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Well, please turn with me in 
your Bibles to Ephesians chapter one. We work our way through 
the apostle's letter to the church in Ephesus. Remember, it's one 
of the prison epistles that Paul wrote while he was his first 
incarceration in Rome from AD 60 to 62, the book of Acts ends 
there. He was released ultimately, he 
continued on in ministry and then died, was executed by the 
Roman state probably in the mid So after that first imprisonment, 
he then wrote 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, and some believe he 
wrote Hebrews at that particular time as well. So our focus this 
evening is on verses 8 to 12, but I'll read beginning in verse 
1 of Ephesians 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ 
by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful 
in Christ Jesus, grace to you and peace from God our Father 
and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual 
blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us 
in him before the foundation of the world, that we should 
be holy and without blame before him. In love, having predestined 
us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, 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. In him 
we have redemption through his blood. the forgiveness of sins, 
according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound 
toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery 
of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed 
in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times 
He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which 
are in heaven and which are on earth in Him. In Him also we 
have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to 
the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel 
of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to 
the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after 
you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, 
in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy 
Spirit, a promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance 
until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of 
His glory. Therefore I also, after I heard 
of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 
do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in 
my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father 
of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation 
in the knowledge of Him. the eyes of your understanding 
being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His 
calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance 
in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power 
toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty 
power, which He worked in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead 
and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above 
all principality and power and might and dominion and every 
name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that 
which is to come. And He put all things under His 
feet, and gave Him to behead over all things to the church, 
which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. 
Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in Heaven, we thank You for the written Word of the living and 
true God. We thank You that You've not left us as orphans in the 
world. You've given us the Holy Spirit. You've given us the written 
revelation of Your glorious plan. And even tonight, God, we pray 
that the Spirit would be at work in our hearts and minds, that 
we would appreciate not only the individual element in terms 
of salvation, but to see your grand purpose behind these things, 
to realize that this universe, that this plan has a telos, has 
a purpose, and that we'll all redound to the glory and honor 
of our great God, even Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Do forgive 
us now for all of our sins, cleanse us in that precious blood of 
the Lamb, and we pray in Jesus' name, amen. Well, as we have 
had cause to reflect, verses three to 14 are one long sentence. And the apostle takes this opportunity 
to praise or bless God. Notice in verse three, he says, 
blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places 
in Christ. So he gives this general overarching 
statement, blessed be God. That means to speak well of God, 
to ascribe praise to God. So there's the general reference 
in verse three. And then in verses 4 and following, 
he gives us specific reasons why we should bless the God and 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in a broad stroke, basically 
the emphasis falls upon the Father's work and redemption in verses 
3 to 6. So we bless the Father for election 
and predestination unto adoption as sons. In verses 7 to 12, we 
bless the Father for the redeeming work of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then in verses 13 and 14, 
we bless the Father for the ministry of the Holy Spirit and taking 
that work of Christ and applying it to the elect. So as we look 
at the section we're in tonight, so 7 to 12, last week we considered 
verse 7. We noted that this was, in fact, 
the redemption of sinners in God's plan. Remember, verse 7, 
he says, in him. The him there refers to what 
we have at the end of verse 6, the beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ. So in Him, we have redemption 
through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches 
of His grace. So God, in His mercy, sent forth 
His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those 
under the law. The Lord Christ does this by 
taking on our humanity. by living in obedience to the 
Father's law, by dying as a sacrifice and substitute on the cross, 
and then being raised again the third day. So the apostle links 
the forgiveness of sins with reference to the blood of our 
Savior. So through His precious blood, 
we are washed clean from all impurity, and all unrighteousness, 
and everything that makes us liable to the just judgment of 
God Most High. Now, in verses 8 to 12, it's 
very densely packed. And I think that what Paul wants 
us to understand is that God is at work in the salvation of 
individual sinners. And in that, we rejoice. If we 
have been redeemed, according to verse 7, through or by the 
blood of the Lamb, then we have much cause for celebration, much 
cause for rejoicing, and much cause to bless the God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. But Paul also wants us to know 
that it's the aggregate, it's all of the redeemed sinners, 
it's the entire cosmos that God is bringing to a particular purpose. And that's the emphasis in verses 
8 and following, specifically in verse 10. So tonight I want 
to look at two things. First, the redemptive work of 
the Son, verses 7 to 10. And then secondly, the inheritance 
