God’s Unexpected Family

Questions for Reflection

EPHESIANS 1:1-14

1. What can you observe in this passage considering each member of the Trinity?

• God the Father (vs. 3-6)
• The Lord Jesus Christ (vs. 7-10)
• The Holy Spirit (vs. 13-14)

2. Twice in this passage, Paul write about God’s pleasure and will (vs. 5 & 9-10). What does he say are they? Do they line up with your own desires?

3. Since you have been adopted, in verse 5, in what ways has God been a father to you? In what ways has the church been a family to you? How could you treat other believers like family?

4. Describe how you see unity, in verse 10, as being different from uniformity. What should unite us? How have you experienced unity with fellow Christians that are different from you?

5. To learn more about how unity is put into practice, see the first study guide video with Worship and the Arts Co-Directors, Duane Funderburk and Jeremy Rose. To continue on with more questions in Ephesians 1, see the Small Group Study Guide on the first tab below the video.

Chinese Study Notes

                                    回歸原本的自己：一個遠超所求所想的家庭

                                                            以弗所書1：3-14

            “回歸原本的自己”----這就是我們教會在接下來十一周之中所要一起思考的主題。希望我們從這個主題之中，能更多理解到新約裏關於更像基督的教導。

            然而我在想，大多數人在聽到“回歸原本的自己”這個句子時會想到什麽。我想大概很多人都會覺得，這裏所說的，無非是我們經常聽到的一些流行心理學的說法，認為我們所有人都應當找到自己的喜好，和我們最深的欲望所在，然後就盡力去追隨它們。“不要讓其他人告訴你應當做什麽，或者何為對錯！你必須要自己去發現！” 這種生活觀挑戰你去“自我實現”，它告訴你，唯有你自己有責任發揮自己的潛能。

            然而這不是我們今年秋季要在教會教導的。那麽如果這不是我們這個系列講道的內容，當我們在聽到“回歸原本的自己”這個句子的時候，我們會想到什麽呢？我很確定，肯定有些人會想到迪斯尼的動畫片獅子王。其中，叢林之王寶座的繼承人辛巴接受了一種以自我為中心的哲學，這與我剛剛提到的“以自我為中心”的生活觀不同。辛巴將時間耗費在自我之中，完全無需掛慮外面的世界。你可能知道，它已故的父親木法沙從墳墓中來看他，告訴他說：“要記住你是誰!” 木法沙想要它的兒子知道，它是為著比自我中心更大的事物而生的。（請看https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=661FpEeDb7g)。

            我們這個系列所要談論的，會更像木法沙對小辛巴講的話，而不是一種自我實現的虛假承諾。但是聖經中所教導的內容與木法沙教導辛巴的內容並不完全相同。我們所要考慮的是聖經對我們的呼召，首先，當耶穌成為我們的救主之後，我們要以神的眼光看待自己，神是“在耶穌裏“看我們。祂不但只看到我們現在的狀況，也看到當神最終完成祂工作時我們的狀況。第二，我們要思考，我們如何才能變為神完成祂的善工之時我們將會變成的樣子。

            今天，我們需要知道，神已經看到了祂所應許的我們將要成為的樣式。聖經說，神是“在基督裏“ 看你。我們沒有一個人是已經得以完全的（阿門？），但以弗所書教導我們，在神的眼中，我們都正在變為我們原本應有的樣式。事實上，神應許並保證了這一點（1：13-14）。

            所以，這就是今天的問題：在神的眼中，我們是誰？當神按照祂所應許我們的原本樣式看我們現今狀況的時候，祂看到了什麽？我想從教會和個人兩個角度來問這個問題。

在教會中我們是誰？當神看到我們的時候，祂看到的是什麽?

