I am Chosen

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Series Overview
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8:40 Service | 10:00 Service | 11:20 Service | Sermon Audio

Good morning Chapel family. I am so excited about today, because we are starting a brand new summer series on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. One commentator said this: “Pound for pound, Ephesians may well be the most influential document ever written.” Because it’s short—only about four pages—but it is so dense with theological truth and how that truth affects our lives.  

Specifically, the truth of Ephesians affects the way we think about our identity—our self-image, which is massively influential in how we live. Our self-image affects the way we interact with people…or avoid people. It affects our level of confidence. It affects how we respond when people criticize us. It affects how we react to bad news. It affects how willing we are to take risks. Identity affects every part of our lives. 

So here’s the question: Who do you think you are? When you think about your identity, what comes to mind?  

Has anyone here done a DNA test—Ancestry.com or one of those? You spit into a little tube and mail it in, and then you get a report that tells you all about your genetic background. My brother did one, and since we come from the same parents, we have the same ancestry. So I can now say for certain that I come from Scandinavian and Northern European ancestors. I know—shocking. (So that’s why I’m better at chopping wood than dancing!) Under this category you could also put genetic traits like skin color, body shape, etc. The stuff we inherited. So some of us think of our identity primarily by our ancestry: “I’m a proud, 3rd generation Norwegian-American.” Is that who I am? 

Some people put lots of emphasis on life experiences. Maybe your parents got divorced when you were young, or you were in a traumatic accident, or you’re a cancer survivor, or you were assaulted, or your spouse betrayed you. Or…you got an athletic scholarship. Or you met the man of your dreams on eHarmony.com. We all have good and bad things in our personal history, and that affects the way we think about ourselves. Is that who we are—an accumulation of our life experiences? 

For me, I’ve always been a very accomplishment-oriented person. So when I wake up in the morning, I sometimes find myself assessing my value based on how well I performed the day before. Almost like the Olympic judges who hold up scores—“I’ll give you a ‘6’ for yesterday’s performance. Not bad, but you can do better.” Can anyone relate to that? So if I didn’t work really hard and get a lot done, I can be pretty rough on myself.  

Our sense of identity is also affected by culture—the voices and opinions of other people. Including social media: when you regularly compare yourself to other people’s amazing lives on Instagram or Facebook, how does that affect your self-image? 

The list could go on. But the point is, there are so many things that influence our self-image. And our self-image affects our lives in major ways. Which is why people spend years in counseling, and read self-help books, to work on their self-image to improve their lives, often with very little results. 

And here’s why I’m so excited about this series: Ephesians introduces us to a power that’s more influential than our genes and our experiences and the things people have done to us and our performance, and everything else. It’s a power that can overcome all those other things. And the power I’m talking about is the gospel of Jesus Christ. And the book of Ephesians defines the gospel and applies the gospel maybe more clearly than anywhere else in the Bible.  

So—a little background: around the year 55AD, we read in Acts 18 and 19 that Paul the Apostle showed up in the city of Ephesus, which still exists—it’s in Turkey. So he came to Ephesus; he preached the gospel, and by the time he left three years later, there were a bunch of brand new Christians, and a church had formed. A few years later, Paul found himself in a prison cell in Rome, and he remembered his old friends in Ephesus, and he wrote them this letter.  

So let’s start at the beginning: Ephesians 1, verses 1 through 14. This is God’s Word for us today… 

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, 

To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. This is the Word of the Lord.  

So how does this begin to shape the way we think about our identity? Let’s talk first about The Plans God Made. Paul starts off by introducing himself—Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. One thing we can say for sure about Paul is that he knew who he was. He says, “I’m an apostle,” which literally means, “I’m a sent one.” I’ve been sent by Christ. I’m an apostle of Christ Jesus. But the reason for that identity is not because Paul chose it. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by…what does it say? By…the will of God. It wasn’t Paul’s idea to travel around the world and risk his life to plant churches. It wasn’t Paul’s plan to sit in prison, like he was doing when he wrote this. And yet, he was completely at peace with where he was, because he knew that he was right in the center of God’s will.  

An apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. So here’s my question for you: are you willing to give up your right to determine your own identity, and let God determine it for you? Because that’s where this all starts. Let God define you.  

So Paul finishes his greeting, and then starting in verse 3, he gets into the meat of the letter. And listen to this: from verse 3 to the very end of this passage, in the original Greek, it’s one sentence. One massive, run-on sentence. In English, we’ve added some periods to make it proper grammar. But in the Greek this is one marathon sentence. You know why? Because Paul is so overwhelmed by what he’s describing, he can’t even take a breath. This is like a college girl who just came home for Thanksgiving break, explaining to her mom everything she experienced in her first few months at college, and all the classes she took and all the friends she made in the dorm and how the food in the dining hall isn’t as good as it was during orientation but it’s still pretty good, and especially about this one boy she met in her chemistry lab...(inhale…)…That’s the kind passion Paul writes with. This is not a scholar explaining something he knows; this is a man bursting with passion because of Someone he has met. And he wants to make sure his readers feel he weight of what he’s describing. 

And the first thing he wants us to know is that, as believers in Christ, we are part of a plan that God has had for a really long time. Verse 5 says “he predestined us.” Verse 4 says “he chose us.” It’s a powerful thing to be chosen.  

When I was in elementary school, I was a chubby kid, which affected my athletic ability. I was especially bad at baseball. I can remember in gym class, when they were picking teams for baseball. And the two captains—usually the most athletic kids—would take turns picking. I never got picked close to the beginning, and sometimes I got picked last. Do you know that feeling? It’s one of the most raw social encounters that a kid faces, right? Just once, I wanted the captain to choose me first: “I’ll take the chubby kid with the bushy hair! You—come on!” But at that point in my life, I was never chosen with much enthusiasm.  

So think about what Paul is saying here: the God of the universe chose you early, and with enthusiasm. Verse 4 says, “he chose us in him before the creation of the world.” If you ever struggle with feeling wanted…if you know how it feels to be picked last for the team; to not get picked for prom; to get passed over for a promotion; to be ignored when you walk into a room…this is life-changing. He chose us. 

And it brings up all kinds of theological questions, doesn’t it? Like, “Wait a minute—how can there be free will—how can there really be a choice—if God chose me? And does that mean there are people that God doesn’t choose? That doesn’t seem fair.” This has been debated for centuries, and we’re not going to solve the debate today. But I want to push you a little, to open up your mind and allow Scripture to stretch you. The Bible consistently teaches that if you are a believer, God chose you first. In John chapter 15, Jesus says, You did not choose me; I chose you. Now, at the same time, the Bible says you have to personally believe in Christ in order to be saved. It’s a real choice you make. You’re not a puppet. You have to decide to believe. And some people say, “Well, how could it be both God’s choice and our choice? It has to be one or the other!” 

And the answer is…you ready? You might want to write this down…I don’t know. But God does. And there are people who emphasize God’s part so much, they basically cancel out our necessity to choose. And there are other people who put all the emphasis on our choice, and they cancel out God’s choice. So this is one of those areas where we need to hold both truths at the same time, and let God explain it in heaven. But in this passage, the part that Paul is emphasizing is God’s part. This beautiful truth that God chose you! He wanted you! He picked you as his own before the creation of the world.  

In verse 5, he compares this to adoption. Years ago, we had a pastor on our staff named Warren Hunt. Warren and his wife Wendy adopted two children. And they said both times, they had found out through a friend of a friend who was going to give up her child, and in both cases, they decided—before the child was born—that they wanted that child. They said, “We didn’t know if the child would be physically disabled, or mentally disabled, or what he would look like, or what her temperament would be like. So our choice wasn’t based on anything in the child!” We just decided, “That child is ours.”  

