Following Jesus, fulfilling His mission, in community together.

2 Ephesians 1:3-14 Confident living in uncertain times

The key thought in this chapter is the wealth of blessings we have as Christians, spiritual blessings that are ours because we are in Christ (1:3).

Paul, in writing to his friends at Ephesus, reminds us of how we can live with great confidence, even though our world is unsure and unsettled.

I want to suggest there are three realities that will equip us for confident living in an uncertain world:

  1. The Source of our blessing
  2. The Fullness of our blessing
  3. The Guarantee of our blessing

When I am in Christ:

  • I am Blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms (not as spiritual as contrasted to physical, but to blessings produced and given us by the Holy Spirit)
  • Even before he made the world, God loved me unconditionally
  • Even before he made the world, God chose me in spite of my sin
  • God decided in advance to adopt me into His family and include me (growing up did you ever want to swap families? “I wish I were part of their family – normal, rich, caring mother, …)
  • God decided in advance to bring me to Jesus, and this brought Him great pleasure (all the angels in heaven above rejoice when…)
  • I have His glorious grace poured out on me undeservingly
  • I belong to His Son [accepted in the beloved] (Christ. Beloved par excellence) – I belong
  • He is so rich in His kindness and grace
  • I mattered enough to God that He purchased my freedom by the blood of His son Jesus
  • When I fail I am forgiven
  • I experience the torrential rain of His kindness, along with wisdom and understanding

Imagine what the drawing of your life would look like if we were:

A child of King Jesus living in the reality of not having to perform to experience the love of Jesus.

A child of King Jesus could not do anything to earn or lose the love of Jesus.

A child of King Jesus did not have to carry around the shame and memory of sin because they are forgiven.

A child of King Jesus does not need to carry the hurt and abuse and neglect of past relationships but know of the kindness and grace of Jesus that He has poured out on you.

A child of King Jesus can break the shackles of debilitating habits – anger, aggression, substance abuse, shopping, perfectionism, performance based love, lack of forgiveness, insecurities – and know the liberty of broken chains that Jesus brings.

A child of King Jesus could be free to not feel abandoned or alone but accepted and adopted into God’s family along with all the inheritance rights that belong to His child.