Murdo Campbell, delighted to welcome Murdo to the pulpit for this weekend.
He is a Stornoway boy. He became a member here in the congregation in 2006, he was just telling me.
And he's now been a minister in Barres Free Church for 10 years, and it was 10 years ago yesterday
was the date of his induction there. So we're very thankful to have Murdo with us, leading the
services over this weekend, and we do pray God's blessing on him and on us all together as we come
under the sound of the glorious gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And I'll invite Murdo now
to lead us in our worship. Well, good evening. It's lovely to be with you this evening, and God willing,
over this weekend. We do pray that we know the Lord's blessing as we meet around God's Word and
also around the Lord's table. You know, I was thinking as I was coming over the moor from Bonnie
Barvis, in our pulpit, or my pulpit, I have this sign that reminds me every time I stand in the pulpit.
It says on it, Sir, we would see Jesus. And I was thinking that's what we should be longing for
this coming weekend, that we would see Jesus, that we would see none other save Jesus only,
that he would be lifted up before us, and that in lifting him up, we would all be drawn to him,
to know him, to love him, and to follow him, and even to walk with him more closely.
So let us worship God this evening. We're going to sing to God's praise in Psalm 32.
Psalm 32, it's in the Sing Psalms version, on page 38, if you have the blue psalm book.
Psalm 32.
The tune is Arlington. We're singing from the beginning down to the verse mark 7.
Psalm 32, page 38. All of our psalms this evening, they focus upon the theme of blessing or blessedness.
And Psalm 32 is, it's a psalm that was written after Psalm 51. Psalm 51, it's my favorite psalm.
It's the psalm where David confesses his sin. And then he wrote, after he wrote Psalm 51,
he wrote Psalm 32, because he knew the forgiveness of his sin. He knew how blessed he was to receive
forgiveness for his sin. That's what David writes here. He says, how blessed the one who has received
forgiveness for his sin, whose sins are covered from God's face, whose debt is cancelled in God's grace.
There's no deceit in him. So we'll sing Psalm 32 from the beginning down to the verse mark 7.
Do you stand to sing? And we'll stand to sing, if you're able, to God's praise.
Amen.
When I kept silent, all my bones were thrown in heaven.
I felt entrapped. Both day and night, my strength was up, as in a summer drought.
Then I laid bare my sin to you, the guilt that lay within. I said, O Lord, I have transgressed,
and you forgive when I confess. You pardoned all my sin.
So let the Godly pray to you, while you are to be found.
Surely, when waves are sweeping past, and mighty waters rising fast, you keep them safe and sound.
You are my hiding place, O Lord, my true security.
You keep me safe and troubled days. You circle me with joyful praise, when you have set me free.
Amen.
Well, let us come before the Lord in prayer. Let's pray together.
Gracious God and loving Heavenly Father, enable us this evening, as we meet together in worship,
to first of all be still, to be still and to know that thou art God.
Help us, Lord, we pray, to come aside from all the business of the day, and even the busyness of our week,
and to just stop, and to be still in the Lord's presence,
and to know that the promise remains true for thy people,
that where two or three gather in thy name, thou art there in the midst of them.
And that our prayer, Lord, as we meet together, is that thou wouldst be pleased to bless us.
And as the psalm has said, Lord, bless and pity us.
Shine on us with thy face, that the earth, thy way, and nations all would know thy saving grace.
And tonight we bless and praise thee for knowing the saving grace of God in our life,
to know that we have been brought from darkness, and to thine own marvelous light,
that we can say that we were once not a people, but we are now the people of God.
We are those who had once not obtained mercy, but now we have obtained mercy.
And what a mercy it is to know that God has been gracious and merciful towards us.
He has been long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth.
And it is no wonder that David praised the Lord in that psalm that we were singing.
And he said, how blessed is the one who has received forgiveness for his sin.
And tonight, Lord, help us to see that we are a people who are blessed.
We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.
We have received what we do not deserve.
And the Lord has kept from us what we do deserve.
That he has been so good to us.
That he has drawn us to himself.
That he has called us with that holy calling.
That he has made known to us the wonder and beauty of thy Son, the Lord Jesus.
And we thank thee tonight for him.
We thank thee, O Lord, that he is a faithful friend.
He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
He is our shepherd who leads us in every step of the way of life.
He is there for us even when we have to be confronted with the valley of the shadow of death.
