Text: Ephesians 1:1-6
I. Introduction:
A. Recently, field day with self-image.
B. Possibility thinking, positive thinking, self-realization, fulfillment.
C. What you think of yourself is exceedingly important. You can think too little or too much.
D. Years ago it was the thing to run yourself down. After the medieval times, people viewed themselves as bad. Look at the hymns. Wretch, worm, vile, sinful.
E. Many I deal with are full of problems of insecurity. There are many causes for these problems.
F. Ephesians 1 is an inspiration to the believer who is seeking a positive self-image.
G. Shakespeare wrote: He that doth the ravens feed, Yea, providentially caters for the
sparrow, Be comfort to my age.
II. BODY
A. The key to everything.
1. A key phrase "in Christ."
2. Many have never found who they are "in Christ".
3. Christianity is not behavior modification. God does not work from the outside in but changes us in order to modify our behavior.
4. Paul tells us who we are "in Christ".
5. We need to embrace this doctrinal truth before we can be free.
6. Dr Maxwell Maltz relates story after story of those who underwent plastic surgery and still did not change because they never changed on the inside.
7. We want three things:
a. Significance
8. b. Sufficiency
a. Security
B. Recognize Your Righteousness
1. Paul wrote to the saints which are in Ephesus.
2. Saint is a set apart person.
3. We need to affirm that we are a peculiar and set apart people.
4. I am a VIP
5. I am not sinless, but blameless. Look at verse 4 four.
6. You will not behave as you should until you have the biblical concept of who you are and how you ought to respond.
7. Proven fact: people with a poor self-concept set out to live their shabby feelings.
8. Rejoice you're a child of the king!
C. Rely on Your Resources
1. We need love, patience, courage, wisdom, and faith.
2. Do we have all we need? No
3. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ".
4. As a believer we have all we need.
5. We have many resources around us to assist us.
a. Doctors
b. Friends
c. Relatives
d. Books
e. Number One: The Bible
D. Rest in Your Relationship
1. You are accepted right now! You need not worry over acceptance.
2. People search, kids work for peer group acceptance which really doesn't matter nearly as much as what and who we are in Christ.
3. God does not change you so He can love you. He loves you so He can change you.
4. God has all:
a. God has accepted me through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ His Son. That is Grace.
b. By Faith I accept the fact that He accepts me. That is faith. Faith is my acceptance of God's acceptance of me.
c. I then am able to accept myself. That is peace.
d. Because of the foregoing, I am then free to accept you. That is love. I am free to give, and I can relate to you in love because there is plenty where that came from.\
e. Finally you can accept me. I am no longer grasping at you, trying to manipulate you, trying to use you. Your acceptance of me is koinonia-fellowship.
III. Closing:
A. Barbara Taylor writes about this passage of scripture in Ephesians 1:
"Reasons I have today to bless God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ: He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. These blessing are located in the heavenly places in Christ. God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world. His choice was that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. He has predestinated us as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself. This all was to the good pleasure of His will and to the praise of the glory of His grace. It was by the grace this grace that he has made us...
B. We have an anchor that keeps the soul
?Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love.