Sermon Summary
Text: Ephesians 1:1–14
Big Idea: God’s grace is amazing—do you get it?
As Lifepoint kicked off a new series in Ephesians, we opened with Paul’s explosive
opening blessing (Eph. 1:3–14)—a single, sweeping run-on paragraph of praise.
Paul isn’t trying to win an argument as much as he’s inviting us into a moment:
to see God’s grace clearly and respond with worship.
1) Praise God for his grace (Ephesians 1:3–6)
Paul begins by blessing God because God has already blessed his people “with every spiritual blessing”
in Christ. This grace is not earned or purchased—it is a gift.
Paul emphasizes God’s initiative: he chose his people in Christ “before the foundation of the world,”
not because of our performance but because of his love and purpose.
Through Jesus, believers are adopted into God’s family—according to God’s good pleasure and will—
resulting in “the praise of his glorious grace.”
2) Marvel at redemption and forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7–10)
In Christ, we have redemption through his blood and the forgiveness of our trespasses.
God’s grace isn’t thin or limited—Paul says it flows “according to the riches of his grace,”
lavished on us. God also reveals the “mystery of his will”: his plan to unite all things in Christ,
bringing heaven and earth together under Jesus as King.
3) Rest in your inheritance and the Spirit’s seal (Ephesians 1:11–14)
Paul continues by highlighting the hope believers have in an eternal inheritance.
Those who hear the word of truth—the gospel—and believe are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
The Spirit is both a mark of belonging and a guarantee (like a down payment) that God will finish what he started
and bring his people fully into the inheritance that is already promised to them.
What now?
- Hear and believe the gospel—not only once, but continually, living by faith in Jesus.
- Respond with praise—cultivate a life marked by gratitude and worship, not just on Sundays.
- Share the good news—pray for and pursue the people you love who don’t yet “get it.”
God’s grace is truly amazing. It is free in Christ, full of blessing, and meant to lead us to worship—
and to invite others into the same joy.
Lifegroup Leader Guide
Text: Ephesians 1:1–14
Big Idea: God’s grace is amazing—do you get it?
Purpose of the discussion
This passage is meant to lead us to wonder, gratitude, and praise—not just theological precision.
The goal of this discussion is to help group members better understand the depth of God’s grace
and respond with faith, worship, and renewed trust in Jesus.
Icebreaker
Share about a time when you received something generous that you didn’t earn or expect.
How did it make you feel?
Read the passage together
Read Ephesians 1:3–14 out loud. If your group is large, consider having two different people
read the passage in different translations.
Observation questions
- What words or phrases are repeated throughout this passage?
- What does Paul say God has already done for believers?
- What stands out to you most about how Paul talks about God in this section?
Understanding God’s grace
- Paul emphasizes that God chose, adopted, redeemed, and forgave us “in Christ.”
Why do you think Paul stresses this phrase so often? - How does knowing that God’s grace is given “according to the riches of his grace”
change the way you think about your relationship with God? - Why is it important that these blessings are described as gifts rather than rewards?
The role of the Holy Spirit
- What does it mean that believers are “sealed” with the Holy Spirit?
- How is the Holy Spirit described as a guarantee of our inheritance?
- In what ways have you experienced the Spirit’s work in your life—through conviction,
encouragement, or guidance?
Application
- What does it look like for you to regularly “hear and believe” the gospel,
not just once but as an ongoing practice? - How might a deeper understanding of God’s grace shape your daily attitude,
especially in stressful or ordinary moments? - Is there someone in your life who hasn’t yet experienced God’s grace?
What would it look like to pray for or gently engage them this week?
Prayer time
Spend time thanking God for specific aspects of his grace mentioned in the passage
(adoption, forgiveness, inheritance, the Holy Spirit).
If appropriate, pray for people in your lives who need to hear and believe the gospel.
Leader encouragement
If your group drifts into technical debates about predestination or free will,
gently steer the conversation back to Paul’s main purpose:
celebrating God’s grace and responding with worship.
