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In the year of Ezekiel's 30th
birthday, he sat on a Babylonian drainage canal, mourning his
home country, far away from Jerusalem, far away from Israel. Ezekiel is sitting in Babylon,
part of the deportation, the exile of Jerusalem to Babylon,
and he mourns. considering his homeland, considering
the desolation of his people, longing for the presence of God
and the temple at Jerusalem. Well, as he is mourning, God's
presence is revealed to him. Ezekiel receives a vision of
Yahweh. And God comes to him and commissions
Ezekiel as a prophet, as a preacher, to go and to preach and to prophesy
to God's people. Prophecies of warning, letting
them know that if they do not turn from their sin, God's judgment
will continue. And like other prophets we know
about, God lets Ezekiel know that by the way, they won't listen. they won't hear you. But Ezekiel
is to prophesy and warn nonetheless, not only of judgment to come
upon Israel, but a judgment that will come to the surrounding
nations that God himself will enact. and that he will do this
for his own sake, namesake, to vindicate his holy name. But
Ezekiel is also to prophesy a message of hope to a remnant in Israel
who would turn, who would repent, who would look once again to
the mercy of God. And for them, Ezekiel is to promise
a day when they will receive what they needed the whole time,
A new heart that would love God and that would obey him. A new
spirit that would do God's work within them. And God promises
a day when this will happen and God is clear to say, and I will
do the whole thing. I won't wait for Israel to try
to get it right again. I will do it. I will provide
a new heart. I will provide a new spirit. and I will reestablish
my people. And I will do this through proclamation. My people look like a valley
of dry bones now, but through this word preached and prophesied,
this desolate place will once again look like the Garden of
Eden as people pass by and see it, Ezekiel tells us. The question
now is probably what on earth does any of this have to do with
Ephesians? We'll be looking at Ephesians
1, continuing our walk through the book of Ephesians that'll
take us over the next few months. But how does this prophecy of
Ezekiel help us to understand? Well, as we've looked at in the
last few weeks, we have seen that Ephesians, as some commentators
have said, is all about the inauguration of a new creation. a new people,
a new united people under one head. Last week we saw this vision
of heaven and earth being reunited in the person and work of Christ
Jesus. And this is the cosmic plan that
has been promised from the ages, that was promised in Ezekiel. And in Ephesians, we see the
mystery. We're allowed to look behind
the curtain, so to speak, to see how God is accomplishing
this great redemption. And so I wanna continue to think
about this this morning as we consider Ephesians chapter one,
verses 11 through 14 together. And I'd like to do so under three
headings in our time. One, our inheritance. Second,
your salvation. And then finally, the great guarantee. Well, if Ephesians 1 is so much
about unity of all creation, right when we get into our text
this morning, we find a bit of an issue. In our verses, Paul
demarcates two different kinds of people, right in our verses.
And perhaps you didn't pick it up and first read, but if you
look closely, you'll see in verse 11, Paul speaks about we, But he will move in verse 13
to speak about, but you on the other hand, which is an interesting
place to go after just verse 10, Paul is talking about the
unity of all things. And now he's recognizing two
different types of people, one of which he associates himself
with. So first let's consider who are these people that Paul
is talking about? Well, as Paul starts out, he
says that in him we have obtained an inheritance. Now, if we continue,
and we will continue, and look in Ephesians 2, we see this more
broadened out. And for Paul, this we is believing
Israel. Those ethnic Israelites who have
come to believe in the promises of God. Not just the nation of
Israel, but specifically those who were, as Paul says, the first
to hope in Christ. And in some sense, these have
some sort of at least temporal priority in the gospel going
forth. Paul will say this in Romans,
that this gospel is the power of God unto salvation, first
to the Jew and then to the Greek. Well, Paul recognizes this. that
there is this we whom Paul himself associates himself with who were
the first to hope in Christ. Now this could be understood
in two ways. Paul could be talking about those
who were the first to hope in the Christ, that is the Messiah,
those from of old who believe that God was going to bring one
to redeem his people. It could be those Jews who had
