When studying the Word of God we will find that every word, every letter is filled with God’s Glory and His power.
We will find that He has a divine purpose for every syllable that that He utters. That may be difficult for some of us to fully understand, but it is true.
Let me show you what I mean by reading to you a simple hello/greeting from the Lord.
Text: Ephesians 1:1 through 3
Prayer:
For some of us these two verses may seem as a mere cordial greeting that often appears in the New Testament. Many times we may read through openings such as this and think,
“Uh…yeah…and uh…Good Morning to you, Lord…”
But for a few moments let us consider that God is very particular in what He is speaking to His people.
For example, who were the saints? And who were the faithful (that Paul was referring to)? Weren’t all of the people at the church in Ephesus “faithful saints”?
We should understand that God has an agenda for all of His thoughts and words He gives to His people.
God doesn’t mumble when He speaks. He doesn’t ramble- on about anything that isn’t important to Him.
Imagine, for a moment, if this letter was sent to you and I.
In other words, if I were to come home after a long hard day at work or school, and find a letter addressed to someone else, what would I do with that letter?
Would I be right in opening that letter as if it were addressed to me?
That letter may have ended up on my kitchen table waiting to be opened, but if it is not addressed to me I wouldn’t have the right to open and read it.
Why didn’t Paul just address this letter to everyone at the church there in Ephesus? He could have wrote,
“To whom it may concern.”
Without God’s divine help, a sinner wouldn’t have been able to interpret this important letter. This letter was addressed to the saints, and (specifically) to the faithful saints of God.
The church, and the church within the church.
They would be the ones who would be able to understand this powerful message. Maturing the saints to faithfulness.
If you consider yourself as one of God’s saints you need to take careful heed to what the book of Ephesians has for you.
Some of us may be saying to ourselves this morning,
“Now that I think about it, I don’t exactly feel like a saint of God this morning…”
What do you think the Lord sees when He looks at you?
Does He see the mistakes you have made? The failures?
No, I believe He sees child of God that Christ has made of you into. God doesn’t see your past once you have given yourself over to Christ. There are no regrets with the Lord.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior,
1. When the Lord looks at you, or wants to speak to you, He sees you differently and speaks to you differently than how you may think He does.
2. You are His child, and He has adopted you into His heavenly family.
The Lord sees you as a saint of God here on Earth, and He sees exactly how He will see you when you enter heaven. And that is, He sees you washed in the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Made clean by Christ. No failures. No regrets.
Listen church, as a child of the King you will soon see the Lord in heaven, and you won’t be concerned (or, upset) with everything that went wrong in this life. Will you?
Well, neither will the Lord.
The Bible often speaks of the “Saints of God” being in heaven for all eternity. Consider this –
1. If we will (someday) be the saints of God in heaven, then we must be the saints of God in this present life.
2. If you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior, and you have sincerely asked Him to save you from your sins, then right this very moment you are a saint of God.
3. If you die a sinner here don’t expect to be a saint when you arrive there.
(Heaven isn’t what Hollywood is telling us.)
The truth of God’s Word is that you and I have been made the saints of God the very moment we first allowed the Son of God to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.
If you are a born again believer look at the person sitting next to you and say,
“I am a saint of God.”
“I will also be a saint of God when I get to heaven!”
Likewise my friend if you cannot honestly say those words, or if you have not been made a saint of God in this life, you won’t mysteriously/suddenly become a saint of God when you leave this life. There is no doubt about that.
When many people are asked about their eternity they respond by saying, “Gee I hope I make it…”
We cannot assume that just because we are a good person (in this life) God will somehow allow us to sneak through heaven’s gate.
This day will soon be past. Only what is done for Christ will last.
In Ephesians, Paul is speaking to those that know their destiny with the Lord. They are the faithful in Christ Jesus. They are the believers in Christ whom are firm in their convictions, and are consistent in their walk of faith.
The Bible tells us that the faithful will:
· Not compromise their faith for the cares of this world.
· Not waiver when the storms of this life come to them.
· Never give up hope.
· Look forward to the next opportunity to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth.
Eph 1:2 says -
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
According to my Bible, the last days will eventually come down to all that will be left are the faithful.
There will only be left the faithful ones who are completely sold out to living their lives for Jesus.
The faithful saints of God
· Need God’s Grace and Peace.
· Know they cannot find Grace and Peace anywhere else in life.
· Know the well being of their spiritual life relies exclusively on God’s Grace and His Peace.
Question: How is it that we can receive, from God, His Grace and His Peace?
2 Pet 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
The more of God’s Grace we receive the more we are going to want. I have been experiencing God’s Grace for almost 30 years, and I can tell you I want more of it.
I need God’s Grace multiplied to me over and over again.
I know that I am not a perfect Christian, but the Bible tells me I can be. 2 Peter tells us we will have Grace and Peace multiplied to us through the Knowledge of Jesus. That is -
what we know about the Lord.
Jesus can make you and I perfect
Hebrews 10:14
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
God’s Holy Word can make you and I perfect
I John 2:5
But whoever keeps His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:
God can use other people in my life to perfect me
I John 4:12
If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
His Grace can and will perfect me through Christ Jesus, my Savior.