神將我們視為祂所愛、所祝福的大家庭；由各個群體、語言和民族的人所組成，在特定的時間和地點聚在一起，而得以讓世人認識神。使世人認識神就是榮耀神。在二十一世紀，我們在加州的帕薩迪納榮耀神的名。換句話說，當世人看到我們共同的生活與成長，他們就會更多地看到三一真神的樣式。

            我們現在是否完全像那樣呢？不，我們還不能如此！但是神應許我們將會如此。整個這一季，我們所聽到的經文，都將是關於神的工作的美好經文，這工作將使我們作為一個教會，成為我們原本應有的樣式。

在神的眼中，你是誰？當神看到你時，祂看到的是什麽？

神視你為擁有祂豐盛慈愛和祝福的人，神重塑你的一生，使你像耶穌一樣完全和完整。換句話說，當人們看到你，他們會越來越多地看到耶穌的特質。正如羅馬書8：29中所說的，你會“有基督的模樣“。

你現在是否能完全如此呢？不能！你還不能做到，我也不能！但是神應許了我們所有信靠耶穌的人，藉著神在我們生命中的工作，我們將會有基督的模樣。以弗所書的核心，就是這個問題：我們要成為怎樣的教會，和我們在神的家中要成為怎樣的人。

我越來越多地發現到，真正跟隨耶穌的人常會為著他們與神應許之中的差距而苦惱。在過去的20到25年間，我非常有幸能夠陪伴一些偉大的信徒度過他們生命的盡頭，他們在那時向我承認，即使在人生的最後階段，他們都認為自己離聖經中所說的“神的榮耀“還相差很遠（羅3：23）。現在，當我跟隨主六十年、而其中大部分年月都做牧師之時，我也有此同感。事實上，我希望今天，我們都可以理解使徒保羅在腓利比書3：12-14中所說的：“這不是說，我已經得著了，已經完全了。我乃是竭力追求，或者可以得著基督耶穌所以得著我的。”

這段經文對我來說意義重大。這是我自己的見證。換句話說，我誠實的承認，我還沒有達到我所希望的樣子，但是我在努力成為我在基督裏應有的樣式，我內心充滿這樣的希望。

因此，當我們讀以弗所書時，我們會看到關於我們在基督裏當有的樣式的描述：

• • 神在基督裏揀選我們，使我們在祂面前成為聖潔，無有瑕疵。（1：4）
• • 我們原是祂的工作，在基督耶穌裏造成的，為要叫我們行善。（2：10）
• • 叫神一切所充滿的，充滿了你們。（3：19）
• • 認識神的兒子，得以長大成人，滿有基督長成的身量。（4：13）
• • 穿上新人。這新人是照著神的形象造的，有真理仁義和聖潔（4：24）

以弗所書5：8總結了所有這一切：“你們從前是暗昧的，但如今在主裏面是光明

的，行事為人就當像光明的子女。”

            今天，讓我們在使徒保羅開始的地方開始，他提醒我們，所有這一切只能通過神的作工而發生。 黑暗無法變成光明。 在以弗所書1：3-14，在保羅書信的開頭，他告訴我們神美好的應許，就是我們將成為神造我們原本的樣式，這就是三一真神------聖父（1：3-6），聖子（1：7 -12）和聖靈（1：13-14）的工作。 今天，我會簡要地介紹一下神在我們生命中的工作。 但是通過這個系列的信息，我們將更深入地了解神是怎樣在我們身上作工的。

            在以弗所書1：3-14中，使徒保羅在寫給以弗所這座特大城市中的教會時，使用的是家庭用語。 這是一個難以合而為一的一個教會，因為有些成員是猶太人，有些則是外邦人。 在那個時代，這兩個群體互相仇視。 他們可能都愛耶穌，但他們彼此無法相愛。 因此，整個信中貫穿的一個基本問題是：“建造這樣一個家庭是誰的想法？”

第一，這個“超過所求所想的家庭”是使父神的榮耀得以彰顯的永恒計劃。 在創造世界之前，父神和我們的主耶穌基督在祂裏面選擇了我們......（1：3-6）。

            我們的英文版本將弗1：3-12劃分為多個句子，但是，在原文中，它只是一個長句。 使徒保羅在寫到這裏時非常激動，以至於他甚至沒有停下來喘口氣。 他仿佛在大聲喊道：“讓我告訴你：願贊美歸於父神！祂使用在基督裏的各樣屬靈的福氣，去祝福像你我這樣的人。 而且，不管你信不信，我們不必向祂乞求那些祝福。 我們無法賺取這些祝福。 祂早在創造世界之前就選擇了我們進入祂的家中，並將他的祝福慷慨地賜予我們！

