WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:03.520 Now, this morning we're beginning a journey through the book of Ephesians. 00:00:03.759 --> 00:00:07.599 Paul writes this letter while he is in Rome in prison. 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:17.359 In Acts 21, we read that Paul brought a Gentile into the Jewish temple, so he broke the rules because only the Jews were allowed into the temple. 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:20.960 So Paul brings in a guy who doesn't have the right lineage. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:22.160 He's not Jewish. 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:24.399 He doesn't have the right resume. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:27.440 So you don't get to be near God. 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:30.480 This is sort of like church on a holy mountain. 00:00:30.640 --> 00:00:37.759 You know, like if you are good enough and holy enough and get yourself holy enough, then God can really love you. 00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:39.280 Get your act together. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:41.920 And Paul just doesn't believe that anymore. 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:48.960 He doesn't believe that intimacy and relationship with God is for a certain person or lineage or resume. 00:00:49.600 --> 00:01:00.159 The main point of the entire letter to the church in Ephesus is what God has done for us in Christ and how we should live in light of it. 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:02.240 The letter is made up of four sections. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:04.560 The first is our new life in Christ. 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:08.000 The second section, our new community in Christ. 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:11.920 The third section, our new unity and purity in Christ. 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:16.400 And the fourth section, our new relationships in Christ. 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:19.680 Let's begin Ephesians 1, 1 and 2. 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:27.120 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus. 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:32.239 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:35.920 So point number one is this the way of grace leads to peace. 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:38.239 The way of grace leads to peace. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:42.560 Grace and peace was this common ancient greeting. 00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:44.400 It was used all the time. 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:50.959 What is different is that Paul adds that little phrase from God and Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:55.439 Now in this letter, Paul uses the word grace 12 times. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:58.159 He uses the word peace eight times. 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:02.480 Paul wrote 13 New Testament books or letters. 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:10.879 In all 13, Paul uses some greeting of variation of grace and peace. 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:12.080 So why? 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:18.000 Why are these words constantly paired together over and over again? 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:23.439 Last year, last November at Thanksgiving, my sister and I, my sister's three years older. 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:29.360 We went to my mom and we went to her and we said, Mom, you are mature in years. 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:32.319 You're not old, you're not elderly, mature, right, mom? 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:33.199 That's what we say. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:38.560 She's taught me not to call any of you elderly or seniors, mature, you are maturing in your years. 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:40.560 We said, Mom, you're maturing in your years. 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:42.319 You probably have some bucket list items. 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:45.759 Maybe you've never written them down, maybe you don't even know if you could accomplish them. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:49.680 We want to say to you, feel free to spend some of our inheritance. 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:55.599 We give you permission, not that you need it, but we're just telling you, spend some, do some of this bucket list stuff. 00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:59.759 And if you have a couple places you want to go, we're for you going. 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:02.400 In fact, we're so for you going, we will take you. 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:07.199 So you pay for it, spend our inheritance, but we will go with you. 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:09.199 Good deal for everybody, right? 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:13.840 So last weekend, over Lab Day weekend, my mom and I went to Glacier National Park. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:16.560 There we are last weekend, and she paid. 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:18.080 She paid for it all. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:28.319 She paid for the plane ticket, she paid for the cabin, she paid for the meals, she paid for the gas, she paid for all my Huckleberry milkshakes, which is one to two a day when I'm out there. 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:32.080 I didn't pay for anything. 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:34.159 It was just a gift. 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:35.919 I don't have to pay it back. 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:40.240 I'm not waiting of like maybe I might have to pay it back in some way, weird way. 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:41.919 There's no contingency. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:43.599 It is unconditioned. 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:45.919 I didn't earn it, it was a gift. 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:47.199 That's what a gift is. 00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:49.520 It has no conditions, no contingency. 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:52.560 It's unconditioned, it's one way, we could say. 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:55.599 It is a one-way street. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:59.439 Grace is one-way love of God to us. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:01.280 Gift, no contingency. 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:03.280 Didn't pay for it, don't have to pay it back. 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:06.960 Grace is the unconditionality of his love for us. 00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:09.759 That's why we can have peace. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:15.680 We have peace because it's unconditioned, because it's not contingent. 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:18.560 At the end of every church service, have you caught on what we say to you? 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:22.240 We say at the end of every we say, go in the grace of Jesus. 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:24.160 You are forgiven and free. 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:27.120 Have a great week, but go in peace. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:31.360 We can say go in peace because we say go in the grace of Jesus. 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:32.879 You are forgiven and free. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:37.839 We can declare that and not even mention what you do, what you've done, what you might do. 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:39.680 That's why you can have peace. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:48.240 Now, maybe you've been in a lot of places that could say something like, go in the grace of Jesus and all the great things you're gonna do and how hard you're gonna work for him. 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:52.319 And then there's always a little bit of like, how at peace am I? 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:54.480 Because how hard am I working? 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:56.480 But grace is one way. 00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:06.560 The gift of salvation, relationship with God, that part of a relationship, that's security, no contingency, completely secure in Jesus' sufficiency. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:09.839 Now, the antithesis of grace is merit or performance. 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:12.079 Perform and you can be loved. 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:14.399 And it's all of the self and it's never enough. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:16.720 And you're always questioning yourself, it's filled with anxiety. 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:17.519 Am I good enough? 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:18.560 How much am I doing? 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:19.759 Have I paid it back? 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:21.920 How passionate am I for Jesus? 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:25.360 You're always reviewing and scorekeeping. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:29.519 When I was in high school, I was in the National Honor Society. 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:31.120 Did anybody make their way? 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:33.040 Did they earn the National Honor Society? 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:33.920 Did you get the email? 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:35.040 Did you get the letter? 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:37.279 You were in the National Honor Society. 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:38.000 It's amazing. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:42.720 What a prestigious club of millions and millions and millions and millions of people. 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:47.439 But I made it into the National Honor Society because of my grades. 00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:49.120 And so I was like, oh, this is amazing. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:52.560 The problem was I think they met once a month, and it met after school. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:54.399 Well, I had basketball after school. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:06:02.240 So I went to the sponsor and said, hey, I'd love to be in the National Honor Society Understanding, incredibly prestigious club of tens and hundreds of millions of people around the world. 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:03.600 But I would love to be in this. 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:06.399 It looked good on my college, you know, applications. 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:09.839 The problem is I got this basketball, and she said, Well, that's gonna be a problem. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:16.399 So I missed a few meetings, and then she warned me, and then I missed a few more, and then I got kicked out. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:17.600 Right? 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:20.319 Merit got me in, my grades. 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:23.120 Merit was gonna keep me in. 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:25.680 It was the only thing that was gonna keep me in. 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:27.519 Perform and you can belong. 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:31.120 Now let's think back on my relationship with my mom. 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:33.120 I was born to her. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:34.879 I did not choose her. 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:35.439 Right? 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:37.360 Children don't choose their parents. 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:40.560 She birthed, there I am, cute little little guy. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:42.480 I mean, what happened? 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:43.759 I mean, look at that hair. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:46.560 That is unbelievable hair. 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:52.959 Children do not choose their families, they belong because they were birthed. 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:54.959 They're gifted. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:56.639 And children are cute. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:58.720 That little boy had to be that cute. 00:06:58.879 --> 00:07:01.519 And your children have to be as cute as they are. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:06.319 Because they are so needy and so messy, right? 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:07.839 Young parents? 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:08.560 Amen? 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:10.160 You can barely say it. 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:11.519 Only one mom could say it. 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:15.279 The rest of you are you're just like, this hour is gonna be a little nap. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:17.600 I got free child care, I'm gonna take a little nap. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.560 This morning I went for a walk at 7:30. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:26.800 I'm walking around Lewis Park right here, and I hear little kids playing. 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:31.120 And there are three little kids playing in a front yard at 7.30 in the morning. 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:35.759 What a nightmare some of you are living through right now as young parents. 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:41.839 There is a reason you're tired, and it is your children. 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:44.959 It is incredibly tiring to have young children. 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:47.920 Some of you have done more this morning than I do all week. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:54.480 And I'm just saying, as a midlifer, midlifers, you won't always be tired as you are. 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:58.720 You start to get a little bit of energy back as your kids get older. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:01.519 And these kids gotta be as cute as they are. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:03.439 They got to because they're so needy. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:06.879 Children are so needy, but we love them anyways. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:08.720 Because they're our children. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:12.560 We just love them because we do, and it is one way. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:17.360 And we love them when they succeed, and we also love them when they fail. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:20.560 Because merit is not the basis of the relationship. 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:21.759 Love is. 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:23.519 And love is one way. 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:28.240 We see it in verse 1 to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:34.000 So these people are declared saints, they're declared faithful in Christ Jesus. 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:40.960 They are holy because they belong to Jesus and they will go on to learn holy behaviors. 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:45.759 But they don't belong to Jesus because they're already holy. 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:49.759 This is why grace can give peace. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:55.840 Because the love and the worthiness is not tied to your performance or the lack of your performance. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:58.320 It's not tied to your triumphs or your failures. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:04.240 This is why the gospel has power, because it relieves the heart of that self-justification. 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:16.720 And it rebirths a new life that is in grace, that is in a security of position with Jesus and with the Father, that it's already secured, not by your performance, but by his work for you. 00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:19.840 Listen to verses 3 through 10. 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:24.639 Listen as you read this, you're gonna hear over and over again in him, in Jesus, in Christ, in him. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:26.559 It's like Paul's trying to make a point here. 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:40.080 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:51.360 In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the beloved. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:10:13.840 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:26.159 Point number two is this we are secure with God because our relationship is fixed in God's commitment to us, not our commitment to him. 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:35.440 We are secure with God because of our relationship with God, it's fixed on God's pursuit, commitment to us, not our commitment to him. 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:38.399 Now, our commitment to God is important. 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:40.320 It is really important. 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:46.159 But our security, our peace is not based in our commitment to him. 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:51.039 It's rooted in the security, the sufficiency of his commitment to us. 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:58.320 The original Greek of verses 3 all the way through 14 is one long, complex sentence. 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:03.440 It's like a snowball that starts at the top of a mountain and it builds and builds and builds and builds. 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:11.679 And Paul is just lavishing promise after promise after promise in Jesus, in Christ, in him, in Jesus, in Christ. 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:15.519 Now, the phrase that usually jumps out, maybe you caught it. 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:17.279 You're like, Were we gonna talk about it? 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:19.200 We're gonna preach about that. 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:23.840 In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself. 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:27.840 Predestination is the belief that God chose who would become Christians. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:29.759 He chose you. 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:33.919 Now, maybe you come from a background that fully embraces predestination. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:35.600 In fact, you would love an argument about it. 00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:41.840 Now, maybe you come from a background that you're resistant to predestination and you just pretend like the word doesn't exist in the Bible. 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:44.240 We're just not gonna pay attention to that one. 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:51.840 I like to start at verse 4b and 6b that state in love. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:54.559 In love he predestines us. 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:55.840 Did you get to catch that? 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:57.840 In love he predestined us. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:11:59.759 So that's the intention. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:04.879 And that's God's position and attitude toward you. 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:08.240 It's already fixed because it's fixed on Jesus, not on you. 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:10.240 So it's fixed, it's secure. 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:12.320 That's how he feels about you. 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:17.200 But still, did you choose him or did he choose you? 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:23.679 Because I remember praying a prayer at that fundamentalist Baptist church that scared the hell out of me when I was 13. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:25.519 I remember it. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:26.799 And it worked. 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:28.320 I gave my life to Jesus. 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:30.320 I really do remember that. 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:32.240 I remember it. 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:36.879 I remember clearly going, like, oh, I am a sinner and I need the forgiveness of Jesus. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:39.279 And I'm I'm I'm gonna give my life to Jesus. 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:41.600 And I prayed a prayer and I meant it. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:43.759 I surrendered. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:45.200 I prayed a prayer. 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:54.799 Now, maybe that's your experience because you come from a conservative evangelical, and maybe you took communion or you took a class, and in that class you committed your life to God and to Jesus. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:59.519 Now, I don't know your experience, but maybe you remember, like, yeah, no, I have. 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:02.240 Like, I've surrendered my heart to God. 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:05.120 Like, I know I have I have a decision in this. 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:06.320 I gave up, I prayed. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:08.399 So, like, what is this he chose me? 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:10.399 Like, I don't I don't know what to do with that. 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:18.879 Well, first, if you want resources that talk much more thorough about it than I'm gonna do in the next seven minutes, there's two books that you could read R. 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:19.120 C. 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:26.320 Spruels Chosen by God, and John Piper's Five Points Toward a Deeper Experience of God's grace. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:28.559 Those could be good resources for you. 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:36.480 Now, two things that have helped me, not incredibly theological, but just kind of metaphors, images, things that have helped me along the way. 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:39.440 The first is the doorway metaphor. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:55.600 Because we experience giving our life to Jesus like a doorway, and the front of the doorway says, by your surrender, by your decision, by your prayer, you walked an aisle, you did something, you remember this fully as your commitment, your decision. 00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:59.360 You remember it as clear as that, like you're like, yes, I know, I know I have. 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:07.039 Or maybe it's been more of a process, you come from a Presbyterian or episcopal background, and they don't have a forced moment, but you're like, no, I've given my life to Jesus. 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:08.320 I've committed, I'm committed. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:13.519 And you know that as your decision by your surrender. 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:19.679 And so you walk through that door and you're like, that that the experience of giving my life to Jesus is me giving my life to Jesus. 