What’s God up to these days?
Ephesians 1
A. THE PLAN
One major project: The church…
15Then he asked them, "Who do you say I am?"
16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
17Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 16:15-19 (NLT)
God’s purpose was to show his wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. They will see this when Jews and Gentiles are joined together in his church. This was his plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:10-11 (NLT)
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
B. WHAT IS THE PLAN?
PLEASURE of a loving relationship with every spiritual blessing
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. Eph.1:3 (NIV)
Take a look at the PARTICULARS
1. Chosen
2. Adopted
3. Freely Given
4. Redemption
5. It is all through Jesus Christ (in him, through him, in Christ etc.)
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, Eph.1:4-9 (NIV)
Ever felt you were dealt a rotten deck? Life is unfair? Then look at our destination, what we were designed for and created for…
26Then God said, "Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life--the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals, and small animals."
27 So God created people in his own image;
God patterned them after himself;
male and female he created them.
28God blessed them and told them, "Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Be masters over the fish and birds and all the animals." 29And God said, "Look! I have given you the seed-bearing plants throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. 30And I have given all the grasses and other green plants to the animals and birds for their food." And so it was. 31Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was excellent in every way. This all happened on the sixth day.
Gen.1:26-31 (NLT)
Big Idea: We were designed for BLESSING, not damnation!
1 So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. 2On the seventh day, having finished his task, God rested from all his work. 3And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from his work of creation.
4This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth.
Big Idea: THIS IS IT! We were designed for the never-ending blessing of the 7th day. Gen.2:1-4 (NLT)
Even when sin marred His creation, His enduring commitment is BLESSING…
The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV)
That’s Paul’s prayer that we will know how great God’s commitment to work out His blessing is:
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people. Eph.1:18 (NLT)
C. PERSONAL GUARANTEE
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, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession--to the praise of his glory.
Eph.1:13,14 (NIV)
God’s personal seal to guarantee the blessing, i.e. you are not going to lose this blessing, as you trust God and experience His Spirit in you.
This is all due to…
Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence, assured of his glad welcome. Eph.3:12 (NLT)
What is your response to what God is doing these days?
When you look at WHY He PLANNED it all this way?
Can you see the joy of God, His pleasure in this…
For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song." Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)
Can you see why we want to worship God?
God’s purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God. Eph.1:12 (NLT)
Can you see why our response to God is praise?
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
“Where passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak.” – John Piper in Let the Nations Be Glad.
E. POWER
Just as my computer needs power to run a program, sufficient memory, etc. God’s plan needs power to run it… and the power plant is “resurrection” power.
and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Eph.1:19-21. (NIV)
God’s got the power to accomplish His plan and purposes? Do you believe? That He wishes to bless you outta yer socks? Inspired by His love, His purpose for you, His blessing? God’s building His church - Ron pearce one of the keynote speakers for Missionafest this year said "China’s exploding with new Christians -- 22,000 or more per day, 10 million new believers per year in China. The size of the underground church there in China now is 75 million believers. In Cuba in 1991: 1,100 churches, today 12,000 churches and growing. I just returned from there. You should see some of the churches there. They’re packed beyond belief." Burma has seen staunch Buddhist monks converted to Christ, dalits in India, and now in Vancouver, we’ve got some work to do. God’s up to somehting in this world will u now be part of it? Now go and bless others! Gods envisions us to be His kingdom of priests and a holy nation to bless the world. We are the hope for this world, we are the chosen ones to bless not to damn, but to give God’s riches, grace, blessing. Let’s praise and party on celebrating the Lord our God who blesses us with every spiritual blessing. Let’s find our joy in our Jesus who said:
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11 (NIV)
