Ephesians 1:3-14. Destined in love 2/1/11
(3) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. {4} For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love {5} he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- {6} to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. {7} In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace {8} that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. {9} And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, {10} to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. {11} In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, {12} in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. {13} And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, {14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.
Well here we are at the beginning of another year. As we think about the year ahead, we, I am sure, wonder what it has in store for each one us: As the year progresses what will our health; both physical and spiritual be along the way. Also our family situations; our finances and security; the
weather; and many other things. Will this year bring us happiness, and prosperity or tragedy and death? What will our situation be at the end of this year? There is probably no more crucial question on our minds than this as we look forward to the year ahead.
This reminds me though of a story I had heard of two women talking to each other in the shopping centre. One said she had just returned from a holiday on Linderman Island. To which the other replied "Oh, where is that?"
"I don't really know," said the first. "I just flew in and flew out."
Now most of us fellas know what women are like with directions and that kind of thing, but isn't that typical of many people when it comes to their directions and destination in life? Many of them will fly into and out of this new year with the same indifference to their life here on earth.
Now it is true that we don't know what is all going to happen in this coming year, however one thing we do know as Christians is, that if we take God and his Word seriously there is the heartening assurance that our destiny is planned in divine love. Paul tells the believers in Ephesus and us this very thing when he states; "God destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ."
"Destined in love." What a great thought - your life in 2011 is destined in love. Both in the love you receive and in the love conveyed to others through you. That means that nothing really is just a matter of luck or blind chance. From all eternity, God has known you - as one whom he loves. He knows already what will happen in your life this year and what is good for you and all the rest. Now surely there is nothing more comforting and strengthening than this as we enter another new year.
With that, we know that we are safe in the eternal love of the Almighty God who has control of all things. What a great assurance that is for us as we embark on life in a new year with many uncertainties. Our whole life is first and foremost destined by this love of God. That means that this love has ensured that we already have been given every blessing that is of importance. Maybe it is not health, wealth, social standing or some other earthly grandeur; but he has given us those "spiritual blessings in the heavenly realms." Those blessing that have eternal value and that are necessary for our souls salvation. This surely is much better than a few meagre earthly benefits that are here today and gone tomorrow. However, he has also blessed us with many of these things as well, and we should not forget that or take it for granted. Here is a good point to recount all those many blessings that God has given to us this past year, because too often we take these many blessings, such as health, protection, family life, education, good weather and all of that for granted. We need to remember that they are all gifts from our loving Lord.
However, the greatest gift that our loving God has extended to us is; as our text says: In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. So we have been counted amongst those whom God calls his very own, because of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has chosen us to be his very own; not because of anything that we are or how good are; as we are anything but that. No, he chose us purely and simply because God has chosen to love us despite who we are. Here we are told, that he chose us, "even before world was made." He wanted us to be his very own, even before he created Adam and Eve; even though he knew that they would fail; even though we don't in the very least bit deserve it. He simply has chosen us.
Now of course, to be chosen by God and to receive his blessings it is necessary for us be "holy and without fault before him." He demands perfection from his people, and we know that this is impossible for us - miserable sods that we are. That is why he sent Jesus to our rescue.
We have just come from celebrating Christmas, where the central message is that God is come to be with us. He came as a little baby: as a human being just as we are, and then took the worlds sin - including yours and mine on his own shoulders, and then died in our place, taking God’s rejection and punishment on himself, so that we now can be forgiven and can live at peace with God. He then rose from the dead so that we can have the assurance that there is now eternal life for those who are connected to Jesus Christ. He has done all of this because of his love for us; and this death on the cross shows the extent of this love. Amazing, isn’t it, that he should sacrifice his own dear Son, for you and me. And it is not that he was reluctant to do this either; for we are told that, "this was his pleasure and purpose." In other words, he willingly and freely chose each one of us here to be his very own sons and daughters.
