WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.820 Well, our introduction to the book of Ephesians was through the book of Acts, understanding 00:00:07.820 --> 00:00:12.099 ! about the city of Ephesus and how the Lord planted a church there and ministered to it 00:00:12.099 --> 00:00:19.359 ! through Paul. And now we begin going through the book of Ephesians. This passage that I'm 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:26.560 about to read verses 1 through 14, we will spend about a month here. So today and three more because 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:33.159 it's so dense, it's so rich. The passage I'm about to read to you, some commentators have described it 00:00:33.159 --> 00:00:41.060 using beautiful language. They've described it as a magnificent gateway into the rest of the letter. 00:00:41.879 --> 00:00:46.379 It's been called a breathless cascade of momentum. 00:00:48.980 --> 00:00:54.599 It's been called a kaleidoscope. You can look through these verses and see so many colors and 00:00:54.600 --> 00:01:01.380 movement and patterns. It's been described as a snowball that's rolling down the hill and gaining 00:01:01.380 --> 00:01:09.960 momentum and gaining weight as it goes. It's also been described as a lyrical prancing racehorse. 00:01:11.379 --> 00:01:18.620 Get ready for what we're about to read. It's been called an operatic overture. I've never been to an 00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:24.140 opera and don't ever plan to be at one, but I can imagine. And it's also been described as the flight 00:01:24.140 --> 00:01:32.739 of an eagle because it conveys the overwhelming grandeur and movement of this letter with an 00:01:32.739 --> 00:01:40.920 opening doxology. Doxology means praise to God. So hear God's word, his inspired, inerrant, 00:01:41.960 --> 00:01:48.920 infallible, clear, sufficient, powerful word for you and me, his people. Ephesians 1, 1 through 14. 00:01:48.920 --> 00:02:01.060 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in 00:02:01.060 --> 00:02:10.400 Christ Jesus. Grace to you and peace from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:19.540 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual 00:02:19.540 --> 00:02:27.060 blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the 00:02:27.060 --> 00:02:34.360 world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined us to 00:02:34.360 --> 00:02:43.180 adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of 00:02:43.180 --> 00:02:52.880 the glory of his grace, by which he made us accepted in the beloved. In him, we have redemption 00:02:52.880 --> 00:03:00.220 through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound 00:03:00.219 --> 00:03:09.199 toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:16.120 his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:25.419 he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in on earth 00:03:25.419 --> 00:03:35.000 in him. In him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:44.019 who works all things according to the counsel of his will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be 00:03:44.019 --> 00:03:53.259 to the praise of his glory. In him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your 00:03:53.259 --> 00:04:02.219 salvation in whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the 00:04:02.219 --> 00:04:11.180 guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory. 00:04:11.959 --> 00:04:16.599 The word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Please be seated. 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:23.320 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of the Lord stands forever. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:31.300 Let's pray. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:39.240 Lord, 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:46.000 our flesh does not want to grasp hold of you. 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:51.680 Our minds don't want to understand you. 00:04:53.320 --> 00:04:56.600 Our hearts want to incline away from you. 00:04:57.800 --> 00:05:03.920 Unless you move on your people, Lord, that's how we will continue to drift and live in misery. 00:05:04.780 --> 00:05:11.000 We pray that by the Holy Spirit, Lord, you will powerfully shine your light in our hearts. 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:18.040 We pray that you will turn our minds by faith to grab hold of the triune God. 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:26.839 We pray, Lord, that you'll stir us up to praise you for who you are, for you are worthy, Lord, of our praise. 00:05:27.540 --> 00:05:36.240 Please cause us as a church, Lord, to join in this doxology and blessing you from whom all blessings flow. 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:38.079 We pray this for your glory. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:39.280 Amen. 00:05:39.280 --> 00:05:39.379 Amen. 00:05:39.379 --> 00:05:39.379 00:05:39.379 --> 00:05:51.139 Overflowing delight is contagious. 00:05:51.139 --> 00:05:54.579 A child tells a story. 00:05:55.719 --> 00:05:58.360 A person you enjoy belly laughs. 