TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY

Ephesians 1:11-12; 1:1-14

We are going through the book of Ephesians 1:1-14 with the theme
“Blessed in Christ According to the Riches of His Grace.” We are now in verses 11
and 12 but before looking into it, let me remind you of the wonderful truth that
we had shared with on the spiritual blessings, every spiritual blessing that the
Father has bestowed upon us in Christ Jesus, if in case you had not remembered
or had forgotten but I hope not. I am praying that it is closely guarded in your
hearts and you are enjoying the reality of them as you put it into practice to the
glory of our God the Father in heaven.

- In Christ you are chosen in love before the foundation of the world, to be
holy and blameless in His sight. (v.4)
- He predestined us for adoption in Him, as His own dear sons and daughters
(v.5)
- He made us accepted in the Beloved (v.6)
- In Him, we are redeemed and set free from the slavery of sin and forgiven
through His own blood (v.7)
- - according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace
- - according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, (not by
random thinking) but in all wisdom and insight

- In Christ, the Father revealed the purpose of the mystery of His will

- in the fullness of time, to unite all things in heaven and on earth

 To submit in the Lordship of Christ Jesus
 All knees should bow, all tongue confess Jesus is Lord of lords and
King of kings

And now, let us come to our text. Everybody please read with me verses
11and 12 (Praise be to God our Lord, let us pray)
Testimony:

A Chinese Pastor of one of the church in the City of Wuhan, China amidst
the Pandemic Crisis due to COVID 19 was quoted saying, “The situation is so
critical, yet (we are) trusting in the Lord promises, that His thoughts toward us are
of peace, and not evil, and that He allows for a time of testing, not to destroy, but
to establish us,” he writes adding, “We have responsibility to pray for those in this
city who are fearful, and to bring to them the peace of Christ.” And he concluded,
“Because we surely know that only through the hope of the Lord’s mercy will this
city be saved.” The Pastor and the church stand for the faith in Christ Jesus. They
trust and submit to the sovereign plan and purposes of God that what is
happening is according to the purpose of His will. In danger of life, risks of death
and in all circumstances, Jesus Christ is glorified.

What a wonderful testimony – a surpassing greatness of faith that beacons

in our time to live by the faithfulness of God to reflect and shine forth His glory.

We do not know the real story, how many of them survive and how many
of them died of the unseen and deadly virus. But what a great encouragement to
know that there are believers and the church of the Lord Jesus Christ was able to
withstand in faith and continue to remain firm in the faith amidst suffering and
persecution from a country who strictly prohibited corporate worship to our dear
God.

I read recently from the internet that in Chengdu, China, authorities were
intensifying religious persecutions, closing churches, church building were turned
into warehouses, jailing Pastors – and even rewriting Scripture.

There were some Christians who continue their gathering, known as

underground church but if one will be caught, they will be charge of rebellion
against communist authorities and will be sentenced to death.

The Pastor firmly believed that everything happened by the predetermined

plan of God and in accordance to the purpose of His will to the praise of His glory.
 That illustrates our text. Here we see, that Christians are predestined to be
for the praise of His glory. It tells of the reasons why we are here. It reveals to us
one of the great purposes of our existence. This is wonderful and glorious text
that our good Lord has set the end goal of our lives.

ONE MAN IN CHRIST

If you still remember, we made it clear, that Paul’s letter is addressed to the
Church at Ephesus whose members were mainly Jews and Gentiles.

He is making a distinction between the Jewish Christians who first believed

the gospel of salvation by using the collective first personal pronoun plural and
the Gentile Christians who received the gospel later by using the collective second
personal pronoun plural.

Look at your Bible and read verses 11 and 12 and notice the word “we” and
also in verse 13 the word “you” referring to the Gentile believers and notice
further the word “our” first personal pronoun plural – possessive, referring to the
Jewish and Gentile believers with one purpose – to the praise of His glory.