received Christ after the incarnation. Frankly, we're not sure. It could
go either way, but either way, he's talking about ethnic Jews
who have responded to Christ, who believe in Jesus, who hope
in Jesus for their salvation. And it is in this Christ that
these believing Jews have been appointed as an inheritance. Now this verse is translated
a little bit different in the ESV. We read this morning that
we have obtained an inheritance. But most commentators would agree
that what the Greek is getting at here is that these people
have been appointed as an inheritance. That is to say that we are God's
inheritance, God's treasured people, which is very consistent
with the Old Testament, that Israel was called to be God's
own possession, to be his inheritance. And so Paul is highlighting this
reality that has always been true, that God in Christ is now
reestablishing his own possession in his people. Deuteronomy 4
uses this language of those that have been taken out of Egypt
for the purpose that they would be God's inheritance. Here we
find that God's people are a prized possession. That's how God thinks
of his own is those that for him are an inheritance, a treasure
that he possesses. not because of their great worthiness,
as we know, but because God has made them such. They are made
to be God's inheritance by being predestined according to his
plan and design. The plan and design that we read
about in Ezekiel this morning, that God's people were in exile
under judgment, compared to an adulterous wife or a rebellious
child. Israel was full of idolatry,
full of disobedience. But the promise is, is that for
those who would turn, God himself would remake them, would give
them new hearts, would give them a new spirit, that God would
once again make Israel his own treasured possession. Notice the emphasis in both Ezekiel
and in Ephesians that God does the whole thing. It's him who
has predestined, it's him who acts, it's him who accomplishes. He does it all. Whether Ezekiel
is talking or Paul is speaking to us in Ephesians, God is the
one who will do this. And Paul highlights this, that
God, that this God who predestined according to his own purpose
and plan is the one who in this particular case will bring about
redemption in Christ for Israel. God is sovereign through and
through. Just as we heard it laid out in the old, we see it
presented to us in the new and in full color. That yes, there
is a redemption that is coming, but in the New Testament, skin
and bones, so to speak, is put on what this redemption will
look like. It is one that comes in Jesus Christ. And as Ezekiel
says, not for their sake, but for my name's sake, I will do
this. or as Paul says, all to the praise
of his glory, he will do this. Israel restored in a way in which
God receives all the credit. Well, this is Israel's story,
but what about Paul switching to the you? Who is the you in
contrast to the we? Well, that's what I wanna consider
second this morning as we consider your salvation. Well, just as
chapter two will go on to make clear that the we is believing
Israel, chapter two will make clear that the you is those Gentiles,
those of the nations who have responded to the gospel. In the
same way that Paul wants to assure believing Jews that God does
have a plan of redemption, he wants to assure those Gentiles
in Ephesus of the same thing, that God has a plan of redemption
for them. Look at verse 13 with me. 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. For Israel, Paul emphasizes this
plan from all eternity that God would make Israel into a people
of his own possession. But in the case of the Gentiles,
he emphasizes in this seemingly new way that God is bringing
salvation to them as well. And as strange as it sounds,
he's going to do this through preaching. An odd way to save
the world. But this is what Paul says here.
Look what he says. He says, when you heard the gospel,
the word of truth, Now, we are a people of empirical truth.
Seeing is believing. We won't believe something until
we have seen it with our own eyes, but that is not how faith,
at least biblical faith, works. And this is a theme throughout
the Old Testament or the New Testament. Ours is a faith of
hearing. We see on this side of Christ
return through our ears. That's how this works. And this
is a theme. First Corinthians says this,
that God is pleased to use the foolishness of preaching to save
those who believe. And he juxtaposes this to empirical
evidence. The Jews want signs that they
can see. The Greeks want wisdom that can
be measured. But Paul says, we are here to
preach what? Christ and him crucified. And
that's how God will gather his own. Romans 10 says it like this,
that, how will they believe the one that they have not heard?
