1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,120 For read God's Word to the Koch family, the Gabbers family. 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:08,800 On behalf of all of us, we just want to express how sorry we are 3 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:11,200 at the passing of Nate this morning. 4 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:18,360 In the midst of grief, I think that the truth of God's Word can 5 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:24,000 at once feel so hollow and empty and cliche and at once an anchor 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,240 for our soul. And I'm reminded that's why we 7 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,120 do what we do on Sunday mornings. 8 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:34,480 As God's people. We come to draw from the well 9 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,960 because we need it. But not only we come this 10 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,360 morning to draw from the well, but every Sunday that we gather 11 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:46,600 together, we dig that well a little deeper, so that when the 12 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:54,080 storms of life come in the midst of grief and heartache, we can 13 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:56,680 drink deeply from that well again and again. 14 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,120 So, brothers and sisters, do now join me at the well. 15 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,160 Remain standing for the reading of God's Word this morning. 16 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,880 Read from the book of Ephesians, chapter one, verse 2. 17 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:18,040 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus 18 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,360 Christ. This is the word of the Lord. 19 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,240 You may be seated. I know what some of you may be 20 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:30,720 thinking as you saw how short that verse was. 21 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:33,400 This must be a very short sermon. 22 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:36,480 Be honest. You're excited. 23 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:40,280 Well, I'm sorry, it's a pastoral trick. 24 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,480 We're actually going to cover the entire book of Ephesians 25 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,560 this morning. I think I'm joking. 26 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:49,600 So you're going to need a Bible advice. 27 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,320 You get your Bible out. If you don't have a Bible, we 28 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:54,560 can grab the blue Pew Bible in front of you. 29 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,960 And if you don't have a Bible at home, that's our gift to you. 30 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,000 Please take it home with you so that you would have the word of 31 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:06,800 God. Paul begins the second verse, 32 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:11,840 this letter to the Ephesians. Grace to you and peace from God 33 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:13,760 our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 34 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:20,960 Grace and peace. In fact, the apostle Paul begins 35 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:27,800 all thirteen of his letters the exact same way. 2 Words Grace 36 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,840 and peace. Romans one verse 7 Grace to you 37 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,080 and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 38 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,800 First Corinthians one verse 3 Grace to you and peace from God 39 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,600 our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2nd Corinthians one 40 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,920 verse 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord 41 00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:50,080 Jesus Christ. Galatians one verse 3 Grace to 42 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:52,720 you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus 43 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,480 Christ. Philippians one verse 2 Grace to 44 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,440 you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus 45 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:00,280 Christ. Ephesians one verse 2 Grace to 46 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:01,800 you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus 47 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:03,000 Christ. Ephesians one verse 2 Grace to 48 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,320 you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus 49 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:08,440 Christ. Paul begins every one of his 50 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:12,960 letters with grace and peace. Just a few of them stray from 51 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:19,200 this exact wording. Grace to you and peace from God 52 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,080 our Father and Lord Jesus Christ. 53 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:29,560 These words are so familiar, so commonly used, that they run the 54 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:33,000 risk of becoming commonplace to us. 55 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,000 It might be tempting for any one of us, as we hear these words 56 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,640 read, or we read them for ourselves, to think this must be 57 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:47,120 some kind of Apostolic cliche, Just a throwaway, a hello at the 58 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,960 beginning of a letter that we just need to skip on by to get 59 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,800 to the good stuff. Surely Paul doesn't mean much by 60 00:03:55,800 --> 00:04:03,640 it, but the book of Ephesians reminds us the grace of God and 61 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,200 the peace that belongs to every one of us who are in Christ 62 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:14,840 Jesus is anything but common. More than a simple salutation 63 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:20,680 greeting, the words grace and peace are a pronouncement of 64 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:25,680 blessing. They are a proclamation of good 65 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:30,280 news, grace and peace. They are the very gospel of 66 00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:36,880 Jesus Christ summarized in just two words, 2 words that not only 67 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:41,720 describe the book of Ephesians, but all of Paul's theology and 68 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,200 every one of his letters, grace and peace. 69 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,360 And so this morning, as we continue to introduce this 70 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,920 amazing letter that the Apostle Paul wrote, the church in 71 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:58,880 Ephesus, this opening blessing, the book of Ephesians calls us 72 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:06,160 to stop and listen and to receive the grace and peace that 73 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,040 is offered in Jesus Christ alone. 