Gary turned 40 in 1964, and like every other man of his generation, his attention was captured that spring by the launch of the Ford Mustang.
It was magical — the roar of that V8 driving 2,500 pounds of pure Americana, 271 horsepower, and a 4-speed manual transmission. He wanted it desperately, but he couldn’t afford it. It was his dream car — perfection on wheels. So he began to save.
In 1965, he still didn’t have enough. In 1966, still not enough. Finally, in the spring of 1967, Gary walked into a Ford dealership with $4,000 in cash and traded his stack of greenbacks for a 1967 Shelby GT500 fastback.
His wife wanted date nights in it. His son begged for a ride. But Gary vowed to keep it perfect. So he parked it in the garage, polished it every week, and told his son that one day, it would be his. His wife rolled her eyes at the expense, but young John would watch the sun glint off the jewel-like red paint, stare at his reflection in the chrome, and imagine the day when that magnificent machine would be his.
Then, in the summer of 2005, Gary passed away. And John—at long last—was the proud owner of that beautiful 1967 Shelby Mustang, polished to perfection and beckoning him to finally take the ride he had waited nearly forty years for.
What happened next? Well, we’ll get there later. For now, let’s tuck John’s Mustang into our pockets and return to it at the end.
The Scripture
Let’s turn to our passage for this morning — Ephesians 1:1–3, reading from the New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition (NRSVue):
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.
Let’s pray.
Father, thank You for Your Word — living and active, sharper than any sword, and still speaking today.
As we open the book of Ephesians, open our eyes to see who You are and who we are in You.
We don’t want to just read about blessings this morning; we want to live as people who bless You back.
Silence every distraction, soften every heart, and let Your Spirit teach us what it truly means to belong to Christ.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Paul’s Identity and Calling
Today, we’re asking one question: What does it mean to be a Christian?
Paul begins his letter:
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…”
Right away, we meet Paul embracing his new identity in Christ.
If you know his story, Paul was once a zealous Jew determined to protect Judaism from the “heresy” of Christianity. He became a persecutor of believers — until, on the road to Damascus, he encountered the living God and surrendered his life to Christ.
Jesus gave him a new mission and a new purpose. No longer a rising star among the Jewish elite, he gave up prestige and power to live out God’s call: apostleship.
The word apostle means sent one. Paul is sent from Jesus, belongs to Jesus, and is sustained by Jesus — his source, his center, his strength.
That’s why Paul adds the phrase “by the will of God.” He wants everyone to know that he did nothing to earn, deserve, or merit this position. He is there only by God’s will.
Paul sees himself as small — only as big as the God who sent him. Paul is a chihuahua with a Great Dane standing behind him.
Saints and the Faithful
So how does Paul see the people?
“To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus.”
Two words describe them: saints and faithful.
A saint isn’t someone canonized by the church — it’s every follower of Jesus. In Greek, it means “set apart,” “consecrated,” or “holy.” Anything devoted to divine purposes.
That’s us, Church! We are devoted to divine purposes. That’s God’s call, plan, and design for our lives.
The second word — faithful — doesn’t point to our faithfulness, but to Jesus’. It’s not that we are people of great character; our righteousness is as filthy rags. It’s about our posture — our position at the feet of Jesus. It’s not the action of faith but the object of it.
So, in whom do we have faith?
In Caesar? Carney? Poilievre? Bernier? Trump?
In Artemis? Money? Work? Position? Power?
Or in the One who conquered Satan, sin, death, demons, the grave, and hell — the Lord Jesus Christ?
If the object of our faith is Jesus, then we must leave behind our old selves and step into the new — devoted to divine purposes rather than earthly ones.
Leaving the Old Behind
It’s like joining the army — you can’t keep wearing your McDonald’s uniform once you’ve enlisted. The old clothes don’t fit the new calling. You’ve got a new commander now, a new mission, a new way of life.
But many of us still try to wear the old uniform underneath. We clutch the comfort of what’s familiar, even though it just makes the new one fit awkwardly. It chafes. It pulls. It gets in the way.
You can’t step fully into your new assignment while holding on to the old wardrobe.
So what about us, Church? Have we hung up the old clothes for good? Or do we keep grabbing back what we say we’ve surrendered — our comfort, control, grudges, goals, pride, pain, possessions?
Paul knows that struggle. That’s why his next line isn’t correction — it’s blessing.
Grace and Peace: The Gospel in Two Words
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Grace and peace — the “twins” of the New Testament. Paul uses them in nearly every letter. “Grace” was a Greek greeting; “peace” a Jewish one. Together, they unite the two worlds and summarize the Gospel.
Grace is unmerited favor — getting what you don’t deserve. God’s kindness poured out through Jesus, redeeming and saving us.
