Ephesians 1Ephesians 1

WHY WE CAN’T FAILWHY WE CAN’T FAIL

EPIC FAILEPIC FAIL

being exceptionally bad at being exceptionally bad at somethingsomething

the glorious lack of successthe glorious lack of success for an item/thing to fail, it has to for an item/thing to fail, it has to not not

be what it is.be what it is.

Being exceptionally bad.Being exceptionally bad.

Glorious lack of success.Glorious lack of success.

FAIL: Not being FAIL: Not being what it is, or what it is, or should be.should be.

Democratic Republic of Democratic Republic of KoreaKorea

DEMOCRATIC FAIL.DEMOCRATIC FAIL.

North Korea in last North Korea in last place as the most place as the most authoritarian regime in a regime in a ranking of ranking of democracy democracy assessing 167 assessing 167 countries. countries.

Wrong name FTW!

People name things People name things in the hope and in the hope and expectation they expectation they

will live up to their will live up to their names.names.

IvanIvan

God’s gracious gift to women.God’s gracious gift to women.

The Church.The Church.

The body of Christ. The body of Christ.

Jesus Youth Jesus Youth MinistryMinistryAre we fail? Are we fail?

EPHESIANSEPHESIANS

About the gathering together About the gathering together of all things in Jesus Christ.of all things in Jesus Christ.

In this world, In this world, anything apart anything apart from Christ is from Christ is disunity and disunity and disharmony.disharmony.

i.e. FAIL.i.e. FAIL.

The The ChurchChurch is to be is to be Christ’s Christ’s

instrument, to instrument, to bring everything bring everything

back to unity.back to unity.The Church must not fail. It The Church must not fail. It CANNOT fail.CANNOT fail.

The church The church cannot fail cannot fail because…because…God is working out God is working out

everything according to His everything according to His will.will.

THE CHURCH IN THE CHURCH IN VICTORYVICTORY

The church cannot fail because The church cannot fail because God’s plan in the future is for it to God’s plan in the future is for it to reflect His glory.reflect His glory.

The church cannot fail because we The church cannot fail because we have been given everything we need have been given everything we need to succeed.to succeed.

The church cannot fail because God The church cannot fail because God is counting on us.is counting on us.

““For he chose us in For he chose us in him before the him before the creation of the creation of the

world to be holy world to be holy and blameless in and blameless in

his sight.” his sight.” Ephesians 1:4Ephesians 1:4

PREDESTINATION: PREDESTINATION: WHATWHAT

Before the creation of the world (v.4)Before the creation of the world (v.4) To be adopted as sons (and To be adopted as sons (and

daughters) of Jesus Christ (v.5)daughters) of Jesus Christ (v.5) Done in accordance with God’s Done in accordance with God’s

pleasure and will (v.5)pleasure and will (v.5)

PREDESTINATION: WHYPREDESTINATION: WHY

To be holy and blameless (v.4)To be holy and blameless (v.4) To the praise of his glorious grace To the praise of his glorious grace

(v.6), and the praise of His glory (v.6), and the praise of His glory (v.12)(v.12)

The big question The big question about about

predestination:predestination:What do you do about it?What do you do about it?

PREDESTINATION vs. FREE PREDESTINATION vs. FREE WILLWILL

Predestination in the New Predestination in the New Testament sense applies only to God: Testament sense applies only to God: that He appoints a situation to that He appoints a situation to happen in advance.happen in advance.

Free will affirms that our outcomes Free will affirms that our outcomes are dependent on our actions; that are dependent on our actions; that we can actually choose our we can actually choose our destinies. destinies.

Explanation #1: Explanation #1: Predestination is Predestination is foreknowledge.foreknowledge.

God knows it’s going to God knows it’s going to happen, but He doesn’t force happen, but He doesn’t force

us to do it.us to do it.

PREDESTINATION IS PREDESTINATION IS FOREKNOWLEDGEFOREKNOWLEDGE

Problems:Problems: God seems to do more than just to God seems to do more than just to

know.know. ““For those God foreknew he ALSO For those God foreknew he ALSO

predestined to be conformed to the predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son…” Romans 8:29likeness of His Son…” Romans 8:29

EXPLANATION 2: EXPLANATION 2: Free Will is Free Will is

Limited.Limited.We can choose, but only what We can choose, but only what

God has decided we will God has decided we will choose.choose.

FREE WILL IS LIMITEDFREE WILL IS LIMITED

Belief, or faith, becomes redundant.Belief, or faith, becomes redundant. Salvation is for everyone who Salvation is for everyone who

believes, believes, not everyone who God not everyone who God chooses. (Romans 1:16)chooses. (Romans 1:16)

EXPLANATION #3: EXPLANATION #3: Contradictions can Contradictions can

and do exist in and do exist in reality. reality. Predestination and free will Predestination and free will exist together.exist together.

““For since the creation of the For since the creation of the world God’s invisible world God’s invisible

qualities – his eternal power qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being been clearly seen, being

understood from what has understood from what has been made.” – Romans 1:20been made.” – Romans 1:20

QUANTUM QUANTUM PHYSICSPHYSICS

The study of the small.The study of the small.

