Rooted In Your Wealth 7
Rooted In Our Wealth • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Your Before And After
Your Before And After
Text: Ephesians 2:1-7
Text: Ephesians 2:1-7
Introduction
Introduction
Have you ever had a picture taken of you and once you review it you say, “I look awful?” Or “That captured not the best side of me” or “just take my pic from the shoulders up.”
When it comes to the spiritual condition of humanity, there is no good side, no head shots and no photoshop.
Paul is beginning with our pre-Christian past. If you notice verse 3…Paul covers all of us with this truth.
(Show some before and after photos of various things)
Paul will break down for us our BEFORE AND AFTER GRACE.
1) Who Were You Before Grace?
1) Who Were You Before Grace?
A. (V1) Paul describes you as being “dead” in your “trespasses and sins.” This is repeated in verse 5.
A. (V1) Paul describes you as being “dead” in your “trespasses and sins.” This is repeated in verse 5.
This was our state of alienation from God.
“Trespasses” speaks more directly toward the acts of sin. “Sin” deals with a more full scope of the evil in humanity.
It could be worded like this: You were completely separated from committing trespasses while in a radical sinful condition.
The influencers of the world will tell you a complete different story about you and the rest of humanity:
You are at a basic level, good. If you believe strongly enough in yourself, you can do anything.
I will agree that all of humanity can do some amazing things. Every human is an image bearer of God.
Humanity has created amazing works of art, composed wonderful plays and music, have built incredible structures, have accomplished impactful humanitarian work, etc…
However, as amazing as that may seem, none of those things have the power to give you spiritual life.
What you and the rest of humanity needed was a miracle only God could perform!
You did not resuscitation, but rather resurrection!
B. You Lived In Disobedience (v2-3)
B. You Lived In Disobedience (v2-3)
(V2) Paul describes you as having walked according to the ways of this world:
This is not merely touched by the world’s influences, but actually controlled by them.
You simply assumed to the role of living contrary to the values of God.
The culture was the deciding factor of your attitudes, habits and lifestyles you approved and/or embraced.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 “1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
1 John 2:15-17 “15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
Romans 12:2 “2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
The only one who was able to rescue you and is still rescuing humanity is Jesus Christ. — Galatians 1:4 “4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”
C. (V2) You were also a follower of Satan
C. (V2) You were also a follower of Satan
Ref: Ephesians 4:27; 6:11, 16
The canonical gospels describes to us how Satan is a:
Ruler and prince over the demons.
Matthew 9:34 “34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.”
Mark 3:22 “22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.”
Luke 11:15 “15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.”
Ruler of this world
John 12:31 “31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”
John 14:30 “30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.”
John 16:11 “11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”
God of this age
2 Cor. 4:4 “4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
Not meaning that demons Possessed you, but rather he laid the bait out for you, you continually took it and therefore lived in disobedience to God.
“Sons of disobedience” = sexual immorality, impurity, greed and foolish talk.
Unlike God, Satan is not omnipresent and therefore influences unbelievers and seeks to influence believers.
He was disobedient to God, therefore he seeks to make people “sons of disobedience.”
Is it any wonder that unsaved people are disobedient to God? They need outside help to change their nature.
D. (V3) You willingly followed your sinful desires
D. (V3) You willingly followed your sinful desires
This is where the word “depraved” comes into the picture.
“Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind”
Not only meaning you do evil, but that you are incapable to do anything to merit salvation or meet God’s high standard of holiness.
E. You are a child of wrath
E. You are a child of wrath
John 3:18 “18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
God has already pre-sentenced all unbelievers, yet read what Peter said — 2 Peter 3:8-10 “8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
Notice the first two words of verse 4… “BUT GOD...”
2) Who You Are After Grace
2) Who You Are After Grace
A. (v4) God loved you
A. (v4) God loved you
For people to describe God as anything but a God of love does not know the God of scripture — 1 John 4:8 “8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
God has attributes like, truth, life, love and holiness. When relating to us, truth becomes “faithfulness,” holy becomes “justice,” and love becomes “grace and mercy.”
So, we are not saved by God’s love, but rather by grace and mercy.
John 3:16 “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Mercy = not getting what you do deserve.
Grace = getting what you don’t deserve.
All made possible through the Son of His love; Jesus the Christ.
The cross displayed God’s hate and God’s love.
It was truly a “great love” — Romans 5:8 “8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners (dead, depraved, doomed), Christ died for us.”
B. (v5) You were quickened
B. (v5) You were quickened
God MADE you alive!
This truth of regeneration can never be overemphasized.
It’s not about becoming a NICER person, but becoming a NEW PERSON.
It is through the function of His Spirit through His Word that spiritual resurrection is accomplished.
Resurrection examples: Widows son, Jairus’ daughter, Lazarus.
What happened in each case? He spoke life into them!
Pictures of spiritual resurrection when the lost soul hears the gospel and believes.
Hebrews 4:12 “12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Philippians 2:16 “16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”
1 Peter 1:231 Peter 1:23 “23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
Spiritual resurrection is FAR GREATER than the physical. The spiritual puts you in UNION WITH CHRIST.
C. You are exalted
C. You are exalted
“raised us up together”
“raised” comes from a Greek word where we get our word “sync.”
When Jesus rose from the grace, you rose with Him!
The moment you BELIEVED, you were SYNCHRONIZED with Jesus; death and resurrection.
Quote: We are not raised from the dead and left in the graveyard. Because we are united to Christ, we have been exalted with Him and we are sharing His throne in the heavenlies. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 19.
You are down here but your seated with Him!
You have power and authority over evil powers.
You are not Divine, but you are seated with the Divine!
This picture is illustrated well with Lazarus. What was the next thing Lazarus was doing with Christ after coming out of the grave? ANS — seated beside Jesus!!!
D. You will experience God eternal grace
D. You will experience God eternal grace
You will be God’s trophy of grace.
God will simply be saying at this moment, “Look was I can do with such a mess.”