Ephesians 1: Paul’s Prayer for Christians: Know Who You Really Are IN CHRIST

Class Outline:

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Faith finds the true you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re in the resident congregation, turn off your electronic devices and put them away.  Let this be a place where you aren’t distracted by the world.

 

Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!

 

Many things are vital—life-sustaining thingslike exercise.  When vital things are not urgent, they usually don't happen.  Feeding the spiritual self with truth is one of the vital things that seldom happens.

 

Welcome to a place where you can feed your soul and spirit with the truth…with the exact thinking of the Sovereign God of the Universe, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through studying the Word of God.  Thanks for making time for this vital necessity in your life.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Paul’s Prayer for Christians: Know Who You Really Are IN CHRIST

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

A twelve-year-old boy is second in line to the British throne.  Prince George, the eldest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, probably has no idea how important he is in the British monarchy.  And IF he knows, he might not care!

 

So it is with most believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are heirs of Almighty God who are blessed with every spiritual blessing, perhaps without knowing what this means.  In today's lesson, the apostle Paul prays for enlightenment for believers in Christ so that we'll REALLY KNOW who we are IN CHRIST.

 

OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s hear some music!  We have physical eyes and we have spiritual eyes.  Here’s Jordan Welch with a request to God the Father on behalf of believers in Christ… Lord, OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART.

 

MUSIC

OPENING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART

Jordan Welch

 

OPENING PRAYER

 

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father, thank you for the spiritual wealth you have given to us…help us to know how to use these riches in Your divine power…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Paul’s Prayer for Christians: Know Who You Really Are IN CHRIST

 

LESSON PART ONE

 

We continue our study of the apostle Paul’s letter to the believers in Christ in first-century Ephesus, a city in Turkey.  Ephesus was a vibrant city ofwealthknown as a center for religion, the arts, and science.

 

Ephesus also was a place where the occult and idol worship flourished.  The focus of idol worship was Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt, known as Diana in Roman mythology.  A temple constructed in her honortook ten years to build, and it was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  We can only guess how much it cost to build, but a project to rebuild the temple nearly two decades ago estimated the rebuild cost at 150 million dollars.  For those of you who are watching this lesson live or on video, here is what the Temple of Artemis looked like in its heyday…

 

 

…here’s what the temple looks like now.

 

For those of you listening to or reading the lesson, the once-wonderful temple is now in ruins.

 

 

Wealth is a funny thing…it is fleeting.

 

What’s it like to be born rich?  If you ask most people, they’d say all their problems would be solved if they were born into wealth.  Here’s what psychologists have to say about the perils of being born rich.

 

RICH KIDS DEVELOP A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT

Wealth can create the feeling that certain privileges or certain lifestyles are DESERVED without an understanding of the effort required to earn the wealth.

 

Often, this leads to a lack of motivation and a disconnection from reality.  Being born rich does not mean you understand wealth.

 

RICH KIDS TAKE UNNECESSARY RISKS

Studies suggest children from affluent backgrounds are more likely to engage in substance abuse and life-threatening behaviors, possibly due to boredom, lack of supervision, or social pressures.

 

Rich kids often feel that their parents will bail them out no matter what trouble they get themselves into.

 

RICH KIDS OFTEN ARE IRRESPONSIBLE

If children grow up without having to work for what they get, they may not develop a strong work ethic or the ability to cope with failure.

 

This hinders their personal growth and resilience.

The Baby Boomers, people born from 1945 to 1964, ruined two generations of kids, the Gen X generation and the Millennial generation, with one thought: “I don’t want my kids to have it as hard as I did.”  If you were wondering where the entitlement in these two generations comes from, now you know.

 

As we learned in last week’s lesson, all believers areIN CHRIST.  We are the “born-again” ones…born into a spiritual wealth beyond our wildest dreams.  Have you developed an attitude of entitlementand irresponsibility because of your spiritual wealth?

 

Last week learned that being a Christian isn’t about what you DO and don’t DO.  It isn’t a set of rules driven by human power.  Being a Christian meansenjoying what God has DONE for you.

