The Summing Up of all Things in Christ

Sermon Text: Ephesians 1:1-9

“When the times reach their fulfillment.”  God will bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

As we look at the mess the world is in! 

• Lord, how are you going to fix this? The Lord’s answer:  When the times reach their fulfillment. It’s just a matter of time.
• When the times reach their fulfillment, God will bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. or as it is rendered in the NASB,  God is moving everything to the “summing up of all things in Christ.”

This isn’t the first time, the Lord made an appointment for an earthly event.

• Galatians 4:4 When thefullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
• Romans 5:6 “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
• Acts 1:7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.
• Isaiah 14:24 “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.”

As part of the plan to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth “He chose us”

• He chose you! Out of His pleasure and out of His will.
• For what? For forgiveness, redemption and adoption.
• Forgiveness in accordance with God’s grace. It’s not an earthly forgiveness.
  • It’s not “I can forgive but I can’t forget.” God forgives and chooses not to remember.
• Redemption is refurbishing and repurpose. We were being abused by the evil one and God rescued us, renewed us and rewired us. For what?
• Then He adopted us as fellow-heirs with Christ. And as partners with Him as he brings all things to unity under Christ.

A grand production is taking place in all this chaos.  His production is titled The Summing Up of All things In Christ and everyone person he has called to belong to Him is part of it.

So, what’s my role in the production?  What am I here to do?  What do you do?  Here’s what God doesn’t want you to do.  “Don’t be anxious.”

God chose you for His purposes.  He didn’t say figure out your purpose or go search for it.

Instead set your heart to

1. Trust in Him. And Proverbs 3:6 says plainly “He will direct your paths.” What greater assurance do we need than that?

This involves “praying without ceasing” like Thessalonians 5:17

And then relax.  Psalm 38:9 “All my longings lie open before You and my sighing is not hidden from You.”

2. Set your focus on serving others – not worrying about your purpose. Galatians 5:13 “serve one another humbly in love. ^]

1 Corinthians 16:14 – “Do everything in love.”

Don’t worry about the unknown, instead focus on the obvious.

You won’t miss it and you can’t go wrong if you do those things.

God knows where to find you.

3. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks.

Giving thanks is like a dust rag that clears the windows of our perception of spirit so we can see the light beyond the dust.  The truth beyond appearance.  What’s going on beyond the apparent.

We can always give thanks for the eternal life we have, that we are living right now and will enjoy throughout eternity.  We can give thanks that God’s purposes are always on track.