of the elect in verses 11 to 12. And with reference to the 
redemptive work of the Son, we already saw the redemption of 
sinners in God's plan, verse 7. So tonight, notice the wisdom 
of God's plan in verse 8. Secondly, the revelation of God's 
plan in verse 9. And then thirdly, the cosmic 
purpose of God's plan in verse 10. I really don't know how else 
to describe that. But verse 10 transcends salvation 
of individual sinners to magnify the glory of God in the created 
order. So the entirety of creation will 
bring glory and praise to our blessed God for the work of salvation. Notice in the first place the 
wisdom of God's plan in verse 8. So again, it's very tightly 
argued. So after verse 7, he says, in 
him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of 
sins according to the riches of his grace. And then in verse 
8, which he made to abound. Which grace, which riches of 
his grace he made to abound. Remember, it's not just grace 
that desperately wicked sinners need, but there are riches of 
grace. We cannot exhaust the grace of 
God. They, like God, are infinite, 
because God's perfections are who God is. All that is in God 
is God. So there's no finitude with reference 
to His grace. There's no limit with reference 
to His grace. That's why Paul can speak of 
it abounding to us in a profuse manner. Again, desperately wicked 
sinners need glorious, sovereign grace, and that's the emphasis 
of the apostle. Notice again the objects that 
receive that grace, which he made to abound toward us. The 
us there are not good people, the us there are not righteous 
people, the us there are not law-keeping people. The us there 
are the people described in chapter 2 at verses 1 to 3. They are 
people that are lifeless, helpless, and hopeless. Apart from Christ, 
they have no hope in this world. But God chose from before the 
foundation of the world. God in love predestined us unto 
adoption. God in his grace calls us out 
of darkness into marvelous light. He makes us alive together with 
Christ and gives us what is necessary to close with the Savior. So 
notice in verse 8, which He made to abound toward us. Now notice, 
in all wisdom and prudence. Now we have a judgment call to 
make in terms of exegesis. Remember back in verses 4 and 
5, we noted that the verse 4 ends with in love. And that in love 
could have modified His electing of us from before the foundation 
of the world, or that in love could have modified what follows, 
namely, predestination to adoption. We have a similar construction 
in this particular case. So how do we understand this 
wisdom and prudence? Is it that God makes the riches 
of his grace abound toward us with wisdom and prudence? There's 
certainly something to be said in that regard. He doesn't do 
it outside of wisdom and prudence, but I think the wisdom and prudence 
goes with what follows. Notice in verse nine, that brings 
us to the revelation of God's plan. In other words, when we 
stand back and survey what our Father has done in the salvation 
of sinners, we marvel, we stand amazed at the wisdom of God. 
We see that it's a foolproof method by which God maintains 
His holy perfection. There's no compromise in the 
cross. In Romans chapter 3, the apostle indicates that the cross 
demonstrates the righteousness of God, so that God can be both 
just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Because 
you can hear it now. You probably hear it in your 
own witnessing. You hear it in your own evangelism. You hear 
it when you testify to sinners that God saves guilty, vile, 
helpless sinners, irrespective of their sin. He does so in spite 
of their sin, in light of their sin. What's the typical response 
that people offer? Unconverted people say, well, 
that's not fair. Those people weren't good. They 
don't deserve salvation. There's none good. There's none 
righteous. There is none who deserves the 
mercy and the grace of God. Or else it wouldn't be mercy 
and grace. It would be wages paid. It would 
be indebtedness wherein God has to reward us for the good things 
that we have done. So instead of compromising his 
perfections, he purposes a particular plan such that the Son of God 
maintains fidelity in terms of respect for that law of God, 
never compromises it. It's not like it's deflected 
and it no longer has any effect upon the people, but Christ obeys 
it, Christ observes it, and thus shows the glory of God's law. 
So when we look at this particular plan, we marvel at the wisdom 
of God as it is revealed to us. So the revelation of His will 
reveals or highlights His wisdom. Notice back in Romans, you can 
turn there. I think Romans is a great illustration 
of this principle of the wisdom of God. What I mean by that is 
that at the cross, we often think of grace and mercy. We don't 
typically think of righteousness. But before Paul starts to get 
into unfolding the implications of the cross, he starts with 
God's righteousness. He wants us to understand that 
in the gospel, God has not been compromised. It's not that he 
just waves his magic hand and says, I'm going to go ahead and 
treat these people well. No, he does so based on the blood 
atonement of his son, based on the life of perfect obedience 
of his son, so that his law is satisfied, that his demand for 
justice is satisfied, and that his perfection of righteousness 
is displayed. Notice in Romans 3.21, but now 
the righteousness of God, apart from the law, is revealed, being 
witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness 
of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who 
believe. There is no difference, for all 
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified 
freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ 
Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood through 
faith to demonstrate His righteousness. I realize we rehearsed this last 
week. But it bears repetition, brethren. The cross does not compromise 
the perfections of God. The cross upholds the perfections 
of God and maintains the reality that as Paul says in 26, God 
is just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 
So to demonstrate his righteousness because in his forbearance, God 
had passed over the sins that were previously committed. To 
demonstrate at the present time his righteousness. So before 
Paul gets into an explanation of justification by faith alone, 
he wants us to understand that God is righteous even in light 
of justification by faith. The Apostle Paul no doubt preached 
this gospel in Jewish synagogues. When he was standing at the back, 
shaking hands and greeting the people that were coming out, 
he probably heard an earful. Paul, if what you are saying 
is true, then it shows that God is just willy-nilly in terms 
of justifying very wretched people. Yeah, but it's not willy-nilly. 
