BLESSED SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS--EPHESIANS 1:1-14

BLESSED SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS

EPHESIANS 1:1-14

Introduction:

The Ephesian church to which this epistle is addressed (“to the saints”) was located in a very important region of Asia Minor. Ephesus was the capital of proconsular Asia located in western Asia Minor. In the time of the Romans it bore the title of “the first and greatest metropolis of Asia.” It was colonized principally from Athens.

Ephesus was distinguished for the Temple of Diana, who there had her chief shrine; and for its theatre, which was the largest in the world, capable of containing 50,000 spectators. Here were exhibited the fights of wild beasts and of men with beasts. Compare some of Paul’s comments, 1 Corinthians 4:9, “For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.” 1 Corinthians 15:32, “If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.”

I. THE SEED WAS SOWN IN EPHESUS

A. There were many Jews in Asia Minor, Acts 2:9, “Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,” Acts 6:9, “Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.”

B. The seeds of the gospel were sown immediately after Pentecost, Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

1. God had missionary plans for His first church, Matthew 28:19-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20-Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

2. The Christians wanted to stay in Jerusalem together, but God sent them out, Acts 8:1, 4, “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.”

3. As results of that scattering of early Believers the Church in Antioch was established and later sent the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles in Asia Minor and Europe, Acts 13:2-4, “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3- And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4- So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.”

II. GOD IS TO BE “PRAISED”

A. God the Father is to be blessed or “praised” for He is the source of our blessings, vv. 3-4; 1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

1. He is the Father of our “blessed hope”, Titus 2:13, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

2. We are protected for eternity in the Father’s hand, John 10:28-29, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand . 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.’

3. He blesses us with His comfort, 2 Corinthians 1:3, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;”

B. Through God’s blessings we are able to comfort those who are in trouble, 2 Corinthians 1:4-5, “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”

1. Paul’s expresses his love for the brethren, 2 Corinthians 2:4, “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.”

2. Our light affliction is for a moment, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

3. Believers are blessed, Matthew 11:6, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

a. Whose sins are forgiven, Psalm 32:1, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”

b. Who keep the Word of God, Luke 11:27-28, “And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

CONCLUSION

God has blessed us beyond measure and we should always be aware of it. We should always have a positive testimony about our blessings instead of going around with a bad or negative attitude.

Be aware that God could take His blessings away if we do not show His praise every day.