That he is the one who is by our side.
He is the one who assures us that his goodness and his mercy, they still follow us all the days of our life.
And that in God's house forevermore our dwelling place shall be.
And so, Lord, whatever or however we felt coming in here this evening.
However we felt in and of ourselves.
That how often, Lord, we look at ourselves and we see how sinful we are.
And that we are not becoming more holy.
But we feel that we are becoming more and more sinful.
And yet, Lord, we find ourselves confessing more and more with the Apostle.
That the good that I would, I do not.
But the evil that I would not, that is what I keep on doing.
But, Lord, help us, we pray, to see tonight that there is and there remains,
therefore now no condemnation, to those who are in Christ Jesus.
That we are those who have been given that spirit of adoption.
Whereby we are able to cry and call upon our Father which art in heaven.
And to know that he hears us and he answers us in accordance with his will.
Help us, Lord, we pray, to be persuaded.
As Paul was persuaded.
That neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers.
Nor things present, nor even things to come.
Neither height, nor depth, nor any other creature.
Is able to separate us from the love of God.
That is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And so, Lord, our prayer is, as we meet together as weak.
Saints traveling through this world.
Help us, Lord, to be encouraged by thy word.
Help us, Lord, to be lifted up to see Jesus.
That while we are looking at him, that, oh, as one of old said, that for every look at self,
to take ten looks at Jesus.
And that we might keep looking at him.
That we might keep focusing upon him.
Knowing that he is the lover of our soul.
He is the fairest among ten thousand.
He is the one who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.
And help us then, we pray, to see more and more of him.
That he would increase.
That we would decrease.
That he would ultimately have all the preeminence.
That thou, our heavenly Father, would have all the glory.
And that we, tonight, as we gather around thy word.
And as we seek thy face.
That, Lord, that we would know blessing.
That we would experience thy presence.
That we would know the power of thy spirit.
As thy word is opened.
And as thy word is read.
And as it is proclaimed.
Lord, that thou wouldest open our ears to hear.
Open our hearts to receive thy truth.
Open our minds to engage with it.
But, Lord, enable us, we pray, as thy people.
Not only to be hearers of thy word.
To be doers also.
To be living it out.
And to be living epistles.
Seen and read of those around us.
That we, O Lord, would do it ultimately for thy glory.
And the furtherance of thy kingdom.
Bless us, Lord, we pray, then, as thy children.
Remember this congregation.
That we thank thee for them.
That thou wouldest strengthen them and sustain them.
Uphold them and support them.
Remember the minister, Lord.
We thank thee for him.
We pray for our brother, Calamurdo.
Grant him, Lord, to know thy presence.
To know thy nearness.
And that even as he would enjoy a communion season.
With his own people here.
Bless him, Lord, we pray.
Remember his wife, Joanne, and their family.
And we pray, Lord, even for the vacancy in the congregation.
That thou wouldest provide for them.
Not only an under-shepherd.
But also a brother to work alongside Calamurdo.
One who will serve alongside him.
One who will seek to lift up the name of Jesus.
Encourage them, Lord, we pray, in the work of the gospel.
That as they plough their furrow.
And as they seek to break up the fallow ground.
And as they seek to invite people to come and hear this glorious gospel message.
Our longing is that more would be won to Christ.
That more and more would taste and see that thou art good.
And trust in thee and be blessed.
And Lord, remember us then, we pray this evening.
Remember those who are not with us.
Those who are confined to homes or to beds of sickness.
Those, Lord, who are laid aside.
Those whose longing and heart's desire is to be here.
And yet, Lord, they are confined to their homes.
Or wherever they may be.
But, Lord, we ask that thou wouldest meet with them.
At their point of need.
And, Lord, we pray also for homes and families that are separated by the gospel.
We pray for husbands that are out of Christ.
Or wives that are still strangers to grace and to God.
Or children that are on the broad road.
That leads to destruction.
Lord, our longing is that the prodigals would come home.
That they too would be found here on a Friday evening.
Seeking to worship the Lord.
Seeking to lift up his name.
Seeking to glorify and enjoy him forever.
For that is our chief end.
O Lord, bless us then, we pray.
Lead us and guide us by thy spirit.
And go before us in all things.
Taking away our iniquity.
And receiving us graciously.
For Jesus' sake.
Amen.
But we're going to sing again.
This time in Psalm 119.
Psalm 119.
