Scripture References: Ephesians 1:3-14; Ephesians 1:15-19; Romans 8:29; Matthew 3:17; Hebrews 11-12 (implied); Luke 23:34, 46Intro: Welcome. We're continuing our Ephesians journey. We've discussed Position, Justification, Connection, and Representation. A key theme is that our Position in Christ (Ch 1-3) precedes our Practice (Ch 4-6). As June reminded us last week, "None of us are going to do anything unless we know the truth about what God has done for us." We're often tempted to skip the "position" part and focus on "practice," but our foundation must be what God has done. Today, we revisit Ephesians 1 to solidify this crucial truth: You belong before you become anything.Key Points:Position BEFORE Practice (God's Way vs. World's Way):World: Do -> Have -> Be. We perform/practice to earn a position, acceptance, or identity (e.g., athletes earn starting spots).God: Be -> Have -> Do. Jesus was declared "Beloved Son" before His ministry (Matt 3:17). His identity/position empowered His actions. God reverses the world's order for us. We have a position before we perform.Gospel vs. Religion:Religion: Man's attempt to appease or manipulate distant/displeased gods through works (rituals, sacrifices, good deeds) to earn favor. Leads to pride (if you succeed) or despair (if you fail). Based on "Do -> Have -> Be."Gospel (Good News): God is a loving Father who initiates relationship. He can't be manipulated because He already loves us and has acted decisively for us in Christ. He chose, predestined, adopted, redeemed us freely. Based on "Be -> Have -> Do."Key Distinction: Religion: "Obey then God will love you." Gospel: "God loves you, therefore you can obey." Religion focuses on our works; the Gospel focuses on Christ's finished work.Ephesians 1: God's Initiative & Our Blessings:Context: Paul's exuberant praise (one long Greek sentence!), written from prison, emphasizing God's sovereign, loving plan initiated by the Father, implemented by the Son, applied/sealed by the Spirit.God's Plan: To choose, predestine (in love), adopt, redeem, and bless a people for Himself, ultimately uniting all things in Christ. He is the loving Initiator.Our Blessings: "Every spiritual blessing in heavenly realms" (v. 3). The ultimate blessing isn't just "stuff" (though God provides), but God giving Himself to us – our union "in Christ" (mentioned 30x). Paul knew this deeply, even in prison.When Position Feels Distant from Practice:The Struggle: Sometimes our circumstances (sickness, hardship) contradict the feeling of being blessed, chosen, loved. Accusations against God arise ("Where are you?").Paul's Example: He wrote these truths from a lonely prison cell, facing opposition and death, yet overflowed with praise based on his position, not his circumstances.Our Response:Stand in Faith: Trust God's character and His Word about your position, even when feelings/evidence seem contrary.Pray for Revelation (Eph 1:15-19): Like Paul, pray for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, for enlightened heart-eyes to see and know the hope and riches you possess in Christ.Look to Others' Faith (Heb 11-12): Be encouraged by those (like Paul, or Jesus on the cross) who trusted God through immense suffering.Conclusion: Ephe Support the show*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI. Please notify us if you find any errors.