The New Life, New Walk and New Warfare of the Christian (Part 5)
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1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2 ESV (Part 4)
By Grace Through Faith
2:1 And you were dead ( dead, useless, ineffective, you can do nothing in yourself – you are not sick you are dead Wiersbe said, “The unbeliever is not sick; he is dead! He does not need resuscitation; he needs resurrection. All lost sinners are dead, and the only difference between one sinner and another is the state of decay. The lost derelict on skid row may be more decayed outwardly than the unsaved society leader, but both are dead in sin—and one corpse cannot be more dead than another! This means that our world is one vast graveyard, filled with people who are dead while they live[1]) in the trespasses and sins
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, (Satan) the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
4 But[ God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive ( he quickened you- he resurrected you- Lazarus when he came out of the tomb didn’t get air back into his lungs – he was dead much to long for that – he was raised up) You don’t need resuscitation you need resurrection -AMEN together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,( in other words your position has changed)
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, ( where we get the word POEM – it means new creation) created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (you are created for a purpose, not to just basque in your salvation, but to be a changed vessel, used by God)
Introductory Illustration – Its about coming back from the dead.
Those un-regenerated are called the walking dead
Part of the challenge is some of those dead people try to make other alive people into dead people. We can call them Zombies
When Zombie shows make it into a main-stream, it is a reflection of the depravity of man and a picture of what life really looks like to some people.
Today’s Zombies
You don’t need to watch a movie to see dead people walking. (AMEN PREACHER)
Bars are full of dead people walking.
Our jails are overcrowded by dead people walking,
Our communities are full of dead people walking.
Our homes are full of dead people
Chapter 2 starts with YOU WERE DEAD
Have any of you felt dead? Your in a pit and there is no way out
You live life like it is just another horrible day. You are living but inside you are dead.
You have no vision or zest for life. You could be in a room with a thousand people and feel all alone and insignificant. ( When I went to YWAM i felt like a square peg in a round hole. I new there was more to life than this but could not figure it out.
In our day and age right now we have teenage suicide, drug overdose, depression as main killers in our society.
This is not the way life should be- God gave us the solution to this problem.
Ephesians Chapter 2 shows us how to come alive.
It is a Chapter of Contrasts ( look at how many times Paul uses the word you and we
Dead and living
Former Life and New Life
Believer and Non-Believer
Wrath and Peace
Hate and Love
He was saying Those without life in them are nothing more than walking corpses
Those with life are brought near to Jesus- who becomes our Lord and Savior
Satan on the other hand is evil, he embodies evil and is the ruler of unbelievers – those not regenerated with life. Many don’t even know they are slaves to Him.
Satan is opposed to the Spirit – in other words he doesn’t want life, he wants to take life.
Why do you think Christians are Pro Life- it is the Spirit in us that tells us life is precious.
So which Spirit runs planned parenthood and most pro abortion organizations.
The problem with evil is it is inherent it is not acquired.
You see evil was not made up in Hollywood, it entered the garden. It deceived Eve
With the fall of man it is passed on generation to generation and will continue until God deals with it once and for all.
Evil comes with a present cost and an eternal one - dead in this Life and dead in the next.
Lets look at some of the Contrasts
Contrast 1 - Before and After Salvation
1. Before Salvation - You are dead – Not searching for God - for the most part your just pleasing the flesh.
Morally Bankrupt and Spiritually Dead
Your position is a low position
You walked as the world walked – You were a goat following the herd to the slaughter
Lived under the weight of your sin (missing the mark) You are lost. Life really is meaningless. You could have a thousand friends on facebook and still feel all alone. You are told be the world to live your life to the fullest because after this there is nothing or you can be reincarnated into a frog.
Many of you have heard of the great physicist Stephen Hawking's.
It is said he passed away peacefully on March 14, 2018.
He was a self proclaimed atheist.He said, ”heaven is a fairy story, for people afraid of the dark. Pretty condescending bold statement.”
