You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
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What difference does it make?
You can't talk about union with Christ for very long without going to Ephesians chapter 1.
Here in Ephesians 1, with overflowing joy in one really long Greek sentence,
the Apostle Paul unpacks wonders of good news that we can never exhaust.
We'll be exploring these for eternity.
I want to read this beginning of Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus
that is also God's encouragement to all of us today in the church of Jesus.
Ephesians 1 at 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,
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.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of His grace, which He 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,
as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in Him,
things in heaven and things on earth.
In Him we have obtained an inheritance,
having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things
according to the counsel of His will,
so that we who were the first to hope in Christ
might be to the praise of His glory.
In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him,
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.
Thus far, God's holy word.
Let's ask for His blessing.
God, you have promised that the word that goes out from your mouth
will not return void,
that it will accomplish the purpose for which you send it.
And so we ask that you would do that now,
and that it would accomplish in our hearts
the purpose you send it for.
Would you encourage us?
Would you enliven us?
Would you give us a passion and a zeal and a joy in Christ
that we've only dreamed of?
Transform us by your Spirit, we ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
While I was in seminary,
Christy worked at Washington University in St. Louis.
And one of the things that she did was plan a big annual dinner
to honor distinguished alumni.
Over 1,000 people would attend.
Rudy Giuliani, who was the recent mayor of New York City,
would be the speaker.
And that was a big deal then
because it was right in the wake of 9-11.
And this event was a big deal.
And we had no right to be there.
Christy was working the check-in table,
which meant that she may or may not even get any food.
She may or may not even see inside the banquet room.
But that put me in an even worse situation.
Because with Christy gone for the night,
I would be alone on the couch,
and we're thinking frozen pizza at best for dinner.
There I am.
I'm not an alumnus of Washington University.
I am in no way distinguished,
so definitely not invited.
We were left out
until we got our big break.
We learned that the president of Clemson University
was one of these distinguished alumni
being invited to be honored at this event.
And since we knew them from our time in Clemson,
I emailed Mrs. Barker and said,
hey, Christy will be at the check-in table
working the event.
She's looking forward to seeing y'all there.
Except the next morning,
Mrs. Barker called the woman organizing the event
and said, we would like for Will and Christy
to attend the event as our guests.
Just like that.
In one phone call,
we went from the couch and the check-in table
all the way to table number two.
Whoa.
It was amazing, I tell you.
Incredible.
Throw your microphone kind of incredible.
For that night,
my name tag read,
Will Spink,
guest of Jim Barker.
Right?
I had nothing that I had done to be there.
The only way that I could sit there that night
and enjoy that wonderful steak dinner
at table number two
was that I was with President Barker
who had earned it.
He'd earned the honors he was receiving,
the right to sit at that table.
And only as I was connected to him,
could I then enjoy the food,
the company,
the speech,
the wonderful blessings
of that evening.
I want to ask you to think this morning
if you have ever felt
like a frozen pizza on the couch Christian.
I mean, I'm a Christian, I guess.
Not a Muslim.
Buddhist.
I mean, I'm a Christian,
but I'm only worthy of eating
frozen pizza on the couch.
Not steak at table number two.
I think many of us walk around
feeling many days like
second class Christians.
Maybe it's because we feel
the weight of our sin.
I'm just feeling overwhelmed by guilt.
I'm trapped in immoral behavior.
I just keep living the same old ways
as always.
Maybe it's because we feel
everyone else knows more
and does more
and we're just missing out
on the real action.
We didn't hear about Jesus growing up
and we still feel on the outside
looking in most days.
Maybe what we realize is
we're just content with getting by
spiritually.
Other things besides God
are frankly more important.
financially,
physically,
socially,
it's just more natural
to focus on those areas
and we're too ashamed
to ask ourselves why that is.
So we don't deserve
God's love and attention.
He's probably not interested in us.
Only in the really spiritual people, right?
They'll feast with God.