74 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:14,520 So first grace, once you look again with me at Ephesians one, 75 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,440 verse 2. And again, just as he does in 76 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:22,320 all his letters, Apostle Paul begins right at the heart of the 77 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:28,960 gospel, verse 2. He offers grace, grace to you. 78 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,320 Now in the ancient Near East, it was customary, just like it is 79 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,560 in our day, to begin with a common greeting, every letter 80 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,440 that is written. I don't know about you, but this 81 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,520 time of year, especially as we begin 2026, you've probably 82 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:43,840 received a lot of emails that are beginning about the same 83 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:47,520 way, Happy New Year. And you've heard it now so many 84 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:49,800 times that it goes in one ear and out the other. 85 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,640 You don't stop to think that that means anything at all. 86 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:55,480 Yeah, yeah, yeah. What else is it that you want me 87 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,680 to do or say? Happy New Year. 88 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:03,120 But when we extend that greeting this time of year, we're wishing 89 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:08,240 a blessing of happiness in this new year on the recipient. 90 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,360 But as we say it, do we even stop to think what it is that 91 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:17,600 we're offering in the same way? Paul is introducing his letter 92 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,280 here, but it's anything but cliche. 93 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:25,800 Paul begins with grace. It's a word that saturates his 94 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,480 theology. He will use the word grace over 95 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:34,800 100 times in the New Testament, 12 times in the book of 96 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,000 Ephesians alone. And if you've grown up around 97 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:44,120 church at all, grown up around Christianity, odds are you've 98 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:48,720 heard about the word grace. Whether you're a Christian this 99 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:53,120 morning or not, You may have even sung about God's Amazing 100 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,160 Grace. Perhaps for some of you, you've 101 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,040 been a Christian your entire life. 102 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:02,400 You've heard this word so many times. 103 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,720 The question really is, do you really know what it means? 104 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:14,440 Have we really grasped all that God has given to us in his 105 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,240 grace? And grace is often defined by 106 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:23,160 theologians as unmerited favor and is your language of the New 107 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,480 Testament in Greek. The Greek word is chorus, 108 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,080 literally means an undeserved kindness. 109 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:35,320 In other words, grace, commonly defined, is that when we receive 110 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:43,400 something, something good that we did not deserve, receiving 111 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:47,800 goodness that we don't deserve, that's grace. 112 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,320 And really, that's not a bad definition. 113 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:58,120 The only problem is it exposes just how small our vision of 114 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,760 grace really is. You see, as we hear that 115 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:05,800 definition, I think it's easy to focus on the word receive and 116 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,200 then the word favor. I mean, it's really the only two 117 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:12,600 words and the definition. And now we're thinking about 118 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:17,320 only something that we get, and we're turning grace into a 119 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:23,000 commodity, into some kind of thing that we can somehow grasp 120 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:25,920 at. But if we see anything in the 121 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,760 book of Ephesians, we learn that the grace of God is not 122 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:34,000 transactional. Now, the grace of God is deeply 123 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:40,120 relational, and God's grace isn't some substance or thing 124 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:44,400 that we can somehow grasp, but it's at the very core of his 125 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:49,000 character. It's who he is, and as Paul 126 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:54,160 continues in chapter 1, he shows us the grace of God is deeply 127 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,000 intertwined with his sovereignty. 128 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,840 Now, to even utter the word God is to assume that he is 129 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:09,280 sovereign, that he is in control, that he is Lord over 130 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,760 all things. That is what makes him God. 131 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,920 He is sovereign. He is the Creator. 132 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,920 Every one of us is the creature. It's probably the thing that 133 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:23,800 makes us, if we're honest, most uncomfortable about him, because 134 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,680 in order to truly declare his sovereignty was to admit that 135 00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:31,840 none of us are in control. What Paul shows us is that 136 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:36,360 sovereignty. Out of that sovereignty, the 137 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:40,440 Creator of all things, the one who is in charge of heaven and 138 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:43,760 earth. Out of that sovereignty flows 139 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:49,560 grace. He goes on verse 4 just 4 verses 140 00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:51,800 in the book of Ephesians. I want you to turn there in your 141 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:53,400 Bible. Ephesians one verse 4. 142 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,800 Paul says even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the 143 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:03,480 world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in 144 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,400 love. He predestined us for adoption 145 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,960 to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose 146 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:15,600 of His will, to the praise of his glorious grace. 147 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,440 Now, this is the part of Ephesians that every 148 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:23,720 Presbyterian loves. There's some of the foundational 149 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:29,120 verses for the Five Points of Calvinism, and the Five points 150 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:34,160 of Calvinism are commonly described in an acronym, Tulip. 