If you'd like to follow along, I'm going to be in Ephesians chapter 1. And I'll say it again. And maybe next week too, you never know. This is the blessings of Ephesians 1 and this is the third blessing that I'm going to talk about today because Paul tells us here in Ephesians that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us, including himself, believers, with all spiritual blessings in Christ. What's that mean?

Well, let me tell you, I like this verse. James 1 and verse 17 says, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. And cometh down from the father of lights with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. You understand, God gives you a gift, you have it. Forever. Forever. God don't change his mind, he doesn't do any take backs. He doesn't give you something and then take it away. There's no shadow, not even a hint of him turning away from what he has promised his people.

Now, in Christ, in Christ Jesus alone, all blessings, all spiritual blessings in Christ It's the only place they are. It's the only place they are. And Paul says this generically, this is a grouping, all spiritual blessings, right? Then he starts listing specifics in this chapter. Verse six, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Now we'll be clear, just review a little bit, right? Believers were chosen from before the foundation of the world. That's what it says. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world for a purpose. That, that we should be holy and without blame before him, before God. In love. In love. Oh, I'm going to tell you something. His love is in Christ too. Anyway. And believers were predestinated unto the adoption of sons. That's how he continues. By Christ, to himself. Again. From him, wait a minute, and to him. Oh, I like that, I do. And this is to the praise of the glory of His grace. And I'm gonna add this in, just for the fun of it, not of our works. It's not our works. It's to the praise and glory of His grace, what? being chosen before the foundation of the world, being predestinated to the adoption of sons. I'm gonna say it that way, the adoption of sons. Oh my, this choosing in Romans 11 is called the election of grace. You know why? Because it's of grace, it's not a works. If it's works, it's not a grace. Paul's very clear, and this is called the election of grace.

All the work of salvation begins with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. All the blessings of this salvation that we have now, because we believe according to the working of his mighty power, all come from God. That's why the scripture calls it, especially in the Old Testament, a lot of places, His salvation. It's His salvation. His! Now, He gives it to us, but it's still His. Oh, I like that. Oh my, all the work of salvation begins with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and this is to the praise of the glory of His grace.

Now right there if you want to, praise the Lord. Thank the Lord because it's in His hands. And every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from the Father of life in whom there's no verbiage nor shadow turning. You understand? God doesn't choose you before the foundation of the world and then un-choose you. He doesn't predestinate you to the adoption of sons and then un-adopt you. No sir, no ma'am. That's not the way God works. His gifts are perfect. Perfect, oh my. I said it last time, his grace, his grace is glorious. and his grace is marvelous and miraculous. And I'm gonna tell you this, his choosing and his adoption of sons is to the praise and the glory of the glory of his grace. Full adults we are, placed into the family. Whose family? His family, his family. You're members of his body, members in particular. Whose body? His body. The body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our glorious, gracious, masterful, sovereign head. Oh, I like that, I do.

This letter is to believers and it's written about believers, to those who are in Christ Jesus. And these blessings, these good gifts and perfect gifts are given to believers in Christ Jesus. Oh my. But here, to the praise and the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Oh, I like that. Wherein what? Well, if you look back at verse five, the adoption the adoption of children in Jesus Christ, by Jesus Christ, to himself, to himself, wherein he's made us accepted in the beloved.

And, well, this is another good part. I like this. According to the good pleasure of his will, were chosen according to the good pleasure of his will, were predestinated to the adoption of sons according to the good pleasure of his will. And I'm gonna tell you this, he has accepted us in the beloved according to the good pleasure of his will. Oh my, I'm gonna tell you something. Oh, by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will, what's it say? He made us. Past tense, he has made us. Paul is writing to believers and Paul included himself in this. He used the word us, us. Believers are made by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What's it say in the next chapter of Ephesians? We're saved by grace, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It's the, what? The gift of God. the gift of God. Not according to works. Not according to works. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Why? For we are his workmanship. He has made us. He made us. He made us. Created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Oh, I like that. I do. We're saved by grace through faith.

Understand, I'm gonna quote this last time, Psalms 100 verse 3. Know ye, know this, know this. What? That the Lord, He is God. Know this, that the Lord, he is God.

