back to indexWed Bible Study Ephesians Lesson 3
00:00:07.240 |
Trust that you guys had some great conversation, right? 00:00:19.400 |
like summaries of the gospel and our salvation. 00:00:28.560 |
If you guys can tell, like I'm trying to modify things 00:00:32.840 |
One of the things I did was for the next study, 00:00:35.860 |
what I'm gonna be doing is I'm gonna try to actually like, 00:00:40.680 |
A, have the study questions for the next section 00:00:52.900 |
on the paper for you so that if you guys are like, 00:00:55.160 |
just, you know, bringing a binder and then tracking along, 00:00:58.220 |
then you guys can just do your study on here. 00:01:00.700 |
I'm still gonna have the text at the beginning, 00:01:02.840 |
but I kinda realized like if we're expecting you 00:01:13.740 |
So the text of the passage is going to be there 00:01:25.360 |
If you notice on the last packet that I sent to you guys, 00:01:28.340 |
I added like a very brief extra reading section 00:01:33.980 |
and how it fits the rest of biblical worldview, 00:01:44.460 |
how it fits the doctrine of salvation by grace alone. 00:01:55.480 |
that I attached to the end of the last packet. 00:02:02.420 |
Our Lord, God, we take a moment to really ask 00:02:08.140 |
that your spirit will help us and guide us as we study, 00:02:12.260 |
and what's more, Lord, that your truth and your word 00:02:21.380 |
and then our emotions, and most importantly also, 00:02:37.460 |
of such a gracious God, such an intentional God, 00:02:47.820 |
we've been walking as a Christian for many years, 00:02:50.660 |
may that longing for you, may that longing for eternity 00:02:54.420 |
be all the more real as we walk with you, Lord. 00:02:57.420 |
We thank you so much in Christ's name we pray, amen. 00:03:01.780 |
So we're gonna begin with a couple of just highlights 00:03:11.840 |
is verse three through 14, one long just rhapsody, 00:03:37.620 |
Okay, so then overall the impression that we get 00:03:52.460 |
And I gave you various like, I guess tips as to, 00:04:02.460 |
and there is this like, kinda long windedness to it. 00:04:06.020 |
There is this repetitiveness, there are these terms 00:04:11.580 |
and give you amazing summaries of huge thought 00:04:14.980 |
into little, just like little summary phrases. 00:04:18.260 |
But also there was something else that I found 00:04:24.500 |
you know that there are certain terms within your culture 00:04:30.620 |
And there are certain terms and idioms that you use 00:04:39.820 |
this portion of scripture, there is actually a ton 00:04:48.060 |
and what that was showing was that certain terms 00:04:50.620 |
were hard to capture in one English word, yes? 00:04:56.780 |
man, this is just like depth of the expressions 00:05:04.660 |
there was an overwhelming, like the way I wanted to say it 00:05:07.820 |
was we were just like drenched with the feelings 00:05:22.500 |
every spiritual blessings God has given us in Christ. 00:05:30.620 |
and there was this overwhelming feeling in that. 00:05:33.340 |
And what's more, what was so clear was that the means 00:05:37.100 |
to all of these blessings was in Christ and Christ alone. 00:05:46.940 |
And what's more, I think what was pretty emphatic 00:05:50.460 |
was that we were enamored by the manner of the grace, 00:05:53.820 |
that it was so descriptive that his grace was freely given, 00:05:57.260 |
it was lavished upon us, it was intentionally given, right? 00:06:03.500 |
It shows us the manner by which he was showing his grace. 00:06:15.180 |
or at least the first portion of the paragraph, 00:06:19.940 |
Extent meaning it wasn't five minutes ago he thought, 00:06:30.300 |
When you think about that kind of chronology, 00:06:34.780 |
because then the extent of his intentionality 00:06:37.820 |
crossed far beyond what you and I can even fathom. 00:06:41.220 |
And then what Apostle Paul was challenging us to do was, 00:07:03.460 |
This next section obviously has an ongoing list 00:07:13.940 |
