1. In Medias Res
In Medias Res is Latin for “In the Middle of”
EXAMPLE: movies that start with a scene and later you are able to figure out what is happening. Star Wars I or IV depending on your view. A star ship attacking a rebel ship and introduced to C3PO, R2D2, Princess Leah and Darth Vader. No idea who they are but throughout the movies they come to light.
People this is a lot of where we are in our lives. In the Middle of wondering how we got into the place we are at and where we are going with it.
2. All About God
Vs 3 All Praise to God. Eulogized in speech and writing
Paul is starting with directing our focus on what this letter is all about.
- Reference book for how to live and cope missing something
- It is a book about God and who he is.
- Bible written for us but it is not about us.
Vs 3 Blessed us, God has taken action to do us good.
Every good and perfect gift is from the Father above. James 1: 17
EXAMPLE: easy to ask the questions when hard times come where was God when the bridge fell in Mpls. Better Question would be why doesn’t every bridge fall.
3. Started before creation
Here is a clue to how it all started.
Vs 4 Before the world was created God had a plan for Christ to die so we could become Holy and Blameless.
1 Peter 1: 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.
Jesus death on the cross was not an afterthought when Adam and Eve sinned.
EXAMPLE: There are things that bible does not explain, it just proclaims. Doesn’t explain how the earth was made, but it proclaims God spoke and here it is. Questions like If God knew man was going to sin why did he make them? They are just beyond us and any thoughts we would have in some of these areas would really be lacking on our part. ANY IDEA I WOULD HAVE WOULD STILL BE LACKING IN SOME WAY.
Without Fault = saints whole set apart for service and ownership to God.
4. Adopted
Vs 5 Predestined here and in Vs 11 and throughout Ephesians. We will come back to predestination, but today we will have to leave it in context that what we are seeing happening was planned before creation.
What was predestined for us? Adoption
- Jewish law knew nothing of the legal transference of a child to a family to which it did not belong by birth. (keep name of the family alive.)
- Roman law introduced the custom of adoption whereby through a formal act a child could be received into a family which was not his by birth.
- Adopted sons could not be disinherited so adoption was even closer than natural born children
- Not just saved to go on our way, but we are brought into a family.
- Not only given his name, but he also works His character in us through the Spirit.
- No one else is our father except God Himself.
Nicoll The whole purpose of adoption is to bring us into perfect fellowship with Himself, in an adoring and loving relationship to Himself as the true End and Object of our existence.
Why Do You Exist? To be adopted and brought into a family relationship with God our Father.
Good pleasure = did not just make God feel good to do this. Because He is Good, He has done this.
Vs 6 Response? Praise from adopted Sons, Not just for what he has done, but for who he is.
5. Cost of Adoption
Paul explains the cost of our adoption.
Vs 7 We have been redeemed.
Redeemed:
- To buy in the slave market
- To buy out of the slave market for yourself.
- To liberate by the payment of a ransom.
All accomplished through His blood. (THE RANSOM MONEY)
- Releasing a prisoner
- Letting go as of a debt
Ephesians 2: 7 where sin is in an abundance, Grace is in a superabundance and then some on top of that. Grace works in the inner man to bring him to salvation to enable him to walk in holiness and blamelessness.
He did this through His own incredible intelligence and knowledge.
6. Mystery of Gospel
Vs 9
Peopleof the Old Testament did not understand this. We now know the mystery of this plan
Vs 10 plan is to bring everything together. Under Christ.
Vs 11 we have received an inheritance, better rendered we have become God’s inheritance.
Key Point: Today, you are lost not because you sinned, but because you did not avail yourself to salvation offered through Christ.