STILL A PEOPLE: SEALED BEFORE YOU COULD EVEN BEAR THE IMAGE
SCRIPTURE READING: EPHESIANS 1:1-14
SUNDAY, JULY 12, 2026
Pastor Giovanni Harris
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful[a] in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 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, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us[b] for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known[c] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ[d] 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him. 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee[e] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,[f] to the praise of his glory.
I. OPENING
Theme: The verdict we already know but don't live
Confession:
So much of my life has been about proving to the world that I am somebody. That I have value. That I am worthy. That I am smart. That I am strong.
This condition starts at a young age..
Personal story:
Failed to maintain the image:
Flip the script —
It went from me doubting myself to doubting God. Because it’s hard to keep blaming ourselves..I’d quietly fused the verdict of the world and God's verdict into one and the same thing.
With all of us — same disease, different uniform:
God never called us to walk into this courtroom, where our Identity is consistently on trial. Yet here we are — still standing in it, still waiting on a verdict He already read out a long time ago.
Reminder, not revelation:
Church, you already know this... but knowing it and living out of it are two different things.
"Sealed before you could even bear the image." Not sealed once you proved yourself strong enough — sealed before you could prove anything at all.
II. THE THREE-FOLD BLESSING
Theme: Deaf, mute, and blind — and chosen, redeemed, sealed anyway
Governing picture: A person born deaf, mute, and blind doesn't just lack sight, speech, and hearing — they don't know what they're missing. Not partially broken. Completely without capacity. That's the condition underneath Paul's language in vv.3–14, before he names it directly a bit later in the letter, in chapter 2:1 — "dead in trespasses."
There’s a three fold blessing here that becomes hard to rest in when we begin reason with a logic tethered to our fallen nature…
But that wasn’t enough for Him is His generous grace and Love..
The Son redeemed you (vv. 7–10) 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known[c] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ[d] 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him.
The Three Hurdles at a Glance:
1. Chosen — why would God choose me in my condition, before I could offer Him anything?
2. Redeemed — is this miracle actually possible, that someone with no capacity to see, speak, or hear could truly gain all three?
3. Sealed — am I truly secure, even though the old deafness, muteness, and blindness still linger in me?
Land it: Every verb belongs to God — chose, predestined, redeemed, sealed. Not one belongs to us.
One of the reasons we are called to die to self daily, reminding ourselves it’s not about us or our capacity and never has been. The Glory belongs to God, He is just good enough to allow us to share in it…
Transition:
So why does Monday still feel like a courtroom?
III. DOES ALIGNMENT UNLOCK THIS?
Theme: Separating two categories of Scripture
The distinction: James and John describe an ongoing relationship already established — alignment shapes what's asked and received there. Ephesians 1 describes something decided before creation, before alignment could even exist as a variable.
Trap:
Don't let your performance reopen a case God already closed.
IV. SETTLED SONSHIP → FREE OBEDIENCE
Theme: The theological core
*Where Many of us struggle
🦴 ILLUSTRATION — Healing Bone A bone still fusing together can't bear real load without rein-jury. A bone fully fused can be trained hard, pushed, tested — and only grows stronger.
“Security doesn't compete with growth — it's the precondition for it. You don't get strong instead of secure, or despite being secure. You get strong because you were secure enough to actually endure the training without it costing you your identity.”
V. TWO MONDAYS — Two ways we can approach Monday
Monday, Version 1 — Still in the Courtroom
This is the man or woman driving to work, replaying whatever went wrong over the weekend. Maybe it's something small — an angry word, a missed devotion, a lustful thought, a short temper with the kids. Doesn't matter how big or small — the mechanism is the same. They're doing quiet math: have I banked enough good days to offset this one?
Monday, Version 2 — Walking Out of a Closed Case
Same person. Same failure behind them. Nothing about Saturday changed. But this time they know — really know — that their standing was settled before Miami existed, before they existed, sealed by the Spirit the moment they believed (v.13). Nothing that happened this weekend touched that seal.
VI. PRACTICAL APPLICATION
VII. INVITATION
You already knew this when you walked in today. This isn't new information — it's an invitation to actually live like it's true.
Stop auditioning for a verdict you've already been given.