And I never forgot that—first of all, because I’m in awe of adoptive parents—they amaze me. But also because this is exactly what happened when God chose us. It was before the creation of the world. In other words, before we had done anything; before we even existed. It wasn’t—like some people think—that God looked into the future, and he saw which people would believe in him, and he chose those people, because he knew they were going to believe. Verse 5 says he chose us in accordance with His pleasure and will. Which means he adopted us because he wanted us. Do you view yourself that way? You say, “I don’t know—I still wrestle with this idea of predestination and how that all works.” Me too! I don’t fully get it; I don’t think Paul fully got it. Stop trying to figure it all out, and accept it by faith. Because this will melt your heart, and bring you deep security.  

So…you with me so far? Paul says “I’m an apostle because God chose me for this. And if you’re a believer in Christ, it’s because God chose you.” Those are the plans God made. 

And then, Paul talks about The Price God Paid. Verse 7 says In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. That word “redemption” means “paying the price to obtain something.” So, sticking with the adoption theme for a minute—if you want to adopt a child, you have to pay a price, right? That might sound crass, but if you’re an adoptive parent, you know this—adoption costs many thousands of dollars. We have people in the Chapel who have traveled to China, and spent weeks there, and paid all kinds of fees. It’s a costly process. But every adoptive parent I know tells me it was worth every penny, because they so wanted to redeem that child and make the child their own.  

So what does that mean spiritually? It means that in order for God to adopt us, a price had to be paid. Someone had to redeem us from the guilt of our sin. And here’s the good news: God wanted so badly to adopt you that he paid for you with his own blood at the cross. Some people travel from New Jersey to China to adopt a baby; God traveled from heaven, across the universe, to adopt you. And look at the end of verse 7—it says that happened “in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” In other words, you didn’t earn this; you don’t deserve it; “grace” means that it’s a sheer gift, and we just need to receive it and say “Thank you.” 

A while ago, Norma Jean and I were having breakfast at the Pompton Queen. Gotta love those cheap dates. I mean, the Pompton Queen is a cheap date; my wife is not a cheap date. So anyway, we were finishing up breakfast, and we asked the waitress to bring our check. And she said, “Oh, it’s been taken care of.” And we said, “Really? By who?” And she pointed over to the counter—and there was a guy from The Chapel sitting there, and he waved to us. And I said, “No—I’m not going to let him do that.” Because I’m a proud American—and you’re supposed to object to things like that. So I said, “I’m not going to accept that.” And she said, “Honey, he already paid it!” And it was a strange moment. Because I knew if I insisted on paying the bill, it would have just been dumb. There was no bill to pay anymore. So the only sane thing was to believe it was paid, and just live like it was true. So I went over to my friend at the counter and said, “Thank you. You didn’t have to, but thanks.” And then we just walked out. And it was kind of great. And we’ll be there again this Saturday, by the way, about 8:00. 

That’s grace. Grace means that your bill—what you owe God—has been paid in full by the blood of Christ. Are you still trying to pay it off? Are you still beating yourself up over it? Maybe that’s the main problem with your self-esteem. You can’t forgive yourself for your mistakes, because you’re not convinced God has forgiven you. (And, by the way, that’s why you can’t forgive other people, either). Look at the cross. Your bill has been paid. It is finished. Just say “Thank you” and be free.  

So look: way you think about yourself starts to shift when you realize the plans God made for you, and the price he paid for you. And then one last thing… 

The Promise God Makes. Look at verses 13 and 14: 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. So the moment you put your faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit of God entered your life. And that’s a mysterious concept, so Paul gives two concrete pictures to help us understand it. 

First, he says, when the Holy Spirit enters, it’s like you’re marked with a seal. In the first century, important people had a signet ring, with a symbol that represented them. And they would press that ring into hot wax to verify that something belonged to them. Like, if you were sending a letter, and you wanted the recipient to know that the letter came from you, you would seal it with your personal seal. And as long as that seal wasn’t broken, the recipient would know it came from you. So when you believe, and the Holy Spirit enters your life, it’s like God presses his mark on you, to show that you belong to Him. This is a very personal thing.  