Another great truth and big reason why we should praise God is that He has
predestined in making us one with His ancient people. And that, the mystery of
His will in Christ was unveiled. You, all Christians who have faith in Jesus or in
union with Jesus are children of Abraham. Therefore, there are now no two
peoples of God but one. Galatians 3:28-29 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, no
male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then
you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” And in Ephesians 2:19
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with
the saints and members of the household of God,”

But there’s something more that Paul is referring to about those who were
predestined according to God’s plan, to be the praise of God’s glory. Who are
they?
 THEY ARE GOD’S INHERITANCE

Using several translation of the Scripture help me understand the word

meaning and what the author, Paul, want to convey of the message in verse 11. I
read the different translation on verse 11 to understand what does it mean? NKJV
“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance. . .”, ESV “In Him we have obtained
an inheritance. . .” NIV “In Him we were also chosen. . .” NCV it is simplified, “In
Christ we were chosen to be God’s people. . .” In the original language, the word
translated “inheritance” is passive and it is difficult to determine as to who
possesses the inheritance, the believer or God. If it refers to the believers, its
inheritance are every spiritual blessing mentioned in our text. But if God, the
inheritance refers to all believers. According to (Hodge) the NIV and the NCV give
the clearest word, “chosen” means to “obtain by lot or inheritance”. Taking into
consideration these two versions, the possessor of the inheritance that verse 11 is
referring to is God and the inheritance are God’s people or (believers).

The idea is that (F.F. Bruce, Ephesians, p. 263), “Believers in Christ are
God’s chosen people, claimed by him as His portion or heritage.”

To sum it up, we could see that God is at work in eternity past and through
history predestining and redeeming a people for himself that we might be for the
praise of His glory. He makes us His heritage, His inheritance, by predestining us.
HE PREDESTINES US FOR His own possession. In the Song of Moses in
Deuteronomy 32:8-9, the nations of the world are assigned to various angelic
beings, but Yahweh retains Israel as His personal possession. “For the Lord’s
portion is His people, Jacob His allotted inheritance.”

Read also Deuteronomy 4:20; 7:6-8; 14:2

God in His electing love, choses us to be His own possession, His heritage,
His inheritance and this God supremely powerful and able to work all things
according to the counsel of His will.

The first Jewish believers were claimed by God as His own. This also applies
to us. We have the Spirit, who guarantees our inheritance. Thanks be to His grac
that our eyes are enlightened so that we could see the riches of His glorious
inheritance that we have in Christ.

We are God’s heritage. We are the Lord’s portion. We are His special possession.
In Christ, we have been given to God as His inheritance. We belong to God. We
are His and He is ours.

GOD’S INTENTION

WHAT IS GOD’S INTENTION FOR US, HIS HERITAGE?

God has arranged everything and is making out everything so that we

maybe to the praise of His glory.

In Him, we are safe and secure. Not only has God brought us close and
made us one with His people, not only has He made us His heritage, here we see
that we have been predestined or marked out beforehand, and that Hi marking
out is accompanied by God’s power in such a way that God works out everything
in accord with His will so that we maybe to the praise of His glory.

In one sentence, everything that happens is arranged by God so that you

will be to the praise of His glory.

Example: your marriage, family, profession, works, business, birthdays, life,

death everything. Not a single thing of God’s creation is out of God’s sovereign
will and predetermine plan and purpose to the praise of His glory.

Christians, be to the praise of His glory! Let everything that happens to you
rebound to God’s glory. Praise Him in all circumstances, situations or conditions
you may have in life.

But the question is, what attitude or behavior do we have in facing different
circumstances in life?

Could we be able to praise God, if things go well or not going well? In the
ups and down of life? In death or sickness, in failures and frustration because we
have not attained or owned the things we earnestly want to? In suffering and
pain, loneliness and sorrows? Could we still praise the glory of God?

Do you know the song “In His Time?” Which time or season that God made
beautiful in its time, that you could respond to the praise of His glory? Let’s
examine briefly Ecclessiastes 3:1-11.

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, if you believe in the sovereignty of
God, meaning He is in control of everything, there’s no reason you can’t honor
and glorify God. For this is the ultimate end of man’s life as God predestined to
be according to the purpose of His will, that we, His own people, His portion, His
inheritance blessed with every spiritual blessing by the Father in Christ, His
Beloved Son, are to be to the praise of His glory!