The Blessing in Messiah
1: 3-14
These four paragraphs form a single sentence in the Greek text and it is possibly the longest sentence of connected dialogue in existence. Here we have some of the most important doctrinal words, the most profound and richest truths regarding what ADONAI has done for believers in all of Paul’s writings. Their form is that of a Jewish b’rakhah, or blessing. This is signaled by the first words: Praised be ADONAI, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, which echoes the initial phrases of the ‘Amidah, the central prayer of the synagogue liturgy, recited three times daily. Other expressions are also reminiscent of the synagogue prayers. Two examples, first, He chose us in love, resembles the close of the ‘Amidah blessing immediately preceding the recital of the Sh’ma (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bw – Sh’ma Isra’el). And secondly, the words: In all His wisdom and insight, He has made known to us, recalls the fourth blessing of the ‘Amidah, “You favor humanity with knowledge and teach people understanding and insight from Yourself. Praise be You, ADONAI, the gracious Giver of knowledge.”52
Praised be ADONAI, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who in the Messiah has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven. In Messiah He chose (adopted) us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in His presence. He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be His sons – in keeping with His pleasure and purpose – so that we would bring Him praise commensurate with the glory of the grace He gave us through the Beloved One.
In Him, through the shedding of His blood, we are set free – our sins are forgiven; this accords with the wealth of the grace He has lavished on us. In all His wisdom and insight, He has made known to us His secret plan, which by His own will He designed beforehand in connection with the Messiah and will put into effect when the time is ripe – His plan to place everything in heaven and on earth under the Messiah’s headship.
Also in Him we were given an inheritance, we who were picked in advance according to the purpose of the One who affects everything in keeping with the decision of His will, so that we who earlier had put our hope in the Messiah would bring Him praise commensurate with His glory.
Furthermore, you who heard the message of the truth, the Good News offering you deliverance, and put your trust in Messiah were sealed by Him with the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh, who guarantees our inheritance until we come into possession of it and thus bring Him praise commensurate with His glory.
From Max Lucado’s book The Great House of God, he writes: And you thought God adopted you because you were good looking. You thought He needed your money or your wisdom. Sorry. God adopted you simply because he wanted to. You were in his good will and pleasure. Knowing full well the trouble you would get yourself into and the price He would have to pay, He signed His name next to yours and changed your name to His and took you home. Your Abba adopted you and became your Father.
May I pause here just for a minute? Most of you are with me . . . but a couple of you are shaking your heads. I see those squinty eyes. You don’t believe me, do you? You’re waiting for the fine print. There’s got to be a catch, a gimmick. You know life has no free lunch, so you’re waiting for the check.
Your discomfort is obvious. Even here in God’s living room, you never unwind. Others put on slippers, you put on a front. Others relax, you stiffen. Always on your best behavior, ever anxious that you’ll slip up and God will notice and out you’ll go.
I understand your anxiety. Our experience with people has taught us that what is promised and what is presented aren’t always the same. And for some, the thought of trusting a heavenly Father is doubly difficult because your earthly father disappointed or mistreated you.
If such is the case, I urge you: Don’t confuse your heavenly father with the fathers you’ve seen on earth. Your Father in heaven isn’t prone to moodiness and temper tantrums. He doesn’t hold you in His arms one day and hit you the next. The man who fathered you may act that way, but the God who loves you never will.53
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