Grace in the New Creation

Intro:

Updates on this week

Church Chat last Sunday night

The fence started gettting done

Brier Park had their graduation (tuesday)

My Son Luke had his birthday this week

Soccer finished

Movers for the floors started

I finished my requirements for my Master’s degree Master of Arts in Biblical Counselling

God was gracious with me this week. I did not always have the best attitude

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.

that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God;

Definition: GRACE (חֶסֶד, chesed; “grace, mercy, steadfast love, compassion”; חֵן, chen; “grace, graciousness, kindness”; χάρις, charis; “grace, favor, graciousness, goodwill”). Gracious or merciful behavior of a more powerful person toward another. Displayed by the Lord toward humankind and by people towards each other in the Old Testament. Used to describe God or Christ in their merciful character or actions toward humankind in the New Testament. Spiritual gifts are described as “graces.” A literary device used at the beginning or end of many New Testament letters.- Lexham Bible Dictionary

How do you define it? Ask the people…

“God giving us what we do not deserve”

“God’s undeserved favour”

Passage: Eph. 2:1-5

Illustration: RC car

Outline:

Dead: “In the Trespasses and Sins” (vs. 1-3)

Made Alive: “But God” (vs. 4-5)

Summary: I need God’s Grace

Prayer:

Dead: “In the Trespasses and Sins” (vs. 1-3)

In Trespasses and Sins (v. 1)

And you were dead- “ontas” pres, act, part, mas, acc, pl, to be dead, “spiritually dead, characterized by lack of spiritual life or vigor; being completely indifferent toward the things of God”. Any inclincation towards the things of God is his grace in your life: you read your bible, come to fellowship with others, etc.

in the trespasses- “paraptwmasin”, pl more than one, the action of going beyond or overstepping some moral boundary or limit

and sins- “hamartiais” pl more than one, “an act or feeling that transgresses something forbidden or ignores something required by God’s law or character; whether in thought, feeling, speech, or action”, “Acts of missing the mark”- BKC.

Both “Trespasses and Sins” are plural, meaning this is not just a one-time event that is out of the norm. “That one-time I told a lie or cheated on a test”

Living by Passion and Desire (vs. 2-3)

In which you once (formerly, not numerically) walked- “periepat-eh-sate”, aor, act, ind, 2nd, pl to walk, to live or behave in a specified manner.

This is not a one-time deal, this is they way you and I were consistenly living our lives.

Following the

course -“aiwna” age, era, a period of history having some distinctive feature,

of this world- “the people constituting the world whose values, beliefs, and morals are in distinction and rebellion to God’s”

As we celebrated Canada we have to be vigilant in what the government of Canada wants us to follow.

Who is the world following then...

Following the

prince (ruler) of the power (authority)

Of the air- “aeros”, demonic realm, the sky understood as the realm where evil spirits dwell and come from (to exercise their influence). “The impersonal force or atmosphere, which is controlled and directed by Satan 1 John 5:19 “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” )” BKC.

the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- distinctive characteristic of disobedience/active rebellion. Like “Son of Wayne, Jeremy”, “That is Wayne’s boy”

Among whom we all once lived

in the passions of our flesh

carrying out the desires of

the body

and the Mind- it is not just that we followed the demonic influences around us, we worship the desires and urges inside of us and the demonic influences around us just make it easier to do.

Children of Wrath (v. 3)

and were by nature

Children of wrath- “Children- tekna” is different than son, it depicts a close relationship with God’s wrath

like the rest of mankind

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

Is the inclination of your heart today to move closer to God or move farther away? When was the last time you repenting of moving away from God, of choosing your own path, of not seeking His glory?

Who or what are you following these days? Influencers, politicians, activists, writers, etc. In what areas are you starting to follow the beliefs, values, and morals of our present age? Which ones are leading you into active rebellion against God and His Word?

What passsions of your flesh or desires of the body and mind need the grace and favour of the one that is more powerful than you?

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Don’t leave here thinking that if we just moved to a different place than life would be easier, it is not about your power to resist it is about His power to give grace. We go through this ever election don’t we, I don’t want to live under the red team anymore, it will be much better if the skies are blue, I would feel more cared for and understood on team orange! That may be true, but you have not dealt with the real issue, the one inside you! I need the favour of someone more powerful than me, more powerful than a Prime Minister, President, or King, I need the grace of God as provided through Jesus!

Do I believe that the values, beliefs, and morals of our age are infulenced by the demonic, Yes I do, and they have been since the fall of Lucifer, and they will be until the new heaven and new earth. But I also believe in the unmerited favour of the one that is more powerful than the devil.

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Transitional phrase: According to Ephesians, we are dead in our trespasses and sins, we all once walked this way, some still are, and are characterised by disobience and destined for God’s wrath. But look at the passage, we are not done!

Made Alive: “But God” (vs. 4-5)

Even when (vs. 4-5)

But God!!! Grace- turn to the person next to you and say, “but God”. The anthem of grace is “but God”

being rich in mercy

because of the great love with which he loved us

even when we were dead in our trespasses-

Key! This defines grace, “when we were dead in our trespasses”! There was no way that we could contribute anything.

Saved (v. 5)

Made us alive

together with Christ- you don’t get grace without Jesus

By grace you have been saved

Eph. 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

Opposite of Grace (Kindness): interference, obstacle, hindrance, hurdle

On one hand our culture tells us we are basically good; if we have the right circumstances, upbringing, parents, everything then we will instictively choose what is good

Wht about the Garden of Eden?

What about the 1000 year reign?

On the other hand, our culture is telling us that we have disorders in us that cannot be changed and that it is not your fault that you are this way.

Our culture has replaced the grace of God with the evolution of man. Is there any wonder why our culture is ripped apart by racism, bullying, aborting unwanted babies, and degrading one another, makes sense when you are taught that only the strong survive and natural selection. We are taught that anything that threatens our way of life needs to be demolished. Nothing should get between you and your version of happiness.

Think of this is our therapeutic culture

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

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Transitional phrase:

Summary: I need God’s Grace

Song: Your Grace is enough

Benediction/Looking ahead:

Discussion questions

Worship- Renew the Mind (Scripture)

What passage of Scripture did we look at? Summarize it in your own words.

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Grow- Engage the Heart (Conversation)

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Serve- Enlist the Body (Action)

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