All right, Ephesians chapter
1. What is a benediction? That's
the title of my message today, an apostolic benediction. A benediction is a divine blessing
at the close of the service. We'll have the benediction. But a benediction can be at the
close of a service or the close of a life or course or work. And that's what we have here,
Paul's interdiction. Ephesians 1 verse 1, Paul an
apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the saints which
are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to
you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is an older man now. This is one of his last epistles
written in the closing months of his life. It's a letter to
the church at Ephesus written by Paul in the last days of his
ministry. his apostolic benediction. Now here is the old Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, who was steeped
in religion. Oh, how Saul of Tarsus was steeped
in religion, legalism, self-righteousness, and tradition, the tradition
of the fathers. When the Lord was pleased in
his divine purpose to awaken Paul and reveal Christ to him,
Paul is now free in Christ and resting in the grace and mercy
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's freed from the bondage of
religion. And he knew what it was. And
he knew what it was to be free. So here is the old sinner, on
his road to Damascus, brought to the feet of Christ, slain
by the law, stripped by the light of God's holiness. He said, Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the
chief. And now Paul is free from the
bondage and tradition of human religion, and he knows the freedom
of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. If the Lord has set you
free, you're free indeed. And then here is the faithful
servant, having served his master over twenty years, chosen by
God, taught by Christ, sent to preach the gospel of the grace
of God to all the world. And he knows no other gospel. He said, woe is unto me if I
preach not the gospel. Necessity is laid upon me, I
must preach the gospel. Woe is unto me if I preach not
the gospel. So Paul, having been set free
from the bondage of religion, knows the freedom and grace and
mercy of Christ Jesus. and he knows and loves the gospel,
and he will tolerate no other gospel. He said, though I or
an angel from heaven preach unto you any other gospel, let him
be accursed. He knows the gospel. And here
he is in Ephesians 1, in the closing days of his life, they
put him in a prison in a hired house, and there he stayed for
two years. They let him preach to people
who would come visit him and let him preach the gospel. He's
about to seal his testimony with his own blood. That's what he
said. I am ready to be offered. The time of my departure is at
hand. I fought a good fight. have kept
the faith. Henceforth has laid up for me
a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give to me in that day, and not to me only, but to all
them who love his appearing." So Paul, he knows the bondage
of religion, the terrible, horrible bondage of religion, and God
has delivered him. And he knows the glorious liberty
of the sons of God. the freedom of his grace, and
he knows this gospel, and he loves it, and he'll die for it. He will tolerate no other gospel.
He will not compromise. He knows the gospel because he
knows the Lord, Jesus Christ. I know, he said, whom I have
believed. I know He didn't say, I know
what I believe, though he did. He didn't say, I know when I
believe, though he did. He said, I know whom. Salvation
is not a what or a when, it's a him. I know whom I have believed. And I'm persuaded beyond a shadow
of a doubt that he'll keep that which I've committed to him against
that day. So here he is now in verse 3
with his benediction. Blessed be God. Blessed be God. I'm going to take these verses
just phrase at a time. Blessed be God. Because he is
God. Whom else are we supposed to
bless besides God? Whom else are we to worship besides
God? To praise and exalt and magnify. Blessed be God because he is
God. Blessing and honor, glory and
power be unto him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb. And he said, Blessed be God and
the Father, thy Lord Jesus Christ. Bless God because he's God, and
bless God because he's the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He's the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. You know, Paul wrote to the Hebrews,
God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake to our fathers
by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his
Son. That's who we're talking about. Blessed be God, who's the Father,
the Heavenly Father. of our Lord Jesus Christ. He's
the father to Christ as to no one else in this particular essence. And the son is the son, the beloved,
the well-begotten, the only begotten son of his love as no one else
is a son. He's the father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. And listen to what Paul said
about him. In Hebrews 1, you just listen while I quote whom
he hath appointed heir of all things." That's who we're talking
about, the Son of God. He's appointed him the heir of
all things. "...by whom he made the worlds,
who is the brightness of his glory, whose exact image of his
person, who upholdeth all things by the word of his power, and
who by himself purged our sins." and is sat down at the right
hand of the majesty in the heaven. That's who he is. Our Lord. Bless God because he is God. And bless God because he's the
father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, how blessed you are if you
know who he is. And then he says, Blessed be
God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed
us. The Father has blessed us with
all spiritual blessings. All spiritual blessings. Think
about that now. All spiritual blessings in heavenly
places. Now we are not talking about
these common, temporal, everyday, fleeting, dying, natural blessings
that mean so much to so many people and really mean nothing
at all because it's all going to be taken away. The passion
of this world fadeth away. Naked I came into this world
and naked I lay, but God has blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenly, not down here on this earth, not
in a bank somewhere, not in a house somewhere, not in land somewhere,
spiritual blessings. That's what we're talking about.
