ASSETS AND LIABILITIES (Ephesians
1:1-14)
Sunday, January 6, 2008
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus
by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful
in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Praise be to the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly
realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he
chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy
and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to
be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance
with his pleasure and will- 6 to the praise of his glorious
grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that
he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And
he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his
good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put
into effect when the times will have reached their
fulfillment-to bring all things in heaven and on earth
together under one head, even Christ. 11 In him we were also
chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him
who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of
his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in
Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you
also were included in Christ when you heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation. 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.
SLIDE
1: Ephesians 1:1, 2
Slide 2
►From:
Apostle: By the will of God
First to introduce, affirmed by miracles in the absence of
scripture; first generation only? Missionaries to those
without a witness; modern times – things of the Spirit
“foolishness…”
►To:
Saints (always plural)
Saints in profession (no “secret saints”)
Saints in truth and reality (no “words-only” saints)
If
not here, not in glory
“Faithful
in Christ Jesus” (Not saints if not faithful)
Acceptance and strength provided by Christ
Slide
3: Grace and peace from God and Jesus
Grace:
“getting what I don’t deserve” (vs. mercy: NOT getting what
I DO deserve). “Free and undeserved love and favor of God
and those graces of the Spirit which proceed from it.” (MH)
…and
peace to you”
KNOW JESUS
KNOW PEACE – NO JESUS NO PEACE
NO PEACE
WITHOUT GRACE
NO GRACE
EXCEPT FROM “GOD OUR FATHER (as a loving Father) AND THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST (purchased by His death and
resurrection).”
GRACE FROM
GOD, PEACE WITH GOD
Slide
4: ASSETS
►Sufficient
property to pay debts and legacies;
►Advantage
or resource;
►An
item of value owned;
►The
items on a balance sheet showing the “value” of property
owned)
►What
is owned
“Blessed us
in the heavenly realms with ALL spiritual blessings in
Christ”
Spiritual blessings vs. temporal blessings (all of us vs.
some of us)
Heavenly realms = “in the Body (church) OR in heavenly
things – things that come from heaven and prepare us for it,
make us worthy of it
Slide 5:
1) (VSS. 4 AND 5)
►
Election and Predestination
Election –
choice (separated and distinguished)
Predestination – before the foundation of the world
Does God
choose the believer (Calvinism) or does the believer choose
God (Arminianism)?
God alone
knows how the two harmonize, His predestination and our
freedom; it is enough for us they are both distinctly
revealed.”
(from
Fausset's Bible Dictionary)
Slide
6: 2) Acceptance
“wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (vs.6 KJV)
Slide
7: 3) Redemption
(Vss. 7 and 8 - forgiveness of sins)
Slide
8: 4) Mystery of His will
(VS. 9 - to reconcile the world to Himself)
Slide
9: 5) Unity under Christ
(VS. 10)
a)
Jews and Gentiles
b)
Things in heaven/earth
c)
Angels and the church
(saints)
Slide
10: 6) An eternal inheritance
(if children, then heirs) (VS. 11 KJV)
Slide
11: Review of assets
Slide
12: LIABILITIES
►The
quality or state of being liable//►something
for which one is “liable”
►What
is owed
Slide
13: Assets vs. Liabilities
Slide
14: For He chose us before the foundation of the world
to be holy and blameless in His sight
(vs. 4) Holy=different; blameless=guilt-free]
Slide
15 1) A PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE
►
Vs. 12, 13 in order that we…
who were first to hope in Christ might be for the praise of
his glory “
Those who
have for a longer time experienced the grace of Christ are
under more special obligations to glorify God.” (MH)
►…and
you also were included when you heard the gospel…having
believed (how we know we’re
elected!)
vs. 4 For He
chose us before the foundation of the world …
vs. 5 He
predestined us to be adopted as sons…
vs. 6 That we
should be to the praise and glory of His grace
Slide
16 2) A
GUARANTEE WITH A DEPOSIT
►
vs. 14 HS is a Seal/deposit guaranteeing the full sum
– a liability for God
Slide
17:
TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY
A
2-PART COVENANT (ABRAHAM IN GENESIS 15)
Slide
18: SO WHAT?
Colson: “I
believe Christians these days belong on our knees: 1)
repenting of our self-indulgence;2) repenting of going to
church but not making any difference in our society; 3)
repenting of the fact that we have not learned how to defend
and live out our faith.”
►Repent on our knees ►Self-indulgence: of time and focus vs.
money; ►making a difference in our society; ►learning to
defend, live out our faith (SIMULCAST)
“We could…if
we would” (Amazing Grace) Starts on our knees!
Slide
19: Blank
Baby
Steps: Step 1: Repent on our knees Step 2: which action is
most needed in my own life? (Self indulgence, making a
difference, learning to live out and defend?)
