The Manhood Talks | Foundation & IdentitySample

Day 16 | Ephesians 1 | You are Chosen

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Welcome back to The Manhood Talks! We made it to week three, and this week we’re focusing in on faith and identity: that’s what you believe — and who you are. Or as we saw last week — who He is remaking you to be. Remember back in week 1 — the four pillars of man’s character. This week is faith, and the next three will be strength, courage, and love. This week, it is our faith in God that reconnects us to our identity in His image.

Now in our Bible reading, we’re doing something different this week. We’re going to spend the whole week in the book of Ephesians. We’re still talking about manhood, but focusing on Ephesians, because Ephesians is all about identity —who you are in Christ.

Speaking of which — do you think that your identity is something you’re forming or something you’re discovering? Do you create identity — or find it? Or is it both — happening at the same time?

Well, let’s dig in together to the book of Ephesians. We’ll read one chapter each day — starting with chapter 1.

Ephesians is a personal letter, so it begins with greetings from Paul — the guy who wrote the letter,

“To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1).

First thing to see — this letter is for Christians. Now you don’t have to be a Christian to listen to this or learn from it — but understand that’s who it was written to: “God’s holy people.” The word holy means set apart — for a purpose. Believer — you are called to be different. Not weird — but holy. He calls you “the faithful in Christ Jesus.” Pay attention to those words. Everything that follows depends on this one prepositional phrase: in Christ. Watch for the words: in Him.

Now verse 3:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

Right up front - God has blessed us. He’s good to us. Blessed with spiritual blessing. Now you might be saying — I’d rather have a physical blessing. I mean — does “spiritual” mean it’s make-believe — like God gave us a million dollars in invisible money? Don’t worry, it’s not like that. Spiritual is the stuff that counts — the stuff that lasts. Money — doesn’t last. Success on earth — doesn’t last. Spiritual blessings — those are forever. And those blessings are — don’t miss it — in Christ.

Verse 4:

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world..." (Ephesians 1:4).

Pause there — He chose us. Do you know what it means to be chosen? Reminds me of junior high. Does anyone else remember picking teams? I don’t know what it was like for you — but I was always a leftover. But I got bigger — a little muscle — a little speed — and I remember the day: PE class 10th grade — and John Drake, star athlete — chose me for flag football. Me! On purpose — ahead of others! I was chosen. For me, it was a very big deal.

And you know what I did? I played my heart out. It was just PE, but that was the game of my life.

Right here, in verse 4: God chose you. Before the creation of the world! Not when you got bigger and faster — He chose you before everything. And for what? Read on:

“…to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4-5).

That’s a powerful statement. In love He predestined. The Greek word there literally means to mark out a course. It doesn’t mean he forced you — but it does mean He has a plan — a clear path for you that is older and bigger than your sins and mistakes. Theologians will argue the details on predestination — but focus on Paul’s point: God chose you and marked out a course in your life so that he could adopt you as His son.

And this is where identity comes in. There’s a big difference between trying to be good enough for God - and just knowing that you are His son. No earning — just being, and believing.

Remember back in Romans 8 that all of creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. Because we beat the curse — because in a world of frustration and vanity — we live with purpose. And a lot of that purpose is revealed here in Ephesians.

Now chapter 1 is rich with goods — so read carefully. I’ll just hit a couple of highlights. In verse 7, “In him we have redemption through His blood.” That means that Jesus bought us — rescued us from slavery to sin and set us free. And notice — it’s in Him.

In verse 9, God “made known to us the mystery of his will” — that means His purpose and plan. God has a plan for us “…which he purposed in Christ.” There it is again. Start counting. In Christ or in Him appears ten times in the first half-chapter. This time it’s where we find our purpose. Our identity and purpose is found in Jesus.

Verse 11:

“In him we were also chosen,” (Ephesians 1:11).

— and Paul reminds us that God’s purpose and God’s will are all working in your life — according to His plan. This is phenomenal. You have a purpose — and God has a plan to fulfill that purpose.

And what does he ask of you? In verse 13: faith.

“When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…” (Ephesians 1:13-14).

A deposit is a down payment made in promise that you’ll make the full payment. God gives us the Holy Spirit — as a deposit. The Holy Spirit reminds you that God’s purpose for you will be completed in full.

And that brings us back to faith. Faith gives us eyes to see more — to see who He is — and who we are in Him. So in verse 18, Paul prays that the eyes of our heart would be open to see three things: to see the hope He’s called us to, to see the riches of His glorious inheritance — that means to see how rich God feels to have us as his kids, and to see “…his incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19).

For Thought & Discussion:

Question 1: Is identity something that we’re forming, or something that we’re discovering?

Question 2: What do you think it means to find your identity in Jesus?

Read Ephesians 1

All verses are quoted from the NIV