All spiritual blessings that pertain to holiness, that pertain
to justification, that pertain to life eternal, that really
pertains to my friend Frank right now, what really counts is relationship
those spiritual blessings. And that's what he has in Christ.
That's what we have in Christ. That's what, by God's grace,
I have in Christ. All that heaven can bestow, I
have in Christ. All spiritual blessings. All
that heaven can require. All that's needed to enter into heaven and enjoy the blessings
and all the inheritance that's laid up and reserved for you
who are kept by the power of God through faith. All spiritual blessings in heavenly
places, two little words, in Christ. Read it again. Blessed be God, verse 3, and
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us right
now, already blessed us with all we need. Jesus Christ has
made to me all I need. In him dwelleth all the fulness
of the Godhead bodily, with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places, not in the church, not in religion, not in a preacher,
not in a denomination. That's where it is. We are in Christ as Noah was
in the ark. And that's the only place of
safety and preservation. We're in Christ as Noah and all
of his family were in the ark. And in Christ Jesus our ark is
all love, life, promises, provisions, hope, truth, glory, and salvation. Listen to this. Lord Jesus, engrave it on my
heart that thou, the one thing needful art. I could from all
things parted be, but never, never, never, Lord, from thee. Needful art thou to make me live. needful art thou all grace to
give, needful to guide me when astray, needful to save me every
day, needful thy presence, dearest Lord, true peace and comfort
to afford, needful art thou to be my stay through all life's
dark and stormy way, no less in death thou wilt needful be,
when one day my soul departs to be with thee." All spiritual blessings in Christ. Verse 4, now he said, Blessed
be God, because he's God. Blessed God, because he's the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Bless God because he's blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. And verse
4, according as he hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation
of the world. Could I ask you three questions? Of whom are we speaking here? According as he, that's the Father,
hath chosen us. the elect, believers, you and
me, in Christ. We're talking about three people,
aren't we? The Father, the elect, and Christ. That's right. He,
the Father, hath chosen his elect in Christ. He chose us. I want
you to turn to the book of Malachi. This is the last book in the
Old Testament. The last of the Old Testament
books and prophets. In Malachi chapter 3 verse 16, the Lord has a people, he calls
them his sheep, he calls them his brethren, he calls them his
elect, he calls them his children, all these. Now listen to what
he says here about those people chosen by God and given to Christ. Malachi 3 verse 16. They, then
they, that feared the Lord, spake often one to another, and the
Lord hearkened and heard it. And a book of remembrance was
written before him for them who feared the Lord, and for them
that thought on his name. And they shall be mine, saith
the Lord. They are going to be mine, saith
the Lord of hosts. the Lord of many. In that day
that I make up my jewels, my special treasure, my sheep, my
children, my elect, in that day when I make up my special treasure,
I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him well. He hath chosen us in Christ Here's
the second question. When? It says he chose us in
Christ before the foundation of the world. He didn't say chose
us when we believe. We believe because he chose us.
He chose us in Christ when God does everything he does. That's
before the world began. Known unto God are all his works
from the beginning. God learns nothing new. Known unto God are all his works
from the beginning. He says this, I have loved you
with an everlasting love. I've always loved you. He said
to those people at the judgment that claimed salvation in their
works, he said, I never knew you. I never did know you. But I know you. I've known you
and loved you. from everlasting. I've drawn
you with an everlasting love. Turn to 2 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians
chapter 5. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Listen to this scripture. 2 Thessalonians
2 verse 13. But we're bound. to give thanks always to God
for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from
the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the
spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto he called you by our
gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. When? Who? The Father. chose us, when? Before the foundation
of the world. Turn to 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy
chapter 1. Listen to these two verses here.
2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 8. Now Paul says here, Be not thou
therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Don't be ashamed of that
testimony, nor of me, his prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions
of the gospel according to the power of God, according to the
power of God who has saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our own works, but according to his own purpose
and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began. He chose us in Christ before
the foundation of the world. Here's my third question. Why?
