Chosen to Praise | Matt Beasley

Ephesians 1:3–6 — Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world — not for anything He foresaw in you. Lead Pastor Matt Beasley opens A Study Through Ephesians at Severns Valley.

As the study begins, Paul lifts our eyes to before time itself: God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless. He didn't peer down the corridor of history and pick the impressive ones — before you were ever good or bad, you were found in Jesus, the only righteous One, and God's favor was lavished on you on the basis of His record, not yours.

A few things to carry into your week: - You were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world — before you'd done anything right or wrong. - God didn't choose the put-together over the spaghetti-stained; the choice rests on Christ, not on us. - That truth produces deep humility — there's nothing to boast in but Him. - It also produces praise: we were chosen "to the praise of His glory," presented holy and blameless in Him.

"If you were chosen on the basis of Christ's record and not your own, what would change about how you carry yourself this week?"

January 11, 2026

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