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Message from Ephesians 1:18b

Message from Ephesians 1:18b

by John Allen · 75 things on Twos

"That ye may know what is the hope of his calling"
Introduction: Unsure Christians
Too many Christians are unsure of their Salvation.
Too many Christians are unsure of their calling.
Too many Christians are unsure of their hope.
Too many Christians are unsure of their knowledge.
Main:
What is Hope?
Hope begins in our frailty. (Psalm 16:9; Romans 5:4)
Cross References
"Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope." (Psalm 16:9)
"And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:" (Romans 5:3-4)
Therefore, frailty is the foyer to hope.
As we are tried, patience is developed. From patience comes experience, and from experience comes hope.
Quite literally: tribulation → endurance, steadfastness (patience) → fortitude, character (experience) → rest and peace derived by looking at the known (hope).
It is our frailty that causes us to look to Christ for our hope. It is the realization and recognition of our own incapability that causes us to look to Christ for His sufficiency.
Hope always has an object, a goal, an end. (Romans 8:25)
Cross References
"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, [then] do we with patience wait for [it]." (Romans 8:24-25)
"Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is." (Jeremiah 17:7)
Hope rests in the expectation of relief, redemption, and release.
The looking to the object, goal, or end creates rest as the view provides an expectation of relief, redemption, and release.
Hope always has a foundation.
Hope without a ground on which to stand is not hope but wishful thinking. (Ezra 10:2; Romans 4:18)
Though we be frail, we look to Christ as our solid foundation and, thereby, we have hope.
We have the earnest of our salvation. (Ephesians 1:4; Philippians 1:20)
Hope produces unashamed Christianity.
When we know whom we believe and that He is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him against that day then we grow to be unashamed of Him, His gospel, and our hope in Him. (2 Timothy 1:12)
When we have hope we are unafraid what man or circumstances will do unto us. (Romans 1:16)
What is His Calling?
The Hearers of the Calling
He who was predestinated to be called (Romans 8:29)
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)
He who serves as a fighter for Christ (1 Timothy 6:12)
"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:12)
He who was once enslaved to in the darkness to the darkness (1 Peter 2:9)
"But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" (1 Peter 2:9)
The Person of the Calling
He Who does foreknow - God (Romans 8:28)
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)
God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14)
"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)
The King of glory (1 Thessalonians 2:12)
"That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory." (1 Thessalonians 2:12)
The Light (1 Peter 2:9; John 1:7)
"But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" (1 Peter 2:9)
"The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] through him might believe. He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light. [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." (John 1:7-9 KJV)
He Who the provider of Eternal glory (1 Peter 5:10)
"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you]." (1 Peter 5:10)
The "Unto" of the Calling
Justification and Glorification (Romans 8:28-30)
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)
His kingdom and glory (1 Thessalonians 2:12)
"That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory." (1 Thessalonians 2:12)
Eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12)
"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:12)
From darkness to eternal light (1 Peter 2:9)
"But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" (1 Peter 2:9)
Eternal glory by Christ Jesus (1 Peter 5:10)
"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you]." (1 Peter 5:10)
What is the Knowing?
The hope of His calling is not a doubtful or wishful emotion but a know-so fact that moves the Christian to great hope in the Lord.
"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know" is Paul’s emphasis.
This knowledge is derived by the eyes being enlightened.
This is a personal enlightening and personal knowing.
God intends for us to know.
"For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in [this] tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing [is] God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore [we are] always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences." (2 Corinthians 5:1-11)
"Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit." (1 John 4:13)
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13)
"The very fact that Paul was inspired to place on record this petition—shows clearly that it is God's WILL FOR His people to have assurance, that it is both their privilege and duty to earnestly seek it, and that an increased experience of assurance should be theirs." Arthur Pink
"[I]f our eyes are not enlightened, the fault is entirely our own, for it is the revealed will of God that each regenerate person should have assurance that he is a new creature in Christ Jesus." Arthur Pink
Conclusion:
Do you know that you are saved?
Do you have the hope of your salvation, the hope of your calling?
Do you rest in the greatness of His salvation?