that there is intentionality and purpose to all this, okay? 00:07:23.140 |
behind all the blessings that God gives, okay? 00:07:30.820 |
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:07:34.180 |
who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing 00:07:38.960 |
Just as he chose us in him before the foundation 00:07:46.320 |
In love, he predestined us to adoption as sons 00:07:55.860 |
which he freely bestowed on us in the beloved. 00:07:58.980 |
In him, we have redemption through his blood, 00:08:18.880 |
that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, 00:08:22.120 |
things in the heavens and things on the earth. 00:08:24.720 |
In him, also we have obtained an inheritance, 00:08:27.840 |
having been predestined according to his purpose, 00:08:29.960 |
who works all things after the counsel of his will, 00:08:32.720 |
to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ 00:08:38.680 |
In him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, 00:08:51.040 |
with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, 00:09:01.600 |
summarizing just the massive, like, redemptive history, 00:09:06.360 |
what God has been doing, what God is going to be doing, 00:09:09.400 |
and all the blessings he has incurred on you, okay? 00:09:17.600 |
is always break things down into digestible sections. 00:09:23.920 |
diagram a sentence, 'cause you don't have to do that 00:09:38.840 |
in every section of scripture, precept by precept. 00:09:44.960 |
you're thinking, wow, what a mass of truth's coming at me. 00:09:56.280 |
So that'll stick, 'cause he repeats it a bunch. 00:09:58.960 |
But what we need to do is break it down just into sentences. 00:10:06.960 |
the verse, like, verse nine, verse 10, whatever, 00:10:16.040 |
the formulation of the sentences that were there. 00:10:22.200 |
that starting from verse three to 14 in the Greek 00:10:45.160 |
Verse 11, he says, we have obtained an inheritance. 00:11:06.360 |
we have three major blessings to deal with here, then. 00:11:16.940 |
In the second part, we have the blessing of inheritance. 00:11:25.160 |
And then, in verse 13, the blessing of the seal 00:11:42.640 |
How in the world is making known to me a mystery? 00:11:45.640 |
If you tell me a secret, how is that a blessing to me? 00:11:50.080 |
that should really, really warm and encourage your heart. 00:11:56.360 |
we're gonna do a quick walkthrough of the observations 00:12:08.240 |
according to his kind intention which he purposed in him 00:12:16.800 |
things in the heavens, and things on the earth. 00:12:38.960 |
Then, each phrase of your sentence has a thought. 00:12:43.040 |
that you appreciate every element of the thought there. 00:12:47.560 |
And truthfully speaking, let's say, for example, 00:12:54.840 |
however, the whole point of preaching the sermon 00:12:57.680 |
is that there's exhortational points for you to take home. 00:13:01.060 |
Then, likewise, when you do your Bible study, 00:13:03.180 |
each one of the phrases can be points for you to take home. 00:13:07.800 |
In all wisdom and insight, question one, who's wisdom? 00:13:12.440 |
Is God giving you wisdom, or is he exercising his wisdom? 00:13:18.460 |
What kind of wisdom is included in all wisdom, right? 00:13:31.040 |
Let's appreciate the wisdom and insight that God has. 00:13:35.480 |
I could sit here and just dwell and meditate on one phrase. 00:13:39.920 |
What's more, him making known to us a mystery. 00:13:44.700 |
Is it like, ooh, the unsolved mysteries of crime? 00:13:54.400 |
I mean, we could sit and just reflect and meditate 00:14:03.760 |
And that's how some pastors preach one book for seven years. 00:14:07.040 |
Okay, because they stop at three phrases of the Bible. 00:14:14.960 |
to break down this Bible study into smaller verses, 00:14:26.200 |
because sometimes, as you regularly do Bible study, 00:14:38.240 |
within this paragraph, what was the main point? 00:14:41.280 |
