Reflection on the Book of Ephesians 3

[Intro Music] [Announcer] Holiness and fellowships cannot be more spiritual than the individuals and families that constitute them. God greatly desires a godly home for him. These are words of restoration and instruction in righteousness from Family Tent Ministry. May you be blessed as you listen. [Preacher] Because he want to use us to display what? His holiness. He want to show that it is possible for human beings to live holy lives. That's why he chose us. He want to demonstrate to the devil, he want to demonstrate to men, he want to demonstrate to principalities and powers, he want to demonstrate to rulers of darkness, he want to demonstrate to spiritual wickedness in heavenly places that mere men, mortal men, mortal men can be here on this planet earth where sin came, where the devil came to disrupt the plan of God, to disrupt it thinking that yes, he has done his worst. But yet God want to show that look, ever before you even it came to your mind that you are going to disrupt my plan, my plan was never disrupted because ever before the world was, the Lamb had been slain and men has been chosen, and those men will display holiness on this planet earth. And so, we said primarily, one thing that should readily characterize a born-again believer is what? Holiness. That is it. Because that was why they were, you know, they were chosen. That's the reason. He said in that verse four, that "just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless." And I concluded last week by making us to read the book of Titus. Just trying to recap a little before we move on today. In Titus 2:11 to verse 14, that was where we stopped last week. What did we see there? The Bible says, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." And what is that grace doing? It’s teaching us. What does it mean to teach? What does it mean to teach? People that are teachers, what does it mean to teach? To impact knowledge? Is that all about teaching? Is it to just impact knowledge? We instruct, that is true. Okay, we instruct, we impact knowledge. What else is in teaching? We guide. What else is in teaching? What is the ultimate purpose for teaching? I'm going to find those of us that are teachers if you don't get the correct answer. What is the ultimate purpose for teaching? Those of us that are businessmen and engineers, we may not be able to tell us what is the purpose of teaching, so I will not blame those of us that are not in teaching profession. But those of us that are teachers, the ultimate purpose of teaching is that the person who is taught would be like the teacher. Do you get it? Do you get it at all? So that for example, if I'm teaching somebody to drive, after some time, the person should be able to do what? Drive. So, I will guide, I will instruct, I will impact knowledge, and ultimately, I will cause the person to know and be able to do. So that if I say I'm teaching you to drive, and after three years you still cannot drive, what do you describe me as? You say I'm a bad teacher, or he's a bad student. Because the ultimate purpose of teaching is that the person should be able to do that which he or she was taught. Do you get it? Now, the Holy Spirit, look at what grace is doing by the work of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." Now, when this grace appeared, what is grace doing? What is the grace doing? So, what are the things that the grace—let us now mention them. Grace will be guiding us. Is that not true? Grace will be giving us instruction. Is that not true? Number three, grace will be impacting knowledge. Is that not true? That's true. Grace will be making us to know and be able to do like grace. If we don't do like grace, it's either grace is a bad teacher or we did not experience grace. But if we understand that grace that appeared—when the Bible says "the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared"—and that grace is now teaching us, you will know that the Bible is not saying that grace is just something. The Bible is making us to see that actually grace is a person, since grace is a teacher. So, when the Bible says grace has appeared, in the real sense of it, what is Bible saying? Jesus appeared. And when he was going, what did he do again? He gave us another teacher. Do you get it? Who is that other teacher? The Holy Spirit. So that the way Jesus was with the disciples, that is how the Holy Spirit is with us today. So, when the Bible say the grace has appeared, the Bible is talking about the fact that by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is a working of the Holy Spirit to guide us, to do what again? To give us instruction, to do what again? To impact knowledge, to do what again? To cause us to know and be able to do. And what is it that is causing us to know and be able to do? Look at it, what is the first thing? It says, "denying ungodliness." Can we hear it in another translation? When we say denying ungodliness, it may not be very clear. What is—is there another translation in the hall? Or maybe I should open other translations from here. Let's see other translation of that matter. Other translation of that Titus 2:11. I'm trying to move further from where—because that's where I stopped last week. I want to move further from there, and