在我們美國的教會中，大多數人在讀以弗所書1：3-14時，似乎都只關註在“揀選”和“預定”等關於救恩神學教義的詞語上。現在，正如我們教會經常提到的那樣，聖經一再指出，我們的救恩始於神。 在我們愛祂之前祂就先愛了我們。與此同時，我們有責任在信心之中對神做出回應，藉著接受耶穌為救主，並承諾在順服之中跟隨祂。 這兩件事都是真實的。

但是，在以弗所書第1章中，聖經強調了那真理的第一部分，即：神想要我們都進入祂的家中。 這一點讓使徒保羅深深地感動。 你還記得嗎？即使在他生命的盡頭，即使神是愛他的，保羅仍然覺得他是罪人中的罪魁（提摩太前書1:15）。如果沒有神主動地介入他的生活，保羅知道他是沒有希望的。救恩始於神。

要理解這些重要的經文，你需要知道，聖經指的是我們為一個家庭所收養。 請註意第4節中的短語“得兒子的名分。”這是第一世紀的法律用語。 收養有幾種，但這句話“得兒子的名分”是指收養子女成為家庭的正式成員，包括擁有所有的繼承權。 是的，這種收養的孩子不是二等家庭成員。 這就是為什麽保羅說，當神將我們收養入祂的家時，祂給了我們“這個家庭裏的天父所能給予的天上各樣屬靈的福氣（1：3）”。 而且，我希望你們知道，我們的父親給了我們真正重要的一切。 他寬恕我們的罪惡，挪去我們的羞恥和愧疚，醫治我們內在的生命，和解破碎的關系......祂可以讓你從毒癮和束縛中得到解脫。祂給了你充實的生命。祂做了所有的這些事，甚至更多。

因此假如你說，“如果神知道關於我的某些事情，祂就不會想要我成為祂的家人。”我現在告訴你，“祂已經知道了，祂知道你的一切”。 而且，祂愛你。 現在，神是如此愛你，以至於祂不讓你停留在原地，祂已經準備好要翻轉和重新塑造你的生命。

而且，祂不單會對我們個人說話，祂也會對教會大家庭說話。 這些經文中的語言用的不是單數形式，而是復數。 這些話都是寫給和我們一樣的當地教會的。 聖經說，神永恒的計劃是，將以弗所城中如此分裂的猶太人和外邦人聚集到一個家中。 你有沒有註意到9-10節？ 其中談到神永恒的目的，為要顯明祂的榮耀：“天父在基督裏的旨意...... 使天上地上一切所有的，都在基督裏面同歸於一。”並且這項工作要從神設立在社區中的教會開始。

所以，神在第一世紀於以弗所城安置了一個教會，並將它放在一個猶太人和外邦人彼此不相往來的社區之中，祂告訴他們，祂將使他們同歸於一，並使他們在基督裏合而為一。 這就是他們------一群屬於一個超過所求所想的基督家庭裏的人們。現在，祂將我們安置在加利福尼亞州的帕薩迪納市，這是世界上最多元化的城市之一，祂將我們同聚在一個家庭之中，並將我們同歸於基督裏。 當他把我們帶入祂的家時，祂使我們保留著各自的多元性：不同的種族，不同的外表，不同的恩賜，不同的年紀等等。但是祂把我們植入這個社區並告訴我們怎樣合一地生活，事奉和敬拜，以使世人看到，神是真實的，也由此看到祂的樣式。 正如三位一體的神永遠作為聖父、聖子和聖靈存在一樣，教會只有一個，卻是由神所創造的每一種人組成，並在基督裏成為一體。這就是我們。現在，我們必須成為我們原本的樣式！

