Many appear to suppose that when Adam and Eve dedicated the heinous act of consuming the forbidden fruit, that God discovered Himself in a horrible dilemma that He hadn’t foreseen. It’s as if He was compelled again to the planning desk to plot a rescue mission for His fallen creation. Nothing could possibly be farther from the reality nonetheless, as God knew that in creating us in His picture, with free will, there could be a catastrophic collision of His excellent justice with His immeasurable grace and mercy. So God didn’t discover Himself with a dilemma, for as Paul stated, “lengthy earlier than He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in thoughts, had settled on us as the main target of His love, to be made entire and holy by His love” (Eph. 1:4 Msg).
There are few passages in all of Scripture that give us as concise an outline of God’s everlasting plan as Ephesians 1. It’s fascinating to notice that within the authentic language of Ephesians 1, that verses 4-14 consist of 1 sentence. It’s virtually like a younger little one that’s so excited concerning the story he needs to let you know that he hardly stops for a breath. Paul paints this image of God’s plan that actually is awe inspiring from starting to its end result.
There are some phrases on this passage which have triggered many to stumble, phrases comparable to “He selected us” and “He predestined us,” main some to conclude that God selected who could be saved and likewise, selected those that wouldn’t be. Keep in mind nonetheless, that Paul is writing to Gentile believers, and in verse 13 clarifies that the onus is on the person to imagine the excellent news and obtain Jesus.
“having additionally believed, you have been sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise”
– Eph. 1:13 NLT
The picture Paul paints for us right here is that Christ got here to earth on the best rescue mission in all of historical past. Everybody studying this weblog may quote John 3:16, however are you able to quote verses 17 and 18 from reminiscence, as a result of they’re simply as essential as verse 16.
“For God so beloved the world that He gave His solely begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, however have everlasting life. For God didn’t ship the Son into the world to guage the world, however that the world is perhaps saved by means of Him. He who believes in Him shouldn’t be judged; he who doesn’t imagine has been judged already, as a result of he has not believed within the title of the solely begotten Son of God.
– John 3:16-18 NASB
Verse 18 tells us that the world is in a state of judgement due to sin, and Jesus got here to set us free from judgement, got here to rescue us. Again to Ephesians 1, Paul tells us that not solely did God devise a plan of saving us from our sinful situation, however a part of His plan was to undertake us as His Kids.
“God determined prematurely to undertake us into His circle of relatives by bringing us to Himself by means of Jesus Christ. That is what He wished to do, and it gave Him nice pleasure.”
– Ephesians 1:5 NLT
In Colossians 1:13, 14, in very related language to his letter to the Ephesians, Paul makes use of “Kingdom” terminology:
“For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us into The Kingdom of His expensive Son, who bought our freedom and forgave our sins.”
Not solely did He save us and forgive our sins, however he “transferred us into His Kingdom,” we are literally little kids of the King. Now again to Ephesians 1, and to what was referred to earlier because the “end result” of God’s plan. Because the creation of man, and the continued revelation of God’s plan, Paul lastly explains the plan God has had from earlier than the foundations of the earth:
God has now revealed to us His mysterious will relating to Christ . . . and that is the plan: On the proper time, He’ll convey the whole lot collectively underneath the authority of Christ – the whole lot in heaven and on earth.”
– Ephesians 1:10 NLT
We appear to be in a season of elections and new administrations. On Remembrance Day I took half in a Remembrance Day service which concluded with us singing “God Save the King.” All of us current needed to make a aware effort to not unintentionally sing “God save the Queen.” It’s as a result of we have been so accustomed to 1 administration, we’ve to regulate to the brand new administration. An election has simply concluded within the US, and persons are preparing for a brand new administration there, as they understand it means change.
The thriller that God had solely given glimpses of however revealed absolutely after the loss of life, burial and resurrection of Jesus is {that a} day is coming when all darkness can be completed away with, and a brand new Kingdom can be established. It’s as if all of historical past has been shifting towards, specializing in this superb aim. However what does this new administration appear like? There are numerous folks within the US, as they strategy their new administration who’re asking the identical query. Many are thrilled with the end result and others are terrified. However for us, what is that this new Kingdom that we’ve to look ahead to going to appear like.
To start with, we all know that there can be full unity. Verse 10b within the NIV says His plan is “to convey unity to all issues in heaven and on earth underneath Christ.” Afterward in Ephesians, Paul says,
“That is God’s plan: Each Gentiles and Jews who imagine the Good Information share equally
Within the riches inherited by God’s youngsters. Each are a part of the identical physique, and each get pleasure from
the promise of blessings as a result of they belong to Christ Jesus.”
– Ephesians 3:6 NLT
A big high quality of this Kingdom is the right unity of all folks. “Each Gentiles and Jews” contains all folks teams on the earth. There’s nothing extra unifying than to name on the title of the Lord and know you’ve been made brothers and sisters with everybody underneath His Kingship. It’s grieving after we see folks attacked as a result of they’re of a “completely different ethnic group,’ however thank God, underneath this administration, that can finish for all of eternity. This King loves all equally. It needs to be famous right here that Ephesians 3:6 makes it very clear that it’s these “who imagine the Good Information [that] share equally within the riches inherited by God’s youngsters.” Some have adopted a Universalistic pondering that believes that finally everybody goes to be saved in the long run. In any case, they might say, when it says “He’ll convey the whole lot collectively underneath the authority of Christ – the whole lot in heaven and on earth,” it should imply the whole lot and everybody. Some even go as far as to imagine that even the demons can be redeemed. If you happen to have been to go to a funeral in Vancouver, you’d suppose everybody was going to heaven, however in Ephesians 1, Paul qualifies again and again that he’s writing to “God’s holy folks in Ephesus, who’re devoted followers of Christ Jesus” (verse 1), “who’re blessed with each religious blessing within the heavenly realms as a result of we’re united with Christ” (verse 3). It’s fairly apparent that the qualification to be a citizen of this Kingdom is to declare Him as your King.
At Coastal Church over time, we’ve listened to a clip from an ideal sermon preached virtually 50 years known as “That’s My King!” It’s unattainable in phrases to explain our King, however listed below are a couple of traces from that message:
He provides energy to the weak
He’s out there for the tempted and tried
He sympathizes and He saves
He strengthens and sustains
He guards and He guides
He heals the sick
He forgives sinners
He delivers the captives
He defends the feeble
He blesses the younger
He serves the unlucky
He regards the aged
He rewards the diligent
He beautifies the meek
THAT’S MY KING!
