One New Body: The Gospel Power of Reconciliation

• Call to Worship and Liturgy [00:10:45 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor provides logistical announcements for children and reads from 1 Peter 2, establishing the theme of believers as living stones and a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices.
• Heidelberg Catechism [00:18:23 ▶️ 📄]
  > A speaker reads Questions 75 and 76 of the Heidelberg Catechism, explaining the Lord's Supper as a reminder of Christ's sacrifice and the spiritual union with Christ through the Holy Spirit.
• Scripture Reading (3 John) [00:36:11 ▶️ 📄]
  > A speaker introduces special guests (Wes and Sue from NETS) and reads the entire book of 3 John, highlighting themes of walking in truth, hospitality to missionaries, and avoiding the example of Diotrephes.
• Prayers of the People [00:41:01 ▶️ 📄]
  > Corporate prayer thanking God for the day, the guests from NETS, and asking for conviction of sin, confession, and strength to support ministry partners.
• Sermon Introduction [00:49:19 ▶️ 📄]
  > Pastor Wes begins his sermon with a prayer and an anecdote about driving through Civil War battlefields, setting up a discussion on division.
• Church Unity and Division [00:51:20 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts historical and political divisions (Civil War, political polarization) with the theological divide between Jew and Gentile, establishing the need for a basis of unity in the merging churches.
• Election and Predestination [00:56:40 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor identifies election as the foundational blessing, explaining that God chose believers before the foundation of the world, initiating salvation since humans are unable to seek God on their own.
• Redemption and Inheritance [00:57:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor outlines the blessings proceeding from election: redemption through Christ's blood, forgiveness of trespasses, and the receipt of an eternal inheritance.
• The Seal of the Holy Spirit [00:58:27 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that believers receive the Holy Spirit as a guarantee or down payment of their inheritance, sealing and safeguarding them until final possession.
• Jew and Gentile Reconciliation [00:59:04 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor highlights the shift in pronouns from 'we' (Jews) to 'you' (Gentiles) to demonstrate that both groups share the exact same salvation experience: same Father, same blood, same Spirit.
• Spiritual Death and Grace [01:04:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor addresses non-believers, describing the state of being 'dead in trespasses' and unable to respond to God, contrasting this with the free gift of salvation by grace through faith.
• Gospel and Spiritual Death [01:04:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor addresses non-believers, explaining that they are spiritually dead in trespasses and unable to respond to God without Christ's grace.
• Reconciliation of Jew and Gentile [01:07:48 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains how Christ abolished the law of commandments to create one new man, uniting former enemies into a single body.
• The Mystery of Gentile Inclusion [01:11:02 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor highlights the revelation that Gentiles are fellow heirs and partakers of the promise, a mystery hidden in previous generations.
• Paul's Prayer for Strength [01:13:58 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor analyzes Paul's prayer for believers to be strengthened by the Spirit and comprehend the breadth of Christ's love.
• Response to the Gospel (Praise and Hope) [01:18:30 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor issues a call to respond to God's work with unbridled praise and hope, specifically referencing the merger of King's Chapel and Capital Community.
• Praise and Adoration [01:21:02 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that God's ability to unite bitter enemies (Jew and Gentile) into one holy culture should provoke unbridled praise and adoration.
• Hope and Church Unity [01:21:57 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor applies the biblical reconciliation of Jew and Gentile to the contemporary context of his church's merger, asserting that if God can reconcile historical enemies, He can reconcile the current congregations, despite the devil's attempts to sow discord.
• Proclamation and Evangelism [01:24:23 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor emphasizes the church's unique 'monopoly on reconciliation' and the duty to proclaim this message to a deeply divided country, using the power of the resurrection to resist disunity.

• Sermon Illustration [00:10:45 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor jokes that his voice is like an opera that puts children to sleep, and mentions a TV in the bride room for mothers with impatient children.
• Sermon Illustration [00:36:11 ▶️ 📄]
  > The speaker welcomes guests Wes and Sue from NETS in Vermont, noting their warm trip with radiator issues and lack of air conditioning.
• Sermon Illustration [00:50:10 ▶️ 📄]
  > Pastor Wes shares a personal anecdote about driving down from Vermont through Pennsylvania and Virginia, visiting famous Civil War battlefields like Gettysburg and Appomattox, to introduce a topic on division.
• Sermon Illustration [00:50:10 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about driving from Vermont to the South, visiting famous Civil War battlefields (Gettysburg, Manassas, etc.) to illustrate that despite the end of the Civil War, deep divisions in the country persist, serving as a backdrop to the deeper theological division between Jew and Gentile.
• Sermon Illustration [01:19:20 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his experience pastoring Southern Baptist churches for 30 years, contrasting the 'polite affections' and subdued worship he observed with the 'unbridled praise' he believes is appropriate for God's reconciling work.
• Sermon Illustration [01:21:57 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the recent merger of King's Chapel and Capital Community, noting that while it has gone 'swimmingly well' according to Grant, the devil is sowing seeds of discord, using this as an illustration of the ongoing need for unity.
• Sermon Illustration [01:25:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a story about a friend and mentor, a WWII veteran of the Okinawan invasion who hated the Japanese. After being saved in his 50s at a church started by Professor Edwin Yamauchi, God replaced his hatred with love, and he became best friends with Dr. Yamauchi until his death.

