Saved To Do Good Works Eph.2
SAVED TO DO GOOD WORKD (MINISTRY)
EPH. 2:1-10
INTRO: (EX: YOUNG ILLITERATE COUPLE WERE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST—THEY ATTENDED CLASS FOR YOUNG MARRIEDS AND DAVE DISCOVERED THE MEN WORE SAME SHIRTS TO ACTIVITIES—SO CAROL MADE ONE FOR HIM. BUT AT NEXT MTG DAVE NOTICED THEY HAD EMBLEMS ON SHIRTS—SO CAROL SEWED 3 WORDS ONE HIS SHIRT SHE COPIED FROM SIGN IN STORE WINDOW---DAVE WORE IT & CAME HOME EXITED –THE OTHER MEN SAID THE INSCRIPTION DESCRIBED THE WONDERFUL CHANGE THEY HAD SEEN IN HIS LIFE—HIS WIFE HAD WRITTEN “UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT”) IF WE ARE IN CHRIST THAT SHOULD BE TRUE OF US. AND WE ARE MEANT TO BE FRUITFUL IN KINGDOM—MATT 25 (SHEEP & GOATS SEPARATION---WHATEVER YOU DID FOR LEAST OF THESE YOU DID FOR ME) (JAMES 2:14-17) TRUE FAITH REQUIRES GOOD WORKS OR ITS EMPTY—GOOD FOR NOTHING—AS JESUS SAID WHEN SALT LOSES ITS SALTINESS ITS GOOD FOR NOTHING—THROWN OUT. WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED SO WE CAN BE BLESSING—WE WERE MADE FOR MINISTRY
I. GOOD WORKS REQUIRES WE RECOGNIZE OUR SPIRITUAL NEED
A. APART FROM CHRIST WE ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD—WHAT ADAM & EVE ATE FRUIT THEY LOST RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD—THEY DIED IMMEDIATELY IN SPIRIT & SOUL AND EVERTUALLY DIED IN BODY. WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH—NO EXCEPTIONS! ONE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST IS NOT SICK HE IS DEAD! YOU CANT RESUSCITATE HIM—HE NEEDS LIFE/RESURRECTION. IN ONE SENSE WORLD IS VAST GRAVEYARD—PEOPLE WHO ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD BUT PHYSICALLY BREATHING. WHEN BELIEVER DIES PHYSCIALLY THEY ARE STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE (JN.11:25,26)---SO ETERNAL LIFE IS NOT JUST LIVING FOREVER—PEOPLE IN HELL LIVE FOREVER—ETERNAL LIFE IS KNOWING GOD & JESUS (JN.17:3)
B. APART FROM CHRIST SIN DOMINATED OUR LIVES—OUR CONDUCT/BEHAVIOR WAS ACCORDING TO WORLDS VALUE SYSTEM (PLEASURES/POWER/WEALTH) & WE WALKED UNDER POWER OF SATAN—SUCH PEOPLE ARE NOT FREE. SATAN HAS DECEIVED THEM INTO THINKING THEY ARE FREE WHEN THEY ARE REALLY SLAVES (THEY THINK ITS FREEDOM TO END BABY’S LIFE; TO ENGAGE IN IMMORAL PRACTICES; COMMIT INJUSTICE; BE UNETHICAL. 2 COR.4:4 SAYS SATAN BLINDED MIND TO TRUTH (EX: SATAN’S WORK IS MUCH LIKE A SPIDER WEAVING AN INVISIBLE NET TO CATCH PREY OFFGUARD. HE LURES US INTO COOPERATING WITH HIM AND THEN WE WALK RIGHT INTO THE TRAP)
C. APART FROM CHRIST WE CHOOSE TO DISOBEY—GOD SAYS LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR—WE CHOOSE TO HATE/KILL; GOD SAYS DON’T COMMIT ADULTERY/BE FAITHFUL—WE CHOOSE TO CHEAT/LIE/BETRAY RELATIONSHIPS; GOD SAYS PUT ME FIRST—WE CHOOSE TO GIVE LEFTOVERS. LEFT TO OURSELVES WE ARE BOUND TO DESTRUCTION—WITHOUT HOPE—THERE ARE NO EXCUSES—THERE IS NO WAY TO SAVE OURSELVES---IN THIS STATE WE ARE OPPRESSED BY WORLD/FLESH/DEVIL
II. GOOD WORKS REQUIRE A “LIFE CHANGE”