有時做到這樣很難，不是嗎？ 但是，這正是神的想法和神永恒的計劃。有誰會想到這樣的事情呢？你和我肯定會選擇不同的人成為家庭成員。 這是肯定的。神揀選擇了法利賽人保羅，也揀選了那個在路加福音第七章中被抓的賣淫婦人，使這兩個人成為一個家庭裏的人。 祂選擇了一個稅吏撒該，他被自己的族人視為叛徒，也揀選了像西蒙這樣的政治狂熱者，他認為稅吏需要被監禁 。神將他們放入一個家庭中。 你會這樣做嗎？ 當然不會。但是神卻會。而且，藉著這樣做，祂讓自己為世人所知。祂因此宣稱，有一個賜給所有人的大好信息，所有的人藉著對耶穌的信心都可以得到它。藉著信靠基督，所有人的都被歡迎進入那超過所求所想的神的家中。

我的時間都快用完了，但我幾乎還沒有開始進入正題。 所以，讓我很快地、簡要地告訴大家，這些經文不僅講述聖父的工作，還有聖子和聖靈的工作。我們將在整個秋季，更充分地回到對這些事情的關註上來。

在耶穌裏，我們借著祂的血贖罪，罪得赦免......（1：7-12）。

我們是誰？ 根據第4節，我們是神所認為的“聖潔和無可指責的人”。這包括你和我！這就引出了一個很大的問題，那就是， 真理的神如何真實地宣告你和我是聖潔無瑕的？不聖潔的人如何被說成是聖潔的？神怎能看到滿了責備和羞恥的人如同無可指責的，並使他們脫離羞恥？

你知道答案，對嗎？ 父神差遣祂的兒子耶穌來拯救我們。 祂就是這樣做的。 只有耶穌過著我們本應該過的聖潔和無可指責的生活，而我們沒有一個人有過這種完全聖潔無瑕的生活。 然而，就是這無罪的人，願意為我們的罪而死，而這死本是我們當受的，祂卻甘願如此行，並且祂代替我們如此行了。祂接受了本是我們應得的懲罰，且為寬恕我們的罪付出了代價。保羅在7-8節中心存敬畏地說：“我們藉這愛子的血得蒙救贖，過犯得以赦免，乃是照他豐富的恩典...... ”

為什麽神會如此行？在第4節中聖經只說到“在愛中”。 所以，神愛我們！神愛你！事實上即使我們還沒有完全聖潔和無可指責，也是如此。神是透過基督來看我們，祂是以祂完成了在我們身上的救恩之後，我們將會成為的樣式來看我們的。

我們如何得到那寬恕的禮物？ 13節告訴我們：“你們既聽見真理的道，就是那叫你們得救的福音，也信了基督，既然信他，就受了所應許的聖靈為印記”。所以，我問你，“你相信嗎？”相信主耶穌基督，你就會得救（使徒行傳16:31）。

第三，這超過所求所想的家庭是被聚合在一起的，它的未來藉著聖靈的同在而得到保障。 當你信靠祂，你就在祂裏面有了印記，就是聖靈的應許，祂是那應允我們承受天國產業的（1：13-14）。

至此，我們需要面對一個教會在歷史進程之中不斷掙紮面對的問題，那就是，神將人們帶入祂的家，而其他的家庭成員並不想加入這個家庭之中。 在第一世紀的以弗所中確實如此。神歡迎猶太人和外邦人藉著信靠耶穌而進入到祂的家庭。 但是他們不想成為同一個家庭; 至少不是在同一地方的教會家庭。

            在13-14節中，保羅指出，猶太人和外邦人所受的是同樣的聖靈。 我確信，保羅所指的是在使徒行傳10-15中，神的靈被傾倒在相信耶穌的外邦人身上時，導致了原本全是猶太信徒的教會的巨大爭議。 但是，神有意以這樣的方式讓他們看到，神的靈也與外邦人同在、也在他們中間作工。如果神藉著在耶穌裏的信仰而接納所有人進入祂的家中，並將祂的靈賜給所有接受耶穌的人，那麽我們也應該這樣做。

            在未來幾周裏，我會更多談論到這件事，但現在，我想簡單地說一下，我們若要變成神眼中的樣式，那麽我們也要學會用神看我們的眼光彼此相看。在神的眼中，我們是按照祂的形象所造的，也都是耶穌受死而救贖的人。祂將我們所有人都視為聖靈內住其中的人。祂視我們為祂的家人，就是那超過所求所想的家人，但對祂而言並不超出意料之外，因為我們都在祂永恒的計劃之中。 對於一個分裂的世界來說，像湖邊大道教會這樣的家庭肯定是超乎意料之外的。現在，我們要成為我們原本的樣式。

