The Riches of His Grace

Ephesians 1:7-14 “The Riches of His Grace”

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7-14

Memory Verse: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7

Lesson Focus: God pours out on us His grace through Jesus.

Activities and Craft: Coloring Page, Work Sheet: Craft for 1st and 2nd grades: “The Riches of His Grace” Money Give each child one “grace money” Tell them to cut it out and then color it green Tell them that God wants to pour out His grace to anyone who will believe in Jesus Tell them that we are redeemed and bought with the price of Jesus’ blood Tell them that when we believe in Jesus our sins are forgiven.

Introduction: Game: “The Price is Right” Show the kids two pictures of toys at the same time – let one child guess which item costs more. Give several kids the chance to play. (The pictures will be in your room for you). Tell the kids that many of the things in this world that we want cost money. And sometimes we do not have the money to buy certain things. Ask the kids; 1. How many of you wish that you had more money to buy the things you want? 2. How many of you feel like you are rich? Tell the kids that today we are going to see how God has made us “rich.”

Bible Study: Remember that Paul is in prison and he is writing a letter to the people of Ephesus. He begins this letter by sharing with them all of the things that they have “in Jesus.” 1. Because of Jesus we have every “spiritual blessing.” 2. Because of Jesus we have been “chosen” by God to follow Him.

1 3. Because of Jesus we are “adopted” as sons and daughters into God’s family.

Now Paul is going to tell us how we are saved.

Ephesians 1:7: “In Him” we have redemption. √ What does the word redemption mean? (to buy back) Let’s pretend that you sold your favorite teddy bear at a garage sale to your neighbor. Then when you try to sleep that night you realize that you want your teddy bear back. The problem is that you already spent the money that you made by selling him. So you do some extra chores around the house to earn some money and go to your friend and ask to buy your teddy bear back. You “redeem” your teddy bear – you buy him back.

The basic idea of redemption is that of setting free a thing or a person that has come to belong to another.

That is what Jesus did for us. He paid the price to buy us back. We cannot self- redeem ourselves. We cannot be good enough to get to heaven. We needed Jesus to do this for us. Jesus is our Redeemer! √ How did Jesus do that? By His blood: when Jesus died on the cross His blood was shed in His death for us. In the Old Testament it was clearly taught that by the shedding of blood through the animal sacrifice covered over or paid the price for their sins for a time.  Jesus left heaven and came to earth and was born as a baby and lived a perfect life.  While Jesus was on earth He showed us how to follow God  Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world  Jesus redeemed us through His death  Jesus’ blood was the purchase price or our redemption

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” Galatians 3:13

√ What did His redemption give us: The forgiveness of our sins.

2 √ Did it cost God a lot to redeem us through Jesus. (Yes, it cost Him the life of His Son.)

BUT….God did this through the “RICHES OF HIS GRACE.” Grace is getting something that you do not deserve…and God is rich in it. God’s grace is rich! God’s grace is unending! God’s grace is unmeasurable! God’s grace is Jesus!

Ephesians 1:8-11: This richness of God’s grace was given to us through Jesus… 1. God made it abound – or poured out to us through Jesus. 2. In the richness of His grace we receive wisdom and understanding from God through the Holy Spirit. All of a sudden the things of God make sense….the Bible makes sense. 3. In the richness of His grace we understand the “mystery of God’s will.” √ What does it mean to say “God’s will? (God’s plan) √ Why was God’s will a “mystery?” Throughout the whole Bible God’s plan was to send a Savior. It was a mystery because God’s plan did not happen as people thought that it would. It was something that was not made clear before – but is now made known through Jesus.

God did this because this was God’s plan for us. It was God’s pleasure to save us through Jesus. It was God’s pleasure to pour out His grace on us. It was God’s pleasure to forgive our sins when we believe in Jesus. This is God’s will and this is God’s plan for everyone.

Ephesians 1:12 √ What does it mean to the “praise of His Glory?” We live our life to glorify God. That means that in everything that we say or do we do it for the glory of God. God is glorified through our life.

So let’s take a little test: √ How can you glorify God by obeying your parents?

3 √ How can you glorify God by how your treat others? √ How can you glorify God by what comes out of your mouth? √ How can you glorify God by how you treat your brother or sister? √ How can you glorify God at school?

Ephesians 1:13 This verse gives us the way of salvation: 1. Trusted in Jesus 2. Heard the Word of Truth 3. Believed 4. Sealed by the Holy Spirit

√ What does this verse tell us that we received after we believed in Jesus? (The Holy Spirit) √ What did the Holy Spirit do for us? (we were sealed with the Holy Spirit>) √ What does it mean to be “sealed”?

Illustration: Many years ago – when a king or any one in power would send a letter or important message – he would seal it with his “seal.” He would melt wax and pour it on the envelope and then press it with his signature ring. The wax would melt and would seal the envelope shut. That seal would determine who it was from and the importance of that letter. Sealing speaks of ownership.

We are sealed with the Holy Spirit. When you believe that Jesus paid the price for your sins and that He is the only way to God – then you are sealed with the Holy Spirit. God’s says that you belong to Him and He gives us the Holy Spirit to help us follow Jesus. The Holy Spirit is God’s mark that we are His!

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” √ What does this verse call the Holy Spirit? (The Holy Spirit of promise.) √ What does the Holy Spirit promise us? (Let’s read verse 14)

Ephesians 1:14: The Holy Spirit is our “guarantee” that we belong to Jesus and will be in heaven someday. The Holy Spirit is our pledge that the rest will follow later (in heaven.)

3 times in the New Testament we see the Holy Spirit described as our “guarantee” for Heaven.

4 1. 2 Corinthians 1:22; “who also has sealed us and given us the Sprit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2. 2 Corinthians 5:5; “Now HE who has prepared us for this very thing id God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” 3. Ephesians 1:14

When you accept Jesus as your Savior – God gives us a promise through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives inside of us and helps us live this life following God. But He is also the promise that Heaven is coming in our future.

Conclusion: What do we see in Ephesians 1:7-14? 1. We see beautiful truths of the Word of God. a. We are redeemed by the blood of Jesus b. Our sins are forgiven c. God pours out on us His “rich grace.” d. God reveals to us His will. e. God gives us an inheritance – a promise of a future. f. God seals us with the Holy Spirit 2. We see the Trinity; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit a. The Father pours out His grace on us b. The Father reveals the “mystery of His will” c. The Son, Jesus redeems us through His blood and death on the cross. d. The Holy Spirit – lives inside of us and marks us as God’s Children

God is “rich” in grace and wants to pour it out on any one that will listen and hear the gospel. Have you heard the gospel? 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received; that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” Have you responded to the grace of God?