1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:07,160 Remain standing for the reading of God's Word and I'm going to 2 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:12,920 add one verse because it completes the prayer of the 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,079 things that he is petitioning God for. 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:21,360 That last verse will be given a whole sermon next week because 5 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:30,240 it's it's a tremendous sermon. Ephesians 115 to 18 For this 6 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,960 reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and 7 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:39,000 your love toward all the Saints, I do not cease to give thanks 8 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,520 for you. Remembering you in my prayers, 9 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:47,480 praying that God, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of 10 00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:52,600 glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in 11 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:57,120 the knowledge of Him, having eyes, the eyes of your heart 12 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:01,400 enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope to which 13 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:06,560 He has called you, and what are the riches of the His glorious 14 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:12,000 inheritance in the Saints, and what is the surpassing greatness 15 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,880 of His power toward us who believe. 16 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:20,000 These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His 17 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:21,880 might. Thanks. 18 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:26,160 Though this is the word of the Lord, you may be seated. 19 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:40,320 The largest newspaper publisher possibly ever in the United 20 00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:46,160 States, he owned over 28 newspapers from the West Coast 21 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:50,600 to the East Coast. The owner was named William 22 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:55,840 Randolph Hearst. William Hearst became famous for 23 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:01,240 several things. One of them was the fact that he 24 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:05,720 built this amazing Hearst Castle, possibly some of you 25 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:10,080 visited in Northern California, San Simeon, which even after all 26 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,120 of these years, thousands of people come to see it every 27 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,760 year. But he also probably, and more 28 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:23,120 so for us as the church did something that he didn't realize 29 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:25,600 at the time would do what it did. 30 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:31,280 And that is, there was a young evangelist preaching in Los 31 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:35,720 Angeles, and somehow another Hearst who had never met him 32 00:02:36,640 --> 00:02:39,520 told all of his newspapers across the country. 33 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:45,960 I want you to puff Billy Graham. I want you to promote him. 34 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:52,120 And this launched Billy Graham's ministry onto a national scene 35 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:59,320 and which never stopped. But Hearst is also known because 36 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:05,000 he was an amazing collector of antiquities, and he had 37 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,480 thousands of them that he had purchased all over the world and 38 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:14,600 stored in multiple warehouses. One day he was reading a story, 39 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:19,400 actually a story that had a picture in it, an old ancient 40 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:24,640 picture of a magnificent vase that was known. 41 00:03:24,640 --> 00:03:29,840 It was famous and Hearst decided I have to have that for my 42 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,320 collection. So he sent his agents out around 43 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,640 the world to search and they searched and searched. 44 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,280 They went to museums, they went to antiquities collectors. 45 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,200 They went all over the world looking and looking and looking. 46 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,720 And after months they came back and said we have good news. 47 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:51,760 We have found it. But it was an unexpected answer 48 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,720 because they said after going through all of our inventories, 49 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:01,200 we have discovered that it is in one of your warehouses, 50 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:06,800 uncrated. He was willing to spend any 51 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,440 money to get that vase, but he already had it. 52 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:19,640 And in this passage today, what we see is Paul telling us that 53 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:23,760 there is something that you have that you don't even truly 54 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:30,160 recognize what you have. And so I want you to understand 55 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:36,960 deeply what is yours. After explaining in the 1st 14 56 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:44,200 verses this amazing set of truth truths that are not found any 57 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:48,520 other place in the Scripture, they were truths that were truly 58 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:53,640 had been revealed to Paul and him alone, at least the fullness 59 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:58,840 of their explanation. And that's why we have taken our 60 00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:05,240 time to go through this amazing revelation that God wanted us to 61 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,880 have and gave to Paul to give to us. 62 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:11,560 And so when he states at the beginning of our Scripture here, 63 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:19,680 for