It's grounded in the finished work of our blessed Savior. And 
then notice in 4.5, 4.5, but to him who does not work, but 
believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted 
for righteousness. If you just lifted that out of 
the Bible and you said, God justifies the ungodly, without understanding 
the cross, without understanding the person and the work of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, it might seem capricious. It might seem arbitrary. It might seem a compromise of 
His holy perfections. If He justifies ungodly people, 
well then, what difference does it make what those ungodly people 
do or who they're looking to? But of course, Paul's not writing 
in a vacuum. He's already told us that God 
set forth His Son as a propitiation through His blood to demonstrate 
His righteousness. So we see the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1, you can turn 
there. Paul contrasts the world's wisdom 
with God's wisdom. And in this context, he refers 
to God's wisdom as foolishness, because that's how the world 
perceives it. But God's foolishness is actual 
wisdom. Notice in 1 Corinthians 1.18, 
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are 
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of 
God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise 
and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the 
wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this 
age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For 
since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not 
know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message 
preached to save those who believe." Again, kids, he's not saying 
the foolishness of the message preached. He's not saying that 
the message of the cross is actually foolishness. He's contrasting 
it with how the world views this. As far as the world is concerned, 
we believe a myth. We believe a fairy tale. We believe 
something that's not substantive. That's the concept that the world 
has. Notice in verse 22, for Jews 
request a sign, Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ 
crucified to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. But to those who are called, 
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom 
of God, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and 
the weakness of God is stronger than men. So the Jews seek after 
signs. Jesus condemns and upbraids them 
for that very thing in the gospel narratives. But Greeks seek after 
wisdom. As far as the Greeks were concerned, 
this idea of a crucified Messiah, while it scandalized the Jews, 
it was a stumbling block to the Jews, for the Greeks it was just 
a bunch of nonsense. There is a find, an archaeological 
find, of a man on a cross with a donkey's head in a Roman jail. This goes way back, I think, 
to the first century, second century, something like that. 
That was their attitude toward a crucified Messiah. So again, 
it scandalized the Jews. A crucified Messiah? That makes 
no sense. Messiah is supposed to come, 
subjugate our enemies, feed us in our bellies, and take care 
of all things, and make everything hunky-dory in this present world. 
But when it comes to the death and the resurrection of Christ, 
they rejected that. They didn't see it. They didn't 
understand the wisdom of God behind it. So going back to Ephesians 
chapter 1, the apostle tells us that this grace abounds to 
us. And then God reveals this to 
us in terms of wisdom and prudence. So notice in 1.9, having made 
known to us the mystery of His will. Now, mystery there isn't 
some esoteric, occultic, black magic sort of a thing. Basically, 
mystery means something that was hidden prior and has been 
revealed now. Paul uses it with reference to 
gospel truth. Not that there was no inkling 
whatsoever that God would save Gentiles. That goes all the way 
back to Noah's prophecy or Noah's oracle back in Genesis chapter 
9. that Japheth finds solidarity 
under the tents of Ham indicates that there is indeed a blessing 
for the people of Gentiles as the people of God. We see Abraham, 
in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed. But there's 
no clear specification like what you have in Galatians 4, like 
what you have here in Ephesians chapter 1. So this idea of mystery 
is something that was prior, hidden prior, but now made manifest. Turn to Romans 11, just to see 
this usage with reference to mystery in the writing of the 
Apostle Paul. Romans chapter 11, specifically 
at verse 25. He says, for I do not desire, 
brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest 
you should be wise in your own opinion that blindness in part 
has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles 
has come in. So Paul is dealing with Gentile 
inclusion in the covenant promises of God and what that means for 
ethnic Israel. He says, I do not desire, brethren, 
that you should be ignorant of this mystery. Notice in chapter 
16, verses 25 to 27. You really see that emphasis, 
something that was previously hidden, but is made manifest 
now. Romans 16, 25. Now to him who is able to establish 
you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, 
according to the revelation of the mystery, kept secret since 
the world began, but now made manifest and by the prophetic 
scriptures, made known to all nations, according to the commandment 
of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith, to God alone wise, 
be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. And then turn 
to Ephesians. Back to Ephesians. Not only in 
chapter 1 do we have this statement concerning the revelation of 
God's mystery, having made known to us the mystery of His will. 