00:05:58.360 --> 00:06:05.020 A musician you appreciate totally enraptured in the piece they're playing. 00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:08.620 Overflowing delight is contagious. 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:16.580 Here's Paul, a Roman citizen, unjustly denied his rights. 00:06:17.660 --> 00:06:25.340 Far away, isolated in the biggest and loneliest city of the ancient world. 00:06:25.339 --> 00:06:30.239 Overflowing with contagious delight. 00:06:32.259 --> 00:06:40.099 His song, his all-consuming, overflowing, contagious delight is the praise of God. 00:06:41.319 --> 00:06:46.459 It can be summarized with an invitation to the churches who will read this letter. 00:06:47.299 --> 00:06:48.399 And that includes you and me. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:53.779 Church, praise our triune God. 00:06:53.779 --> 00:06:57.979 Church, praise our triune God. 00:06:57.980 --> 00:07:05.980 Today I want to use this longer passage, verses 1 through 14, more structurally. 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:10.980 I'll only go in detail verse by verse through verses 1 through 3 or so. 00:07:11.220 --> 00:07:14.759 Because we get to enjoy the rest of the passage in the weeks ahead. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:21.980 And in these verses I hope to help you see with me and evaluate if you agree three conclusions. 00:07:21.980 --> 00:07:29.980 So three conclusions from this glorious doxology that opens up the letter of Ephesians. 00:07:30.980 --> 00:07:32.800 Here's the first conclusion. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:40.920 Before anything else, churches are called to praise the living God. 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:47.140 Before anything else, churches are called to praise the living God. 00:07:47.139 --> 00:07:51.519 Well, let's define church first. 00:07:52.039 --> 00:07:53.379 Who is part of a church? 00:07:54.779 --> 00:07:56.539 Look with me at verses 1 and 2. 00:07:57.539 --> 00:08:01.939 He says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God. 00:08:02.139 --> 00:08:07.459 Now listen carefully for the words he uses to put up as markers of what a church is. 00:08:07.459 --> 00:08:18.639 To the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:08:21.459 --> 00:08:31.979 The church is not a people with common hobbies, a common culture, common preferences, or common political opinions. 00:08:31.980 --> 00:08:37.960 A church is made up of ones who are those four words. 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:38.200 See? 00:08:39.060 --> 00:08:44.159 Saints, faithful, grace, and peace. 00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:45.740 Those are the four markers. 00:08:46.460 --> 00:08:47.440 Let's look at each one. 00:08:49.620 --> 00:08:50.180 Saints. 00:08:51.420 --> 00:08:56.340 A church is made up of men and women, boys and girls, who were born sinners. 00:08:56.340 --> 00:09:06.480 And because of the gospel, the ministry of Jesus Christ revealed in his word, these sinners, God declares to be saints. 00:09:08.920 --> 00:09:11.899 These are ones who God has made holy. 00:09:13.040 --> 00:09:18.060 It means to be set apart for a peculiar purpose. 00:09:19.280 --> 00:09:22.060 Covered in the blood of the lamb. 00:09:22.059 --> 00:09:32.219 Think of how the instruments around the tabernacle and the temple and the old covenant were to be made holy by the sprinkling of blood. 00:09:33.239 --> 00:09:35.039 That's what it means to be a saint. 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:36.899 It's you're now like that instrument. 00:09:37.079 --> 00:09:44.959 You have been washed and sprinkled by the blood, not just of an animal, but the blood of God himself and the person of Jesus. 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:50.960 He has covered you with his blood, setting you apart now for a peculiar purpose. 00:09:53.879 --> 00:09:55.660 The church is made up of saints. 00:09:56.600 --> 00:10:00.940 The church is also made up of the ones that God calls faithful. 00:10:02.460 --> 00:10:05.420 Church is not made up of people who are hard workers. 00:10:06.360 --> 00:10:10.220 It's not made up of people who are better than others based on their own deeds, 00:10:10.220 --> 00:10:14.420 but of ones who are faithful in Christ Jesus. 00:10:15.139 --> 00:10:24.240 Ones who have trusted God's promises, whom God has filled with faith and whose hearts have been turned from unbelief to belief. 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:28.980 That's what it means to be faithful, to be full of faith. 00:10:29.820 --> 00:10:34.240 Not the strength of our faith, but the object of our faith, which is Jesus Christ. 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:35.620 It's faithful in him. 00:10:35.620 --> 00:10:39.820 Faith is the instrument. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:49.539 John Calvin defined faith or illustrated faith as a poor beggars, empty hand outstretched with which he grabs hold of Christ. 00:10:50.379 --> 00:10:53.519 That's what it means to be faithful in Christ Jesus. 00:10:53.519 --> 00:11:03.319 If you're here today and you're not sure if you are faithful in Christ or if God can call you a saint, 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.220 maybe you feel far from God. 