In Him: What God Has Done • 06.28.26 | Harvest Bible Chapel Des Moines

In Him: What God Has Done • 06.28.26

Nick Lees - June 30, 2026

In Him: What God has Done

Ephesians 1:1-14

Rejoicing in the glorious grace of God

God transforms sinners into faithful saints
God has blessed Christians with every spiritual blessing
God has provided redemption through Christ’s blood
God has made known to us the mystery of his will
God has predestined Christians to an inheritance

Manuscript:

Good morning, church family! Introduce self + welcome guests

Give thanks for Caleb + Olivia and the faithful missionary partners we’ve heard from this month. Rejoice in the students who served this past week as well as those who served during our Deep Cleaning Day yesterday. Praise God for faithful, servant-hearted Christians!

Dismiss 4^th + 5^th graders

Ushers + Bibles (Ephesians 1; page 1159)

Today we are kicking off our new sermon series for the summer In Him, which is a study on our union with Christ or, put another way, what it means to be “in him”. As Christians, we are united with Christ by grace through faith. We are no longer our own but have been bought with a price – the blood of Jesus. I believe it would be appropriate to say that the single-most important thing about me is that I am Christ’s.

To be unified with Christ changes everything. Our standing before God. Our identity. Our lifestyle. Our expectations for eternity. It is safe to say that this topic is of the utmost importance!

Do you know why our pastor team chose to spend our summer on this topic? I don’t think it is too hard to figure out. In our day and age, the world will absolutely chew you up and spit you out on these matters. If you don’t understand what God says about who He is and what He has done or who you are and your purpose in life, then you will be led astray to many other competing answers for these fundamental issues of life.

I don’t think that I have to work too hard to make this case. We live in a society that is more depressed than ever. A lot of people are struggling, in large part because they do not know who God is and they do not have a firm grasp on who they are or even why they are here – their purpose in life. These are fundamental issues that provide so much direction and hope when you know the true answers from God’s Word.

I believe you already know this to be true. As a church family, we see these challenges in our own community, in our own households, in the lives of people we know and love – both young and old. This struggle is no respecter for age.

Many of you know that our church has a biblical counseling ministry. It is a privilege and blessing to be able to offer free counseling to our church and community based on the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word. We have provided ~1,000 hours of counseling over the years and in many cases the underlying struggles are directly linked to a misunderstanding of identity and purpose, as given by God, or a failure to live them out in daily life.

These are all reasons why we thought it would be helpful to spend this summer studying these matters. Even more so because of the Family Worship Sundays we will be having over the coming weeks. We want our youth to be in the room with us for these sermons. Ironically, those start next Sunday, so I was a week early with my sermon planning… But parents, there is nothing stopping you from reviewing this sermon with your kids this week! I would encourage every household to be dialoguing on these topics throughout the summer, with the goal of cultivating healthy, holy families and the same for our larger church family. It’s a tall task, but by God’s grace and with his help, we will take significant steps towards honoring him in these areas and establish godly trajectories for the future.

Let me give you the lay of the land for the 7 weeks of this series (Series Layout Slide):

The first few sermons are related to our identity and will be from the book of Ephesians. Answering questions like: Who is he? What has he done? Who am I? What am I to do? Who is the enemy? How do I think about this?

The final four sermons will be about our life in Christ and will contain sermons from Romans and possibly 1-2 of the other New Testament epistles. Answering questions like: Whose kingdom am I living for? Where is my hope really found? Am I maturing in Christ? Do I make disciples?

For today, let’s turn our attention to Ephesians 1. As we prepare to study this text, it’s important to note the original audience of this letter is very relatable to our day and age. They were people surrounded by a culture of religious pluralism. They had been rescued out of very dark things by faith in Jesus Christ. They were now trying to live out their new identity and purpose both as individuals, but also as a group of diverse people, Jews + Gentiles, united in Christ in the church. Now that’s a very simplified overview of Ephesians, but I hope it helps drive home that we have common ground with them. We are surrounded by a culture of religious pluralism. We have been rescued out of very dark things by faith in Jesus Christ. We are now trying to live out our new identity and purpose in Christ, both as individuals and together, as the church.