Notice in chapter 3, Chapter three, specifically at verse 
three, how that by revelation, Paul is underscoring his call 
to the apostolic ministry, his role in terms of being the apostle 
to the Gentiles. He says, how by revelation he 
made known to me the mystery, as I have briefly written already, 
by which when you read, you may understand my knowledge and the 
mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the 
sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the spirit to his 
holy apostles and prophets. Again, brethren, that doesn't 
mean there's no inkling whatsoever in the Old Testament. The clarity 
with which this mystery has now been revealed in the person and 
in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ is in all of its blazing 
glory. And then notice what he says 
in verse 9. And to make all see what is the fellowship of the 
mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in 
God, who created all things through Jesus Christ. Colossians chapter 
1, verse 26 and 7. The mystery which has been hidden 
from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to 
his saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches 
of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is 
Christ in you, the hope of glory. So going back to Ephesians chapter 
1, the revelation of the mystery means the redemptive plan of 
God Almighty, that in and through our Lord Jesus Christ, He would 
bring salvation not only to Jews, but also to Gentiles. From every 
tribe, tongue, people, and nation, He would collect them through 
that precious work of our wonderful Savior. Now the revelation of 
this will is twofold. And I believe Poole gets this 
absolutely right. Having revealed to us outwardly 
by the preaching of the gospel and inwardly by the illumination 
of the spirit. So that's the revelation of God's 
will with reference to the plan of salvation. And notice once 
again, as Paul does often in this anthem of praise, he underscores 
God's sovereignty. Because apart from God's sovereignty, 
brethren, there's no salvation. There are people out there that 
have a real axe to grind with a sovereign God. There are people 
out there that have a real axe to grind with the reality that 
God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. God 
does that because we'd never choose Him. There are people 
who have a big problem within love, having predestined us to 
adoption as sons. Well, if God hadn't done that, 
we would never know sonship in our blessed Savior. If God, in 
His sovereignty, doesn't undertake, then we're all dead in our trespasses 
and sins, and liable to God's wrath and curse, both in this 
life and that which is to come. So in verse 9, having made known 
to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, 
which he purposed in himself, not according to any debt that 
he owed to the creature, not according to any obligation that 
was placed on him, either by the creature or from outside 
of himself. God does what God does in accordance 
with his own sovereign purpose. And that's wherein we ought to 
marvel and praise that He's included the likes of us. Now notice then 
this movement to the cosmic purpose of God's plan in verse 10. Notice, 
that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, He might 
gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in 
heaven and which are on earth, Again, it's a big statement. It's a bit of a difficult statement, 
but I think the underlying purpose is to highlight, yes, individual 
salvation. Yes, as God's people, we should 
rejoice. Yes, as God's people, we should 
rehearse our blessing in that God has cleansed us in the precious 
blood of Jesus. But let us also understand that 
God is in Christ, according to Paul in 2 Corinthians 5, reconciling 
the world to himself. In other words, John 3, 16 is 
a reality. God so loved the world. That 
again, doesn't mean that every single human being without exception, 
it certainly means all without distinction. So from every tribe, 
tongue, people, and nation. but the choice of the word world 
indicates that God has a big plan. We are part of a much larger 
whole. I guess in some, it's fair to 
say, it's not just about us. You see that individualism in 
Western Christianity. The early church would have never 
thought, a person throughout the history of the church would 
have never thought of absenting themselves from the public meetings 
of God's worship. It was just unheard of. Church 
life was absolutely crucial in terms of Christian growth, in 
the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus 
Christ. It's very difficult in our generation to maintain faithful 
churchmanship, to show up each and every time the doors are 
open. That doesn't always fit with our busy schedules. We're 
okay having our quiet time. We're okay having our devotions. 
