Because of His Great Love

Today’s Reading from God’s Word

Ephesians 2:4–10 CSB

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Introduction

During September we have been taking a look at God’s Great Love.

It’s all part of our focus this quarter on God’s great power and how He makes it available to each of us personally.

We started the month in John 3:16-17 and discussed how by love God delivers those who are perishing if they will believe on Jesus. Those who do, receive eternal life.

Last week we examined Romans 8:35-39 and talked about how nothing can separate us from God’s love.

We hold on to Him… we persevere with patience and allegiance to Christ.

And he holds on to us. He’s got us — no matter what we go through.

Nothing, not anything in the natural or spiritual world can separate us from the love of Christ.

In two weeks, we’ll close out September by taking a close look at 1 John 4:9-10, which is a great passage that focuses on God’s great love.

Today, we’ll be in Ephesians 2:4-10 - and primarily verses 4-7.

Understanding Ephesians 2:1-10

In Ephesians 2, Paul goes into detail our salvation and how God made it happen.

God moved with swift urgency to save mankind from spiritual disaster and His wrath.

2:1-3: The depths of our desperate situation.

There are six keywords in these verses that bring things into detail:

Ephesians 2:1–3 CSB

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

Dead

Trespasses

Sins

This World

Ruler of the power of the air

Disobedient

2:4-5: How God took the initiative to save.

Ephesians 2:4–5 CSB

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

mercy

love

grace

made us alive

2:6-7: Why God decided to save.

Ephesians 2:6–7 CSB

6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Seated us with Him

You are a display of grace

And a recipient of kindness through Christ Jesus.

2:8-10: The result of the salvation God provides.

Ephesians 2:8–10 CSB

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

salvation has been given to you.

you are the workmanship of God.

Your salvation is all in and through Jesus.

There is no such thing as salvation without Christ in the middle of it.

In Ephesians 1, Paul refers to Jesus 15 times.

He says: We are in union with Christ.

We are one with Christ. We are “in Christ.”

Now chapter 2:

Ephesians 2:5–7 CSB

5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:10 CSB

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

v. 5 - “with Christ”

v. 6 - “with him” and “with him” “in Christ Jesus”

v. 7 - “in Christ Jesus”

v. 10 - “in Christ”

This is reality. Your salvation is a result of God’s work, not your own.

Remember what we’ve been focusing on this year:

Ephesians 1:16 CSB

16 I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

for what did Paul pray? This prayer applies to us too.

Ephesians 1:17 CSB

17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.

This involves:

Ephesians 1:18–19 CSB

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.

The hope, inheritance, and power that we presently possess.

He wants us to be clear about it. It’s in our possession, right now.

Today

we’ll explore this detailed explanation of how God has made it all happen. We will learn about:

How God saved you

Why God saved you

The purpose of your salvation

Ephesians 2.4-6 - How God Saved You

Please notice how 2.4 begins:

Ephesians 2:4 CSB

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us,

But God.

Ephesians 2:5–6 (CSB)

5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

God took the initiative to help us out of our predicament.

2.5 - He made us alive.

2.6 - He raised us up. God brings dead people to life.

2.6b - He seated us in the heavenly places.

How did God take the initiative to save?

Mercy

Ephesians 2:4 (CSB)

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us,

Mercy is the act of not giving sinners what they deserve. This is the holding back of what should come.

Psalm 103:10–12 CSB

10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

we deserved punishment, judgment, condemnation. We deserved to be destined for hell.

God has held all this back.

Notice, he is rich in mercy.

It is limitless; exhaustless; and boundless.

Love

Ephesians 2:4 (CSB)

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us,

This explains God’s actions.

Not because of anything we did.

We are the very opposite of everything attractive to Him.

God hates sin. Can’t be associated with it, 1 John 1.5: God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

God is angry with the sinner every day.

Yet, God comes to us with mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

It is simply beyond comprehension.

Love is not unknown to us. There’s kind of a formula to love:

We know what lovable is.

We know what attracts us.

We love what we like.

We love what suits us.

We love basically on the basis of an attraction of some kind. This is not like the love of God.

Romans 5:6 CSB

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:8 CSB

8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He loved everyone that is opposite of what is attractive to him.

Loved not just a little bit - but to the point of sacrificing His son.

John 15:13 CSB

13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.

the greatest love of all is the love demonstrated in the sacrifice of someone’s life.

Grace

Ephesians 2:5 (CSB)

5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

Grace pardons and releases forgiveness.

Mercy doesn’t give us what we deserve.

Grace gives us what we do not deserve.

In spite of our trespasses and sin; worldliness; being dominated by Satan; living in disobedience; having been driven by our passions and desires; and being on schedule for divine wrath, God stepped in and provided us with mercy and grace.

Resurrection

Ephesians 2:5–6 CSB

5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

This is what we needed.

A spiritual resurrection.

