When I first became a Bible Worker I began studying with a young woman who went to a Methodist AME Church. She invited me to her church one Sunday so I could hear her sing in the choir. After the choir sang, a lady guest speaker stood up to preach and to this day, that Methodist woman gave the best ever “Adventist” sermon I have heard on the book of Ephesians. She spoke about how the first part of Ephesians begins with us “in Christ.”

Jesus over city

In Christ is where we find our justification, which is our deliverance from the penalty of sin and is our title to heaven. She then explained how the second part of Ephesians talks about “Christ in us” which is where we find our sanctification, which is our deliverance from the power of sin and is out fitness for heaven. 

 Let’s take a look at us “in Christ” and see why that is so powerfully important.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,  having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,  that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:3-14 NKJV Emphases supplied. 

Why is this idea of in “in Christ” so important? Because again our justification is in Christ. We can only be accepted in the Beloved. We can only be saved in Christ. This is why it is so important to appreciate the humanity of Christ. 

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4 NKJV

Jesus took on my flesh so that He could not only die for me, but so He could also die as me. God only has one solution for human flesh. It must be crucified. I have now been crucified in Christ and with Christ. See Romans 6:3-6 and Galatians 2:20. What else has Christ accomplished by taking my humanity? 

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17 NKJV

When Jesus went into the water He had taken upon Himself all humanity, and was thus being baptized and repenting for and on behalf of the entire human race. When the Father said “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus was representing the entire human race. Therefore when the Father accepted His Son the Beloved, He was accepting all humanity in the Beloved. See Ephesians 1:6. Jesus repented on behalf of the entire human race and the Father has accepted the entire human race on behalf of Jesus. 

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Romans 5:10,12,19 NKJV 

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

 

Let’s summarize what we have learned so far.

All humanity sinned in Adam. Romans 5:12

All humanity was crucified in Christ. Romans 6:3-6, Romans 8:3-4 and Galatians 2:20.

All humanity repented in Christ. Matthew 3:15-16,

All humanity has lived a perfect life in Christ. Romans 5:10.

All humanity is accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6. 

This is how all humanity is  predestined to become adopted as God’s children in Ephesians 1:4. However God never turns any of His children into robots and so everyone is free to reject this plan if they choose. Unless they resist or reject this plan they will be  saved,

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” John 12:32 NKJV 

The sinner may resist this love, may refuse to be drawn to Christ; but if he does not resist he will be drawn to Jesus; a knowledge of the plan of salvation will lead him to the foot of the cross in repentance for his sins, which have caused the sufferings of God’s dear Son.-Ellen White, Steps to Christ, Page 28. 

In Ephesians 1 we see that we have been accepted in Christ. Next week in Ephesians 2 we will see how we all sit in heavenly places right now-in Christ Jesus. See Ephesians 2:6. 

Amen!(2)

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“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:11-12, NKJV).

The believers in Ephesus seem to have lost a clear sense of who they are as Christians, to have “lost heart” (see Ephesians 3:13). In line with what he has affirmed earlier (Ephesians 1:3-5),

Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com

Paul wishes again to shore up their identity as Christians. Believers are not victims of haphazard, arbitrary decisions by various deities or astral powers. They are the children of God (Ephesians 1:5) and have access to many blessings through Christ based on the deep counsels and eternal decisions of God. It is God’s purpose, counsel, and will (Ephesians 1:11) that is being worked out in their lives in line with the still wider plan of God to unite all things in Christ (Ephesians 1:10). They may have unshakable confidence in their standing before God and in the effectiveness of the blessings He provides. Their lives should shout the message of Ephesians 1:3-14: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Compare the uses of the idea of “inheritance” in Ephesians 1:11, Ephesians 1:14, Ephesians 1:18. Why do you think this idea is important to Paul?

Have you ever received an inheritance as the result of someone’s death? Perhaps a relative left you a valuable treasure or a considerable sum of money. In Paul’s view by virtue of the death of Jesus, Christians have received an inheritance from God (Ephesians 1:14) and become an “inheritance” to God (Ephesians 1:18).

In the Old Testament, God’s people are sometimes thought of as being His “heritage,” or inheritance (Deuteronomy 9:29, Deuteronomy 32:9, Zechariah 2:12). This sense of being or becoming God’s inheritance is clear in Ephesians 1:18 and is the likely meaning of the term in Ephesians 1:11 as well (which would then be translated, “In him we have become an inheritance”). As a central element in their Christian identity, Paul wishes believers to know their value to God. They not only possess an inheritance from God (Ephesians 1:14, Ephesians 3:6, compare Ephesians 5:5), but they are God’s inheritance.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

Amen!(0)

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What is God’s “plan for the fullness of time,” and how extensive is its reach? Ephesians 1:9-10.

Paul uses three labels for God’s plan. It is (1) “the mystery of his will,”(2) “his purpose,” and (3) “a plan for the fullness of time” (ESV). What is God’s ultimate, final plan? To unite everything, everywhere, in Jesus.

Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com

The term that Paul uses to describe the plan is a picturesque one (Greek, anakephalaiosasthai), to “head up” or to “sum up” all things in Christ. In ancient accounting practice, you would “add up” a column of figures and place the total at the top. Jesus heads God’s final, eschatological plan. This Christ-centered plan was crafted “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4) and is so broad that it encompasses all time (“the fullness of the times,” NKJV) and space (“all things … things in heaven and things on earth,” ESV). Paul announces unity in Christ as the grand, divine goal for the universe.

In discussing God’s “plan for the fullness of time” (Ephesians 1:10, ESV), Paul shares the theme that he will weave through the letter. God begins His plan to unify all things, rooted in the death, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Jesus (Ephesians 1:15-2:10), by founding the church and unifying disparate elements of humankind, Jews and Gentiles, in it (Ephesians 2:11-3:13).