 

God has LAVISHED His riches on us.  We have EVERY spiritual blessing.  We have His grace, peace, unconditional love, and forgiveness.  We are holy and blameless in His eyes.  We have His mercy.  We are no longer targets of the wrath of God the Father.  We are no longer condemned.  We are adopted as God’s children.  We have the benefit of predestination.  Knowing we would believe in Christ, God the Father provided everything we would ever need to execute the spiritual life He has given us.

 

In Luke, Chapter 14, Verses 28 to 30 the Lord says…

 

LUKE 14:28

“For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?”

 

LUKE 14:29

“Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him…”

 

LUKE 14:30

“…saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’”

 

Believers in Christ will be finished!  We are being conformed to the image of God theSon.  We are co-heirs withChrist, meaning we share in every blessing that God the Father provides to Jesus Christ, including a resurrection body that can walk through walls!  We are redeemed from slavery to sin.  We have been given divine wisdom and insight.  We have hope, the absolute confidence that every promise God has made to us will be fulfilled.

 

The first passage of Ephesians, Chapter 1 detail these blessings.  All three members of the Godhead…God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit…contribute to our blessings.  Most notably, the sealing ministry of God the Holy Spirit is His signature guarantee that the promises made by every member of the Godhead will be fulfilled.  God the Holy SpiritGUARANTEES full payment of our spiritual wealth!

 

When you are in IN CHRIST you have won the spiritual lottery.  Do you know how to use these spiritual blessings?  Do you understand spiritual wealth just because you are wealthy?  Of course not.

 

Spiritual wealth cannot be used in human understanding.  First Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verse 14…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:14

But a natural man (an unbeliever) does not accept the things of the Holy Spirit of God…they are foolishness to him…and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

 

Believers in Christ don’t understand spiritual things and spiritual wealth either,without the enabling power of God the Holy Spirit.

 

Fortunately, God leaves nothing to chance.  He gives us the divine power to appraise spiritual things…John, Chapter 16, Verse 13…

 

JOHN 16:13a

But when God the Holy Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you believers in Christ into all the truth…

 

This includes guiding us on how to use the gift of spiritual wealth.

 

In the second passage of Ephesians, Chapter 1, our passage of study today, the apostle Paul hopes we will follow the guidance of God the Holy Spirit to truly understand the value of the blessings given to those of us IN CHRIST.

 

Let’s listen to the passage…Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verses 15 to 23 in the NEW

AMERICAN STANDARD TRANSLATION…

 

EPHESIANS 1:15

For this reason, I (Paul) having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which

exists among you believers in Ephesus…and your unconditional love for all the saints…

 

EPHESIANS 1:16

…do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers…

 

EPHESIANS 1:17

…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of the Lord.

 

EPHESIANS 1:18

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of God the Father’s calling…what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…

 

EPHESIANS 1:19

…and what is the surpassing greatness of God the Father's power toward us who believe.  These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might…

 

EPHESIANS 1:20

…which God the Father brought about IN CHRIST, when He raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…

 

EPHESIANS 1:21

…far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and far above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.

 

EPHESIANS 1:22

And God the Father put all things in subjection under Jesus Christ’s feet, and gave Him as head over all things to Church (Age believers)…

 

EPHESIANS 1:23

…the Church Age believers who are His body…the fullness of Him who fills everyone in every way.

Paul’s prayer in the second passage of Ephesians, Chapter 1 is both for the Ephesian believers and for us.  He wants us believers IN CHRIST to grasp the depth of our spiritual wealth and to understand the significance of the Lord’s blessings in our lives.

 

Prayer is one of the most powerful spiritual blessings.  This is a good time to remind you how to pray.

 

We direct our prayer to God the Father, but we are not anal about it.  We can pray to the Lord Jesus Christ andto God the Holy Spirit as well, but generally speaking, we pray to God the Father.

 

We give THANKSto God for His many blessings…for things we think are “good” and for things we think are “bad” … because we believe Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 28…

 

ROMANS 8:28

…we believers in Christ KNOW that God the Father causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God (believers IN CHRIST)…to those who are called according to His purpose.

 

When we pray, we make PETITIONS for self…appeals for supernatural power to be directed to the things we need.  Petitions for self aren’t selfish.  However, we don’t look at God as if He is an automated teller machine (ATM).  Instead, we use prayer as a way to tap into our spiritual bank accounts.