We'll settle for the frozen pizza
on the couch.
If you've ever felt that way,
I want you to realize
that what Paul does in Ephesians
is he starts by pulling us up
off the couch.
God himself has placed you
in Christ,
given you a new identity
and relationship with his son
so you have not merely
a distant view of God
but a direct seat
at his table.
He takes your name tag
and writes
guest of Jesus
and now you get
the full VIP treatment.
Nothing held back.
The delicious food,
the distinguished company,
the desirable seat,
the droning speech,
all of it is yours.
That was a reference to sermons.
Here, though,
the focus is not
a dinner that you'll eat.
It's spiritual.
Every spiritual blessing
in the heavenly places
in Christ.
This doesn't mean you'll dine
with the rich and famous
but that all of the care
of your sovereign heavenly father
that he gives
to his most beloved children
is yours.
All of it.
I mean,
something good happens
in our life
and we post it
to social media
and put hashtag blessed,
right?
Most of you don't do that
but anyway,
sometimes we do
that kind of thing
and this is so much more
than just a little hashtag
on a small piece
of your life.
If we'll only realize
the wonder
of how richly blessed we are,
that's what Paul wants you
to hear this morning.
The point he's making
is that when you receive
God's best gift,
kids,
you learned this week,
who is God's best gift?
That's right.
Jesus is.
When you're united
to Jesus,
you receive all
God's good gifts.
There's no second class Christian
left behind on the couch
with frozen pizza.
God doesn't work that way.
See, the gifts,
the blessings
that we're going to unpack
this morning
in Ephesians 1
are not individual gifts
that you may have some of
and not others.
It's not like that.
They come together.
It's a package deal,
if you will.
That's why 11 times
in these verses alone
we're told that a gift
comes in Christ,
in Him,
in the Beloved.
Our union with Christ
is not one among many gifts
that God gives us, right?
It's the package
in which all the other gifts
are found.
Don't you love that kind of gift
where you get one of those
big bags
and you keep opening it
and there's one present
after another?
That package
is union with Christ.
union with Christ,
in fact,
is like a stocking.
Anybody ever gotten
a stocking before?
You see this?
Ooh,
there's lots of stuff in here.
I wonder what it is.
When it has your name on it,
when you belong to Jesus,
all the gifts in the stocking
are yours too.
Isn't that how it works
on Christmas, right?
This is how it works
with stockings, right?
You don't go through
a stocking and think,
oh, I need to find
a gift tag and see
which one of these gifts
is for me.
That's not how a stocking works,
is it?
If your name is on it,
every gift in here
is for you, right?
When they start coming out,
let's see what's in here.
Oh, boy, we've got,
oh my goodness,
lots of gifts,
even some peppermints.
That's exciting.
All of the gifts
in the stocking,
including the last one,
are for you.
God who loves
to give good gifts
unites you to Jesus.
You receive that gift
by faith
and then all sorts
of presents and blessings
spill out
of that union
with Christ stocking.
Okay?
So, I have some volunteers
for this morning.
If I talked with you earlier,
if you would come up here
and help me
with some of these gifts,
yes, thank you.
Come on down,
we'll find the one
with your number on it.
All right, let's see.
Beck, were you five?
There's one.
All right.
Four.
Were you two?
Samuel, were you three?
Awesome.
Y'all can go back
to your seats.
We'll open these
in just a minute.
And Gracie is going
to get number six,
I think.
There she comes.
She was sitting
further back.
Oh, I meant to tell you
you could have a peppermint.
You can come back later
and get a,
you can come now
if you want.
Oh, man.
Here you go, Gracie.
All right.
You got a peppermint too.
That's pretty exciting.
All of these gifts,
thank you.
All of these gifts
come out of the one
stocking
of union with Christ.
So, y'all are going
to have to pay
extra special attention
so you know
when it's your turn.
Okay, when you're
united to Jesus,
the best gift,
you receive
all of God's
good gifts.
