Series: Ephesians – Our Riches in
Christ
DEPOSITS AND WITHDRAWALS (Ephesians
1:13c-19a)
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Review:
An
APOSTLE in our times is roughly equivalent to a missionary
or church planter taking the gospel to those who are hearing
it for the first time
The
word “Saints” in the Bible occurs more than 100 times and is
never singular. “A saint ain’t!” (We were designed for
community)
Grace is “unmerited favor” (getting what I haven’t earned or
don’t deserve)
ASSETS (What is
OWNED)
“Blessed us
in the heavenly realms with ALL spiritual blessings in
Christ” (vs. 3)
►
Election and Predestination
►Acceptance
►Redemption
►Mystery
of His will
►Unity
under Christ Jews/Gentiles; heaven/earth; Church
►An
eternal inheritance
LIABILITIES
(What is OWED)
►A
PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE (owed by you and me)
►A
GUARANTEE WITH A DEPOSIT (guaranteed by the Father through
the Son) TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY
SO
WHAT?
►Repent on our knees ►Self-indulgence: of time and focus vs.
money; ►attending church w/o making a difference in our
society; ►not learning to defend, live out our faith (Taken
from a quote by Chuck Colson)
Ephesians
1:13
…Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the
promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our
inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's
possession-to the praise of his glory.
The
“Promised Holy Spirit”
A SEAL
(…affirming our membership in the Body)
separated and set
apart for God, distinguished and marked as belonging to him.
A DEPOSIT
or EARNEST - (guaranteeing our “inheritance”)
…
to place
especially for safekeeping or as a pledge.
…
to secure a purchase
… to guarantee performance
(security or cleaning)
Our “possession” was
mortgaged and forfeited by sin; then “redeemed” by Christ
and now guaranteed by the Spirit.
OUR
MISSION: Glorify God, Extend
the Kingdom, Reconcile men to God
ROLES OF THE HS
COMFORTER (John 14:16) “Counselor”,
Encourager
WITNESS (John 15:26)
JUDGE (John 16:8-11)
Accuser/Conscience/Romans 1 and 2
GUIDE (John 16:13; Acts 8:29)
INTERCESSOR (Romans 8:26)
OUR STRATEGY:
Biblical, Spirit-led, Affirmed by
consensus
WITHDRAWALS
1 a: the
act of taking back or away something that has been granted
or possessed
b: removal
from a place of deposit or investment
c: the
discontinuance of administration or use of a drug
2: the
syndrome of often painful physical and psychological
symptoms that follows discontinuance of an addicting drug
(an
addict going through
withdrawal)
3 a: retreat
or retirement especially into a more secluded or less
exposed place or position
b: an
operation by which a military force disengages from the
enemy
c: social
or emotional detachment
4: a
pathological retreat from objective reality.
(What we do to “withdraw” from the free
operation of the Holy Spirit)
IGNORE (Genesis 6:3; Proverbs
1:23-26)
QUENCH (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
GRIEVE (Ephesians 4:30)
RESIST (Acts 7:51-53)
Slide 16: OUR TACTICS:
Empower – Release - Support
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the
flock over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be
shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own
blood.” (Acts 20:28)
“Then the church throughout Judea,
Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was
strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit; it grew in
numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.” (Acts 9:31)