151 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:39,520 Maybe you've heard Tulip before. It stands for Total Depravity, 152 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:47,320 Unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, 153 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:51,840 and perseverance of the Saints. But did you know that more than 154 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:55,320 Tulip or the five points of Calvinism, these five doctrines 155 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,120 are known as the doctrines of grace? 156 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,720 This is very foundation of our theology. 157 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:10,800 Is grace, the sovereign grace of God, poured out for us? 158 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:15,920 We see this here in Ephesians. Once you look again with me at 159 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:20,440 verse 5, and as you look at verse five, let me read it for 160 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:24,840 you again. I want you to ask yourself, what 161 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,400 word are you most quickly drawn to? 162 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,040 In love? He predestined us for adoption 163 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:34,920 to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose 164 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:37,440 of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace. 165 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:42,880 What word was it? I'm sure many of us would give 166 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:48,360 different answers, but I'm also fairly sure that most of us were 167 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,320 probably drawn to the word predestination for different 168 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,920 reasons. Now some of you hear that word 169 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,360 predestined and you're like, finally the word predestination 170 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:03,960 is being uttered from this pulpit and others of you this 171 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:07,240 morning like I wish that word was not in the Bible. 172 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,760 But you see, predestination is not a Calvinist word. 173 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,440 It's not a Presbyterian word. It's not a Reformed word. 174 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:21,560 It's a biblical word. It's a word that the apostle 175 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:23,640 Paul is using here. But why? 176 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,360 Why is Paul using the word predestined? 177 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,960 I want you to notice that Paul is using this word as an 178 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:40,320 encouragement and as much as this word has divided the church 179 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:44,120 throughout the history of humanity, Paul is offering this 180 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:48,840 word not to divide us, but to assure us of God's grace. 181 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:55,200 Again, look at verse five. The first word he second word 182 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:58,360 predestined. But I want to remind you that as 183 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:01,320 we read the New Testament and we see the little numbers of the 184 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:05,280 verses, that none of those numbers were put there by Paul. 185 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,440 They were added later to help us know where we are to make 186 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,320 reference as we read the Bible. They're not there in the 187 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:16,120 original language. And so sometimes we can separate 188 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,360 verses from each other artificially. 189 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:23,040 So as you begin with verse 5, you can't miss the 2 words that 190 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:27,800 come right before it. They're not to be separated. 191 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,720 The 2 words The end of verse 4 In love. 192 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:41,600 In love, He predestined us to be adopted as sons and daughters. 193 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:46,440 At its core, the doctrine of predestination is a doctrine of 194 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,280 love. What does that mean? 195 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,360 It means that God loved us first. 196 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:57,160 He loved us first. That means He loved you before 197 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:01,360 you ever loved him. It means He loved you before you 198 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:07,760 ever failed to love Him. He loved you before the 199 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:14,320 foundation of the world. And this is just how big His 200 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:18,520 grace is. His grace for us is as big as 201 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:23,080 His sovereignty. And here's what's so amazing 202 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,600 about it. He is focused all of His 203 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:33,720 sovereign love and grace on you. The God of the universe, who 204 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:38,000 spoke the world into existence, in whom all things hold 205 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:46,280 together, loves you, and He loved you before you were even 206 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:50,040 born. I think this is one of the 207 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:53,480 reasons why I have such a hard time wrapping our minds around 208 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:57,760 grace, because it's hard to believe that God actually loves 209 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:01,800 us. And just like our first parents, 210 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:08,280 Adam and Eve, when we sin, we're also overcome, not just with 211 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:13,120 guilt, but with shame. We hide from God, we hide from 212 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:16,920 one another. So we think there's no way that 213 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:22,800 God could possibly love me unless whatever it is that you 214 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:29,320 fill in the blanket after that unless is you trying at your 215 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,720 core to somehow earn or merit the grace of God. 216 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:40,760 But you see these verses beginning of Ephesians teach us 217 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:43,120 no in love. He predestined us to be adopted 218 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:45,040 as sons and daughters. He loved us first. 219 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:49,200 And if you have any doubt that God loves you, then look no 220 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:54,760 further than the cross, because not only before you were born 221 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,840 did Jesus Christ die on the cross for you, so that all who 222 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:01,880 believe in Him would be saved. But Paul goes on and tells us 223 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:05,680 that this was the plan before the foundation of the world. 