I'm moving further from that point. That was the scripture I read last week. And I want to dwell on that scripture to establish the fact that if on a daily basis you are not growing in holiness, can I announce to you, it is possible that you are a child of perdition. Because Judas was with grace, but he never grew. Judas was around grace, Judas was with grace, all the teaching of grace, everything was going on, Judas still remained a thief. He never grew. So that if you are not daily changing by grace, you need to investigate your life, that am I sure I'm not a son of perdition? Am I sure I'm truly saved? So, that's why I want you—I want to make you understand that there is a working of God. See, how will I put it? You see, this working of God is not something that is about us. It is something that God did before time began. Bible says he chose us before the foundation of the world. So, it is something that God is doing. And when God is doing something, you know what Bible says again? The Bible says, "He who began the good work in you is able to do what? He is able to finish it." It is a work that God began. So, you need to ask yourself. The reason why I'm saying that is because at the end of the day, when Jesus spoke about the disciples, he said "of all that you have given me, I've lost none." So, Judas that was lost was never given. He was just there, but he was not given. You need to check, you need to look into your life. There is something about this work of God. Heaven is something—we are coming to heaven matter, we'll soon get to the matter of heaven—but I'm talking about the matter of holiness and blamelessness. It is something that the saint should grow in. It is something that should daily increase. Why? Because it is a blessing that is settled in heaven. God has settled something with us. I don't know how to put it. Okay, let me put it this way. Oh, I'm looking for a perfect example to make you understand this thing. Hehe, good. Take a pipe, pipe, water pipe, those pipe that you use for water. That pipe was connected to a source before. That source was muddy water. So, for many years, that water was passing through the pipe. After several years, the particles of that thing begin to stay inside the pipe, stay inside the pipe, stay inside the pipe. Is that not true? You know it will now contain that thing, then the water will be coming out because of that water that was flowing through it. Is that not? Now, if you now go to the source, you unplug that pipe from that dirty water, you now plug the pipe to a clean crystal water, you now plug it to it. That new one now begin to flow. At first, what will be coming out of the pipe? Dirty water. Abbi? And those particles too will be coming out. But as that water keep flowing, as it keep flowing, what will happen after some time? Do you know from the very day they unplugged that pipe to the clean one, at the point of the source, it has become clean? Over time, over time, over time, over time, over time, after some years, all inside of the pipe will be what? Will be clean and water coming out will be clean. What I'm saying is that when we became born-again, we must understand that our source was changed. At the point of the source, if the clean water was now connected, over time, we must find what? A clean pipe and clean water. But if after somebody says the clean water has been connected, and nothing—nothing is coming up, the water that continued to flow is still dirty water, dirty water, dirty water, dirty water, for years, dirty water, and the person is saying that you see, I'm trusting God for grace, and God—the grace of God will help me, the grace of God will help me. Please, are you understanding me? The problem may be that that pipe was not [audio drops out]. [Reader 1] Romans 5:17. [Preacher] Yes. [Reader 1] "For if by one man's offense, death reigned by one, much more those of whom..." [Preacher] Do you get that? Do you get that at all? What is the Bible saying? What's Bible saying in that verse? [Static and heavy audio distortion]. Okay, let's have it in NLT, let's see. [Reader 2] "For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!" [Preacher] Do you get what that scripture is trying to say? What's that trying to say, brethren? Let's look at three things that scripture—there are three things that scripture is saying. Number one, what is it trying to say? Jesus is greater than Adam. Yes, what else again can we see? If sin came through one man and everybody died through that one man, then since Jesus is greater than Adam, then grace will reign greater from that one man to everybody. Is that not? Is that not? What's the third thing? There are three things there. Righteousness? Yes, that's what we are saying, that's the second one, that righteousness will reign just the way sin reigned. But there's still something there. It remains one thing in that verse. Much more? No, no, no. We have looked at that much more. What's the second thing? Righteousness reigns. Yes, that's what we are saying, that's the second one. That righteousness will reign just the way sin reigned. But there is still something there, it remains one thing in that verse. Look at it, the grace and the righteousness. What are they? Do you notice that it says that the grace is already received? Not