• Pastoral Charge [01:06:17 ▶️ 📄]
  > To consider and accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ
• Pastoral Charge [01:06:51 ▶️ 📄]
  > Come to Jesus in faith.
• Pastoral Charge [01:21:29 ▶️ 📄]
  > Fall on our faces (figuratively) and continually offer sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.
• Pastoral Charge [01:26:51 ▶️ 📄]
  > Eagerly tell friends, neighbors, work associates, and family members about God's grace and salvation.
• Pastoral Charge [01:27:19 ▶️ 📄]
  > Be filled with love, hope, and energy to act as Christ's ambassadors until God's glory fills the earth.

[00:10:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:10:45] Just one quick word of encouragement. It's always exciting to have children in our services, but I recognize that I am not a favorite of all children, and my voice, my children, if I needed them to go to sleep in the car, I would just start singing a particular opera, and it would just overwhelm them, and they would be out, and that doesn't happen with all children.
[00:11:16] is a little impatient with the service, we've put a television in the bride room for mothers, women to use. Instead of coming down the side aisles and looking for a place to go, you can just sneak out the back and watch the service and bring the child with you in there.
[00:11:33] This morning, I want to read to you from 1 Peter 2, 1 through 5. Peter says, therefore laying aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander like newborn babes long for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in respect to
[00:11:59] salvation if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord and coming to him as a living stone which has been rejected by men but is choice and precious in the sight of God. You also as living
[00:12:17] stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. You see, it's not about the songs we sing. It's not about
[00:12:35] the prayers we pray it's not about the sermons we preach it's not about the scripture we read we gather as priests to the living God and we gather to serve or worship him by offering up
[00:12:53] spiritual sacrifices which is our duty so let's do that this morning bow your heads in prayer father we come before our living stone christ our eternal savior rejected and killed by men but living in eternity for us as our holy advocate so we come as also living stones as a holy priesthood
[00:13:32] to offer to you through his work by the act of the Spirit, a sacrifice that brings you glory, that brings you honor, that, Father, fixes our eyes upon you, that all we say, do, and think in this time
[00:13:54] would be for your glory and yours alone.
[00:13:59] Guide us as we perform this service in your name.
[00:14:03] we ask this in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. If you would, take your hymnal and turn as we sing to number 456. Number 456, How Firm a Foundation. Let's stand together as we sing.

[00:14:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:14:19] Good morning. I'm Randy Harrison, one of your elders, and we're going to be reading from the

[00:18:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:18:23] Heidelberg Catechism this morning, and you can follow along with me by your bulletin insert or from the screen behind me. I'd like to mention when I do the Heidelberg Catechism that just for any guests that might be unfamiliar with it, that the Heidelberg Catechism was a document published
[00:18:41] in Heidelberg, Germany over 450 years ago. And the purpose of what it was really to teach students and you and me, Christians, the basic truths of the scriptures, what it is that we believe.
[00:18:54] So if you'll turn now, we're going to start with question 75.
[00:19:00] How does the Lord's Supper remind and assure you that you share in Christ's one sacrifice on the cross and in all his benefits?
[00:19:12] In this way, Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat this broken bread and to drink this cup in remembrance of him. With this command come these promises. First, as surely as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup shared with me, so surely his
[00:19:39] body was offered and broken for me and his blood poured out for me on the cross. Second, as surely as I receive from the hand of the one who serves and tastes with my mouth the bread and cup of the
[00:19:57] Lord, giving me as sure signs of Christ's blood and blood, so surely he nourishes and refreshes my soul for eternal life with his crucified body and poured out blood. In question 76, What does it mean to eat the crucified body of Christ and to drink his poured-out blood?
[00:20:23] It means to accept with a believing heart the entire suffering and death of Christ and thereby to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
[00:20:35] But it means more.
[00:20:38] Through the Holy Spirit, who lives both in Christ and in us, we are united more and more to Christ's blessed body.
[00:20:48] And so, although he is in heaven and we are on earth, we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone, and we forever live on and are governed by one spirit as the members of our body are by one soul.
[00:21:07] Thank you.