 

When we pray, we make INTERCESSIONS for others, asking for God’s supernatural power to help others with their circumstances when their human power can’t work.

 

 

We PRAY FOR OUR ENEMIES, following God’s instructions in Matthew, Chapter 5, Verse 44…

 

MATTHEW 5:44

But I (the Lord Jesus Christ) say to you believers IN CHRIST…love your enemies unconditionally and pray for those who persecute you…

 

When we think aboutthe Lord Jesus Christ, the One who created all creatures and

loves all of His creatures unconditionally, we know He did not want any of His creatures to be enemies.  So when we say that Satan and the fallen angels are enemies of God, we know it is not because the Lord wanted it this way.  We all have enemies whether we want them or not.

 

We conclude prayers by invoking the enabling power of God the Holy Spirit, we pray in Christ’s name, and we finish prayer with a heartfelt AMEN!

 

Amen?

 

In this passage of Ephesians, Paul prays for three things. First, he prays that we get to know God better. When we do, we will learn to love and trust Him.

 

Second, he prays that we understand our glorious eternal future and live as if we have something to look forward to.

 

Finally, he prays that we are able to comprehend the power available to us…the enabling power of God the Holy Spirit…and that we use it to serve the Lord.

 

When we return from the break, we’ll take the offering and then we’ll study Paul’s prayer in this passage verse-by-verse.

 

FIVE-MINUTE BREAK

HAVEN’T SEEN IT YET

Danny Gokey

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Paul’s Prayer for Christians: Know Who You Really Are IN CHRIST

 

OFFERING INTRODUCTION

 

When God blesses us financially, He wants us to raise our standard of GIVING, not our standard of living.  Remember, God is the One who seeks and saves the lost…the lost don’t seek Him…Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 11 says…

 

ROMANS 3:11

No creature understands God or any divine thing…there is no

creature who seeks a relationship with God…

In Luke, Chapter 15, Verse 4, Jesus says…

 

LUKE 15:4

“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them,

does not leave the ninety-nine sheep in the open pasture and go after the one sheep which is lost until he finds it?”

 

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Shepherd.  As His creatures, we are the sheep.  What does the Shepherd do for the sheep who are not seeking a relationship with Him?  He goes after them.  Your generosity creates the opportunity for Barah Ministries to provide the gift of the gospel message to the unbelievers God brings to this ministry.

 

Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with an insightfuloffering message.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

PHILIPPIANS 4:19

And my God and Father will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches for the benefit of those in Christ Jesus.

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Instrumental Version

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Paul’s Prayer for Christians: Know Who You Really Are IN CHRIST

 

LESSON PART TWO

 

Let’s review the passage verse-by-verse, beginning with Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verses 15 and 16…

 

EPHESIANS 1:15

For this reason, I (Paul), having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ which

exists among you believers in Ephesus and your unconditional love for all the

saints…

 

EPHESIANS 1:16

…do not cease giving thanks for youwhile making mention of you in my prayers…

 

This is the INTERCESSION part of prayer, both for the saints in Ephesus and for you!  What does Paul ask for on your behalf?  Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verse 17…

 

EPHESIANS 1:17

…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and a spirit of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

 

Paul asks God to give believers IN CHRIST a spirit of wisdom (providing spiritual insight) … a spirit of revelation (revelation means “to take off a covering” which is unveiling the truth) … and a knowledge of God (relationship knowledge not intellectual knowledge).  It is a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ that saves.  Application of knowledge is a key to effectiveness.

 

 

 

We can’t know God until God reveals Himself to us.  God reveals spiritual truths.  Matthew, Chapter 16, Verses 13 to 17…

 

MATTHEW 16:13

Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, and He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

 

Jesus is the Son of Man and the Son of God.

 

MATTHEW 16:14

And the disciples said, “Some say you are John the Baptist…and others say you are Elijah…and still others say you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

 

MATTHEW 16:15

Jesus said to the disciples, “But who do you say that I am?”

 

MATTHEW 16:16

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ (the Jewish Messiah) … the Son of the living God.”