that it will be received. Do you notice it? That the grace is what? Already received. It says, "those who receive grace," not that they will receive but they received the grace. Then two, the righteousness that want to reign, is this something they will receive or that they have received? They have received it. So that grace and righteousness are things we received. Why? Because when God was choosing us in him, he chose us to be what? Holy and blameless. So that we can experience it physically. In choosing us, what did God do? He gave what? Grace. That is the teacher that we just finished speaking about. It’s not something he will be giving. It is something he has given. You get it? Then two, what did he give again? He gave righteousness as a what? As a gift. So, if your life is not righteous, what can we say about that life? That is why I'm saying that if you are around Jesus, if you say you are a believer and your life is not daily changing to be holy and blameless, changing from glory to glory, you need to check. You may be a son of perdition. Because this thing that God did is not something of—it's not something of chance. It's something that God is deliberately working on. It's something that God—you see, God gave all to achieve his purpose. And now I'm telling you, that is what God did. That is why Jesus Christ could say confidently—you know what he said? You know what he said? He said "no one can pluck them out of my hand, for the Father who gave them to me is greater than me, and no one can pluck them out of my Father's hand." In other places he said, "all that the Father has given me, this is the will of the Father, that I should raise them up on the last day. I should raise them." So, Christianity is not something that God just left us and we are just struggling. No, it is something in which God is working in us and what? Working through us. He's working in us and he's working through us. He said "he that began the good work, he's able to finish it." The author and the what? The perfecter. Why? Because when he chose us, he actually chose us to be what? Holy and blameless. You see, these are things—you see what I'm saying is that we must properly understand this and lay it to heart. Or else, by the time you come to the chapter three and chapter four, you will understand why Paul is saying that put off the old man and all his deeds, put on the new man that is renewed after this, walk as children of light, walk—you will see them, they are speaking based on what? What you have received, not what you will receive. You see, living holy is not something we can of ourselves do. Living holy is a product of knowing the truth, and the truth setting you free. It is something that comes from understanding, understanding what was done, understanding who you are. That is why I keep saying that while you might be thinking—you might be thinking that nobody is living an upright life because you are a compromiser and people around you are not different from you. You'll be surprised. You know, I love this example I keep giving. When everybody saw the high priest, the Levites, the royal people bowing down to the image of Nebuchadnezzar, you'll be thinking that there will be nobody that will not bow. You'll be thinking that ah, "kosi se, laye ta wa yi" (there is no way in this world we are in), "if God is to mark sin, who will..." You keep saying that, that's where you will stay. "Ah, a le mo'rin kori ma ji" (we cannot know walk and not shake our heads), "elese ni gbogbo" (everyone is a sinner), that is where you will—that is where you will stay. You'll be surprised. Because like I said last week, the earnest expectation of creation is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. And I'm telling you, while you will be thinking—please listen to me, I'm not showing you a mystery, but I'm telling you a truth. When the Bible says the creature is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, you'll be thinking that one day the sons of God will just manifest. No, sorry, that's not it. The truth is that that manifestation that we will see is actually a process that started some times back in the life of some people, but you did not key into. Do you understand me? Do you understand what I'm trying to say now? Let me explain it again. Let me use biblical things to illustrate it. When David came out and said "who is this uncircumcised Philistine? Your servant will go and kill him," and all of that, you'll be thinking it was that day that God raised David. It was not that day that God raised David. God had been working on the life of David while others were sleeping. Do you understand it? Do you understand what I'm trying to say now? While his brothers were here and there and that boy was with the sheep, God had been using lion and bear to train the boy, to train him. God had been using catapult to train the boy. The boy was going through training, he was understanding God. God can deliver from anything. He has been having that understanding, he has been having that understanding until one day, one small boy just came out and said "who is this uncircumcised Philistine?" Some people said "ah, who is this boy? What does he know? What does he understand?" They didn't know that that boy—it was not that day—manifestation, let me tell