這一切有時似乎是不可能的，不是嗎？ 在神的眼中，像我們這樣的人如何成為無可指責的聖潔之人？ 像我們這樣的一個教會如何在凡事上同歸於一？（第10節）。

所以，在這第一個信息中，我與大家分享的與保羅所告訴他教會的是同一件事：這就是神的工作：父，子，聖靈。我們不能做的事，祂能。 我們正在成為神所說的樣式。神已經看到了！而最終將會成就此事。

今天，我希望能讓大家帶回去一個實用的東西。 傑夫馬特西奇牧師給我帶來了約翰斯托德牧師每天祈禱的早禱文副本。 約翰斯托德在後期成為了與我私交甚好的朋友。 每年，他都會在我主持的大學教堂裏做禮拜。 我知道，他一定會告訴你，他在基督裏還遠遠未成為完全人。 但是，我們這些認識他的人認為，他是耶穌的敬虔與真實的跟隨者。 他知道，唯一可將我們從現在的自我改變為神所說的樣式的方法，就是三一真神的工作，他每天都做這個禱告。我鼓勵大家同樣去做。

約翰斯托特的早禱

早上好，天父;

早上好，主耶穌;

早上好，聖靈。

天父，我敬拜你這宇宙的創造者和維持者。

主耶穌，我敬拜你，這世界的救主和全能的主。

聖靈，我敬拜你，你使神的子民得以成聖。

榮耀歸於聖父，聖子和聖靈。天父，我祈求，我今天可以活在你的面光之中，並且越來越多地討你喜悅。

主耶穌，我祈禱，這一天我可以背起我的十字架跟隨你。

聖靈，我禱吿，這一天你會充滿我，並使你聖靈的果子在我的生命中成熟：

仁愛，和平，喜悅，耐心，恩慈，善良，信實，溫柔和節制。

聖潔，蒙福，榮耀的三位一體，在一位神中有三位個體，求你憐憫我。

阿門

榮耀歸給神

Greg Waybright博士

主任牧師

Sermon Notes

Becoming Who We Are:  An Unexpected Family

Ephesians 1:3-14

     “Becoming who we are” – that’s what we will be considering together for the next 11 weeks here at LAC.  With that phrase, we’re trying to capture something that is central to the New Testament’s teaching about us growing to become more like Jesus.

     But, I wonder what most people think of when they hear a phrase like, “becoming who we are.”  I imagine that many might think that it’s talking about something we often hear in some pop psychology in our day that says all of us should discover what our individual passions are, what our inclinations or deepest desires are – and then go after them with all our strength.  “Don’t let anyone else tell you what to do or what’s right and wrong!  You’ve got to go for it yourself!”  This view of life challenges you to “self-actualize,” i.e., it tells you that you and you alone are responsible to fulfill your potential.

     That’s not what we’ll be teaching this fall here at Lake.  So, if that’s not what this series is about, what else might come to mind when hear, “becoming who we are”?  Well, I’m quite sure some of you might think of the Disney animated movie, The Lion King.  In it, the young heir to the throne of the king of the jungle named Simba had embraced a self-centered “hakuna matata” philosophy not unlike the self-centered view of life I just mentioned.  Simba was wasting his life living for himself with no worries and no problems about the rest of the world.  Then, as you may know, he receives a visit from the grave by his deceased father, Mufasa, in which the father tells his son, “Remember who you are!”  Mufasa wanted his son to know that he was made for something much bigger than this self-centered living.  (See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=661FpEeDb7g)

     What we will be talking about this fall will be a whole lot more like Mufasa’s words to young Simba than like the false promises of self-actualization.  But, what the Bible teaches is not quite the same as Mufasa taught.  What we be considering is the Bible’s call to us, first, to see ourselves as God sees us when Jesus is our savior, i.e., God sees us “in Christ.”  God sees us not just as we might be living right now but as we will be when God has finished his work in us.  Then, second, we’ll consider how we will become what God says we will be – when God has finished his work in us. 

