Moving From Death to Life (2)
(God’s Magnificent Work Through Christ)
Ephesians 2:1-10
We discussed in the Armenian
sermon:
1. Paul first talks about the
problem humanity is facing- alienation from God.
Let me finish this by
repeating the third verse. “All of us also lived among them at one time,
gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following
its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we
were by nature objects of wrath.” (vs. 3)
Again we see that Paul is
addressing the Gentiles and Jews. Because of our sin, all of us are by nature objects
of the wrath of God; we all are sinners and fallen. Paul is reminding the Ephesians
of their condition before their faith in Christ. Remember that the economy of
John Newton expressed it best:
Amazing
Grace how sweet the sound
That
saved a wretch like me.
2. Then Paul explains how God solves the problem.
“But because of his great love
for us, God, who is rich in mercy…”
This is the heart of the
text. We see God’s love and mercy beyond
our understanding
a. He has mercy. Hebrew word for mercy (rahim) comes from
the word womb (rahm). Like a mother who has mercy on her children,
God’s love is full of MERCY. God is not a police officer; God is like a loving
“mother”, who has bears a child in her womb and has
special compassion on her children.
b. His mercy and love are unlimited, even
before our acknowledgment.
“…made us
alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.” God
knew that we could not save ourselves. Even when we were in “dead in transgressions” he saved us, made us alive
through Christ.
Who can describe such love
and mercy?
Where one can find such love
and mercy?
So how did God solve the
problem of alienation?
Paul states us three
important acts of God:
“Made us alive with
Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up
with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ
Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the
incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ
Jesus. (Vs 5-7)
a. He made us alive.
b. He raised us up.
c. He seated us with
Christ in heavenly realms.
a. He made us alive. We were dead and He gave us
new life. The wages of sin is death, and we could not change that. Only God
through Jesus Christ made us alive. Please can you see the joy of this process?
Let us not take this for granted. Many of us grew up in the church and some of
us did not have the radical transformation. I have heard and seen how Christ
changed radically some people’s lives. They were dead, and now alive with
Christ. Do you know anyone that has had this experience? Maybe your life is
changed?
-I have a friend who starts
his testimony saying, “My father was an abuser, drunk and beat my mother. We lived
a terrible life.” Then he says, “That is not the case. I made it up. I wish I
could tell you such an interesting story. I was raised in a pastor’s home and grew
up in the church. But still Christ came into my life and changed me
completely. I became a new person after
my conversion.”
You see each person was made
alive with a unique story. What is your
story?
b. We are united with
Christ because he raised us up. God gave
us a new place; he raised us up from our sinful life, from our lustful and dark
life, from our sinful weakness to a new life and to a new status.
c. He seated us in heaven
next to Christ. What an honor and
authority! We are part of the “heavenly realms.” We are part of God’s kingdom that
starts from the day of conversion all the way until we meet our Creator face to
face in heaven.
God is restoring us; we are
being restored to the image in which we were made before we fell into sin. The
image of God (emago dei)
in us was shattered because of sin, but restored through Christ.
Now this is an ongoing
process. Listen to the verse again: “7in order that in the coming
ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace.”
God’s work of bringing
salvation to humanity is not done. In coming ages, from age to age God is
working and will work to bring this fallen world to Him.
We look around and we see the
world is in a mess. We wonder where God is. Who is in control?
Paul is saying, “Hang on and
wait; God’s work has begun and is not over yet.
One day every one will see
fully how Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is a God of
justice and mercy.
One day also everyone will
see that He is the ruler over everything.
One day He
will come to judge.
One day his kingdom will be
fully established.
3. Lastly, he gives details about how God solves
the problem.
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by
works, so that no one can boast…”
Look at your life, look at your salvation, which part is done by you?
Nothing. It was all by His Grace; it was a gift. You do not
earn a gift, you do not earn God’s Grace; it is given. Even the initiation to
know Him is from God. Our part is to accept this gift by faith. Even our faith
is a gift from God. This acknowledgement helps us stay humble. Pride does not
have any place in Christianity.
Are we done?
No. The last verse: “10For we are God's
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do.”
It is time to put your faith
to action. Remember when Paul was thanking the Ephesians,
he was thanking God for their faith and for their love for the saints. Faith is
active for Paul. Faith is not static. We are God’s partners and coworkers. He
is the boss and there is WORK to be done. Yet, let me tell you again, do not
boast in whatever you do. Remember you
are doing His work. He is the center and not you.
In this lent season when we
are preparing for Easter, let us be active in our faith. I heard from a friend
about a church who are trying to do this motto:
“Be ONE, who helps ONE come
ONE step closer to GOD”
This is my prayer for you:
I once was lost but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see.
Amen