this reason, this is what is pumping his heart because of 64 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,440 these magnificent truths that are here. 65 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:30,360 And he's so desirous of us understanding what we have, what 66 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:37,240 we already possess. So as he's speaking to his 67 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:42,240 Ephesian friends and therefore to us, I want you to understand 68 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:50,160 how great your spiritual wealth is that you have gained from the 69 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,040 Lord Jesus Christ. He said. 70 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:56,400 I'm so pleased. I'm so thankful for your love 71 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:02,200 and for your faith. And yet there's something 72 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:06,880 better, something even more that he wants them to know. 73 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:13,840 He's eager for them to become fully, fully mature in Christ. 74 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:18,840 And so he prays. He prays not for something new, 75 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:23,320 not for something different or something else, but for 76 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:28,280 something deeper, A deeper understanding and even 77 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,800 usefulness of what they already have. 78 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,640 Praise for four things, which is why I read verse 19. 79 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:38,840 There are 4 petitions that he has here. 80 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:46,440 A deeper knowledge of God, a clearer view of the hope of 81 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:51,960 their calling, a grander view of the riches that they have in 82 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:58,000 Christ, and then the exceeding greatness of God's power for 83 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,760 them. We'll examine these first. 3 84 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:07,240 today he opens his prayer amazingly petitioning the 85 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:14,480 Trinity itself. He says the God of our Lord 86 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:19,560 Jesus Christ and the Father of glory to give them by the Holy 87 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:29,040 Spirit what they needed most. First, they needed to know God 88 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:34,800 so much more deeply and by giving them a spirit from the 89 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:41,320 Holy Spirit, a wisdom that reveals the wonderful personal 90 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:48,080 God who has made Himself known to us through what Christ has 91 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:53,880 done for us. This is the wisdom of God that 92 00:07:53,880 --> 00:08:00,760 transforms our actions, our thoughts, our desires, so that 93 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:05,920 we effectively use this knowledge that is found in His 94 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:12,080 Word and use it for His glory because we know we are serving a 95 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:17,600 wonderfully personally intimate God that's with us at every 96 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,040 moment. Paul wrote to the Corinthians 97 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,880 and he said something similar. He said, now we have received 98 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:29,760 not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that 99 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:37,520 we might know, experientially know the things freely given to 100 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:43,720 us by God, taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts 101 00:08:44,039 --> 00:08:49,640 with spiritual words, which is what you experience often when 102 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:53,600 you read the scripture one day, come back a couple days later 103 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:57,120 and read the same scripture and say, wow, I didn't see that. 104 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,040 Why? Because the Holy Spirit is 105 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:05,960 giving you thoughts in this infinite Word that is ours. 106 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:12,520 Paul wants them to grow and deepen what has been revealed. 107 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:20,120 To know God deeply and personally is what salvation is 108 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,160 for. It's not just to save us from 109 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:28,280 our sins. No, it's to deepen our walk and 110 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:34,480 love and joy of a personal God every single moment of our 111 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:39,000 lives. This is when you know it's 112 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:44,080 becoming yours, when God becomes real to you that you experience 113 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,760 it. Not just because you know what 114 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:51,440 we're supposed to believe, but you know this one we believe in. 115 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:58,560 I've learned in my ministry, rather than asking someone when 116 00:09:58,560 --> 00:10:03,720 they became a Christian, instead to ask this question, when did 117 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:12,160 God become real to you? When did prayer become a joyful 118 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:16,560 continuous conversation with a real person that you know is 119 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:22,680 listening with a caring heart? So much so that you almost don't 120 00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:26,360 want to stop praying because He's there. 121 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:33,840 And every morning when you walk up, wake up, you look out the 122 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:38,400 beautiful sky, sunlight, the beauty around us all gifts of 123 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,360 God. The very breath you're breathing 124 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,760 is a gift of God. Yesterday one of our dear 125 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:52,160 friends left this earth is not breathing here today, she's 126 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,800 breathing heavenly air. We do not know. 127 00:10:55,800 --> 00:11:02,200 Every day is a gift and every day is an adventure because of 128 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:09,520 the person of Christ. When Jesus said he meant this, I 129 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:14,400 stand at the door of your heart and and knock. 