We're only going
to hit a few
that are mentioned here
as Paul starts
counting his blessings,
so to speak.
But would you,
would you enter
into that this morning?
Say, what,
what happens?
What gifts
do I have
in Christ?
Who has number one?
Caroline,
what,
what does number one say?
Can you open
the gift for us now?
What's in there?
Election.
All right, thank you.
Verse four,
even as he
chose us
in him
before
the foundation
of the world,
before
creating
the heavens
and the earth,
before
creating you
and me
even,
God
picks you
in his
sovereign
understanding
and he says
you
are connected
to Jesus.
He chose you
in him,
in Christ.
You should have
that feeling
of worth,
of value
that you remember
when you were
the first kid
picked for the team
on the playground,
welling up
inside of you,
except that it's,
it's not worth
that,
that you've earned.
this is chosen
only in
Christ.
Not in
your goodness,
not in
your wisdom,
not in
your hard
work,
but in
Christ.
Which means,
good news,
that your
badness,
your foolishness,
your laziness
can't
disconnect
you
from
Christ.
Listen,
God knows
you.
He sees
you.
He has
a plan
for you,
including
a way
for you
to be
his
and to
be holy
in his
sight.
And all
of that
has to
do with
is centered
on,
hinges
on
Jesus.
That's
the gift
of election.
The spiritual
blessing
of knowing
the God
who made
us
is the
God
who is
remaking
us
in the
image
of the
son
that he
connected
us to
before we
were born.
Which leads
to gift
number two.
Can we
open gift
number two,
Sadie?
What you
got?
Adoption.
A great
one.
Verse
five.
In love
he predestined
us for
adoption
through
Jesus
Christ.
Remember
last week
God gave
us an
unassailable
identity
in
Christ.
He
defines
us
and
he
says
we
are
sons
and
daughters.
We're
not merely
invited
off the
couch
but amazingly
seated
at the
father's
table
forever
through
Jesus
Christ.
Not on
our own
but because
he is
the beloved
son
and we
are connected
to him
we receive
the love
the grace
the family
welcome
that he
himself
the perfect
son
knows
by
right.
These
first two
gifts
remind us
that we
were not
holy
not
blameless
not
his
sons
by
birth
we were
unholy
sinful
orphaned
because of
our sinful
nature
because of
our sinful
choices
we didn't
look like
sons of
God
we didn't
live like
sons of
God
we didn't
reflect the
spitting image
of our
father
but he
decided
that we
would
he
he was
committed
that we
would
that's how
much he
loved us
that when he
wasn't
obligated to
have us
in his
family
when he
didn't
get stuck
with us
nonetheless
he loved
us
not because
we were so
wonderful
but in
many ways
because we
weren't
right
the heart
of God
was attracted
to make
us
vessels
of his
mercy
trophies
of his
grace
children
beloved
by the
one who
is love
alright
gift number
three
redemption
thank you
Samuel
because you've
been united
to Christ
you have
redemption
verse 7
in him
we have
redemption
through his
blood
the forgiveness
of our
trespasses
according to
the riches
of his
grace
which he
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
as a plan
for the
fullness of
time to
unite all
things in
him
things in
heaven
and things
on earth
notice
God's
character
here
it is to
lavish
expensive
grace on
us over
and over
he wanted
to unite
heaven and
earth
his people
and his
creation
in the
person of
Jesus
so he
had to
buy us
back
that's what
redeeming
someone meant
in Paul's
day usually
from the