It's in the Scottish Psalter, page 399.
Psalm 119.
We're singing from the beginning down to the verse marked 6.
As you know, Psalm 119.
It's the longest psalm in the Psalter.
And for good reason.
It's a psalm that reminds us about the importance of God's word in our life.
That God's word is to be central to our life.
And when God's word is central to our life.
As the psalmist reminds us there.
We are blessed.
He says there in verse 1.
Blessed are they that undefiled and straight are in the way.
Who in the Lord's most holy law do walk and do not stray.
Blessed are they who to observe his statutes are inclined.
And who do seek the living God with their whole heart and mind.
So we're singing Psalm 119 from the beginning down to the verse marked 6.
It's on page 399.
We're singing to the tune Jackson.
And we'll stand to sing if you're able.
To God's praise.
Blessed are they that undefiled and straight are in the way.
Who in the Lord's most holy law do walk and do not stray.
Blessed are they who to observe his statutes are inclined.
And who do seek the living God with their whole heart and mind.
Such endless ways to walk and lay.
To know any clergy.
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy footsteps carefully.
O that thy statutes to observe.
Thou wouldst my ways silent.
Then shall I not be shamed when I by three steps always pray.
Amen.
We're now going to read the word of God.
As we find it in Paul's letter to the Ephesians and chapter 1.
Paul's letter to the Ephesians.
And chapter 1.
Ephesians chapter 1, we're going to read the whole chapter together.
So let us hear the word of God.
Amen.
in the heavenly places,
far above all rule and authority
and power and dominion
and above every name that is named,
not only in this age,
but also in the one to come.
And he put all things under his feet
and gave him as head over all things
to the church, which is his body,
the fullness of him who fills all in all.
And so on, may the Lord bless
that reading of his own holy word.
We're now going to sing again
before we consider that passage
in Ephesians chapter one.
We're going to sing again.
And I want to apologize to Ali
before I open my mouth.
It's Psalm 89, I should have said to Ali.
I don't know why I wrote 78.
I hope that's okay, Ali.
That's good.
Psalm 89, it's at verse 15.
When I had turned to Psalm 78,
I was looking at it thinking,
why on earth did I choose that Psalm?
It's not what I was wanting us to sing.
So Psalm 89, it's on page 345.
It's in the Scottish Psalter.
Psalm 89.
And we're singing from verse 15
down to the verse marked 18.
And the reason we're going to sing Psalm 89
is because it reminds us that as a people,
we are a blessed people.
Not only blessed, we are greatly blessed.
That's what the psalmist reminds us in verse 15.
O greatly blessed the people are,
the joyful sound that know.
In brightness of thy face, O Lord,
they ever on shall go.
They in thy name shall all the day rejoice exceedingly.
And in thy righteousness shall they,
exalted, be on high.
So we'll sing Psalm 89 from verse 15
down to the verse marked 18.
And we'll stand to sing, if you're able,
to God's praise.
Amen.
O greatly blessed the people are,
the joyful sound that know,
and brightness of thy face, O Lord,
they ever on shall go.
They in thy name shall all the day rejoice exceedingly.
And in thy righteousness shall they,
and in thy righteousness shall they,
exalted be on high.
because the glory of their strength,
doth only stand in thee.
and in thy faith shall our horn,
and power exalted be.
for God is our own.
For God is our own.
He begs and thee,
to us doth safety bring.
The holy one of Israel,
is our almighty King.
Amen.
Well, if we could, this evening,
with the Lord's help and the Lord's enabling,
if we could turn back to that portion of scripture that we read,
Paul's letter to the Ephesians,
and chapter 1.
Ephesians chapter 1.
And if we read again in verse 3.
Actually, we'll just read from the beginning.
Where Paul writes,
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
to the saints who are in Ephesus
and are faithful in Christ Jesus,
grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus 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.
And so on.
If I were to ask you this evening,
how are you?
How would you answer?
Would you slap on a smile
and give the generic answer
that we almost always give to almost everyone?
Would you just say,
I'm fine, Murdo?
Not bad, Murdo?
But you know, more often than not,
the truth is we're not fine
because we're all struggling in some way.
We're all struggling with sin
or with sickness
or with stress
or sorrow
or separation.
We're not fine
because we're all broken people
living broken lives
in this broken world.
But even though we're broken people,
Paul reminds us that,
as believers,
we are blessed people.
