Read Ephesians 1:1-14
Paul is writing this letter to the saints in Ephesus. This is important for two reasons. First - Paul is under house arrest, probably handcuffed to a Roman soldier while he writes of these extraordinary blessings. Second - Paul is not writing to an individual. He is writing to the gathered church, an entire community. So when you here him speak to 'you', remember that he is speaking to a plural 'you', the church.
In verse 3 he opens up the letter with an amazing statement. "[God] has blessed us (the church) in the heavenly realms withevery spiritual blessing in Christ." Remember who the 'us' is - it is fallen, sinful human beings that God has chosen to bless with every spiritual blessing! Afraid that we might miss how amazing this is, he gives us a list of these blessings:
1.He chose us.
2.He adopted us as his sons.
3.He redeemed us by paying for and forgiving our sins.
4.He made known to us what his plan is - that he is bringing everything together under Jesus Christ.
Now we instinctively want to resist being under someone else's authority. The reason for this is that we've only always been under the authority of other fallen, sinful humans like ourselves. Even when we are under no one's authority we are under our own fallen and sinful rule. But in Christ we have an owner that is free (v10) and generous (v8) and loving (v4).
In verse 13-14 Paul explains how we can access these spiritual blessings that flows from having Jesus Christ as our King.
1. Hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ
2. Believe the Gospel as true.
3. Be marked by the Holy Spirit, as belonging to God.
Prayer
Our God and Father, we praise and thank you that you chose us to put our hope in your Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for your Spirit that continues to remind us that we belong to you even in difficult and challenging times. We thank you for your church, asking that you will help us to escape from our individualistic idea of our salvation and instead giving us a large, communal idea of salvation. Amen
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