With that in mind, let’s read our text for today. As I read this, I want you to listen carefully for phrases like “in Christ” or “in Him” or “through Jesus”. There are multiple ways Paul points out the beauty of what God has done in him.

Ephesians 1:1–14 (ESV)

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

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

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

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ⁵he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ⁹making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him.

¹¹In 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, ¹²so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. ¹³In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

The beginning of this letter is so beautiful. After identifying himself and greeting the Christians in Ephesus, Paul launches into an extended praise of God for what he has done. In the Greek, Paul’s praise is an extended run-on sentence as he breathlessly overflows with thanksgiving for the grace of God poured out on him and these dear saints! Paul begins his letter to them by remembering and rejoicing in what God has done. It is foundational to understanding their identity and life in Christ, just as it is for us today. Without further ado, let’s dive into our study… our aim today is…

Rejoicing in the glorious grace of God

We can begin rejoicing even in the introductory portion of Paul’s letter in verses 1-2! It is here that we first observe that…

God transforms sinners into faithful saints

Did you notice how Paul introduced himself in verse 1? “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus… by the will of God”! Paul begins his letter by pointing to the sovereign will of God over his life. Paul is a Christian and one of Jesus’ commissioned messengers because that was God’s desire and plan for his life.

If you’re familiar with Paul’s testimony, then you know that a drastic change had taken place in his life because of Christ. Luke records the details of Paul’s salvation in Acts 9. It begins like this…

Acts 9:1–2 (ESV)

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ²and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

If you’re thinking, “Wait a minute, this says Saul, not Paul!” don’t worry. Saul was his Jewish name, but Paul was his Greek name. It is the same man. And we find him actively persecuting the early Christians. Paul was a Jew and a zealous Pharisee seeking to oppose Christianity.

But listen to what happens next…

Acts 9:3–6 (ESV)

³Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. ⁴And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ⁵And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ⁶But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

On his way to persecute Christians, Paul had an encounter with the resurrected Jesus! Jesus confronted him and commanded him on what to do next. And Paul obeys! If we were to keep reading in Acts 9, you would hear that Paul was blinded by the light of Christ’s glory and spent 3 days in Damascus without sight nor eating or drinking. Can you imagine what was going through his mind for those 3 days? “What have I been doing!? Opposing the Messiah! Persecuting his people! Standing against the way, the truth, and the life!” I’m sure he was wrestling through a lot. “Who is Jesus? What has he done? Who am I? What am I to do?” Similar questions to what we’re asking in this series.

And while he is waiting, Jesus provides a vision to a Christian named Ananias to direct him to Paul. Ananias will be the instrument of God’s mercy and grace in Paul’s life to restore his sight and call him to faith/repentance. Here’s how that goes:

Acts 9:15–22 (ESV)

¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. ¹⁶For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ¹⁷So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

¹⁸And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; ¹⁹and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. ²⁰And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

²¹And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” ²²But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

Paul’s life was radically changed by the grace and mercy of God. It was God’s plan to save him and appoint him as an apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul’s salvation is reason for us to rejoice! God’s character is on display here – he is merciful – showing compassion on those who do not deserve it. He is gracious – bestowing the riches of salvation on an enemy.

This fits so well with what we’ve observed of the character of God displayed by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. He spent time with sinners to call them to repentance. He did not write them off but came to rescue them! And this is exactly what had happened for the people of Ephesus.

In the second half of verse 1, Paul identified them as “the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus.” These are powerful identity statements. These men and women, who were once dead in sin and wrapped up in all kinds of sinful, pagan practices, are now declared to be “holy ones” (“saints”) who are faithful in Christ.

