Good morning. Turn with me, if you would, in your Bibles to Ephesians Chapter one. Can you hear me? Ephesians Chapter one. I should say, good morning, ambassadors. We’re ambassadors, are we not? We’re ambassadors of Christ. We represent our sovereign God in foreign territory, don’t we? Have we learned this? Have we learned that ambassadors are not born. They’re appointed. That no one in here was born a Christian. That we are appointed by God to that upon our faith. And so Ephesians chapter one has a lot to say about our role in our position, our privilege as ambassadors. There are benefits to being an ambassador of Jesus Christ. Now, did you find chapter one of Ephesians? All right. Did you? All right, let’s.

I can’t hear the rocks rattling around in your brain. So when you shake your head, say, yes, this is the one. This is an opportunity for you to be able to be loud in school. All right? Every. All the rest of the time, Mr. Copley is telling you to be quiet. I’m telling you to be loud. Did you find Ephesians 1 in your Bibles? Great. Fantastic. Now, what if I were to say to you that I am a multi millionaire? I’m not. But. But what if I were to say that to you I am a multi millionaire and I love libraries. I love libraries so much that I hear there’s a library in this building and I’m going to put a million dollars into that library because I love it so much.

And anyone who happens to be in that library can have that million dollars. We would. Would you go to the library? Would you want to be in the library? Would you want to receive what is in that library? Now, remember that it’s because I love libraries that I’m doing this. It’s not because I love myself. It’s not because I love auditoriums or gymnasiums. It’s because I love libraries. And I’m going to give everything that I’ve got to that library. And whoever’s in it’s going to get all the benefit. What if I were to say to you, do you understand that whoever’s in there gets the benefit? We understand that. Yes or no? All right. What if I were to say to you that as an ambassador of Christ, as a Christian, this is exactly the. The concept of God blessing us in Christ.

God blessing us in Christ. That the Apostle Paul’s favorite designation in the Bible for someone who is a Christian is Not a Christian. He doesn’t call us Christians. He says that we are in Christ for those of us who are in Christ. And there’s great spiritual blessings that come because we are in Christ. Turn over in your bibles to Ephesians 2, just for a moment. Ephesians 2, specifically, verse 13. Here’s where we start. He is talking here to the. The church at Ephesus that’s made up of former Jews and of Gentiles. And now they’re all mingled in together because they have. They have been saved. They have been placed Christ. Okay, verse 13. Now, in Christ Jesus, say that with me. In Christ Jesus. In Christ Jesus. You who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

There it is in Christ Jesus. Anyone who is in Christ Jesus has been brought near to God. What is the significance of that? Well, chapter two begins of Ephesians, begins with you were dead in your trespasses and sin. That is where we all begin. Do you know that the moment that we’re born, we are born into sin. We are sinners by choice, of course. We are sinners by nature, we are sinners by birth. And so therefore were dead in our trespasses and sin, and which you once walked. Verse 3 says, we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind.

But God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us even when were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places. Say this with me in Christ Jesus. In Christ Jesus. So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing. It is the gift of God, not a result of work, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Then he goes on to say, remember that you as Gentiles, and that takes in, I’m assuming, all of us, were once Gentiles who were at that time, verse 12, separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise. Listen to this. Having no hope and without God in the world. And then we read verse 13. But now in Christ Jesus, you who are once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. It’s because we’re in Christ Jesus. We once were far off, now we’ve been brought close. We once were without hope. Now we have hope. We once were lost, now we’re found. We once were dead, now we’re alive. Why is it that we can say and how.

What kind of confidence can we have to say that we are now receiving all of these benefits that I just espoused to you? It’s simply because we are in Christ Jesus. The way this works is that the Heavenly Father loves the Son. And he has loved the Son since eternity passed. There was a time when everything that we see didn’t exist. There was a time when there was nothing. And in that what we would refer to as eternity past, there existed simply the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. And God the Father loved God the Son and God the Son loved God the Father. And it was like this for eternity past. And it is like that now and it will be like that for eternity future. That the Father loves the Son.