What greater assurance than this can we have and take with us through out this coming year. To know that he loves us that much that he was prepared to sacrifice his own Son means that surely then he will also see to it that nothing harmful will come our way as we live out our life every day. Whatever happens; even if we face trial and tragedy; sickness and death; it is all covered by God's love for us and will all be for ours and others souls salvation.
Now, New Year is commonly a time for making resolutions. Paul here in his letter to the Ephesians gives us a most challenging suggestion of all: to
grow in the understanding and insight into just what God has done for us: what his love means for us; so that our relationship with him may grow even stronger. So in many ways God is encouraging us here to, in this coming year to allow the love and knowledge of God to have full sway in our lives.
Along with that then also, our future will be one of love for our fellow human beings as well. That God should accept and take care of us, no matter who we are, means that we also will now reach out to those around us whom God places before us, and we will love them all with that same love. Since we are destined in God's love, we like Paul will seek for others and ourselves to be given " the Spirit who makes you wise and reveals God to you, so that we will all know him better: And ''that our minds may be opened to see his light - so we will know what is the hope to which he has
called us and how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people"
This is our destiny for 2011. To allow the Spirit who make us wise to give us greater understanding of God's love for us and what he has done for us through Jesus Christ. This is to be our one great endeavour this year. Then like Paul, let us not stop giving thanks to God, praising him for his glorious grace: the free gift he gave us in his own dear Son.
That means then that worship will also be a big part of life for us this year ahead. Not just one hour each Sunday morning; but all day, every day, in how we live and work, thanking and praising him for all that he has done for us.
So what has 2011 in store for you? I don't know about you, but with all that our text here tells us and assures us of, as well as challenges us, we have a full year and a good year ahead of us. We are destined in love: therefore, we need not fear personal problems, ill health, struggling to make ends meet, even death itself; for our divinely ordained goal is certain. Beyond human error, sin and tragedy, we hold to this sure and certain hope: we have been received into God’s kingdom, and it cannot be taken away from us. We are destined in God's love. So, a happy and blessed New Year to you all. AMEN
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
(3) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. {4} For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love {5} he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- {6} to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. {7} In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace {8} that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. {9} And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, {10} to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. {11} In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, {12} in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. {13} And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, {14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.
Well here we are at the beginning of another year. As we think about the year ahead, we, I am sure, wonder what it has in store for each one us: As the year progresses what will our health; both physical and spiritual be along the way. Also our family situations; our finances and security; the
weather; and many other things. Will this year bring us happiness, and prosperity or tragedy and death? What will our situation be at the end of this year? There is probably no more crucial question on our minds than this as we look forward to the year ahead.
This reminds me though of a story I had heard of two women talking to each other in the shopping centre. One said she had just returned from a holiday on Linderman Island. To which the other replied "Oh, where is that?"
"I don't really know," said the first. "I just flew in and flew out."
Now most of us fellas know what women are like with directions and that kind of thing, but isn't that typical of many people when it comes to their directions and destination in life? Many of them will fly into and out of this new year with the same indifference to their life here on earth.
Now it is true that we don't know what is all going to happen in this coming year, however one thing we do know as Christians is, that if we take God and his Word seriously there is the heartening assurance that our destiny is planned in divine love. Paul tells the believers in Ephesus and us this very thing when he states; "God destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ."
"Destined in love." What a great thought - your life in 2011 is destined in love. Both in the love you receive and in the love conveyed to others through you. That means that nothing really is just a matter of luck or blind chance. From all eternity, God has known you - as one whom he loves. He knows already what will happen in your life this year and what is good for you and all the rest. Now surely there is nothing more comforting and strengthening than this as we enter another new year.