MATTHEW 16:17

And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you Simon Barjona (son of Jona) … because flesh and blood (human beings) did not reveal this to you…but My Father who is in heaven revealed this to you.

 

Jesus wants us to know Him.

 

Paul’s prayer for us begins in Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verse 18…

 

EPHESIANS 1:18

I (Paul) pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened…so that you will know what is the hope of God the Father’s calling, and so you will know the glorious riches of God the Father’s inheritance given to the saints…

 

Paul is saying to God, "Make the truth hit believers in Christ in a way that they really get! Help them see what they are not seeing!”  Second Corinthians, Chapter 4, Verse 18…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 4:18

…we believers in Christ look not at the things which are seen…also, we look at the things which are not seen…for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

 

Paul prays God will turn on the lights inside your heart…what the Bible calls “the inner man.”  It consists of…

 

THE INNER MAN (THE HEART)

 

MENTALITY (I Think)

Your ability to think

 

EMOTION (I Feel)

Your ability to feel

 

VOLITION (I Want)

Your ability to choose

 

 

 

THE INNER MAN (THE HEART)

 

CONSCIENCE (I should)

Your ability to know right from wrong

 

SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS (I am)

The awareness of our own existence

 

There are things the heart doesn’t know yet…First Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verse 9…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:9

…but just as it is written, “There are things which eye has not seen…and there are things the ear has not heard…and there are things which have not entered the heart of man…the things that God has prepared for those who love Him (believers in Christ).”

 

Paul is asking God to give you believers in Christenlightenment so you can be who God has created you to beRIGHT NOW, rather than waiting for eternity.  This enlightenment comes from God the Holy Spirit’s enabling power.

 

Paul is asking God to give you believers in Christ hope, the absolute confidence of a very certain future.  In the future, you will rule with the Lord Jesus during the Millennial Reign of Christ.  You will be with the Lord at the Great White Throne Judgment.  Everything Jesus Christ has and does, you believers in Christ are with Him.

 

Paul is asking God to give you believers in Christ practical knowledge of your inheritance.

 

When Paul says “saints” he means these blessings in Ephesians, Chapter 1 are only for those who are IN CHRIST.  Saints are “holy and separated ones” who belong to God.

 

Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verse 19…

 

EPHESIANS 1:19

…and so you will know the surpassing greatness of God the Father's power (dunamis) toward us who believe.  These blessings are in accordance with the working of the supernatural strength (energeian…divine energy) of God the Father’s might …

 

Paul is asking God to teach believers how to use divine power.

 

Prayer is one of the ways we use divine power.  Paul asks God to let these things dawn on us so we have a new realization…a sudden awareness of the strength of divine power.

 

Dunamis is a Greek word meaning an overflow of power…a tsunami of power.  That’s what God gives His believers.  Did you know?  Second Corinthians, Chapter 13, Verse 5…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 13:5

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith…examine yourselves!  Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is indwelling you—unless indeed you fail the test?

 

We have divine power within…the entire Trinity indwelling us…and often we don’t use it.

 

 

The power being described…dunamis…is the same power that resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead.  You have access to that power!

 

Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verses 20 and 21…

 

EPHESIANS 1:20

…which divine power God the Father brought about IN CHRIST, when He raised

Christ from the dead and seated Christ at God the Father’s right hand in the

heavenly places…

 

EPHESIANS 1:21

…far above all rule and authority and power and dominion…and far above every name that is named…not only in this age but also in the age to come.

 

Jesus Christ is the Sovereign God of the Universe, and nothing happens in the universe without His permission.  Hebrews, Chapter 1, Verse 3…

HEBREWS 1:3a

And the Lord Jesus Christ is the radiance of God the Father’s glory and He is the exact representation of God the Father’s nature…and the Lord Jesus Christ upholds all things by the Word of His power…

 

Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verses 22 and 23…

 

EPHESIANS 1:22

And God the Father put all things in subjection under Jesus Christ’s feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the Church (Age believers)…

 

EPHESIANS 1:23

…which Church Age believers are His body, the fullness of Jesus Christ who fills everything in every way.

