Sermon Title: "Blessings from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”

The message centers on the spiritual blessings believers have from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Preached from Ephesians 1:1-14, the sermon reminds listeners that salvation is a work of God’s grace and that every believer has riches in Christ.

This sermon began a summer series through the book of Ephesians called “Doctrine and Duty.” The message explains that the first part of Ephesians deals strongly with doctrine, while the later chapters show the believer’s duty and responsibility before God.

Doctrine was explained as the teaching of the Word of God. It is not merely man’s opinion, church tradition, or denominational preference, but the truth God has given in Scripture for His people to believe and obey.

The sermon described Ephesus as a busy and influential city, but also a place filled with idolatry, false worship, superstition, and sin. Paul saw the opportunity for the gospel to go out from that city, and the message applied that same burden to the church today.

Ephesians 1 teaches that believers are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. These blessings are not earned by human merit, ability, background, or works, but are given by God’s grace through the Lord Jesus Christ.

The sermon showed that God the Father has chosen, adopted, and accepted believers in the beloved. These blessings reveal His grace, love, and desire for sinners to become part of His family through Jesus Christ.

The sermon emphasized that God has chosen us in Christ and that His offer of salvation is extended to all. The preacher made clear that people are not chosen because of merit, talent, background, or ability, but because of the grace of God through Jesus Christ.

Adoption means that God brings saved sinners into His family and makes them His children. The sermon emphasized that there are no second-class children in God’s family. When God saves a person, He makes that person fully His own.

Being accepted in the beloved means that believers are accepted through Jesus Christ. The sermon made clear that God does not accept sin, but He does accept sinners who come to Him through the saving work of His Son.

The sermon showed that believers have redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins, the riches of His grace, the mystery of God’s will made known, and an inheritance reserved for them in heaven.

Redemption means that sinners are bought back and set free through the blood of Jesus Christ. The sermon emphasized that salvation could not be earned, but was provided by Christ when He died for the sins of the world.

The sermon reminded believers that because God has forgiven them, they should also forgive others. Forgiveness is not something we can do in our own strength, but something God works in us as He softens our hearts by His grace.

The sermon described the believer’s inheritance as something God has prepared and reserved in heaven. It is not earned by human effort, but obtained through redemption and forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

The sermon emphasized that believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise after hearing the word of truth, trusting the gospel of salvation, and believing on Christ. This sealing shows that salvation is secured by God.

The preacher compared the sealing of the Holy Spirit to an official seal that showed ownership and security. When a person is saved, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within them, and that seal cannot be broken.

The sermon showed that a person hears the word of truth, the Holy Spirit convicts and draws the heart, the sinner believes the gospel of salvation, and then that believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

The sermon closes by pointing sinners to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and died on the cross for the sins of the world. Listeners were urged to believe on Christ and receive the salvation God has provided.