With that, we know that we are safe in the eternal love of the Almighty God who has control of all things. What a great assurance that is for us as we embark on life in a new year with many uncertainties. Our whole life is first and foremost destined by this love of God. That means that this love has ensured that we already have been given every blessing that is of importance. Maybe it is not health, wealth, social standing or some other earthly grandeur; but he has given us those "spiritual blessings in the heavenly realms." Those blessing that have eternal value and that are necessary for our souls salvation. This surely is much better than a few meagre earthly benefits that are here today and gone tomorrow. However, he has also blessed us with many of these things as well, and we should not forget that or take it for granted. Here is a good point to recount all those many blessings that God has given to us this past year, because too often we take these many blessings, such as health, protection, family life, education, good weather and all of that for granted. We need to remember that they are all gifts from our loving Lord.
However, the greatest gift that our loving God has extended to us is; as our text says: In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. So we have been counted amongst those whom God calls his very own, because of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has chosen us to be his very own; not because of anything that we are or how good are; as we are anything but that. No, he chose us purely and simply because God has chosen to love us despite who we are. Here we are told, that he chose us, "even before world was made." He wanted us to be his very own, even before he created Adam and Eve; even though he knew that they would fail; even though we don't in the very least bit deserve it. He simply has chosen us.
Now of course, to be chosen by God and to receive his blessings it is necessary for us be "holy and without fault before him." He demands perfection from his people, and we know that this is impossible for us - miserable sods that we are. That is why he sent Jesus to our rescue.
We have just come from celebrating Christmas, where the central message is that God is come to be with us. He came as a little baby: as a human being just as we are, and then took the worlds sin - including yours and mine on his own shoulders, and then died in our place, taking God’s rejection and punishment on himself, so that we now can be forgiven and can live at peace with God. He then rose from the dead so that we can have the assurance that there is now eternal life for those who are connected to Jesus Christ. He has done all of this because of his love for us; and this death on the cross shows the extent of this love. Amazing, isn’t it, that he should sacrifice his own dear Son, for you and me. And it is not that he was reluctant to do this either; for we are told that, "this was his pleasure and purpose." In other words, he willingly and freely chose each one of us here to be his very own sons and daughters.
What greater assurance than this can we have and take with us through out this coming year. To know that he loves us that much that he was prepared to sacrifice his own Son means that surely then he will also see to it that nothing harmful will come our way as we live out our life every day. Whatever happens; even if we face trial and tragedy; sickness and death; it is all covered by God's love for us and will all be for ours and others souls salvation.
Now, New Year is commonly a time for making resolutions. Paul here in his letter to the Ephesians gives us a most challenging suggestion of all: to
grow in the understanding and insight into just what God has done for us: what his love means for us; so that our relationship with him may grow even stronger. So in many ways God is encouraging us here to, in this coming year to allow the love and knowledge of God to have full sway in our lives.
Along with that then also, our future will be one of love for our fellow human beings as well. That God should accept and take care of us, no matter who we are, means that we also will now reach out to those around us whom God places before us, and we will love them all with that same love. Since we are destined in God's love, we like Paul will seek for others and ourselves to be given " the Spirit who makes you wise and reveals God to you, so that we will all know him better: And ''that our minds may be opened to see his light - so we will know what is the hope to which he has
called us and how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people"
This is our destiny for 2011. To allow the Spirit who make us wise to give us greater understanding of God's love for us and what he has done for us through Jesus Christ. This is to be our one great endeavour this year. Then like Paul, let us not stop giving thanks to God, praising him for his glorious grace: the free gift he gave us in his own dear Son.
That means then that worship will also be a big part of life for us this year ahead. Not just one hour each Sunday morning; but all day, every day, in how we live and work, thanking and praising him for all that he has done for us.
So what has 2011 in store for you? I don't know about you, but with all that our text here tells us and assures us of, as well as challenges us, we have a full year and a good year ahead of us. We are destined in love: therefore, we need not fear personal problems, ill health, struggling to make ends meet, even death itself; for our divinely ordained goal is certain. Beyond human error, sin and tragedy, we hold to this sure and certain hope: we have been received into God’s kingdom, and it cannot be taken away from us. We are destined in God's love. So, a happy and blessed New Year to you all. AMEN
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
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