By Grace Through Faith

Ephesians 2:1-10

Paul is writing a letter to the church in Ephesus. And man, Paul loved this place and these people.

He has been through some crazy stuff with the church.

In Acts 19 Paul shows up and immediately baptizes the church with the fire of the Holy Spirit. And straight up they immediately start speaking in tongues and prophesying to this church of 12 men.

Then these 12 men go with Paul into the synagogue to start preaching Jesus but the Jews refused to believe so they went to the public marketplace.

They went into the streets.

And for 2 years, they philosophically unpacked the gospel so that all residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

But it wasn’t just philosophical. Acts 19:11 says God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs that touched him were brought to the sick and they were healed.

It got so insane that en mass, the people of Ephesus were coming to Christ and burning their books of witchcraft. A proper book burning.

This was shaking the city so much that a massive riot against the Christians broke out because it was disrupting the evil economy built on witchcraft in the region. And after this riot, roughly 3 years since arriving, Paul leaves Ephesus.

Now it’s been 5 years since Paul was in Ephesus. Paul, now sitting in prison for his faith writes to the church he fought, discipled, and bled alongside.

He says in Ephesians 1:1 the saints who are faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace and peace to you.

And then Paul just rips through some awesome dense teaching. And man did it hit hard.

He told the Ephesians that they are:

Blessed in Christ, Holy and Blameless, Chosen by God, Forgiven, Unified, and Sealed by the blood of Jesus on the cross.

And in Ephesians 1:16 he explains that he just said all of this to describe exactly why he is just so thankful for them and always remembers them in his prayers.

Paul is really just encouraging the Ephesians. And emphasizing just how unbelievable God is. He’s encouraging them and reminding them this is all about God. And man God is greater than anything you can imagine. Greater than any title or person.

That’s who you are. That’s who God is. Now remember where you came from, and who you are now.

There are 3 HUGE things we need to remember as reading Ephesians 2

#1 Root out your past lies

#2 Stop labeling others with their past. That’s not who they are.

#3 Remember the revival… God wants to save the lost

#1 Root out your past lies

Ephesians 3:17–19 “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (not rooted in past lies… rooted in love) you may have strength to comprehend what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

#2 Stop labeling others with their past

Ephesians 4:2–3 “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

#3 Remember the revival… God wants to save the lost

Ephesians 2:12–13 “remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Ephesians 2:1 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins”

Ephesians 2:2 “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”

Ephesians 2:3 “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.”

Everything is past tense

God does not identify you as your past. He identifies you in the present.

Paul is painting a beautiful picture.

God knows your past. It’s not a secret. But he also knows that it’s your PAST not your PRESENT.

In Ephesians 2 Everything is past tense.

You WERE dead, you ONCE walked, you ONCE lived

So rather than being in God’s presence in the past. Sit in God’s presence in the PRESENT.

PRAY

Holy Spirit come down in this place right now. Speak to every single person right now. Your power can come down even right now in a Bible study in a coffeeshop.

Lord, let us engage in spiritual warfare with your word right now. We are not our past. We are not our failures. I rebuke generational sin.

Ephesians 2:2 “the spirit [demonic spirits] are now at work in the sons of disobedience”

“Now at work” - energeo - purposeful power—never mechanical, always personal

The demonic realm is has power for a purpose. And that purpose isn’t mechanical or formulaic. It’s personal.

This is a spiritual war.

Paul was out healing people. Casting out demons. Teaching with authority. An immense power through Paul rose up that it shook the city to the core. It was Holy Spirit power for a purpose.

Just as the Holy Spirit gives power for a purpose. Ephesians 2:2 says the demonic also pushes spiritual power for a purpose.

The enemy is here to steal, kill, and destroy. The enemy shows up in both a Hugo Boss suit and a wild demoniac. He will manifest his power for the exact purpose that will be the most effective to attack you.

Ephesians 2:4 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,”

Ephesians 2:5 “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”

But God…

Have you ever felt a “But God” moment?

Lord, I’m broken. I can’t stop falling into sin. I keep discounting myself.

Lord, this city feels so dark. People keep coming against us. Communist mayors are getting elected. This revival that I once thought was happening feels like a fever dream.

Lord, you worked miracles back then. But, I don’t know what’s going on right now.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us”

Rich in mercy Great love with which he loved us

Even when we were dead in our sin

Made us alive

God knew who you are

You WERE dead but NOW you live

You WERE under the power of the enemy but NOW you’re under the power of God

You WERE following carnal passions but NOW you follow the passions of the Spirit

Why?

“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”

Jesus took the death I deserve so that I may live

Oh how glorious is the name of Jesus! God in flesh came down humbly to earth. Lived a perfect life, preached the truth and for that he was pierced by nails and died, hanging on a cross. And after 3 days, in power and might raised from the dead! Why?

So that you and I don’t have to pay the price of eternal death that we deserve.

In 4 words: Jesus took my place

3 words: Him for me

2 words: Substitutionary Atonement

1 word: Grace

Ephesians 2:6–10 “so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith.

Get on your knees and worship…

And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Let the word just speak to you tonight.

Meditate on the scripture tonight.

Wash yourself in the word.

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heavenly places

Riches of his grace

together/unite in Christ