And what the Father has purposed to do in creation is that he has spoke everything into existence out of nothing. He said, let there be and there was. And, and everything that we see now came about at the direction, at the behest and according to the word of God. And he has ordered all things for this one purpose. That he might show his love for His Son by redeeming people like us and giving us to the Son as a reward. For what? For the Son’s faithfulness. How is it that the Son proved His love for the Father? By dying upon the old rugged cross. By dying. That that the Father in essence says to the Son, Prove your love for me. And if you’ll prove your love for me, whoever you die for, I will give them to you as your reward.

I will place them in you and they will be yours. Is that not what we’re seeing there in the book of Ephesians? What blessings are accompany being in Christ. Every spiritual blessing we receive flows to us out of Christ. So God the Father loving His Son, pouring his blessings upon His Son. And just like the millionaire who says everyone that’s going to be in the library. I’m giving a million dollars to the library and anyone that’s in there is going to get that million dollars just like that. It’s a crass example, but that’s how the Father is treating us. Anyone? I’m going to bless my Son I’m going to shower my blessings upon my son. I am going to love my son. And anyone who is in him will receive those benefits. Do you see the value of being in Christ Jesus?

Say that with me. In Christ Jesus. Every blessing that we receive. John, chapter 16. Jesus said that my pages are sticking together. John, chapter 16, verse 14. John 16, verse 14. Jesus is talking about how he’s going to leave and he’s going to send them another comforter to the Spirit of truth who’s going to guide them. And he won’t speak on his own authority, but whatever hears, he’ll speak and he’ll declare to you the things that are to come. Verse 14. He says, he will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. So what we have here is a triune work. It’s a work of the Godhead.

The the Father blessing the Son receiving and buying his people, and the Spirit taking those blessings that the Father is showering upon the Son and making sure that the people receive them. Do you see how that works? None. Nothing happens in the life of a Christian apart from Jesus Christ. Nothing happens apart from Jesus Christ. In John 15, verse 4, Jesus said, I am the vine and you are the branches. You must abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine. Neither can you, unless you abide in me. Abide means take up residency, be attached to that. The life giving SAP flows through the vine to the branches. The branches must be in the vine. So for you and I, if Jesus is the vine, then all of life comes from Him.

All of the blessings of heaven come through Jesus. And since we are in him, we’re drawing on that. And he is making sure that we are. All of the spiritual blessings come through Christ. And when we are placed in Christ by the Holy Spirit, then we are in an intimate life giving spiritual union with Jesus Christ. Union with Christ. Christ is the source of all life and all strength, all blessedness and all salvation. And if we be in him, then we receive all that the Father gives to him. Now go back to chapter one. I told you to. We were going to look at chapter one. In Ephesians one, just one. Chapter 13 times do we have the phrase in Christ in Him or in the Beloved, which refers to Jesus 13 times, do you think that’s important?

And then in the next chapter two, eight times do we have that phrase in Christ? A total of 21 times in two chapters I think it’s something that we need to pay attention to? I think it’s something that we need to know. And so as we look here at verse three, I’m just going to read this to you. I want you to pay attention. And if you mark in your Bible, I want you to underline every time it says in Christ, in Him or in the Beloved. Okay? Just so that it draws your attention. The next time you happen to flip your Bible open to Ephesians 1. Let me just read this to you. Pay attention to all of the spiritual blessings that we have because we are in Christ Jesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us. Say it with me, in Christ, with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. How many spiritual blessings do we have? What’s it say in the text? Look at the text and tell me what it says. Say it loud and say it proud. Every spiritual blessing. This is high doctrine here, my friends. This is high doctrine that God is giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. That’s Jesus.

In Him, Jesus, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us, poured upon us. Remember we said that we’re in Jesus and the Father is pouring out his blessings upon Jesus. Imagine my finger as me and you and my hand as Jesus. The finger in the hand. And then pouring all the blessings of heaven on down on my hand. Does my finger get it too? Of course. Not out here by myself. But when I’m in Christ, I receive these blessings. So he lavishes these blessings upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will. And it is a divine mystery. Let me tell you the greatest mystery there is. Why God would ever choose to save anyone. We don’t deserve it. We’re sinners.

Even after we’re saved, we continue to sin. We wrestle with these besetting sins. We struggle, we’re frail, we’re infirm, we have difficulties, we’re weak. Yet he loves us and saves us. The mystery of his will according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. There it is, as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in Him. There it is. Things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. Why is it that we’re being saved? So that Christ might receive the glory? That’s what it says right there, isn’t it? Why are you saved?