A. OUR LIFE MUST BE “REBUILT”—(EX: TLC HAS SHOW “JUNKYARD WARS”—WILD SCHEMES; CRAZY TOOLS & DUCT TAPE—IDEA IS TO SEE WHO CAN CREATE BIGGEST/FASTEST/STRANGEST WHATEVER WITH PARTS FROM JUNKYARD—COME UP WITH THINGS LIKE STREET CLEANER/TORPEDO/MONSTER TRUCK AND EGG SHOOTER—THESE PEOPLE CAN SEE THINGS OUT OF JUNK THAT OTHERS CAN—AND THEY CAN DO WONDERS WITH THE JUNK. ) GOD CAN TAKE THE SINFILLED MESS OF OUR LIVES & TRANSFORM IT INTO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL & USEFUL FOR HIS KINGDOM. WE WHO HAVE BEEN MADE ALIVE IN CHRIST HAVE BEEN (RE-BORN) CREATED FOR GOOD WORKS. FAITH IF GENUINE WILL PRODUCE GOOD WORKS. GOD WHO IS RICH IN MERCY GIVES US WHAT WE DON’T DESERVE. WE CANT BRING DEAD TO LIFE—GOD MUST INTERVENE. AND HE DOES BY HIS GRACE. (EX: DOMINGO & IRENE GARCIA TAKE COMMAND TO CARE FOR ORPHANS SERIOUSLY (AS MANY OF YOU HAVE) IN THEIR LATE FIFTIES THEY HAVE 11 ELEVEN CHILDREN—CHILDREN ARE BLESSINGS BUT NOT WITHOUT STRUGGLES (ONE ADOPTED SON HUNG HIMSELF IN CLOSET). THERE ARE TIMES THEY KEEP GOING BY SHEER OBEDIENCE. AND GOD PROVIDED—THEY NEEDED TO BUILD ADDITION TO THEIR HOUSE BUT DIDN’T HAVE MONEY—THEY PRAYED FERVENTLY—IRENE SAW SIGN FOR CONTRACTOR—FEW DAYS LATER ONE OF LEADERS IN THEIR CHURCH HEARD ABOUT THEIR NEED & OFFERED TO BUILD ADDITION FOR FREE—SAME CONTRACTOR WHOSE NAME IRENE SAW ON SIGN! THEY ARE EX. OF POWER OF SPIRIT TO CHANGE—IRENE SAYS EARLY IN THEIR MARRIAGE DOMINGO WAS ABUSIVE & SHE PRAYED THAT HE WOULD DIE. NOW SHE CALLS HIM GODLIESST MAN SHE KNOWS. GOD LOVES TO TAKE OUR JUNK—PEOPLE IN WORST OF SITUATIONS & TRANSFORM THEM BY HIS SPIRIT!)—SOME HAVE HARD TIME BELIEVING GOD LOVES THEM BUT HE PROVED HOW MUCH BY SENDING JESUS TO CROSS—HE BECAME SIN FOR US (THAT IS AWESOME!) WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE FILLED WITH WONDER/AWE AT HIS AMAZING LOVE/GRACE!
III. GOOD WORKS REFLECT GOD’S GRACE
(V.10) WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP! (POEM) (MASTERPIECE)—IF WE ARE REBORN IN CHRIST WE ARE MASTERPIECE OF HIS GRACE—OR “POETRY IN MOTION”—SO WE REFELCT HIM IN OUR LIVES BY SERVING. JESUS IS REFLECTIOIN OF GOD’S GLORY (HEB.1:3)—SO WE REFLECT HIS LOVE BACK TO HIM THROUGH SERVING—HIS LOVE SHOULD BE CONSTANTLY FLOWING OUT OF US (MK 10:45—JESUS CAME TO SERVE & GIVE HIS LIFE RANSOM FOR MANY) (EX: DEAD SEA IS REALLY SALTY—FULL OF MINERALS—NO FISH OR PLANT LIFE THERE. WATER COMES INTO IT BUT NOTHING FLOWS OUT—ITS CONSTANTLY RECEDING. WHY SOME BELEIVERS ARE UNFRUITFUL/SPIRITUALLY WEAK IS THAT THERE IS NO LIFE FLOWING OUT—ATTENDING CHURCH & HEARING MESSAGES IS ONE THING—BUT TO BE USEFUL IN THE KINGDOM WE MSUT NOT ONLY TAKE IN BUT GIVE OUT IN SERVICE TO OTHERS.---WHEN WE GIVE OUR LIFE AWAY TO THOSE WHO NEVER THANK US OR THOSE WHO MISTREAT YOU THAT IS TO REFELCT JESUS. GOOD WORKS IS NOT JUST SERVING IN CHURCH—ITS GIVING HIM OUR BEST AT HOME/WORK (TEACHER/BUSINESS,ETC) WHATEVER WE DO WE DO TO HIS GLORY. BEING SAVED BY GRACE MOTIVATES US TO SERVICE—CLOTHING/PREG. CENTER/ PATTY MADDUX IN AFRICA/SCOTT SPRINGER IN MEXICO/FOWLERS IN ITALY---JESUS’ HEART WAS FILLED WITH COMPASSION FOR POOR/HURTING—SO MUST OURS—SO WE ARE TO KEEP WALKING IN GOOD WORKS (MICAH 6:6-8) THIS IS WHAT GOD HAS ALWAYS WANTED. WHEN WE ARE SAVED BY HIS GRACE WE HAVE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING HIM. BEFORE CHRIST WE WALKED IN SIN (APART FROM HIM)—BUT GOD! INTERVENED WITH GRACE—NOW IN CHRIST WE WALK IN GOOD WORKS THAT GOD PLANNED IN ETERNITY---THAT IS HOW WE CONTINUE TO LOVE & HONOR OUR GREAT GOD & KING
CONCLUSION (EX: STORY OF KING IN ASIA (MITHRIDATES) WHO LIKED AN OLD MUSICIAN—ONE MORNING THE MUSICIAN WOKE TO FIND HIS TABLE FULL OF GOLD & SILVER VESSELS, SERVANTS READY TO ASSIST HIM. THERE WAS EXPENSIVE CLOTHING FOR HIM TO WEAR, A HORSE READY TO TAKE HIM WHEREVER HE WANTED TO GO. THE MUSICIAN ASKED WHY? THE SERVANT SAID, “THE KING WAS DETERMINED TO MAKE YOU A RICH MAN” THE MUSICIAN IN UNBELIEF COULD ONLY SAY “ALL THESE ARE MINE?”) AND WE TOO STAND IN AWE/UTTER AMAZEMENT—“ALL THIS IS MINE?” THANK YOU LORD---READ 2:4,5