We needed to be awakened into a relationship with Him.

We have been infused with life.

Christ

Ephesians 2:5–6 (CSB)

5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

“with Christ” and “with him”. See it in 2:5 & 2:6.

John 11:25 CSB

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.

Jesus not only died for our sins, but he rose to provide life.

Romans 4:24–25 CSB

24 but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

This is the gospel.

This is the heart of our faith.

This is Christianity.

God has taken care of your sin. Jesus was delivered up for my trespasses.

When Jesus died he was bearing our sin.

He was raised for my justification.

His resurrection can be your resurrection.

When Jesus came out of the grave, he provided life.

God has applied this sacrifice/resurrection to you.

Ephesians 2:6-7 - Why God Saved You

He has put you in the heavens

Ephesians 2:6 (CSB)

6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

We’ve been made alive to God.

The heavens is where God is.

Does this mean we’re in heaven? Obviously not.

But … our minds should exist in God’s domain.

Now, we are on a heavenly agenda.

We have a:

New citizenship

New priorities

New perspectives

New power

New direction

And speaking of existing in God’s domain:

All our blessings are there.

We go to the Lord in prayer there.

I think of the apostles and great servants of God who are there.

I think of those I love who are already there.

That’s home.

That’s our dominion.

All our commands come down from there.

All our service is offered there.

God didn’t just leave us to wander in the graveyard.

He lifted us up into another world altogether.

Now we see everything in light of eternity. Through the eyes of God.

Yes, the flesh is still there.

The fleshly desires have to be battled.

But now we see the battle for what it really is.

We see the alternative.

It becomes more clear every day.

This is the difference between living dead and dying life.

You may be dying physically, but alive spiritually and shall be forever.

He has made you a display of grace

Ephesians 2:7 (CSB)

7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

God wants to show you the immeasurable riches of His grace.

He wants to show you his kindness.

This should blow our mind.

We don’t deserve it. But God is … love!

Love is gracious. Love is kind. This is the purpose for your salvation.

We are not saved primarily to stay out of hell.

We are saved primarily so that God can show his grace, blessings, and riches on us.

He doesn’t withhold anything. He gives us everything through Jesus.

So don’t ever think you don’t have resources.

God saved you for the purpose of unloading every resource conceivable to His mind so that you be filled with His riches, kindness, and grace

in order to be held up to the angels and displayed as a living testimony of His power and love.

Ephesians 3:10–11 (CSB)

10 This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.

11 This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He gets the glory by pouring his grace up on you.

And he will never diminish his glory.

As We Close

How do we get there?

God asks for you to believe.

Ephesians 2:8 CSB

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—

Faith involves a firm conviction. Of what?

That there is no other hope but through Jesus’ work.

Ephesians 2:9 CSB

9 not from works, so that no one can boast.

His sacrifice is sufficient to produce life.

You faith involves a firm conviction that God will be true to His promises:

The promise of a new life

continued forgiveness

eternity in heaven with Him.

And as you live the rest of your life, you experience…

The result of His work:

Ephesians 2:10 CSB

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

These are not done to secure our place with God, they are the inevitable outcome of our being with God.

“workmanship”

we are a divine creation.

a masterpiece.

He designed it from before time to conform us to Christ, to mold us unto good works, and he does it all by his power.

God’s power is at work in your life, shaping you, molding you in to the image of Christ.

I hope what you’re doing is more than just religion.

I hope you really know it.

Years ago, a famous actor was with a group of people — and everyone was asking him to recite famous pieces — and it seemed like he had an unlimited repertoire — and he just kept doing it.

There was an old preacher there — and toward the end of everything he yelled out to the actor — “Why don’t you do the 23rd psalm?”

The actor knew it and he said, “That won’t be good for this occasion.”

The preacher said, “I want you to do the 23rd psalm.”

And he said, “All right, I’ll do it if you’ll do it.”

And the old man was thinking, “that’s even better — that’s twice.”

He said, “I’ll do it.”

The actor began and his intonation was flawless and his diction was masterful and he handled the 23rd psalm with dignity and grace and beauty from beginning to end.

And when he finished, everyone applauded.

And the the old preacher got up and in a gravel voice after years of preaching, and not too good at diction and not such hot intonation he went through the 23rd psalm and when he was finished, there wasn’t any applause, but there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Tears came down the cheeks of people.

And the actor turned to him and said, “Sir, I see the difference. I know the psalm, but you know the shepherd.”

And that’s the difference.

A lot of people know the externals — but knowing Christ, the Son of God, means to be alive — and that’s the message Paul wants us to know from this passage.

If you’ve been made alive in Christ — you don’t ever need to question the power of God available in your life right now.

Grab on to it today.

Turn from your sin and believe on the Lord Jesus.

Determine to make Him the lord of your life.

And meet him in the waters of baptism today where he will wash away your sin.