But God
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Introduction
Introduction
Have you ever been in a life or death situation?
Lightning Story
Imagine the worst case scenario possible and I promise you that if you are unsaved, your standing in the world right now is much more dangerous.
Let’s read about that right now in
The New King James Version Chapter 2
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Prayer
Prayer
Context
Context
Although the main point is not clearly written, we can see by context that Ephesians was written to encourage and to teach the gentiles.
Chapter 2 was written to 2 different groups:
Sinners in general
All Christians who are not Jewish
This book is written to others, but it is completely applicable to us today!
Paul starts off the book of Ephesians talking about our possessions in Christ
Riches of His grace (1:7)
We have an inheritance in Him (1:11)
We have the Spirit of Wisdom (1:17)
Riches of His inheritance (whole chapter)
We are seale
So Paul started off by talking about our spiritual possessions in Christ, but now he is going to talk about our spiritual position in Christ
The Bible talks a lot about works and this chapter is no different.
We’re going to approach this chapter like Paul did—through the 4 works: Sins work against us, God’s work for us, in us, and through us.
So let’s start with the first one—Sins work against us
Sin’s work against Us (2:1-3)
Sin’s work against Us (2:1-3)
Imagine a full length picture as compared to a headshot. It gives you the full scope of what you’re seeing. Paul is doing that in the first few verses.
Note the characteristics:
He is dead (v.1)
This is spiritually dead—That is, He is unable to understand and appreciate spiritual things
He possesses no spiritual life, and he can do nothing of himself to please God
Just as a person who is dead does not respond to physical stimuli, a person spiritually dead does not respond to spiritual thins
What is the cause for this spiritual death?
Trespasses and sins
This isn’t like the princess bride where Miracle Max said Westley was “mostly dead”
We must understand that sinners don’t need resuscitation, but resurrection.
The only difference between sinners is decay
Mass murderer may have more spiritual decay than the average sinner, but both are equally spiritually dead in sin.
The world is one mass graveyard filled with dead men walking—that is why we need to share the gospel.
The most sobering reality in the world today is that people are dying and going to hell today (BJ III)
He is Disobedient (v.2-3a)
This was the beginning of man’s spiritual death—Disobedience to the will of God. God said don’t eat the fruit and we did.
There are three forces constantly battling against believers—the devil the world the flesh.
How do these 3 things lead us into disobedience?
The devil is the main one and the other 2 spring from him:
not ominipresent, but sends his demons to help oppress us
Is a liar (), seeks to hide our view from what is right Gen 3:6
Is the ruler of this world (), but is still under God’s authority
Flesh. The body itself isn’t sinful, but flesh is fallen nature we were born with. The sinner is away from God because He is a sinner—that’s his nature.
He is Depraved (v.3b)-Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind
The literal translation of this is “Desires of the flesh and the wishes of the mind”
The sinners actions are sinful because His desires are sinful
When you say a men are depraved you are not only saying he only does evil, or he cannot do good. You are saying that nothing he can do can merit salvation!
There are good people in this world who are not going to spend eternity with Jesus. Man is depraved.
The
He is doomed (3c)—By nature children of wrath
The sentence has been passed, but God is staying the execution
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
We see this terrible judgment that man cannot save himself and then a beautiful conjunction “But God”.
But God leads us to the second work
God’s Work for Us ()
God’s Work for Us ()
We see 4 activities in this verse that God performed in order to save sinners from their sin
He loved us (v.4)
By nature, God is love ()
The way God should showed his love to us is mercy (v.4) and grace (v.7)
We are not saved by God’s love, but by how he shows His love—through mercy and grace.
It is through mercy and grace we do not get what we deserve
In the cross we see perfect love and justice displayed. We see God’s hatred for sin and His love for sinners
He quickened us (v.5)
He made us alive even though we were dead in sins
He accomplished this through the power of the Holy Spirit
The gospels give us three examples of Jesus raising someone from the dead
Widow’s son ()
Jairus’ (Jay-I-rus) or (Yi-rus) Daughter ()
Lazarus ()
In each case, He spoke the word (His words) and it gave life.
