“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…”

Jesus, the suffering and exalted Messiah of Israel, fulfilled God’s calling for Israel and all humanity. Now, the people of Jesus share in his death, resurrection, and exalted rule over the cosmos.

Paul makes three petitions to help us pray... We should pray to know God better (v. 17). We should pray to know God’s riches (v. 18). We should pray to know God’s power (v. 19).

Ephesians 1:11-14 teaches us that apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, we would neither believe in Christ (1:13) nor have the eyes of our hearts opened to the realities and promises of his word (1:18).

At the core of our gospel — what the Father purposed in the Son — is that this world is far from all there is. There is a glorious reality beyond what we can see from this earthly perspective.

United to Christ, we are also adopted by the Father, and as such have all the rights, privileges, and affection that the Son of God himself receives from God. What joy is this?!

Paul uses two words to describe the Christians in Ephesus: saints (lit. ‘holy ones’) and faithful. Every Christian is both and both identities plant us firmly in the realm of Christ’s power, security, and honor.

Psalm 110 is the most quoted Psalm in the NT and the most explicit ‘Royal Psalm’ declaring Jesus as the glorious and final King and Priest over his own people and over the whole world.

That David’s personal confession of adultery and murder could be turned into a divinely inspired congregational hymn proves that “whoever comes” to Christ will never be “cast out.”