 

A life that counts is a life that realizes the truth of John, Chapter 15, Verse 5…

 

JOHN 15:5

I (the Lord Jesus Christ) am the vine…you believers in Christ are the branches… the believer who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit…for apart from Me YOU CAN DO NOTHING.

 

IN CHRIST you can do ALL THINGS.

 

This is not will power.  This is not William H. Johnsen’s, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”  This is not Invictus, “I am the captain of my fate…I am the master of my soul.”  This is us believers in Christ letting God do the work, and enjoying what God has DONE for us.

 

Let’s finish up by listening to the NEW LIVING TRANSLATION of the passage…Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verses 15 to 23…

 

EPHESIANS 1:15

Ever since I (Paul) first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your unconditional love for God’s people everywhere…

 

EPHESIANS 1:16

…I have not stopped thanking God the Father for you.  I pray for you constantly…

 

EPHESIANS 1:17

…asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.

 

EPHESIANS 1:18

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope God the Father has given to those He called…His holy people…who are Jesus’ rich and glorious inheritance.

 

EPHESIANS 1:19

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God the Father’s power for us who believe in Him.  This is the same mighty power…

 

EPHESIANS 1:20

…that raised Jesus Christ from the dead and seated Jesus in the place of honor at God the Father’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

 

EPHESIANS 1:21

Now…Jesus is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.

 

EPHESIANS 1:22

God the Father has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the Church (Age believers).

 

EPHESIANS 1:23

And the Church (Age believers) are his body…they are made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with Himself.

 

As believers IN CHRIST, we are born into a rich family.  Paul’s prayer is that we grasp the blessings we have at our disposal through the use of divine wisdom…andthrough divine revelation that we get to know God better…that we understand the riches we have…that we use God’s power…the same power that resurrected Jesus from the dead.  Let’s get busy putting divine power to work.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

The closing moments of this lesson could be the ten most important minutes of your life.  You’ll be introduced to the good news concerning how you can spend all eternity in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  We want you to know that…

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

He Wants You to Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

…and what He wants for you is that you make the most important decision of your life.

 

Even if you don’t believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you matter to God.  The Lord’s enemies matter to Him as much or more than His friends matter to Him.  The Lord created you and He wants the best for you.

 

While sharing this truth recently, a friend asked, “How do I get right with God?”

 

When we are born, we are not right with God.  Everyone is born in a state of unrighteousness, physically alive and spiritually dead, as ungodly, unrighteous unbelievers in God’s eyes.  We were born sinners and we need a Savior.

 

It’s not our fault we were born this way, but it is our circumstance.

 

In First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22, the Bible says…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22a

…all in union with Adam at physical birth (and that is every human being who comes to earth) are set to die the second death in the Lake of Fire…

 

To God’s enemy, Satan…the ruler of this world…you don’t matter at all.  First Peter, Chapter 5, Verse 8 says…

 

FIRST PETER 5:8

Be of sober spirit…be on the alert!  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

 

You are the “someone” on Satan’s list.  Satan does not want you to be right with God.  He’s hasn’t been right with God since the day he declared God to be his enemy.  Here’s what the Lord says about that fateful day when Satan gave up his

privileges...Ezekiel., Chapter 28, Verse 15…

 

EZEKIEL 28:15

“You (Satan) were blameless in your ways from the day you were created

until unrighteousness was found in you.”

 

Satan wants followers.  He doesn’t want you to be with God in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  He wants you to be with him in the Lake of Fire, and he wants you so badly that he sends false teachers with false teachings to deceive you.  In Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 15…the Lord warns us about this…

 

MATTHEW 7:15

“Beware of the false teacherswho come to you in sheep’s clothing, but

inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

 

A ravenous animal has an insatiable desire to tear you apart.  Ravenous teachers pretend to be for you, yet they want you to be twice the sons of hell that they are.

 

This gospel message offers GOOD NEWS concerning how to get right with God.  John, Chapter 3, Verses 16 and 17 reveal what God wants for you…

 

JOHN 3:16

“For God the Father loved the world unconditionally…and He loved the world so much…that He gave His uniquely born Son (the God-man…the Lord Jesus Christ…to be crucified on a Cross) … so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish, but haseternal life.”

