What Is The Gospel: A Hill To Die On Part 2

Ephesians 1:1–14 is presented as a panoramic revelation of what God has accomplished in Christ: before the world began God chose, adopted, redeemed, and sealed his people, not because of human merit but by sovereign grace. The text emphasizes that the Christian life is initiated by God's action—faith itself is a gift—so believers respond from a place of reception, not self-generated worth. This theological landscape holds an “already” and a “not yet”: believers are already blessed, seated in heavenly places, and heirs by promise, yet the fullness of that inheritance awaits consummation. That tension undergirds pastoral care, prayer, and the call to persevere amid illness, loss, and doubt.

The gospel’s power is central: it is God’s means of salvation that demands no human boasting and compels costly obedience for the advance of the kingdom. The letter outlines how election, redemption, and sealing work together—chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son through his blood, and sealed by the Spirit as the guarantee of the inheritance—so that everything culminates in the praise of God’s glory. Practical implications follow: grace requires a transformed life. True adoption produces holiness; profession without workmanship is empty.

Mission urgency flows naturally from this vision. If Christ is supreme over all things, then the gospel must be carried into places where people have never heard, regardless of danger or cost. Financial giving, personal risk, and vocational calling are all reframed: they are not optional frills but faithful responses to the grace that lavished faith and made known the mystery of God’s will. Finally, the appropriate human response is repentance and baptism—the surrender that marks the new birth and activates the gift of the Holy Spirit—so that the theological truths move from head knowledge into the lived reality of adoption, sanctification, and worship.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Salvation begins with God's initiative Salvation is not a human achievement but the outflow of divine choosing and grace; faith itself is given so that dead sinners may truly live. This reality removes spiritual merit as the ground of relationship and relocates confidence in God’s work, not human performance. It also reframes evangelism: people are invited to receive what God has already initiated. [02:05]
• 2. Gospel is God's saving power The gospel is not merely moral instruction but the decisive instrument of divine power that brings salvation to everyone who believes. Because it is God’s power, proclamation deserves boldness and costly investment rather than casual cultural accommodation. This compels personal sacrifice for global mission, knowing results belong to God’s sovereign work. [02:42]
• 3. Sealed now, guaranteed inheritance later The Holy Spirit functions as both seal and down payment—present assurance of identity and future possession—so believers live with the tension of already-but-not-yet. Conviction and the Spirit’s sanctifying work are marks of authentic adoption; they both assure and discipline. This theological assurance transforms suffering into hope because destiny is secure even when present experience is imperfect. [19:19]
• 4. Live holy; Christ supreme always Being chosen and redeemed carries a moral purpose: holiness and Christ’s supremacy must shape priorities, money, time, and allegiance. Casual Christianity that separates confession from conduct undermines the gospel’s aim to make believers holy representatives of God. True worship orders life around the glory of Christ, which reconfigures everyday decisions into acts of praise. [12:08]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:22] - Ephesians: A sweeping vision
• [00:55] - Missions and gospel urgency
• [02:42] - Gospel as God's saving power
• [05:06] - Greetings and praise unpacked
• [10:37] - Chosen by the Father
• [12:58] - Redeemed through Christ's blood
• [19:19] - Sealed by the Holy Spirit
• [23:55] - Call to repentance and baptism

{'input_documents': [Document(metadata={'source': "00:07"}, page_content="Every now and then scripture lifts us to a height where the view is so wide, so breathtaking that we have to pause and simply take it in. Ephesians one one through 14 is one of those places of scripture. [00:22] Paul begins his letter not with small talk, but with a sweeping vision of what God has done for his people in Christ. As your pastor, I'm very proud of you. I'm proud of you in this way. Last year, we increased our missions giving. This year, our projected missions giving will be more than last year with the special offerings that we do. [00:55] Throughout the whole world, people need to hear the good news. As I just referenced, there are places in the world without access, without the scriptures, they don't have the book for themselves. Our missionaries [01:18] in faraway places are working in some ways clandestinely,"), Document(metadata={'source': "01:27"}, page_content="trying to give the good news to people who couldn't hear it otherwise. Our scripture passage today reminds us of why the gospel is so precious. Paul tells us in this section that before the world was formed, [01:43] God set his love upon his people. He chose, adopted, redeemed, and sealed