Title: Blessed in Christ, you are beloved!
Text: Eph. 1:3-14
Facebook live: Blessed in Christ, you are beloved!
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
For some, life seems to be as bad right now as it has ever been. Maybe you feel it and maybe you know it too?
Whether it’s the Florida condo, that partially collapsed in the Miami suburb of Surfside, Florida, where 86 people are confirmed to have died and many still missing. Or, the historic flooding that most recently affected many in the Detroit area with water consuming homes, cars and valuables either under water or destroyed and lost. Not to mention the dam failures last year in Mid-Michigan that have replaced lake front property with vegetation growing where boating and swimming once occurred.
At times like these, God’s blessings can seem distant or small in comparison to the weight of life trials that comes upon us - at times in our lives - that we didn’t anticipate or expect.
When joy or sorrow comes, we need to be reminded of hope.
Not just hope for a better tomorrow but hope that surpasses all human understanding. And that is what Paul puts to scroll in the opening of his letter to the Ephesians.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
Our blessings are not in the joys or sorrows of our earthly lives but in Christ and in him we have every spiritual blessing promised in Christ and delivered to us through God’s work. No matter the joy or sorrow we face.
Each year we have the promise of a better day ahead and that the sorrows of the previous year can be better - as we look to our future and what tomorrow might bring.
Often times as we look back, we see all that this life didn’t deliver and the hope for tomorrow became much the same as before or simply a life of ups and downs.
Despite the ups and downs though Paul reminds us of God’s calling:
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
You stand … not marked in sin but marked in him … as holy and blameless!
Think about that! You are set apart and marked without fault.
In this life you stumble and fall.
You miss the mark and are overlooked.
You argue and fight and feel at times hopeless
but in Christ you are holy and blameless.
Why?
Well, it’s God’s love!
In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
It is God’s will that you be his child.
It is God’s will that this happen in Christ.
It is God’s will that no matter your success or failure in this life …
… that in Christ, God’s grace and favor come to you.
We were brought forth in sin, conceived in sin, and in sin death comes – we are filthy and whether through sickness or tragic circumstances like the condo collapse, the flooding or the loss we’ve all experienced through this last year from Covid or other sickness and illness that many face.
In the world life becomes death.
In Christ death becomes life.
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 upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Temporal and heavenly realities are ours.
Tears in this life will come.
Will you lose a job or get one?
Will a loved one die or will life be added to your family?
Will yours be tears of sorrow or joy?
Only God and the future know for sure but I’m sure it will be some of each as we continue in this life both with our families, and our church family, our community, and our nation as well.
The reality of need and of promise, of blessing and curse don’t always come at the proper or desired time in this life. At times our need often remains while the hoped-for blessing seems to be a long way off.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
It’s all ours because of Christ.
It is all ours according to his will and purpose.
It is all ours to the praise of his glory!
Where?
It’s here with the word proclaimed and the word connected to the water in Holy Baptism.
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him,
When?
When you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
When we were marked in Christ as forgiven, through that same gospel proclaimed and sealed in the sacrament of Holy Baptism by God’s working.
Who?
14 who is [God’s] guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.
God the Holy Spirit in you.
Why?
Simply to the praise of his glory.
It is simply his love and grace and favor on account of Christ that God has marked you as his.
No work and no merit. No sorrow or joy. No right or wrong.
Just Christ, for you
Just Christ, in you
Just Christ, with you
In times of life that have no explanation.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
In Christ!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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