And how will they hear him without someone preaching? He'll go on
to say, for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
I'll say it again in Galatians, did you receive the Spirit by
works of the law or by hearing with faith? Prior to coming to seminary,
I worked at a church in Minnesota, very different theological tradition,
but a dear group of believers who loved us well, and worked
with a pastor there who is still a good friend of mine, but we
have some very different theological convictions which we can discuss. But I can remember being in a
staff meeting one day, and the pastor was really emphasizing
mentorship. Which, by the way, is a wonderful
thing. Older Christians mentoring, bringing up younger Christians.
Younger Christians seeking out mothers and fathers in the faith
to learn from. This is a beautiful thing. But
the reason why this pastor was so adamant about this being the
model for our church is because he would go on to say, and I
quote, and these words are seared in my memory, a sermon never
changed anyone. And I didn't know why at the
time that rung untrue, but it was seared in my memory. But
it makes sense in a lot of ways. I mean, we're in a world where
multimedia reigns. Why would you come and spend
so much time listening to a guy in a funny robe talk for half
an hour, when we could learn so much more on YouTube? Why
would we give ourselves to this? Why would we as a church say
that we see this as the rudder that steers the church? We would
see this as the place where God works. Why would we continue
to believe something like that? Because it's how God says he
will work. Faith comes by hearing. and hearing
by the word of Christ proclaimed by one of his ministers. The
preaching of the word to the nations is what God has chosen
to bring faith. Paul highlights this in Ephesians. And it's not just because wise
hearers hear something that rings true in response to propositional
truth. but because Christ himself, through
the preaching of the word, is calling his own to himself. How does that work? By the power
of the spirit, according to Paul. Well, the question is, is this
a new plan for the Gentiles? Is this a brand new theology
that Paul is coming up with? Or did we read the same thing
in Ezekiel this morning? prophesy or preach, God says
to Ezekiel. Preach over these bones and say
to them, oh dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the
Lord God to these bones, behold, I will cause my spirit to enter
you. Or as Paul says, when you heard
the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation and believed,
you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. From the very opening of the
Bible, we find that God's word and spirit together bring forth
creation. And that's exactly how he continues
to save now. When his word is united to his
spirit goes forth, it puts life into dry bones. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism
says, the spirit of God makes the reading, but especially the
preaching of the word in effectual means of convincing and converting
sinners and of building them up in holiness and comfort through
faith unto salvation. When we hear and believe, Jesus speaks to us. Not only
does he speak, but according to Paul, when we hear and believe,
we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. That Holy Spirit
that was promised in Ezekiel, that would bring about new life.
God's very life-giving Spirit that meets dry bones and brings
forth this new humanity, which Ephesians will speak about for
the next chapters. God creating a new creation out
of dry bones. What a beautiful reality. The question is, is this plan
just for the you, just for the Gentiles? Why does Paul make
this distinction? Well, Paul will go on to speak
of the condition of the Gentiles prior to hearing the Word and
that they are dead in trespasses and sin, just like that pile
of bones in Ezekiel. But as we consider the prophecy
to Ezekiel, this is a promise to the Jews. Ezekiel says that,
that these bones are the house of Israel. So what exactly is
going on here? Why all this we and you talk
from the apostle? Well, finally, let's consider
Paul's resolution to this and the great guarantee. If we consider Israel's history
and the history of the Ephesians themselves, there are a lot of
similarities. We know about Israel's history full of idolatry, necromancy,
magicians, immorality of all kinds. Well, these issues were
rampant in the pagan culture of Ephesus as well. We know magic
was a big deal. We know idol worship was a huge
deal. And we know this to be a place
of great immorality. So these people have a lot of
similarities off the bat, Israel and Ephesus, right? But the we
and the you that Paul mentions has far more in common, according
to Paul, than just their sin. That for Paul, they're both in
Christ. Look what he says, he says, Paul
starts, in him, in Christ, you, or we rather, have become an
inheritance. And then to the Gentiles, in
him, in Christ, you also were sealed with the promised Holy
Spirit. That for Paul, he sees the necessary distinction between