We're blessed people.
You know,
when I was studying in the Free Church College,
which wasn't yesterday,
I was there with a private student
and every time I saw this private student
and I asked him the question
I've just asked all of you,
I would ask him,
how are you?
And he would say it to me
in his strong Glaswegian accent,
and I'm not going to try his Glaswegian accent,
he would say,
Murdo, my friend,
I'm blessed.
Murdo, my friend,
I'm blessed.
Because you know,
despite his struggles,
and he had many of them,
he was sure of who he was
in Christ.
And that as a child of God,
he had received,
as Paul writes,
he had received
every spiritual blessing
in heavenly places
in Christ.
And that's where Paul begins
his letter to the Ephesians,
because Paul wants to remind us
and reassure us this evening
of how we are tonight
as believers.
So that when someone asks you,
how are you?
You're not to give the generic answer
that you always give.
Paul tells us that we are
to respond and say,
I'm blessed.
I'm blessed with every
spiritual blessing
in heavenly places
in Christ.
And that's what I want us
to see this evening
from this passage
as we consider three things.
We consider, first of all,
all the believers,
then all the blessings,
and then all the benefits.
So there are three headings,
all the believers,
all the blessings,
and all the benefits.
So first of all,
all the believers,
we see that in verses 1 and 2.
Paul writes there, he says,
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus
by the will of God,
to the saints who are in Ephesus
and are faithful in Christ Jesus,
grace to you and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
You know, the word Ephesus
means desirable,
because the ancient city of Ephesus
was a desirable place to live.
Ephesus was this wealthy seaport city
situated along the southwest coast
of what is now modern-day Turkey.
And as a seaport city,
the city of Ephesus
that had built up its reputation
as this key trade route
along the Aegean Sea,
so much so that Ephesus
became this important
and influential city
within the Roman Empire.
Sadly, Ephesus was also known
for its idolatry.
They had built a temple
double the size of any other temple
around them
to this Greek goddess Diana,
making it what's been known
as one of the seven wonders
of the ancient world.
It was also known for its immorality
because as an idolatrous city,
that often meant two things.
It meant temple priests
and also temple prostitutes,
making Ephesus nothing more
than what it was, sin city.
And yet around 54 AD,
it was into that dark context
and culture of idolatry
and immorality
that the Lord directed Paul
to plant a church
and to place a lampstand
in this what was a cosmopolitan
and even a commercial seaport city
of Ephesus.
And Paul remained there.
He stayed there for about
two to three years
where he challenged
and confronted their idolatry
and all their immorality.
And by God's grace,
many of the Ephesians,
they turned away
from their idolatry,
they left their immorality,
and they began worshipping
the living and through God.
In fact, the gospel
had such an impact
and such an influence
upon the church in Ephesus
that they became
this church that was a light.
They were a church
that was a light in darkness.
And for that reason,
Paul's letter to the Ephesians,
in many ways,
it's a unique letter
because it's a letter
unlike many of his other letters.
As you know,
in all of his other letters,
Paul is addressing
and dealing with division
or heresy
or false teaching
or counterfeit Christianity.
But in the letters
of the Ephesians,
Paul doesn't deal
with any of those problems
because as a church,
this church,
as we said,
was a light.
But the Ephesians,
they just seemed to be
faithfully plowing away
in their furrow.
The Ephesians were faithfully
plowing away
in their furrow.
And yet Paul writes to them
because as a seasoned pastor
and preacher of the gospel,
Paul always knew
that when things are going well,
there's always this temptation
to lose focus
and to forget the Lord.
That's why he encourages
and even exhorts the Ephesians
throughout this entire letter.
And you know,
it's actually a beautiful letter.
It's a letter that's split
and you could see
it's separated into two halves.
It's a game of two halves,
the letter to the Ephesians.
Because chapters 1 to 3,
Paul is teaching.
Chapters 4 to 6,
Paul is telling.
Chapters 1 to 3
are full of information.
Chapters 4 to 6,
full of application.
Chapters 1 to 3
are full of indicatives.
4 to 6 are full of imperatives.
Chapters 1 to 3
are full of encouragements.
And chapters 4 to 6
are full of exhortations.
Because Paul,
he encourages here
all the believers at Ephesus
and us here this evening.
And he does so by reminding us
about all the blessings
and all the benefits
of salvation in chapter 1.
