Faith, Observed.
Notes
Transcript
Ephesians 2:1-10
Ephesians 2:1-10
Why are you a Christian?
How are you a Christian?
Who made you a Christian?
When did you become one?
What does it mean to be a Christian?
Observe
Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
For those with OCD and like things to be neatly in order… this might be tough.
But Paul’s writing comes before our cute little observation technique by a millenium… or two.
How?
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 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— 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. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
I was an idolater. Sexually immoral. Greedy. Prideful. Etc.
But God’s mercy and love stepped in.
Mark 5:1-20
Who?
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
God made you a Christian.
Just marvel in Who God Is.
The Triune God.
Deep theology. Joyful delight.
When?
that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
When He made us alive
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
His great love?
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God paved the way for you to be a Christian by Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection
When God made us alive together with Christ
When He made us one with Christ
John 3 — Jesus and Nicodemus
You are made new upon being born again in Him
You are made clean upon being born again in Him
You are accepted upon being born again in Him
You are a work in progress. You may be a long ways away from being a finished product. But God sees Jesus when He sees you.
Justified. Sanctified. Glorified.
For ages to come, his riches will be on display in you. For ages to come, into eternity, His Kindness will be relentless toward you.
Where?
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
In your heart
In heaven
Your name is in the Book of Life
and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
You are a Christian who belongs with Him
Divine level- your soul has been revived by the grace of God. Brought from death to life.
Intimate level- you are free to walk with Him and be rich in grace toward others
Personal level- displaying the gospel in family and friendships
Social level- gospel
He has set you free to be right where you are.
Public level- gospel
Beyond- cosmic level. You are a trophy of grace. We are trophies of grace. Lights in the darkness. Agents of reconciliation
God is reconciling all things to Himself. He will redeem all things and make all things new.
He isn’t gonna just blow all this up, saying, “Well, sin just screwed it all up.” No! He is reclaiming all things. Redeeming all things!
He is the King who conquers- the One who will not lose one single thing to the enemy’s hand
The God Who Restores.
For ages to come, his riches will be on display in you. For ages to come, into eternity, His Kindness will be relentless toward you.
Everywhere. Everything.
For all time.
What?
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
You are saved. From wrath, from condemnation.
To be Christian is to be saved by God’s grace through faith.
Beautiful mystery of grace and faith.
Beautiful. Beyond comprehension. Yet so simple.
Admit. Believe. Confess.
Why?
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
You are made to show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness
For His glory
For the Name
Don’t ever mistake the how for the why. But don’t leave out an essential part of the gospel by cutting out the why.
You are a masterpiece. You are a testimony. You are a witness.
Bear fruit.
You were set free from slavery to sin. You were set free for service to the Living God.
Now you live in your freedom from sin, and freedom for worship, to set others free.
It is for freedom you have been set free.
Don’t you want others to be free?
Beatific vision. When we are all around the Throne… enjoying Him, loving Him, and worshipping forever and ever.
Living out what we were created for.