[00:21:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:21:08] Well, good morning again and welcome to the King's Chapel.
[00:21:22] I'm Kim Fawcett.
[00:21:23] I'm one of the associate pastors here, and it's my privilege to welcome you today.
[00:21:27] We're so glad that you came out on this muggy, warm July morning, but it's very wonderful in here, and so we're glad that you're here.
[00:21:35] And if you're a guest with us this morning, let me offer you a very special welcome.
[00:21:40] We're so glad that you're here, and we thank you for visiting with us and worshiping with us today.
[00:21:46] There is a guest card, or it's called a connect card, in the pew in front of you, and if you are visiting with us today or if it's been a while since you've been here or perhaps you have
[00:21:55] a question or a prayer request that you would like to submit to the staff and the elders this morning if you would just use this little card fill that out for us and give us a little bit of information
[00:22:06] about you and perhaps your question or any prayer requests that you have we would love to to know those things to be able to pray for you this week as we as we come back and work through the coming
[00:22:19] week. And so we're just glad that you're here with us, and we welcome you. We hope that you enjoy the worship today. When you walked in, you received a worship bulletin, and inside that bulletin there are a few announcements, and I just want to highlight a few of those for you,
[00:22:33] the things that are coming up actually this week that you need to be aware of there.
[00:22:38] First off, our young adults are having an event on next Saturday evening on the 25th of July.
[00:22:46] They'll be having a bowling night.
[00:22:49] I'm sure there will be some food involved with that as well, and spares and snacks.
[00:22:55] So if you're in the young adult ministry there, there's an opportunity for you to come and just have fellowship and have fun together with other people of the church.
[00:23:05] Also, I want to make you aware of a mission opportunity that we have coming up next Saturday morning at Prison Alliance.
[00:23:12] Prisoning Alliance is one of the organizations, our mission organizations that we support and pray for, and they are collecting good used theological books or new books that they send into the prisons.
[00:23:26] And so there will be an opportunity for a group to come together and stamp those books, get them prepared to be shipped out to the prisons all across the country.
[00:23:36] And that's a very local ministry.
[00:23:37] They're right here on Spring Forest Road.
[00:23:39] So it would be an easy drive for you just to pop over there at 9 o'clock Saturday morning, and there will be a group there that will be helping get those books prepared to ship across the country.
[00:23:51] Also, I want to make the students aware that we've got a summer camp coming up for them.
[00:23:56] That will be July the 29th through the 31st.
[00:23:59] They will be studying a session called Christ is King, and they'll have opportunities to have great studies and fellowship and fun as they go through those few days there at the end of July.
[00:24:10] So you can register for those online.
[00:24:12] There's a registration event QR code there on the bottom of your bulletin there.
[00:24:19] And if you'll just click that, all of these activities that are listed in your bulletin are listed there, and you can choose the ones that you would like to register for.
[00:24:27] But please take advantage of those and get involved with the things that are going on here at the King's Chapel.
[00:24:33] Again, I want to welcome you this morning.
[00:24:35] and as our ushers come forward to take our offering, would you pray with me this morning as we continue our service today? Our Father in heaven, we come before you this morning. You have made yourself known to us through Jesus Christ, and you have invited us to pray to you as our
[00:24:55] Father. And so we come before you today humbled and in awe of your grace and your love and your mercy. Father, as we gather together for the purpose of worship, we come before you with
[00:25:06] praise. Praise for your steadfast love, for your amazing grace, which is far-reaching, and there is no limitation on your love for us. Holy God, you are great, and you are greatly to be praised. You are all-knowing, and you know our past, and you know the things that lie ahead of
[00:25:24] us. And we take great comfort in that because we can trust in any circumstance that we may face.
[00:25:31] We can trust you in those circumstances. And we thank you, God, that your word is true.
[00:25:36] We hold fast to those truths today. We choose to immerse our lives in your truth.
[00:25:41] Father, may our lives be a witness to your love, not only in what we say, but in what we do.
[00:25:48] Lord, help us to be washed clean with the word of God each day and help us to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to you. And so this morning, Father, we ask that you would build up your people
[00:26:00] into a sanctified body, into a fellowship of believers, a people set apart from the world to serve you in this city, and in our families, and in our businesses, and in this church. And Father, we ask all these things in the precious and holy name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

[00:26:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:26:19] Thank you so much, our Savior, our living stone, choice and precious in the sight of a holy God.
[00:31:13] So let's sing together. You may remain seated as we sing Ancient of Days.

[00:31:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:31:21] Good morning. I'm so glad to see everyone here and welcome you to the King's Chapel.