It would be easy to read this verse and not think twice about it. After all, it’s just the introduction to the letter, let’s get to the meat! But if you do a little digging into the background of the Ephesians, you would be amazed that people like them could be identified in such incredible terms. In fact, next week, as we study Ephesians 2, we’ll hear Paul refer to who they used to be. It goes like this:

Ephesians 2:1–3 (ESV)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ²in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

This is who they used to be! They were involved in all kinds of dark practices, trying to manipulate the spiritual realm to appease pagan gods and protect themselves from harmful spirits. They were engaged in some very ungodly things. But that is not who they are anymore! In Christ they had been made new. In Christ they have been redeemed. In Christ they are now declared holy and faithful. Of course, they were still growing in holiness and faithfulness – it is a journey of maturing – but they were transformed – no longer the same anymore! If you’d like to learn more about their background and testimony, you can read it in Acts 18-19.

My purpose in bringing this up this morning is to help us behold and rejoice in God’s transforming grace at work in Paul and these Ephesian believers. What God did for them, he still does in our day and age, in people like you and me! God transforms sinners into faithful saints by grace through faith in his Son! And that is an awesome reason to rejoice this morning. Have you been transformed by the grace of God from sinner to saint? As we heard in verses 3-14, this is only possible through faith in the finished work of Christ. Let’s hear Paul’s song of praise again:

Ephesians 1:3–14 (ESV)

How sweet to join Paul in rehearsing and rejoicing in the incredible things God has done! God has shown Christians extravagant grace! Paul begins his song of praise by rejoicing that…

God has blessed Christians with every spiritual blessing

God is not miserly with his grace! Rather he has opened the floodgates of his grace and poured it out upon us! Everyone who is united with Christ by faith has received “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”. Paul speaks both to the extent and nature of the blessing. It is EVERY or ALL spiritual blessings. We lack nothing in Christ. He has given us all that we need. And it is given to us in the spiritual realm. These blessings that Paul goes on to unpack in his song of praise are spiritual realities that shape our lives. Does this mean they have no impact in the physical realm? Absolutely not! As we’ve already seen, both Paul and the Ephesians live much differently, because they have been made new. These new spiritual realities and blessings have changed them drastically!

So, let’s consider the kinds of spiritual blessings Paul is referring to. He goes on to speak of them in the following verses.

He chose us in him (in Christ)

This is the same language used in Luke 6 when Jesus chose the 12 to appoint as his apostles. It is very clear language. God is making a choice of who will be blessed with every spiritual blessing. Paul goes on to tell us that this decision by God was before the foundation of the world. Talk about mind-blowing! This choice was made in eternity past by the One, True God, not because of anything we’ve done but simply because of his grace and good pleasure. Paul goes on to clarify that this choice was that Christians would be holy and blameless before God.

Stop and think about this. These are incredible cosmic realities that we are studying this morning. Things that are so glorious and magnificent that it is hard to fully appreciate them. But they are true. God has declared in his Word that they are true. This is what he has done! He has chosen to save some sinners and transform them into holy saints. Not because of what they had done or would do, but because he is gracious and merciful!

Praise God for his mercy and grace! This is the only appropriate response when you understand how broken we all are in our sin. Even though we have all rebelled against a perfectly Holy and Just God, his love has driven him to choose some to be saved.

In verse 5, Paul clarifies further that it is in love that God predestined Christians for adoption to himself… through Jesus Christ! This is language that causes some to be deeply uncomfortable. It can be hard for some to accept the plain teaching of God’s Word that he is Sovereign and in control of all things. That’s what it means to be God. He has all power and authority. Nothing is above him and nothing can thwart his will. Paul even says, “according to the purpose of his will” multiple times in this song of praise. He is glad and unapologetic that God is in control because God is good and his plan is best!

After all, it is his plan that led to him choosing to save each and every Christian before the foundation of the world. Paul was the recipient of God’s extravagant mercy and grace, and so too each of these Ephesian believers. And, if your faith is in Jesus Christ, then you too have tasted and seen God’s grace in choosing you.

Rather than getting caught up in the arguments surrounding God’s authority and love to predestine some for salvation, REJOICE in the salvation you’ve received! Join Paul and the Ephesians in praising his glorious grace. If you have received the blessing of salvation through faith in Christ, then you have been greatly blessed. You have hope for this life and the one to come. And that kind of hope and joy changes a person. It leads you to live a transformed life, ever seeking to know God and live for his glory.