I underlined he made known to us the mystery of his will, 00:14:50.400 |
You know, Pastor Mark, I think you're wrong, right? 00:14:58.480 |
Well, this is where I think good inductive Bible study 00:15:05.600 |
remember one of the things I shared with you guys 00:15:17.240 |
And one of the key things I always like to show people 00:15:26.760 |
You make sure to tag the stand alone concept. 00:15:49.040 |
What's more, according to his kind intention, 00:16:00.520 |
and everything is giving you additional information 00:16:15.640 |
What I need to take home is this incredible blessing 00:16:40.760 |
And then all the different parts just describe it, 00:16:45.840 |
that his intention was purposed in him, that is Christ, 00:16:56.660 |
and then it's like, is that God, is it Jesus? 00:17:09.480 |
it's actually very helpful to try to identify 00:17:15.080 |
to the immediate previous individual it's talking about. 00:17:24.780 |
but the sentence just simply read, going back here, 00:17:38.880 |
that is the summing up of all things in Christ, 00:17:50.780 |
For me, though, the way I like to see it is like this. 00:18:02.680 |
on your computer, to take the paragraph and just hit enter. 00:18:08.080 |
And then you have to do the hard work of asking yourself, 00:18:13.680 |
I believe is more so the source of the plans of God. 00:18:24.400 |
And the blessing is the blessing of revelation 00:18:28.440 |
He made known to us, essentially, his insight. 00:18:36.880 |
to the kind intention which he purposed in him. 00:19:02.640 |
okay, that is the summing up of all things in Christ. 00:19:06.440 |
If you notice earlier, I put an equal sign here. 00:19:13.120 |
This is the administration of the fullness of times. 00:19:19.000 |
Things in the heavens and things on the earth, okay? 00:19:27.600 |
what is it, like, there's so many questions to ask. 00:19:40.760 |
even the making known the mystery of his will, 00:19:50.640 |
If God had a certain will and it was purposed in him, 00:19:55.080 |
what does that mean that it's purposed in him? 00:19:57.560 |
Does it mean that it was purposed through Jesus Christ? 00:20:00.520 |
Was Jesus Christ, like, conferring and talking with God? 00:20:06.640 |
'Cause we don't necessarily always talk like that, right? 00:20:25.400 |
Because, I wanna go back to earlier when I did this. 00:20:34.680 |
by divvying up and sectioning off those sections 00:20:39.840 |
we were able to identify that God is highlighting the means. 00:20:43.460 |
We were able to identify that God is highlighting the manner. 00:20:49.900 |
And when you do that and you see the pattern, 00:20:52.560 |
then all of a sudden, you're able to appreciate, 00:20:54.240 |
like, oh my goodness, look at how much he's emphasizing 00:20:57.600 |
the manner in which he's showing us his grace, okay? 00:21:10.320 |
and then we're gonna draw some conclusions, okay? 00:21:19.680 |
you know, contributing and pointing to the main thought. 00:21:26.120 |
It says, "In him also, we have obtained an inheritance, 00:21:29.040 |
"having been predestined according to his purpose, 00:21:31.600 |
"who works all things after the counsel of his will, 00:21:34.720 |
"to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ 00:21:40.760 |
Okay, again, all I'm gonna do is section off the phrases. 00:21:45.760 |
The main thought here is we have obtained an inheritance, 00:21:52.680 |
having been predestined according to his purpose, 00:21:55.160 |
who works all things after the counsel of his will, 00:21:58.840 |
to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ 00:22:08.720 |
you can take a moment to start writing on the side 00:22:27.680 |
Having been predestined according to his purpose, 00:22:31.040 |
who works all things after the counsel of his will. 00:22:39.240 |
God, who works all things after the counsel of his will, 00:22:44.680 |
where God determines, where God purposes, and he works. 00:22:52.160 |
And then what's more, what I highlighted for you is this. 00:22:57.520 |