We're okay doing those things which are perfectly appropriate, 
brethren, but not at the expense of public worship. Puritans preach 
sermons like public worship is to be preferred over private 
worship. There is an individuality that 
marks us in the Western world such that we don't value and 
prize the church. But that individuality is also 
seen when we don't appreciate the cosmic purpose of God's plan. This world is a mess right now. This world's got big problems 
right now. This world is, as it were, chaotic. But God is sovereign. He's over 
all. It's under His management and 
His control. It is under His sovereign prerogative. And He is bringing it to a particular 
end. And that's the emphasis in verse 
10. So we not only have our individual 
salvation to rejoice in, but we have the reality that all 
things are going to be summed up in our blessed Christ. Now 
notice in verse 10, that word dispensation, it's the word economy. You've heard me say the economy 
of redemption. I would have chosen economy as 
the way to translate that particular word. It simply means state of 
being arranged, arrangement, order, or plan. of God's unique 
plan, private plan, plan of salvation, arrangement for redemption of 
humans. And then this is a lexicon that 
nods to this particular passage and calls it a linguistically 
difficult passage. It certainly refers to the plan 
of salvation which God is bringing to reality through Christ in 
the fullness of the times. So the word is also translated 
as economy or as administration or as plan. The emphasis is on 
the cosmic purpose behind our individual salvation. Notice 
the timing involved. It says, that in the dispensation 
of the fullness of time, of the times. Well, where do we meet 
that phrase? We meet that phrase in Galatians. 
You can turn right back over to that, Galatians chapter 4. 
at verse 4, but when the fullness of the time had come, God sent 
forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem 
those who are under the law, that we might receive the adoption 
as sons. So what we have in terms of the 
economy of the fullness of times refers to the coming of Jesus 
Christ for us men and for our salvation. And the economy of 
the fullness of the times has present benefit. So the first 
coming of our blessed savior, we have that reality that he 
accomplishes redemption. The spirit applies redemption. 
We have redemption. We are forgiven through his blood. 
And we have all of the spiritual blessings that Paul refers to 
in Ephesians 1.3. So there's an already present 
possession of what we have, but there's a not yet aspect. All 
things have not been summed up. All things have not been gathered 
together in him. that awaits the final coming, 
or the second coming rather, of our blessed Savior, but understand 
that it is coming. Now notice the nature of this 
plan. Verse 10, that in the dispensation 
of the fullness of the times, He might gather together in one 
all things in Christ. Now again, wanna translate this 
word. It's used of literary or rhetorical 
summation. It means to sum up or to recapitulate. It's used in Romans chapter 13, 
specifically at verse 9. The law is summed up, the second 
table is summed up, in you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 
So this gathering together in him, this summing up in him, 
this recapitulation, this bringing cosmos to the chaos, bringing 
order to the disorder. setting aright what sin has brought 
confusion and disruption to. So God purposes to do that in 
the second coming of our blessed Savior. Turn over to a parallel 
passage of this particular one in Colossians 1. Colossians 1, 
verse 19. Colossians 1. Verse 19, for it pleased the 
Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him, to 
reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth 
or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His 
cross. Brethren, it doesn't mean every single human being, without 
exception, is going to be saved. Origen fell at that particular 
point. He thought that universalism 
was taught in Scripture. There have been others that have 
taken passages like this, in Ephesians 1, verse 10, and said 
that universalism must be true. That's the doctrine, that every 
single human being that has ever lived is going to be in heaven. 
No, that's not what it means. It means, again, to bring order 
to the disorder. It means to bring cosmos to the 
chaos. It means to tie off all of the 
loose ends under the power of our blessed Savior, the Lord 
Jesus Christ. G.K. Beal describes it this way. 
He says, unity in Christ extends to the various people groups, 
social structures, and angels. Ephesians 1.10 says that Christ 
sums up all things to heal discord and disharmony within humanity 
and the cosmos at the fullness of the time. Jesus Christ is 
a household manager, restores fractured people groups. particularly 
the strained relationship between Jews and Gentiles. We'll see 
that very specifically in chapter 2. Ephesians tells us that Christ 
has come to repair the fractured relationships of all believers, 
people groups, families, and employers and employees. Speaking 
about the later chapters in Ephesians. where the apostle instructs the 
various people groups in the Church of Christ how they're 
supposed to function one with another. So we certainly have 
this summing up, this gathering up, this recapitulation in an 
already sort of a sense, but Paul is looking even beyond that 
in verse 10 to this summing up or this gathering up or this 
reconciliation of all things under the banner of our blessed 
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our salvation is about us. But it's about all the other 
people that have been saved as well. It's about the angels. 