you, will not be a sudden thing. It will be in the life of men that God had been working upon before the day of manifestation. Jesus finally showed up at the age of 30, did the work for three and a half years, but for the first one to 29 years, where was he? Was it just that 30 years that he just jumped down from heaven and then just started? No, no. No. When the Bible says that we are waiting for these sons, you need to understand that if you are not daily changing where you are, may I announce to you, maybe you are a vagabond to God's program. You may just be a spiritual vagabond, a wanderer. They may be calling you "sis," they may be calling you "bro," but you're a wanderer. You're a vagabond. It is the day of manifestation that will prove it. You know when that prodigal son carried all the wealth of his father, and I see him bouncing with the wealth and he was going. When he got to the wander—to the land of the wanderer, they were celebrating him, but back at home, they were looking for him. So, you may be celebrating some people, you may be calling them "bro" and "sis," but actually they are just wanderers, they are vagabonds. Now, please, I want to move further. I want to move further in that scripture. Let's move further. So, we saw that in Romans chapter five, these things had been given. It had been given, and we need to know that, we need to clarify that which had been given. Now, in Ephesians one again, we move on. Look at what the Bible says. Look at what the Bible says in verse five. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Look at what the Bible says in verse five. My translation says—we'll try other translations—my translation says, "Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will." Hallelujah. "Having predestinated us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will." Can we see some other translations in that? NLT. [Reader 2] "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." [Preacher] Do you get that? Do you get that? God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family, to adopt us into his own family, by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. By bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Do you get that? This is what—and gave him great pleasure. Do you understand that? Do you understand what the Bible is saying? The Bible is saying that our being made holy and blameless in Christ is something that God decided to do in advance and it gave him pleasure. Hallelujah. Do you understand what that's trying to say? It's trying to say that it was not we that loved him. It was not we that loved him. No, it was the other way around. What was the other way around? It was he that first loved us. And in loving us, he decided to bring us to himself. And that is what gave him pleasure. Do you understand that? You see, the reason why God wants you to know this is so that when something says that it is impossible to achieve some things in God, you will be able to tell the thing that you need to understand that my victory is not based on my ability. My victory is a function of the ability of God. Are you getting it? What guaranteed—please get this. Please. What guaranteed that Gideon will win the battle was not the 300 men. You see, you must lose confidence in yourself. You see, I don't know whether you—you know many times when we're talking about living holy life, you begin to consider "ah, emi ti mo ma n tete binu, emi ti mo ri bi eleyi, emi ti mo..." (I who gets angry easily, I who is like this, I who...), you begin to look at yourself. The more you look at yourself, the more you'll not be able to live right. You must look away from—it’s an understanding you must receive. That living the life of God, you must look away from who you are and your ability. You must look at what—who God is and his ability. Until you do that, you'll be struggling to live correctly. Because the truth is this, let me tell you something. You see, the more you look at yourself, the more you look at your inability, the more you look at your situation, you know what will be happening to you? You'll be doubting the possibility of living right. And you know the problem? You know the problem? The problem is that that your doubt is the very reason why the power of God cannot work in your life. Because without faith, it is impossible to please God. If the woman with the issue of blood keep looking at her records, she will not take step for her healing. So, what God wants you to know is that see, the matter of your salvation, in bringing you to me, what gives me pleasure is that I decided in advance. He did it in advance. He did it before you began to—it was something he accomplished in himself. It was his own decision. It was his decision. You need to remind yourself that "ise Oluwa ni mi" (I am God's work). I am God's handiwork. The Bible says we are the workmanship of God, created in who? In Christ. "Ise Oluwa ni mi." I am God's handiwork. I am not—how will I put it? I am not the one trying to save myself. I have a savior. I have a Lord. I have a God. I have a redeemer. I have—are you understanding me? And that person is the person that is changing me, that is making me, that is raising me from glory to glory. Now, he says "having predestined us to adoption as sons in Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he made us accepted in the beloved." Hallelujah. Hallelujah. This is another matter that—this is where I want to end today, this matter of "accepted." Can we see that in another translation? It says "to the praise of the glory of his name, by which he made us accepted in the beloved." Authorized King James says "accepted in the beloved." That is 1:6, "accepted in the beloved." No, Ephesians 1:6. Yes, let's have translations, other translations. [Reader 2] "So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son." [Preacher] Who belong to his dear Son. Okay, it put it as "who belong to his dear Son." Another translation. [Reader 3] "So that we might be to the praise and the commendation of his glorious grace, favor and mercy, which he so freely bestowed on us in the beloved." [Preacher] Are you getting something at all in that place? Now, how do I explain it? I'm looking for something physical to use to explain it. Hehe, hehe, another scripture came to my mind now that I can use to explain it. Now, you know the Bible says in John chapter 3:17, 18. It says "For the Father," after it said "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not what? Should not perish, but have what?" Now, what's the thing that followed? "For the Father sent the Son into the world," abbi? "Not to condemn the world, but that what? But that the world might be saved through him." Now, look at it. "He who believed—he who believed is not condemned. He who believed not, [he is condemned already]." So, he now says, "this is the condemnation: that light—light came to the world." Men so—I want to ask you, the fornicator, what is his condemnation? So, do you see that fornication is not why he was condemned. Are you getting something? The real condemnation is that light came, but the fornicator refused to believe the light. Don't you understand me? Now, get it. Now, if you have gotten that, what he's saying in verse six is that God is not trying to accept you because you behave right. Rather, God have accepted you. Are you getting what I'm trying to say? The acceptance of God has nothing to do with what you do or did not do. God accepting you, the acceptance is in Christ. God have accepted you. And because he has accepted you, your understanding of that acceptance, it’s what makes you to come to God's presence to receive grace and find what—to obtain mercy and find grace to help. Do you understand me? You see, what we are saying is that Jesus—okay, let me put it this other way because I will—we should be rounding off now. I said we will always finish for 6:30. You know in the Old Testament, for the high priest to come into God's presence, he must obtain holiness. So, he get that holiness of his own accord. He now come into God's presence. If he does not get it before he comes, he will die at that presence. At that presence. Do you get it? What we are saying is this, what God did in Christ is that not only did God save us, but God gave us access to him. Do you get it at all? Do you get it at all? You have access. You have access to God. Once in choosing you in Christ, he gave you what? Access to him. You can access God. You don't need to fear. In fact, if you fear you are not perfected in love. If you understand that he loved you while you are yet a sinner, now you have become a child, what will be the level of the love? Do you get it? So, when you understand that, that gives you what? Access to come. That is acceptance. You can come. Come. You know when Esther want to enter the presence of the king, she went to go three days fasting and prayer. So that if the king don't lift up the scepter towards her, what will they do? You know what God did? God in making you born-again, just the scepter is just pointed. Do you—it’s not that when you pray then... No, it’s just pointed. So, anytime you are coming, where is the scepter? It’s pointed with favor. Just come. We are accepted in the beloved. We are accepted. We are people that are accepted in the beloved. So that when you understand this, you—let me—maybe I should leave it there. I want you to read Romans chapter five. He says, "being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," he says, "through whom we have what? Access." Go and check that scripture. We have access. I can enter into God's room. Father, I have come. Lord, I have come without fear. You can enter. You have access. You see, that is what bring confidence in prayer. Many of you don't know that you have access. And so, you want to access God through some people. You want to access God through some means. That is why among Yoruba, they will need Obàtálá, Òrìṣà-nlá, Òrìṣà that—where they are the intermediaries, that "Olodumare o ṣe loba" (God is too great). So, we must reach him through these other small gods. And sometimes they tell you that there are some intermediaries in prophets, and some will tell you that it's in one venerated person in Mary. No, there is no—we have access. I don't need a prophet to access God. I don't need a man of God to access God. I really need to find out, am I really born-again? Have I given my life to Jesus? Then what do I have? Access. We'll stop here today. We'll stop here today. I want you to talk to the Lord. We have access. We mentioned some things again today, that