This is Us // God Chose You // Week 2

God Chose You
Ephesians 1:4 July 5 - Communion
I. Introduction:
A. I have great news for you You’re Richer than You Think! That was the title to
the book Erwin Lutzer wrote regarding the spiritual riches/spiritual blessings that
we have in Christ!
1. Some of you do not even know that you have a heavenly joint account that
you share with Jesus where He did all the work, made all the deposits into the
account and we get to make withdrawals on this account!
2. Some people know they have an account but really have not grasped the fact
that they are already spiritual billionaires as they live in spiritual poverty and
defeat most of the time.
3. The name on the account is in Christ.
B. We were introduced to this account last week and in weeks to come, we are going
to see and understand a bit more of what is available for us to withdraw from this
account!
1. Let me read what we learned last week. Read Ephesians 1:3
2. God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing there is to have and
He did this in Christ.
3. We also learned that these blessings have to do with whom we are at the
deepest core of our being, the place where our spirit is.
4. These blessings have to do with our past justification, things that became true
of us when we were saved, things that are being worked out in our lives now
as God is sanctifying us, things that will be completed and fully true of us in
the future when we are glorified in Christ’s kingdom!
• So today, we will continue our series called “This is us!” as we start to understand
better just who we are! The first question I hear from many is …
II. What does “in Christ” mean?
A. It seems so vague, like some kind of abstract spiritual tag on in many verses.
B. When a person puts their trust in Jesus, they become one spirit with Him! Read 1
Corinthians 6:17.
1. We learned last week:
a) In John 3:6 – that which is born of the spirit is spirit
b) We also learned in John 7:37-38 that the Holy Spirit dwells at the core of
our being!
2. So Jesus’ spirit has become one, joined together, and indwelling my spirit at
the core of my being!
C. Now listen to John 14:19-20.
Read v19 Jesus said that after his resurrection we would know something:
1. Read v20 Three things:
a) Jesus is in the Father
b) We are in Jesus = in Christ
c) I in you – Christ dwelling in us, abiding in us
2. So bottom line the same way that Jesus and the Father are one and mutually
indwell each other, so Jesus and us are one and mutually indwell each other,
thus becoming one!
3. So our oneness with Jesus - Him in us and us in Him is as easy to understand
as the trinity – the Father, Son and Spirit as one!
D. So how do I get into Christ – it is something that God did at the moment we put
our faith in Jesus Christ to save us!
1. Read 1 Corinthians 1:3– it is something that God does, not something we do!
2. Ephesians 1:13 – we are sealed, secured, locked in Christ by means of the
Holy Spirit
E. Illustrate with glass of milk (Jesus) and chocolate (us)
1. Before we knew Christ – separate, distinct, apart
2. When we believed – pour chocolate into milk and stir together.
3. The chocolate is now in the milk
4. Identified as one, together, united.
5. What is true of the milk is now true of the chocolate!
F. We are now in Christ and Jesus’ experience has now become my experience (his
death, burial and resurrection has now become my death, burial and resurrection).
His possessions (all his riches, inheritance, and future kingdom from the Father
have become my possessions as a joint heir with Jesus) and his victories have
become my victories, etc.
G. Our great work here is to believe that all of this is true and already all done by the
Father and Jesus and the Spirit. There is not anything we need to do to get in
Christ and get all these blessings but rather that battle is to believe it has already
been done and given to you
H. This is us if you are a believer – you are already in Christ
• So it is true – we are richer than we think because we are in Christ so let’s look at the
very first possession that is ours
III. Chosen in Him to be holy and blameless
A. Read v4 - this verse is not that hard to understand, the battle is believing it
because it is so mind blowing.
B. First God choose you and me to be in Christ. Read 1:4a
1. Not only did He do the work of getting us in Christ but even before that He
made a decision, a choice as to who would be in Christ! Out of all the world
of people that would ever be born He choose you and me that are believers!
2. Yes God did prefer you over someone else – mind blowing and raises a lot of
questions –
a) If you want to pursue this a bit further I did two complete messages in
Romans on this topic for which you can order the CD.
3. This morning I just want to give us some insight into why He choose many
of us.
a) I know it is true in my case see if it fits you!
b) Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Listen
c) This removes all boasting and should turn us to worship and gratitude
because what we are learning is what Jesus said – “you did not choose
me but I chose you.” Being saved is not the smartest thing you ever did
but the greatest gift you ever received!
C. When did God chose you and me to be in Christ? Read 1:4a-b
1. He made this decision to include you and me in Christ before God created the
world, sometime before Genesis 1:1!
2. Isn’t that mind blowing – before God created the world He chose you to be in
Christ? That does not mean you were placed in Christ before the world was
created, that happened when you believed but rather He made a decision and
choice at that time for you to be one of those to be in Christ!
D. Now it even gets better listen to why he chose you to be in Christ – read 1:4c
1. Holy (pure vessel, cleaned up and set aside for His use) and blameless (no
defect, without blemish - without fault)
2. Before Him – in His eyes in His sight this is the way that God sees you right
now as holy and blameless because you are in Christ – remember what is true
of Jesus has become true of you
3. Read Galatians 3:27– paraphrased – all of you who were placed in Christ
(that is what baptized into Christ means) says we are clothed with Christ –
a) Grateful for clothing as it covers our blemished and defective body.
b) Illustrate - put paper (you and me) in Bible (Jesus)! - You do not see
(paper – me); you see the Bible (Jesus) and that is how God sees us right
now!
E. The problem is that most of us look at others and ourselves, as we were apart
from Christ, as unclothed and not hidden in Christ. Thus, we focus on our faults,
weaknesses and sins rather than the holy and blameless people we really already
are at the level of our spirit.
F. Remember from last week:
1. Our identity relates to our spirit and was dealt with in the past when we were
justified – we are holy and blameless at the core of our being
2. In the present time God is at work in our souls to make us more holy and
blameless in our daily walks – we call that sanctification
3. And in the future when our entire spirit and soul and body will be completely
holy and blameless – we call that glorified!
• As we go to …
IV. Communion
A. Consider this - read Jude 24.
1. V24 a – God’s present work in our sanctification – keep us from stumbling
2. V24b – God’s future work in our glorification!
B. As you take communion consider this:
1. When Moses stood before God’s glory, God told him he could not look on
the fullness of God’s glory because to see the fullness of God’s glory would
instantly kill him
2. When Isaiah saw God’s glory while He sat on his throne his response was
woe is me, for I am ruined – PBP paraphrase – man I am in deep trouble for I
am going to die because I am a sinful man and my eyes have seen the king!
3. Now consider this verse – when you stand in the presence of God in the
future, you will stand there blameless with great joy.
4. The only response to that is this – read v 25!