that there is an end to which God is working. 00:22:59.600 |
To the end, that we who were the first to hope in Christ 00:23:07.400 |
to the praise of God's glory is repeated many times. 00:23:13.640 |
All right, I see some of you guys are still writing. 00:23:30.920 |
Okay, I'm just gonna speed through that section here. 00:23:40.200 |
"having also believed, you were sealed in him 00:23:44.200 |
"who was given as a pledge of our inheritance 00:23:46.200 |
"with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, 00:23:57.000 |
if I looked at this paragraph and the previous paragraph, 00:24:12.280 |
standalone sentence, "You were sealed in him." 00:24:19.360 |
"having also believed," those are all just phrases, right? 00:24:23.000 |
Incomplete, partial thoughts, subordinate clauses. 00:24:31.920 |
After listening to the message of truth, okay? 00:24:53.600 |
"or is there any instances of the Holy Spirit 00:25:09.600 |
the word of God is absolutely powerful, right? 00:25:31.040 |
Faith comes by hearing of the word of God, right? 00:25:37.320 |
to hear the message of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection? 00:25:41.520 |
Yes, because that's what they're gonna put their hope in. 00:25:44.560 |
That's what they're gonna put their trust on, 00:25:46.640 |
and their faith and trust is what appropriates 00:25:52.440 |
There is this popular thought that, like, right now, 00:26:04.040 |
"I guess it could happen 'cause God could do anything." 00:26:18.280 |
the substitutionary work of Christ applied to them, 00:26:26.800 |
meaning they don't have the righteous way for God to say, 00:26:39.120 |
you could even say mandatory conditions, okay? 00:26:41.880 |
The blessing, though, is you are sealed in him 00:26:50.040 |
you should be asking, "Man, if it's a promise, 00:27:05.120 |
I wrote context there, the redemption to God, 00:27:11.680 |
that God is, yes, seeking the praise of his glory, 00:27:18.200 |
If you recall, God says that he is going to present 00:27:46.920 |
Now, when you go home and do your Bible study, 00:27:49.040 |
I don't know how many of you guys are doing that 00:27:50.640 |
where you're trying to take a look at every phrase. 00:27:54.360 |
and you end up reading the passage multiple times. 00:27:57.360 |
But do you guys know that that kind of arduous work, 00:28:07.320 |
Because if you're going to observe the right pattern, 00:28:27.440 |
But what's more, from the fruit of the observation 00:28:38.480 |
"Hey, did we really observe these things within the text?" 00:28:41.320 |
And the answer is, clearly, we have some massive blessings. 00:28:59.920 |
Our Christian faith says the salvation we have 00:29:03.400 |
is gifted to you and is not of yourself, right? 00:29:09.880 |
and no man will ever boast that I had a hand in it. 00:29:13.200 |
No man will ever boast that they had some peace. 00:29:17.800 |
They contributed to this with their own effort, right? 00:29:26.040 |
If we think about the many blessings that we saw, 00:29:34.640 |
and then intending us to be holy and blameless. 00:29:55.920 |
Today we're talking about obtaining inheritance 00:29:58.080 |
and the fact that we were sealed then by the Holy Spirit. 00:30:01.480 |
And you observe, God the Father is there in this passage 00:30:06.120 |
as he is one choosing, as he is the one predestining. 00:30:13.400 |
through whom the forgiveness is accomplished. 00:30:15.720 |
And then what's more, there is the mystery being shown 00:30:18.960 |
that's in Christ, the obtaining of the inheritance 00:30:22.520 |
and then saying that you were sealed by the Holy Spirit. 00:30:31.560 |
Somebody in our group discussion asked this question. 00:30:37.120 |
what if the Holy Spirit didn't seal you, right? 00:30:42.400 |
could any of those pieces not have been there? 00:30:47.240 |
the massive task of redeeming sinners from the pits of hell, 00:31:04.840 |
of our salvation, the depth of all that is needed, 00:31:29.360 |