He tells us that we're saved
by grace alone,
through faith alone,
in Christ alone,
in chapter 2.
He tells us all about
the length and the breadth
and the depth
and the height of God's love
that has been displayed
and demonstrated towards us
in Jesus Christ.
He does that in chapter 3.
So chapters 1 to 3,
they're full of encouragements
for the Christian.
And then chapters 4 to 6,
they're full of exhortations
to the Christian.
Because as Christians,
Paul tells us in chapter 4,
that we are to walk worthy
of the calling
to which we have been called.
In chapter 5,
he tells us
that we are to live our lives
as children of God,
imitating our Heavenly Father.
And in chapter 6,
he tells us
that we're to stand firm
against the wiles of the devil
by wearing the whole armor of God.
You know,
Paul's letter to the Ephesians,
it's a beautiful letter
full of encouragement,
full of exhortation.
But as you know tonight,
as Christians who are struggling,
we need encouragement.
We seek encouragement this evening,
even as we prepare
to come to the Lord's table.
Because, you know,
regardless of who we are,
we all need encouragement.
We all need to be reminded
of the great and precious promises
of God's Word.
We all need to be reassured
of the glorious gospel
of Jesus Christ.
And that's what Paul does here.
Right from the outset of his letter,
he seeks to encourage
all the believers
in the city of Ephesus.
And he seeks to encourage
all the believers tonight
in the town of Stornoway.
And he does so by reminding us
and reassuring us
of all the blessings
that we have in Christ.
And that's what we see secondly.
We see all the blessings.
So he talks about,
first of all,
all the believers
and then all the blessings.
All the blessings, secondly.
He says there in verse 3,
Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing
in heavenly places.
You know, when I was in school,
there was one subject
that I hated
and that was English.
I loved maths,
I loved physics,
I loved chemistry,
but I hated English.
And I'm sorry if you're
an English teacher
here tonight.
But the thing is,
I could never get my head around
writing proper paragraphs.
And I could never get my head around
using punctuation.
Because I would write
all these long sentences
with no paragraphs
and little punctuation.
It would just be,
this happened
and then that happened
and then and then
and then and then and then.
And I always got into trouble for it.
Never got good marks
when it came to English.
But you know,
when I come to Ephesians chapter 1,
I take comfort.
And I take comfort
because verses 3
down to the verse 14,
they have no paragraphs
and they have no punctuation.
Verses 3 to 14,
it's one long sentence.
In the original language,
it's one long sentence.
Now as you know,
the average length of a sentence
is about 15 to 20 words.
But this sentence,
it's 10 times that.
Because I've counted,
it's 203 words in Greek
and it's 244 words in English.
It's one long sentence.
And of course,
all our Bible,
our modern Bible versions,
they seek to try and tidy up
Paul's sentence
by adding in all the paragraphs
and adding in all the punctuation.
But when Paul penned this,
or these verses originally,
when he penned this sentence
to the Ephesians,
there were no paragraphs.
There was no punctuation.
It was just one long sentence.
In fact,
it's the longest sentence
in the Bible.
But Paul wrote this one long sentence,
not because of his lack of education like me,
but because he was full of excitement.
Paul was full of excitement
about what he's writing.
Because in this long sentence,
Paul is describing
all the blessings
that all believers receive
in and through Jesus Christ.
And that's how he begins this long sentence.
He says there in verse 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.
And you see the emphasis
on the word blessed.
Now this word blessed,
it's a beautiful word.
It's a beautiful word.
And you know,
I often feel that we,
it's a word that we misunderstand
and it's often a word
that is misused by people.
Because the word bless
or blessed
literally means
to kneel.
It literally means to kneel.
And you know,
it's a word that gives to us
this picture,
this,
it portrays to us
this image,
this illustration
of a king.
A king standing up
from his throne.
And before the king
is his subject
or his servant.
And this servant has,
he's adopted
this position
and posture
of kneeling
in submission
and surrender
before his king.
And of course,
for Paul,
the king is obviously
King Jesus.
Because,
as Paul tells us,
he's the king of kings.
He's the Lord of lords.
And when King Jesus,
he describes,
when he stands up
from his throne
and sinners
are in his presence.
He says,
sinners are to assume
and adopt
the position
and posture
of kneeling.
Kneeling in submission
and surrender.
And we are to kneel.
And this is the description
he's given.
We are to kneel
with our head bowed
and our hand outstretched.