130 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:24,160 If anyone opens the door, I will come in to their heart and I 131 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,720 will dine our fellowship with them. 132 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:32,560 He wants a deep personal relationship to lead us in that. 133 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:38,720 In fact, he told his disciples on his last night on earth in 134 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:46,040 John when he said this, he said if you love me, you will obey my 135 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:52,440 commands, and if you obey my commands, my Father will love 136 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:57,920 you and listen to this phrase, and we will come and make our 137 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:05,480 home in you. What a wonderful, deep 138 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:14,680 relationship he desires to have with us, he says, and to know 139 00:12:14,680 --> 00:12:20,440 God increasingly his way as we grow in this wonderful, 140 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:24,360 wonderful knowledge of this personal God, really what we 141 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:29,560 call our sanctification. It's when we set ourselves and 142 00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:34,760 our own desires to the side to consider His desires first. 143 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:40,440 Proverbs 3, many of you know it puts it this way so well. 144 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:45,560 Lean not on your own understanding, but in all of 145 00:12:45,560 --> 00:12:49,160 your ways. Acknowledge Him and He will 146 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:53,360 guide your path. You see, this is what Paul 147 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:59,120 yearns for his friends. He desires for them to know this 148 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:04,760 good and wise God and the wisdom that he actually places within 149 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:08,560 us for a living. The second thing Paul prays for, 150 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:10,120 and again, he actually uses the word. 151 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:16,760 And so I pray also, I pray that this real person knowledge in 152 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:24,000 our heart will go even further. He wants us to make sure that we 153 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:29,800 move the knowledge of God into the passion of our living, you 154 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:35,000 might say from the mind to the soul, although actually that's 155 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:42,000 not separated, but it is unique because the way we think and 156 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:48,240 appreciate, but the way we love in response to what we know is 157 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:54,080 what He's seeking for with us. He calls this the eyes of heart, 158 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:59,520 our heart, which is powerful spiritual insight. 159 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,880 This is where deep down, we know something is true. 160 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:10,440 I had a privilege too many years ago to remember when I was at 161 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:14,840 the University of Texas, I'll have to say. 162 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:20,280 So glad they won yesterday. But any rate, I had the 163 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:25,120 privilege of speaking in a fraternity house, and we had an 164 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:26,800 invitation from one of the members. 165 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:31,280 And so they had a dinner and then anybody who wanted to come 166 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:33,960 and hear what we had to say, and they knew we were going to talk 167 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,760 about spiritual things to come into the living room. 168 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,480 And a small group came. Many didn't, as a matter of 169 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:44,800 fact, some went into the kitchen and started making all kinds of 170 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:50,960 noise while we were out there. But we gave the gospel and 171 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,680 afterwards just greeting a few of them. 172 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:56,600 One of them said, could I talk with you tomorrow? 173 00:14:57,280 --> 00:14:59,560 And I said, certainly, let's have coffee down the street. 174 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:06,760 So we sit down and I met Henry. And Henry I said, what did you 175 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:10,480 think about last night? And he made the statement, I've 176 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:15,720 never forgotten. He said, Pete, I knew what you 177 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:21,160 were saying was true. How did he know that? 178 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:26,760 Because the Spirit of God opened his eyes. 179 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:34,680 He saw the truth and he responded to the truth. 180 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:38,840 I kept up with him for a while. I don't know where Henry is 181 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,040 today. He brought one of his other 182 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:43,600 friends who was the one making the most noise in the kitchen. 183 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:48,800 I think his name was Terry. And he too prayed to receive 184 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,600 Christ that day. It was wonderful. 185 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:59,880 Paul is saying that he that he wants us to see this 186 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:03,520 enlightening work of the Holy Spirit. 187 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:10,400 Psalm 19 says the commands of the Lord are radiant, giving 188 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:15,080 light to the eyes. There's things the Holy Spirit 189 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:19,360 can open to us that are yet ours to enjoy. 