You're listening to Mountain View Church Audio, Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City, Whitehorse UConn. Here's this week's message.
Every burning star, signal fire of grace. Creation sings your praises. Oh, God of your promise. You don't speak in vain. No syllable empty your voice. Once you have spoken, all nature and science follow the sound of your voice. And as you speak, a hundred billion creatures catch a breath of what you give to nature. So I can see your heart and say,
Every painted sky, canvas of your creation stirs you, so will I. To worship, so will I. The mountains bow in reverence, so will I. To draw your greatness, so will I. For if everything exists to lift you higher, so will I. The wind goes where you send it, so will I. Then we'll sing again a hundred times. I don't salvage. Chase down my heart through all of my failure and pride.
On a hill you created. The light of the world. Abandoned in darkness to die. And as you see. A hundred billion failures. Where you lost your life. So I could find. If you left the grave. You could see your heart. In every part designed. In a world you gladly chose. And oh so will I. Like you would again. A hundred billion. What measure could you desire?
Picture sitting at your kitchen table on a long winter night. You pour out a box of puzzle pieces, and for a few minutes, it's just a mess. Pieces are scattered across the table. Then you lift the lid and you see the picture on the front of the box. You still don't know where every piece belongs, but you can finally see the end goal.
In a way, that's how we can view Paul's letter to the Ephesians. We can see the pieces, and we can see the final picture found in Jesus. But how each piece fits together is still a mystery. As we walk with Christ, God's will becomes clearer. It keeps unfolding a little more with each step of faith. Some days, the pieces seem random, like they don't belong anywhere. And yet one day, the full picture, everything in heaven and on earth will come together in Christ, and the puzzle will finally be complete.
My name is Jeremy, and I'm the lead pastor at Mountain View Church. If this is your first time watching or listening, please connect with us at mountainview.church slash connect. This fall, we've been walking through Ephesians chapter one in a series titled Identity. So far, we've talked about being chosen, adopted, and redeemed in Christ. And today, we'll discover that we have purpose in him. My name is Leona. Our scripture reading is from Ephesians chapter one, verses one to 10. You are welcome to follow along with a physical Bible. Search the table of contents to locate the corresponding page number for Ephesians. Alternatively, you can download the Bible app or visit bible.com.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the beloved. In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things in earth.
God's been revealing his plan piece by piece since the beginning. Every promise, every covenant, every story found in scripture points towards something bigger. Paul, in his writing to the Ephesians, wants us to see that it all leads to Jesus. First, let's highlight Paul's statement that God made known to us the mystery of his will. The word mystery in the New Testament doesn't describe something that will stay secret forever. Under the Old Testament, God's people couldn't fully see what he was doing before Christ came. The prophets and the law gave glimpses of his plan, but they didn't know how it would all come together.
Then Jesus arrived. For centuries, people had been waiting, hoping, listening for God's voice. When Christ stepped into history, so much that had been hidden finally started to make sense. That is, for those who were willing to see what he had revealed in his son. So in a way, the mystery of God's will wasn't a secret anymore. It was a person carrying divine power standing right in front of them.
Now, for us living under the new covenant, the mystery will be fully revealed when Christ returns, completing what he has already begun through his church and his Holy Spirit. The gospel reminds us that from the very beginning, God has planned to rescue and restore creation through his son. He's shown us what he's doing, and it all centers on Jesus. Paul continues saying that this was set forth in Christ. God's purpose is personal and relational. The same God who spoke the universe into being is guiding history toward redemption. So our lives aren't random or without meaning. He's weaving them into his story. So pause and reflect on that for a moment. Your faith in Christ isn't only about what you've been saved from. It should also highlight what you've been saved for.
It's a forward-facing understanding that reflects his character, that lives out his grace, and it's joining in his gospel work in the world. You're part of all of that. Now, moving on to verse 10, Paul states it clearly that this is a plan for the fullness of time. That word fullness is important. In the original language, it's directly connected to when something has reached its limit. An equivalent word in English would be completion. It carries the idea of repletion or fulfillment, describing both what fills and what's been made full.