context of
slavery
or servitude
perhaps because
you had
built up
such a big
debt
that you
actually had
to sell
yourself into
service to
someone else
in order
to pay off
that debt
until
you were
redeemed
you were
bought
back
how were we
bought back
with the
precious blood
of Jesus
Christ
right
in him
redemption
through
his
blood
now
just stop
and marvel
at that for a
second
how do you
get his
blood
to pay
for your
debts
union
with Christ
your debt
sin
and death
into his
account
his credit
righteousness
life
into your
account
second
Corinthians
5
21
whatever
happens to
Jesus
happens to
you
you're
connected
there is
no other
way
that you
deserve
death
and that
someone else
dies
and you
get off
the hook
in fact
you get
given life
eternal
instead
what an
incredible
mysterious
marvelous
plan
that God
has for
your salvation
do you see
what he had
to do
he had to
figure out
how do I
I take
this sinner
and without
punishing him
eternally
for his
sin
how do I
give him
life
oh I need
to connect
him to
someone who
deserves
life
who can
give him
that gift
and so he
unites you
to Christ
you are
personally
mysteriously
but really
connected
to Jesus
your accounts
are linked
so you can
transfer funds
or more
helpfully
he can
what good
news
because we're
going to need
a lot
of gift
number four
who's got
gift number
four
Lily
what do you
have
forgiveness
thank you
the forgiveness
of our
trespasses
verse seven
isn't this one
of our favorite
gifts
right
without it
I'm eternally
hopeless
right
I can't
forgive
myself
I've
sinned
against
the holy
God
of the
universe
not as
as some
these days
would like
you to
believe
just against
my own
conscience
no
no sin
is a debt
that I
can't pay
because only
the one
sinned
against
can forgive
the sin
right
it's related
to redemption
the price
of paying
the guilt
of our sins
our violations
of God's
law is
quite high
and perhaps
some of you
are wondering
and feeling
is my tab
continuing to run
higher and
higher every
day
did you notice
what this gift
is and what
it's like
we're told
elsewhere that
forgiveness is
in his name
through this
man
it's in
Christ
that forgiveness
of sins
is offered
all through
the New Testament
in Christ
forgiveness
is not
even
according
to the
cost of
your tab
like you
know
just enough
to cover
it
no no
what is it
it is
according
to the
riches
of his
grace
which by the
way he
lavished
on us
there's more
coming
and more
coming
right
this is
like going
to grandma's
house
and when we
would go to
grandma's
house
there were
always
cookies out
and if you
ate them
all there
were more
in the back
and when
grandma scooped
ice cream
for her
great
grandchildren
the bowl
could barely
contain it
it was like
magic how it
was hanging
on there
and if you
ate it all
and the
carton ran
out there
was another
carton in
the garage
freezer
always more
always given
generously
like the
riches
of God's
grace
and forgiveness
so the
very worst
things that
you've done
the very
most important
things that
you've failed
to do
the thoughts
and the
desires that
you're so
embarrassed of
that you've
never told
anyone
all of
those
forgiven
in
Christ
as you
trust him
to cover
what you
can't
you see
how Paul's
just dumping
out the
stocking
right
he's just
showing
look what
you have
in Jesus
look what
you have
look what
you have
what else
is in here
connected to
Jesus
number five
Beck what'd
you get
an inheritance
!
