Context — Ephesians 1:3-14

Cody Hale

To Whom It May Concern • Sermon • Submitted a month ago • Presented 2 months ago

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Introduction

Out of what context do you live your life? By that I mean: What is it that forms the basis of your identity and the motive for your actions and the framework through which you interpret your circumstances? Counseling has taught me that all of us are operating from some context, and if we want to understand the way we think, the way we feel, and the things we do, we have to get to the bottom of that context.

For example, about half of all children leave their home after graduation without believing they have their father’s approval. That means half of you can likely identify with that. And, it can form the context of your life. It usually starts around middle school. You start trying to be good at whatever will make your dad notice you. You spend hours and hours practicing a sport, not because you love it, but because you want your dad to love you. You try to track down the things your dad respects so that you can be good at them in hopes that your dad will respect you. Well, that doesn’t go away magically when you turn 18. Usually, what happens is that you either double-down on it or rebel against it. You may try to double down by achieving status in college or through building wealth or through drag racing. It can be literally anything. Everything in your life driven by a desire to win approval and acceptance from every person you meet because you feel like nothing you do is good enough for your dad and so now you’re looking for dad substitutes that can give you what he didn’t. You just want somebody, somewhere — whether it’s a man that tells you what you want to hear or a boss that gives a good review or your own child you desperately need to say your a great parent —- you just want someone to tell you: “Good job. I’m so proud of you. You’re valuable.”

Or, you get fed up with running the race, and you just flat-out rebel — doing all of the things the opposite of what your dad would approve of or all of the things he’s warned you against. Your belief becomes, “Why should I even try?” or, “He obviously didn’t love me so he’s probably kept me from a lot of good.”

But, whether you double-down or your rebel, your desire for the approval and blessing of your dad becomes the context out of which your life is lived. And, we could’ve used a hundred different examples. It could be the loss of a child or a spouse. It could be relentless anxiety or abandonment and betrayal. But, you develop a framework, a context out of which you live your life, and if you want to understand your life, you better determine what that context is and make sure it’s the right one.

God’s Word

Ephesians 1:3 “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,”

And, Paul’s point in Ephesians — stated right at the outset — is that Christ becomes the context of the Christian’s life. A major theme is captured in Paul’s phrase “in Christ.” He says either “in Christ” or “in him” nine times in verses 3-14 alone. And, his point is that when we come to Jesus through faith and repentance, Jesus becomes the context out of which the rest of our lives are lived. Our lives are no longer defined by an impossible-to-please mother or an absent father or a cheating husband or a poor body image. Rather, our lives are redefined by “every spiritual blessing” we now have “in Christ.” So, Paul is unpacking these “spiritual blessings” that, with Christ as our context, are meant redefine our lives, and that’s what I want us to do too. “Four Spiritual Blessings that Redefine Us:” (Headline)

We have a rock-solid “identity.”

Ephesians 1:4–6 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

The world has a foundation. It has a beginning. But, God does not. He has no beginning and no end. So, have you ever considered what God was doing before He founded the cosmos? Well, Paul gives us at least part of the picture, and it’s stunning. Before He founded the world, God determined a purpose, and that purpose was to choose you as his son or his daughter by joining you to his Son. “He chose us IN HIM before the foundation of the world.” “God put us and Christ together in his mind” (Stott) before He put our limbs and personalities together in our mother’s womb. Think of it! Before God said, “Let there be light,” He said, “Let me have him, and let me have her.” Jesus was always the plan. The cross was no surprise to God. And, the cross was always the plan because you were always part of the plan — “He chose us….before the foundation of the world.”

So, you’re not an afterthought in his kingdom. You’re not an accident in his kingdom. And, you certainly aren’t a surprise in his Kingdom. You were always part of the plan for his Kingdom.

And, this is meant to forge your sense of identity. It’s meant to form the context from which you live, your framework for how to think, feel, and do. Historically, identity wasn’t something that you discovered or decided. Your identity was given to you. That’s why you won’t read of many of the ancients struggling with the identity crises that are some common today. And, your identity was primarily given to you through your family. Your dad’s status became your status. When you were born, the assumption was that you would be a farmer or a smith or a ruler if that’s what your dad did. You lived where your dad lived. You received what he had. You social class was firm and wouldn’t change. You were what he was. So, you didn’t have to wonder about your identity. Your dad told you what your identity was. And, that brought security, purpose, and a sense of knowing where and how you fit in the world.

And, that’s what’s missing today, isn’t it? We’re told that we can be whatever we want and do whatever want we just have to discover ourselves and master our own destinies. And, since we have to go finding our identity, we go looking for where we can find approval, a sense of purpose, and a place to fit. And, we may attempt to find that through a same-sex community (acceptance is one of the primary traits shared), through a distinguished career, a respected education, athletics, or anything in between. But, still we’re often left wondering if that’s what we’re really meant for or where we really fit.