In this way, the church signals to the evil powers that God’s plan is underway and their divisive rule will end (Ephesians 3:10). As the Bible says elsewhere: “For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” (Revelation 12:12, NKJV).

The last half of Paul’s letter opens with a passionate call to unity (Ephesians 4:1-16) and continues with a lengthy exhortation to avoid behavior that damages unity and, instead, to build solidarity with fellow believers (Ephesians 4:17-6:9). Paul concludes with the rousing image of the church as a unified army, participating with vigor in waging peace in Christ’s name (Ephesians 6:10-20).

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Amen!(0)

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Jesus Said Go Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com]

A while back a lady went into the hospital for a few days. While she was there, a local elder, and deacon came to visit her. However she was released from the hospital before the Senior or Associate pastors of the church could come see her. After her release, she mentioned to me that none of the pastors had come to see her in the hospital. I corrected her, and told her that two pastors came to see her. According to 1 Peter 2:9 the local elder and deacon are both pastors.

The New Testament church was an active church with everyone pastoring and evangelizing. In Acts 8, Philip, a deacon, is evangelizing and baptizing. In Acts 7, we see Stephen, another deacon, being stoned to death – and it wasn’t for taking up the offering or adjusting the Sabbath School classroom thermostat. No, he was stoned to death for preaching the gospel! Wait a minute. I thought preaching was the pastor’s job? Not in the New Testament church! In the New Testament church all the members were ministering and evangelizing.

In the Dark Ages a wide separation was made between the clergy and the laity but that was not the biblical design. As we progress out of the Dark Ages the gap between clergy and laity must be narrowed, in order to get back to being a remnant of the New Testament model church.

Many years ago I moved to Texas to be a Bible Worker. The church had thousands of Bible study lead cards that needed to be mailed out. The pastor asked a lady in our church if she could take them to the post office to be mailed. She responded, “Well if I do that, then what is William going to do?” She felt that since I was the paid “Bible Worker,” I should be doing all the work and should mail them myself. Wrong! Fact is, if I am doing all the work, then I am not doing my job.

My job, now as a pastor is to equip and empower the laity to do evangelism.  If I go by myself to give a Bible study, then shame on me! I should always bring another church member with me so they can learn how to give Bible studies and also to bond with the student and be another link to the church family. As well as giving Bible studies I also teach people how to chain reference their Bibles, to give presentations and get decisions for Jesus. Currently I have been working with FC Life, the Lay Institute for Evangelism in the Florida Seventh-day Adventist Conference. .I have traveled around the state of Florida with FC Life training lay people to do evangelism by giving personal and group Bible studies.  A small study group is a church within itself. Remember, in New Testament times, churches were in people’s homes. The non-churched small-group Bible study members see those who come to the home of the Bible study leaders as their church family, and they see the Bible study leaders as their pastors. Remember that “pastor” is also a verb and not just a noun. Whoever you are, if you are caring and nurturing others then you are pastoring.

If pastors or Bible workers think of themselves as the ones who are to do all of the preaching and evangelizing, then they are not biblical but are stuck in the Dark Ages. Very few pastors today still want to create a huge gap between pastors and laity, while more and more pastors are like Moses, when he said, “would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” Numbers 11:29 With this spirit upon our paid clergy, the gospel can spread like wildfire and turn the world upside down, just like it did in the book of Acts when every member was an evangelist! Please keep in mind that if the pastor or Bible worker are doing all of the preaching and teaching, then they are not doing their job. You know the pastor and Bible worker are doing their jobs when encourage and empower you to share the Gospel. 

Amen!(41)

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The book of Ephesians does show us “How to Follow Jesus in Trying Times”: 
Hymn 623 – I Will Follow Thee, My Saviour so that our actions will always speak louder than our words.

Sabbath afternoon’s introduction to our week of study explains the beginning of the “letter to the Ephesians with a majestic thank-you note, praising God for the blessings He has poured out”. There are many hymns of praise:
Hymn 1 – Praise To The Lord,
Hymn 4 – Praise My Soul The King of Heaven,
Hymn 11 – The God Of Abraham Praise,
Hymn 14 – Let Us Praise The Name Of The Lord,
Hymn 20 – O Praise Ye The Lord,
Hymn 25 – Praise The Lord, His Glories Show,
Hymn 26 – Praise The Lord! You Heavens Adore Him,
Hymn 28 – Praise We The Lord,
Hymn 29 – Sing Praise To God, and
Hymn 30 – Holy God, We Praise Your name to name just a few.

We are thankful that when Jesus went to Heaven He left us the Holy Spirit, as we find on Sunday:
 Hymn 261 – The Spirit Of The Lord Revealed, 
Hymn 268 – Holy Spirit, Light Divine and 
Hymn 266 – Spirit of God. May we all listen to the Holy Spirit and share 
A Song of Heaven and Homeland – Hymn 472.

The staggering cost of our redemption and the lavish forgiveness given to us is found in verse 3 of 
Hymn 601 – Watchmen, On The Walls of Zion with 
Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive – Hymn 299 all because there is 
Power In The Blood – Hymn 294 of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is with God’s blessing “to unite everything, everywhere, in Jesus: 
Hymn Sent Forth By God’s Blessing – Hymn 407. (Tuesday)

Once again our praise songs come forth on Wednesday (see listing above), and Thursday refers back to our hymns of the Holy Spirit on Sunday (as above).

So, dear people, be encouraged to go forward and
“Lift up the trumpet and loud let it ring, Jesus IS coming again” – Hymn 213.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Amen!(0)

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