These three resurrections are pictures of spiritual resurrections when he hears the word and believes
He Exalted Us (v.6)
Our physical position may be on earth, but our spiritual position is in God’s family
He adopted us forever!
He Keeps us (v.7-9)
Rescuing us from hell is not God’s greatest work (even though it’s an incredible work), but keeping us forever is!
God’s purpose in our salvation is for the church to glorify and and make known God’s grace
Because God has a purpose in our salvation, he will never let us go
Because good deeds do not save us, wicked deeds cannot end our union with Christ
Grace is salvation apart from any works on our part it means that God did it all for Jesus’ and our sake.
Salvation cannot be “of works” because the work of salvation was completed on the cross
Salvation is the work God does for us and it is the finished work
We cannot add or take anything away from it
When Jesus died the veil was torn—signifying the way to God is now open to all
Sin worked against us and God worked for us, but conversion is just the beginning!
God’s work in Us (2:10a)
God’s work in Us (2:10a)
The greek word for workmanship can be translated “which is made, a manufactured product”
In other words, our conversion is not the end; it is the beginning.
We are part of God’s new creation and God continues to work in us to make us what He wants us to be
His ultimate purpose it to make us more like Christ
How does God work Through us?
Through His Holy Spirit
Christ died for us on the cross, rose again and went to heaven, but he is continuing His unfinished work of perfecting the church
In this work He uses a few different tools
Bible ()
Prayer ()
Suffering ()
As we read God’s word it goes in to our lives to cleanse and nourish us
As we pray God’s spirit releases His power to us
As we suffer the Spirit ministers to us and this drives us back to the word and prayer
Unfortunately a lot of Christians believe that now they are saved that is the only important thing
Lazarus’ ressurection—Loose him, and let him go ()
IN other words, this man is alive now—let him out of his graveclothes
Because of what Jesus did on the cross we can be loosed from our sinful bondage
We can live a life worthy of him
God can not work through us in until He’s working in us
God works through us through the word, prayer and suffering
Example of moses—Moses started off his ministry poorly (with murder) but during those years as a humble shepherd he experience God’s working in his life. A working that prepared him for forty more years of magnificent service!
Allow GOd to work in you, so that he can work through you…that is our next work
God Works Through us (2:10b)
God Works Through us (2:10b)
We are not saved by good works, but saved unto good works
John Calvin wrote “It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies can never be alone.”
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 20). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
We are not saved by faith plus works, but by a faith that works
says that a saving faith always results in a changed life
It is not enough to say we have faith, but we must demonstrate this faith by our works
Many christians believe since we aren’t saved by works good works are evil.
This is false—let your light so shine before men
These aren’t works that we manufacture, but rather that spring from a changed heart.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Four: Get out of the Graveyard (Ephesians 2:1–10)
“It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Four: Get out of the Graveyard (Ephesians 2:1–10)
Which of these four works are you experiencing? Is sin working against you because you have not yet trusted Christ? Then trust Him now! Have you experienced His work for you—in you—through you?
Are you wearing the “graveclothes” or the “grace-clothes”? Are you enjoying the liberty you have in Christ, or are you still bound by the habits of the old life in the graveyard of sin? As a Christian, you have been raised and seated on the throne. Practice your position in Christ! He has worked for you; now let Him work in you and through you, that He might give you an exciting, creative life to the glory of God.
Which of these 4 works are you experiencing
Sin working against you?
Have you experienced Gods work for you, in you, through you?
Are you wearing the grave clothes or grace clothes
Are you enjoying liberties in Christ or bound by the old life in the graveyard of sin
If you are a christian allow God to work in and through you
If you are not a christian, remember that this is serious business. We are all sitting here heading for somewhere. Where are you heading?