He thought science had all the answers. He thought the universe was governed by science. He thought people were like computers. He could never answer the question why it came into being. It is all just a random cosmic collage.
It is funny. If he would of thought for a moment he would have realized that there is not one computer that made itself. They are all made by a designer and developer.
To his surprise, he will meet one much smarter than he, and He will have to give an account of his life. He wont be able to think his way out of it. Science will be of little help to him.
After Salvation - God is alive and He is searching for you
“God wants us to worship Him. He doesn’t need us, for He couldn’t be a self-sufficient God and need anything or anybody, but He wants us. When Adam sinned it was not he who cried, ‘God, where art Thou?’ It was God who cried, ‘Adam, where art thou?” C. S. Lewis
When you give your life to Jesus - Your position becomes a high position – seated with Christ
Living above your sin - you acquire the title saint.
Paul says Romans 7:14-25 “14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from at he body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
Salvation
Defined as Deliverance - from the power of sin; redemption. - God is your deliverer.
In the Old Testament, the word salvation sometimes refers to deliverance from danger (Jer 15:20
20 And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord.
deliverance of the weak from an oppressor (Ps 35:9-10), the healing of sickness and deliverance from blood guilt and its consequences (Ps 51:14).
It may also refer to national deliverance from military threat (Ex 14:13) or release from captivity (Ps 14:7
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
When a person believes in Christ, he is saved Acts 16:31
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Contrast 2 - Object of Wrath vs Object of Grace
2. Object of wrath
- because of sin- Some people don’t believe they are sinners and that good people go to heaven
How many of you know that it is only as we repent and give our life to Christ we get to enter into heaven.
- because God is Holy he has to deal with sin
- by nature – so this becomes a great problem – God has to deal with it. Because he is a righteous judge he cannot ignore sin -
What happens when you ignore sin - It grows like a cancer. The end result of sin is death
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Object of grace
made effective by Faith
Free gift
God is glad to give it to you
6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
Grace is defined as Favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that same person deserves. Therefore, grace is almost always associated with mercy, love, compassion, and patience as the source of help and with deliverance from distress.
In the Old Testament, the supreme example of grace was the redemption of the Hebrew people from Egypt and their establishment in the Promised Land. This did not happen because of any merit on Israel's part, but in spite of their unrighteousness (Deut 9:5-6). Although the grace of God is always free and undeserved, it must not be taken for granted. Grace is only enjoyed within the COVENANT-the gift is given by God, and the gift is received by man through repentance and faith (Amos 5:15). Grace is to be humbly sought through the prayer of faith (Mal 1:9).
9 “But now will you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts.
This Wednesday I will be talking about Grace and what Dietrich Bonhoeffer has to say about it.
Contrast 3 - Former Life vs New Life
3.Former life
Far away from Christ –Living on the Outside
Live in sin - you Walk in sin - your at home in sin - you just indulge the desires of the flesh. The sad part is you encourage others to do the same. Sin is not only on the inside but it is constantly knocking at your door.
Opposed to Gods law - you think Gods law is foolishness
Broken, messed up and crazy is your former life. (even if you lived a good one)
New Life
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Brought near-Live for Christ- walk with Christ- At home in Christ
Healed, at peace and of a sound mind
God gives you access to Him through the Holy Spirit - AMEN
Gods love is much larger and way more superior than your sin
Contrast 4 - Chosen vs Non-Chosen
Non Chosen (Gentile)
Your Race wont save you - Your works wont save you
Being a good person wont save you.
Chosen (Jew)
9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
Conclusion;
When Love Is rejected-wrath is at the door. When Love is received grace and mercy is at the door
To reject Christ in this life will mean ending up without Christ in the next.
Since we only have two destinations. We must choose wisely.
Revelations 21:3 says : 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. NLT
Do you want to walk in newness of life?
Is Your permanent address is in heaven?
Your temporary address is where you are living right now.