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“Part of Something Big”

Ephesians 1:4-10

Have you ever been part of something really big? Perhaps a championship team or great accomplishment at work (BG crusades)  there is nothing like being part of something significant on a large scale. Takes life to a higher level. Last week we saw vs.3that as Christians God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ for His eternal purpose. Now Paul goes on to explain what has been done by God in order that we may be connected to all these exceeding riches of His grace and the part we all have to play in something really big: God’s purpose.

I. What God has Done4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Two words that are difficult for us to comprehend…

A. He Chose Us4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Great theologians have argued this point for centuries  two possible explanations: Been called doctrine of 1) “election” and doctrine of 2) “free will.” 1) We are chosen by God simply as the result of His own good pleasure, entirely apart from anything we have ever done or said or thought. We are chosen by God in spite of the fact that we were enemies, aliens and even haters of God (won lottery). 2) Christians were chosen by God before the foundation of the world because God with His perfect foreknowledge saw that they would exercise faith, and thereby differentiate themselves from those who do not exercise faith. God chooses those who of themselves have already chosen to be Christians – decided to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and have sought salvation. One says: God has chosen us in spite of ourselves – the other that God has chosen us because He has foreseen that we would exercise faith. Tough passage: benefit of verse-by-verse approach  look at every statement. How do we understand this? Begin with God. Realizing who and what God is danger of assuming that our finite intellects are capable of understanding what God does. Our puny minds are not able to comprehend the infinite and inscrutable mind of the eternal God. The Bible does not give us a philosophical explanation. It is a statement. There are real difficulties here  of course there are! It comes from God. Many things we can’t understand: two natures of man, trinity, eternity. I know this: God exists outside of time. We see everything through a time-space dimension God is above that. Alpha & Omega, Beginning and the End – the eternally existent One: “I Am.” Truth is: before the foundation of the world God determined that all who believed on His Son should be saved: placed in Christeternal life, not just future but past as well (continuum). God knew He would make us holy set apart for God in order to reflect His purity and blameless “free from blemish” spotless, faultless…In love justified out of His love. The greatest result of the effects of the Fall being undone. That’s what we need to know. Some believe election leaves no place for evangelism: not so (God gives crops but the farmer plows and sows  God has ordained both). God has chosen to call out His people by means of evangelism and the preaching of the Word. We are not saved by our understanding of these things, but by a simple childlike trust, and absolute faith and confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on our behalf. All about the sovereignty of God, and the majesty of God, and the love of God. What we need to realize is that we are chosen of God to be holy and blameless out of His love! Part of His plan – not just forgiveness of sins & declared righteous 

B. He Adopted Us5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—here is the second word that troubles us - predestined predetermine:—determine beforehand. Events divinely caused by God (salvation of the chosen) and events divinely permitted(evil acts, etc.)God, foreknowing how men will act under various circumstances, determined beforehand to permit them so to act; thus making the acts certain to come to pass as parts of His total plan, yet leaving all men fully responsible for what they do. (Cruise ship).As Christians God has adopted us as his sons God takes into His family - all those who believe.Under Roman law an adopted son enjoyed the same status and privileges as a real son. Jesus Christ is God’s only “natural son” we are adoptedthrough Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will satisfaction, delight, or kindness, purpose: out of God’s loving grace He included us in His family and we are co-heirs with Christ. John 1:12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— He was not obligated, no one “held a gun to His head”, He didn’t need to but He did it. There are two kinds of people: those who belong to God and those who do not. There are God’s people and other people, saved & lost, those who have eternal life and those who do not. All this comes about through faith in Jesus: in Him, by Him, through Him only through relationship with Jesus Christ John 14:6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If He had not come from heaven to earth, none of us could ever have become children of God. Realize that as part of God’s plan He has adopted you as His son or daughter! And…

C. He has Gifted Us6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. What an incredible, loving gracious God we have! All of this was just offered freely to us. KJV “accepted in the beloved” to grace, that is give special honor:—make accepted, be highly favored agape love He has poured out incredible gifts on us. Gifted us to complete His plan.

II. What God has Given Us7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

A. New Life7In him we have redemption emancipation of slaves or prisoners ransom in full – payment of a price: through his blood, God knew we would turn from Him and break His heart but went ahead and let it happen. He willingly sacrificed everything for us. Who killed Jesus? The Son of God laid down His life in death and ransomed men from sin. God “bought us back” from the penalty of our sin. The ransom money for our freedom was the blood of Jesus. We deserved death but Jesus paid that price we received life! A new existence, way of being. A life with God now and forever.

B. Forgiveness7…the forgiveness of sins, freedom; loosing someone from what binds them – to send away pardon: deliverance, liberty…in accordance with the riches of God’s grace  illustration of His outrageous generosity to undeserving people.God’s riches are endless and inexhaustible (ocean) so is His forgiveness.

C. UnderstandingHe gave us wisdom: God’s riches of grace have been8that he lavished on us beinexcess, tosuper abound showered on us in profusion (waterfall). God always gives generously. There are still further blessings… with all wisdom “the knowledge which sees into the heart of things, which knows them as they really are” and understanding the discernment that leads to right actions. Initiation into spiritual reality. Just some of the blessings that flow from the matchless grace of God. Continuous tense; “we have and are still having” personalize weus to “me.” Given for…

III. What God has Plannedvs.9&10there is a reason that we were chosen, adopted, gifted, forgiven, given new life and given wisdom and understanding: God’s plan is…

A. To Use Us9And he made known to us give to understand the mystery a secret that was hidden is now revealed of his will specific purpose, decree; desire, pleasure, according to his good pleasure satisfaction, delight, purpose:  God has let us in on what He is doing! He has made us partners with Him…

B. To Reveal Christ9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, the mystery of God’s strategy has been revealed in Jesus Christ. For all eternity the Father cherished in His mind a plan that was to be carried out in Christ. We are now the body of Christ to fulfill it. His ultimate plan is…

C. To Restore the World10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment administration (household or estate management); “economy.” The divine government of the universe—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.Restore things as they should be bring everything under the lordship of Christ. We are part of it! Eventually everything in heaven and earth will be gathered together under Christ.

When all is said & done everything will be seen to add up to Christ. Harmony in the universe will be restored. We are part of that purpose.

We know the plan! We are part of the strategy. We all do our little parts that collectively have big impact – now and then. God has made us pure and blameless – given us wisdom and insight  poured out His grace on us to participate in bringing about the Kingdom of God on earth though loving others.