     Know this today: God already sees you as he promises he will make you to be. The Bible says, God sees you “in Christ”.  Not one of us has yet been made complete (Amen?) – but, the Book of Ephesians will teach us that we are all becoming who we are in the eyes of God.  In fact, God promises it – guarantees it (1:13-14).   

     So, here is the question of the day: Who are we in the eyes of God?  When God sees us now as he promises we will be, what does he see? I want to ask this question both about us as a church and as individuals.

Who are we at Lake Avenue Church?  When God sees us, what does he see?

     God sees us as a gathering of his loved, blessed and unexpected family made up of people from every tribe, language and nation and located in this time and place to live together in such ways that we make God known to our world.  Making known what God is like is what it means to glorify God.  We are here in Pasadena, CA in the 21^st C to glorify God. In other words, when the world sees us doing life together, they should see growing to become what our Triune God is like.

     Are we perfectly like that now?  No, we aren’t!  But, God promises us we will be.  And, what we will hear from Scripture this entire fall is about the work of God that will lead to us as a church becoming who we are.

Who are you in the eyes of God?  When God sees you, what does he see?

     God sees you as a person he lavishly loves and blesses, and whose life he is remaking to be whole and complete like that of Jesus.  In other words, when people see you, they will increasingly see something of Jesus.  They will see a person, as Rom 8:29 says, is being “conformed to the image of Christ.”

     Are your perfectly like that now? No!  You are not – nor am I!  But all of us who place our faith in Jesus are promised that through the work of God in our lives, we will be.  And, at the heart of the Book of Ephesians is this matter of becoming: both becoming who we are as a church in the family of God and becoming who we are as individual members of the family of God. 

     I have been discovering more and more how genuine followers of Jesus often agonize over how far we are from what God promises he will make us to be.  Over the past 20-25 years, I have had the incredible privilege of being with great men and women of God at the ends of their lives who have confessed to me that they consider themselves, even at the end of their lives, to be far short of what the Bible calls “the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).  And, now after following Jesus myself for 60 years and being a pastor for most of them, I feel that way too.  In fact, I imagine today that we can all relate to the Apostle Paul’s words in Phil. 3:12-14 -- I am not saying “that I have already obtained all this or have already arrived at the goal…”. I am saying that “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…”.

     That passage means so much to me.  It’s my own testimony.  In other words, I honestly confess I am not yet all that I will be, but I press on toward becoming who I am in Christ.  I am filled with hope.

     So, we will be seeing beautiful language about becoming who we are in Christ as we go through Ephesians:

• “God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless before him (1:3).”
• “We are God’s masterpiece created in Christ Jesus for good works (2:10).”
• “We will be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (3:19).”
• “We will we all reach unity in the faith… and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (4:13).”
• “We will put on a new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (4:24).”

     All this is summed up succinctly in Eph 5:8 – “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. So, begin to live as children of light.”  In other words, “become who you are!”

     Let’s begin today in the place the Apostle Paul began, i.e., with the reminder that all this can only happen through the work of God.  Darkness cannot turn itself into light.  In Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul begins his letter by telling us that this beautiful promise of us becoming what we are meant to be is the work of the Triune God: Father (1:3-6), Son (1:7-12), and Holy Spirit (1:13-14).  Today, I’ll give you only a brief overview of God’s work in our lives.  But, we’ll be going deeper into how God is at work in us throughout this series of messages.

     In Eph 1:3-14, the Apostle Paul used family language to begin his letter to the church in the mega-city of Ephesus.  This was a church that was struggling to be unified as a family because some of the members were Jews and others were Gentiles. In the world at that time, these two groups hated one another.  They may have loved Jesus – but they didn’t love one another.  So, one fundamental question that permeates this entire letter is: “Whose idea was it to have a family like this?”

#1: This unexpected family is God the Father’s eternal plan to make his glory known.  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ chose us in him before the creation of the world… (1:3-6).