[00:36:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:36:11] We have some special guests before I read scripture this morning.
[00:36:15] I just want to point out, following me here in a minute, you're going to hear Dr. Wes Pastor deliver some words from Ephesians on the basis of our unity.
[00:36:26] and uh and so we welcome him back actually we welcome uh sue and and west back to north carolina they've been here before uh so it's great to have them back i heard uh from sue just a little while
[00:36:39] ago it's rather warm trip on the way down with uh some radiator issues and lack of air conditioning so that was uh we're glad to have you in the nice coolness here at uh at the king's chapel
[00:36:50] if you stay in here if you go back outside it's just just like the just like being in the rv But anyway, we are very glad to have them here.
[00:36:59] They make their home in Williston, Vermont, and that's where they serve.
[00:37:05] Both of them serve at NETS, and you all have heard about NETS.
[00:37:09] NETS is a mission partner here at the King's Chapel.
[00:37:13] It's the New England training and sending center for church planning and revitalization.
[00:37:21] And their story is such a great story.
[00:37:24] I think Wes and Sue were called to the New England area, which is a very challenging, that's an understatement, I'm sure, place to plant a church.
[00:37:36] But they planted a church together.
[00:37:38] That church became incredibly fruitful.
[00:37:40] And during their time there, they had a vision to start the Nets Center and train up leaders for church planting and for healthy churches.
[00:37:53] So we welcome them here.
[00:37:55] We're looking forward to the sermon here in just a little bit and ask you to be praying for him as he comes up here in a moment.
[00:38:02] But what I'd like to do now, if you would, please stand for the reading of God's Word.
[00:38:07] We're going to read the third epistle of John.
[00:38:09] If you go all the way to the back of your Bible to Revelation and turn back a couple of books, you'll find yourself in the third letter from John.
[00:38:18] And I'm reading from the ESV today.
[00:38:21] You can find this in your Pew Bible, if you have a Pew Bible, on page 1026.
[00:38:29] But during this, John is going to commend a dear brother in Christ, Gaius, not only for his faithful walk in truth, but also the way that he loves fellow believers, especially with regard to how he has welcomed and supported traveling missionaries.
[00:38:47] So if you'll read along with me, I'm going to read the entire book.
[00:38:50] This is the shortest book in the Bible, but there's still a bit to read, so follow along with me.
[00:38:58] The Elder, to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
[00:39:05] Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health as it goes well with your soul.
[00:39:13] For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.
[00:39:20] I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
[00:39:28] Beloved, is it a faithful thing that you do in all of your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church?
[00:39:38] You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
[00:39:44] For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
[00:39:48] therefore we ought to support people like these that we may be fellow workers for the truth i have written something to the church but diatrophies who likes to put himself first does not acknowledge our authority so if i come i will bring it up i'll bring up what he is doing
[00:40:07] talking wicked nonsense against us and not content with that he refuses to welcome the brothers and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.
[00:40:19] Beloved, do not imitate evil, but imitate good.
[00:40:24] Whoever does good is from God.
[00:40:26] Whoever does evil has not seen God.
[00:40:30] Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone and from the truth itself.
[00:40:35] We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.
[00:40:40] I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink.
[00:40:47] I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
[00:40:53] Peace be to you.
[00:40:54] The friends greet you.
[00:40:57] Greet the friends, each by name.
[00:41:01] If you'll pray with me.
[00:41:10] Gracious Lord, we do give you thanks for this day.
[00:41:13] We praise your holy name, acknowledging that you are creator of all things.
[00:41:19] And Father, we also, we thank you that you are sovereign over all.
[00:41:24] You are God Almighty, King of kings.
[00:41:27] So Lord, thank you for this day that we can gather.
[00:41:30] Thank you for these people here assembled.
[00:41:32] Lord, thank you for our time now to worship, to pray together, to hear your word preached, to consider your truth, Father, and to receive it so that our hearts might be changed, so our lives might be transformed, and that we might serve you in the newness of life.
[00:41:51] Father, I thank you for Wes and Sue. I thank you for the provision you've given them. I thank you for protecting them on their trip here. I thank you for their friendship, and I thank you for
[00:42:02] the opportunity to partner with them and with their entire staff and all those that are committed to and involved in NETS in Vermont. Father, thank you for the good work that you're doing there as
[00:42:14] NETS continues to mentor young pastors and leaders in the church as it prepares them and equips them to go plant churches in a very dark and difficult area, not just in the Northeast, but worldwide, Father. Thank you for their counsel and for their prayers and for their kind words and
[00:42:34] encouragement, even for this church, as two congregations were called to come together.
[00:42:41] Father, their encouragement and the message of hope, their wisdom from having planted a church and having revitalized churches was so dear. And Father, I think has also borne fruit. So thank you for that. Father, we thank you for our time of worship today. Father, we thank you for just an
[00:42:59] opportunity because of what your Son did on the cross for us long ago to be able to come to you in prayer with the full assurance that you hear our prayers as we cry out to you. Father, we pray
[00:43:12] that as your Spirit moves in us, you would convict us of sins in our own life and that you would move us to confess those sins to you, remembering your word that if we confess our sins, you are faithful
[00:43:25] and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. And now, Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the word as read and as preached. And Father, we pray that
[00:43:39] this morning we will receive your word, that it may strengthen us in our faith, Lord, but it also may stir our hearts to greater love for our fellow believers. And importantly, Father, that we would
[00:43:54] seek to support missions and ministry partners, just as we do with NETS and others, so that we might partner with them as fellow workers in the work of the kingdom. Father, now we pray as we
[00:44:09] worship you in song and as we continue in our worship through the sermon and through prayer.
[00:44:15] Lord, we pray that it would not only be pleasing to you, but it would honor your holy name.
[00:44:19] father we pray all of these things in the good and strong name of your son jesus christ amen

[00:44:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:44:27] standing as we join together with the song in your hymnal it's number 353 i know whom i have

[00:44:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:44:36] believed to be here it's a joy to partner with you thank you very much for your faithful partnership