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:12.779 Please know that God does not demand you to first get your act together. 00:11:14.139 --> 00:11:15.079 Clean yourself up. 00:11:15.080 --> 00:11:20.940 He says you are saints if you are in Christ. 00:11:21.620 --> 00:11:24.920 You are in Christ if you receive him by faith, not by works. 00:11:25.920 --> 00:11:28.460 That's what it is to be a Christian. 00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:32.460 That's what the churches are made up of. 00:11:32.460 --> 00:11:42.560 It's for anyone who will abandon self-righteousness, reach out that empty hand like a poor beggar with nothing to offer, 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:47.040 but use that to grab hold of Christ for yourself by faith. 00:11:48.700 --> 00:11:51.500 And he greets them with those words grace and peace. 00:11:52.379 --> 00:11:57.259 A church is made up of ones to whom God has shown grace. 00:11:58.660 --> 00:12:00.400 Let's define the word grace. 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:04.879 Mercy is to withhold punishment from someone that deserves it. 00:12:06.100 --> 00:12:09.340 But to just have a punishment that I deserve not given to me, 00:12:09.419 --> 00:12:13.039 that's far less than the grace we receive from God. 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:18.480 Grace means God gives good gifts to those who are ill deserving. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:21.059 Yes, we deserve that punishment. 00:12:21.579 --> 00:12:24.419 Not only does he withhold that by mercy, 00:12:24.419 --> 00:12:29.379 he lavishes us with generous blessings as his people. 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:34.139 The church is made up of ones who know this grace from God. 00:12:35.319 --> 00:12:36.259 And peace. 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:43.319 A church is made up of ones to whom God gives supernatural peace that passes all understanding. 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:48.000 We are born at war with God. 00:12:48.179 --> 00:12:49.419 We were enemies of God. 00:12:49.419 --> 00:12:55.360 God is the one who now gives us terms for being at peace with him, 00:12:55.699 --> 00:12:58.419 for ending our striving against God. 00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:03.019 And it's because Jesus Christ has become our mediator. 00:13:03.819 --> 00:13:12.199 He's taken the wrath as an expression of the justice of the perfectly just God in our place. 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:14.960 We are a shield from the holy God. 00:13:15.680 --> 00:13:18.940 Our Lord Jesus is the one who makes peace for his people. 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:22.520 Our lives were troubled by sin. 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:23.840 We hated God. 00:13:24.180 --> 00:13:28.960 But in Christ now, our lives are no longer troubled, but they're settled. 00:13:29.660 --> 00:13:34.259 We still have trouble in this world, but our relationship with God is no longer troubled. 00:13:34.259 --> 00:13:41.019 We no longer hate God, but instead, God is our advocate. 00:13:41.500 --> 00:13:42.139 He's our shelter. 00:13:42.259 --> 00:13:43.559 He's our hiding place. 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:44.840 We retreat into him. 00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:49.200 God has blessed us with peace. 00:13:50.580 --> 00:13:53.819 Jesus Christ stands as that high priest over us. 00:13:53.820 --> 00:14:01.640 And he says, the Lord bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon you through my ministry, Jesus says. 00:14:02.020 --> 00:14:06.180 The Lord lifts up his countenance upon you now and gives you his peace. 00:14:06.860 --> 00:14:09.140 That's what it is to be the church. 00:14:10.640 --> 00:14:12.680 Okay, so that's the church. 00:14:14.100 --> 00:14:21.500 And my conclusion was that before anything else, churches defined this way have one peculiar purpose. 00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:25.480 Before anything else, and that is to praise the living God. 00:14:26.220 --> 00:14:29.159 Notice what he says in the very next breath. 00:14:29.580 --> 00:14:30.320 Look at verse three. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:44.940 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. 00:14:44.940 --> 00:14:58.220 You can imagine if you're sitting there in Ephesus, this massive city in Asia Minor, and you get to hear this letter read to us from Paul. 00:14:59.660 --> 00:15:05.780 You might be expecting a lot of other things that he wants to tell us, but he begins with blessing God. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:09.900 Praise God from whom we receive every spiritual blessing. 00:15:09.899 --> 00:15:17.159 It's not a report on how Paul is doing in prison, though they certainly prayed that Paul was well. 00:15:17.779 --> 00:15:25.340 It's not a man-centered hook trying to build rapport with their felt needs like a sales pitch. 00:15:26.340 --> 00:15:30.799 Though the contents of this letter could not be more relevant to the life of the church. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:37.919 It's not even an introduction to the topic or theme of the letter, which is the church itself. 00:15:38.719 --> 00:15:48.199 Though they and we will have learned a theology of the church from God's perspective by the time we're done working through every sentence of this wonderful letter. 00:15:48.200 --> 00:16:00.740 Instead, he says right away, church, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. 00:16:01.379 --> 00:16:05.440 That's the most important, the most urgent thing I need to get across to you. 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:14.220 Now, three times in these opening thoughts, it's like Paul ramps up his meditation on God. 00:16:15.400 --> 00:16:21.880 And then he punctuates it with a declaration of praise to the glory of God. 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:24.220 I invite you to look at this with me. 00:16:25.060 --> 00:16:27.060 Put your finger first on verse six. 00:16:28.780 --> 00:16:34.460 After meditating on God in verse six, he says to the praise of the glory of God's grace. 00:16:34.460 --> 00:16:36.960 Now, take your finger down to verse 12. 00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:41.440 Verse 12, he ends with to the praise of God's glory. 00:16:42.900 --> 00:16:50.400 And then he continues on and punctuates the last thought about God in verse 14 to the praise of his glory. 00:16:52.280 --> 00:17:00.720 This letter opens by calling the church, by calling you and me who are gathered in Christ's name to praise the living God. 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:12.839 This communicates to us and it teaches us that before we as a church talk about how God's word applies to our everyday decisions, though there is a time for that, too. 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:18.199 We exist as a church to praise the living God. 00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:26.980 Before we as a church organized times to hang out with one another and enjoy more fellowship, though there's a wonderful time for that, too. 00:17:27.339 --> 00:17:31.679 We exist as a church to praise the living God. 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:39.600 Even before we work through the fine points of of how to interpret some difficult passages of the Bible. 00:17:40.220 --> 00:17:41.820 There's a time for that, too, though. 00:17:41.900 --> 00:17:46.900 But we exist as a church before anything else to praise the living God. 00:17:47.019 --> 00:17:47.220 Amen. 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:52.080 Well, that's the first point before anything else. 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:54.320 Churches are called to praise the living God. 00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:58.939 Here's the second conclusion from this wonderful opening to the letter. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:04.099 God's word teaches churches to praise God as Trinity. 00:18:05.619 --> 00:18:10.319 Second conclusion is that God's word teaches churches to praise God as Trinity. 00:18:11.639 --> 00:18:15.960 Someone asked a pastor in the 1800s named Charles Spurgeon in London. 00:18:16.679 --> 00:18:18.259 You know, the Trinity is a high mystery. 00:18:18.740 --> 00:18:20.000 Shouldn't we save that for later? 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:23.819 You know, maybe maybe don't bring that up for the first few years of a new believer. 00:18:24.599 --> 00:18:27.359 Spurgeon says we need to give a new believer God's word. 00:18:27.480 --> 00:18:28.359 That's what feeds them. 00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:33.839 And if the Trinity is what is emphasized in God's word, we're not wiser than God. 00:18:34.439 --> 00:18:35.700 Give the church God's word. 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:37.319 Give the church the Trinity. 00:18:37.799 --> 00:18:43.079 Let us let us be overwhelmed by how great and magnificent our God is. 00:18:44.119 --> 00:18:46.259 And that's what Paul does next. 00:18:48.159 --> 00:18:51.259 Each time that Paul repeats that refrain. 00:18:51.259 --> 00:18:54.599 Remember, we just touched it with our finger. 00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:58.759 The refrain is this to the praise of the glory of God. 00:18:59.460 --> 00:19:04.539 Every time he does that, it's a marker in the structure of this passage. 00:19:04.740 --> 00:19:09.440 He gives us these three different points to ponder as a focus. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:22.440 First, he calls the church to consider the work of the Father from verse 3 until the exclamation mark of doxology in verse 6 to the praise of the glory of God's grace. 00:19:23.080 --> 00:19:24.180 Look at it for yourself. 00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:34.960 Next, he calls the church to consider the work of the Son starting at verse 7 until the exclamation mark of doxology in verse 12 to the praise of God's glory. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:48.100 Finally, we consider the work of the Holy Spirit from verse 13 until the exclamation mark of doxology, the very next verse in verse 14 to the praise of his glory. 