224 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:11,880 He goes on verse 7. In Him we have redemption 225 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,960 through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses 226 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:20,160 according to the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us, 227 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:24,560 and all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery 228 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:28,840 of His will according to His purpose which He set forth in 229 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:32,920 Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all 230 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:36,640 things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. 231 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:42,240 Do you see how for Paul grace is anything but transactional? 232 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:46,320 Now the grace of God for Paul is cosmic. 233 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,880 It's part of his redemptive plan. 234 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:55,680 And out of the riches of His grace that He is now lavishly 235 00:16:55,680 --> 00:17:02,240 poured out on us, He sent his only Son to be born in a Manger, 236 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:10,119 to live a sinless life, because you and I live a sinful life, to 237 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:17,400 die in our place on the cross, to rise against that all who 238 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,680 believe in Him would have salvation. 239 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:24,720 Why? Paul tells us because of love, 240 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,920 Because he loved us first. Paul goes on in Ephesians 241 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:33,400 chapter 2, verse 4. But God being rich in mercy, 242 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,960 because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we 243 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:41,480 were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with 244 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:45,400 Christ. By grace you have been saved. 245 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,320 What is he saying? It says that he loved you when 246 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:53,760 you are dead in your sin. I think that's the other reason 247 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:55,920 why the grace of God is so hard for us. 248 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,120 Because just as we have a small vision of God's grace, I think 249 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:03,280 the honest truth is we have a small vision of our sin. 250 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:10,680 And if you're like me, you minimize it, self justify it, 251 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:13,760 you try to explain it away. Why? 252 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,720 It's just another way that we try to earn our way to God. 253 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,800 If we can't do enough good things to overcome our sin and 254 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:27,400 let's just change the game and move the goal posts and make our 255 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,640 sins smaller. But this is a great paradox of 256 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,920 the gospel. You cannot see just how big and 257 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:38,600 amazing God's grace is for you until you see just how pervasive 258 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:40,880 and overwhelming your sin really is. 259 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:48,360 And just as the grace of God is not a thing or a substance from 260 00:18:48,360 --> 00:18:53,360 involving reminds us Dutch theologian, that sin isn't a 261 00:18:53,360 --> 00:18:57,680 thing. It's not some kind of substance. 262 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:01,560 It's outside of us, but it's in US, running through US. 263 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:07,800 It corrupts all of us. Every part of us is wicked. 264 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:12,160 Every part of us is treasonous. Every part of us turns our back 265 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:14,680 on God. Every part of us has gone 266 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:17,480 astray. And this is what is so amazing 267 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:22,600 about God's grace, that even when we were dead in our 268 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:29,960 trespasses and sins, God loved us, and he sent his Son to die 269 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:37,400 on the cross. John 316 Really think about the 270 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,360 words, for God so loved the world that he sent his only Son. 271 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:47,640 Notice the order because God loved the world, that is why he 272 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,800 sent his Son. This is one of the truths that 273 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:56,360 just about changed my life. When I was in seminary, I used 274 00:19:56,360 --> 00:20:00,400 to think that God loved me because Jesus died on the cross. 275 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:08,080 My vision of God was a God who hated me was only because Jesus 276 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:11,400 died that he now loves me. But that's not what John 316 277 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,400 says, and it's not what the Apostle Paul's describing here. 278 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:19,160 Book of Ephesians. God doesn't love me or you 279 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:23,240 because Jesus died. No, because God loves you. 280 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:27,880 That is why Jesus died. He loved us first. 281 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:36,560 And this is what makes grace so big, so wide, so deep that when 282 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:40,160 we truly receive it, we cannot stay the same. 283 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,240 Because when we minimize sin, we make grace cheap. 284 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:50,320 We treat it into some kind of commodity that says, well, isn't 285 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,000 that what God's grace is there for? 286 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:56,880 I can sin and I'm forgiven. And so why even try to do good? 287 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,840 But when you really receive the sovereign grace of God, the 288 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:04,800 apostle Paul will teach us in the book of Ephesians that grace 289 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:10,200 actually changes us. It's so big and so powerful that 290 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:16,040 we cannot stay the same. Again Ephesians 2, Paul goes on 291 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:19,200 and talking about being saved by grace alone and not by works. 292 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,560 And in verse 10, he says, but we are his workmanship created in 293 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,760 Christ Jesus for good works for God, for hand prepared 294 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:28,280 beforehand that we should walk in them. 295 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,480 When you truly receive the grace of God out of His sovereign 296 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:37,440 mercy for you, you cannot stay the same. 297 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:44,120 His grace not only justifies, but it also sanctifies. 