them, not because of their own merit, but because of his grace. These verses remind us that the Christian life does not begin with our effort. It begins [02:05] through God's initiative. We are not scrambling to earn a place in the family. We are responding to the love of God that invites us into his family. Thanks be to God. Amen? What [02:22] is the gospel? Our theme for this little short series of messages is Romans one verse 16. The Apostle Paul said, I am not ashamed"), Document(metadata={'source': "02:39"}, page_content="of the gospel for it is [02:42] the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. To the Jew first and also for the Greek. Underline in your bible, if you will write in yours. Do you know in the South, everybody scribbles all over their bible, but some of you folks were trained not to do that. If you write in your bible, [03:06] this would be a good one to underline. I'm not ashamed of the gospel because of why, and are we not ashamed of it? Why are we not in fear of taking it to the whole world at our own personal cost? Why are we okay with giving our donations so that it can go through other people? Because it is the power of God. I've told you before, those little offering boxes over there, [03:36] I like to write out my check. Many of you do it online, and I have trouble even figuring out Facebook. So I just write my check and put it in that box. And it makes I feel like I am partnering with God in the great expansion work through the whole world of his renowned and his glory. We're not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God, and therefore, we take our own personal risk. Some of you in this building may be being called by God to go to some faraway place [04:12]"), Document(metadata={'source': "04:18"}, page_content="to tell some people who would never hear without you, you might be being called. It's the power of God unto salvation. Ephesians one one through fourteen, [04:33] one of these high mountain peak sections of scripture. I see in this little section [04:45] really a view of how the gospel works. I look at it in these ways. Greetings and praise, verses one through three, chosen by the father, redeemed by the son, sealed by the spirit for the glory of God. Verses one through 14. [05:06] Greetings and praise to God. Verses one through three. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus,"), Document(metadata={'source': "05:19"}, page_content='by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus. Now, the Ephesian church was pastored by whom? [05:28] The apostle John. We just read the first letter of John. We know that John wrote the gospel of John. We know that John wrote the book of Revelation. He was the pastor at Ephesus. So Paul is writing to this church [05:46] who already has this this apostolic leader, John. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God to the saints who are in Ephesus and are the faithful in Christ Jesus. This is a greeting. This is what this is. Verse two. Grace to you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [06:04] Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. We exist in our Christian experience'), Document(metadata={'source': "06:23"}, page_content="in this place. What place? [06:25] In the place of being blessed by God's grace. In the place of being enveloped in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are in Christ, and this puts us in the position of favor by Almighty God. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He's blessed us in Christ [06:47] with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. I think it would be helpful for me to take just a minute here to talk about the present, the current, but the not yet. The Christian experience is a real heavenly [07:04] reality that is already actually and certainly determined. But it is not yet completed. So we have the already [07:17]"), Document(metadata={'source': "07:19"}, page_content="and the not yet. It is already true that we are seated in heavenly places. But it is not yet true that that fulfillment is actualized. And this causes some tension for us. For example, we do know [07:36] that there will come a day where we will sin no more. We know that we will be glorified and that we will be made perfectly like Jesus. We know that this is a day to come, but it's not yet. In the current reality, we still have a fleshly nature. So we have an all we have an already, and we live in the not yet. It's both occurring. [08:02] This causes tension. But we are blessed in Christ Jesus and it is certain that as we are seated in heavenly places already, it will be actualized. He who began a good work, he will complete it. Oh, how comforting this is to me. [08:27] When I lay awake at night praying for you. When I worry because of your health concerns,"), Document(metadata={'source': "08:38"}, page_content="your cancer diagnosis, your job concerns, your children's concerns, When I lay and worry for you and I lay and worry for my own children and my own wife and family. [08:48] When I lay and pray. I'm already seated in heavenly places and so are they when they believe in Christ. And this is so wonderful. This is so wonderful. With the despairs of daily living, our hope is in him, [09:11] and it is a certain hope. That's why the gospel's good news, and that's