Be with Jesus, become like Jesus and Change the world. Not to earn the seal, but because you already carry it. Drink deeply of a security that was sealed before you could even bear the image. And leave thirsty for the day the purchase Christ made becomes the full inheritance.
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful[a] in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 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, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us[b] for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known[c] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ[d] 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him. 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee[e] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,[f] to the praise of his glory.
I. OPENING
Theme: The verdict we already know but don't live
Confession:
So much of my life has been about proving to the world that I am somebody. That I have value. That I am worthy. That I am smart. That I am strong.
This condition starts at a young age..
Personal story:
- As a child growing up in a school too light skinned and too small to fit in, my image as wrestler became a sense of security.
- As a young man part of proving myself to my father was bearing the image of a husband, pastor and home owner became a sense of security.
- As a business owner part of proving myself to everyone that said I couldn’t keep a job or finish my degree, was bearing the image of a CEO that has sustained and successful business.
- As a Christian proving myself to God and bearing the image of righteousness gave me a sense of security.
Failed to maintain the image:
- Remembered exactly where I was in every season of life when the image I was holding up came crashing down along with my value, sense of security and Identity
- What almost took the wind out of my sails at 26 years old, someone I once idolized told me “I thought you were stronger than this…”
- What registered to me at that moment was not simply that I wasn’t strong enough, “I wasn’t enough.”
Flip the script —
It went from me doubting myself to doubting God. Because it’s hard to keep blaming ourselves..I’d quietly fused the verdict of the world and God's verdict into one and the same thing.
With all of us — same disease, different uniform:
- Husbands proving they're enough
- Wives proving they're worthy of love
- Employees proving they're valuable enough
- Christians proving they're Christian enough
God never called us to walk into this courtroom, where our Identity is consistently on trial. Yet here we are — still standing in it, still waiting on a verdict He already read out a long time ago.
Reminder, not revelation:
Church, you already know this... but knowing it and living out of it are two different things.
"Sealed before you could even bear the image." Not sealed once you proved yourself strong enough — sealed before you could prove anything at all.
- This isn't new information
- Paul isn't introducing a brand-new doctrine — Same grace he preached everywhere he went. He's reminding a church he loved deeply of something they'd already been taught. And if it was easy to lose sight of back then, it's no easier for us now
- Today isn't about learning something new. It’s reminder to live from a place of victory because Ephesians 1 is already true.
II. THE THREE-FOLD BLESSING
Theme: Deaf, mute, and blind — and chosen, redeemed, sealed anyway
Governing picture: A person born deaf, mute, and blind doesn't just lack sight, speech, and hearing — they don't know what they're missing. Not partially broken. Completely without capacity. That's the condition underneath Paul's language in vv.3–14, before he names it directly a bit later in the letter, in chapter 2:1 — "dead in trespasses."
There’s a three fold blessing here that becomes hard to rest in when we begin reason with a logic tethered to our fallen nature…
- The Father chose you (vv. 3–6) 3 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, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us[b] for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
- Hurdle: Why would God choose me in this condition? Not "despite one flaw" — why choose someone entirely deaf, mute, and blind to Him? The choosing in v.4 happens before we existed to display even an ounce of improvement. The choice was never a response to our capacity because we had NONE.
But that wasn’t enough for Him is His generous grace and Love..
The Son redeemed you (vv. 7–10) 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known[c] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ[d] 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him.
- Hurdle: Is this miracle actually possible? Can someone genuinely deaf, mute, blind and a thirst for wickedness actually become someone who sees, hears, thirsts after righteousness and speaks — divinely, truly? Verse 8 says God lavished wisdom and insight on us — not measured cautiously, lavished, as if the miracle was never in question for Him even when it feels impossible to us.
- He didn’t chose us just to put on the bench, creating in us a new heart to bear his image and move like Him.
- The Spirit sealed you (vv. 11–14) 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee[e] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,[f] to the praise of his glory.
- Hurdle: Am I truly sealed, even though the old deafness, muteness, and blindness still linger? This is the hurdle most believers actually live in — why do I still catch myself blind to what's in front of me, mute when I should speak truth, deaf to the voice I claim to follow? The sealing in v.13 isn't contingent on the symptoms disappearing — it's a legal guarantee placed on you the moment you believed, like a house that’s been paid in full, yet can’t be repossessed because your not always living in it.
The Three Hurdles at a Glance:
1. Chosen — why would God choose me in my condition, before I could offer Him anything?
2. Redeemed — is this miracle actually possible, that someone with no capacity to see, speak, or hear could truly gain all three?
3. Sealed — am I truly secure, even though the old deafness, muteness, and blindness still linger in me?
Land it: Every verb belongs to God — chose, predestined, redeemed, sealed. Not one belongs to us.
One of the reasons we are called to die to self daily, reminding ourselves it’s not about us or our capacity and never has been. The Glory belongs to God, He is just good enough to allow us to share in it…
Transition:
So why does Monday still feel like a courtroom?
III. DOES ALIGNMENT UNLOCK THIS?
Theme: Separating two categories of Scripture
- The verse in question (vv. 4–5): chosen before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him, predestined for adoption — according to the purpose of His will, not according to our alignment.
- James 4:3 — believers ask and do not receive because they ask wrongly, to spend it on their passions.
- John 15:7 — if you abide in Him and His words abide in you, you may ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
The distinction: James and John describe an ongoing relationship already established — alignment shapes what's asked and received there. Ephesians 1 describes something decided before creation, before alignment could even exist as a variable.
Trap:
Don't let your performance reopen a case God already closed.
IV. SETTLED SONSHIP → FREE OBEDIENCE
Theme: The theological core
- The seal as settled proof (vv. 13–14): the seal isn't something you maintain by good behavior — it's a legal guarantee already placed on you the moment you believed. The payment in full has already been made. The full inheritance is already promised.
- Adoption as permanent standing (v. 5): unlike biological family, adoption in the ancient world was a deliberate, irreversible legal choice — full inheritance rights from the moment of adoption, not earned afterward through performance.
*Where Many of us struggle
- The freedom this produces: an insecure son or daughter can't afford to examine himself honestly — too risky, might cost him/her his place. A secure son/daughter can look hard at the gap between who he is and who he's becoming, because nothing he finds can undo a seal already placed on him before he could do anything to earn or lose it.
🦴 ILLUSTRATION — Healing Bone A bone still fusing together can't bear real load without rein-jury. A bone fully fused can be trained hard, pushed, tested — and only grows stronger.
“Security doesn't compete with growth — it's the precondition for it. You don't get strong instead of secure, or despite being secure. You get strong because you were secure enough to actually endure the training without it costing you your identity.”
V. TWO MONDAYS — Two ways we can approach Monday
Monday, Version 1 — Still in the Courtroom
This is the man or woman driving to work, replaying whatever went wrong over the weekend. Maybe it's something small — an angry word, a missed devotion, a lustful thought, a short temper with the kids. Doesn't matter how big or small — the mechanism is the same. They're doing quiet math: have I banked enough good days to offset this one?
- Posture: Performing. Putting every act of righteousness and short coming on the scale
- Filter: subconsciously asking, “Am I still in good standing?"
- Result: Anxiously buried under the wait of our sins. Drowning in our insecurities
Monday, Version 2 — Walking Out of a Closed Case
Same person. Same failure behind them. Nothing about Saturday changed. But this time they know — really know — that their standing was settled before Miami existed, before they existed, sealed by the Spirit the moment they believed (v.13). Nothing that happened this weekend touched that seal.
- Posture: Sealed, secure. They're nothing to measure. Living from a place of victory.
- Filter: "The verdict's already in." Nothing to be earned
- Result: free to fail, rise, and grow. They can walk into a hard conversation, own a mistake, receive correction — all without any of it threatening who they are.
VI. PRACTICAL APPLICATION
- Monday morning: Go back to these verses → "The verdict's already in. Today I get to live like it, not earn it."
- Work/business: lead from rest, not audition — examine leadership honestly without spiraling into shame
- Marriage/parenting: chosen belonging first, formation second — the way the Father loved you before you ever reflected Him
VII. INVITATION
You already knew this when you walked in today. This isn't new information — it's an invitation to actually live like it's true.
Stop auditioning for a verdict you've already been given.
Be with Jesus, become like Jesus and Change the world. Not to earn the seal, but because you already carry it. Drink deeply of a security that was sealed before you could even bear the image. And leave thirsty for the day the purchase Christ made becomes the full inheritance.