these groups, and yet he unites them in Christ. He sees them
as the same in Christ, and he'll go on to further highlight their
unity. Both Jew and Gentile alike find
their salvation, their adoption, their redemption in Christ alone. There is one way of salvation,
and it is through Jesus. And according to Paul, both of
these groups, the we and the you, will receive this guarantee
of salvation by way of the Spirit. Notice in verse 14, Paul switches
back to our, but for the first time he uses this first person
plural to refer to both Jew and Gentile together. That this Spirit
given is our guarantee, is our seal of salvation. To both Jew and Gentile alike,
it is the spirit who comes and breathes on dry bones. 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, who is
the guarantee of all of our inheritance, until we acquire possession of
it, all to the praise of his glory. This theme will become
very clear in chapter two as we get there, but as a preview,
God wants us to see that these groups that were once we and
you are now us. That in Christ, as Paul will
say elsewhere, there is no longer Jew or Gentile, but one redeemed
mankind in Christ Jesus. Paul will go on to say that this
is part of the great mystery that has been hidden through
the ages, that Gentiles are fellow heirs and members of the same
body, that they are part of this new creation and therefore they
are part of these promises that God has given from old to unite
all things in his Son. And for all who have heard, whether
believing Jew or believing Gentile, we receive a guarantee, or perhaps
better yet, a down payment of our salvation. Paul says that
God himself has given us, has given himself as a guarantee
that he will complete our redemption. He's put us on layaway, so to
speak. And this isn't $10 towards a
game console at Walmart. He's paid it all. We already
know that. Paul's already told us that our
ransom has been paid in Christ Jesus. The full price has been
paid and that is the deposit on each one of you. And because of that deposit,
you can know that God will finish what he started because he has
placed his spirit within you. This is what it means to be sealed.
And beloved, there is so much comfort here. We have to recognize
that we can't nor will we ever be able to find our assurance
within ourselves. But we find it in the reality
that the triune God does the whole thing all for the praise
of his glorious grace. The father chooses. And in the
fullness of time, his son comes and accomplishes. And even now
in this place, the Spirit applies that work as this word goes out
and is heard and is believed and then dwells within us as
a guarantee, as a down payment of this inheritance that is to
come. Some of us might say that it
doesn't seem that this work has even been started, or perhaps
you don't know what I'm capable of when it comes to sin, or you
don't know what I've done. And that's why God and Ezekiel
and God here says he does it all. All to the praise of his
glorious grace, and by the way, God is glorified most in saving
those who seem unsavable. That's how God works, by saving
the ones that could not be redeemed. He says that of Israel. He says,
these people have profaned my name among the nations. Well,
you know how I'm going to make my name great again? I'm gonna
save the profaners. so that people will see that
salvation and say his glorious grace is praiseworthy. This is
such a great comfort that Israel in their constant failure, Ephesus
and their idol worship, the prostitutes and tax collectors in Jesus'
day, all those that will bring God great glory in their salvation
because someone can look and say if that person was saved,
If you, beloved, were saved, God must have done all the work.
And isn't that all of our story? That God has done all the work,
and because we have this down payment, we can be assured that
he will be faithful to complete it. God's glorious grace is praised
when he raises dead bones to life. And that is how he works
then, and it is how he works now. And he is doing it even
now. It might not seem like it, but
it's what he's doing as the spirit goes forth. And as our attention
is turned to the one who has secured our salvation, he is
making, even in this place, a new humanity. of Jew and Gentile
who believe in Christ for their salvation, bringing about a new
creation, giving us new hearts, placing his own spirit within
us, that we might know that he will be faithful to finish this
work in each one of us. In the name of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit, let's pray.
When God Makes a Downpayment
Series Ephesians
Rev. Christian McArthur preaches the sermon "When God Makes a Downpayment" from Ephesians 1:11-14. From the July 21st 2024 Divine Worship Service. To access a full catalog of sermons from Providence Presbyterian Church, visit providencetemecula.com.
| Sermon ID | 81124532593265 |
| Duration | 27:56 |
| Date | |
| Category | Sunday Service |
| Bible Text | Ephesians 1:11-14 |
| Language | English |
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