(text and audio)
Title: The FedEX Gospel
Intro:
How many of you remember the Tom Hanks film “Castaway”. Who remembers what Tom Hanks did for a living, and how did that help him survive, mentally and emotionally, on that island?
One of the things that we mentioned in last week’s sermon was that Paul was recognizing the believers in Ephesus as those who “first trusted” (v.12). That is, those who would be the spark that would bring the Gospel truth to Ephesus and beyond.
There is a type of honor in being the first to do something. And Paul here with this final “IN HIM” (The Epilogue, if you will) is reminding them of the process of how they became believers, and what happened as a result of their conversion.
So let’s break down the text and see what we can discover.
(read/pray)
“You also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation…”
It may seem simplistic, but Paul here reminds us of a truth that we often forget about how the church actually grows.
Truth: There is a PROCESS to the gospel taking effect: Proclaiming, Hearing, Examining, Believing, Conversion (Repeat)
This immediately calls to attention the HUGE responsibility of the preaching of the gospel by all Christians. As Paul reminds us in Romans 10:14-15
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?”
Now, if we don’t examine the scriptures on this point, and instead just look to our church experiences, we would most likely think something much differently about this process. At some point in our lives, most of us have (whether we realized it or not) thought the process was something more like this:
False Truth: People come to a church, a Professional Preaches, some people instantly believe, the church grows, later: a very small percentage of that church also gets called to preach, they get ordained, maybe seminary, then they start their own churches, the process repeats
Can anyone here tell me the key differences between the first process of truth, and this second false process?
- “Professionals” preaching vs. EVERY BELIEVER
- Examination vs. Instantly Believing
- The Lost coming to the Church vs. The Church going to the Lost
The Result of the Believing
Paul then says something very interest happens as a result of this belief in the Gospel. He says that we, “having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise”
I want to take a moment to reflect upon this word “sealed” and it’s meaning. The Greek phrase here is esphragisthēte (es-fray-gis-theet), and it’s only found in two places in scripture. Here, and again in Ephesians 4:30 where Paul writes, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
This phrase “were sealed” comes from the Greek word Sphragizo “to seal” and here is the actual definition of this word:
properly, to seal (affix) with a signet ring or other instrument to stamp (a roller or seal), i.e. to attest ownership, authorizing (validating) what is sealed.
signifies ownership and the full security carried by the backing (full authority) of the owner. “Sealing” in the ancient world served as a “legal signature” which guaranteed the promise (contents) of what was sealed.
[Sealing was sometimes done in antiquity by the use of religious tattoos – again signifying “belonging to.”]
Think again of the power that this particular word would have with Paul’s original first century audience in Ephesus.
Therefore:
- As a believer, you are stamped with a seal that tells everyone you are the property of God. (Wow!)
- This is a legal mark that tells everyone “This person is belongs to and is protected by God. Mess with them, you mess with me.” (DQ: Why then does the spiritual world of angels and demons respect this seal, while the earthly world of people often does not?)
- This stamp is a legal signature that guarantees the contents to be delivered. (That’s why Paul says that Jesus is the “guarantee of our inheritance” in verse 14!) (Also consider Paul’s words in Philippians 1:6 (we are) confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…)
Now, for those of you working out your soteriology, (how salvation works), I’m not trying to beat you over the head with this, but the thought throughout scripture is consistent: God chooses HIS Elect.
Can you imagine the ridiculousness of this illustration: You put yourself in a package, the destination is Heaven, you somehow seal that package from the inside, you then place a stamp on the outside of the package guaranteeing that you (from the inside of the box) can and will ensure delivery and security of the package. Also, that stamp says that if you mess with the package, the package itself will come after you. In this illustration, all God does is give you the box, the rest is up to you.
That doesn’t sound very much like what we’ve been studying, does it?
This process, the sealing, the delivering, the protecting, the guaranteeing, is ALL GOD’S WORK, amen!
Two final (AMAZING) Thoughts
“..until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
We see two pinnacle truths illustrated in the end of verse 14.
First, we are reminded that we are the purchased possession of God the father. Now, though it’s not explicitly stated here, we know that we are purchased with the currency of Christ’s blood. Paul covers that earlier in chapter one, and we illustrated that a few weeks ago with the example of Jane paying Rob’s ransom. Christ’s blood is the only payment that God the Father will accept, because it is the only thing with the quality to cover our sins and forgive us.
Secondly, we are reminded yet again that this entire process takes place for the purpose of of God’s glory.
God is glorified, not just when we are saved, but when we are then sealed, guaranteed, and delivered unto our final destination.
We are rapidly approaching the Christmas season, and, with most, if not all of us, there is a tradition of giving gifts, especially to our children.
So, for a moment, think of the greatest Christmas present you ever received as a child.
Now, parents, think of the greatest gift you’ve ever given your kids for Christmas. (This isn’t a metaphor, I mean a real present.)
Here is my question: Did the glory and joy come when the present was purchased, or when the present was opened?
In this passage, Paul is reminding us that there is a party in Heaven (the praise of His glory) when we arrive at our final destination. We are not there yet, we are heading there, we are guaranteed, we are protected, but the real celebration begins when the work He has done, and is doing, is complete. The day of our delivery.
Pray/QA