I mean, to a certain extent, if someone tells you like, 00:31:31.400 |
ooh, I got a secret for you, and you're like, 00:31:33.480 |
okay, tell me, and they're like, I've got this massive plan, 00:31:54.200 |
for you to know what God is intending for you, 00:32:03.160 |
What a huge blessing for this lost generation 00:32:07.680 |
out there confused as they're to that identity, 00:32:18.200 |
But I want you to think about it another way. 00:32:20.520 |
There's a passage I wanna highlight for you guys. 00:32:28.800 |
"for the slave does not know what his master is doing. 00:32:34.440 |
"For all things that I have heard from my Father, 00:32:42.320 |
what a massive uplifting and raising that is for you 00:32:46.120 |
when Christ is sharing with you all that he is, 00:33:00.560 |
and was like, "Hey, what are you guys talking about?" 00:33:09.400 |
"I would like to know what your plans are for me 00:33:17.120 |
They'd be like, "That's above your pay grade, man." 00:33:34.520 |
Scripture says when God reveals his truth to you, 00:33:51.600 |
that is a tremendous blessing to every single one of us. 00:33:57.840 |
and through his revelation, he is absolutely blessing us. 00:34:02.200 |
And just, again, every time I think about Bible study 00:34:06.040 |
and all that kind of stuff, I just think of it as like, 00:34:12.040 |
Okay, so we have to absolutely appreciate that. 00:34:14.760 |
And then the next part of it, quickly, he says, 00:34:16.600 |
"And what's more, we have obtained an inheritance." 00:34:21.200 |
And remember, we repeatedly saw that the forgiveness, 00:34:24.960 |
the redemption, and every single one of these blessings 00:34:37.480 |
"Oh, let me look up the lexicons and dictionaries for it." 00:34:44.480 |
whatever your mother owned comes down to you, right? 00:34:49.360 |
whether it be like bank accounts, it just comes to you. 00:34:52.080 |
Whatever the parents have set aside as a legacy 00:34:59.000 |
So then, immediately when you think inheritance, 00:35:08.720 |
You do not get to choose that all of a sudden, 00:35:22.040 |
There's another passage I wanna highlight for you. 00:35:24.160 |
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, 00:35:30.080 |
For you have not received the spirit of slavery 00:35:53.040 |
And so we think about this incredible blessing 00:36:27.200 |
for those of you guys who are doing word studies, 00:36:29.080 |
again, when it has some repetition thoughts like that, 00:36:48.040 |
to take your Saran Wrap and make sure it's like, 00:36:52.280 |
No, that's not the kind of seal we're talking about. 00:36:55.000 |
We're talking about a kind of seal where God says, 00:37:10.000 |
where you identify and mark off, this is mine. 00:37:13.080 |
And it goes right in line with God is saying, 00:37:17.000 |
we are going to be to God, His own very precious possession. 00:37:24.840 |
it means the idea with any kind of merchant transaction. 00:37:30.440 |
there is a note that says, this deal is done, right? 00:37:39.960 |
It delineates this deal is done, you are God's. 00:37:49.120 |
where it says, inasmuch as we having put it on, 00:37:52.640 |
while we are in the tents, we groan being burdened 00:37:55.280 |
because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed 00:37:58.320 |
so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 00:38:02.960 |
Now, he who prepared us for this very purpose 00:38:19.480 |
there's only just two more points to start wrapping up. 00:38:23.880 |
from looking at the observation of the passage 00:38:34.680 |
We saw in previous passages that God is making us, 00:38:46.840 |
so that we would be to the glory of God, right? 00:38:52.040 |
In our adoption, when we become precious children of God, 00:39:07.440 |
it absolutely reveals the nature and character of God. 00:39:25.200 |
There are, for us, thoughts that we know ought to be, 00:39:41.000 |
We know, if someone asks you, what's your purpose in life? 00:39:56.480 |
like to the praise and majesty and glory of God, right? 00:40:02.520 |