Peace is what flows from that grace — not quiet or calm, but deep wholeness that comes from resting in your Saviour’s arms.
And Paul adds, “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
He’s not offering his blessing; he’s pronouncing God’s.
In first-century Greek culture, Father meant “source” — the origin of all things. Lord referred to the channel or conduit through which things came.
So grace and peace — like every good and perfect gift — come from the Father, through the Son. That’s the divine supply chain of the Gospel.
Paul can’t stop himself from preaching the Gospel — even in his greeting!
Oh, that we would be that excited about it! Imagine if every hello we spoke carried hope. That’s how Paul lived — so full of grace that it spilled out of him.
From Greeting to Worship
“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.”
Paul can’t help himself — his greeting turns to worship.
“Blessed be God.” Praise should always be our natural response to the purposes and promises of God.
But what do we bless Him with? Only what He has already given us. That’s what Paul means by “who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.”
God doesn’t owe us anything. We haven’t earned anything. Yet He pours out every spiritual blessing. These blessings are Spirit-given — the life, power, and gifts that flow from the Holy Spirit.
Everything we have — every dollar, every skill, every breath — is mercy. But if we hoard these things instead of offering them back, we’re taking credit for God’s gifts.
It’s like when your dad gives you money to buy him a birthday gift, but you spend it on candy instead.
The Heavenly Places
When Paul says “in the heavenly places,” he’s not talking about clouds or harps. He’s talking about the unseen realm around us right now.
We think the spiritual world is abstract and this material one is real. Scripture says the opposite. The physical is temporary and fading; the spiritual is eternal and lasting.
That’s where Christ reigns — where the real battles are fought and the real victories are won. The air around you isn’t empty; it’s alive with spiritual activity.
The same Jesus who conquered every enemy did so not just for Himself, but for all who confess Him as Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead.
That’s you, Christian! That’s us — the Church, the bride of Christ.
So how do we bless God with the life He gave us? What do we do with the gifts sitting in our garages?
The Mustang Revisited
Let’s return to John and the 1967 Shelby Mustang.
He stands in front of it now, keys in hand. The car gleams, perfect in every way. He gives it one last coat of wax, slides behind the wheel, turns the key — and click.
Nothing.
Click, click. Still nothing.
The pistons have seized. The fuel has varnished. The car that was meant to roar can’t even breathe. It’s been a showpiece for so long that it can no longer be anything else.
Church, do you see?
God has blessed us with so much — love that holds, peace that carries, joy that endures, grace that covers, hope that strengthens. Are we going to park those blessings in the garage and polish them? Or put them to work for His Kingdom?
Time, Talent, and Tithe
Every person in this room has three things they can offer the Lord: Time, Talent, and Tithe.
Time
Every breath you take is a gift from God. Every sunrise is grace. None of us is promised tomorrow.
So make sure Kingdom work is booked into your calendar. Check in at the Connect Center and find your place to serve.
Talent
Every skill you have — managing spreadsheets, building, cleaning, cooking — is from God. One woman in my last church, in her late seventies, took the bus for an hour every Sunday just to arrive early and set up chairs so others could feel welcome. That’s using your gifts for His glory.
Tithe
When Kelly and I got married, we decided early that if God could handle our salvation, He could handle our finances too. We tithed, even when it didn’t make sense — and God provided.
And if you think I’m just after your money — don’t give it here. Seriously. Give it to another Bible-believing church for six months. See what God does. Then come back, and let’s build the Kingdom together.
You can’t outgive God.
Take the Keys
The question isn’t whether God has blessed you — He has.
The question is: What will you do with it?
Will you park it in the garage and polish it every Sunday?
Or will you take the keys, fire up the engine, and let your life roar for His glory?
The car that was meant to roar can’t even breathe when it sits still.
But the believer who lives to bless God? That’s the one who moves mountains.
So, what does it mean to be a Christian?
It means your life belongs to the One who gave it.
It means using what He’s poured into you — your time, your talent, your tithe — to make His name known.
It means refusing to let the blessings of God gather dust in the garage of comfort and putting them to work for His Kingdom.
Church, you’ve got the keys. The engine’s already running.
So start it up. Take it out of neutral.
Drive that blessing straight into a world that desperately needs to see the light of Christ.
Let’s do the work together.
Closing Prayer
Father, You are the Giver of every good gift. Everything we have—our breath, our strength, our skills, our resources—comes from You.
Forgive us for merely polishing what You meant to put in motion.
Teach us to trust You with all we have.
Stir in us a holy courage to start the engine—to use our blessings for Your glory.
Help us to give not from guilt, but from gratitude.
Let our time serve Your purposes, our talents build Your church, and our tithes advance Your Kingdom.
We bless You because You first blessed us.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, Amen.