the one who came not to be served, but to serve.
And so over the next six weeks,
we're going to be dipping into Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus.
And this letter is about the church and it's about who the church is.
And it's time for us to pick it up again.
We've done it before, time for us to pick it up again
and get an idea of what God says the church is
as we look ahead to the next year and closing of Vision 2020
and to seek what he has in store for us
as we plan to move forward in our life together in this city.
Paul shows us here in this letter
the incredible scope of God's plan for the universe,
his agenda for the universe
through time and eternity through the Lord Jesus
and therefore his agenda for the church,
his agenda for this church.
So if you're lucky to follow me today,
you hopefully receive one of these on the way in,
a bit of an outline,
which you'll have the passage in front of you
and also my three extensive points.
And from there,
also if you haven't got this,
you can also use the St. Paul's app.
It's in front of you as well.
But let me just launch into it.
First of all,
I want to pick up verse three
because verse three in chapter one
is an astonishing claim,
but it's also the summary verse
of the entire chapter of chapter one.
What does it mean to be blessed?
Every spiritual blessing in Christ.
What a statement that is.
The rest of chapter one just simply unpacks
what it means to be blessed.
And this statement says there's nothing lacking.
There's nothing overlooked.
There's nothing held back.
Now, when we use the word blessing today,
it doesn't carry the same force
that's meant here in this verse.
You know, I mostly sign off my emails
and text messages with the word blessing from Steve,
you know, blessing Steve.
And it means that I wish you well,
even if the text doesn't necessarily indicate that
of what I've just sent you,
I'm wishing you well.
In verse three,
it means something far more profound.
Its meaning is very similar
to the Old Testament word shalom.
Every blessing carries the meaning
to have every joy and every benefit
that your heart and your soul needs and longs for.
That's what it means to have every blessing.
That's what the word blessing means.
To have every joy and every benefit
that your heart and your soul needs and longs for.
And the declaration here in verse three
is that if you are a Christian,
if you're a disciple of the Lord Jesus,
you're a member of God's family,
then you've got it already.
You have every spiritual blessing now.
It's a past tense in the original language.
The blessings that are ours are listed
in verses three to 14,
which in the original text
is one long, complex sentence.
It's a sentence which is meant to overwhelm us
with every blessing.
And each one of them has many,
many applications.
Each one could fill a library with its applications.
And I think that Paul deliberately wants us
to be overwhelmed
with this massive cosmic list
of what God has done for us in Jesus.
Now, I just want to unpack just briefly two of them,
adoption and redemption.
Have a look at the end of,
and when I say briefly unpack,
I mean really briefly unpack.
Verse four,
in love,
he predestined us for adoption
to sonship through Jesus Christ.
Now, adoption has multiple aspects to it.
Adoption means that through Jesus Christ,
that God is not just our King and our Savior,
but he is our Father.
Jesus brings us into the ultimate family,
the eternal family.
One implication is that we have access to him
as his much-loved children.
One very famous photo of John F. Kennedy
when he was President of the United States
is his young son, John Jr.,
playing under his desk in the Oval Office
while he is having a meeting with other officials
and getting on with being the most powerful person
in the world.
Anyone else try to get that kind of access
to the President
would be stopped.
You know, I just can't walk into the Oval Office
and play at Donald Trump's feet.
Doesn't work.
Not that I want to, but doesn't work.
Or if you decide to rush the President,
you'd be shot.
As a child of God,
we can access him without appointments,
without fear.
We can boldly run into his arms.
Adoption also means inheritance.
This is why the emphasis here
is on us being adopted,
whether you're male or female,
as sons of God.
In the first century Palestine,
only sons could be heirs
and inherit the property of the Father
when this was first written.
And as adopted sons,
we are co-heirs with Jesus
of the future.
We inherit the future.
We don't know completely what that means,
but Jesus says,
the meek will inherit the earth.
Adoption also means security.
If you're an employee,
how long does your employer put up
with your bad behavior
and your failures?
It varies, I suppose.
But everyone has their limits.
But how long does a parent
put up with the waywardness
of a child?
It's kind of forever.
God is our Father
and we are secure in his love.
But the prior to place here
in chapter one
is redemption.
Verse seven.
We are told,
in him we have redemption.
Now redemption,
again,
is a loaded word
with multiple implications.
It's actually the word
for ransom,
which is a bit more
than simply paying a debt.
Ransom carries the meaning
which is a bit more
than just paying a debt.
It is, in fact,
in the first century,
the word that's used
to set a prisoner free.
For instance,
in New York,
when,
if you ever get your car
towed away by authorities
because you're parked
in the wrong spot,
they put it in a
car prison,
a sort of a holding yard.
And those holding yards
are called redemption centers.
When you pay the fine,
they release your car to you.
