Bible Text: Ephesians 1:3-6 | Pastor: Pastor Steve | Series: Ephesians: Engaging the Power of God’s Amazing Grace

Ephesians 1:3-6 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has BLESSED US in heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he CHOSE US in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be ADOPTED as his sons through Jesus Christ in accordance with his pleasure and will-to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves (NIV).
We Are Blessed
Numbers 6:22-27 And the Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron and his sons, This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them, The Lord bless you, and watch, guard and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. And they shall put My name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.
GIVE Away Blessing!  RECEIVE Blessings!
There are people who are longing to be nourished by healthy non-sexual contact from an healthy individual whose heart is focused on doing good towards them. Unfortunately, we live in a world that tends to be focused on taking advantage rather than benefiting.
Jesus Blesses Us
John 20:20-22 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again, he said, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. Then he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit.

Luke 24:49-51 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.
We Are Chosen
1 Peter 2:9-10 …you have been chosen by God himself-you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God’s very own-all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were less than nothing” now you are God’s own…
He Puts His Name On Us And In Us
Genesis 12:2-3 I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
We Are Adopted
John 1:10-12 (NIV) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…
Believed in Him! Received Him!
Romans 8:14-16 …because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but your received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
We Are Adopted Sons and Daughters
Luke 15:11-32  A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, I want my share of your estate now before you die…A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living…here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you…So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him…Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.

Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found…the older son was in the fields working…he returned home, heard music and dancing in the house…Your brother is back..the older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him…all these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf…His father said to him, Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours!

We Have A Place: We belong to the King’s family, we are King’s kids. Bring the best robe and put it on.

We Have Power: We have authority because we are children of the Father. We are given the rights and privileges of sonship. Put a ring on his finger… 

We Have Position:  We carry with us and in us the name of Jesus. We are not second class citizens. Put…sandals on his feet.