Verse 11
in him
we're back
in the
stocking
we have
obtained
an inheritance
that's a
big word
but it means
that God
never stops
providing
for us
sorry
I messed
the microphone
up earlier
and now
can't get
it fixed
that we
will always
have what
we need
especially
spiritually
right
spiritually
everything we
need always
see God
hasn't just
adopted you
temporarily
to see how
you do
and whether
he'll keep
you
no
he will
not change
his mind
he works
all things
according to
his wise
plan
so you
have not
merely
provision
today
but you
have a
stake
in
eternity
future
in the
Old Testament
the promised
land
and your
family's
part of
it
was your
inheritance
it was a
big deal
except if you
were a
Levite
one of the
priests
in which case
you didn't
get any
specific
spot
of land
do you
remember
why that
was
the
inheritance
for that
tribe
was Yahweh
himself
by the way
that wasn't
a penalty
for the
priests
don't feel
bad for
them
that was
a privilege
talk about
a spiritual
inheritance
in the
heavenly
places
God is
committing
himself
to be
with you
and for
you
forever
because you
are connected
to Jesus
co-heirs
with
Christ
himself
and nothing
can separate
you from
his love
remember
inseparable
an unbreakable
union
with Christ
and that's
going to help
number six
make even
more sense
what's Paul
talking about
here at the
end
the last
gift out
of the
stocking
this morning
although we
could name
many more
Gracia
what's in
in your
box
back there
holy
spirit
thank you
listen to
verse 13
in him
you also
when you
heard the
word of
truth
the gospel
of your
salvation
and believed
in him
were sealed
with the
promised
holy
spirit
who's the
guarantee
of our
inheritance
until we
acquire
possession
of it
to the
praise
of his
glory
how do
we know
that this
inheritance
is specifically
linked
to God
himself
and it's
not just
pastor
talk
because God
gives us
the Holy
Spirit
in our
hearts
right now
as the
down payment
the deposit
do you see
what he's doing
when he says
it's a guarantee
what he's saying
is this is
assuring you
that your
sovereign
heavenly
father
who chose
us
and adopted
us
that the
sacrificial
son
who
redeemed
us
who forgives
us
they will
be with
us
along with
the third
person
of the
triune
Godhead
working
together
to bring
us home
to heaven
forever
the whole
trinity
working
together
for
you
you have
the Holy
Spirit
now
it changes
things
the Spirit
gives
new life
so you're
not just
stuck
going around
living in
sin
right
in
sprocket
in
Christ
you're
not the
same
anymore
you're
a new
person
you have
the Spirit
to remind
you of
the power
and the
provision
of the
God
of the
universe
the
resurrection
power
that brought
new life
out of the
dead
is in
you
can't
get
Holy
Spirit
any
other
way
and
you
can't
have
Jesus
and
not
have
his
Holy
Spirit
now
living
and
active
in
your
life
both
of
those
things
are
true
there's
no
other
way
than
through
union
with
Christ
to
have
Holy
Spirit
and
you
can't
have
Jesus
and
not
have
the
Holy
Spirit
in
that
stocking
too
See
both
of
those
realities
are
true
for
all
of
these
good
gifts
that
God
gives
you
can't
get
any
of
them
apart
from
Jesus
apart
from
union
with
Christ
but
if
you
have
Jesus
you
can't
miss
a
one
of
them
they
are
all
yours
the
gifts
are
wrapped
up
if you
will
in
the
giver
that's
why
this
one
big
long
sentence
that
Paul
writes
is
a
sentence
of
praise
to
God
how
does
it
start
blessed
be
God
this
is
what
Paul
is
doing
he's
praising
God
he's
leading
the
worship
service
of
prayer
and
all
of
these
gifts
are
just
more
and
more
reasons
to
praise
God
every
good
and
perfect
gift
is
from
above
it's
from
your
father
it's
through
his
son
it's
secured
I hope
that even
even
right
now
as we
consider
these
gifts
and think
about
just
some
of
them
as
we
marvel
at how
richly
blessed
we are
that
you'll
realize
I'm
graced
so
abundantly
in
Christ
that
one
of
the
things
that
wells
up
in
my
heart
is
thanksgiving
for
all
these
gifts
is
praise
to
God
I've
forgotten
!