[00:49:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:49:19] partnership with NETS up in Vermont, the People's Republic, and it is a thrill to be in this new facility. Let me open up our time with a word of prayer. Father, thank you for this day. Thank you
[00:49:36] for your grace. Thank you, Father, for your promise to sanctify us in the truth and that your word is that truth. And so we ask, Father, that you would use this service to build us up in our most holy
[00:49:51] faith. You'd use this service to provoke those who are still outside of Christ to consider the free gift of eternal life. We give all this to you. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.
[00:50:10] Well, as Jim said, I'm from Vermont, but I love to drive down south, especially through Pennsylvania, and Virginia, as we did last week, and see all the famous Civil War battlefields. Gettysburg, Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness,
[00:50:34] Spotsylvania, Petersburg, the Appomattox River, which of course leads to the Appomattox Courthouse, were Lee's surrender to Grant, just to name a few that I saw on my way down.
[00:50:52] Now that was a time of great division in our country, wasn't it? Division over slavery, division over states' rights, division over the status of new states, and division over the constitutionality of succession. And I'm sure I don't have to tell you that the Civil War
[00:51:14] didn't end divisions in this country.
[00:51:20] Divisions are alive and well.
[00:51:23] The conservative South is at odds with the liberal North.
[00:51:27] The divide between black and white seems wider than ever.
[00:51:30] And the deepest division of all, Trump supporters versus Trump haters.
[00:51:40] After 250 years and a civil war that produced, rough estimates are one and a half million casualties, we're still divided and there's no end in sight. But as deep as these dividing lines are in our country, they're barely indentations
[00:52:07] when compared to the deep, deep multi-millennial divide that exists and existed between Jew and Gentile. I mean, the Jews were God's chosen people. They were marked by God's holy law, and they were given his precious promises of salvation, whereas the Gentiles, they were
[00:52:30] utterly pagan. They were worshiping everything but the one true God and indulging the lusts of their minds and their bodies and were by nature children of wrath. You and I can hardly imagine a bigger difference, a deeper divide, a greater enmity, a less likely scenario to produce
[00:52:53] reconciliation. And yet that's what happened. That's what our great God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ did. And this morning, we want to examine just how he unified those totally alienated peoples from Ephesians chapters 1 through 3. Grant said that I had about two
[00:53:15] hours this morning, so I'm going to do three chapters. And then next week we'll do it again when we survey what that unity looked like from Ephesians 4 to 6. But of course, I'm sure
[00:53:30] you can guess that this is no mere academic exercise because the threat of disunity exists in all cultures, including the culture of the church. And perhaps especially when two distinct, similar, but distinct church cultures merge, as we have here at the King's Chapel.
[00:53:57] So here's the question. What is the basis of unity in the church of Jesus Christ?
[00:54:03] what binds us together to be more pointed what is the basis the foundation that will allow two former churches Christ Baptist and Capital Community to continue to move forward in a way that preserves the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace our passage Ephesians 1 to 3 will
[00:54:28] give us that basis and should stimulate us to worship our great God who conceived and executed this glorious reconciliation. So I invite you to turn with me to Ephesians chapter 1. I'm going to pick it up in verse 3 and read all the way to verse 14. That is one long sentence in the
[00:54:55] original. Ephesians chapter 1, I'll read verses 3 to 14. 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, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
[00:55:18] and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace with which He blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
[00:55:34] of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of His will according to His purpose, which He set
[00:55:46] forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that
[00:56:04] we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. And in him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed
[00:56:17] with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory. Paul begins by blessing or praising God the Father for this reason, for blessing us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. But what are those blessings?
[00:56:40] well first Paul gives us the foundational blessing in verse 4 election predestination and what is it it's God's determination before the foundation of the world to set his affection on a number of hell-deserving sinners that no man can count remember given that we were dead
[00:57:08] and our trespasses and sins, we were unable to move one inch toward God. There's no one who seeks God, and hence God had to initiate our salvation, which he did when he chose his sheep from before
[00:57:22] the foundation of the world. Your faith is an outworking of that. So election is the foundational blessing, but what blessings proceed from it? Well, in this long sentence, there's at least three based on the structure of the passage with relative clauses that introduce those blessings
[00:57:43] first in verse 7, then verse 11, then verse 13, and all in Christ, in Him. First, there's the blessing of redemption from verses 7 to 10. Believers have been redeemed, forgiven all their sins by the Son's shed blood as a part of the plan to unite all things in Christ. Second, the
[00:58:05] blessing of an inheritance from verses 11 and 12. You see according to God's predetermined plan those who were first to hope in Christ that's a reference to the Jewish believers they've received an inheritance in Christ and finally the blessing of a guarantee or pledge a down payment from
[00:58:27] verses 13 and 14 through faith believers receive the pledge of that promised inheritance which is the Holy Spirit who seals and safeguards us until the promised inheritance is acquired.
[00:58:42] But I want you to notice something. Did you see the change of pronouns in verse 13? Now up to verse 13, Paul was using only first-person pronouns, we and us. But in verse 13, he switches to you,
[00:59:04] second person did you see that do you see it now so what's going on with that well it's simply this the we and us refer to Paul and his fellow Jewish believers or as verse 12 says those who were first
[00:59:22] to hope in Christ whereas the you in verse 13 refers to the Gentile believers who were predominant in Ephesus and the other churches in Asia Minor. Like their Jewish brethren, these Gentiles had received the guarantee of the inheritance in Christ based on the redemption that Christ wrought,
[00:59:43] all of which flowed from their election in Christ. To say it another way, Jew and Gentile were elected by the same Father, and as a result, they were redeemed by the same blood of the Son
[00:59:59] and given an eternal inheritance which was guaranteed and sealed by the same Holy Spirit.
[01:00:07] Jew and Gentile, formerly alienated, have a common and glorious salvation. And this leads to Paul's first prayer, starting in verse 15. Let me pick it up there, and I'm going to read all the way to chapter 2, verse 10. For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in
[01:00:31] the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints I do not cease to give thanks for you remembering you in all my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory
[01:00:40] may give you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him having the eyes of your hearts enlightened that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you what are the
[01:00:52] riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places
[01:01:07] far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come and he put all things under his feet and gave him his
[01:01:18] head over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all and you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of
[01:01:31] this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires
[01:01:42] of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind.
[01:01:48] But God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead on our trespasses made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved and
[01:02:00] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness toward us in