Who? God chose us in Christ before
the foundation of the world. Why? Because we were holy? No. Listen. He chose us in Him
before the foundation of the world, verse 4, that we should
be holy. that we should be holy and without
blame before him in love. We were not chosen because we
were better than someone else, or more holy than someone else,
or more religious than someone else. We were chosen by God in
Christ that we might be partakers of his holiness, of his sanctification,
of his righteousness, and of his wisdom. I want you to turn
to 1 Corinthians with me. 1 Corinthians. The first book
of the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Find this passage and listen
to it. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 26. Listen to it. 1 Corinthians 1
verse 26. For you see your calling, brethren, do you see your calling?
How that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not
many noble are called. But God had chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise, and God had chosen
the weak things of the world, that's us, to confound the things
which are mighty, and the base things, what people call base
and weak. And things which are despised
hath God chosen, and things which are not, to bring to naught the
things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence.
But of God, but of God, by his power, purpose, covenant, choice,
but of God are you, you believers, in Christ. who of God is made
under us. Christ is made under us. Wisdom. We're not smart in ourselves.
We rise in Christ. He's made under us righteousness.
That's holiness. That's real holiness. That's
not just face it on, professed holiness. This is God's holiness. Sanctification, righteousness,
and redemption. One reason that according as
it is written, he that gloweth, let him glow in the Lord. Bless God, because he's God. Because he's our Father, our
Lord Jesus Christ. Because he's blessed us with
all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places, according as
he chose us. I didn't choose him, he chose
me. Lord, I didn't choose you, that could not be. If you had
not chosen me, I'd have never chosen thee. In Christ, before the foundation
of the world, I want to watch a word here in
verse 4. Chosen that we should be holy
and without blame before him. We're not without blame before
the world. We're not without blame before our own conscience. My conscience bothers me all
the time, doesn't yours? I'm not without blame before
the conscience of men, or before the world, or before these things.
I'm without blame before him in Christ. That's where it is. And I'll show you that in the
scripture. Turn to Jude. The only chapter in Jude is Jude
1 and verse 24. We are without blame before him. Listen to this. Jude 24. Now unto him that is able to
keep you from falling. If he doesn't keep me, I will.
And unto him who is able to present you faultless, faultless before
the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. That's where it
is, that's where it is. Let me read you one more, just
let me turn to it quickly, listen to this. Colossians 1.22, listen. And you, Colossians 1.21, and
you that were one time alienated, enemies in your mind by your
wicked works, hath God now reconciled in the body of his flesh through
death to present you, to present you, holy, unblameable, unreprovable
in His sight, not in the sight of the world, not in your own
sight, in His sight. That's substitution, that's grace
presented us before Him in His sight, holy, unblameable, unreprovable. That's in Christ now. It's not
in your little play-pretty church, these things, and your own professed
holiness and professed righteousness. It's in Christ. Look at verse 5. Having predestinated us, having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself. before himself, to himself, of
himself. Let me tell you something. The
word predestinated, it simply means foreordained. Everything
that God does, he does on purpose. Everything that God does in time,
he decreed in eternity. Everything that God ordains,
he foreordains before the foundation of the world. He predestinated
Christ. That's right. Christ Jesus is
the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. Christ Jesus is
the seed of woman before woman had a seed. Christ Jesus is the
virgin son. Christ Jesus is the Messiah.
Christ Jesus is the Lamb slain. Not only at Calvary, before the
foundation of the world. decreed by God, purposed by God. He is our Savior forever. What
he did in time, he decreed in eternity, and what he does on
behalf of you, he does from all eternity. Predestinated. And
then he predestinated the people. It says in Romans chapter 8 verse
28, and we know that all things work together for the good, for
good. to them who love God, who are
the call according to his purpose. His purpose. And then he predestinated
the means of redeeming them. He predestinated the means. Turn
with me to Romans chapter 8. Let's read this together. God
predestinated the Savior for ordaining Romans chapter 8, he
foreordained the elect people, as many as were ordained to eternal
life, Paul said, believed. As many as were ordained to life,
believed. And he ordained the means. Now watch this. Let's start with
verse 28, Romans 8. And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God. to them who are called
according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, foreordain,
he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom
he did predestinate, then he called, then he awakened, then
he quickened. Whom he called, he justified.
Whom he justified, he glorified. What shall we say to these saints?