So God's purpose and plan has been filled up or completed in and through his son. In Galatians 4, Paul uses the same term when he writes, but when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son. This is a word that points to God's perfect timing. Everything in history was ready for Jesus. The Son of God, born of the Virgin, fully human, yet fully divine. This is what we celebrate every Christmas. When we consider the timing of Christ's first coming, it really was a perfect moment. The Roman Empire had built roads connecting cities across dozens of nations. The Koine Greek language had become the common trade language of so many nations, making communication possible across cultures that had once been divided. Now, spiritually, the world was hungry for hope. God's people, Israel, they had been living under Roman occupation and oppression.
After 400 years of divine silence, they were crying out for the promised Messiah. God's timing brought all of these elements together for his son, the Messiah in Christ, to be born into a world ready to receive the gospel. And what we know from history, it spread far and wide like wildfire. Sometimes I picture God moving history like a master clockmaker, setting every single gear in motion, perfectly in sync with the next. Even when we can't see all the mechanisms behind the face of the clock, we can trust in what we see and hear. The hands moving, the clock ticking. It's like the movement of his spirit guiding time forward according to his perfect design. Every piece in place moving perfectly in sync according to his will.
Coming back to Ephesians and Paul's statement on the fullness of time, one scholar writes, History isn't a cycle without direction. The fullness of time reminds us that God's plan is unfolding exactly when and how it should. At his first coming, Jesus brought salvation. But the final restoration is yet to come. Lots of people speculate on when that's going to happen and what it's going to look like, but only God knows. Even in Matthew 24, we see that Jesus affirmed this fact. But concerning that day and hour, no one knows. Not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. Christ's return is not ours to predict. And be very cautious of any pastor or preacher who's making proclamations on the day or the hour, since Jesus himself states that he doesn't even know.
These guys, unfortunately, they're wandering into false prophet territory, so be cautious. Now, our part is to remain faithful and expected, trusting that God will bring about the second coming of Christ in the fullness of his perfect timing. Simply put, we faithfully watch and wait. Now, back to verse 10. God's plan is to unite all things in him.
Sin brings division and separation. It has separated us from God, divided humanity, and has affected creation itself. But God has a plan to bring restoration. Through Jesus, heaven and earth will be brought back into harmony. Truth be told, things will get worse before they get better. Jesus himself said that there would be wars and rumors of wars before the end comes, from Matthew 24. But we can praise God that the timeline of history is headed toward his ultimate restoration in Christ.
Biblical scholar John Walvoord explains that this verse does not suggest that everyone will be saved. Instead, that sin's disorder will be removed and universal peace will be established. The hope of Ephesians 1 is that one day, everything will be set right under Christ. The future God has promised shapes how we live in the present. The great pastor and theologian of the 1700s, John Wesley, described this passage as the gracious scheme of salvation by faith, which depends on his own sovereign will alone. That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, he might gather together into one in Christ.
Paul describes a future moment when everything that's been separated or broken will be brought back together in Christ. Every relationship, every part of creation, every piece of God's design that sin has pulled apart will finally be made whole again as God sees it. Heaven and earth will no longer feel like two realms but one, perfectly aligned under Jesus' authority, a new heaven and new earth. I don't know what it's going to look like, but it's going to be glorious. Because God's plan has always been about restoration, drawing everything and everyone that belongs to him back into unity through his son Jesus.
Now I get it. These are huge theological concepts, but they really do matter in day-to-day life. Our lives aren't random or meaningless. I was at a ministry retreat just this fall, and the speaker shared how he grew up in the jungles of South America, where his parents served as missionaries. His parents dedicated their lives to sharing the gospel with unreached indigenous people groups. Their dream was to raise up local disciples of Jesus who could lead their own church, rather than depending on missionaries to do it for them.