But, when you’re adopted into God’s family, the Good News is that your identity is no longer this squishy, nebulous silhouette you’re always chasing but never catching. You’re identity is given to you. You’re “as sons (and daughters).” Your place is secured “in Christ.” You don’t have to go searching. He’s where you belong. Your purpose becomes to “be holy and blameless…to the praise of his glorious grace.” That is, you’re brought into God’s family to be where your Dad is, to do what your Dad does, to the honor of your dad. That’s how identity is meant to be forged.

And, what’s the result of receiving this identity? How are we supposed to understand what God has done? Paul says:“He has blessed us in the Beloved.” That is, “in Christ,” you have your Father’s approval. “In Christ,” you have your Father’s blessing. “In Christ,” your Dad loves you and chooses you so that He’s proud you’re his child, and He’s actually expressed how He feels about you “through Jesus Christ” on the cross.

And, that’s the context from which you are meant to live your life. Do you feel how free and joyful that is? You don’t have to discover your identity like everyone else. You don’t have to earn it on the ball field or in the classroom. You don’t have to prove it through the house that you live in or the car that you drive. You don’t have to define yourself by some sexual desire just to have a group where you fit. Your identity has been given and chosen. It’s secure. It’s rock-solid.

We have life-giving “grace.”

Ephesians 1:7–10 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

A couple of years ago while were in Swaziland, Geoffrey was taking us to the cottages where we were staying, and Geoffrey had hyped this place up pretty good. We started up this steep road, and it just got steeper and narrower as we went. The fog was so thick that I literally could not see beyond 2-3 feet in front of me. It’s the thickest fog I’ve ever seen, and there’s not a close second. And, the higher we went, the more nerve-wracking it became. Our team got quieter and quieter until one lady who was with us started screaming. “Stop! Let me out! Stop the car! I’m going to walk!” And, I remember Geoffrey saying, “Please trust me. I drive this way every day. I can get you there safely, and it’s going to be worth it.” When we got to our rooms, we were so stressed and it was so foggy that we just went inside and crashed. But, the next morning the clouds had moved out, and when I stepped outside, it was one of the most beautiful places that I’ve ever seen. Just fruit trees and birds and views everywhere you could look.

And, that’s a picture of how life is within the plan of God. We’re on the edge of our seats, nervous, and seeing danger everywhere we look. We want so badly to know how things will be tomorrow and ten years from now and when our kids are teenagers, but the fog is so thick that you can’t see past right now. Instead, you have to live by faith that God is trustworthy. There’s a real sense here in which Paul is writing in the context of intense spiritual warfare and showing that what Geoffrey said is really echoing what God is saying: “Please trust me. I drive this way every day. I can get you there safely, and it’s going to be worth it.”

That is, Paul wants you to be sure that providence is not a boat adrift floating nowhere in particular and always on the verge of capsizing. That’s what it feels like, but that’s not true. Rather, providence is a windy, treacherous road to a mountain resort at which we WILL arrive and that WILL be worth the hardship. How do we know? Because God is “making known to us the mystery of his will.” He’s showing us that everything is working “according to his purpose.” He has “a plan for the fullness of time,” and it’s based upon “wisdom and insight.”

You see, there are two contexts in which we live: a cosmic context and an earthly context. The cosmic context is the spiritual world and spiritual warfare that we can’t see but are very much in the center of. The earthly context is the world we suffer in, struggle through, and endure every day. And, one of the main points — not just here — but in the whole book of Ephesians is that Christ has bridged these two contexts so that they have now been brought together and united in him. God’s “purpose”, “the mystery of his will,” is to “unite all things in him (Christ), things in heaven (cosmic context) and on earth (earthly context).”

And, we know that God has been successful in this mysterious purpose because of the cross. The cross showed God’s “wisdom.” The resurrection proved that heaven and earth were being united. And, the clearest proof is your own salvation. When you think of it, God’s plan seems crazy. You realize it was impossible to understand as it was happening as you read the Big Story. That’s why it’s “mysterious.” It’s beyond our brains. For them, God’s mysterious plan felt like a drive up a foggy mountain that was going to careen down a cliff. But, it was actually leading to a cross that would lead to YOUR “redemption through his blood” and the blood that redeemed you will ultimately “unite ALL thing in him.” That is, grace is going to animate the whole creation one day, and the proof is that grace has animated you today.

So, grace has won. Grace has triumphed in the resurrection, and Paul’s point is that now grace will continue to triumph — until “all things” are united “in him.” You see, there’s no deficit of grace. God is “rich” in grace, and He’ll continue to “lavish” it on us. So, grace becomes the context for our endurance. THIS is how Hebrews shows us that grace relates to endurance: Hebrews 12:1–3 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus (looking to grace!), the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross (Grace!), despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him (consider his grace! consider his cross! Consider him!) who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, SO. THAT. you. may. not. grow. weary. or. fainthearted.” Grace becomes the context for our endurance.

Oh grace keeps us going, grace keeps giving us life, and the Good News is that our God is so “rich in grace” that He can use any experience you have along the foggy road of his providence to accomplish his purposes in you. So, keep going up that foggy road with him, brothers and sisters. You can trust him. It’s going to be worth it.