00:19:48.099 --> 00:20:00.579 Brothers and sisters, all spiritual blessings flow to us from the Father through the Son by the Spirit. 00:20:00.579 --> 00:20:07.939 By shifting our focus to each of the persons of the Trinity, one in turn following the order of redemptive history. 00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:20.599 This passage points out to us the work of the one God in his three persons for the glory of his name, the name of God, which is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 00:20:20.599 --> 00:20:36.980 The unity of God is also emphasized by the structure of this passage, because in the original from verse 3 all the way to verse 14, it's one continuous flowing lyrical sentence. 00:20:36.980 --> 00:20:51.000 It represents to us the unity among the Godhead, the majestic reality that God is one in essence, though three in persons. 00:20:52.140 --> 00:21:00.920 Neither, as our creed says, neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance, but holding God in his work together. 00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:16.140 Because God possesses one singular divine essence, one divine nature, one divine will, all of God's external acts toward creation are the undivided work of the entire Trinity. 00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:30.019 The Father, Son and Holy Spirit do not divide up the work of salvation into separate tasks, nor do they act as three independent agents working on a committee together. 00:21:30.920 --> 00:21:35.820 In every act of one person of the Trinity, the one God operates. 00:21:35.820 --> 00:21:45.400 Yet God's unified work shines through distinct personal properties among God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 00:21:46.740 --> 00:21:53.140 Specific aspects of our salvation are ascribed to a particular person of the triune God. 00:21:53.740 --> 00:21:55.720 Let me show you an example in this passage. 00:21:55.860 --> 00:21:56.640 Look at verse 4. 00:21:56.640 --> 00:22:04.480 Verse 4 ascribes to God the Father, choosing and adopting us in Christ. 00:22:04.980 --> 00:22:12.500 Verse 6 ascribes to the Son, the Redeemer who takes on human flesh to shed God's blood. 00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:24.920 Verse 13, it's the Holy Spirit who seals and applies this same redemption to the lives of the people that God chose in the Beloved, in Jesus Christ. 00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:30.880 Father, Son and Holy Spirit, save you. 00:22:31.940 --> 00:22:44.180 The Father's eternal purpose, the Son's execution of that purpose in time and space and history by the Spirit's power who is now powerfully working in us that God adopted. 00:22:44.180 --> 00:22:56.180 Three distinct persons working in perfect, flawless harmony to save you and me whom God has loved in Christ before the foundation of the world. 00:22:56.539 --> 00:22:56.860 Why? 00:22:57.400 --> 00:23:00.340 To the praise of the glory of God. 00:23:00.339 --> 00:23:08.000 So scripture in this passage teaches us to praise God as Trinity. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:15.980 Well, the third and final point for today is a conclusion from this passage. 00:23:16.740 --> 00:23:20.960 And this is where we'll spend a little bit more time just on one verse, verse 3. 00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:22.539 And here it is. 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:28.480 Praise means to bless the giver of all blessings. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:33.779 We've seen how before anything else, we as a church are called to praise God. 00:23:34.180 --> 00:23:36.059 We're called to praise God as Trinity. 00:23:36.460 --> 00:23:37.839 Well, what does it mean to praise Him? 00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:42.460 It's to bless the giver of all blessings. 00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:51.420 All spiritual blessings to the church are given from the Father, accomplished by the Son, applied by the Spirit. 00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:54.079 Think about how this has been true in your own life. 00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:58.619 The dead, our triune God, brings to life. 00:23:58.980 --> 00:24:02.079 The blind, our triune God, makes to see. 00:24:02.939 --> 00:24:06.379 The orphans, our triune God, brings into His family. 00:24:07.439 --> 00:24:08.519 What can we say then? 00:24:09.059 --> 00:24:11.699 These spiritual blessings lavished on us. 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:14.720 He gives us what to say in verse 3. 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:25.960 We say, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. 00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:32.259 Blessed be means to praise God, who alone is praiseworthy. 00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:39.019 Blessed be means to adore God, who alone is perfectly adorable. 00:24:40.620 --> 00:24:41.500 Blessed be God. 00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:44.119 And he's precise here. 00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:46.299 He says, which God are we to bless? 