Do you remember the Toy Story movies? A boy named Andy has all these toys that come to life whenever he’s gone. And his favorite toy is Woody the cowboy. How did everyone know that Woody the cowboy belonged to Andy? Because on the bottom of Woody’s boot, Andy had etched his name, “Andy.” And Woody knew that what gave him value was not anything he did; it was who he belonged to. So receiving the Holy Spirit is like God writing his name on our lives, which means we belong to him, and we have infinite value. So that’s the first picture—the Holy Spirit is a seal, marking us as God’s possession. 

The second picture is in verse 14. It says the Holy Spirit is a deposit. It’s translating a Greek word that means “down payment.” Or—in modern Greek—it’s the word for “engagement ring.” Think about it: what does it mean when you give an engagement ring? It means, “I’m giving you a little bit of me right now—you’re getting $5,000 worth of me. But I promise you that one day, you’re going to have all of my money and my time and my body and my dreams.” So an engagement ring is a little taste of what’s to come.  

And Paul says, “The Holy Spirit is like that.” The moment you believe, the Spirit enters your life, and that’s God’s promise that one day you will have all of Him. And maybe you say, “Well, I was engaged, and my fiancé broke the engagement!” God never breaks His engagement. Our inheritance is guaranteed! That’s the promise God makes to you.  

So take a moment to step back and think about all this: the plans God made for you—he chose you before the creation of the world! The price he paid to redeem you—his own blood paid your debt. And the promise he makes to you—a future inheritance awaits. It almost sounds too good to be true, right? And did you notice the whole Trinity is involved? We are chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Which is why Paul gushes about it for 12 verses, without taking a breath.  

So…how are we supposed to respond to all this? Look at the very last line in verse 14. Do you see it? To the praise of his glory. Now look all the way up in verse 3—how does it start? Praise be to God. How does verse 6 start? To the praise of his glorious grace. Look at the end of verse 12. What does it say? For the praise of his glory.  

Do you know what our biggest problem in life is? We think it’s all about us. So many voices in the world tell us it’s all about us. So we fixate on ourselves, and we prioritize ourselves, and we feel sorry for ourselves, and we judge everything in life by how it affects us. What we’ve read today does say a lot about us, right? We were chosen and paid for and sealed—yes. But ultimately, the beginning of Ephesians directs our attention away from ourselves, toward the One who did all this for us. So even though it involves us, ultimately, listen: it’s all about Him. It’s to the praise of his glory.  

This series is about identity and self-image. But here’s the paradox: if you think too much about your self-image, you’ll have a terrible self-image. Does that make sense? It’s kind of like happiness: when we focus so hard on being happy, we’ll never be happy. And it’s the same with self-image. The secret is losing yourself in something bigger than yourself. And in the first 14 verses of Ephesians we are introduced to something worth getting lost in: the amazing grace of God. He chose you; he redeemed you; he promises you a future; he’s got you covered! And the more you rest in that, the less you need to worry about yourself, and the more you’ll be free to worship Him and serve him.  

So…are we victims of our genetic makeup? Are we captive to our dysfunctional upbringing, or the traumatic experiences of our past, or how well we can perform every day? No, we are not. And honestly, every self-help book says the same thing: you’re not a victim of your past, because you can choose to overcome your past. But the gospel takes it so much deeper. The reason you’re not a victim of your genes or your upbringing isn’t just because you get to choose; it’s because someone has chosen you! And that simple truth is powerful enough to change everything.  

Rise for Prayer.  

(if you want to go deeper into Ephesians in your own devotional times, there’s a study guide on our web site—just go to “watch” and choose today’s service, and you’ll find the resources there) 

Closing Song: “Who You Say I Am” 

Benediction: 
And now may the God who chose you before the creation of the world, and redeemed you by the blood of his Son, and sealed you with the gift of his Spirit, free you from self-doubt and self-absorption. May His voice speak louder than the voices of culture; louder than your genetic makeup; louder than your upbringing and louder than your performance. And may your secure status as a child of God release you to joyfully praise and serve him. In the name of Christ, Amen.