190 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:24,360 But enlightened to what he says. Three things. 191 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:32,320 A clearview of the hope of Our Calling, a grander view of our 192 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:37,920 riches in Christ, and in the exceeding greatness of God's 193 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:42,520 power for us and in us that will hold till next week. 194 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:47,520 Or what does the hope of His calling mean? 195 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:55,960 How can we know that hope? Paul is saying that our hearts 196 00:16:55,960 --> 00:17:00,680 would be our asking, praying. Our hearts would be so flooded 197 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:05,200 with the light of the Spirit that we can see something of the 198 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:11,200 future that is truly our iron already belongs to us. 199 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:16,200 I want you to see it more clear, the glorious way of life that He 200 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:21,480 has for us. When Christ returns and we see 201 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:27,000 Him, we will be like him, holy and blameless. 202 00:17:28,319 --> 00:17:32,880 But we're not only called to be something which is the most 203 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:40,440 important, but we're also called for something that is still as 204 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:46,360 we live here, here now, but even more so, how we will live when 205 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:51,320 we go to heaven. Have you ever wondered what will 206 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:56,680 we do in heaven when we'll be there for eternity? 207 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:00,680 What will we do? A wonderful man. 208 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:05,560 Some of you may have read Alice Willard, knowing that he was 209 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:09,400 dying of cancer, thought deeply about it and has made one of the 210 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:11,920 most wonderful statements I've ever read. 211 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:17,880 He put it this way. Your eternal destiny is not 212 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:22,880 cosmic retirement. It is to be a part of a 213 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:29,160 tremendously creative project under unimaginably splendid 214 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:35,560 leadership on an inconceivable scale, with ever increasing 215 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:39,120 cycles of fruitfulness and enjoyment. 216 00:18:40,360 --> 00:18:44,960 That is the prophetic vision, which the eye has not seen in 217 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:49,120 the ear hasn't heard. Heaven is full of activities, so 218 00:18:49,120 --> 00:18:53,160 much so that all of his inhabitants embrace and live 219 00:18:53,160 --> 00:19:00,480 with gusto and no fatigue. What a wonderful world, Paul is 220 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:04,520 saying. I want you to look to the fact 221 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:09,120 of the reality of that. In fact, he told the Colossians, 222 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:16,040 keep seeking the things above. Set your heart and your mind on 223 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:20,440 the things above because they are real and they're important 224 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:26,080 and they're wonderful. This hope of the calling that we 225 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:31,680 have before it is the assurance that Jesus is returning for us 226 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:38,280 and bringing the heaven life with Him, a life of which 227 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:45,160 there's never again hate or fear or tears, only love and joy. 228 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:51,160 The third request and the last that we'll look at today is to 229 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:56,320 know the riches of the glory of His Saints, of the inheritance 230 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:00,680 in His Saints. Now this phrase the inheritance 231 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:05,440 in the Saints in the original language is not real clear which 232 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:11,200 is the subject of it. But it can be taken in two ways. 233 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:14,000 And actually I see them as two sides of the same coin. 234 00:20:15,360 --> 00:20:20,880 It can refer to the inheritance that God has in us, which Christ 235 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:24,480 created. Christ even said, I come to give 236 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,080 those you've given to me back to you. 237 00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:31,200 OK? We are the ones who become God's 238 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:36,240 righteous children or, and I believe as well. 239 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:41,160 I believe both that we can refer it refers to the inheritance 240 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:48,320 that we have in Christ. So either we're Christ's, God's 241 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:53,320 treasured possession, or we're treasured because of the 242 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:59,720 glorious things that are now in US for forever, permanently. 243 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:04,360 In either case, Paul prays that we would have eyes enlightened 244 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:10,760 to see it, to enjoy it. And in fact, reading the whole 245 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:15,520 letter of Ephesians, especially the first part, Paul most 246 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:19,920 frequently speaks of riches that we have in our inheritance, as 247 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:25,120 in verse 3, chapter 1. We've been blessed with every 248 00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:27,880 spiritual blessing. Verse 7. 