We have a rest-assuring “inheritance.”

Ephesians 1:11–12 “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, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.”

I recently heard Shaquille O’Neal talk about what he always tells his kids. He said he always tells his kids: “WE ain’t rich. I’m rich.” He doesn’t want his kids to overly rely on his money but to go and make their own. Why? He recognizes that his wealth and success could create a context that would lead his kids to become entitled and lazy.

But, with our heavenly Father, we tend to default the other way. We tend to forget the wealth of our Father and believe that all of our wellbeing and all of our security and all of our hope is dependent on who is elected here and how healthy our home life is growing up or what we can do and accomplish with our lives. And, living out of those contexts will make you either arrogant or resentful, and almost always anxious.

So, notice how Paul builds his point. He’s wanting to show you how your new “spiritual blessings” change your context and redefine your life. He’s wanting you to see how when you were living out of your old context you were anxious, insecure, and hopeless, but now that’s changed since you are “in Christ.” What’s the difference? “We have OBTAINED an inheritance.” “Obtained” is written in a verb tense that we don’t have in English called the aorist tense. The aorist tense refers to an action that’s already been completed in total. It means there’s nothing left to be done. It’s wholly done.

And, that’s how Paul here refers to the inheritance that we have in Christ. It’s already ours! It’s not something we’re hoping to obtain. It’s something that’s “in him we have (already) obtained.” And, what’s important to realize is that this dovetails with the “riches of (God’s) grace” that we just saw in verse 7. The idea is in verses 7-10 we see how rich God is. He never operates from a deficit. He “lavishes” grace because He’s rich. And then, in verses 11-12, we’re meant to see that since God is rich and God is our dad, that we’re rich too. We live out of a context of God’s abundance, not our deficit. And, this is meant to form a context out of which you live your life. Right now, we live by “hope in Christ to the praise of his glory” because we know that our hope is about to materialize through our inheritance. We’re fine today because we have a windfall coming.

When I was a young man facing the pressure of having to support my own family for the first time, I freaked out. When Megan was pregnant with Gracie, I literally sold everything that wasn’t tied down. A truck, our house, everything. Paul presupposed that you’ll feel this way and shows the solution. Imagine your dad sees how you’re overwhelmed with anxiety about the future and how you know that you’ll have enough to provide. So, he tells you to get in the truck with him, and he takes you to his safety deposit box at the bank. Out of the box, he pulls out his will. You had no idea your dad had done well and saved so much. He literally has millions. It’s generational wealth. You and your kids would never have to work another day if you didn’t want to. And then, at the bottom, there’s a statement that reads simply: “My kids get it all.” And, your dad says, “I’ve done all of the work so that you never have to worry again. It’s all yours. You get it all.”

Now, that would change the context of your life, wouldn’t it? Well, that’s who you are. You can rest assured because of your inheritance. God has made the plan. Jesus has done all of the work, and now, it’s all yours. There’s no need to worry.

In fact, with our inheritance comes…

We have an iron-clad “guarantee.”

Ephesians 1:13–14 “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

John 14:18 ““I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

You see, the Father made the purpose and plan. He chose to identify you with his Son. Then, the Son came and accomplished the plan. But, do you remember what Jesus said in John 16? He said: John 16:7 “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away.” Now why is it to our advantage? So that the Holy Spirit could come to take the Father’s purpose and the Son’s work and apply it to our lives. The Spirit has come as a “guarantee of (your) inheritance” so that you can be reminded day-in and day-out that the long, treacherous road of God’s providence is leading you home where there are no tears or hunger or worries. He’s come as a deposit on the “inheritance” that is already yours.

That is, the Spirit has come so that you can know that you’re never going to orphaned. You’re never going to be forsaken. You’re never going to abandoned. That’s what Jesus said in John 14:18 ““I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” The Spirit has come so that day-in and day-out we can be reminded our Father has not abandoned us even when we feel abandoned and has accepted us even when our lives make us feel completely unacceptable.

Adoption was different in antiquity than it is today. Today we primarily adopt infants and children, but back then they primarily adopted adult men. They would sometimes disinherit their biological child so that they could pass on their inheritance and family name to a man they deemed to be worthy of their name and legacy. You’ll remember this is what Julius Caesar did with Octavian. But, once an adult son was adopted, he could not be disinherited. It was a binding decision. It was “guaranteed.”

And, this is what the Spirit has come to tell you over and over. You have been adopted. Your Father has made you his child because He wants you to be his child. In fact, He forsook his own Son so that you could receive his inheritance. You bear his name forever. You are for his glory forever. He has tied his legacy to you. And, you cannot be disinherited. No, God has decided you — the orphan — will never be orphaned again but will instead enjoy your status as a prince. So, the Spirit has come that you might live your life in the proper context — with a “guarantee” of security, peace, endurance, and assurance. That’s the Good News of the Gospel.

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