The Hope of Our Calling

God's Gracious Invitation to Salvation

Watch the full lesson here.

In Ephesians 1.18, Paul prays that the eyes of our heart be enlightened so that we may know what is the hope of our calling. Today, we’re going to talk about what this is. Last week we learned how Ephesians 1.1-14 is a summary of our status in Christ. This is the foundation from which we operate. We need to know we are a child of the king; are one with Jesus Christ; and He lives in us and through us and that is the “why” that demands from us a certain response.

1. The Hope of Our Calling

   1. Ephesians 1.18: ... what is the hope of his calling, … What is the “calling?” (Salvation)

   2. God saved you in the past

      1. 2 Timothy 1.9: He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.

      2. When you responded to God’s call, who you are forever changed. This impacts you:

   3. God is saving you in the present

      1. 1 Thessalonians 2:12: we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

      2. God is calling on you to be faithful by being committed to the process of sanctification.

         1. Ephesians 4:1: Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,

         2. Philippians 3:14: I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

   4. God will save you in the future

      1. 1 Corinthians 15:19: If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.

2. The Calling Brings Us Hope

   1. Ephesians 1:18:  ...the hope of his calling, …

   2. Look at how Paul defines this in Romans 5.1-2:

      1. …we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

      2. Colossians 3:4: When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

   3. Hope in Romans 8:

      1. 8.15: For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!”

      2. 8.17-18:and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ…For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

      3. 8.24-25: Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience. 

   4. Hope in heaven… but there is more!

      1. Philippians 3.14: “The Prize” is being fully transformed.

      2. Ephesians 5:27: He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.

      3. 1 John 3.2: We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is.

   5. Romans 5:2: we boast in the hope of the glory of God. On what basis can we boast?

      1. Ephesians 1.13: Because we have been marked as being owned by God.

      2. Ephesians 1.14: The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

3. As We Close…

   1. Have you embraced your identity with Christ?

   2. Are you living with confident expectation?

   3. Have you made the decision to reject fear and anxiety in your relationship with God?

   4. Do you know Him as a Father?