Is it because you’re special? Is it because there’s no one like you? Is it because heaven just wouldn’t be heaven without you? Of course not. We’re saved. The depth of our depravity and the depth of Christ’s love and obedience for His Father to reach way down and to save any of us rings in the heavens the praises and the glory of Jesus Christ. That he is willing to die for such a wretch like me in order to buy me and to place me in Christ. Notice what else it says in verse 12. So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory in Him. You also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. How are we placed in Christ?

It’s when we hear the Gospel and believe it, that’s faith. We’re saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. That’s it. Verse 14. Who is the guarantee of our inheritance? The Holy Spirit, until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory. For this reason, because I had heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love in the Lord Jesus, your love toward all saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you. We’ll stop there. Follow this with me in these first 14 verses. In Christ I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. In Christ I am. Verse 4. Chosen divine mystery. But God knows what he’s doing. Verse 5. In Christ I am predestined. Verse 5. In Christ I am adopted.

I once was not a part of his family, and now I am adopted into his family. Can you say that? Verse 6. In Christ I am accepted. Verse 7. In Christ, I. I am redeemed. That means I am bought back. I sold myself into sin. I had sold myself cheaply. But Jesus Christ bought me back from the marketplace and he placed me where I’ll never be sold ever again. Because I believe. Because I believe in him. And I am in him. Verse 7. In Christ I am forgiven. Verse 8 and 9. In Christ I Am enlightened. He helps me to see his glory, his grace and my great need. Verse 11. In Christ I am given an inheritance. Verse 13. In Christ I am sealed by the Holy Spirit. God’s stamp is placed upon me. Verse 14.

In Christ I am assured of my salvation. That the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. What spiritual blessings do we have? Look at chapter one of Ephesians. And it only comes by being in Christ. So Romans chapter three. And with this we’ll close. Romans chapter three, verse 23. There was a time when were not saved. And I hope that every one of you that hear the sound of my voice can say that I have had faith in Jesus Christ. I recognize my need, that I am a sinner and that I need saved. I need to be forgiven. I have repented of my sins. I have turned in faith to Christ. I’ve been placed in Christ. I hope that is yours testimony. Because none of us are born Christians, we must be born again.

We must realize that it’s not my parents faith, it must be my faith, not my preacher’s faith. It must be my faith and my faith that saves. And In Romans chapter 3 it says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Every one of us starts there as sinners. We are sinners who are damned and on our way to hell. We have sinned and fallen short. But verse 24. And we are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Say that with me. In Christ Jesus. Where is the redemption in Christ Jesus? Where is our justification? Therefore, where is our salvation to be found? Is it found anywhere else? Not in our works, not in a man, not in a system, not in a building. It’s only in Jesus Christ.

Romans, chapter 6, verse 23. Romans 6, 23. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life. In Christ Jesus our Lord. Where is our eternal life? You’re getting it folks. You’re getting it. You’re getting it. First Corinthians, chapter one, verse 30. What God is doing. Verse 28. God chose what is low and despised in the world. Even things that are not to bring to nothing, things that are so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him, you who are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification, redemption. So that as it is written, let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. Where is our sanctification? Where is our righteousness? Where is our redemption? In whom must we boast? And I would say, in Christ Jesus.

Jesus alone. Let us pray. Father, if we look anywhere else apart from Jesus Christ, we’re lost. If we trust in anything other than Christ, we’re lost. Father, if we think that our faith comes to us by osmosis, we’re lost. If we think that we can give enough money and do enough things and sing enough songs and go to church and go to Christian school and be saved, we’re lost. Our only salvation is in Christ Jesus alone, the One whom you love. And it’s proven his love for you and dying to redeem for himself a people.

And, Father, we are confident that you will make sure that your Son is glorified for an eternity upon eternity by a class of people that have been redeemed from their sins by the blood of this Jesus who died in their place and who will cry out for eternity. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Father, I pray that we would begin now just to simply trust Jesus and to say, lord, forgive us as we sin. Receive us unto yourself. Add us to that great throng of people who will forever be singing the song of the redeemed in heaven, knowing that the only reason that they’re in heaven is because they were first in Christ Jesus. Let this message resonate with us today. It’s in Christ’s name that we pray. Amen. Thank you.