[01:02:11] Christ Jesus for by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing it is a gift of God not a result of works so that no one may boast for we are his workmanship
[01:02:23] created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
[01:02:34] Paul begins with another long sentence, verses 15 to 23, praying that these Gentile converts would know God, that they would know God by having their hearts enlightened. And specifically, Paul wants them to know three things first the hope of his calling verse 18 as we shall see
[01:02:59] the Gentiles had no hope and were without God in the world so Paul wants them to know specifically the hope of his calling second the riches of his inheritance in the saints again verse 18 Paul wants these Gentiles to know that they hold in common an inheritance
[01:03:20] a rich inheritance with their Jewish brethren. Finally, most importantly, Paul prays that these Gentile believers might know the greatness, the surpassing greatness, one translation says, of God's power. And I think this is what occupies verse 19 all the way to the end of verse 10 in
[01:03:44] chapter 2. It's a power which always attends the blessing of salvation through Christ. We're going talk a lot more about that next week. When someone comes to Christ, there is a power within them that
[01:03:57] enables them to carry out what he asks them to do, not perfectly, but characteristically. And it's a power that was evidenced when Christ was raised from the dead and seated at God's right hand in
[01:04:12] the heavenly places, and evidenced again when these dead Gentile believers were spiritually raised from the dead and seated with Christ in the heavenly places. Now, by the way, let me stop there and speak to those who may be here and yet outside of Christ. Or you might be here this
[01:04:42] morning and not sure if you really know Jesus Christ. This is a marvelous text to make clear to you the gospel? Do you know that the Bible says that you're dead in your trespasses and sins?
[01:05:00] Do you know what that means? It means you are completely unable to respond to God. You have a heart of stone, Ezekiel 36 says. You're locked down in your sin, and when sin says jump, the only
[01:05:21] question you can ask is how high because you're enslaved to that sin oh you may think no I'm actually free and I'm having a great time no you're not you can fool yourself to think that
[01:05:36] you are but outside of Christ you are dead in your trespasses and sins and able only to indulge the passions, the lusts of the flesh and of the mind. It's a very, very perilous and unhappy
[01:05:54] condition. And yet, did you see the good news in this passage? But God being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us. Yes, he sent his only begotten son and he offers
[01:06:10] the grace of forgiveness as a free gift. It's like, here it is, just take it. There it is.
[01:06:17] to be freed from sin and death and be assured that all is well with you, that it is well with your soul. I want to appeal to you. Consider Jesus Christ this morning. Consider the free gift of
[01:06:33] life that he offers you to awaken you from death to life, to live with him forever. The Lord Jesus is a willing Savior. He will answer your prayers if you come to Him in faith. Now, Paul wants these
[01:06:51] Gentile believers to know God. He particularly wants them to know the power that is theirs through their salvation in Christ. So, at this point, he said the Gentiles have a common election, producing a common redemption and inheritance with their Jewish brethren, which has made them alive,
[01:07:11] raised them up and seated them in the heavenly places with Christ and clothed them with the very power that raised Jesus from the dead. Now Paul wants to press home the implication of that common
[01:07:28] salvation starting in chapter 2 and verse 11. Let me pick it up there. Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision which is made in the flesh by hands remember that you were at that time separated from Christ
[01:07:48] alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both
[01:08:07] one and has broken down in his flesh a dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross,
[01:08:26] thereby killing the hostility and he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near for through him we both have access in one spirit to the father so then
[01:08:40] you are no longer strangers and aliens but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple
[01:08:56] in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Though formally excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, separated from Christ, and having no hope, and without God in the world, Paul wants these Gentiles to remember this.
[01:09:21] Nevertheless, now they've been brought near by the blood of Christ. By fulfilling the law and all of its punitive sanctions, Jesus Christ has removed that which separated Jew from Gentile.
[01:09:36] Do you know what separated them? The law. That's what separated them. And Jesus fulfilled it.
[01:09:45] He fulfilled all of its punitive sanctions, all the penalties that it required. So it's no longer an impediment for their unity. In fact, it says Jesus has become our peace. He's reconciled the two into one new man. And Gentiles are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with
[01:10:07] the Jewish saints who together are being built up by God's Spirit into a new dwelling place for God, a new temple made without human hands. Can you imagine that? That former sinners, both Jew and Gentile now are the holy abode for a holy God. And this again, as it had in chapter one,
[01:10:34] induces Paul to pray, but not before he digresses, both summarizing this new privileged status belonging to the Gentiles, according to the Old Testament ministry, which was revealed through the proclamation of the gospel, but also to console them amid his own imprisonment. Let's
[01:10:52] pick it up in chapter 3. You didn't think we'd get through these three chapters, did you? We're moving right along. Pick it up in verse 1. For this reason, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
[01:11:02] on behalf of you Gentiles, assuming that you've heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written
[01:11:12] briefly, when you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as it has now been revealed to us wholly
[01:11:22] apostles and prophets by the spirit this mystery is that the gentiles are fellow heirs members of the same body and partakers of the promise in christ jesus through the gospel of this gospel i was made a minister according to the gift of god's grace which was given me by the working
[01:11:39] of his power to me though i am the very least of all the saints this grace was given to preach to the gentiles the unsearchable riches of christ and to bring to light for everyone what is the
[01:11:51] plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly
[01:12:02] places this was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him so I ask you not to lose
[01:12:14] heart over what I am suffering for you which is your glory the Gentiles are fellow heirs they're members of the same body they're partakers of the same promises through the gospel Paul proclaimed this all accords this all accords with God's eternal purpose which was realized
[01:12:47] through Christ that is from eternity past God planned to include Gentiles in this new entity called the church now let me just stop right there because you're listening to me and you're saying yeah yeah big deal if you were a gentile at this time it would have been a huge deal it would have
[01:13:10] been an unspeakably big deal because it was for jews only and now the mystery is revealed that Gentiles are included in this new entity called the church. And thus, though they were prone to lament that Paul was in prison, he says, no, no, no, no. I've been called so that I can announce
[01:13:35] this very mystery to you, which is your glory. It's your salvation. And now having anchored this proclamation of the glorious gospel with its unfolding of the mystery of Gentile inclusion, Paul issues forth his second prayer, starting in verse 14. Again, one sentence. Let me pick it up
[01:13:58] there. For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened
[01:14:09] with power through his spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you being rooted and grounded in love may have strength to comprehend with all the saints
[01:14:20] what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God let me give you some noteworthy
[01:14:34] features of this prayer. First, did you notice that Paul addresses God as the father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named? Why did he say that? Why did he say that? Well,
