Sunday 16 August
Good morning once again and welcome to our talk and message from the Bible. If you are new to this page and you would like more information please use the contact on our website.
Reading: - Ephesians 1:1–14
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise for spiritual blessings in Christ3 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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.
Message
According to the author Mark Meynell “We all have friends who exaggerate! But we can’t exaggerate when it comes to God”. What Mark is saying is, that even the biggest exaggeration we can imagine about God, would still be short of the full glory of God. Which is why Paul, in his letter, once he has said his hello, praises and speaks up God. Because he can and he should in order to show God’s greatness. After all, that is why he is writing to the church in Ephesus in the first place. Just out of interest, Ephesus was on the Turkish west coast. Paul had visited there in A.D. 52 and wrote this letter to them around A.D. 61. He was pointing out, it had always been God’s plan that our salvation should happen and would show the glory of God’s grace.
Paul writes to them with the aim of blowing their minds. There may be details here we don’t initially grasp, and we can look at some of them, but for now try to get a sense of the scale of his vision of God. Listen out for the ways Paul points out God’s greatness here.
In Verses 3–10 Paul launches into exuberant praise. Let’s read through this passage again,
3 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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Do you see all the different things that God does for us? As you imagine God doing that for you, do you get it? God has been preparing the gospel since before creation (v 4) so that through Christ it is possible for sinful people like you and I to be holy and blameless, adopted, forgiven and brought together with everything in the universe under Christ’s rule at the end of time. That’s quite a promise!
Verse 3 is no exaggeration either. In Christ you really do have every spiritual blessing.
As we continue through the reading Paul explains, in verse 13, And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.
WE have a promise from God guaranteeing our inheritance! Planned at the beginning of time, so that we can and will see Heaven. It is for that reason that we should be able to trust in God “for the now” so that we can receive our inheritance in the future. There is no room for error in God’s plans! Paul puts it in black and white for us! You either accept it or reject it, but God has it planned out! We get to choose to accept it such is his grace. As I was reflecting on this, I realised that I had been a Christian for decades before I was “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, and I was wondering if it was the same for you?
As Christians we need to seek a fresh filling or a topping up as it were, so that we can live the life we are called to “in the Power of Heaven”. It is a profound thing yet a simple thing! We simply ask in prayer.
Please pray with me! Father God we give thanks for the words Paul wrote all those years ago. For their truth then and for the same truth today. Mark us with your seal afresh as you once more fill us in your power. Come Holy Spirit. Fall afresh on us Make us fit for our life a Christians in this dark world. To your glory. Amen
Reading: - Ephesians 1:1–14
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise for spiritual blessings in Christ3 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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.
Message
According to the author Mark Meynell “We all have friends who exaggerate! But we can’t exaggerate when it comes to God”. What Mark is saying is, that even the biggest exaggeration we can imagine about God, would still be short of the full glory of God. Which is why Paul, in his letter, once he has said his hello, praises and speaks up God. Because he can and he should in order to show God’s greatness. After all, that is why he is writing to the church in Ephesus in the first place. Just out of interest, Ephesus was on the Turkish west coast. Paul had visited there in A.D. 52 and wrote this letter to them around A.D. 61. He was pointing out, it had always been God’s plan that our salvation should happen and would show the glory of God’s grace.
Paul writes to them with the aim of blowing their minds. There may be details here we don’t initially grasp, and we can look at some of them, but for now try to get a sense of the scale of his vision of God. Listen out for the ways Paul points out God’s greatness here.
In Verses 3–10 Paul launches into exuberant praise. Let’s read through this passage again,
3 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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Do you see all the different things that God does for us? As you imagine God doing that for you, do you get it? God has been preparing the gospel since before creation (v 4) so that through Christ it is possible for sinful people like you and I to be holy and blameless, adopted, forgiven and brought together with everything in the universe under Christ’s rule at the end of time. That’s quite a promise!
Verse 3 is no exaggeration either. In Christ you really do have every spiritual blessing.
As we continue through the reading Paul explains, in verse 13, And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.
WE have a promise from God guaranteeing our inheritance! Planned at the beginning of time, so that we can and will see Heaven. It is for that reason that we should be able to trust in God “for the now” so that we can receive our inheritance in the future. There is no room for error in God’s plans! Paul puts it in black and white for us! You either accept it or reject it, but God has it planned out! We get to choose to accept it such is his grace. As I was reflecting on this, I realised that I had been a Christian for decades before I was “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, and I was wondering if it was the same for you?
As Christians we need to seek a fresh filling or a topping up as it were, so that we can live the life we are called to “in the Power of Heaven”. It is a profound thing yet a simple thing! We simply ask in prayer.
Please pray with me! Father God we give thanks for the words Paul wrote all those years ago. For their truth then and for the same truth today. Mark us with your seal afresh as you once more fill us in your power. Come Holy Spirit. Fall afresh on us Make us fit for our life a Christians in this dark world. To your glory. Amen