298 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:48,240 And this is what Paul is offering in the second word, 299 00:21:48,360 --> 00:21:53,840 peace, grace and peace. The second word, peace, it says 300 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:57,000 grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus 301 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:58,560 Christ. Now Paul is not just talking 302 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:03,680 about any kind of peace. Nepal is drawing off of a word 303 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:05,960 that is used throughout the Bible from Genesis to 304 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:08,160 Revelation. It's the kind of peace the Old 305 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:13,080 Testament calls Shalom. You and I, when we think of 306 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,880 peace, we often think of the absence of chaos or noise. 307 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,560 So if I were to ask you this morning, hey, did you want some 308 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:24,200 peace in your life? I promise everyone of you say 309 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:28,200 yes, please just get me to a beach somewhere. 310 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:32,560 Give me one of those drinks with a little umbrellas. 311 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:36,880 Give me as far away from other people as possible. 312 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:44,160 So Seaside is out. I need nobody around in order to 313 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:46,040 have peace. That's not the kind of peace 314 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:50,760 that Paul is offering. Shalom is not the absence of 315 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:54,880 chaos and noise, it's the presence of God. 316 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:59,560 Because where God is present, reigning and ruling over all 317 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:05,360 things, his people have peace. And so this morning I wonder, as 318 00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:08,080 you enter into 2026, are you filled with worry? 319 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:17,000 If, like me, do your anxieties keep you up at night wondering 320 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:21,800 what tomorrow or next week or next month will hold? 321 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:29,760 Every one of us, every one of us deals with anxiety and worry and 322 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:33,480 fear. And sometimes those worries are 323 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:38,800 small and sometimes they are big, even life altering. 324 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:44,000 What do you do with your worry? It's one of the reasons why 325 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:49,120 religions of the world, all of them have tried to promise 326 00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:54,160 peace. That's what they offer, but none 327 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:59,040 of them quite seem to deliver. And now, as 21st century 328 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,880 Westerners now not only looking to religion, but looking to 329 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:08,680 different philosophies and ways of living on our own terms, 330 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:14,200 we're surprised when nothing quite satisfies the longings of 331 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:17,520 our heart. And the reason is because we're 332 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:22,600 just trying to treat the symptom rather than getting up to its 333 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:26,800 root cause. So whatever's filling you with 334 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:31,640 anxiety this morning, the solution is not to somehow have 335 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:36,840 that not in your life anymore. However that looks like for some 336 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:40,760 of you, it's avoidance. Others of you is to take matters 337 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:43,280 in your own hands and try to rid it from your life on your own 338 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:49,080 terms. But the real solution is what's 339 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:54,520 underneath the anxiety. What's underneath the anxiety is 340 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:59,280 that we are at war. War with ourselves, war with our 341 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:03,800 God, war with one another, war with the world around us. 342 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:06,400 We are not at peace. And that is the kind of peace 343 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:08,560 that Paul is offering us in the book of Ephesians. 344 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:14,920 First, he offers peace with God. To turn to Ephesians 2 verse 13, 345 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:20,880 Paul says, But now in Christ Jesus, you who are once far off 346 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:24,800 have been brought in here by the blood of Christ, For He Himself 347 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:27,040 is our peace. What is He talking about? 348 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:32,000 Well, in our sin as traitors against the king and His 349 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:35,120 Kingdom, we are at war with Him. That means we have no peace with 350 00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:37,880 Him. That means we are separated 351 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:40,600 relationally from God our Creator. 352 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,320 The Bible says we're at enmity with Him. 353 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:47,960 That means we are His enemies. In the book of Romans, Paul 354 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,680 reminds us that while we were enemies, Christ died for us. 355 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:54,720 Here at Ephesians, when we were dead in our trespasses, he loved 356 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:58,480 us. And here in Ephesians 2, he's 357 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:03,000 saying that even when you were once far off, God has now 358 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:07,640 brought you to himself by the blood of his Son Jesus Christ, 359 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:09,480 who is himself. Our peace. 360 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:17,360 How you and I deserve death and condemnation because of our 361 00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:19,120 treason against the King and His Kingdom. 362 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:24,800 But God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place on 363 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:30,320 the cross and so make peace, an offering of peace so that our 364 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:35,080 relationship with God our Creator would be restored once 365 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:38,120 and for all. In Christ. 366 00:26:38,120 --> 00:26:43,200 We now have peace with God and we can pray to him as our 367 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,360 Father, with Christ as our brother. 368 00:26:45,360 --> 00:26:48,560 But it not only has profound implications for the way that we 369 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:52,120 relate to God, but also the way that we relate to one another. 