We Made it to the end of the Hymn

Yesterday, I concluded our study of the "Hymn of Grace," recorded in Ephesians 1:3-14. I closed the mini-series with a message on Ephesians 1:11-14, entitled "Our Inheritance in Christ." Originally, I intended to do this extensive passage in four messages. However, it ended up taking me six messages over a 7 or 8 week period to finish. This has been an enriching study fore me. And I hope the congregation has been blessed by the messages that I have preached. I was concerned that I would spend to much time explaining doctrine that I would miss the heartbeat of the text, which is a call to praise. In this text, Paul is not merely doing theology; he's "praising on paper." And I wanted that spirit of grateful praise to permeate the messages that I preached. I am not sure I pulled that off in each message. But I believe the messages were generally consistent. This Sunday I plan to begin the second part of chapter 1, which is a prayer for spiritual enlightenment. At this point, I intend to preach this passage in one message. But, we'll see. As you remember me in prayer this week, ask God to help me to be faithful and clear in my exposition of the word of God.