When you pay the fine
and they do not stamp
on the fine
paid,
they stamp on the fine
redeemed.
And when you pay the fine,
you get stamped
redeem
on your fine
and you release
your car
from captivity.
Redemption means
paying a debt
that we owe,
but it also means
being liberated
from slavery.
Indian lawyer
and activist
Mahatma Gandhi
said that
both Eastern
and Western
religions
all agree
that human beings
are not free.
We are all
slaves,
in his words,
to selfishness
and the ego.
And I reckon
he was pretty right.
We are always,
every single human being,
always grasping
at things
because our egos
are constantly
needing to be fed.
And of course,
we are constantly
grasping
at power
of money,
of beauty,
of status,
of popularity,
of recognition.
It puts us
at the center.
We push everyone
else away
so that my ego
can be fed.
And Gandhi
went on to say
that Christianity
helps.
And he was a student
of Christianity
even though he was
a Hindu.
He got most
of his theological
formation about
Christianity from
Tolstoy,
which I would
never recommend.
but,
so that's where
you can see
his failure here.
He went on to say
that Christianity
helps because
in Jesus,
we have a way
to be really free
from the selfishness
and the egocentricity
that enslaves us
through his example.
He said Jesus
was the ultimate
example of nonviolence,
the ultimate example
of giving up power
and wealth
and influence,
the ultimate example
of sacrificial service.
So he says,
look to Jesus
forgiving,
loving and serving,
dying for others
and when you see him,
you will be moved
and it will liberate you
from selfishness
and ego
to go and do likewise
following his footsteps.
Now with all due respect
to Gandhi's
massive achievements,
he missed a crucial point
of Christianity.
If we look to the amazing life
and service of Jesus
for others
and try to live
like he lived,
to follow in his footsteps
in order to be fully free,
it will crush you,
it will kill you.
There is no egocentricity
in his life whatsoever.
Even a secularist
would declare that.
It is a perfect life.
He is not driven
by the need for security
and approval and power.
To try to be like him
would end up crushing us
under the weight
of expectations
that cannot be met.
We would be cursed,
not blessed,
if we followed
in Gandhi's way.
We don't need someone
to live up to.
We need someone
to liberate us,
to set us free
from slavery.
If I see Jesus Christ
loving,
forgiving,
serving,
and dying,
not for others,
but for me,
for me,
doing all that for me
in my place,
oh,
that's different.
That is very different.
And this is how
we can be truly blessed.
I'm up to my second point
if you're following me on.
The big and the repeated
statements
in chapter one
is
every blessing
comes to us
in Christ.
Not being like Christ,
but in Christ.
Verse three again,
praise the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ
who has blessed us
in the heavenly realms
with every spiritual blessing
in Christ.
It's also verse four,
verse five,
verse seven,
verse nine,
verse 11.
When you become a Christian,
you are not just given
an example to follow
in Jesus.
He is that.
You are not just given
a king to obey.
He is that.
Nor simply given
a savior to appreciate.
He is that.
When you become a Christian,
you are put
in
him.
everything
that is his,
he departs
to us.
Everything he has,
all of his accomplishments
are yours.
Every blessing
comes from being
connected to Jesus.
We have no
spiritual blessing
unless we are
connected to Jesus.
These blessings
are not something
that we earn
by our religious
or our moral effort.
In fact,
the very first few
verses of chapter two
help us to see
that to get
every blessing
cannot be achieved
by trying harder.
Have a look at it.
Ephesians two,
verses one to three,
we get the diagnosis
of the human condition
and why our efforts
cannot achieve anything.
As for you,
you are dead
in your transgressions
and sins
in which you used
to live
when you followed
the ways of this world
and the rule of the kingdom
of the air,
the spirit
who is now at work
in those who are disobedient.
All of us
also lived among them
at one time,
gratifying the cravings
of our sinful nature
and following its desires
and thoughts.
Like the rest,
we were by nature
objects
of wrath.
Paul is not saying
here,
like Gandhi,
that we are in danger
of death,
but that we are
in a state
of real
and present death.
And it would appear
that God's got it wrong
because there are people
all around us
living day by day
in the city
whose bodies
are active,
whose minds
are sharp
and personalities
brimming.
Has he got it wrong
that we are dead
even though
we are present?
The philosopher
Jerry Bentham
died on the 6th of June.
I've told you about
this guy in the past.
Died on the 6th of June,
1832
and in his will
he requested
that he had his body
preserved
and put in a wooden
cabinet.
He left his entire
estate,
which was quite an estate,
to the University College
Hospital in London
on the condition
that his body
be placed
in attendance
at all hospital
board meetings.
And this duty
is carried out
to this day.
That's not his
original head.
They had to come up
with another one
because it was pretty
creepy.
it's carried out
every day.
