Grace - The Way of God

Scripture Text Ephesians 1:3-14

Intro: God always works by the way of grace in His dealings with mankind. Grace by definition means the undeserved and unmerited favor and blessings of God. No other word so expresses the depth and richness of the heart and mind of God.  He works this way so that He will be in debt to no man. None deserve the grace of God; it is freely given to all who believe in Jesus.

1. God’s grace has blessed us with all heavenly blessings. Ephesians 1:3 (NLT) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

  a. In His glorious grace, God has not left out any spiritual blessings for His children. How rich!

      We simply accept them and apply them to our lives. Because we have an intimate relationship with Christ, we can enjoy these blessings now and will enjoy them for eternity.

2. God by His grace has chosen us to be holy and blameless. Ephesians 1:4 (NLT) Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

  a. That God chose (handpicked) us in Christ is the basis of the doctrine of election—defined as God’s choice of an individual for salvation and a heavenly destiny. The doctrine of election teaches that we are saved only because of God’s grace and mercy; as believers we are not saved by our own merit. It focuses on God’s purpose or will, not on ours. God does not save us because we deserve it but because he graciously and freely gives salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. God did this so we could be holy and blameless in His eyes in the Day of Judgment.

 

3.  God by His grace has adopted us as children. Ephesians 1:5-6 (NLT) ⁵ God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. ⁶ So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

  a. Predestined. God chose us before He made the world because It Was His will to do so. (v.5a)

  b. He brought us to Himself through Jesus Christ because He wanted to and it gave Him great pleasure. God seeks an intimate relationship with His children to bless them by His grace.

  c. So we praise Him for His glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to Jesus. (v.6)

4 God by His rich kindness and grace has redeemed us. Ephesians 1:7 (NLT) He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

  a. We have been liberated, set free, and delivered from the penalty of Hell. God purchased us through Christ's blood, forgave all our sin, saved us for Heaven. What a gracious God we serve.

5 God by His grace has showered His kindness on us and has given us wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:8-10 (NLT) ⁸ He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹ God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. ¹⁰ And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.

God has showered us with compassion, sympathy and benevolence.

  a. God has chosen to reveal to us His mysterious plan regarding Christ.

  b.  His purpose was to fulfill His own good pleasure in regards to mankind and to reveal His plan to gather all things together in heaven and earth and to put everything under Christ at the right time.

6. God by His grace has given us an inheritance: He has made us the heritage of God.

     Ephesians 1:11-13 (NLT) ¹¹ Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. ¹² God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. ¹³ And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.

  a.  God Predetermined to give His inheritance to both the Jews and Gentiles who belong to Him in Christ so that we should exist eternally to bring praise and glory to Him for His rich grace.

  b. God in His grace tells us How to receive His inheritance, a birthright to live with Him forever. When we hear the word about Christ, confess our sins, believe in Him as our Savior, and receive His forgiveness, God identifies us as His own by giving us His Holy Spirit to live in us.

  

7. God by His grace has sealed us with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:14 (NLT) The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

  a. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that God will give us the inheritance He promised and that He has purchased us as His own.  He did this so we would praise and glorify Him for all of His wonderful grace toward us.

Conclusion:  John 1:14  Says Jesus, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:16-17 ¹⁶ And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Invitation: Have you received the grace and truth that comes through Jesus Christ the Son of God?

If you have not, now is the time to receive Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. Confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and invite Him into your life to take charge of you.