[01:14:50] it brings to mind what God said to Abraham, in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
[01:14:57] He's recognizing that God is a God of both Jew and Gentile. There's no longer a separation.
[01:15:05] and second and pivoting off the prayer in chapter one Paul prays for power for these new Gentile converts power to be strengthened through faith in the inner man and power to be strengthened as those rooted and grounded in love to grasp along with their Jewish brethren the immensity
[01:15:27] of Christ's love, the breadth, the length, the height, the depth of the love of Christ until they're filled to overflowing with God himself, who is love. As we'll see next week, love is the key ingredient to walking in unity. And thus, our ability to love one another
[01:15:58] flows from our comprehension of God's love for us in Christ. We love one another, 1 John says, because he first loved us. Paul concludes this first section with the most fitting benediction, verse 20. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think
[01:16:26] according to the power at work within us to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever amen isn't that a glorious benediction first Paul acknowledges the one who's done this marvelous thing do you see what he's done he's united Jew and Gentile in
[01:16:52] the church through the work of his son and spirit he's taken these two cultures which are completely alienated which hated each other and he's united them through his son and through his spirit we should ask is anything too difficult for God no no indeed he is able to do far more abundantly
[01:17:14] beyond all that we could ask or think or imagine according to the power that now works within these Gentiles and within us. And second, Paul calls for this God to be glorified in the church
[01:17:32] and to be glorified in his Son by all people throughout all generations forever and ever.
[01:17:42] Amen. Of course he calls for that. Such an amazing salvation, such an amazing reconciliation calls for that kind of praise. So this has been Paul's word to these Gentile believers. He's rehearsed their common salvation with their Jewish brethren, and he's reminded them of
[01:18:05] its implication, namely that they are now fellow heirs and members of the church with the Jewish saints, a mystery from long ago which now has been revealed by the apostles and prophets through the preaching of the gospel. And what about us here at King's Chapel this morning? How should
[01:18:30] we respond to this word, this amazing work of the triune God in creating the new man, the church, made up of formerly bitter enemies? Let me close with three ways of response.
[01:18:52] first it should fill us with praise you know when i when i think about praise in churches and i i preach in a lot of southern baptist churches i pastored one for 30 years when i think about my
[01:19:20] own praise when i read the book of psalms that enjoins me to praise and i know some of this is cultural. I get it. But I'm not very impressed with myself. When I read the book of Revelation,
[01:19:43] I don't see polite affections on display. You know what I mean by polite affections?
[01:19:52] I'm going to really get in trouble now. I am coming back next week, but I'm going to really get in trouble. I can tell. You know, everyone just stands nicely in their Sunday go to meet
[01:20:05] in clothes, arms down to the side. They sing the songs, but other than that, you might think they're asleep. It's very subdued. I'm unhappy with my own praise for a God who could make these two cultures, these bitter enemies, they had nothing but contempt for one another,
[01:20:43] that he could take these two and make them into one new culture and make it so glorious so beautiful so holy that it becomes the very dwelling place of God himself in my heart and I think in
[01:21:02] your heart if you know Jesus Christ this should provoke unbridled praise and adoration for such a peacemaking God. And so I enjoin you, King's Chapel, let us fall on our faces, at least figuratively, continually offering up a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to the one who has
[01:21:29] brought us into the church, into his kingdom. Oh, worship the King with all of our hearts.
[01:21:38] so first it should fill us with praise second it should fill us with hope you know if God can reconcile Jew and Gentile into this new entity called the church then he obviously can reconcile
[01:21:57] Christ Baptist and capital community into this new entity called the king's chapel now don't get me wrong don't get me wrong from what little I know and I know very little this merger has gone
[01:22:11] swimmingly well at least that's what Grant says I trust him but as a pastor now for 35 years and as the president of a church planting organization for over 25 years and as we'll see from chapter 6 next week the devil is ever he is ever sowing seeds of discord among God's people
[01:22:35] that's his main occupation if he can bring the church down he's he's won his plan is to cause disunity and any cursory study of church history will certify the successfulness of that plan nevertheless you and I you and I have the power of the resurrection the power of the spirit at
[01:23:01] work within us to resist the devil and to refuse to give him opportunity to work his discordant plan. We have a God who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think
[01:23:16] as evidenced by making Jew and Gentile into one new man and all this gives us hope. You and I have the opportunity to show the world that Christ is our peace through his reconciling work on the
[01:23:35] cross and that through the gospel he has preached to us that peace so that we might be diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace which enables us to preach that peace
[01:23:57] to a lost and dying world with full integrity, with real authenticity, with true moral authority to the eternal glory of God in the heavenly places. And finally, it should not only fill us with praise, it should not only fill us with hope, it should fill us with energy to proclaim
[01:24:23] the message of reconciliation. Well, listen, our country is clearly unreconciled. The divide seems deeper than ever. And I don't want to sound like a Debbie Downer, but I don't see that ever changing.
[01:24:42] That's what it's been for 250 years. I don't see that it's going to change. But we, as followers of Christ, we have the message of reconciliation, don't we? As Christ's ambassadors. In fact, we have a monopoly on reconciliation, do we not? There's no other message of reconciliation out
[01:25:11] there. There's nothing else that works. God is in the business of reconciling former enemies first to himself then to each other through the gospel of his son and it is our duty indeed our sacred privilege to proclaim that message i think of a good friend of mine who was a mentor
[01:25:41] a veteran of world war ii as part of the okinawan invasion japan and came from the war as an unbeliever, hating the Japanese. And in his 50s, God saved him, and he started attending a
[01:26:03] church that had been started by a professor at the college named Edwin Yamauchi. And God took his hatred and put in its place love. And my friend George and Dr. Y, as we called him,
[01:26:27] were the best of friends until George died. See, that's the message that we have, the message of reconciliation. So let us rekindle our passion for seeing sinners brought to Christ by eagerly telling our friends and our neighbors, our work associates, our family members of our
[01:26:51] great God who longs to be gracious to them and to save them from the eternal wrath that they so richly deserve. Yes, it's our duty, it's our sacred privilege to proclaim this message of reconciliation. Oh, dear King's Chapel brothers and sisters, let us be filled with love
[01:27:19] for this peacemaking God who redeemed us through the precious blood of his own dear Son.
[01:27:25] let us be filled with the sure hope that we can resist successfully our strife producing adversary through the heavenly power that works so mightily within us for if God is for us who can be against us and may that hope fill us with energy to be Christ's ambassadors until the
[01:27:49] knowledge of our great God's glory fills the earth like the waters fill the sea, until we and all creation are filled up with God himself. Amen. Let us pray. Father, I thank you.
[01:28:14] I thank you for your word. I thank you for the power of the resurrection that not only raised our Savior to life, but has spiritually raised us up and seated us with him in the heavenly places.
[01:28:34] And Father, we ask that you would fill us with praise, with hope, with energy to carry out your will. We thank you for these things. In Jesus' name, amen. If you would, I'm going to make a

