Ephesians “A Church Alive in Christ”
Grow Where You’re Planted
Ephesians 1:1-14
*BIG IDEA:
To be fully alive to Gods plan for you, His church and advancing His Gospel in the midst of a fallen world.
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Psalm 92:12-13 NIV
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
*What God is building, man will not be able to stop, quench or slow down. His purposes will outlast, and exceed our imagination. *
Where sin abounds, Grace much more abounds!
Romans 5:20-21 NIV The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
*Our environment should not determine our influence, but our influence can determine our environment. *
3 Ways to grow, in spite of our surroundings
*1. Count and Recount Your Spiritual Blessings. *
*Ephesians 1:1-3
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful 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. *
*The wealth and success of the world will not last. *
Psalm 37:9-11 NIV
For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
**If you think little of what God has done for you, you will do very little for him; but if you have a great notion of his great mercy to you, you will be greatly grateful to your gracious God.
God wants us know and experience every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ today!
2. Know that you have been chosen!
Ephesians 1:4-9
Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed 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 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known[c] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ.
*We join the family of God not through works- but through Christ. *
*Our adoption into God’s family not only includes salvation and personal transformation, but a confident relationship with the Father. *
Our adoption means a new inheritance in Christ, and we are no longer connected to the bondage of our old life!
3. God is adding everything together.
*Ephesians 1:10-14
As a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. *
*God’s ultimate plan is to bring together – to ultimately resolve – all things in Christ.
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Discussion Questions:
Paul Wrote Ephesians from prison. How has God used your darkest moments to bring about great hope or change in others?
When we remember the blessings that what we have in Christ, how does that cause us to grow?
Read Romans 5 :20-21. What does Grace abounding mean to you?
Why is adoption in Christ such a hard thing for us to grasp?
How can we trust God in the process, knowing that He is adding everything together?