370 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:55,840 That's the second thing Paul describes the book of Ephesians, 371 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,440 that we have peace not only with God but with one another. 372 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,000 In the first half of Ephesians chapter one through 3, it's 373 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:04,040 really how do we have peace with God? 374 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,480 But in the second-half, the book of Ephesians 4 through 6, it's 375 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:09,880 really, what does it now look like? 376 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:12,920 Because we have peace with God and we've been restored to our 377 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,320 Creator. How does that peace now 378 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:19,240 transform everything around us and every relationship that we 379 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:20,800 have? We have peace with one another. 380 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,400 This is Ephesians verse 4, verse one. 381 00:27:24,120 --> 00:27:27,040 Paul says, I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, urge you 382 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:30,240 to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you've been 383 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,520 called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, 384 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:35,880 bearing with one another in love. 385 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:40,840 He loved. Now we are called to love, eager 386 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:46,680 to maintain the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace in 387 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:48,880 this peace. This Shalom is transformative. 388 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,880 It changes everything and every relationship around us. 389 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:55,920 So he'll go on describe the peace that is ours in marriage. 390 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:58,840 And this morning you might say, well, my marriage is anything 391 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:03,080 but peaceful. For some of you, your marriage 392 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:06,200 is strained, your relationship fractured. 393 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,320 Other of you have come out of a broken marriage that has 394 00:28:08,360 --> 00:28:12,760 absolutely wrecked your soul. Other of you long to be married 395 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:16,640 and never have. Paul gives us a vision of 396 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:19,520 marriage in the book of Ephesians that shows us that our 397 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:24,000 true marriage within Jesus Christ the great bridegroom and 398 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,600 in that marriage, the perfect marriage between the Lamb of God 399 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:30,560 and his people. We have real peace. 400 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,360 A piece that transforms every relationship. 401 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,800 He goes on describes this piece that transformed the family 402 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:42,520 because the families that we have, however broken that they 403 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:46,440 are, are all meant to point to this right here. 404 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:52,120 And as you look around, this is the family of God, brothers and 405 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:56,280 sisters in Christ with a common older brother who is Jesus and a 406 00:28:56,280 --> 00:29:00,880 common father. And finally, though we are 407 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,480 cursed in our work and thorns and thistles and everything that 408 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:09,200 we do in our various vocations. Ephesians will describe how the 409 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:13,800 peace of God transforms our work because the gospel far as the 410 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:19,840 curse is found and now we labor working the grace of God into 411 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:26,160 our work. And lastly, we have peace 412 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:32,440 against the principalities and powers in the forces of evil in 413 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:38,640 the heavenly places. We have nothing to fear whatever 414 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:44,040 this world may throw at us, because Christ himself is our 415 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:47,840 peace. And commentators have pointed 416 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:51,080 out that Paul ends the book of Ephesians in the same way he 417 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:53,600 begins. This is Ephesians 6, verse 23, 418 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:59,760 the last two verses of the book. Peace be to the brothers and 419 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:03,280 love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus 420 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:06,960 Christ. Grace be with all who love our 421 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:13,400 Lord Jesus Christ with love. Incorruptible peace is only 422 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:19,680 possible because the sovereign grace of God poured out for us 423 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:23,720 in His Son Christ Jesus. But there is a third word that 424 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:25,840 we have seen both the beginning and the end. 425 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:29,360 Not just grace and peace, but it's love. 426 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:40,520 Out of His love for you, God has grace and He has poured out His 427 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:47,000 grace in order to make peace. Peace with you and peace with 428 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:53,040 this broken world so that we would now be His ambassadors of 429 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:59,840 peace until Christ comes again. And it is that grace, that 430 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:05,840 peace, and that love that He has now set before you on this table 431 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:08,400 as we come to him. Let's pray. 432 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:14,000 Father in heaven, we pray now as we come to this table of grace 433 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:19,560 and peace that you have set before us, that you would help 434 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:23,800 us to receive what is ours in Christ Jesus. 435 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:27,760 If anyone this morning does not believe in you and has not 436 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:31,120 received this gracious gift that is theirs, I pray that you would 437 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:35,920 give them faith and help them now to trust in You. 438 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:39,720 Praying the simple prayer. Lord, have mercy on me, a 439 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:44,200 Sinner, and for all of us who desperately need to come to this 440 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:47,000 well once again, help us now to drink deeply. 441 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:51,560 If your grace is lavished upon us, we ask in your name, Amen.