Ephesians 1:1-14 - Outline

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*


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*SEP 4 - EPHESIANS 1:1-14 - NINE BLESSINGS IN CHRIST*


 *1. 1:1-2 (NNT). BLESSINGS OF AN APOSTLE: GRACE AND PEACE. “Paul, apostle
of Christ Jesus through God’s will, to the saints that are at Ephesus and
faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father
andthe Lord
Jesus Christ.” *Praise be unto You our Father, Ruler of the universe, Who
has so abundantly blessed us with grace and peace. *Hallowed be your :name.*


 *2. 1:3-4. BLESSING OF GOD: HIS PURPOSES. “Blessed the God and Father of
our :Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in
the heavenlies in Christ: 4 even as he chose us in him before the world’s
foundation, that we be holy and without blemish before him in love” *This
is Your will, Father. We humbly and joyfully submit. *Your :kingdom come!*


 *3. 1:5-6. BLESSING OF SONSHIP. “having foreordained us unto adoption as
sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of
his :will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his :grace, which he freely
bestowed on us in the Beloved:” *Father, all good things You have given us
in Christ Jesus! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 1:7-8. BLESSING OF UNITY. “in whom we have the redemption through his
:blood, the forgiveness of :trespasses, according to the riches of his
:grace, 8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,” *O
Father, our hearts are chastened within us at the picture of the Atoning
work of Jesus Christ on Calvary! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!*


 *5. 1:9-10. BLESSING OF REDEMPTION. “having made known to us the mystery
of his :will, according to his :good pleasure which he purposed in him 10 unto
a dispensation of the fullness of the seasons, to sum up :all things in the
Christ, those upon the heavens, and those upon the earth; in him” *O the
majesty and fullness of Your purpose on behalf of all creation, Father!
What confidence we have in you! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have
forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 1:11-12. BLESSING OF INHERITANCE. “in whom also we were made a
heritage, foreordained according to the purpose of him who works :all things
after the counsel of his :will; 12 that we be unto praise of his glory, we
who had before hoped in the Christ:” *What is Satan in the light of Your
Glorious Majesty, Father? You make even the wrath of man to praise You! *And
bring us not into temptation!*


 *7. 1:13 (1:13-14) BLESSING OF THE PLEDGE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. “in whom you
also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your :salvation, -
in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy :Spirit of the
promise,” *Father, in Christ You provide first the blood; then secondly in
the Holy Spirit You give the oil. *But deliver us from the evil one!*


 *NOTE**: 1:14 (1:13-14) GOD’S DOWN-PAYMENT ON OUR BEHALF: THE HOLY SPIRIT!
**“which is an earnest of our :inheritance, unto redemption of the
possession, unto praise of his :glory.” *Father, You dwell in us in Christ
through the Holy Spirit. We are sealed with Your ownership. We are Your
house. We are Your temple, Christ’s body, building, bride, One New Man,
army! *Hallowed be your :name!*


 *C.H. Spurgeon Quotes: “Majority”. *Some people say, “Why, you are in such
a small minority!” Yes, yes; but as a general rule minorities are right. Up
until now, the majority has never been on the side of Christ, the majority
has never been for God, the majority has never been with the truth.


 *Our Psalm for the day: 64:10 (64, ESV) HIDE ME FROM THE WICKED. “Let the
righteous one rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him! Let all the
upright in heart exult!” *Our confidence is not misplaced in You, O Father!
You in Christ have provided for all our needs as sons and daughters of the
Most High. You are bringing *many* sons into Glory! *Hallowed be your :name!
*


 A Psalm of David. His life was one of conflict, and very seldom does he
finish a Psalm without mentioning his enemies; in this instance his
thoughts are wholly occupied with prayer against them.


 64:1. *Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer.* We do not read that Moses had
spoken with his lips at the Red Sea, and yet the Lord said to him, “Why do
you cry unto Me?” Prayers which are unheard on earth may be among the best
heard in heaven. It is our duty to note how constantly David turns to
prayer; it is his battle axe and weapon of war.


 64:3. *And bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words.* They
studiously and with force prepare their speech as bended bows, and then
with cool, deliberate aim, they let fly the shaft which they have dipped in
bitterness. To sting, to inflict anguish, to destroy, is their one design.


 64:3-4. We saw in the Museum at Venice an instrument with which one of the
old Italian tyrants was accustomed to shoot poisoned needles at the objects
of his wanton malignity. We thought of gossips, backbiters, and secret
slanderers, and wished that their mischievous devices might come to a
speedy end. Their weapons of innuendo, shrug, and whisper, appear to be as
insignificant as needles; but the venom which they instill is deadly to
many a reputation. “*Feathers for Arrows.”*


 63:4. *That they may shoot in secret at the perfect. *Sincere and upright
conduct will not secure us from the assaults of slander. The devil shot at
our Lord Himself, and we may rest assured he has a fiery dart in reserve
for us. *Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.* We have seen in
daily life the arrow of calumny wounding its victim sorely; and yet we have
not been able to discover the quarter from which the weapon was shot, nor
to detect the hand which forged the arrowhead or tinged it with poison. Is
it possible for justice to invent a punishment sufficiently severe to meet
the case of the dastard who defiles my good name and remains himself in
concealment? An open liar is an angel compared with this demon. Vipers and
cobras are harmless and amiable creatures compared with such a reptile. The
devil himself might blush at being the father of so base an offspring.


 63:5. *They encourage themselves in an evil matter. *Good men are
frequently discouraged and not infrequently discourage one another, but the
children of darkness are wise in their generation and keep their spirits
up, and each one has a cheering word to say to his fellow villain. *They
commune of laying snares privately. *They know the benefit of cooperation
and are not sparing in it; they pour their experience into one common fund;
they teach each other fresh methods. *They say, Who shall see them? *They
forget the all-seeing eye and the all-discovering hand, which are ever hard
by them. Therefore, fear not, you tremblers; for the Lord is at your right
hand, and you shall not be hurt by the enemy.


 64:8. *All that see them shall flee away. *Who cares to go near to Herod
when the worms are eating him? or to be in the same chariot with Pharaoh
when the waves roar around him? Those who crowded around a powerful
persecutor and cringed at his feet are among the first to desert him in the
day of wrath. Woe unto you, you liars! Who will desire fellowship with you
in your seething lake of fire?


 64:9. *And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God. *So
strange, so pointed, so terrible shall be the Lord’s overthrow of the
malicious, that it shall be spoken of in all companies. *(From “The
Treasury of David” by C.H. Spurgeon, abridged by D.O. Fuller)*

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