Well, I say this, if God be for me, who can be against me? He that spake not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely
give us all things? Who shall anything to the charge
of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Who
can condemn us? It's Christ the God. Yea, rather,
is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who makes
intercession for us. Verse 5, Ephesians 1, having
predestinated us, for ordain us to the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will. Not according to the good pleasure
of my will, his will. Thy people shall be willing in
the day That's when we'll be willing. That's when a man will
come to Christ, when God calls him. That's when a man will love
Christ, when God sheds abroad his love in our hearts. That's
when a man will be committed, totally committed to Christ,
when God makes him committed. That's so. Now watch verse 6. To the praise of the glory of
his grace. The glory of God, I wish I could
make this plain. The glory of God is the supreme
end and goal of all that God is and all that God does. The
glory of God is the supreme end and goal of everything God is
and everything God does. He said that to Pharaoh. Listen
to this scripture. He said to Pharaoh, even for
this same purpose, Have I raised you up, that I might show my
power in you, and that my name might be declared throughout
all the earth?" What he said about Pharaoh, he says about
every human being. I raised you up, that I might
show my power. The power of his grace, or the
power of his judgment. The power of his love, or the
power of his condemnation. But his power is shown in you.
That's right. It's the glory of his creation.
The heavens declare the glory of God. It's the glory of his
holiness. Isaiah said, when king Uzziah
died, I saw the Lord. High and lifted up, his train,
his glory filled the temple. And the cherubims and seraphims
around the throne of God said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord
of hosts. The whole earth is full of his
glory. That's what we're talking about
here, verse 6. Everything he does, he does to
the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in the beloved. What he's done for us, made us
accepted in Christ for his glory, his praise, his honor. Someone
wrote this about being accepted in the Beloved. The Lord Jesus
Christ is the Beloved of the Father from all eternity. He
has put all things in the hands of the Son to redeem a people
by his precious blood and his holy life. Because of his love
for us, because of his sacrifice and his blood which he has shed
for us, Because of his grace and mercy he has given to us,
the Father hath made us accepted in him. Nothing is said here
about us accepting the Son. The Father has accepted us in
the Son. The Father hath made us accepted
in Christ. Now we believe Christ, and we
love Christ, and we trust Christ, and we submit to Christ, But
God hath made us accepted in Christ, whose sons we are. He loved us, and he made us sons
of God. We're sinners in ourselves, but
we're sons of God by God's grace. The last verse, verse 7, in whom
we have rediction. through his blood. Now my friends,
listen to me, I'm just going to give you this up close. In
Christ, we have redemption. Redemption implies ownership. That's right, when you redeem
something, it's yours. When you redeem it, it's yours.
You buy it back, it's yours. You are not your own, you are
bought with a price. And the redeemed people of God
are redeemed by God, and they're no longer their own, and no longer
the servants of sin, they're his. That's what he's saying. In whom we have redemption. We have redemption. Secondly, God's the author of
redemption. It is God that justifies. The
salvation of the righteous is of the Lord. Salvation is of
the Lord. planning, in its execution, in
its application, in its sustaining power, in its ultimate profession. We are of the Lord. All things
are of God who has reconciled us to himself by Christ. Now what's the channel of redemption? Thirdly, the channel of redemption
is Christ. Christ Jesus, in whom we have
redemption through his blood. This is so important, through
his blood. There's not much preaching nowadays
on the blood, but it's the blood that makes atonement for the
soul. We're not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver
and gold from our vain conversation received by tradition from our
fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without
blemish and without spot. We're redeemed through his blood. We're not redeemed through his
love. He loved us and gave himself for us. We're not redeemed by
his power. He has power over all flesh.
That's how he redeems us. We're not redeemed by his grace,
we're redeemed by his blood! I wish I could scream that to
the whole world! We're redeemed by his blood! What can wash away my sin? Nothing
but the blood of Jesus. What can make me holy again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus. There's not going to be anybody
in heaven that does not believe on the blood of Christ. That's
right. That's exactly right. There's not going to be. That's
right. He's the way, the truth, and
the life, and no one comes to the positive by him. He's precious,
but we're redeemed by his blood, in whom we have redemption. We have it now, today, forever,
through his blood. The absolute, impeccable, unchangeable,
immutable forgiveness of all sins. The forgiveness of sin. Past, present, and future. God
says, I remember those sins. No more. No more. The blood of
Christ cleanses us from all sin. All sin. That's right. Past,
present, and future. It's done, the great transaction's
done. I am my Lord and he's mine. And they'll never perish and
no man will ever take them out of my hand. My father gave them
to me. You can't take them out of his
hand. It's done. We're redeemed through his blood. And the certainty of it, in whom
we have redemption. through his blood, the forgiveness
of all sins. That's a present possession.
That's an eternal possession in according not to my works
and not to yours, not to my duties and deeds. And I'm doing the
best I can. It's impossible. The best you
can, not good enough. He did the best he could. That's
right, that fixed us up. He's God's best, and he gave
his best, and in whom we have redemption through his blood,
forgiveness of sin, according to the riches of his grace.