November 6, 2023

God’s love for His people

Preacher:
Passage: Ephesians 1:1-14
Service Type:

Introduction

As a communion service – no better theme thank to think of God’s love for His people

Example of Mark’s Testimony – God loves us

God has loved us in Christ – even when we were an enemy and in sin and rebellion

Eph 5:25 – Jesus gave Himself for love of the Church
Amazing, sacrificial love
Acts 20:28 – purchased with the precious blood of Jesus

Looking at v3-7

Paul is full of praise and worship to God
He begins to give reasons to praise God

Chose in Christ before the foundation of the world
Predestined in love to become adopted into God’s family

Fully accepted in the Beloved

Some many truths in these verses

One long sentence in the Greek
v3-6 – the role of the Father
v7-12 – the blessings in Christ
v13 – the role of the Holy Spirit

Overview:

God’s Electing Love
God’s Adopting Love
God’s Redeeming Love

God’s Electing Love (v3-4)

We must not be frightened of the word elect

Matt 24:22, 24, 31

Jesus had no speaking about those whom the Father had given Him – the elect
They were precious to Him

Rom 8:33, Col 3:12, 2 Tim 2:10

Paul speaks of the elect

Many other verses

Paul contemplates this in light of his own experience

Gal 1:15, 2 Tim 1:8-9

God’s grace was given before time began

Rom 11

Can we fathom the word of God, we are called to accept the word of God

Rom 9:14-16

Salvation is ultimately of God and of His mercy

Deut 7:7-8

God chose to love them

The doctrine of election should lead to tremendous thankfulness and humility

It takes away of ourselves
We fall at God’s feet amazed at His love

v3-4

Every blessing is mediated through Jesus Christ
Chosen to be holy and without blame – to become like Jesus Christ

To no longer be slaves to sin

God’s electing love is the first thing that comes to Paul’s mind

God’s Adopting Love (v5-6)

Difference between NIV and NKJV

"In love" having predestined us

We have been given a destiny

That we should be adopted to become children of God
By Jesus Christ
According to the good pleasure of God

This doctrine should bring us tremendous comfort

We can cry out "Abba, Father"
We are to pray, "Our Father …"

We have become members of God’s family

We have all the rights of inheritance through Christ our elder brother

This is not a cold/calculated doctrine but the blazing love of God

1 John 3:1
Do we reflect upon this – that we have been made the children of God

Once we were not part of God’s family

Once children of the devil
Plucked out and adopted – children of the living God
Some adopted children never feel equal to the blood family
Some adopted children feel the opposite – that they are completely equal

This is how we should feel as members of the Church of Christ
We all have the same rights and priviledges
We are fully accepted in the beloved

v5-6

Fully accepted in Christ, all to the praise of God

Our purpose is to bring praise to God
We are the gift from the Father to the Son – John 17:6, 9, 12, 24

In love, predestined to be adopted as children of God

God’s Redeeming Love (v7)

v7
Redemption is a wonderful word

Not often used to day
Example of the meanings

We were once slaves of sin, to the law and to satan (Eph 2:2), the fear of death (Heb 2:15)
Jesus gave His love as a ransom for many – Mark 10:45

Tremendous grace lavished upon us
Christ died for us whilst we were still sinners
We have redemption through Christ’s blood

Communion time allows us to reflect on this

What cost!
Redeemed – fully by God
All through God’s grace
Full forgiveness of sins

Closing Remarks