00:24:47.559 --> 00:24:52.000 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:53.819 What does this mean? 00:24:55.960 --> 00:25:02.660 Blessed be the God whom our Lord Jesus Christ worshipped according to His human nature. 00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:08.880 Blessed be the one true God that Jesus Christ came to reveal, to bear witness to. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:15.580 Blessed be the God to whom our Lord Jesus Christ prayed according to His human nature. 00:25:16.380 --> 00:25:17.460 This is what it means. 00:25:17.580 --> 00:25:20.240 Blessed be the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:33.120 Professor John pointed out in our Bible study, it reveals the two aspects of Christ's ministry as divine and as man. 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:39.039 According to His human nature, the one true God is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:45.539 And according to His divine nature, the relation between God the Father and God the Son is just that. 00:25:45.959 --> 00:25:48.599 It's within the triune God's head. 00:25:48.599 --> 00:26:01.439 The God whom our Lord Jesus Christ has revealed and He teaches us, His people here on earth, to call this God, the Creator, Father, along with Him. 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:07.100 The only true God of whom Jesus Christ came to bear witness. 00:26:07.840 --> 00:26:13.900 And the life and ministry of Jesus proves and convinces and testifies of the one true God. 00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:16.660 This is the God from whom all blessings flow. 00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:21.140 And this is the God we as a church are called to bless and to praise. 00:26:22.140 --> 00:26:26.860 To be a Christian is to believe the testimony of Jesus about God. 00:26:26.859 --> 00:26:32.439 Believe in who God, who Jesus is revealing, and you will be saved. 00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:35.379 Blessed be this God. 00:26:35.779 --> 00:26:39.939 The God who blessed and continues to bless us, His church. 00:26:40.719 --> 00:26:43.139 Blessed be the God who speaks well of us. 00:26:44.679 --> 00:26:50.979 Though we would never praise His name and speak well of Him if it were not for His grace to save us in Christ. 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:54.299 And to stir us up by His Spirit to bless Him. 00:26:54.299 --> 00:27:00.740 Blessed be the God who invokes blessings upon us who deserve curses. 00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:04.659 Blessed be God who blesses us with every spiritual blessing. 00:27:06.299 --> 00:27:09.480 Even though we have nothing to give Him or add to Him. 00:27:09.859 --> 00:27:11.639 He needs nothing from us. 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:14.960 He blesses because of the abundance of who He is. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:17.799 He says, 00:27:17.900 --> 00:27:24.100 Blessed be God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing where? 00:27:24.259 --> 00:27:26.880 In the heavenly places in Christ. 00:27:27.740 --> 00:27:34.539 He calls the church to bless God who blesses earthlings like us with our fallen fleshly bodies. 00:27:34.539 --> 00:27:35.539 But He still blessed us. 00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:41.680 But He still blessed us even now with blessings that are not of this earth. 00:27:41.980 --> 00:27:43.299 They're blessings that are from heaven. 00:27:44.299 --> 00:27:45.619 That are spiritual. 00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:48.399 Not worldly comforts. 00:27:48.980 --> 00:27:50.500 Not things for our flesh. 00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:53.920 But blessings that are in the heavenlies. 00:27:54.759 --> 00:27:55.899 That are celestial. 00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:56.980 That are high. 00:27:57.139 --> 00:27:58.480 That are imperishable. 00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:01.259 He calls the church, 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:06.180 Bless God who so blesses you with all spiritual blessings in heaven. 00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:10.360 Because they are bound up, secure for you in Christ. 00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:14.880 God's word doesn't say that God might bless you. 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:18.480 Or will eventually bless you if you perform well enough. 00:28:19.140 --> 00:28:23.180 He declares that in Christ, God has already blessed you. 00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:28.079 With every spiritual blessing that heaven has to offer. 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:30.500 Bless this God church. 00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:39.220 This blessing is bound up in the person of Jesus Christ. 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:45.200 This passage that we've read from verses 1 through 14 refers to Jesus Christ. 00:28:45.539 --> 00:28:48.460 Either Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, the beloved. 00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:51.579 17 different times. 