And our hand
is to be outstretched
in order to receive
from the hand
of King Jesus
something
that we don't deserve.
That's how we're to come.
That's what blessing is.
Because when our head
is bowed
and our hand
is outstretched
and we're receiving
something
from the gracious
hand of King Jesus,
what we don't deserve,
Jesus graciously,
lovingly,
and mercifully
gives it to us.
He blesses us.
That's what the word
blessing means.
He blesses us.
When we are on our knee
before King Jesus,
blessing comes to us
from his hand.
Blessing only comes,
my friend,
from the hand
of King Jesus.
And this is why
Paul writes
this one long sentence.
Because he's full
of excitement.
He's full of excitement
and he wants
to encourage
all these believers
in Ephesus
and in Stornoway tonight.
He wants to remind them
and reassure them
of all the blessings
that we have graciously
and lovingly
and mercifully received
from the hand
of King Jesus.
He says,
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.
And you know,
I think it's important
that we also stress
the word every.
Not only the word blessed
but the word every.
Because in Paul's words
of excitement
and encouragement
to us as believers,
he says that we've been blessed
with every spiritual blessing
in heavenly places
in Christ.
There is nothing lacking.
It's every spiritual blessing
in heavenly places
in Christ.
And I stress the every
and I think it's important
because you know,
there are many Christians,
not reformed Christians,
I hope,
but there are many Christians
that will tell you
that you're not
a proper Christian
until you have received
the second blessing
and you can speak
in tongues.
And you know,
I'll never forget
Dr. Steve Lawson's answer
when he was asked
by a Pentecostal pastor,
have you received
the second blessing?
Have you received
the second blessing?
And Steve Lawson said,
yes,
and the third blessing,
and the fourth blessing,
and the fifth blessing.
In fact, he said,
I have received,
as Paul tells us,
every spiritual blessing
in heavenly places
in Christ.
My friend,
you know,
all believers,
they receive all the blessings
in and through
Jesus Christ.
And what Paul is encouraging us here,
what Paul is excited
to tell us about tonight
is that there is nothing
lacking in your salvation.
You have received all of it
graciously,
mercifully,
and lovingly
from the hand of King Jesus.
And you know,
in order to emphasize
and even explain
the beauty of this blessing,
Paul repeatedly uses
one of the shortest words
in this long sentence.
It's one of the shortest words
in the longest sentence.
He focuses upon the word blessed,
the word every,
but also the short word
in.
In.
In fact,
he uses the word
in 13 times
in this one long sentence.
And when you read
through the sentence,
and I want you to read
through it,
because this is all
that you have.
This is all that you've received.
When you read
through this sentence,
you see that Paul
repeatedly says
that all believers,
they have graciously,
mercifully,
and lovingly received
all the blessings
from the hand of King Jesus
because they're in Christ.
They're in him.
And they're in the beloved.
We are in Christ.
We're in him.
And we're in the beloved.
And you know,
it's often said
that large doors
swing on small hinges.
And in the Bible,
large theological truths
swing on small words.
And you can't get
much smaller
than the word in.
In Christ.
And with this small word,
Paul is,
he's reminding us,
he's reassuring us
that as a Christian,
as a Christian tonight,
you are blessed.
You're not fine.
You're not okay.
You are blessed,
my friend.
And you're blessed
not because of who you are
or what you've done
or what you've achieved in life.
You are blessed
because you've graciously
and lovingly
and mercifully
received all the blessings
from the hand of King Jesus.
And as we said,
Paul repeatedly uses
this one small word
in the longest sentence
in order to emphasize
the beauty
of our blessing.
And he does this,
you know,
the reason he does that
is because,
you know,
what we often forget
or even fail to remember
is that
when this letter
was written,
it was written
to be read
audibly.
They didn't have Bibles.
They couldn't read.
So when this letter
was written,
it was written
to be read audibly.
It was written
to be read out loud.
And as you know,
when someone is speaking audibly,
repetition is important
in order to make an emphasis.
Repetition is important
in order to make an emphasis.
That's what a preacher does.
That's what Paul does here.
He repeatedly uses
the word in.
And he does so
in order to emphasize
that all the believers
receive all the blessings
because we're in Christ.
We receive all the,
all the believers
receive all the blessings
because we're in Christ.
and that our salvation
is precious
and our salvation
is personal
because we are in Christ.