     Our English versions have divided Eph 1:3-12 into a number of sentences – but, in the original letter, it was all one long sentence. The Apostle Paul was thrilled when he wrote it, so much so that he didn’t even pause to take a breath.  It’s like he’s shouting out, “Let me tell you something: Praise be to God the Father!  He has blessed people like you and me with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  And, believe it or not, we don’t have to beg him for those blessings.  We can’t earn those blessings.   No, he chose us before the creation of the world to be in his family and to lavish his blessings on us!!”

     Most people in our American churches who read Eph 1:3-14 seem to focus only on the theological doctrines about salvation found in words like “chosen” and “predestined”.  Now, as I have spoken of often here at LAC, the Bible points out again and again that our salvation begins with God.  He loved us before we ever loved him.  At the same time, we do have a responsibility to respond in faith to God by receiving Jesus as savior and making a commitment to follow him in obedience.  Both of these things are true.

     But, in Eph 1, the Bible emphasizes the first part of that truth, i.e., that God is the one who wanted us in his family. This is the point that thrilled the Apostle Paul so profoundly.  Do you remember that, even at the end of his life, Paul still felt that he was the worst of sinners (1 Tim 1:15) and that God loved him anyway?  Paul knew there was no hope for him without God taking the initiative to break into his life.  Salvation starts with God.

     To understand these great verses, you need to realize that, in them, the Bible is taking about being adopted into a family.  Notice that phrase in v. 4, “adoption as sons.”  This was a technical phrase in the 1^st C legal world.  There were several kinds of adoption but this phrase, “adoption as sons” referred to the kind of adoption in which the adopted child was made a full member of the family including all inheritance rights.  Yes, this kind of adopted child was not a 2^nd class family member.  That’s why Paul says that when God adopts us into his family, he gives us “every spiritual blessing (1:3)” that the Heavenly Father of this family can give.  And, as I hope you know, our Father gives us everything that truly matters.  He forgives sins, takes away shame and guilt, begins to heal our inner beings, to reconcile broken relationships…  He can set you free from addictions and bondages. He gives you life to the full.  He does all that and much, much more.

     So, if you say, “If God knew some things about me, he wouldn’t want me in his family.”  I’m telling you, “He already knows – he knows everything about you”. And, he loves you.  Now, God loves you too much to leave you where you are, but he is ready and able to turn you around and remake your life. 

     And, what he says to us as individuals, he also says to us as a church family.  The language in these verses is not singular but plural. These are words written to local church families like ours.  What the Bible says is that God’s eternal plan is that he will bring together into one family people as divided as Jews and Gentiles were in the city of Ephesus.  Did you notice vv. 9-10?  They speak of God’s eternal purpose to make known his glory: “God the Father purposed in Christ…to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”  And, that work is to start in the local churches God places in communities.

     So, God placed a church in Ephesus in the 1^st C.  He placed it into a society in which Jew and Gentile wanted nothing to do with one another and told them he would unite them and make them one in Christ. That’s who they were – one unexpected family now one in Christ.  And, he has now placed us here in Pasadena, CA, one of the most diverse cities in our world and he adopts us into one family.  He unites here us in Christ.  As he adopts us into his family, he leaves the breadth of diversity: different ethnicities, different physical appearance, different gifts, different generations, etc.  But, he plants us into this neighborhood and tells us to live, serve and worship in unity so that people might see that God is real and see what he is like.  Just as God is one God always existing as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so the church is one but made up of every kind of person God has created – all one in Christ.  That’s who we are.  Now, we must become who we are!

     Sometimes it’s hard, isn’t it?  But, this is God idea and God’s eternal plan.  Who else would have thought of such a thing?  You and I surely would have chosen different family members.  That’s for sure.  God chose the Pharisee Paul as well as a woman who had been trapped in prostitution in Luke 7 – both for one family.  He chose a tax-collector Zacchaeus who was viewed as a traitor by his own people as well as a political zealot like Simon who thought that tax-collectors needed to be imprisoned – and put them into one family.   Would you have done that?  Of course not.  But, God does.  And, by doing so, he makes himself known to all the world.  He thereby declares, that there is good news available for all people – for all people – through faith in Jesus.  There is welcome through faith in Christ for all people in God’s unexpected family.