00:28:52.259 --> 00:28:55.160 What a joy this will be for us to walk through this passage. 00:28:55.160 --> 00:28:57.720 Each focused on the Father one week. 00:28:57.840 --> 00:28:58.680 The Son the next. 00:28:58.800 --> 00:28:59.700 The Spirit the next. 00:28:59.700 --> 00:29:03.480 But each of them revealing the glory of the God who is Trinity. 00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:08.500 Accomplished in Christ Jesus who unites us to the blessings of God. 00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:17.559 Notice in verse 4 that God has blessed you in Christ by choosing you before the foundation of the world. 00:29:18.119 --> 00:29:22.140 Notice that God has not elected us as isolated individuals. 00:29:22.140 --> 00:29:24.759 But he elects us in Christ. 00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:36.940 Our covenant head so that every blessing promised to the Son by God the Father in eternity is now legally and securely yours in Christ. 00:29:37.700 --> 00:29:39.780 Nothing can take away this promise. 00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:41.860 Christ has secured it for you and me. 00:29:41.859 --> 00:29:50.959 Notice in verses 5 and 6 that God has blessed you in Christ by predestining you and me for adoption according to his grace. 00:29:51.679 --> 00:29:56.119 See in verse 6, God has blessed you in Christ by redeeming you by his blood. 00:29:56.639 --> 00:30:01.679 Verse 7, God has blessed you in Christ by forgiving you, by purchasing you. 00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:06.799 What a pleasure to declare the gospel of redemption. 00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:12.220 It means that Jesus has stood in the place of his church. 00:30:13.140 --> 00:30:16.200 He knows every single one of your sins and mine. 00:30:17.380 --> 00:30:20.980 And God calculates the cost of our sin precisely. 00:30:22.380 --> 00:30:24.380 And Christ has fully paid. 00:30:25.060 --> 00:30:28.799 There's nothing owed from us who are in Christ to God anymore. 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:34.899 He has completely executed the penalty we deserve to purchase us. 00:30:35.259 --> 00:30:45.279 And he's traded our sin, which he bore on himself, with his perfect righteousness, which covers you and me completely in the eyes of God. 00:30:47.339 --> 00:30:53.960 In verse 8, God has blessed you in Christ by lavishing you and me with understanding, with wisdom, 00:30:53.960 --> 00:31:00.000 with the ability of our fallen minds to behold God sufficiently for salvation, 00:31:00.220 --> 00:31:04.720 to respond to him with faith, grabbing hold of Christ. 00:31:05.380 --> 00:31:11.539 God has blessed you in Christ according to verse 9 by revealing his will to you, the church. 00:31:12.039 --> 00:31:17.579 He's blessed you in Christ in verse 11 by granting you and me an eternal inheritance. 00:31:17.579 --> 00:31:26.740 God has blessed you and me in Christ according to verse 13 by then pouring out his spirit on everyone who Christ redeemed, 00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:33.099 sealing you like the signet ring of a king saying, this one is mine. 00:31:33.799 --> 00:31:34.819 This is my property. 00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:36.859 No one can take you from my hand. 00:31:37.939 --> 00:31:44.019 God has blessed you and me in Christ according to verse 14 by guaranteeing our full redemption. 00:31:44.019 --> 00:31:55.960 Brothers and sisters, many of us are going through very challenging days, hard weeks, difficult months for some years. 00:31:59.259 --> 00:32:01.400 Look to the heavenly places. 00:32:03.099 --> 00:32:04.519 Look to Christ. 00:32:04.519 --> 00:32:15.680 Not a single spiritual blessing that God promised Christ will be lost or held from you. 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:17.420 They are yours already. 00:32:19.119 --> 00:32:27.500 May God's kindness stir you and me up in our souls to worship him, to praise him, to say, blessed be our triune God. 00:32:28.180 --> 00:32:34.200 May God so captivate you and me by his grace that our lives, even as we leave here today, 00:32:34.519 --> 00:32:40.259 will just be an echo of this contagious song of delight in God. 00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:47.200 May all that we do praise our triune God together for his glory. 00:32:47.660 --> 00:32:48.379 Let's pray. 00:32:49.240 --> 00:32:50.599 Lord, we bless you. 00:32:51.460 --> 00:32:56.339 Every spiritual blessing you give to your church through Christ. 00:32:58.220 --> 00:33:00.839 You are our loving father. 00:33:00.839 --> 00:33:04.240 Father, you have loved us in Christ. 00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:07.399 And there's nothing that we can do. 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:13.539 There's nothing that if we neglect to do will change your love for your people in Christ. 00:33:14.539 --> 00:33:23.359 Help us to trust you, Lord, to trust your word, to trust your promises, to experience this, then to bear witness to one another. 00:33:24.099 --> 00:33:26.980 Great is the faithfulness of our triune God. 00:33:27.799 --> 00:33:28.119 Amen. 00:33:28.119 --> 00:33:28.240 Amen.