That’s what happened in Paul’s life. He was not the same man anymore. That’s what happened in the lives of these Ephesian Christians. They were not the same men/women anymore. And that is what happens in each one of us, when we are rescued and redeemed by God’s saving grace through faith in Christ. We are transformed, not the same anymore. Have you seen such transformation in your life? *pause*

The reason this is possible is due to the next spiritual blessing Paul speaks of in verses 7-8…

God has provided redemption through Christ’s blood

How can a rebel guilty of treason against the Holy God ever be a recipient of every spiritual blessing? Only by being redeemed from our guilty state through the precious blood of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. As Paul explains, redemption includes the forgiveness of our trespasses/sins.

This should not be shocking to those of you who have been with us for our study of Isaiah or Luke. In Isaiah, we heard the prophecies of the Suffering Servant. 700 years before Christ’s coming, it was said about him:

Isaiah 53:4–5 (ESV)

⁴ Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

This was always the plan of God. He would make peace between sinners and himself through the sacrificial substitutionary work of his Son. Jesus is the perfect Lamb of God who has made a way for us to be rescued and redeemed!

And when Christ came, he himself repeatedly said that he must suffer and die and rise again. We have heard it in the Gospel of Luke:

Luke 9:22 (ESV)

²²saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

During his Last Supper, Jesus goes on to teach that his blood must be shed for the New Covenant to be enacted:

Luke 22:19–22 (ESV)

¹⁹And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. ²¹But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. ²²For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”

“The Son of Man goes as it has been determined.” Per the plan of God that Father, Son, and Spirit agreed upon in eternity past.

Do you ever stop to consider how great a price Christ willingly paid for your redemption? He knew what he had come to do. He knew the price he had to pay. Not only suffering physically but also bearing the wrath of God for our sins on the Cross! So that his people might be forgiven and redeemed. This was again, as Paul exclaimed, according to the riches of God’s grace, which he lavished upon us!

Oh, how sweet are the riches of God’s grace! To save a sinner like me! To save sinners like you! Why would we let Paul rejoice alone when we can join our voices with his in declaring God’s praise?!

Christian, do not let the unbelieving world have the loudest voice in your life. Do not believe the lies of the enemy. Your identity is firmly bound up in the finished work of your Savior, Jesus Christ! You have been bought with an incredible price, the blood of Jesus. He willingly went to the Cross for your sake. You are deeply loved and nothing can change that. And God did this, knowing exactly what kind of man or woman you were before he redeemed you. Your past does not define your future in Christ! *pause*

How might your outlook on life change this week as you meditate on these wonderful, cosmic realities?

If your faith is not in Christ, I hope it would lead you to conviction unto faith and repentance! You do not have to be an enemy of God, but can be his adopted son/daughter.
For Christians:
- Eager anticipation for each day rather than dreading what is ahead.
- Rest/peace no matter what you’re facing, even when you’d normally be tempted to fear/be anxious.

What good might God do in and through you as you take time to carefully reflect on what he has done?

Making it your aim to please Christ rather than self.
A readiness to share the hope that you have with those who need it.
Seeking to be a neighbor to those in need rather than expecting others to serve you.

I am certain that if we each have a firmer grasp on who He is and what He has done, it will drastically change the way we approach our days and live out our identity in Christ. How could we not joyfully worship him through seeking him and obeying him after dwelling on these things? *pause*

Consider what Paul is pointing out to the Ephesians and us in verses 8-10. This is yet another reason to rejoice…

God has made known to us the mystery of his will

Once again, we are told that God is working out his own purposes – he wants us to know through Christ that he has a plan to reconcile all things to himself – IN HIM/IN CHRIST! This is the direction all of history and creation is headed towards. God will bring harmony in the spiritual realm by conquering Satan and his demons in Christ. And he will bring harmony in the physical realm by uniting both believing Jews + Gentiles into one people, the church.