It's about the cosmos. God so loved the world. Stephen 
Baugh says, the work of Christ on the cross is the central axis 
for the history of all creation, whether in heaven or on earth, 
since he has redeemed his people with his blood and silenced all 
the hostile powers. And that's a reference to 1, 
19 to 23. So back to 1, 10. We have great 
things in our future. All the fractured relationships, 
all of the disharmony, all of the disorder. Under God right 
now, Through the means of the Holy Spirit, through the means 
of the graces that He bestows on us, we should be able and 
willing to fix the relationships in our lives, to relate to one 
another the way that God calls us to, but to understand some 
sort of a future blessed state, it's going to come from God and 
not the federal government. It's not going to come through 
the World Economic Forum. They cannot fix the heart of 
man. It's Christ alone who fixes the heart of man. And while we 
already have this blessed benefit, it has not yet been fully realized, 
and we'll see it when Christ comes again in glory to judge 
the living and the dead. Now, let's move on to verses 
11 and 12 as we close. Notice the inheritance of the 
elect. What does Paul do? Very appropriately 
and very fitting, he reminds the saints that while there's 
this cosmic purpose in view, it involves you as well. And 
you have an inheritance. You have been blessed by God. There is something in your future 
that is most awesome and most glorious. In other words, the 
resurrection of our blessed Savior, after his life of obedience, 
after his death to satisfy divine justice, that resurrection of 
Christ secures for us a resurrection as well. secures for us an inheritance, 
secures for us blessedness in heaven to come. So notice he 
speaks of the inheritance received in verse 11a. He says, in him 
also we have obtained an inheritance. In him also we have obtained 
an inheritance. Many commentators hear reminiscences 
of old covenant Israel inheriting the land of promise. I think 
that's appropriate. Charles Hodge says, as the Israelites 
of old obtained an inheritance in the promised land, so those 
in Christ become partakers of that heavenly inheritance which 
he has secured for them. So just as God promised to Abraham, 
that there would be a land that they would receive by grace and 
inheritance apportioned out to the 12 tribes, so do we in the 
new Israel or the true Israel, the church of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, we have an inheritance in our future that far transcends 
a piece of earthly property in Canaan. We have the heavenly 
Jerusalem. We have the new Jerusalem. We 
have that blessed place we sang of in that hymn before the preached 
word. Colossians 1, 12-14 is parallel. Paul tells us there, giving thanks 
to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance 
of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the 
power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son 
of His love. in whom we have redemption through 
his blood, the forgiveness of sins." You say, that sounds very 
much like Ephesians. You're right. Ephesians and Colossians 
have a lot of parallel, have a lot of synonymous statements 
that are given and calculated to encourage the people of God. 
That yes, you have an individual salvation. Yes, there is this 
cosmic purpose of God to recapitulate all things, and this means that 
there is an inheritance laid up for you where moth and rust 
cannot destroy. Notice the means by which we 
receive this inheritance according to verse 11. In him also we have 
obtained an inheritance. Notice what he doesn't say. So 
long as we perform well after God calls us to his son, so long 
as we are faithful in terms of our covenant obligation, so long 
as we are dutiful in terms of obedience to the law of God. 
That's not what he says. No, he says we're predestined 
to it. So in him also we have obtained an inheritance, being 
predestined according to the purpose of him who works all 
things according to the counsel of his will. This underscores 
two things. First, God is sovereign over 
all things. Second, God is sovereign over 
all things, including the salvation of our souls. In the first place, 
the sovereignty of God over all things. Psalm 115, verse three, 
our God is in heaven, he does whatever he pleases. There is 
a passage that corresponds uniquely to Ephesians 1, 11, in Isaiah 
46, verses 9 and 10. There God says, remember the 
former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other. I 
am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the 
beginning and from ancient times things that are not yet done, 
saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. 
So God has comprehensive sovereignty. Isaiah 49, 46, 9, and 10 isn't 
specifically a salvation promise in terms of individuals being 
bought by the blood of Jesus. It's a promise concerning Cyrus, 
king of Persia, the Lord's anointed, the Lord's Messiah, the Lord's 
Christ. He raises up Cyrus to bring judgment 
to bear upon Babylon. And when Babylon is judged, then 
Judah is free to return to her land. And so, in that particular 
statement, it is a declaration of God's absolute, unparalleled 
sovereignty over all things. We remember Daniel 4, verse 35. What does Nebuchadnezzar learn 
after his bout with the Most High? He reckons that all the 
inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. He does according 
to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of 
the earth. No one can restrain his hand or say to him, what 
have you done? God's sovereignty is emphasized 
in the passage again, because without that sovereignty, there'd 
be no salvation. We would never choose. We're, 
as chapter two verses one to three tells us, dead in our trespasses 
and sins. Dead sinners don't choose for 
Jesus. Dead sinners don't exercise their 
free will for Jesus. Dead sinners cannot make themselves 
alive. That's why the but God in 2.4 
is so glorious. Because God makes us alive together 
with Christ. It is by grace we are saved. 
