Author: Nick Booth

Ephesians 1:11-14

In the letter to the Ephesians Paul spends time expanding on the theme that God has a plan and is working out that plan. There is a purpose to the plan. The plan has existed since before time. Incredibly the plan is so detailed that from the beginning of creation it has included individual humans and as believers we are an integral part of this plan. It is an inclusive plan and as far as we are concerned an unmerited plan and yet we are inheritors of it. Crucially it is his plan not ours and he will and is securing its completion. Ephesus was a pagan city and Paul is contrasting God’s plan through Christ with the pagan God’s worshiped in the city. The pagan gods were often seen as inconsistent or unable to act. Paul however, says that God through Christ is the one, ‘who works all things according to the counsel of his will.’ ^v11 For believers though, how the sovereignty of God and human responsibility works together is a mystery, that we do not fully understand.

DAY 1.

We were also chosen – 1:11

One of the great themes of Ephesians is the unity of the believing Jew and Gentile in Christ. God’s plan has moved on in Christ from the Old Testament position where the nation of Israel was to be a light to the nations of the world bringing glory to God. Now in Christ, all who believe, share in the same hope, assurance and purpose. Paul therefore writes as a Jew who brought the gospel to the Gentile city of Ephesus, a hostile place to the gospel and says remember it was us Jews who were the means by which you heard. This was always God’ plan. It, ‘conformed to the purpose of his will.’ ^v11 How quickly division can set in within the people of God. It occurs when criteria are applied that are not compliant with the gospel. It is when the values of the wider world become integrated into the church. Such things as nationalism, ethnicity, partiality, pride and personal ambition. It happens when we forget that we are undeserving sinners and the only claim we have is the grace of God not personal merit. Are we aware of any way in which we can promote unity in the family of God?

Made known in Christ 1:9-10

Part of God’s grace is his revelation of Christ to us. Without the Spirit of God revealing Christ to us we would still be in the dark. However, God the Father wants to make Christ known to us, it is his will and purpose. ^v9 God wants people to understand who Jesus is, what he has done and how people may receive redemption from their sin. When we take the good news of Jesus to people we are within the will of God. This is what Paul spent his Christian life doing. God has opened up his will in scripture and through the person of Christ. He wants people to understand he has a plan. It is a plan that is even bigger than individual redemption it is the redemption of all of creation. Jesus’ death and resurrection is the biggest and most significant event in all history, not only of the earth but of the universe. It is the most astonishing revelation in the bible. It is a plan of which we are yet to see the end result. It is as Paul records, ‘a plan for the fullness of time.’ ^v10

Redeemed in Christ 1:6-8

God’s ultimate purpose is the praise of his glorious name through redemption. God is glorified as a result of his grace which is the outcome of his nature which is to have mercy. ^v6 The means by which we access God’s mercy is always through Jesus. In and through Jesus we see the mercy of God personified. Mercy for Jesus was costly because he took upon himself the righteous wrath of God for the sin of those who trust in him. ^v7 It cost him his life but it also cost him bearing the wrath of his own Father towards the sin of others. What price do we put on mercy? How are our lives an expression of God’s mercy? Paul says, ‘he lavished mercy upon us’ and this is an expression of God’s wisdom and grace. ^v8 As we go through life do we share in God’s wisdom by lavishing mercy on others?

Pre-ordained in Christ 1:4-5

It was out of the eternal love of God that he planned for the adoption of believers into the family of God and for them to be “sons” of God. This was to be achieved through Jesus Christ. The saving work of Christ was pre-ordained. Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father as he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. In this way Jesus is the ultimate example of obedience to the Father. It is very easy to celebrate being adopted in God’s family and accorded the privileged position of being a child of God. However, we can be reluctant to fulfil the responsibility of a child to be obedient to the Father. If, however Jesus had chosen to refuse to be obedient then there would have been no way for us to become a child of God. Have we grasped the enormous privilege it is to be called a child by God the Father? Have we properly considered the responsibility of obedience that accompanies such a position?

In Christ all blessings are ours 1:3-4

Our praise, thanksgiving and worship of God the Father is the right and natural response of all who have believed in Jesus Christ. ^v3 It is God the Father who has blessed us but he does that through and in Christ. Blessing in biblical terms involves the favour of God and gifts of God. Spiritual blessings for the Christian are to be found in Christ. They are not separate from Jesus. They are to be only found in Christ. When Paul refers to heavenly places ^v4 he means the Christian’s future home. It is there then that we as believers will receive the fullness of God’s blessing. Paul is reminding the Ephesians of their and our future hope. However, God established this hope even before creation. ^v4 Once we believed in Jesus we entered in to all of God’s blessing to be found in Christ. It is Christ who is holy and blameless and God the Father will credit to all believers that same status because we will be in Christ.