What Does God Think of Me? Ephesians 1 and Psalm 24 Sermon

SermonEphesians
Written By Jason Elder

Introduction: What Does God Think of Me?

That’s a question we don’t always say out loud. But it sits just under the surface. It shows up in our restlessness, our guilt, our drive to improve. Some of us suspect the answer isn’t very good. That maybe God just puts up with us, or is disappointed most of the time.

And let’s be honest—it’s hard not to judge people, right?

Have you ever had that experience where you meet someone once or twice, and you just get a feel for them? And you walk away thinking, If I never talk to them again, I’d be okay with that. It’s hard not to form those kinds of conclusions.

When I hear a man speak harshly about his kids or his spouse, or a woman complain bitterly about her family—and it’s not a one-off, it’s a pattern—something in me reacts. Or when I see a news story about someone intentionally causing harm, I think: That person is just bad. Low down. Just bad, bad, bad.

And once I’ve formed that kind of opinion, it’s easy to assume that God does the same with me. That He forms opinions. That His love goes up or down depending on how I’m doing this week.

Some of us treat our standing with God like stepping on a scale.

You step on, look down at the number, and say,

“Okay… not bad. I’ve been pretty disciplined.”

Or: “Yep, Tuesday caught up with me.”

And we assume God is the same way.

Up and down. Loving us more or less depending on our performance.

But here’s the thing: when Paul writes to the Ephesians—people like you and me, people in a real church with real problems—he doesn’t start with behavior. He doesn’t start with a warning. He doesn’t say, “Let’s get one thing straight.”

He starts with blessing.

He starts with our position, not our performance.

He starts with a phrase he repeats over and over again:

“In Christ.”

What does God think of you?

Well, it doesn’t depend on how you are.

It depends on where you are.

Psalm 24 and the Standard of God

Why does Paul keep saying “in Christ”? It may be one of the most important phrases in the entire New Testament. And Psalm 24 gives us the reason why.

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in His holy place?

Those who have clean hands and pure hearts…” (Psalm 24:3–4)

That’s the standard. That’s the requirement. And it raises a hard question:

Do you have clean hands?

In Scripture, that means innocence, moral integrity, right action.

Do you have a pure heart?

That means a sincere, undivided inner life that’s aligned with God’s will.

If so, Psalm 24 says you’ll receive vindication—you’ll be declared righteous by God.

But when I worked on this sermon earlier this week, I did a quick self-assessment—which took about as long as it takes to type a sentence—and I declared: Nope. Not even close.

Try as I might, I don’t have perfect integrity. I don’t have a fully undivided heart.

The Gospel: United to Christ

So what’s my hope? What’s our hope?

Jesus Christ.

That by faith, we are united to Him. We are in Him. That’s why Paul is so adamant about using that phrase.

You see, Psalm 24 asks the question: Who is worthy to come into God’s presence?

And the honest answer is: not me.

But Ephesians 1 gives the solution:

You are worthy to be in God’s presence—not because of what you’ve done, but because you are in Christ.

Which means: What God says about Jesus, God says about you.

Union with Christ and Spiritual Blessings

That’s why this baptismal font is always here—to remind us: delight.

Before you did anything right or wrong, before your story unfolded, God said:

“I have determined to love you. And I delight in you.”

Paul gives that kind of grace a name: spiritual blessings.

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I hear “spiritual blessings,” I wonder what that really means. It’s easy to name physical blessings—health, safety, relationships, a place to call home.

But spiritual blessings are different. They’re not rooted in your circumstances. They’re not dependent on how your week went. They’re rooted in Christ. They’re permanent. They’re invisible—but more real than anything else.

Seven Spiritual Blessings in Ephesians 1:3–14

Paul lists at least seven spiritual blessings:

  1. Chosen (v. 4) – God picked you before the foundation of the world. Not randomly. Not reluctantly. Intentionally.

  2. Holy and Blameless in Love (v. 4) – That’s your identity in Christ—not because of your record, but because of His.

  3. Adopted as God’s Child (v. 5) – You’re not a guest in God’s house. You’re family.

  4. Redeemed and Forgiven (v. 7) – Your past doesn’t define you. Grace does.

  5. Let In on the Mystery (vv. 9–10) – You know where this is all headed: God is bringing all things together in Christ.

  6. Given an Inheritance (v. 11) – You don’t just have hope for today. You have a guaranteed future.

  7. Sealed with the Holy Spirit (v. 13) – You are marked, claimed, and secure. The Spirit guarantees it.

Here’s what you need to know:

The world can’t touch these blessings.

Your mistakes can’t void them.

Your failures can’t undo them.

They are yours—not because you earned them—but because you are in Christ.

Want to Go Deeper into Ephesians 1?

If this message stirred something in you and you want to explore these spiritual blessings further, I’ve written several in-depth reflections on Ephesians 1. Each one unpacks part of this incredible chapter:


A Communion Story: Grace at the Table

Sometimes these questions about what God thinks of us rise to the surface on Communion Sundays. Can I take communion? Am I allowed?

Years ago, I was pastoring another church. Like here, we celebrated communion on the first Sunday of the month.

One Sunday—not a communion Sunday—a woman came to worship for the first time. A friend had invited her. After the service, we were introduced and chatted for a while during coffee hour.

I said, “Next week is communion. If you come, I want you to know—you’re invited to take communion with us.”

And she said, “Really? My other church won’t let me. I’m divorced.”

I said, “Let me guess your background.” (I guessed right.)

I told her, “This is your first time in a Protestant Reformed church. Let me explain our theology of the Table.”

I asked, “What do you know about the Last Supper?”

She said, “Jesus had a meal with His disciples.”

“Exactly,” I said. “It was a Passover meal. And during that meal, Jesus connected the bread and wine to Himself. He said, ‘I am the bread of heaven. I am the living water.’ The meal spiritually feeds us.”

Then I asked, “Do you know who was at that table?”

“Judas was there,” I said. “And Scripture tells us Judas had already decided to betray Jesus—for what amounts to the cost of a new set of tires. And Jesus still shared the meal with him.

“Peter was there too. Jesus knew Peter would deny Him three times. And the rest would scatter.

“And yet—Jesus ate with them all.”

I looked her in the eye and said,

“So no matter what you’ve done—or what you might do—Jesus invites you. The Table isn’t a reward. It’s a means of grace. It’s where He communes with you. It’s where He teaches you, strengthens you, forgives you, and welcomes you.”

She wept. Big, rolling tears—right there in coffee hour, while the kids played with hula hoops twenty feet away.

She wiped her eyes. We said goodbye.

The Next Sunday

The next Sunday, she came back.

I saw her during the service. And as we approached the Table, I wondered—Will she come forward? Will she take communion?

I said the words:

“This is the body of Christ, broken for you. Take and eat.”

And she ate.

“This is the blood of Christ, poured out for you. Take and drink.”

And she drank.

And the tears came again.

Not because she had finally proven herself worthy.

But because she had realized: she didn’t have to.

Closing

What does God think of you?

He thinks of you as in Christ.

And that means:

  • You are chosen.

  • You are forgiven.

  • You are sealed.

  • You are beloved.

So don’t just try harder.

Be loved.

Rest in the blessings you already have.



Jason Elder

https://www.pastorjasonelder.com
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