#1363. He chose us (13/10/25)
- Matt Beaney
- Oct 13
- 4 min read
Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted, at present, every weekday) as we continue our Ephesians series: Ephesians - To the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God.
Last week, we reflected on how, through our union with Christ by the Spirit, we have received every spiritual blessing.
Today, I want us to be filled with joy at this foundational truth: Our richly blessed condition is because God chose us.
You can listen to this devotional below
‘For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love.’ (Ephesians 1:4)
Why are you a Christian? Why do you follow Jesus?
You might answer by recalling the people who shared the gospel with you, your upbringing, a crisis that made you seek spiritual answers... and it’s true - God often uses people and circumstances to lead us to faith. But we must not think of our salvation in purely human or intellectual terms. To be a Christian is not simply the result of a decision we made. It is a spiritual transformation, worked by the Holy Spirit, because God chose us.
For Paul, this truth must have been especially precious. As someone who once hated Jesus and persecuted the church, Paul knew he didn’t choose Christ - Christ chose him. He was overwhelmed by grace, and that overflowed in praise. At his conversion, the Lord said to Ananias:
‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.’ (Acts 9:15)
Being chosen is a profound mystery, rooted entirely in God’s mercy and grace. We were not more deserving than anyone else. In fact, we were spiritually dead, unable to respond apart from divine intervention. And that’s the point - God’s choice makes our salvation a display of His glorious grace, not our merit.
To those who focus mainly on our choice of Jesus - as though anyone can simply choose to believe - we must remember today’s verse: to be in Christ is to be chosen by God. As Paul writes later in Ephesians, salvation is nothing less than a resurrection from spiritual death - just like Lazarus, called out of the tomb by God’s power:
‘Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.’(Ephesians 2:3–5)
Response
Let your heart overflow with gratitude today - you have been chosen by God! And let that truth fill you with hope as you look at others. If God chose and transformed people like us, He can - and surely is - working in the hearts of many others around us.
‘To the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.’ (Ephesians 1:6)
Community Group Notes
Community Group Notes
1. Notices
It might be a good idea to start with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
Important - please ensure you are aware of the plans regarding New Ground Sunday this coming Sunday.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.
On Sunday, we continued our series entitled: Ephesians: to the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God.
Please read Ephesians 1:4-6 and discuss:
Personal Reflection – What did God speak to you about through Sunday’s message?
What do these verses say about God’s involvement in our becoming Christians?
What are we chosen for, and how are we to actively pursue these things?
SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)
From Ephesians 1:4-6, How does knowing that salvation is according to God’s call meant to inspire confidence to witness?
Share Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing testimonies of God at work through us.
Practical Next Steps – Who is God putting on your heart to reach? Are there any ‘people of peace’ (*see note) in your life—those who are receptive to you and spiritual conversation?
Let’s pray together:
Let’s pray for one another based on our study, and bring before God any other needs or requests for prayer.
Pray for one another's SIV opportunities and boldness in following the Spirit's promptings.
Pray specifically for the “people of peace” in our lives—asking God to open hearts and provide opportunities to speak life and truth.
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