It is he that made us, and not we ourselves. People hate that idea. They won't say they hate the scriptures, but they hate that idea. That God saves who he wills, when he wills, and where he wills, without any input from any of us or even you yourself. It is he that made us and not we ourselves. What does it say? We are his people. We're his people. What? And the sheep of his pasture. Oh, I like that. It is he that has made us accepted in the below. It is He that has made us. Wherein He hath made us, except it in the blood. We don't work up to it. We don't work to keep it. We can't. That's exactly it. We can't. You understand? In due time, Christ died for who? The ungodly. And as Earl pointed out very eloquently that one time, those without strength, it doesn't mean they're weak, it means they got no strength. That's us, that's us. Oh my, he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Oh my.

But also, I love that, that's one reason I love that verse, Psalms 100 verse three, we are his people. We're his people, why? Because he made us. He made us. Jacob I formed, but then he says, Israel, I'm sorry, Jacob have I created, Israel I have formed. Understand, God made us his people. And because of that, we are his people. in the beloved, in the beloved, oh my.

1 Corinthians 12 and 27 says this, now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular. Oh, I like that. You understand, believers, Paul says us, are perceived by the father, what? As sons and daughters in Jesus Christ. We are accepted. I mean, we are the sons of God. We are the body of Christ. And we are members in particular. He knows each and every single one individually of his children. Oh, I like that. And members in particular were placed in that body with the adoption of sons where he wants us. And we are accepted. We are accepted.

Understand, when the father looks upon believers, he sees his well-beloved son. When the Father looks at believers that He has made, you can't leave that part out. He made us. He sees them and He accepts them in Christ Jesus, in Jesus Christ. I think it's just an amazing thing that God looks upon us. But He looks upon us, He sees us, and He accepts us. is a miracle of grace.

In the beloved Son, you understand, what is it? Well, I've got that down here later, but I'll read it now. I'll read it again. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity. And yet this book tells us that we're wretched sinners. ungodly sinners. And yet God looks upon us, God sees us, and not only that, He accepts us in His Son, in the Beloved, in Christ Jesus. This is my Son, my well-beloved Son. Oh, my. And He accepts us. I don't understand that.

You understand, some people have this idea that all people should be saved. No. We were all condemned. We were all in sin. In our father Adam, his sin comes to us. And it's our sin. We're brought forth speaking lies and we never change. We never change until He changes us. It's He that made us and not we ourselves. Mmm, the father had looks upon us sees us and accepts us in the beloved son

The father has blessed us in Christ. The father chose us in Christ and the father delights in his people in Jesus Christ and our Lord Because the father loves us in Christ He loves his children To me, that's just one of the most amazing things you can think of. We believers, true believers, are in the family of God. Walter talked about it last week. We're heirs of God. Heirs of God. We have an inheritance from our Heavenly Father, in Jesus Christ, and in Christ alone, not of anything we've done, we don't deserve it, we can't brag on it, we can't boast on it. It's His work, even the inheritance. We are heirs of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ, and heirs of God. And Jesus Christ himself, our Lord Jesus Christ himself is not ashamed to call us brethren. Wow. I'd be ashamed myself. I am ashamed myself. But this is the thing. God's not. Because God looks at us and sees his son. God looks at us and sees Jesus Christ. Oh my.

You understand folks, that's grace. That's grace. When God can look at a filthy, falling sinner and accept them in his son. Oh my. The son is accepted by the fathers and we are accepted in the son. Folks, that is a blessing from the Lord. Oh, I like that. That is a good and perfect gift that comes down from the father of lights. And we are to praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Because the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ. In Christ. Oh, I like that. Election, the adoption of sons, and acceptance with the Father are blessings in Christ Jesus. Oh my. I just, it kind of staggers the imagination. If you know anything about the God of the Bible, about the God who sits upon the throne, about the Lord Jesus Christ that's seated at his right hand, and you think about this, the Father and the Son accept us.

I don't want to tell you what I think sometimes during the day, because I'd be ashamed to. I just, you know, I don't, but God accepts us. In his son, not in ourselves, thank God. It's not up to us, thank God. It's not, it's a hard thing to say, it's not because of us. It's because of the son. But God accepts us right here, right now.

