Sermon Tone Analysis

Notice as we read the pronouns “we” ,”you” & “Us”

Eph.

2:1-10

Main idea: The gospel brings those once separated by sin and unites them by grace in Christ.

Context

Starting I cor. in ?? Ephesians

Paul wants to help the church live a gospel life

Living the Gospel Life?

Living for Christ out of the spiritual blessings given by Christ in the age in which we live.

This is, even with the Holy Spirit, a war to say the least.

This is why Paul wrote multiple letters and event sent his brothers to the churches.

Reminding is needed!!

Eph.

Chapter 1 gives us the past, present, and future of God’s great plan of salvation.

Ex: Flying a airplane or driving a submarine … we need to stay up high this morning.

(Were flying to Corinth via Ephesus

The Church Needs to be Reminded of the Spiritual Blessings they received

Eph.

1:3-13

Spiritual blessing: chosen - predestined - adopted - redeemed - forgiven - given an inheritance - sealed with the Holy Spirit

V.13 - heard - believed -were sealed

V.10 - Spiritual blessing are part of a blessed plan - united all things under Christ Lordship

These blessing were given to the church (Church =the “firstfruits of the blessed plan w/ Christ the Head)

Eph 1:21–23; 2:14

Eph 2:14

Ex: Adoption - “Real kids” “Natural” “adopted kids”

“I am a adopted child of God” or “I am a child of God” - we live in our present and future identity - His Children

In Christ their is only ”Us” -The family of God

If Chapter 1 gives us the past, present, and future of God’s great plan of salvation.

Chapter 2 gives us the past, present, and future of the persons Christ saves.

The church: The church is the community of all true believers for all time - Grudem (Sidebar: mention Wed Equip)

The church is made up of “us” - Who is us?

“We & You” | We + YOU + GOSPEL = US (the church

“If we attend carefully to these pronouns, the depth of Paul’s argument will become clearer.”

The church was once a group of divided, unredeemed people who would never love each other or obey God, nor live life together, But God.

The gospel brings those once separated by sin and unites them by grace in Christ.

The Church Needs to be Reminded that they Were Dead in Sin and Enemies of God - 2:1-3

The Relational state of 2 groups of people

Jew And Gentiles cared nothing for each other.

They didnt do BBQ’s/fish fries together, no carpooling, Culturally and religiously segregated and by and large they were just fine with it.

The spiritual state of the Ephesian church before conversion.

You were dead -v.1-2

The secret to unlocking Paul’s argument?

It’s all about the pronouns!

eph.

2:1-2

You = Gentiles

Eph.

2:11-12

Strangely dead: although Spiritually dead, the sinner nevertheless walks about quite actively in sin.

He is dead towards God.

But he is alive to all wickedness.

He is free to do as he pleases and it pleases him to sin, to trust in himself, to live for himself

V.2 - Walking with who? prince of the power of the air

V.14 - Wall of hostility - temple separated - Jews and Gentiles - no entrance!

Jewish believers, “yeah ya’ll were pretty messed up!”

We were under God’s wrath

We = Jews -Eph.

2:3

Rom 2:17-19 ; 24

Jews had the mirror of the law yet rejected it in their actual lives

Instead held on to outward circumcision and ethnic identity.

Ex: On March 7, 1965 - Bloody Sunday - As African American attempted to march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama to simply ask for the right to vote to be enforced was trampled, beaten by white men with baton and horses commanded by a white Governor named George Wallace.

How many of those men went to church on Sunday thinking I am ok with God.

Luke 18:9-14 - two men went to the temple but only one left justified before God.

If we judge ourselves by ourselves and among ourselves we divide each other and no one ever deals with their own reality of their sin before God.

We must remember who we were to enjoy who we are!

Apart from that quickening voice of God there would be no hope for anyone.

But because of it even the worst and most determined rebel may be saved.

All people are spiritual dead and without Christ

The Church Needs to be Reminded that they Were Dead in Sin and Enemies of God &

The Church Needs to be reminded of The Mercy of God v.4-8

But God Made us alive together!

Eph.

2:4-5

“US” = together!

- To miss the we & You is to miss the together.

Spiritual Resurrection - Jews & Gentiles

The unifying Truth that made enemies family!

We both had a problem we couldn’t fix - dead in sin under God’s judgement - BUT GOD!!

What he raised from spiritual death and judgement was one unified Church.

What?

Why? How?

What?

With Christ - Eph. 2:5

Rom.

6:11 - Identity

Eph.

2:6 - Raised & seated - Identity - authority - security

Col. 2:13-15

Eph.

2:13 - Brought near!

How?

By Grace -Eph.

2:5

Rich in Mercy (Two sides of one coin - 1 withholds what we deserve and the other gives us what we dont deserve)

1 John 4:10

\ Bible college to teach and a professor meditating on these things wrote these words on the back of a envelope.

At Calvary

Years I spend in Vanity

and pride caring not my Lord was crucified

Knowing not it was for me

He died on Calvary

Mercy there was great

And grace was free

Pardon there was multiplied to me

There my Burdened soul found liberty