     My time is almost gone today – and I’ve hardly begun.  So, let me simply show you briefly how these verses speak not only of the work of God the Father but also of God the Son and God the Holy Spirit – and we will return to these things more fully throughout fall.

#2.  The unexpected family is made possible through the person and work of God the Son, Jesus.  In Jesus, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins… (1:7-12).

     Who are we?  According to v. 4, we are people God sees as “holy and blameless.”  That includes you and me!  It begs a huge question, doesn’t it?  How can a God who is truth truthfully declare that you and I are holy and blameless?  How can unholy people be said to be holy?  How can God see blame-filled/shame-filled people as blameless and freed from shame? 

      You know the answer, don’t you?  God the Father sent his Son Jesus to rescue us.  That’s how he does it.  Jesus alone lived the holy and blameless life we should all be living – but none of us has lived a perfectly holy and blameless life.  Then, this same sinless one was willing to die the death we all deserve for our sins and he did it knowingly and he did it in our place.  He took the punishment we deserve and paid the price necessary for our forgiveness.  In awe as one rescued by Jesus, Paul says in vv. 7-8, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavishes on us…”

     Why would God do such a thing?  The Bible only says, “in love” in v.4.  So, God loves us!  God loves you!  That is true even when we are not yet fully holy and blameless.  God sees us in Christ.  He sees us as we will be when he is finished with us. 

     How do we receive that gift of forgiveness?  V. 13 tells us: You are “included in Christ when you hear the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation and you believe…”. So, I ask you, “Do you believe?”  Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).

#3:  The unexpected family is sealed together, and its future secured through the presence of God the Holy Spirit.  When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (1:13-14).

     At this point, we need to face a difficult issue that churches throughout history have had to wrestle with, i.e., God adopts people into his family that the rest of the family doesn’t really want in the family.  This was certainly true in Ephesus in the 1^st C.  God was welcoming both Jews and Gentiles into his family through faith in Jesus. But they didn’t want to be in the same family; at least, not in the same local church family.

     In vv. 13-14, Paul makes the point that both Jew and Gentile have received the same Holy Spirit.  I’m sure Paul is referring back to the time when, in Acts 10-15 when God’s Spirit was poured out on Gentiles who came to faith in Jesus.  This led to an enormous controversy in the previously all-Jewish church.  But, the presence and work of God’s Spirit among Gentiles was the way God forced them to see that, if God received all people into his family through faith in Jesus and even gave his Spirit to all who received Jesus, we should do so too.

     I will say much more about this in coming weeks but, now, let me simply say that, as we become what God says we are, we will need to learn to see one another as God sees us.  God sees us as those made in his image.  He’s sees us all as those for who Jesus died.  He sees us all as those in whom his Spirit lives.  He sees us as his family – his unexpected family, not unexpected to him for we are his eternal plan.  But, a family like Lake Avenue Church is surely unexpected to a divided world.  Now we are to become what we are.

     All this sometimes seems so impossible, doesn’t it?  How will people like us ever be blameless and holy in the sight of God?  How will even one local church like ours be united in all things (v.10). 

     So, in this first message, I tell you the same thing Paul told his church:  This is the work of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  What we cannot do, he can.  We are becoming what God says we are.  God already sees it!  And it will be.

     Let me give you one practical thing to take home with you today.  Pastor Jeff Mattesich brought me a copy of the morning prayer that Pastor John Stott prayed each day.  John Stott became a good and personal friend in his latter years.  Every year, he did chapels at the university I presided over.  I know he would have told you that he still was far from being complete in Christ.  But, those of us who knew him considered him to be a godly and authentic follower of Jesus.  Knowing that the only thing that can change us from what we are to what God says we will be is the work of the Triune God, he prayed this prayer each day.  I encourage you to do the same.

John Stott’s Morning Prayer

Good morning, heavenly Father;
Good morning, Lord Jesus;

Good morning, Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, I worship you as the creator and sustainer of the universe.
Lord Jesus, I worship you, Savior and Lord of the world.

Holy Spirit, I worship you as sanctifier of the people of God.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, I pray that I may live this day in your presence and please you more and more.

Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.

Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life:

            Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Holy, blessed, glorious Trinity, three persons in one God, have mercy upon me.

Amen