Then he skipped ahead in the timeline. He told us that just before arriving at the retreat, he'd received word that the mission his parents started all those years ago is still vibrant as a church community. Even more incredible was that that church had planted three new churches in neighboring villages. Imagine that, all those years of work, the challenges and prayers and likely moments of wondering if it would ever make a difference. And yet they remained faithful. They had joined God's master plan and he had a greater purpose for their service past them. They couldn't see the full picture while they were in it, but God could.
And decades later, they got a glimpse of how he was fitting it all together. As a side note, it also influenced their son, who eventually followed in their footsteps and became a missionary himself. Now I get it. You might be thinking, I'm not called to mission work. Maybe you are, but most of you probably aren't. But this story does emphasize how our willingness to join with God's plan gives us a greater purpose. It can become a legacy. So in your own life, every time you choose forgiveness or choose peace or choose love, those little acts are joining with what God is already doing.
Each moment of grace, every act of reconciliation is like a glimpse of what is to come and everything that's united in Christ. Even when the world feels like it's falling apart, God's plan hasn't gone off course. We need to remember that. The same God who will one day unite all things in Christ is already working to unite hearts to himself. And you can join in that. He's still guiding everything toward the day when heaven and earth are brought together under Christ's authority. This is the greater story of the gospel. Jesus came to close the distance that sin created between us and God.
Through his death and resurrection, he made peace possible. Peace with God, then peace with others, and peace within ourselves. What sin has broken can be made whole again in and through Jesus. And that changes how we live. If God's plan is to bring all these things together in Christ, then the way we live each day becomes a part of that plan. We're invited to live with purpose and direction, to see ordinary moments as eternal opportunities. If you've given your life to Christ, you can reflect God's heart.
How you treat people, how you work, how you serve, all of it can be a part of his redemptive story. He will use you if you're willing. And if you begin seeing life through that lens, everything will change. You won't have to manage your life as if it's your own. You can rest knowing your story fits inside God's greater story. That brings peace and confidence, knowing that your choices matter within his perfect plan.
All this being said, maybe your life feels like that table with the scattered puzzle pieces all over and you can't seem to fit them together. But I promise you that the picture on the front of the box or the bigger picture, it becomes clearer when you place your trust in Jesus and when you focus on him. Everything doesn't always connect perfectly, but at least you can see the end goal. He's the revelation of God's mystery and the fulfillment of his plan. Focus on Jesus and it'll start to come together. The work that was done by him at the cross and his miraculous resurrection assures us that he'll complete what he started. If you've never placed your trust in Jesus Christ, there's an invitation open to you. You don't have to have everything figured out. You just need to trust in the one who already holds it all together. Jesus has done the work to restore your relationship with the Father.
All that's left is to receive his grace, follow his lead, and begin living with purpose in him. And he's going to start to fit those puzzle pieces together for you. Whether you're just experiencing Jesus for the first time or you've known him for years, remember that God's plan isn't abstract. It's active, alive, and unfolding. Everything we've studied so far in this series, being chosen, adopted, and redeemed, it all leads us here to this point. That we belong to a God who's guiding history. We're part of his purpose and plan found in Jesus.
This week, live out your purpose and participate in God's plan. Even in the smallest of moments, with a conversation, an act of love, even a prayer, you're connecting to what God's already doing. So as we close, I want to give you a chance to make this personal. Maybe today you need to trust Jesus for the very first time. Maybe you need to come back to him or simply realign your heart with his purpose. Wherever you're at, I encourage you to make this prayer your own. Let's pray together. Dear Father, thank you for showing me your purpose in Christ.
I believe Jesus died for my sin and rose again to give me new life. Please forgive me, fill me with your spirit, and guide me to live out your plan each day. Teach me to trust in your timing and walk in your grace. Unite my heart in Christ and teach me to live each day with purpose in him. Amen.