So God has comprehensive sovereignty over all things. That's the emphasis. Notice, being predestined according 
to the purpose of Him who works all things. All things there 
means all things. And it's according to the counsel 
of his will. Notice the parallel, sort of 
a analogy or construction in chapter one at verse 22. Notice 
he put all things under his feet. So this is talking about Christ 
and gave him to be head over all things to the church. So 
Christ has universal comprehensive sovereignty and authority over 
all things, but it's specifically targeted to his church. God has 
absolute sovereignty over all things. There's nothing that's 
ever happened outside the plan and purpose of God. There's nothing 
that has ever gone on in the history of the world where God 
sort of slaps his forehead and say, wow, I can't believe that 
that wretch of an individual ascended the throne in that particular 
kingdom. Everything is ordered by God 
Most High. God, by definition, is omnipotent. That means He's all-powerful. 
God, by definition, is in sovereign control of all things. And so 
Paul the Apostle rehearses this inheritance, and he says that 
it's ours because we've been predestined according to the 
purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel 
of His will. John Gill noticing not only predestination 
here, but predestination in verse five. He says, predestination 
is not only to sonship, but to an inheritance. It not only secures 
the grace of adoption, but prepares and provides and heavenly portion. That's a great observation. So 
predestination in the manner of adoption unto, or as sons 
unto Jesus Christ. But then this predestination 
unto this inheritance, what does that mean? It means God leaves 
nothing to chance. It means that it's secure. It 
means that it's rock solid. It means that it's not fleeting. 
It's not going to go away. And it's ultimately not conditioned 
upon our performance. I'm not suggesting we can live 
whatever way we want. Those who are justified freely 
by God's grace will live in a manner that is consistent with sanctification. 
But it's not the case that our inheritance is determined based 
on our faithfulness. It is the case that our inheritance 
owes its blessedness to predestination and to the faithfulness of our 
wonderful Savior who has secured it for us. And then finally notice, 
not only the inheritance of the elect, he talks about the reception 
of it, but then he highlights the purpose behind it. Notice 
in verse 12, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to 
the praise of his glory. You see, that's the constant 
emphasis in this particular song of praise, or in this anthem 
of praise. The Apostle wants us to praise God for His glory. He wants us to praise God for 
His sovereignty. He wants us to understand what 
God's purpose is in the salvation of individuals and in the recapitulation 
of all things under Jesus Christ. that we who first trusted, probably, 
likely, perhaps a reference to the Jews. Remember the gospel 
comes to the Jew first and also to the Greeks as well in Acts 
chapter 3, to you first the gospel comes. He could be referring 
to the apostles who had first come to the Lord Jesus Christ. 
The emphasis is on the hope in the Messiah. And it's consistent 
with that old covenant sort of a motif where the people of God, 
the remnant, the faithful, were looking to the coming of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. So that we who first trusted 
in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. And one final passage, 
turn over to Ephesians 3. I already read verse nine, I'll 
read it again. And to make all see what is the fellowship of 
the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in 
God who created all things through Jesus Christ. Now notice in verse 
10, to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might 
be made known by the church to the principalities and powers 
in the heavenly places. There's something greater going 
on than just our individual salvation. God is declaring. to the entirety of the created 
order, that He is most high, that He is most gracious, that 
He is most sovereign, and that He is most glorious in the salvation 
of His people. I've always thought of chapter 
3 in verse 10 as sort of a trophy case. It's a trophy case. Perhaps you were a champion bowler 
and you have trophies that testify to what a good bowler you are. 
Or you were great in Little League and you've got the trophy of 
a guy swinging the bat. Or your pension is for golf and 
you have trophies. What does that trophy signify? 