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:21.840 And you walk that, you begin to walk with Jesus. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:30.240 As you begin to walk with Jesus, every once in a while, you look back at those years and that month and then that week, and maybe that one moment for you. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:36.720 And the back side of that doorway says, by God's pursuit, by God's grace. 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:44.080 And we begin to understand the very same thing that we understand is our decision as God's grace. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:52.080 Because our choice and our decision and commitment is inside of his choice and choosing of you. 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:55.039 And that's why you can have peace. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:15:02.960 Because if that's not true, and we've been there, we've been in those places, and we say, Have you given your life to Jesus? 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:05.600 And did you mean it? 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:10.639 I mean, I know I know you meant it, I know you I know you prayed a prayer, but did you mean it 100%? 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:18.399 Because if you're at 80%, if you're at 95%, let's do it again, let's give our life to Jesus again. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:22.080 You've been there, maybe you did it and you prayed again and again and again, right? 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:26.000 I did that, I was the preacher that caused it at times. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:32.000 Because you look back and you go, like, oh, I gave my life to Jesus, but maybe I wasn't 100%, maybe I was 84%. 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:36.559 The problem with that is it's all about your commitment. 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:38.240 And you may have really meant it. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:42.480 I don't know how to put a percentage on a decision of surrendering your life. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:46.000 The Bible says if you have faith like a mustard seed. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:16:03.279 So to me, if you look back and you look back at your decision for Christ, and there's like a mustard seed of honesty there, we can just cast our focus and our rest in Jesus' sufficiency for us. 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:06.320 And we don't have to keep scorekeeping it. 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:10.559 We don't have to keep grading it and figuring out the percentage and redo it and redo it. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:19.759 We can say, I've given my life to Jesus, I don't know exactly, I can't grade it, I don't even have to score keep it because the Bible says faith like a mustard seed. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:22.000 Was there mustard seed back there? 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:23.759 Yeah, there was mustard seed back there. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:28.559 And then it becomes about Jesus and it becomes about what he has done for us. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:34.559 Your decision for Jesus is inside of God's grace for you. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:39.919 Only by his grace were you able to make the decision. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:52.000 The very decision, the very prayer, the very walking the aisle or taking the communion, all of that is inside of God's empowering of you to make the decision, which is by his grace. 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:58.879 I was being wooed and loved by God before I even made a decision to follow God. 00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:01.519 Second thing that helped me, a little more philosophical. 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:03.600 Did you notice verse four? 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:16.319 Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, so he chose you before creation, which means he chose you before time existed, which means he chose you outside of time. 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:17.519 We're getting philosophical. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:24.960 Second thing that helped me was this book I read years and years ago by an MIT physicist called Einstein's Dreams. 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:26.880 Not a spiritual book, but it's interesting. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:28.640 Maybe you want to read it, maybe you don't. 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:30.319 30 chapters. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:34.559 Every chapter is a different concept of time. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:37.440 We experience time as linear. 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:39.519 That's the way time works for us. 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:44.559 But every chapter, a different way that time operates, a different conception of time. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:54.319 So one dream might be where a world is circular, and then the next dream might be where the time jumps or overlaps, or where all of a sudden cause and effect don't work the same way. 00:17:54.480 --> 00:18:00.559 And it just got me thinking, what if time doesn't exist? 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:05.119 And like I verse four, he chose us before the foundation of the world. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:06.480 So he chose us outside of time. 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:09.839 God is Alpha and the Mega, He's outside of time, He's eternal. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:13.599 It doesn't just mean God is forever time, it means God is outside of time. 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:14.880 God is no time. 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:17.920 I don't even know what we're talking about at this point, to be honest. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:24.000 The book, that book, Einstein's dreams, it just helped me go, like, oh, I'm limited. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:27.920 I might not ever like really understand some of this stuff. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:29.440 That's okay. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:32.880 God and his ways are not bound by time. 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:34.480 I don't have it all worked out. 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:43.920 But I know God was the initiator, and I know he is the sustainer, and I know I'm the receiver, and I know that's why I can live in peace. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:52.240 The doctrine of predestination or election, it may be a mystery, but it is a blessing of security. 00:18:52.640 --> 00:19:02.640 Because if God chose you, then the relationship is not founded or maintained by your commitment to God, but God's commitment to you. 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:08.240 Your commitment's still important, but that is inside of God's commitment to you. 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:16.319 Which is the reason why 11 times at the beginning of this book, that's all about what is Christ to us and how do we live in light of that. 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:20.000 The very beginning is all about Jesus' commitment to us. 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:26.400 11 times in verses 3 through 14, Paul uses the phrase in Christ or in him, in Christ, in him. 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:33.039 And we're going to get to how we should live, but it comes out of this security and sufficiency. 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:46.880 Verses 11 through 14, 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. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:48.240 In him you also. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:20:00.799 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. 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:04.400 Point number three is this we do not belong to ourselves. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:06.720 We belong to God. 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:13.599 We first see this in verse five, as he predestined us not to be servants, but to be sons, to be sons and daughters. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:15.920 He didn't predestine you to be a servant. 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:18.160 He predestined you to be a child. 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:23.680 God chose you not to simply serve him, but to actually be his sons and daughters. 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:31.599 And then verse 13 in him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, you were sealed. 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:34.079 Sealed with the Holy Spirit. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:39.839 In the ancient times, a wax seal was a way of marking possession. 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:44.319 And Paul's saying, God has stamped you. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:46.480 He is marked, you are his. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:49.279 You do not belong to yourself anymore. 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:53.359 You belong to God, which is incredibly relieving. 00:20:54.240 --> 00:21:01.359 And it also means that my failures do not threaten the relationship because his love to me is one way in Jesus. 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:05.680 One of my favorite all-time stories is Les Miserables. 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:07.359 You know this because I keep preaching this story. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:15.759 If you remember the story, there's Valjean, who's the symbol of humility and create and grace, and then there's Javert, the inspector. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:20.880 And the inspector is a symbol of justice, right and wrong, law. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:25.039 You have to pay the price of your sins and mistakes. 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:31.839 And at the end of the story, Valjean gives Javert grace. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:37.680 He could have taken Javert's life and solved a lot of his own problems. 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:44.559 And after Valjean spares the inspector's life, for the second time, the inspector sings this song. 00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:48.160 Damned if I'll live in the debt of a thief. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:51.279 Damned if I'll yield at the end of the chase. 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:54.160 I am the law, and the law is not mocked. 00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:58.240 I'll pity, I'll spit his pity right back in his face. 00:21:58.480 --> 00:22:00.400 See, right there, there's a mistake. 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:04.799 He mistakes grace for pity. 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:07.200 Grace is not belittling. 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:10.079 Grace is just love to you. 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:11.359 It doesn't belittle you. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:15.759 It may humble you, but it does not belittle, but see, he's so prideful he can't receive. 00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:19.599 I'll spit his pity right back in his face. 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:21.680 There is nothing on earth that we share. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:23.839 It is either Valjean or Javert. 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:27.440 He's saying it's either grace or it is law. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:30.880 He can't figure out how they work together. 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:33.440 And then he kills himself. 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:36.400 He's a crisis of identity. 00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:39.119 He can't receive grace. 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:47.839 Now I know that our paychecks and our grades, we're in college application season in our household. 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:50.640 I have a hip flexor issue. 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:53.599 I don't know if y'all have y'all waking up with hip flexor issues yet. 00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:54.160 There's something going on. 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:56.640 Everybody midlife is, we're all dealing with hip flexors. 00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:59.440 If you're midlife and beyond, you'll get there, young people. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:02.079 All of that is merit. 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:04.079 All of it is merit. 00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:06.400 All of that works on merit. 00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:10.240 You doing something and getting a return out of it. 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:13.920 The world, so much of the world, works off of a merit system. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:18.640 Paul, and this morning I'm saying, our hearts just don't work that way. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:21.119 Our relationship with God just doesn't work that way. 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:24.480 Your inner self just doesn't work that way. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:30.720 Peace is found and is only found as we become honest about who we are and we begin to receive love. 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:37.039 That's why toward the end of Les Miserables, Valjean's dying. 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:40.640 And Fontaine, she knew Grace, she's already passed away. 00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:42.720 She comes back and she sings to him. 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:47.759 And she sings this come with me where chains will never bind you. 00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:51.680 All your grief lost at last behind you. 00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:55.039 God in heaven, look down on him in mercy. 00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:59.440 And Valjean sings out, Forgive me all my trespasses and take me to your glory. 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:03.119 And she sings, Take my hand, I'll lead you to salvation. 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:06.480 Take my love, for love is everlasting. 00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:07.839 Let's pray together. 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:13.680 Heavenly Father, we're so grateful that your commitment to us is not based in our commitment to you. 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:18.799 Your pursuit of us began our pursuit of you. 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:26.880 May our hearts rest all the more in your grace, your one-way love to us so that we can know peace. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:36.400 Father, we're gonna work our way through the book of Ephesians and learn how we should live for you, but it has to begin here this morning. 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:41.279 In the one way love of God, you to us and Jesus. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:46.720 May we live all the more enamored of your love for us that we might live for you. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:53.920 May we live all the more enamored of your love for us, the sufficiency of Jesus, that we might be at peace. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:55.680 In Christ's name we pray. 00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:56.400 Amen.