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[0:00] Ephesians 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.

[0:21] Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

[1:05] Accepted in the beloved. Some ABCs, if you like, of being in Christ, accepted in the beloved. Firstly, in Christ you are accepted.

[1:17] Verse 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In Christ God accepts you.

[1:29] Though life seems to bring rejection and sorrow and put downs at times, there is one who accepts you. He accepts you. The one who was despised and rejected is the one who accepts us.

[1:43] The one who was hated of men is the one who loves your soul. And he is the lover of man's soul. He says that he receives sinners.

[1:54] And he accepts you. He accepts you today, if you will but trust him. Secondly, in Christ you are blessed. Verse 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

[2:16] In Christ you are blessed. Blessed. One of the greatest spiritual blessings we can know is to be found in him. To belong to him.

[2:26] Though you feel you don't fit perhaps sometimes, there is a place that you do belong. There is a place at his table. There is a place in his heart for you.

[2:37] There is a father, a family, a home for you. You are blessed with God's grace. Shouldn't you rejoice in that? Shouldn't we? Bless him for the blessings you have.

[2:50] You are blessed with Christ, living and breathing within you, in your life. You are loved, beloved in the beloved.

[3:00] We have access, it says, chapter 3 verse 12 of Ephesians. It says, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

[3:12] You are blessed with access to God. You are blessed with all spiritual blessings, it says. He has laid it on. He's lavished it. All that we need.

[3:23] You are blessed. You are beloved. He was hated. You are beloved in Christ. You are blessed. And thirdly, in Christ you are chosen.

[3:35] Chosen. You are wanted. Verse 4. According as he hath chosen us in him. Before the foundation of the world. That we should be holy and without blame.

[3:46] Before him in love. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ. To himself. According to the good pleasure of his will.

[3:56] We may feel refused and unwanted. But God wants us. He truly does. We are family. God has chosen you. God has adopted you.

[4:09] The great thing about being adopted. Being a step-son, a step-daughter. Is wow, you've been chosen. Wow, that's something special isn't it? To know you've been chosen.

[4:20] He was rejected for you. We are chosen in him. In Christ. You are accepted. You are blessed. And you are chosen.

[4:30] A-B-C. Accepted, blessed and chosen. He was rejected. You are accepted. He was hated. You are blessed. You are loved. He was refused.

[4:42] You are chosen. You are accepted in the beloved. You belong. And that's a great thought to dwell on today. As we worship further today.