Firing bullets through Firing bullets through slits.slits.

A whole lotta lumps.

L

R

Slit Close

Bullet Source

Firing light through slits.Firing light through slits.Light is a wave, so you get a different pattern through wave interference. Ok whatever.

L

R

Light Source

Using Electrons…Using Electrons…

What would you expect What would you expect from from ElectronsElectrons ??

Left Open Right Open Left and Right Open

It’s as if the electron KNEW WHERE TO GO.

Amazing !

2 Slits Experiment 2 Slits Experiment (Electrons (Electrons with Agentswith Agents ) )

L

R

Electron Source

When the agents are looking, THE ELECTRONS

CHANGED THEIR BEHAVIOUR, as if they

knew somebody was watching.

Agent

Agent

What does Quantum What does Quantum Physics teach us?Physics teach us?

The final outcome is determinate.The final outcome is determinate. But you only KNOW the outcome But you only KNOW the outcome

when you SEE it.when you SEE it. As long as we don’t look, all As long as we don’t look, all

possibilities remain open.possibilities remain open. The act of observation transforms The act of observation transforms

possibility into destiny. All the other possibility into destiny. All the other possibilities collapse. possibilities collapse.

Quantum Physics Quantum Physics and and

PredestinationPredestinationIrreconcilable realities do not Irreconcilable realities do not have to be reconciled. They have to be reconciled. They

can be equally true.can be equally true.

HOW PREDESTINATION HOW PREDESTINATION WORKS?WORKS?

God has predetermined the God has predetermined the outcome.outcome.

However, we make that outcome However, we make that outcome known by our actions.known by our actions.

When you accept God and believe, When you accept God and believe, only then will you realise that it was only then will you realise that it was God choosing you all along.God choosing you all along.

““And he made And he made known to us the known to us the mystery of his mystery of his

will…” (v.9)will…” (v.9)

You don’t say, Paul.You don’t say, Paul.

God WILL God WILL continue His continue His work in you. work in you. ““And those he predestined, And those he predestined,

he also called; those he he also called; those he called, he also justified; those called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” he justified, he also glorified”

(Romans 8:30)(Romans 8:30)

WHAT WE NEED TO DOWHAT WE NEED TO DO

Acknowledge that God is sovereign Acknowledge that God is sovereign and allowing/making everything and allowing/making everything happen.happen.

BUT at the same time allow yourself BUT at the same time allow yourself to be shaped by himto be shaped by him

PROMISES FOR THE PROMISES FOR THE PREDESTINEDPREDESTINED

Paul is writing Ephesians to the Paul is writing Ephesians to the saints – people who hope in Christ saints – people who hope in Christ (v.12), heard the word of truth and (v.12), heard the word of truth and believed (v.13)believed (v.13)

All other possibilities for us have All other possibilities for us have collapsed – we have a sure destiny. collapsed – we have a sure destiny.

This is guaranteed by the Holy This is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit, a seal that guarantees our Spirit, a seal that guarantees our inheritance. (v.14)inheritance. (v.14)

The church The church cannot fail cannot fail because…because…We have been given We have been given

everything we need to everything we need to succeed. succeed.

From now on, our From now on, our promise is sure – promise is sure –

Christ has blessed Christ has blessed us “in the heavenly us “in the heavenly realms with every realms with every spiritual blessing” spiritual blessing”

(v.3)(v.3)

SPIRITUAL BLESSINGSSPIRITUAL BLESSINGS

Start of Start of the the worldworld

When you When you believedbelieved

Working in Working in your life your life nownow

EndpointEndpoint

Chosen Chosen (v.4)(v.4)

Redemption Redemption (v.7)(v.7)

Forgiveness Forgiveness (v.7)(v.7)

Holy Spirit Holy Spirit (v.13)(v.13)

Wisdom to Wisdom to understand understand God’s God’s blessings blessings (v.17)(v.17)

BreakthrouBreakthrough power gh power (v.19)(v.19)

EverythinEverything will be g will be brought brought under under God God (v.10)(v.10)

To be IN CHRIST.To be IN CHRIST.

That’s the key. So what are That’s the key. So what are we to do?we to do?

WHAT ARE WE TO DO?WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

MAKE SURE you are really in him.MAKE SURE you are really in him.(John 14:21)(John 14:21)

CONSIDER yourselves in him. (Gal CONSIDER yourselves in him. (Gal 2:20)2:20)

LIVE in him. (John 15:7)LIVE in him. (John 15:7) GIVE THANKS and PRAY for others GIVE THANKS and PRAY for others

to grow in him. (v.16,17,18)to grow in him. (v.16,17,18)

The church The church cannot fail cannot fail because…because…

God is counting on us.God is counting on us.

The church... “is The church... “is his body, the his body, the

fullness of him who fullness of him who fills everything in fills everything in every way” (v.23)every way” (v.23)

We live and walk in We live and walk in victory.victory.

Because God is working.Because God is working.Because God gave us all we need.Because God gave us all we need.Because God is counting on us.Because God is counting on us.

THERE IS NO OTHER WAY THERE IS NO OTHER WAY WE CAN LIVE.WE CAN LIVE.