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Why do we praise God?EPHESIANS 1:3-14

God Question…• Is it because we’re supposed to?• Is it because we always do it on Sunday and Wednesday?•Because He is worthy– Church answer or shrug?• In this chapter Paul discusses ‘Predestination’, ‘Sovereignty of God’, ‘Free will of man’, ‘Election’, ‘Adoption’, ‘Redemption’, ‘Eternal Inheritance’• If you pay attention to what I’m about to explain, I think you’ll come to your own conclusion– WANT

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in

the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the

earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our

inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:3-14, NASB

Every Spiritual Blessing•V3– done deal– past tense– The answer from the start-- God’s grace, glory, mercy, His unsearchable riches•482 x in Scripture, variations of “Bless”•Greek word is “eulogetos”– to make happy•Notice the past tense– James 1:17

17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

James 1:17, NASB

Every Spiritual Blessing• Its about understanding from what or in this case “from whom” your happiness comes•Blessings can be financial, but that would not be the norm according to this Scripture•From v4 to v14 lists 9 blessings we must remember so we can Praise Him with all heart/mind/soul/body

We can divide this section 3 ways•Vv 3-6, Father initiated His plan of Salvation•Vv 7-12, Son implemented the plan•Vv 13-14, Spirit empowers the plan

Because He has chosen us…•V4 is one of the greatest definitions of “Election” straight from Scripture•The Doctrine of Election teaches that we are saved only because in the Grace of God, he picked us individually

Because He Predestined/Adopted us…•V5, “Predestined,” ‘proorizo’ in the Greek, means “marked out beforehand.”•Because God chose to elect us, He placed a special mark on us – He predestined us with the knowledge that He would one day adopt us•Roman Law and Adoption•Arminian vs Calvinist Theology

Because He has redeemed us…•Vv 6-7a, purchasing by paying a ransom, from slavery or repaying a debt•1 Peter 1:18-19

“…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from yourfathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot…”

1 Peter 1:18-19, NASB

Because He has redeemed us…•Vv 6-7a, purchasing by paying a ransom, from slavery or repaying a debt•1 Peter 1:18-19•He redeemed us all the way back to Adam with His Blood, paying the price for sin and judgment, as well as covering our sin for eternity

Because He has forgiven us…•V-7b, since we are forgiven God no longer holds our debt against us– consequences too!•Scripture says He has forgotten our sins once they’ve been forgiven•Psalm 103:12

“As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us…’

Psalm 103:32, NASB

Because He has lavished His Grace on us…•V-7c-8a, God’s mercy saves us from what we deserve, his Grace gives us what we don’t deserve!•He didn’t give us Grace reluctantly, but He dumped it on us! Abundantly!

Mystery of His Will, known to us…•Vv 8b-10, Though many of God’s plans He shared over the ages to Moses and the prophets, He chose not to reveal some of them for a long time•Heaven nor Hell knew how He would do Salvation•But we know thru Jesus’ death and resurrection!

He has provided an Eternal Inheritance•Vv 11-12, our inheritance takes two forms•Present- all the rewards of salvation Peace w/God, Brotherhood with Christ•Future- All the wealth of Heaven!• In addition to that, we are joint-heirs with Christ, which means that He cannot claim His inheritance apart from us– cool or what?!?!?

Because He sealed us in Christ•V13, Forgiven, and it can never be taken away from us!•Freed from the bondage of sin and able to kick it for eternity•Remember after the Hebrews were freed from Egypt, Pharaoh changed his mind?•Not God!!

Because He guaranteed our inheritance•V14, the Greek word for guarantee means “down payment”, something the business man in Ephesus would take to heart•Guarantees final purchase•The Holy Spirit is our guarantee!

Take Home!•“Riches in Christ” tell us that:• It is a source of great encouragement to know that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all work on our behalf to make us spiritually rich•All these riches are by God’s grace for His glory•These riches are only the beginning! There is always more spiritual wealth to claim from the Lord as we walk with Him