The Glory of His Grace

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The Glory of His Grace

• An Introduction to the
• Book of Ephesians (11-6)
• Ryan Habbena, Twin City Fellowship
• April 30 2006

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Spurgeon on Sovereign Grace

• A gospel which is after men will be welcomed by
  men but it needs a divine operation upon the
  heart and mind to make a man willing to receive
  into his inmost soul this distasteful gospel of
  the grace of God . . .
• Learn, then, that if you take Christ out of
  Christianity, Christianity is dead.  If you
  remove grace out of the gospel, the gospel is
  gone. If the people do not like the doctrine of
  grace, give them all the more of it!
  (Charles Spurgeon)

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Spurgeon on Sovereign Grace

• The doctrine of Grace makes a man look down upon
  himself. "Ah," saith he, "I am nothing, there is
  nothing in me to merit esteem. I have no goodness
  of my own. If saved, I cannot praise myself I
  cannot in any way ascribe to myself honour God
  has done it, God has done it." Nothing makes the
  man so humble but nothing makes him so glad
  nothing lays him so low at the mercy seat, but
  nothing makes him so brave to look his fellow man
  in the face.
• It is a grand truth would God ye all knew its
  mighty power! (Charles Spurgeon)

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The Occasion of Ephesians

• Most Probably a Circular Letter
• Re-affirm the Needed Foundation of Gods
  Sovereign Grace
• Proclaim the Unity of Jews and Gentiles Under
  Christ
• Establish Proper Practical Living in Light of
  Gods Grace
• Since Inheritance is a repeated concept many
  have labeled this Epistle a Treasure Chest for
  Believers

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The Themes of Ephesians

• 1. The Lord is Sovereign in Salvation
• Ephesians 28-10
• For by grace you have been saved through faith
  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of
  God not as a result of works, that no one should
  boast. For we are His workmanship, created in
  Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
  beforehand, that we should walk in them.

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The Themes of Ephesians

• 2. Throughout All Time and All Things, the Grace
  of God is Centered on His Son
• Ephesians 14 He chose us in Him before the
  foundation of the world, that we should be holy
  and blameless before Him.
• Ephesians 26-7 (He) raised us up with Him, and
  seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in
  Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come
  He might show the surpassing riches of His grace
  in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

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The Themes of Ephesians

• 3. God Has United Jews and Gentiles in Jesus
  Christ
• Ephesians 213-14
• But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far
  off have been brought near by the blood of
  Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made
  both groups into one, and broke down the barrier
  of the dividing wall,

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The Themes of Ephesians

• 4. Realizing the Mighty Grace of God Will
  Revolutionize our Lives
• Ephesians 118-19a
• I pray that the eyes of your heart may be
  enlightened, so 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 surpassing greatness of His power toward
  us who believe. These are in accordance with the
  working of the strength of His might.

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Introduction Grace to the Faithful

• Ephesians 11-2
• Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of
  God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are
  faithful in Christ Jesus Grace to you and peace
  from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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The Blessed Elect Ones

• Ephesians 13-4
• 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 would be holy and blameless
  before Him.

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The Kind, Loving Act of a Father

• Ephesians 14c-6
• In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons
  through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the
  kind intention of His will, to the praise of the
  glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on
  us in the Beloved.

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• A Summary of Pauls Opening in Ephesians
• Paul Establishes the Foundation of the
  Christians Hope and Happiness in Proclaiming the
  Committed Work of Our Father He Chose Us Before
  the Foundation of World and Predestined Us to Be
  Adopted in Jesus Christ
• Does This Cause You to Stumble?
• (John 661, 64-68)

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Application

• Three Principles in
• Opening our Eyes to the Significance of the
• Sovereign Grace of God

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1 Humble Yourself Under the Mighty Hand of God

• Job 421-6 Then Job answered the Lord and said,
  "I know that You can do all things, And that no
  purpose of Yours can be thwarted. 'Who is this
  that hides counsel without knowledge?' "Therefore
  I have declared that which I did not understand,
  Things too wonderful for me, which I did not
  know." 'Hear, now, and I will speak I will ask
  You, and You instruct me.' "I have heard of You
  by the hearing of the ear But now my eye sees
  You Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust
  and ashes."

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2 Acknowledge Your Ineptitude Before the Only
Wise God

• Romans 1133-36
• Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom
  and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His
  judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has
  known the mind of the Lord, or who became His
  counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it
  might be paid back to him again?
• For from Him and through Him and to Him are
  all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

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3 Rest in the Sovereign Grace of Your Father

• Romans 831-34 What then shall we say to these
  things? If God is for us, who is against us? He
  who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him
  over for us all, how will He not also with Him
  freely give us all things? Who will bring a
  charge against God's elect? God is the one who
  justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ
  Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised
  who is at the right hand of God, who also
  intercedes for us.