The cabinet
is wheeled
into the room
to the board table
and the chairman
says,
Jeremy Bentham
present
but not voting.
It's astounding
but it's amazing
when you want
someone's estate
you'll do
whatever it takes.
He will never
raise a hand
in response
to a motion.
He will never
submit a motion
although he's
been there
in body
for 175
years,
he's been
dead
the entire
time.
Dead
people are
dead.
They cannot
do anything
for themselves
and what
Ephesians 2
says
is that
every
human
being
is in that
position
spiritually
left to
their own
devices.
In the area
that matters
the most
the soul
there is
no life
left to
our own
devices
we are all
blind to
the reality
the demands
and the glory
of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Verses 2
and 3
says that
that's our
natural state
all of us
are dominated
by the world
from without
the devil
from beyond
and our
own sinful
desires
from within.
We are
helpless
hopeless
and in
great peril
unless something
is done
to save
us
to bring
us back
to life
we are
dead
in our
transgressions
and sins
and the
good news
is that
from the
deep depths
of helplessness
death
and despair
we now
move to
the astounding
contrast
of verse 4
but because
of his
great love
for us
God
who is
rich
in mercy
made us
alive
with Christ
even when
we were
dead
in transgressions
it is by
grace
that you
have been
saved.
In our
state of
spiritual
death
God
through the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
has come
along
and breathed
life
into us
and not
until we
get that
life do we
realise that
we were
even dead
in the
first place.
We are
dead in
our
transgressions
but God
intervened
we're in
bondage to
sin but
God
intervened
we're
objects of
wrath but
God
intervened
God
intervened
by redeeming
us
releasing us
from captivity
to sin
and death
through
the blood
of Jesus
you see that
in chapter 1
verse 7
in him
that's Jesus
we have
redemption
through
his blood
Jesus
has
objectively
taken
away
from me
everything
that's
wrong
with me
and
everything
that's
wrong
with you
he has
stood
in our
place
he has
taken
our
sin
he has
paid
our
debt
he has
given
us
life
and he
has
set
us
free
from
selfishness
and the
ego
God
himself
enters
our
world
and
upholds
his
justice
by
becoming
cursed
for us
so that
we might
receive
every
spiritual
blessing
all our
guilt
and our
shame
is taken
away
so if
you're a
Christian
then you
are in
the valley
of death
but through
the death
and resurrection
of the
Lord
Jesus
you have
been
redeemed
you have
been
resurrected
and been
raised to
the highest
of heights
and it's
all for
free
did you
get that
in verses
8 and
9
for it
is by
grace
that you've
been
saved
through
faith
this is
not from
yourself
it is a
gift of
God
not by
works
so that
no human
being
can ever
go
look at
me
salvation
is by
God's
grace
it's
why
for the
Christian
humility
must be
the first
thing that
grows in
your life
it is
the unmerited
favor coming
to us
the utterly
deserved
it's a
free gift
Paul is
so keen
that we
understand
that we
don't work
for it
that any
service that
we do
in the name
of Christ
is not
paying him
back
he says
it's not
by work
so that
no one
can boast
we can
try all
we like
but all
of our
good works
are no
more beneficial
than rearranging
the deck
chairs on
the Titanic
there is
no room
for boasting
in human
effort
we deserve
nothing
we were
owed
nothing
it is not
as if
God could
see our
potential
we were
dead
and yet
we have
every
spiritual
blessing
through
Jesus
the
spiritually
bankrupt
have had
their debt
wiped
clean
been set
free
from bondage
to selfishness
and sin
and ego
and death
and verse
10
is a
wonderful
description
of who
you are
in Jesus
if you're
a Christian
you've been
taken from
being a
corpse
to now
we are
God's
workmanship
literally
we are
God's
masterpiece
we are
his
work of
art
on display
full of
life
for eternity
the ultimate
workmanship
of God
is a person
who's been
dating
transgressions
and sin
and been
made alive
in Christ
and the
awesome news
is that
this is
available to
everyone
as it says
in verse
8
through
faith
act
16
says
believe
and have
faith
in
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
and you
will
be
saved
and that's
a decision
that some
of you
need to
make
today
do not
waste
this
opportunity
come to
life
in Jesus
today
and believe
in him
stop
trusting
in your
own
effort
stop
trusting
in your
own
intellect
and submit
yourself
to the
will
of
Christ
God's
eternal
plan
as
has
just
been
unfolded
to you
in
Ephesians
1 and
2
there is
no faith
in Jesus
there is
no grace
there is
no salvation
no one
has sins
forgiven
no one
goes to
heaven
no one
has
peace
until
there is
faith
in the
Lord
Jesus
receiving
every
spiritual
blessing
by
God's
grace
has a
profound
impact
on your
life
you spend
the rest
of your
life
realizing
this
blessing
by
working
it
into
your
heart
until
it
shapes
every
air
of
your
being
there
are
at
least
two
evidences
in
these
chapters
that reveal
that we
have in
fact
received
every
spiritual
blessing
in
Jesus
we see
the first
is in
chapter 1
verse 6
to the
praise
of his
glorious
grace
and again
at the
end of
verse 12
for the
praise
of his
glory
and once
more in
verse 14
to the
praise
of his
glory
when you
have every
spiritual
blessing
through
Jesus
you don't
just believe
in your
mind
it
becomes
glorious
to you
it
is
beautiful
to you
it
captures
you
it
captures
your
imagination
it
captures
your
heart
you
praise
God's
grace
you
lift
your
voice
and you
sing
it
you
declare
it
this
is not
just
evidence
of having
received
every
spiritual
blessing
but the
way
these
blessings
work
their
way
into
your
life
there
is
no
more
powerful
story
for
change
no
more
moving
moral
narrative
than
someone
giving
their
life
for
others
for
instance
on the
13th
of
January
1982
Air
Florida
Flight
90
crashed
into
the
icy
waters
of
a
river
in
Washington
D.C.
