The sermon for this Thursday's sermon covered the verses found in Ephesians 1:1-14. This is a very rich bit of scripture and many times the angle taken in preaching covers the blessings that we receive from God, which is, of course, a very valid direction to approach these verses, but there is another direction that I chose to take...
The question that I posed to those in attendance was "are you a blessing to God"? It's a question that we should ask ourselves each and every day... today... were you a blessing to God?
Be a blessing to someone today... (and why not make God that someone?)
In Christ,
Roy
Ephesians 1:1-14 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful[a] in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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, 4 just as he chose us in Christ[b] before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,[c] having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this[d] is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
Footnotes:
a) Ephesians 1:1 Other ancient authorities lack in Ephesus, reading saints who are also faithful
b) Ephesians 1:4 Gk in him
c) Ephesians 1:11 Or been made a heritage
d) Ephesians 1:14 Other ancient authorities read who
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| Photo by Christian Begeman |
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