From Death to Life

Ephesians 2:1–10 CSB

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Introduction:

Our Spiritual State Before Christ: Dead

We were spiritually dead.

Genesis 2:17 CSB

17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

Death in and of itself is separation. Physical death is separation of the soul from the body. While spiritual death is separation from God. This is the state in which we were in. We were spiritually dead before Christ. We were separated from God because of our sin.

Romans 6:23 (CSB)

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is important for us to know because sometimes we think that we were “ok” people before Christ and when He came in our lives and made us “better” people.

No our hearts were no where near God. This is hard for us to populate in our minds sometime because when we think of an enemy of God we think of some type of super demonic person. We don’t think that the person who just goes to work, take cares of their family, and live a quiet life could be an enemy of God or dead in their trespasses. But this can very well be true. Paul gives us a picture here.......

Ephesians 2:2 CSB

2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient.

Walked=lived in

World (kosmos)=a system

“a system we lived by”

So now we see that the enemy of God or the one who is dead in their trespasses is the one who lives according to a system that is ruled by satan. (God is still all powerful). Now we won’t say that living by the system of satan and might not even be fully aware that we are. This is why we need this prayer.

Ephesians 1:18 CSB

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

We Are Not As Good As We Think We Are

Jeremiah 17:9 CSB

9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?

Psalm 51:5 CSB

5 Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

Think about some of the most innocent people: babies and toddlers. If you ask a kid who can barely talk if they took a piece of candy, they will look you dead in the face and shake their head no. They can have a red tongue with the candy wrapper still in their hand and they will lie to you to your face.

Just because it was a little kid doesn’t mean it wasn’t a sin. So why do we think we can get off the hook (we put many things before God)? There isn't enough “good” things we can do to be right with God.

(Drive in on showing depravity)

Our Spiritual State After Christ: Alive

Ephesians 2:4 (CSB)

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us,

but God

rich in mercy (what is mercy and why we need it)

because of his love (agape)

Ephesians 2:5 CSB

5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

What did He do.....

made us alive (death reversed)

Ephesians 2:6–7 CSB

6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary (a. New Life from the Dead (2:1–10))

The purpose of God for his church, as Paul came to understand it, reaches beyond itself, beyond the salvation, the enlightenment and the re-creation of individuals, beyond its unity and fellowship, beyond even its witness to the world. The church is to be the exhibition to the whole creation of the wisdom and love and grace of God in Christ

Ephesians 2:8–10 CSB

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.