Podcast Preview
There are times where it’s good to mince words. When we want to be as direct, and simple and clear as possible. Like in a moment of intensity when efficiency is the thing most needed. Or in a moment of care when you want to fit everything you feel into those three famous words: “I love you.” Then, there are times that we can’t help but wax eloquent.
You know what that feels like, right? When you come home after landing your dream job and you can’t stop yourself from describing every little detail of that job to anyone who will listen. Or when you come home with your brand new puppy or kitten and suddenly every conversation eventually works its way around to how cute they are. There are times that we can’t help but get long winded!
When you first look at this Sunday’s text in Ephesians 1:3-14, your first reaction might be that your eyes cross and a lot of it goes over your head. The apostle Paul, the writer of this book, is kinda known for that. He packs a lot of meaning into all of his words, and he uses a lot of words. There are 202 Greek words in our text for today, and it’s all one sentence. I’ve been having my news producers teaching me how much they can fit into 25 words of text. How much do you think Paul was fitting into this 202 word sentence? Paul was waxing eloquent about something. He’s waxing eloquent in praise.
Listen in! We’ll join together in seeing the reality that Paul sees in Jesus! It’s a reality worth praising!
Ephesians 1:3-14
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 hepredestined us for adoption to sonship 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 he made known to us the mysteryof his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under 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 put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you 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.
