings of God.

I.  God has chosen us to be holy and blameless (1:4)  “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love…”

God determined before the world was ever created that He would have a people: who would be “in Him” through faith in Jesus, who would be “holy and blameless,” and who would live in his sight in love forever.

1. The word “holy” (hagious) means to be set apart and consecrated to God.

2. The word “blameless” (amomous) means to be free from sin, dirt, and filth, to be above reproach and without blemish.

This is who we are called to be.  This is who we are because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.  He has taken our sin and given us His righteousness in its place.  We stand before God forgiven and accepted.

II.  God has adopted us as children (1:5-6)  “…he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”

What an unbelievable and glorious privilege to be adopted as a child of God!  As we stand on this side of faith we can look back and see His choosing of us.

1. The word “predestined” (proorisas) means to destine or appoint before, to foreordain.  The basic Greek word means to mark off or set off the boundaries of something.  God set off and marked the boundaries of our adoption into His Forever Family – Jesus sacrificial death.

2. The word “adopted” means to place as one’s own child.

3. Adoption is by Jesus and Him alone.  God accepts us because we are baptized and trust in Jesus.

4. God’s purpose is that we might live forever to the praise of the glory of His free love and grace.

III.  God has redeemed us – forgiven our sins (1:7)  “In him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…”

The word “redemption” (apolutrosin) conveys the idea of deliverance or setting a person free by paying a ransom.  

A prisoner of war or a kidnapped person is ransomed or redeemed from a hopeless situation.  The person is powerless to help himself and needs to be saved by a rescuer.  Jesus is our Rescuer.  He paid the penalty for our sins, rescuing us, and extends God’s forgiveness.

The word “forgiveness” (aphesin) means to send off, to send away, to release, to let go.

The word “sin” (paraptomaton) means transgression, trespass, a falling away, or deviation from the way.  It applies to all persons in their relationship with God.

Only Jesus can take our sins away with His forgiveness.

IV.  God has given us wisdom and understanding (1:8)  “…that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”

God’s blessing comes to those who trust His Son, Jesus.  

Two special gifts are given.

1. “Wisdom” (sophia means seeing and knowing the truth.  This is a seeing and knowing what to do.  It sees especially the answers to the problems of life and death, God and humankind, time and eternity, good and evil.  

2. “Understanding” (phronesei) means seeing how to use and do the truth.  It is seeing the direction to take.  It is insight and the ability to solve day to day problems.  It is down to earth and practical.

V.    “And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 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.”

This is the key thought of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

1. God has an eternal purpose and plan for the world, and it is His pleasure to make sure it comes about.

2. There will be a fullness of time when history as we know it will end and a peaceful reign will come about.

3. Jesus is God’s appointed Head over the climax of history and the new creation and new order.

4. The Church is the Lord’s instrument of reconciliation and peace, His representative body upon the earth.  As the instrument of the Lord, the Church has two missions:

   1. To take Jesus and His message and peace to the world.

   2. To practice reconciliation and share the love of God with all upon the earth.

VI.  God has given us an inheritance, that is, made us the heritage of God (1:11-13)  “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, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.  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,…”

We who follow Jesus are the heritage of God Himself.

1. We have been called to be the very possession of God.

2. Our calling gives an immediate eternal existence.  We begin eternal life at the point of our baptism and faith.

3. Our calling to be God’s inheritance is so that we might exist to the praise of His glory.  We live as the evidence of His great grace and love.

4. Our calling and inheritance comes in two ways:

   1. By hearing the Word of God – its message of salvation.

   2. By believing and trusting in Jesus for that salvation.

VII.  God has sealed us with the Holy Spirit (1:14)  “…the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.”

“Guaranteeing” (arrabon) means pledge, a down payment.

Sometimes we have to purchase something but cannot afford it so we put it on “lay-a-way.”  We know it is ours but that we will not obtain it until later.  That is the seal the Holy Spirit has put on our inheritance as God’s children.  It is on lay-a-way, waiting for us to claim fully at a latter date.  As Jesus said in John 14:2-3, “…I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Why does God give such a guarantee through His Spirit?  In order that His glory might be praised eternally.

As Paul says in Romans 8:16, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”  What a blessing!

Heavenly Father, we indeed are Your children.  You went to a lot of trouble to make reconciliation with You possible.  You sent Your Son, Jesus, to die for us.  You sent Your Holy Spirit with Your grace to give us faith and trust in Him.  You have prepared a place eternally for us with You.  Praise to Your glory forever.  In Jesus.