The goal is awe and gratitude, not winning an argument.
God’s Grace Is Amazing — Do You Get It?
Text: Ephesians 1:1–14
Well, good morning and welcome to LifePoint Church. Whether it’s your first time here
or you’ve been here more times than you can count, we’re genuinely thankful that you’re
here to worship Jesus with us today.
Today we’re kicking off a brand new series. We’re studying Ephesians, and in a moment
we’ll be in Ephesians chapter 1, verses 1 through 14.
Before we get there, a couple quick things to note. In this passage, Paul uses language
about God’s choosing, God’s purpose, and God’s will. Some of us hear that and think,
“Okay, cool.” Others of us think, “I must unravel this puzzle.”
That tension between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility is real—but it’s not
Paul’s main point here, so it won’t be mine either. If you want to dig deeper into that,
I highly recommend Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer.
One big idea for our time together this morning is simple:
God’s grace is amazing.
And the question we’re asking is,
Do you get it?
That question works in two directions. First: do you believe—have you trusted Jesus
and received God’s grace? Second: do you really understand just how astonishing that
grace is?
Ephesians 1:3–14 is one long run-on paragraph in the original language. It’s like Paul
is having a moment. This isn’t a carefully structured argument—it’s an explosion of joy.
He’s overwhelmed by how good God is.
As we read, I want you to notice a few things:
- The emphasis on God’s purpose, plan, and will
- How often Paul says “in Christ,” “in him,” or “through him”
- The repeated phrase “according to” (kata in Greek)
- The refrain: “to the praise of his glory”
- The deeply trinitarian flow: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Let’s pray before we read.
Father in heaven, we thank you for the privilege of being here together.
As we turn our attention to your word, we confess that we need your help.
By your Spirit, help us love, trust, and obey Jesus more deeply.
We pray this in his holy name. Amen.
God’s grace praised (Ephesians 1:3–6)
Paul begins by saying, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This isn’t a command—it’s a response. Praise is happening because God is amazing.
Why praise God? Because he has blessed us—past tense—with every
spiritual blessing in Christ. Not some. Not most. Every.
These aren’t things you can buy or earn. They are gifts God has already given to his people.
Paul says God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.
That matters because it eliminates the idea that God chose us because of something he
saw in us. At that point, none of us had done anything—good or bad.
Why did God choose us? Paul tells us: so that we would be holy and blameless before him.
Not because we earned it, but because Jesus did.
God predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ—according to the purpose of his will.
Not according to our performance. According to his good pleasure.
And this leads to the first refrain: to the praise of his glorious grace.
God’s grace lavished (Ephesians 1:7–10)
Paul continues: “In him we have redemption through his blood.”
Redemption means rescue—freedom from slavery. And the price wasn’t silver or gold.
It was the blood of Jesus.
Along with redemption comes forgiveness. All of our sins—past, present, and future—are
forgiven. Jesus didn’t pay most of it. He paid all of it.
This forgiveness is given according to the riches of his grace,
which God lavished on us. He is not stingy with grace.
Paul says God has revealed the mystery of his will: his plan to unite all things in Christ.
Everything centers on Jesus.
God’s grace guaranteed (Ephesians 1:11–14)
In Christ, we have obtained an inheritance. We are adopted children, and that means
we inherit what belongs to the family—eternal life with God.
The Holy Spirit seals us and guarantees our inheritance. Like a down payment,
the Spirit is God’s promise that what he started, he will finish.
The Spirit is also a seal of authenticity—marking us as belonging to God.
And again, Paul says this is all to the praise of his glory.
What now?
This passage doesn’t give us commands, but it does invite a response.
- Hear and believe the gospel—again and again
- Live a life of praise, not just on Sundays
- Share this grace with people you care about
God’s grace is amazing. Do you get it?
Father, thank you for your astonishing grace.
Help us hear and believe, live lives of praise,
and joyfully share this good news with others.
We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.