It reflects the glory of the person who secured the trophy. We don't look at the trophy and 
say, wow, how glorious is that trophy. We say, wow, how wonderful 
is the guy who can swing the club that way, who could swing 
the bat that way, who could bowl the ball that way. The trophy 
reflects the glory of the one who has secured it. Chapter 3, 
verse 10 tells us that the church is a trophy case. that the principalities 
and the powers, the angelic beings, look down upon a worship service 
like this, and they glorify God, because the likes of us are praising 
God. The likes of us are heaven-bound. It's not because we're good, 
it's because God is good, and He's manifesting that, and He's 
magnifying that, so that we exist to the praise of His glory. That's what Paul emphasizes in 
this initial chapter. In conclusion, we should marvel 
at the wisdom of God's plan. The plan of salvation does not 
compromise any of the perfections of God. And the plan of salvation 
goes to eternity past, right? Just as He chose us in Him before 
the foundation of the world. That plan of God, that wisdom 
is manifested in the coming of the Son of His love, that one 
who took on our humanity. The Word became flesh and dwelt 
among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten 
of the Father, full of grace and truth. So we have this plan 
that begins or originates in eternity past. We see it fleshed 
out in the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see it fleshed 
out and secured in His redemptive work on our behalf, but it extends 
into the future. So this wisdom of God is manifested 
from the past, in the present, and to the future. There will 
never be a time when the saints of Christ do not marvel at God's 
wisdom in the sending of the Son of His love to die for us 
and to be raised again for us and for our salvation. As well, 
notice the comprehensiveness, or rather the sovereignty, in 
terms of God's plan. That's where the emphasis falls 
in this praise. Blessed be the God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, because he gave everybody a free will. 
He gave everybody that chance to make a decision. He gave everybody, 
when every head was bowed and every eye was closed, to shoot 
up the hand and side with Jesus. That's not why he blesses God. 
He sounds like the prophet Jonah in Jonah 2.9, salvation is of 
the Lord. He sounds like the redeemed in 
heaven who cry before the throne, not cry like they're sad, but 
they cry out that salvation belongs to our God and to the lamb who 
sits upon the throne. Paul sounds like Paul in Romans 
9, 16. It does not depend upon him who wills or runs, but on 
God who shows mercy. So the sovereignty of God is 
on display in Ephesians chapter 1. And that sovereignty is seen 
in election and predestination. That sovereignty is seen in the 
second person of the Trinity being sent by the Father to save 
us men. the sovereignty of God in the 
death of Christ for the elect, the sovereignty of God in working 
all things according to the counsel of His own will, and then the 
sovereignty of God in the redemption of His people from their sins 
and ultimately recapitulation, to move the disorder into order, 
to gather it all up in the Lord Jesus Christ and to bring in 
that consummated glory. where there is world without 
end. So let us remember the purpose for which God has saved us. Yes, 
for our benefit. Yes, so we can bless him. Yes, 
so we can praise him. But as well, we were down to 
the praise of his glory. We don't pat ourselves on the 
back because we're Christians. Those Christian testimonies, 
oftentimes they're a celebration of the sinner himself. Wow, amazing. What noble things you've done 
in order to get yourself to this particular point. Brethren, if 
a Christian testimony ends with us praising the trophy and not 
the God who secured the salvation of that trophy, then that's a 
bad testimony. Testimony, when we tell people 
about our salvation, it's for the glory of God. We were not 
willing participants. We were not happy participants. We were not, I mean, God made 
us willing in the day of His power. He doesn't bring us kicking 
and screaming. He changes the heart, which changes the affections, 
which changes the will, such that we do come happily. But 
prior to that work of God's grace, there is nothing in us that is 
good. There is nothing in us that is 
lovely. Think back in your history prior to your coming to Jesus 
Christ. Was there ever a time in your 
mind where you thought you might be a trophy in God's cabinet 
of grace? There might be a time or a season 
when you would be included? No, we never thought about that 
stuff. And when it comes to this, let 
us praise God for that sovereignty, and let us defend that sovereignty, 
not like, you know, beasts on the internet, but let us do so 
out of a desire to see God's glory realized in the salvation 
of His people. Psalm 115.1 says, not unto us, 
O Lord, not unto us, but to your name, give glory because of your 
mercy, because of your truth. That is why we have been saved, 
to bring glory and praise and honor to our blessed God, even 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And if you're not saved tonight, 
the means by which you come to the Lord Jesus Christ is in faith. 
Look unto the Lord Jesus Christ in faith and you will have everlasting 
life. Notice when we get to the work 
of the Spirit. Verse 13, in Him you also trusted. After you heard the word of truth, 
the gospel of your salvation, in whom also having believed, 
you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Justification 
is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the 
glory of God alone. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for your word, we thank you for this letter 
of Paul to the Ephesians, and we ask God in heaven that you 
would just cause us to reflect upon these truths, and may our 
hearts be warmed and encouraged and cheered along the way. We 
thank you for your sovereignty, we thank you for your comprehensive 
plan And we thank you, there will be a summing up in Christ 
in the future. And we look forward to that blessed 
day. And we would say with John, that we long to see Jesus come 
quickly. And we pray in Jesus' holy name, 
amen. We'll close with a brief time 
of meditation.