8_6_2023 - Ephesians 2:1-3 - The Walking Dead

(Opening Prayer)

(Sermon Introduction)

Today we continue our “Ephesians” series.

(AG Reminder)

Central is an Assembly of God church. For more information on our AG beliefs and positions feel free to check out the “What We Believe” link on the Central App, visit the website, or stop by the office.

(Ephesians Context)

The books of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon are what we call the “Prison Epistles.”

Paul is writing Ephesians during his first imprisonment in Rome around 60 AD (recorded in Acts 28).

Like Colossians, this letter was carried to the province of Asia by Tychicus (Eph. 6:20-21).

This explains the similarity of doctrinal content, the same ideas being fresh in the apostle’s mind as he wrote these letters.

On Paul’s second missionary journey he planted the church of Ephesus (Acts 18:19).

On his third missionary journey Paul pastored the church of Ephesus for three years (Acts 20:31).

Paul finishes his third missionary journey and stops in Ephesus to say goodbye as he made his way to Jerusalem and ultimately to prison in Rome where he is writing this letter to them.

(Series Recap and Sermon Title)

We began our series focusing our attention on Ephesians 1:1-2 and “God’s Desire,” described by Paul as “The Will of God.”

Pastor Robby spoke several weeks ago about “God’s Choice” and Ephesians 1:3-7.

Three weeks ago we focused on Ephesians 1:7-10 and “God’s Plan.”

Two weeks ago we talked about Ephesians 1:11-14 and “God’s Promise.”

Last week, Pastor Robby, spoke from Ephesians 1:15-23 and “???”

Today we are in Ephesians 2:1-3 and Paul is talking about “The Walking Dead.”

(“The Walking Dead” Show Connection)

Having the title, “The Walking Dead” immediately brings to mind for many the famous AMC show, “The Walking Dead.”

The show is set in the apocalyptic world.

The majority of the population has been infected and has caused them to “turn” into what the characters in the show call, “Walkers.”

Most people refer to them as zombies.

The characters set out to survive and resist the hordes of “walkers” who can infect them with their bite.

Zombies are not something you may have ever thought would be mentioned in a worship service but I have intentionally called the sermon today, “The Walking Dead,” because there is a connection that I want to make.

Physical zombies are a thing of imagination and fiction-storytelling, but spiritual walkers/zombies on the other hand are very real according to the Apostle Paul.

Ephesians 2:1–3 (ESV)

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.

Listen to those verses again from the New Living Translation.

Ephesians 2:1–3 (NLT)

1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.

2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

1. THE WORLD IS DEAD-WALKING

What does it mean to be “Dead-walking?”

Genesis 2:16–17 (ESV)

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,

17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Scripture tells us that death entered the world through the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden.

Paul verifies this in Romans 5:12:

Romans 5:12 (ESV)

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned

This death is spiritual, not physical, for unsaved people are very much alive physically.

One who is dead spiritually has no communication with God; he is separated from God.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (2:1)

The phrase “in your transgressions and sins” shows the sphere of the death, suggesting that sin has killed people (Rom. 5:12; 7:10; Col. 2:13) and they remain in that spiritually dead state.

“Transgressions” (paraptōmasin, “false steps”; cf. Eph. 1:7; 2:5) and “sins” (hamartia is, “acts of missing the mark”), though slightly different in their root meanings, are basically synonymous.

Both suggest deliberate acts against God and His righteousness and thus failure to live as one should.

The plural of these two nouns signifies people’s repetitious involvement in sin and hence their state of unregeneration.

2. THE WORLD IS DEVIL-FOLLOWING

John 8:42–44 (ESV)

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Unbelievers follow the lifestyles of other unbelievers; they experience the world’s peer pressure.

“This world” (kosmos) is the satanically organized system that hates and opposes all that is godly (John 15:18, 23).

The unsaved follow the ruler of the kingdom of the air, that is, Satan.

“The whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19), also called “the god of this Age” (2 Cor. 4:4).

In the middle of the Tribulation he will be cast down to the earth, no longer to rule the world or have access to God’s presence (Rev. 12:9).

The unsaved are now in the clutches of this “ruler” and follow in his opposition to God.

3. THE WORLD IS FLESH-DESIRING

1 John 2:15–17 (ESV)

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Romans 8:6–8 (ESV)

6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.

8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

The conduct of the unsaved is in the sphere of the cravings of their sinful nature, in which they follow the desires and the thoughts of the flesh.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (2:2–3)

“Sinful nature” translates “the flesh” (sarkos), which is unregenerated nature. This nature can manifest itself in a respectable form as well as in disreputable pursuits.

The “thoughts” (dianoiōn, here plural, but usually singular) suggest that even unbelievers’ reasoning processes (or calculations formed by a thinking mind) are perverted.

Such false reasoning directs their wills and acts (cf. Rom. 1:21).

(Pig/Sheep Illustration)

There is a big difference between sheep and pigs.

Sheep may get dirty, but they don’t like it.

You will not see a sheep wallowing in the mud.

Pigs on the other hand are a different story.

If you take a pig and clean them off so pretty, it is only a matter of time before they are back in the mud again.

Pigs can’t help it.

Sheep listen to the Shepherd and go his direction, pigs don’t.

Pigs want what pigs want.

2 Peter 2:22 (ESV)

22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow (pig), after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire (mud).”

4. THE WORLD IS WRATH-BOUND

(Instrumental)

(Instrumental Music)

John 3:36 (ESV)

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John 5:21–29 (ESV)

21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,

23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice

29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Like the rest, we are by nature (naturally and innately) the objects /children of wrath.

Unbelievers have a close relationship, not with God, but with His wrath!

Disobedience and unbelief lead to the wrath of God (Rom. 1:18–2:29; John 3:36).

Ephesians 2:1–3 presents a hopeless picture of an unregenerate, unbelieving, unsaved person who deserves nothing but God’s wrath.

(Sermon Recap)

THE WALKING DEAD:

THE WORLD IS DEAD-WALKING

THE WORLD IS DEVIL-FOLLOWING

THE WORLD IS FLESH-DESIRING

THE WORLD IS WRATH-BOUND

(Closing Tension)

I recognize that this message sounds harsh.

As I prayed about this message, I wrestled with the text and the message.

So often, we move quickly over verses 1-3 to get to the feel good portion of the gospel message in verses 4-10, but we can’t do that.

It is important that we stop and ponder the truth of what Paul is saying here.

Without this part of the gospel message the rest of it lacks the weight needed for us to truly receive the gospel as we are intended to receive it.

I want to address how we are viewing this message today.

If we respond to what we hear today with, “To hell with the world, because they deserve it!” then we need to repent and recognize that God sent His Son in view of this truth (John 3:16-17).

If we respond with, “I think that is me!” then recognize that there is a way that leads to life.

Next week we are going to unpack the gospel in response to verses 1-3.

My prayer for us today is that we say, “This is the truth about the world and they need the gospel!”

It is good for us to be somber-minded in regards to the standing of the world.

Do not be ignorant or deceived, this is the truth about the world.

But it is also true that our Father in heaven, sent His One and Only Son, to save the world through Him.

(Response Card)

(Closing Challenge)

Are you among the Walking Dead?

Are you of the World or of God?

Jesus Christ is the only answer to the World.

(Response)

(Invite Prayer Team)

(Closing Blessing)

Numbers 6:24–26 (ESV)

24 The Lord bless you and keep you.

25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.

26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.