[01:28:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[01:28:54] slight change. Go back to your hymnal, 353. After hearing a message on the great work of God to call us and to save us, my mind still lingers on the words that we sang before the sermon.
[01:29:13] And I don't know how you process a hymn, but singing a hymn has an eternal obligation to it.
[01:29:20] Because it is an act of worship, not the music itself, but the spirit works within us, that the words and thoughts that we form become a sacrifice, an offering to God.
[01:29:32] So we have an obligation in how we process and think about what we're singing and how the Spirit applies it to our own hearts. And I know some of you have probably sung this hymn all your lives.
[01:29:46] And I have to confess, I have too, but I didn't like the way we sang it. So the way we sang it this morning is actually a new arrangement that I had had done for hymns of grace because I wanted
[01:30:00] some way to sing it that would cause me to reflect more intently upon the words when I read I know not why God's wondrous grace to me he hath made made known nor why unworthy Christ in love
[01:30:17] redeemed me for his own. I have no idea why God set his love upon me, and I know that I am most unworthy. I recognize that. There is nothing in me that makes me loving to God.
[01:30:36] And I know not how this saving faith, to me he did impart. I don't know how that happened.
[01:30:46] I don't know why but I know that believing in his word brought peace within my heart I don't know how the spirit moves convincing men of sin I don't know why at five years of age
[01:31:05] I said God I know I'm a sinner and I need forgiveness how did God in his infinite wisdom give me that perspective and how did he reveal Christ to me through his word and create in me something
[01:31:24] that I could not create and that is faith in him but I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able I'm not able he is able to keep that which I've committed
[01:31:43] until that day that I am with him and finally I can say I don't know when my Lord will come. I don't know if I will go at his calling or if I will meet death on earth, but I know that I will be with him, that his promise is secure.
[01:32:08] So when we sing a hymn and we sing a song, we must process those words through the sovereign work of God in our lives and then the spirit takes that and much the same way that he helps us with
[01:32:23] prayer in groanings before the father he takes our heart our words our faith our belief and turns that into an offering before the throne of God so let's stand together and sing again I know whom I

[01:32:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:32:37] have believed the benediction not to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we

[01:37:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[01:37:32] ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.