249 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:33,400 We've received redemption according to the riches of His 250 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:37,160 grace. Chapter 2, verse 7, in the ages 251 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,880 to come, that God might show the surpassing riches of His grace 252 00:21:41,360 --> 00:21:47,520 in kindness toward us. Eugene Peterson, one of my 253 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:51,760 favorite authors, writes and states it this way. 254 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:58,120 We have been called to grasp the immensity of this glorious way 255 00:21:58,120 --> 00:22:02,960 of life that He has for His followers, the utter 256 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:10,120 extravagance of his work in us. So what are these riches of 257 00:22:10,120 --> 00:22:16,280 grace that have been given to us, These blessings by his 258 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:22,840 grace, Paul adds in verse 8, have been lavished on us, 259 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:26,320 lavished with the riches of grace. 260 00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:33,000 Bible scholars have counted at least 33 of these blessings of 261 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:38,160 God that come to us at the moment of salvation, or more 262 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:41,000 that come by the Holy Spirit and our sanctification. 263 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:46,280 But 33 things that become true of you at the moment your eyes 264 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:48,840 were open to Christ. Why? 265 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:53,080 33 Don't know. They're just simply given to us. 266 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:58,560 Seven of them are mentioned in chapter 1 alone, and then more 267 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:02,880 in the next 5 chapters. But I provided you with a little 268 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:09,000 card that lists these 33 blessings, Riches of grace. 269 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:16,560 I grouped them arbitrarily into 6 categories. 270 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:19,160 You might say. They could obviously be listed 271 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:22,960 in many ways, but I did this to help us grasp a little bit more 272 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,280 how to look at them. Look at the headers. 273 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:30,800 We have been included into God's family 5 riches there. 274 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:37,640 We have been restored to our true intended creation, the 10 275 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:42,240 riches just being restored. We've been given wonderful 276 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:47,840 intimate relationship with God seven places where He's adopted 277 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:50,600 us, where He's made us His children, etcetera. 278 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:57,080 We are deeply valued and seen in the graces of appointment of 279 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,320 what He's made us to be, Heavenly holy priest. 280 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:04,080 For Him. We're given a place and a way of 281 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:08,360 significant service in His Kingdom, and we've been made 282 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:14,000 whole and complete forever. Let me just highlight a few for 283 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:19,920 you while we have some time. The first five are what scholars 284 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,240 call the divine Cree of God, decree of God. 285 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:29,240 This is the stunning realization that you and I of all people 286 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:32,440 have been included in God's family, and it was done before 287 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:40,680 the foundation of the earth. Notice #11 We are free of all 288 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:44,920 condemnation, No Fear of future judgement. 289 00:24:45,120 --> 00:24:50,600 Jesus has covered everything forever. 14 You're not only 290 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,520 forgiven for all your sins, but you've been given a clean 291 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,080 conscience. The psalmist right? 292 00:24:56,240 --> 00:25:00,960 Many times God says I will remember your sins no more. 293 00:25:02,120 --> 00:25:04,840 I don't know about you, but I'm so often tempted to remember my 294 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:08,560 past sins. That's never of God, that's 295 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:12,560 always of faith. He's always lifting us forward. 296 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:16,720 16 to 21 The blessings of a permanent, life changing 297 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:22,840 relationship. 26 You have immediate access to our holy God 298 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:26,400 because of Christ's righteousness that clothes US. 299 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:31,680 27 to 30 we've been given this place of service and in 31 we've 300 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:35,360 been marked with a sign and a seal of the Holy Spirit, which 301 00:25:35,360 --> 00:25:40,440 means the whole spiritual realm sees that you have the mark of 302 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:46,600 royalty. You have the mark of being royal 303 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:53,360 sons and daughters. Spend time meditating on these 304 00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:55,120 riches and what they can mean for you. 305 00:25:56,160 --> 00:26:00,040 Make it your prayer that God opens the eyes of your heart to 306 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,200 grow more deeply in love with Christ. 307 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:07,400 And as you do, your intimate knowledge of God will grow so 308 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:11,680 deep and your eyes will be open to see more and more of the 309 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:17,920 depth of these riches. Let me pray for us, our great 310 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:22,200 and wonderful Father. Please help us to remember what 311 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:30,320 you have already given us, that we can dig, dive more deeply, 312 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:37,800 climb more highly, extend more length and breadth into your 313 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:41,640 love. We have been loved with an 314 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:46,520 everlasting love, We have been given with a growing 315 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:52,960 understanding of everlasting grace, and we've been made heirs 316 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:58,400 of an everlasting Kingdom which has been made sure of the blood 317 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,840 of an everlasting covenant. Amen.