This mystery was made known most fully in the coming of Christ to earth, through his teachings and death/burial/resurrection. He revealed God’s eternal plan to restore order to the chaos that sin and Satan had brought. And as Paul will continue to unpack through the book of Ephesians, Christians have a part to play in carrying out the will of God.

He has prepared good works in advance for us to do. We are to be ambassadors of the King, agents of reconciliation calling other sinners to faith and repentance in Jesus Christ. This is a large part of your purpose here on earth! You are to represent and reflect the King of Kings to the world around you. You are entrusted with the message of reconciliation to a broken and hurting world. You have the words of life to share with the people God has put in your path. You have the privilege of knowing the mystery of God’s will in the gospel! Who else has such a weighty privilege? Don’t take it for granted! Don’t keep this good news to yourself! I know I need to hear this challenge as much as anyone. May we heed the words of Peter:

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

¹⁵but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

Are you ready to share the reasons for your hope? Are you living in a way that radiates hope to the world around you such that they would even ask you about it? *pause*

May we heed the words of Paul to the Romans:

Romans 10:13–15 (ESV)

¹³For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Jesus has sent every Christian to be his ambassador. If your faith is in Christ, that means you! Will you preach the good news to your spheres of influence?

In case you have already forgotten the good news, Paul rehearses it one more time in verses 11-14. Let’s read it again:

Ephesians 1:11–14 (ESV)

Our final reason to rejoice in God’s grace this morning is that…

God has predestined Christians to an inheritance

Verses 11-12 are very similar to Paul’s rejoicing in verses 4-6. God chose us from eternity past! In Christ, we now have an inheritance that cannot be taken from us. Another way of putting this would be that we were claimed by God as His possession/inheritance. And what God claims, he cannot lose. This is a settled certainty!

Once again, we are reminded of the wonderful truth that God does this according to his own purpose. In fact, Paul states even more strongly that he works ALL things according to the counsel of his will. God is sovereign and we can trust his good and perfect will. After all, it is only because of that good and perfect will that any sinner is saved at all! Without God’s plan to lavish his grace on us, we would perish apart from him due to our sin.

But now, Christians are to the praise of his glory! Every salvation, every testimony of faith and repentance is a reason to rejoice in God’s grace. It is a reminder that he is merciful and kind! As we often sing at Harvest – He has done great things!

Paul reminds the Ephesians that these spiritual blessings he has been rejoicing in are not only true of him, but also of them! They too have heard the gospel and believed in Jesus. And at the moment of salvation, they too were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. This is an incredible statement that is further clarified when he says, “who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it”. In this extended section of praise, Paul has revealed how the entire Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are involved in every Christian’s salvation. They are equally committed to our redemption – making the plan in eternity past, carrying out the plan in this age of human history, and ensuring the plan comes to completion at the day of Christ. What glorious truths! Those who are in Christ WILL be with him in heaven, co-heirs with him of glory! What God begins – your process of sanctification – he completes. This again is to the praise of his glory! He has done great things, and he alone deserves all the praise.

By the time you finish these 14 verses, how can you not be amazed at what God has done?

If your faith is in Christ, then you have every reason to rejoice this morning and to joyfully pursue your identity and purpose in Christ. I’ve already begun to explain both today, but we will continue to unpack them further in the weeks ahead. But there is nothing stopping you from reading ahead in the book of Ephesians to see how our identity and purpose are further unpacked. This letter is full of amazing truths to behold and apply.

If your faith is in Christ, then I want to encourage you to prayerfully go to war against temptation and sin in your life. If you are stuck in sin or despair, reach out to a trusted, faithful Christian mentor or pastor. As I mentioned earlier, we also have free biblical counseling at our church. There is a better way to be living and you do not have to believe the lies of the enemy and our unbelieving culture.

For those of you who are wrestling with what you believe and have not yet believed in Christ, I hope that Ephesians 1 has been an exciting study for you. God has done incredible things for his people. Why would you want to continue as an enemy of God when you could be forgiven and redeemed through the precious blood of Christ? I would love to talk with you further after the service about that.

Let’s pray.

Pray