We have this union
with Christ.
And for Paul,
he stresses the in
because he loves
the doctrine
of union with Christ.
And he writes about it
in almost
all of his letters
because Paul knows
that our union
with Christ,
our being united
to Jesus Christ
is what underlies
every aspect
of our salvation.
And that every
spiritual blessing,
it flows to us
and it follows behind us
because we're in Christ.
We're in Christ.
You know,
one theologian
put it this way
and you know,
I read this quote
a number of years ago.
I don't know who wrote it
but I've never forgotten it
because he said
that union with Christ
is the fountainhead
from which every
spiritual blessing
flows
down to the Christian.
Repentance and faith,
pardon,
justification,
adoption,
sanctification,
perseverance,
and glorification.
It's all ours
because we're
in Christ.
You know,
Paul here,
he's excited.
He wants to encourage us
this evening
because when you're
a Christian,
when you're a Christian,
everything you have
as a Christian
and everything you are
as a Christian
is because you're in Christ.
You're in union
with Christ.
You're united
to Jesus Christ
and you can say tonight
with Solomon,
my beloved is mine
and I am his.
My beloved is mine
and I am his
because I am in Christ.
And here Paul,
he reminds us
and reassures us
that all the believers,
they experience
all the blessings
and they enjoy
all the benefits
because we're
in Christ.
All the believers
experience
all the blessings
and enjoy
all the benefits
because we're
in Christ.
And that's what
I want us to think
about lastly.
All the benefits.
All the believers,
all the blessings
and all the benefits.
All the benefits.
Look at verse 3 again.
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 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 you know in this one long sentence with over 200 words Paul is excited
he wants to encourage by speaking seeking to show us that God the Father has blessed us he has
graciously given us all these gifts through our union with his beloved and his only begotten son
Jesus Christ and when Paul lists all these gracious and glorious gifts that have come from God the
Father he begins where God began because God began with our election
because our election as you know it's all of grace where as Paul writes we were and Peter writes we
were elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father but the truth is God didn't have to choose
any of us in fact there was no reason why he chose any of us there was nothing good in us nothing
gracious about us nothing great that we had done that God would ever choose us and yet he chose us
even as he chose us Paul writes in him he chose us in him before the foundation of the world
that we should be holy and blameless before him and in love he writes he predestined us because our
predestination as well as our election it's all of grace in love he writes verse 5 he predestined us
for adoption 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 other words the gracious benefits of our election
our predestination our predestination and our effectual calling they are our adoption into the family of God
our justification before a holy God and our sanctification to be conformed to the image of God
and it's all according to the purpose of his will it's all according to the praise of his glorious grace
because he has blessed us he has blessed us in the beloved but there's more because all the blessings
and all the benefits for all believers Paul says they just keep on flowing towards us he says verse 7
in him we have redemption in him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to
the riches of his grace it's all of grace he says from beginning to end it's all as I was taught in
Sunday school in Melbost a long time ago it's all g-r-a-c-e God's riches at Christ's expense it's all of grace
we've been redeemed not with corruptible things such as silver and gold but by the precious blood of Christ
which verse 8 which he has 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 do you know my friend our perseverance
and our preservation as saints in other words the fact that we are kept it's not our own doing
Paul tells us it's all his doing and it's all according to his purpose which he has set forth in Christ
it's all of grace the fact that we are kept tonight is all of grace you know we have an elder in Barvis and he always says
that the first step after being saved is being kept the first step after being saved is being kept
and that's because we are kept as Peter tells us we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation
but you know for Paul in verse 10 there's an end product there's an end purpose because there's a plan
and this plan that God has put in place for the fullness of time he says in which our glorification in Christ
will see the unification of all things through a new heaven and a new earth he says that in the
father's house are many mansions and in him in him we will obtain our inheritance an inheritance
that is incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away but is reserved in heaven for us and you're in these
verses from verse 3 just down to verse 11 Paul is reminding us Paul is reassuring us tonight as
Christians that our election our predestination our adoption our justification our sanctification our
redemption our redemption our forgiveness our perseverance as saints our glorification and our
eternal inheritance in glory it's all of grace
and we should never forget it it's all of grace because all the blessings and all the benefits
for all believers when we submit and surrender our lives to King Jesus when we come kneeling before him
