Come Magnify the Lord with Me in Light of His Blessing, Part 1

Come Magnify the Lord with Me

In Light of His Blessing

Part I: Ephesians 1:3 

Exegetical/Homiletical Idea: 

      Let us magnify the Lord together because He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in the heavenly places, in union with Christ. 

      I. Examine the nature of God’s blessings. 

            A. Spiritual as opposed to physical, financial, or social  

            B. Inexhaustible as opposed to measurable 

2 Peter 1:3; Eph. 6:11 

Hoehner. These “spiritual benefits” have their source in the Spirit of God, are supernatural, and are applicable at the present time to believers who are on earth. The spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:1; 14:1; Rom. 1:11), wisdom (Col. 1:9), and spiritual persons (1 Cor. Gal. 6:1) are to aid the believer to function on this earth in the present time. For a believer to live effectively in society, he or she needs benefits that have their source in God. So God has blessed the believer with every spiritual benefit necessary for his or her spiritual well-being. 

      II. Locate the source of God’s blessings. 

            A. Inhabitants of “the heavenly places” 

Eph. 1:20; 2:6; 6:12 

            B. Activities in “the heavenly places” 

Eph. 1:20 21; 2:1, 2; 3:8-10 

            C. Practical value of this blessing “in the heavenly places” 

Eph. 1:20; 2:6; 3:8-10; 6:12 

Hoehner. The believer’s life is “conditioned by transcendence.” In receiving the spiritual benefit from the heavenly places it is in the midst of satanic attack and interference. The spiritual benefits for the believers are from the heavenlies and the unbelievers’ opposition to the believers finds its source in wicked spiritual leaders who also reside in the heavenlies (6:12). In other words, the struggles in the heavenlies are also played out on earth. Hence, the believers reside on earth having been enriched with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies necessary for their spiritual well-being.  

      III. Access the effect of God’s blessings. 

1 Cor. 12:13; 15:45; Rom. 5:12-6:11; Eph. 1:20; 2:6 

      Conclusion: Speak well of God because of His blessing on the elect of God, those redeemed by Jesus Christ, those who are sealed by the Holy Spirit.  

Psa. 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa. 107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

Psa. 107:3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. 

Hoehner.  In conclusion, God is praised because he has enriched believers with every spiritual benefit in the heavenlies in Christ. To declare God is blessed implies that praise is due. To declare the believer blessed implies that the spiritual benefits have been given. However, though spiritual benefits have been given, believers need to appropriate them. An analogy of this is God’ s promise to Joshua (1:3) that every place in the Promised Land on which he places his foot has already been given to him in accordance with God’s promise to Moses. Although it had been given, it was not a reality until Joshua placed his foot on it.  

            A. Examine the nature of God’s blessing. 

1 Cor. 2:14-3:2 

            B. Locate the source of God’s blessing. 

Col. 3:1-4 

            C. Access the blessing through your union with Christ. 

Eph. 2:1-7; Rom. 6:11

 

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