FHBC Sermon Notes

Shane Little - Guest Speaker
Ephesians  1:1-14
The Intro
Paul an apostle, a messenger of Christ Jesus, the anointed Jesus. This is not something of Paul's, but "by the will of God."

To the saints.  These are holy ones. They are set apart. They are all the believers who "are faithful in Christ Jesus"

v.2 This is Paul's standard greeting. He uses it in all his letters.

The World's Longest Sentence v. 3-14
In Greek this entire section is one sentence. It is a full out praise of the deeds of what God has done in Christ for us.

v.3 Salvation is most fundamentally "union" with Jesus. All we have is in him. We have his inheritance, his blessings, his love. Furthermore we were chose by him.  Election is part of the Father's work. This not mean that we have no responsibility, but before the foundation of the world, he chose us. What a thought!
v.4-5 We were predestined... God determined before that he would save us, chosen for adoption. This is for the purpose of his glorious grace. Blessed in "the Beloved", the beloved Son, Jesus.

v.6-13 The "in the Beloved" of the previous verse is fleshed out in the next verses of all the blessing we receive "in Christ".

Note how many "in him" statements we have in these verses.

We have...

• Redemption. v7
• Wisdom and insight
• Knowing the mystery of his will
• For his purpose in Jesus
• a plan for the completion of time
• to unite all things in Jesus.  (This is the point. The central reason for the entire letter)
• Inheritance v.11
• predestined
• according to his will
• so we who were first
• might be to the praise of his glory.

When you heard

• truth
• good news of your salvation.
• and you believed

You were sealed with

• The Holy Spirit
• who is the guarantee of our inheritance.
• until we possess it
• To the praise of his glory.

Recap
1) The point of the book is God is reconciling everything in Jesus. Christ is the hero. We should read it through that lens.
2) Salvation is most fundamentally union with Christ. Highlight all the "in him" phrases.
3) God is to be blessed or praised. God the Father is to be repeatedly bless for what he has done "in Christ".
4) The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance. God can not go back on his word. His Spirit itself in us. In this knowledge of power we live.