Year 3 Day 63

Year 3 Day 63 


Pray (ACts)


Read - Ephesians 1


Message - Scott Woodburn
It was once said that those who gain Christ lose nothing. Do you believe that? Paul certainly did. He was sure that God had blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (v3). How? By bringing us to salvation in Christ. Those two words "in Christ" ring out throughout these opening verses.


Christians have been chosen "in Christ" before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before the Lord (v4). Here is the great doctrine of election. In eternity past the Father chose a people for salvation, the Son would die for these people and the Spirit would draw these people to the Son. We call this the Covenant of Redemption and it is utterly humbling. All have sinned and no one deserves salvation, indeed if we had been left to our own devices no one would ever have turned to God. Thanks be to God therefore that He chose a multitude for salvation "in Christ".


The Lord's choice was not based on anything He saw in us. He didn't gaze at sinful humanity and pick the best ones. The Lord's sovereign election was dependent upon His great and perfect love (v4b). In this love He decreed that some would be adopted into the family of God "through Christ" (v5). This choice was according to the will of God and results in the praise of His glorious grace (v6). That grace, that unmerited favour to people deserving God's wrath is another blessing that we discover "in Christ" who is called "the Beloved" (v6).


In Christ we have been redeemed by His precious blood. Jesus has paid the price to redeem us from slavery to sin (v7). In Christ and by His amazing grace our sins have been forgiven (v7b). This grace has been lavished upon us and the grand mystery of salvation has been revealed. Jesus was the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. In the fulness of time Christ came to save His people from their sins and one day things in heaven and on earth will be united "in Christ" (v10).  


"In Christ" we have obtained an inheritance that makes our Granda's farm look like a poor offering. The Christian's inheritance will never perish, spoil or fade. We are bound for glory and will dwell in the new heavens and the new earth with Christ Himself (v11-12). "In Christ" we heard the Gospel, believed the Gospel and received the gift of the Holy Spirit who was sent by Christ Himself (v13). Those "in Christ" have the Holy Spirit as a sure guarantee of our inheritance (v14). We will be saved, we will be raised, we will dwell secure for eternity - the Holy Spirit guarantees it! 


As Paul reminds the Ephesians of the immeasurable benefits of being "in Christ" he can't help rejoice thanking God for the Ephesians and remembering them in his prayers (v15-16). For what does he pray? That the Lord would give them wisdom and knowledge in the things of God (v17), that the Lord would give the Ephesians a grander vision of the hope they have in Christ, that they would grow to understand the riches of Christ's glorious inheritance in the saints (v18) and that the Lord would expand their vision of God's immeasurably great power towards His people (v19). Our congregations would do well to pray this consistently for our own fellowships. 


Paul understood that the God who raised Christ and seated Him at the right-hand in glory and placed Him above all powers, authorities and dominions and made Him head over all things including the church, is the same God who is for us and has called us to be "in Christ"


Ephesians chapter one is glorious. There is no-one like our God and there is no greater privilege than to be "in Christ" Brothers and sisters, those who gain Christ lose nothing. Rejoice!


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q62 What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment? The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God’s allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, his challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his blessing the Sabbath day.