Thank you for being with us today. If today's message encouraged you, I would love to hear from you. You can connect with us through a website, mountainview.church slash connect. And for those watching online, take a moment to subscribe to our YouTube channel and turn on notifications so each week's message shows up in your feed. Please stick around as we've got a few important updates before we close. Hey, Senior Youth. Ruben and I are here to let you know about your next Senior Youth event happening on November 9th, so you can start thinking about it now.
That's right. We're going to transform the church into a mini golf course. Usually, in a mini golf course, you use a golf club. But this time, you're not allowed to bring a golf club, but you are responsible for bringing a golf club implement that you will use to play mini golf. Examples to give you some ideas are a hiking pole. Or a rubber mallet. A fly fishing rod. Or your dad's steel brush. Or a paddle. Or that two by four could work. Or even an old ski. And maybe you even want to take a wooden spoon to some bike handlebars.
So you can also feel free to dress in your best golf attire as Ruben and I have. And we will see you on November 9th. Yeah, see you there on November 9th. It's going to be a hole in one. Hello, church family. I'm Erlyn from Junior Youth Ministry. And next Sunday, November 16th, we will be having a shoebox packing party for Operation Christmas Child. If your kids are in Junior Youth, they can bring some small items to pack. And you'll find a list in our brochures of what is allowed right here. But even if they can't bring anything, that is totally fine. We want them to come join us as we pack shoeboxes together. We'll also have a donation box set up by the foyer for anyone who wants to drop off extra items.
We're also excited to have Jenny Baker, the area coordinator for OCC UConn, joining us to share stories about Jesus' love for children all around the world. So if your kids are in grades five to seven, bring them out. We'll pack, pray, and of course, have some games and snacks too. Thank you, church, for your support and for helping our junior youth show God's love in such a tangible way. Hey, I'm Katie, and this is Haley, and we're announcing the next Young Adults event. This next Young Adults event isn't just for the young adults, though. So our young adults ages are 18 to 35, and we're also including the seniors in the church, which will be 65 and above. This event is called the Multi-Generational Mixer. We did it last year in November, and I loved putting faces to names and getting to know another generation of lovely people in our church congregation that we don't get the chance to spend as much time on.
It will be happening on November 22nd from 12 to 3. That's a Saturday, and we're going to have a potluck lunch. So what we're going to do is we're going to decide what we're bringing based on the month that you're born in. So if you're born from January to April, if you could bring some sort of a main dish, that would be amazing. If you're born between May and August, you could bring a side or a salad. And then if you're born between September and December, we'd love for you to bring a dessert to share with everyone. So we'll have a potluck lunch, spend some time together, and we'll also have some sort of big group gamer activity for those who feel comfortable participating.
Can't wait to see you there. Baptism Sunday is coming up on November 23rd. If you've made a commitment to follow Jesus, maybe even today, but haven't publicly declared it through baptism, this is your opportunity. If you'd like to sign up or you just want more information, visit mountainview.church slash baptism. Finally, we come to this week's discussion and prayer focus. This is a time to bring the sermon content into a conversation. If you're watching in the living room or listening in the car, ask each other this question. How is God inviting you to participate in his plan this week?
How is God inviting you to participate in his plan this week? And if you're watching online, drop an answer to this question in the comment field below. Then spend some time in prayer. Ask God to help you see your daily life as part of his larger story. Ask God to help you see your daily life as part of his larger story.
Then plan on coming back next week. We'll continue our identity series, exploring what it means to be heirs of God's promises and have an inheritance in Jesus. We'll learn how our future is already secure. So if you've ever wondered what your life is leading toward or what it means to live with eternity in view, come back next Sunday. We'll see you then.
If you prayed to receive Jesus today or would like to connect with our church community, visit mountainview.church and click the connect link. If this podcast and radio ministry has been a blessing to you, please consider partnering with us or making a tax-deductible donation at mountainview.church. Thanks for listening to Mountain View Church Audio. Join us next week for more Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City of Whitehorse UConn.