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This morning as we continue our series on Unity, God wants to show us TWO THINGS: • That God has blessed us in every way in Christ. • That through these blessings he unites us. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places... which unites all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:3,10). Discover the true blessings that unite us together in Christ and under God's divine love. Learn how being chosen, redeemed, and sealed in Christ brings us the ultimate unity and connection as one body in Christ.
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This morning as we continue our series on Unity God wants to show us TWO THINGS: • That God has BLESSED us in every way in Christ • That through these blessings he UNITES us
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…which unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:3, 10)
#1 – WeCOMPLAIN about our blessings/or lack of Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
#2 – We LOOK in the wrong places for our blessing who has blessed us in Christ with…
#3 – We FOCUS on the wrong kind of blessings every spiritual blessing in the heavenly place
House • Job • Family • Kids • Spouse • Cars • Income • Possessions • Friends
#1 - Our FIRST spiritual blessing that brings us together in UNITY is that we are CHOSEN in Christ
Ephesians 1 does an amazing job of describing what it means to be chosen… • We were chosen before the WORLD was ever created (v. 4a) • We were chosen to be HOLY and blameless in his sight (v. 4b) • We were chosen to be ADOPTED as sons and daughters of God (v. 5a)
Ephesians 1 an does amazing job of describing what it means to be chosen… - We were chosen according to his good pleasure and mysterious WILL! (v. 5b, 9, 11) • We are chosen by his glorious GRACE (v. 6a) • We were chosen because of his great LOVE for us (v. 4c)
#2 - Our SECOND spiritual blessing that brings us together in UNITY is that we are REDEEMED in Christ
What does it mean to be “redeemed” in Christ? • We are FREED from captivity and slavery by the payment made on our behalf by Jesus and his shed blood (v. 7a) • We are GIVEN the forgiveness of sins (v. 7b) • We are redeemed by the rich GRACE that he LAVISHES upon us. (v. 7-8)
#3 - Our THIRD spiritual blessing that brings us together in UNITY is that we are SEALED in Christ
What does it mean to be “sealed” in Christ? To be sealed in Christ means to that we are marked as one who is OWNED and BELONGS to Jesus • You were sealed in Christ when you BELIEVED the message of truth. (v. 13a) • You were sealed in Christ when you believed the GOSPEL of salvation (v. 13b)
You were sealed in Christ when you RECEIVED the promised GIFT of the Holy Spirit – who is the deposit of God guaranteeing your inheritance (v. 13c) • You were sealed in BAPTISM