grace had been given, righteousness had been given. Grace had been given, righteousness had been given. It is God's pleasure that everything about your salvation is about him. Everything, it is God did it in advance. We came to God when God appeared to us, not when we decided to come. He appeared to you. He did that in advance. Understand it, he did it in advance. He did it because he has plans, he has purpose for you. He has plans—these are things you must understand. If God has decided in advance before you came to choose you, then you know that he has plans for you. Don't look at yourself, don't look at your inabilities. Don't look at your failures. Don't look at—look at the fact that God, you have a plan for me. Baba, I have come. How do you come? Understand that you have access to him. He has made you acceptable in the beloved. Come to him and say "God, what is your plan for my life?" God, I have come. This is me. You did it in advance. You did it in advance. It is your pleasure that it is all about you. Lord, I am glad that it's all about you. And I've come into your presence. You did it in advance. Lord, what are your plans for me? Before I came you had a plan. Before I came at all, before I believe there was a plan. It was your pleasure to save me. It was your good will to redeem me. It was your pleasure to make me accepted. Lord, you gave me access. You did all of this of yourself. Then Lord, there is something about me. I am special to God. I am special to God. I am special to God. God wants me. God wants me. God wants me. With all my inabilities, with all my shortcomings, with all—whatever I may be described. Oh, God accepted me. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Holy Spirit. Thank you, Jehovah. Thank you, Jehovah. Thank you, Jehovah. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. And I want you to pray lastly that God—God, look around and look about your life. I don't know how you look at yourself, but I want you to pray that God, you that began the good work in me, you are able to complete it. I want you to pray that "God, I know..." Can you respond to God this evening? That "you who began this good work in me, you are able to finish it." You are able to complete it. I want you to pray that "God, I know." Can you respond to God this evening? That "you who began this good work in me, you are able to finish it. You are able to complete it." You are able to complete it. Thank you, our Father. Our God we worship you this evening. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. Precious Father, we thank you for this evening. We give you glory, we give you praise, we give you honor, we give you adoration. Lord our God, you gave us righteousness as a gift. You impacted grace into our lives. Lord God Almighty, you did this all of yourself so that we can be holy in this present life, so that we can be blameless. So that we can live godly lives. Lord God Almighty, you went yet further. You did everything in advance. We did not come because we wanted to come. We came when you appeared to us. You came to us in your mercy. You did not stop there, you went yet further. You gave us access to you, making us acceptable in the beloved. In Christ you gave us access so that we can constantly come to you, that when we come we can be changed. Lord our God, I pray this evening, help us as individuals to break through our limitations in the name of Jesus. Help us to see, help us to see what you have done, so that we can break loose from everything that is holding us down from living a godly life in the name of Jesus. Those things that are limiting us, those things that are giving us fear. Are you sure God will answer your prayer? Are you sure God will do? How do you know, you that you are like this, you that you are like that? Every kind of condemnation that hold us here and there. Oh Lord, help us to see that Lord God Almighty, that it is in coming to you that we are made in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you, eternal Father. Blessed be your holy name our God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Let's share the grace in fellowship. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forever more. Amen. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. Amen. [Outro Music] [Announcer] This message is coming to you from Family Tent Ministry, a Christian ministry involved in reaching the lives of singles and married through preaching and teaching of God's word, discipleship, family life enrichment, social and community development and mission aid. Our regular activities are discipleship class every Monday 5:00 PM, adolescents and singles club every first Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM. Marriage forum second Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM. Family life seminars, regular school outreaches and everyday counseling. For further counseling, you can reach us at our location: Life Camp by the first bridge, Ilere community, opposite Very Joy filling station along Idjare road, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. You can also reach us through our social media handles: familytent@yahoo.co.uk, familytentministry01@gmail.com, www.familytentministry.org. Our phone numbers are 080-3386-1136, 070-3361-3848. God bless you all.