we are given and gifted every spiritual blessing from the gracious merciful and loving hand of this
wonderful king and you know you'd think that Paul would stop there and put a full stop in you'd think
that he'd draw a breath or put in a semicolon especially once he'd reached out heavenly inheritance
but Paul is excited Paul wants to encourage Paul wants to remind us he wants to reassure us of all these
glorious and and great gifts and he wants to tell us that they all come to us with a guarantee
not a one-year guarantee not a three-year or even a 10-year guarantee but this eternal guarantee
because verse 13 in him in union with him when we are united to him he says in him you also when you
heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and believed in him you were sealed with the promised
holy spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory
my friend the holy spirit is your guarantee a guarantee of all these glorious gifts and graces which you have
graciously mercifully and lovingly received from the hand of King Jesus they're all yours
they're all yours tonight and they're all yours for the whole of time until you draw your last breath
and they're all yours for all eternity because you have been blessed in every with every spiritual blessing
in heavenly places in Christ it's all yours what an encouragement you know when we consider Paul's
encouragement that all the believers experience all the blessings and enjoy all these benefits because
we're in Christ we're in union with Christ you know it's no one no wonder Paul concluded his words of
encouragement at the end of chapter 3 with that beautiful benediction there even at verse 20
he's encouraged the believers he's reminded them of every spiritual blessing that's theirs he's reminded
them that they're saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone he's reminded them that they are
loved absolutely loved the length and breadth and depth and height of God's love has been revealed and
demonstrated to them in Christ and what does he say he gives this beautiful benediction now unto him
who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all more than we could ask or even think according to the
power there is at work in us unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end
amen
what blessings we have received my friend what benefits we enjoy all because we are believers
we are believers in the church by God's grace and God's goodness and so if on the way out of church tonight
someone asks you
how are you
what are you going to tell them
are you going to say I'm fine
I'm not bad
no no my friend
you're going to tell them the truth
of who you are in Christ
you're going to say I'm blessed
my life not me might not be the way I wanted it to turn out
I've gone through providences that I never expected
but still I'm blessed
I'm blessed with every spiritual blessing
in heavenly places
in Christ
I'm blessed
and if that's your testimony my friend
and you've never sat at the Lord's table
then that's where you should be sitting
this coming Lord's day
may the Lord bless these thoughts to us
let us pray
our Father in heaven
we bow in thy presence
realizing that everything we have
and everything we are
is in and through thy Son
the Lord Jesus
and help us we pray
not only to see the blessings
but to see the benefactor
to see the one who bestows every blessing upon us
that we might keep looking to him
and keep lifting our eyes towards him
that as we kneel before him in worship
as we adore him day by day
and as we walk with him through every providence in life
help us Lord to know that we still have
every blessing
they are ours for time and for eternity
encourage us we pray
lift us up we ask
lift us up Lord to see more and more of Jesus
and to see less and less of self
help us Lord to see his glory
that we might see the glory as of the only begotten of the Father
full of grace and truth
hear us then we pray
part us with thy blessing we ask
for we ask it in Jesus name
and for his sake
Amen
we're going to bring our service to a conclusion this evening
we're going to sing the words of Psalm 133
Psalm 133
it's in the Sing Psalms version on page 175
Psalm 133
Psalm 133 page 175
we're singing the whole psalm
Psalm 133
it's a psalm that I'm sure we're familiar with
but it's a psalm that asks the question
how does the blessing come?
how does blessing come?
and it comes when God's people
come together in unity
and seek to live
for God's glory
they live
as they should
that's how the blessing comes
that's what the psalmist tells us
how excellent a thing it is
how pleasant
and how good
when brothers dwell in unity
and live as brothers should
for it is like the precious oil
poured out on Aaron's head
that running over down his beard
upon his collar spread
like Herman's dew
and Herman's dew was like rain
wasn't dew that we get
it poured like rain
that's what he wants
he wants God's blessing
God's outpouring
like Herman's dew upon the hill
of Zion it descends
the Lord bestows his blessing there
the life
that never ends
we'll sing the whole psalm
and we'll stand to sing if you're able
to God's praise
how excellent a thing it is
how pleasant and how good
when brothers dwell
in unity
and live as brothers should
for it is like the precious oil
poured out on Aaron's head
that running over down his beard
upon his collar spread
like Herman's dew upon the hill
of Zion it descends
the Lord bestows his blessing there
the life that never ends
the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
the love of God the Father
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all
now and forevermore
Amen