 

JOHN 3:17

For God the Father did not send God the Son (the Lord) into the world to judge the world…but the Father sent the Son into the world that the world might be saved through Him.

 

God wants you to respond positively to the good news of this gospel message so you can be right with Him.

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ…in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

 

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (the apostle Paul) delivered to all of you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

Getting right with God is easy.  There is no work involved.  Anyone who says you have work to get right with God is a false teacher giving you a false gospelmessage.  Romans, Chapter 11, Verse 6 says YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORK to be saved…

 

ROMANS 11:6

…if salvation is by grace (a free gift from God) … and of course it is…it is no longer on the basis of your works…otherwise, grace (as a free gift) is no longer grace (it is not free).

 

Romans, Chapter 4, Verse 4 says you CAN'T work to be saved…

 

ROMANS 4:4

Now to the one who works for salvation, his wage for his workis not credited to

his accountas a favor from the grace of God, but his wage is creditedas what is

due for the work.

 

Unfortunately, your hardest work is not perfect enough to get you right with God.  So relax!  You can get to heaven when you close your eyes in this life free of charge and free of work.  Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31 says…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christand you will be saved by God, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

John, Chapter 3, Verse 36 warns you and invites you…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment…but he

who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection

life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

You have a choice.

 

You can spend eternity with God’s enemy, Satan, in the Lake of Fire…OR…you can have the free gift of eternal life right this minute!  RIGHT WHERE YOU SIT, RIGHT NOW God can make you right with Him.  You can tell God the Father that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and that is the moment of eternal life for you.

 

Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 9 and 10 encourage you…

 

ROMANS 10:9

…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord (that He is God)…and if you believe in your heart that God the Father raised Him from the dead…you will be saved…

 

ROMANS 10:10

…for with the heart a person believes…resulting in the imputation of absolute righteousness by God (your admission ticket to heaven)…and with the mouth a person confesses (admittingto faith in Christ alone)resulting in salvation.

 

You are right with God the moment He gifts you with His righteousness.  There is a consequence for rejecting the righteousness gift from the Lord Jesus Christ…in Matthew, Chapter 8, Verse 12, the Lord says…

 

MATTHEW 8:12

“…the sons of (Satan’s) kingdom (unbelievers) will be cast out into the outer darkness…in that place (The Lake of Fire) there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

 

Many parents are false teachers leading their children to an eternity in the Lake of Fire.  Do you want to know if you’re a good parent?  Just ask yourself a simple question.  Are you influencing your children to get right with God by having a relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

 

He is the ONLY WAY to get to heaven according to John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

 

JOHN 14:6

Jesus said to the doubting apostle, Thomas, “I am the way (to salvation), and I am

the truth (through the gospel message in the Word of God), and I am the

resurrection life…and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through

believing in Me.”

 

You are either right with God or you aren’t.

 

There’s no time to waste!  GOD WANTS YOU.  If you want to be right with God, simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!  Take His word for it concerning salvation, and the resurrection life is yours free of charge!  You’ll be right with God for all eternity.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s close with music!  One of the most powerful weapons of our spiritual wealth is prayer.  In John, Chapter 14, Verse 14 the Lord says…

 

JOHN 14:14

If you ask Me (the Lord Jesus Christ) anything in My name, I will do it.

 

Let’s hear June Murphy teach us about prayer in her song WE PRAY TO THE FATHER.  Listen closely to her profound words.

 

MUSIC

CLOSING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

WE PRAY TO THE FATHER

June Murphy

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Almighty God and Father…

 

…thank you for this prayer on our behalf from the apostle Paul…help us benefit

from the benefits you gifted to us by being enlightened…help us to now you and to

trust you and use your divine power for the circumstances of our lives…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Please make it a habit to listen to the announcements.  They are posted separately.  Keep current on the things going on and coming up in Barah Ministries.

 

DISCUSSING THE LESSON AND PRAYER CIRCLE

 

Join us Live or on Zoom Immediately Following the Lesson

 

GOT BIBLICAL QUESTIONS?

 

Ask the Pastor

pastor@barahministries.com

 

WANT US TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE?

 

Send your request to pastor@barahministries.com

 

 

KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

 

www.barahministries.com