And you understand, that thief on the cross was chosen from before the foundation of the world. He was predestinated to the adoption of sons. And he was what? Accepted in the beloved. That gathering demoniac, the same thing. Wild man, running around naked in the tombs, made his home, made his home among the dead, as did we all. We were dead too, in trespasses and sins. But he was chosen from before the foundation of the world. He was predestinated to the adoption of sons. Oh my, and he is accepted in Christ Jesus, in the beloved.

And you know what happened? Jesus Christ went and met that demoniac. Jesus Christ went and met that thief on the cross. Jesus Christ met Mary Magdalene, out of whom he cast seven devils. And Jesus Christ met me. I don't know that I had seven devils, and I wasn't on a cross. But you understand, It is the same thing, dead in trespasses and in sins.

What does it say? And you have he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air and the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. That's Ephesians 2, 1 and 2. And yet, You walked according to the course of this world, but you were chosen in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world. You're predestinated to the adoption of sons. You were accepted in the Beloved. He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Oh, wow. According to the pleasure of His good will. to the praise of the glory of his grace. I like that. You understand, it takes the power of God. It takes the power of Christ. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit. These three are one to make a sinner accepted in the beloved. You hath he quickened, made alive, who were dead in trespasses and in sin. That's the miracle there. Oh my.

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, that's Satan. The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. We were just like everybody else. We were unbelievers. And now we believe. And whose fault is that? It's not a fault. That's the grace of God. That's the grace of God.

Oh my. I think that it's a wonderful blessing to be a son of God, a daughter of God. And it comes from the Father, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it comes in Christ Jesus. In Him. It's in whom we live and move and have our being. Oh my. He looks upon us. Though what his of pure eyes and to behold evil and can't not look on iniquity. Yet he looks upon us. He looks upon us. Faulty, rebellious, failing sinners. And he sees in us his son. His son. And we are accepted. in his son.

Oh, I like that. Because the Lord has made us. We didn't just slip in. He made us accepted in the beloved. Oh, and guess what? Here we are, still accepted in the beloved. And when it comes time to die, we're going to still be accepted in the beloved. This is the way it is. He is faithful. Oh, I like that. We might not be. Well, we're not. Understand, when you do good, when you do what's right, it's God that what? Put it in you. Yeah, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. We can't take credit for anything. Well, we can take credit for our sins. Those are ours. Any good things come from God.

Oh, I like that. He's made us accepted in the beloved, and here we are in Christ, acceptable in God's sight. The Father chose, adopted, and accepted his people in the beloved. And there's only one thing to say about that, folks. praise the glory of his grace. It's his work. It's his will, it's his purpose, it's his plan, and it's in his son. It's all in his son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

I got a hymn here by William Tucker.

Deep in the everlasting mind the great mysterious purpose lay,
of choosing some from lost mankind whose sins the Lamb should bear away.
Them loved with an eternal love, to grace and glory He ordained,
gave them a throne which cannot move, and chose them both to means and end.
In these he was resolved to make the riches of his goodness known.
These he accepts for Jesus' sake and views them righteous in his son."

Oh, I like that. No goodness God foresaw in his, but what his grace decreed to give. No comeliness in them there is which they did not from him receive. Faith and repentance he bestows on such as he designs to save. From him their soul's obedience flows and he shall all the glory have.

I like that, folks. It's his work. And I'm going to tell you something. This work in Ephesians 1 is just as true and just as perfect as him freeing those slaves in Egypt and bringing them out across the wilderness. And you know what? It took the same power of God to do that as to do this. This is his power, his work and his glory and his blessings unto us.

Our Heavenly Father, we are thankful that we're here. We're here because of you. We came here because of you. We stay here because of you. We want to hear your grace preached. Our Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed and uplifted, and that's because of you. And you give us a place to gather together as your people. And thank you for that. Be with Walter as he comes to bring the word. Be with Paul as he's preaching in Cottageville. Be with us as we hear. And help us to remember that all blessings come from you. All blessings are in our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.