just
like
after
takeoff
because of
faulty
de-icing
on the
wings
of the
plane
dozens
of people
were killed
most people
were killed
in fact
on the
flight
except
there
were six
that were
initially
survived
the crash
and they
clung
to the
only part
of the
plane
that was
hanging out
of the
icy
waters
and that
was the
tail
of the
plane
and the
waters
were so
icy
they
hampered
the rescue
effort
they tried
launching
boats
couldn't
get to
the
plane
people
couldn't
survive
swimming
in the
water
a
very
well
strong
human
being
could
last
a
maximum
of
30
minutes
in that
kind
of
temperature
before
succumbing
to
hypothermia
and so
a
helicopter
was
called
in
they
couldn't
bring
a
rescuer
it's
like
anyone
got
a
helicopter
they
brought
in
a
helicopter
the
first
passenger
they
rescue
was
already
floating
in the
water
and
starting
to
nod
off
to
sleep
and
they
managed
to
get
this
person
attached
to
a
cable
and
drag
them
out
of
the
water
to
the
river
bank
helicopter
came
back
and threw
a
and by
that time
he had
submerged
below
the icy
waters
there are
scholarships
all over
the United
States
in his
honour
bridges
and roads
are named
after this
guy
he gave
his life
to save
five people
there is
no
more
powerful
narrative
structure
or moral
beauty
than
sacrificial
love
Jesus
Christ
did
that
for
you
and
you
were
his
enemy
dead
in
sin
it
changes
the
driving
centre
of your
life
it
will
move
you
so
that
the
things
that
you
used
to
find
captivating
selfishness
and
ego
no
longer
drive
you
his
glorious
grace
will
capture
you
and
lift
your
heart
in
praise
his
glorious
grace
will
change
you
and
we
see
that
in
the
apostle
Paul
from
verses
15
onwards
in
chapter
one
Paul
just
cannot
control
himself
he
overflows
in
praise
and
prayer
he's
essentially
praying
here
in
these
verses
that
this
Ephesian
church
would
come
to
fully
understand
the
magnitude
of
receiving
every
spiritual
blessing
in
Christ
it
will
motivate
us
to live
lives
that
praise
him
but
also
lives
that
don't
put
me
at
the
center
verse
10
for
we
are
God's
workmanship
created
in
Christ
Jesus
to
do
good
works
which
God
prepared
in
advance
for
us
to
do
a
life
of
good
works
a
life
of
service
of
others
is
indispensable
to
salvation
it's
the
life
of
service
we
have
been
saved
to
praise
and
serve
as
Martin
Luther
famously
said
justification
is by
faith
alone
but
not
by
faith
that
is
alone
for
where
there
is
faith
there
are
always
works
each
one
of
us
has
an
eternally
designed
job
description
which
includes
the
tasks
the
abilities
and
the
place
to
serve
whatever
the
job
description
he
has
called
you
into
he
will
equip
you
fully
for
it
and
in
fulfilling
the
service
that
he's
called
you
to
do
by
his
grace
you
will
be
both
more
and
more
his
workmanship
and
more
and
more
your
true
self
and
more
and
more
you'll
discover
joy
in
the
service
of
others
rather
than
the
pursuit
of
selfishness
and
the
ego
there
is
nothing
more
beautiful
than
his
workmanship
praising
and
serving
for
his
glory
and
our
vision
for
this
series
over
the
next
coming
weeks
and
for
this
year
ahead
for
us
as
a
church
is
to
call
as
many
as
possible
into
that
beauty
into
that
joy
we
have
been
blessed
with
every
spiritual
blessing
to
serve
blessed
that
we
might
be
a
blessing
called
Hashem
.