Father
how
good
you
have
been
to
me
and
how
great
you
are
we
never
could
have
found
these
gifts
on
our
own
we
never
could
have
done
enough
to
earn
them
and
yet
they
become
ours
in
Christ
God
forgive
me
for
sitting
on
the
couch
spiritually
for
thinking
that I'm
stuck
with
frozen
pizza
when
you
have
seated
me
in
the
heavenly
places
in
Christ
Jesus
and
God
praise
be
to
your
grace
that
while
I
am
seated
there
in
the
heavenly
places
but
still
living
here
on
earth
you
have
given
me
every
spiritual
blessing
possible
God
you
are
so
good
to
me
I
hope
that's
what
you're
thinking
I
also
recognize
it's
quite
possible
that
you're
sitting
here
this
morning
and
you're
thinking
yeah
but
I
don't
actually
believe
in
Jesus
so
I'm
not
sure
any
of
those
good
gifts
are
for
me
I'm
not
sure
they're
mine
if
that's
you
this
morning
first
of all
I
want
to
say
thank
you
for
listening
this
long
and
tracking
with
what
God's
word
is
saying
this
morning
and
there's
good
news
here
for
you
that
I
don't
want
you
to
miss
out
on
today
so you
don't
have to
keep
running
around
trying to
figure out
solutions
for all
of these
different
issues
in your
life
how to
get your
shortcomings
!
addressed
oh man
we all
have
shortcomings
none
of us
meets
even
our
own
standards
what
am I
going
to do
about
mine
how do
I know
I'm
loved
and I
belong
we all
long
for that
where
will
I
find
it
how do
I
address
the
future
to
have
hope
to
experience
deep
stability
and
security
so that
I
won't
be
shaken
see
if
you're
longing
for those
things
you might
have to
go to
six
different
places
and
different
relationships
and work
years
and years
to develop
all of
these
in your
life
and still
never
have
real
forgiveness
or
adoption
or an
inheritance
that you're
confident
about
and the
good news
is you
don't have
to
you could
chase all
of those
or you
could come
to one
place
to one
person
to Jesus
who offers
you all
of those
and say
to him
Jesus
you have
everything
that I
need
that's what
God is
offering you
this morning
on the
authority
of his
word
simply to
believe
into
Jesus
and have
a relationship
with the
God
who gives
every
good
gift
you just
cling to
him
and all
the rest
of that
stuff
comes with
it
so we're
going to
keep talking
the rest
of this
summer
about what
this looks
like in
the different
areas of
our lives
but when I
say the
gifts are
wrapped up
in the
giver
it means
for example
that when
you are
trapped
in sin
when you're
beginning to
feel overwhelmed
by guilt
when you want
to hide
instead you
run to
Jesus
you don't
have to
manage your
sin
you don't
have to
figure out
how to
stop it
on your
own
you run
to him
and find
first
forgiveness
and then
hope
and then
new life
in him
so there's
actually a
change
you're not
just making
yourself feel
a little
better
or look a
little better
there's real
change
cling to
Jesus
and remember
that if you
have him
you have
everything
you need
similarly
when you're
lonely
you don't
know if
anyone sees
or values
you
when you're
discouraged
about an
uncertain future
when you're
too weak
to handle
the situation
that you're
facing right
now
cling to
Jesus
the hope
the family
that you
belong to
the Holy
Spirit
power
are yours
not when you
chase after
all those
gifts
but when you
cling to
the giver
when you
find yourself
in Christ
and then you
begin to
unwrap
all of the
gifts
that come
with him
don't go
looking
anywhere else
don't go
run under
the tree
don't go
searching
in a closet
you walk
into the
presence
of the
God
of the
universe
with guest
of Jesus
on your
name tag
so you
regularly
open up
that stocking
boldly
open up
union with
Christ
and just
unwrap
in relationship
with him
one gift
after another
you go
and approach
his throne
of grace
to find
everything
that you
need
and so
much
more
in
Christ
let's
pray
Jesus
thank you
for this
great
gift
the gift
that we'll
never stop
giving
for all
of eternity
we will be
exploring the
riches that
you have
poured into
us
because we
know you
because we
have you
because you
have us
and will
never let
us go
might we
live
with those
kind of
riches
with that
kind of
power
with that
type of
confidence
and hope
and joy
because you
have so
richly
given us
everything
that we
need
we thank you
for it
and we
pray that
we would
look for
riches
nowhere else
and that
we would
delight
in coming
to you
for them
every day
in Jesus
name
amen
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