But the fact of the matter is, we would all agree, 00:40:09.680 |
And everything else is feeble, fleeting, and falls short, 00:40:25.080 |
when it comes to the summing up of all things in Christ, 00:40:32.560 |
Number three, we have to appreciate in this passage, 00:40:41.360 |
that all that he's doing is according to his will? 00:40:47.200 |
this is according to the riches of his grace? 00:40:53.680 |
his thoughts, his plans, his counsel, his mind? 00:41:00.600 |
That God would exercise that desire in his own heart, 00:41:05.440 |
in the most informed, in the most insightful way. 00:41:08.680 |
And he's planned it in such incredible detail, 00:41:11.760 |
exercising it exactly in accord with what he has planned. 00:41:15.480 |
And it's gonna come to fruition, because he's guaranteed it. 00:41:23.040 |
We can only hope to emulate that to a small degree. 00:41:32.960 |
Like, there are times when I wish I would behave 00:41:37.320 |
out of and according to what's actually in my heart, right? 00:41:43.120 |
I wish that I could be as intentional as this, 00:41:54.040 |
that I would be operating by wisdom and insight, 00:42:00.120 |
Rather than typically saying, "Oopsie daisies," right? 00:42:07.000 |
You know, this past week, I was talking to Pastor Peter Chung. 00:42:22.160 |
That just kind of shakes you for a little bit. 00:42:25.600 |
He's just gonna, with this big old dimple smile, 00:42:32.960 |
"because it's just all working out where this is treatable. 00:42:39.640 |
Sure enough, this week, he had his first rounds of chemo, 00:42:43.760 |
He's had his medication, and all this kind of stuff. 00:42:46.520 |
But if you have talked to him, even just the shortest, 00:42:57.720 |
When you talk to him in person, he says that. 00:43:26.760 |
Whereas I regularly say, "I didn't know, oopsie daisies. 00:43:32.440 |
God does not have moments when he says, "Whoops." 00:43:39.400 |
he is working according to the wise counsel of his will. 00:43:47.760 |
"When I look at your heavens, the works of your fingers, 00:43:50.620 |
"the moon and the stars, which you have set in its place." 00:43:54.520 |
Then rather than thinking like, "God, what are you doing?" 00:43:57.480 |
Instead I think, "Oh my goodness, what is man 00:44:09.400 |
not just this meticulous, masterful plan, which it is, 00:44:13.780 |
but he is working out the kind intention of his heart. 00:44:22.480 |
If God did not have kind intentions in his heart, 00:44:25.520 |
even if, even if you weren't a wretched sinner, 00:44:29.040 |
even if, let's say, you had some wisdom in you 00:44:32.240 |
if you asked the question, "God, tell me your will," 00:44:37.680 |
This is a conversation between me and my perfect son, 00:44:46.780 |
"Please, I'm a good guy, give me your inheritance," 00:44:48.980 |
he could just look at you and say, "Are you crazy?" 00:44:52.000 |
"No, you have absolutely no right to even ask me. 00:45:17.380 |
You see, when we think about this and just meditate, 00:45:21.600 |
we recognize God is not just a mechanical being 00:45:25.960 |
working out intricacies of his determined world. 00:45:32.200 |
And it's so deep and rich and full of blessings for us. 00:45:47.000 |
and I'll let the many saints of old ask this question, 00:45:54.400 |
And God, today we recognize, God, that there are, 00:46:01.720 |
massive gifts of grace, mercies, and privileges 00:46:05.280 |
that only come by your gracious offer of salvation. 00:46:16.920 |
just taking your word for what it is and then trusting it. 00:46:21.340 |
But we recognize, Lord, that's how it has to be. 00:46:28.220 |
this plan, this salvation plan would not be our idea. 00:46:34.760 |
that you enacted it according to your kindness, 00:46:38.980 |
that you took the time for the fullness to come. 00:46:44.940 |
God, according to his work, has made it all accomplished. 00:46:48.540 |
So Father, we wanna take moments to thank you. 00:46:53.700 |
I pray that our faith would be pleasing to you.