why we've gotta take it everywhere. That's why we've gotta tell everybody. That's why there's no cost too significant, no personal concern of yours [09:31] that isn't worth the the giving of yourself to it. Greetings and praise to God chosen by the father, verses four through six. So we got a little theology lesson here. This is like seminary"), Document(metadata={'source': "09:51"}, page_content="class one. I mean, I I had ninety six seminary credit hours where I just my brain wanted to explode. [09:53] This was this was like baby seminary. Because this baby seminary, you're all okay with it. You're gonna be fine with this one. Ephesians one four through six teaches us that this great gospel of ours [10:15] is how does it work? It works this way. We are chosen by God before the foundation of the world. Look at it. Even as he chose us. He, God, chose us in him, Jesus, before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless [10:37] before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ. According to the purposes of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace [10:57]"), Document(metadata={'source': "11:00"}, page_content="with which he has blessed us in the beloved. It took me many years before I got comfortable with this theological truth that I didn't choose God, but he chose me. Now that is hard to think, isn't it? Because all of us, we wanna think, well, you know, we're doing something for our God and for our creator. And that's how we wanna feel. [11:24] But you know the scripture teaches, he chose us. Jesus said, you did not choose me, but I chose you. Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, we should be holy and blameless. [11:47] So he chose us to an end for a purpose. And what purpose is that? That we might be his representatives. That we might be holy and blameless. I reject completely any Christianity that does not follow [12:08] with workmanship and holy living. It's just word speak. You say, well, I claim to be a Christian but I don't live like Christ. That's that's"), Document(metadata={'source': "12:21"}, page_content="It's not right. Thank God. When you would never choose him because you were dead in your trespasses and sins, if you do have faith, it's because he [12:32] initiated faith in you by the spirit. Alright then. You read the scripture verses four through six. Next. [12:44] We're not only chosen by the father, we are redeemed by the son. Verses seven through 12. In him, Jesus, we have redemption through his blood. [12:58] This is how it may this is how it actually works. God chooses his people before the foundation of the world, and then at a moment in time, he sent the Lord Jesus Christ to give his life a ransom. To give his blood so that we might be forgiven. In him we have redemption through his blood,"), Document(metadata={'source': "13:22"}, page_content='the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace. [13:25] Does it say in this verse according to our merit, according to our effort, according to our studious sacredotalism where we just keep the the the requirements [13:40] of the church? In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace. What kind of grace was this? It was the kind which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will [14:02] according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ. Verse eight. He lavished this grace upon us that we might believe. He lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight. [14:27]'), Document(metadata={'source': "14:30"}, page_content="And in practical practically then, how does it verse nine, making known to us the mystery of his will. Through human reasoning, through any sensory mechanism, [14:55] You can't hear it, smell it, see it, touch it. None of this will get you to God. The Holy Spirit practically does something. It is the giving to you, the gift of faith. Have you had this gift given to you? Has this gift been lavished upon you by God's grace? [15:17] Or do you still see yourself as a person trying to earn your way to heaven? Stop with all that. You don't have to do that. You don't need to do that. That's ridiculous. That's insulting to God. [15:34] When God has given his own son as a substitution for you, and then you you you have a theology that says I'm supposed to be doing the the things that I'm supposed to do, and therefore those things when I do them will satisfy God? That's insulting."), Document(metadata={'source': "15:56"}, page_content="It's idolatry. He has made known the mystery of his will according to his purpose, and this was set forward in Christ. This qualifies everybody [16:13] with even childlike faith. Even childlike faith. As a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven, and things on earth in him. God is making Jesus supreme over every earthly thing. [16:38] That's how he should be in your life. Based on what he has done, his death, burial, and resurrection, we should make him supreme over every earthly thing. This means no other thing can compete with Jesus. When Ike was talking about the persecuted church and he says there are only hundreds of believers in Somalia. And we know that there are people far away [17:06] who are worshiping in secret on their Sabbath day. There are people in far away places that are afraid for their lives. And we take Christ so casually in the West,"), Document(metadata={'source': "17:23"}, page_content="and it is to our shame. Christ [17:29] should be supreme over every earthly thing. That's why money should never matter. That's why your time commitment to worship God or volunteer or help those children in that building or or to sing on this platform. This should mean nothing to us. Oh, but we've been trained that Christianity is casual. [17:47] Jesus said, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it cannot bear fruit. Chosen by the father, grace gift, redeemed by the son. [18:08] The Lord Jesus Christ has made it possible for us to be forgiven. Verse 11. In him we have obtained an inheritance in Jesus having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. Chosen by the father, redeemed by the son, [18:39]"), Document(metadata={'source': "18:43"}, page_content="sealed by the spirit. Verses thirteen and fourteen. In him, you also, when you heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, something happened. [18:59] You heard because the grace of God has been lavished upon you so that you could hear with your spiritual ears. When you did hear this, something happened. The bible says in verse 13 that you were sealed [19:19] with the promised Holy Spirit. Who is this? He is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory. I was talking a few minutes ago about the already and not yet. Like, we already are seated in heavenly places, but I don't all the time feel like I'm seated in heavenly places. [19:39] I'm already adopted, but sometimes I feel alone. I'm already a victor and a conqueror,"), Document(metadata={'source': "19:53"}, page_content="but sometimes I don't always live victoriously. So we've got already and not yet, and this is the Christian experience until the salvation that we are promised is completed. Until it is completed, [20:10] we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. How could a person know that they are sealed by the Holy Spirit? One of the primary mechanisms that the Bible teaches that you can know that you do have the Holy Spirit is called conviction. It's called [20:31] discipline by God about you and your sin. Thank you. We know that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. One of the reasons is because the bible says we are. Another reason is that we [20:54] feel that inner tug of conviction. We're like, we just we we know we shouldn't say that, and we shouldn't feel that way, and we shouldn't have done it that way. Sometimes you come to me. At"), Document(metadata={'source': "21:13"}, page_content="the end of the service, Bill, I'll I'll pray for for Joe. Joe does need prayer. Yes. I will do that. So, [21:21] sometimes one of you will come to me and say, I'm so sorry that I said that to you. And I think, when did you say that to me? [21:36] They say, I'm convicted that I did that and you saw me do it or you I said that and you heard me say it. And I'm like, I didn't even realize you did a good thing. This is the Holy Spirit. You know, we just studied the book of first John and over and over and over and over again it says, a true believer cannot live in a pattern of sin indefinitely. You can't do that. If you can take sin casually, then you gotta really check your heart about whether you're right with God or not. You do. [22:18] Look at it. He's the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it. Oh, but we're gonna acquire possession of it. And this to the praise of his glory. That brings me to the last point. This little simple theology lesson. For the glory of God is how does salvation work? Chosen by God, [22:44]"), Document(metadata={'source': "22:50"}, page_content="redeemed by the son, sealed by the spirit, and to what end? For the glory of God. Look at the last part of verse 14. Who is talking about the Holy Spirit, is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it. To what end? To the praise of his glory. [23:11] Our whole lives should be about the exaltation of Jesus Christ, God's chosen Messiah. Because we've been enveloped by in him, we have an inheritance through him. Because he rose from the grave, we will rise. This is our eternal hope. [23:34] What do we do about it? Acts two thirty eight, please. What are we supposed to do about all this theology knowledge? You've been in theology, junior class. What are we supposed to do? Well, here's I'm gonna have a whole sermon on the gospel proclamation [23:55] of faith and repentance. That'll be in two weeks."), Document(metadata={'source': "24:03"}, page_content="But for today, listen to this. What are we supposed to do with this little bit of knowledge that we just had? And Peter said to them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. I remember for so many years, I had a head knowledge of Jesus dying and rising. I knew all of this. [24:27] And I was not born again until I surrendered my life to God. I just kinda gave up. I just said, okay. I know I knew it. I know I knew it. But, I was born again when I surrendered my life to God. No other competing idols. No other arguments [24:47] with God. Just, I'm giving myself to you. That's when I got born again. And that's what exactly Peter is saying in his sermon in Acts chapter two. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.")], 'output_text': ''}