Robert E Rasmussen.com

It is doing my soul such good to enter into the thoughts of the Apostle Paul, a prisoner for his devotion to Jesus, as he writes of vast heavenly truths.

Today we have many words describing horrible invasions, like 

• pandemic
• cancer
• virus
• epidemic

As I look at Paul’s epistle to the Ephesian believers, it is clear that God has unleashed on humanity a glorious infection — an array of blessings which can spread to everyone in every place.

Just as Covid-19 began with one invading cell, I’ve looked in our passage for the source of every spiritual blessing.

And I think I’ve found it.  It’s the pleasure of God.

Embedded in the grand hymn of praise (Eph. 1:3-14), there are two instances of “good pleasure” (Gk. word, eudokia)

• “according to the good pleasure of His will” (1:5)
• “according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself” (1:9)

God could have been angry, vindictive, selfish, petty, dictatorial, weak, — a real cosmic sour-puss. Instead, God, in the deepest recesses of His being delights in goodness. He is good, and He wills to spread goodness to humanity and creation.

So, He created in the heavenlies a blessed people, and unleashed us to spread through the whole earth. Imagine the impact of millions of people who:

• know they are chosen by God!
• bask in the security of adoption into God’s family!
• have all their sins forgiven!
• possess an eternal inheritance, sealed and guaranteed by the Holy Spirit!

If we become glued to the fear and negativity of these days, we could miss our part in the good pleasure of God as He infects the world with His love.

Epidemics will come and go,
Markets will fall and recover and fall again,
Leaders will falter
Institutions will disappoint,
but the good pleasure of our God will thrive into eternity.
So we, together, will wait on Him
and spread His good news
in every land and home.

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At a time like this, our response to hardship rests heavily on how we see ourselves.
In studying Paul’s epistle, we often see the plural pronouns “we” and “us.” Who is he referring to? The salutation says, “To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus” (1:1). The congregation, meeting in synagogues and homes, was multi-cultural (both Jewish and Gentile).

The point? These solid truths are written about all genuine believers together.

Considering the first stanza (1:3-6):

• God blessed us with every spiritual blessing
• just as He chose us in Him
• having predestined us to adoption by Jesus Christ
• He made us accepted in the Beloved

Its beautiful to know that you in particular were chosen by God, but let’s not be too hasty to individualize so much of God’s Word which addresses our corporate standing.

Stanza two and three adds:

• we have redemption through His blood
• we have obtained an inheritance
• that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory
• having believed, you (plural) were sealed with the Holy Spirit
• the guarantee of our inheritance

God’s story is one of gathering throughout history, from every tribe, tongue, and nation, a new, chosen people, for His own glory.

At all times, even and especially when times are hard (like Covid-19 weeks), what should give us our bearings? Who are we to be as the global and local community of believers?

We can rest in the confidence that the lavish kindness of God is safely and eternally reserved in heaven (1:3).

We can marvel that God has been, is now, and will continue to choose a global, multicultural, multi-generational community for His own good pleasure,

• and keep clearly in our collective mind that He envisioned this gathering from before the foundation of the world,
• and focus on His purpose that we be “holy and without blame before Him in love” (1:4).

We can take confidence that God set our collective destiny beforehand, as adopted into His eternal family because He delights to do so (“the good pleasure of His will,” 1:5).

And we can lift up voices and hands and good works in a praise-response to His amazing grace — the undeserved kindness by which He has given us, together, full belonging and safety in His beloved Son.

A final thought.
I count eight times in Ephesians 1:1-14 where Paul says “In Him” or something similar. Can you find them?

All these blessings are treasures which open up to us in the person and work of Christ Jesus. I encourage us all to burrow deeper into Jesus right now.

• Put your full trust in Him.
• Surrender every last portion of your heart to Him.

Let this time of hardship be the renewal your heart has needed for a long time.

Reaching out to you in our shared belonging to God in Christ,

Robert

As bad news from Covid-19 spreads everywhere, the Bible tells us that God has already, and continues today, to pour out lavish spiritual blessings! Anyone who will receive them by faith can drink them all freely.

The opening praise hymn in Ephesians chapter one gives three mountain peaks which lift our eyes to the glory of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Gushing forth from these heights comes a mighty river cascading down in refreshment and cleansing on the believing community (the Church).

Each of these blessings merits a full study, but I can only note them here.

(Stanza 1)  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ:

• chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world (1:4, using NKJV)
• predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ (1:5)
• made us accepted in the Beloved (1:6)

(Stanza 2) In Him (Christ) we have:

• redemption through His blood (1:7)
• the forgiveness of sins (1:7)
• obtained an inheritance (1:11)

(Stanza 3) In Him (Christ):

• having believed, you (all) were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (1:13)
• the guarantee of our inheritance (1:14)
• until the redemption of the purchased possession (1:14)

It’s a lavish spiritual feast, served by our gracious Tri-une God — like a banquet under a waterfall, sheltered beneath a mighty rock. All this is reserved in heaven for you (and all of us together). And we can draw from this cascading waterfall right now.

Perhaps we can see heavenly truths best in earthly confinement!
The cascade of blessings was revealed to Paul by the Holy Spirit while he sat in prison. May that same Spirit illuminate these truths to you today in whatever confinement you are experiencing. (See below for my attempt to capture these truths graphically; Yikes, it’s pretty crude.)

Is there one of these blessings that brings you special comfort today? 

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