On Purpose, For a Purpose

Ephesians 2:1–10 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. 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.

Saved from something

God literally saved you from death and yourself. Without Christ we live a life heading straight for destruction. The wages of sin is death. to live a life away from God is to live a life in a grave. You don’t even realize that you are dead until you are made alive. God by his grace and love for you, reached into that grave that you were trapped in and lifted you out and made you alive with him. The grave no longer has power over your life, the promise of salvation is eternal life with and through christ.

Saved For Something

God did not just save you to sit and wait until your time comes to enter into heaven. God saved you with a purpose in mind. Jeremiah 29:11 “11 For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”. Even on your worst day, in your worst sin God had a plan set in place for your life. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that the good works were prepared ahead of time for us to do.

To be a walking display of Grace

Ephesians 2:7 “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’s desire is to display is goodness and grace, in and thru your life. This grace becomes known by second part of the “saved for something”… The Good works

For Good Works

God has prepared Good things for you to do in your life. He has a purpose beyond just going thru the motions of living each day. We are now on a mission to catch up to what God is doing so that we can do what he has for us to do. The path to this means that we have to understand that we are his workmanship.

Understand you are his workmanship

HIS Workmanship

We belong to him

It is his plan for our life not ours

He had a plan in mind “beforehand”

It is his level of quality

“His workmanship” is not just stating that we are his project

It defines the quality of what we are becoming

His level of quality is found in the person of Christ

Gives us value

picasso vs me drawing a stick figure

You are a work in progress

Progress requires process

You aren’t there yet, but you aren’t where you were yesterday

Easy to be discouraged we you realize how far you are from the finished product

But what you might find encouraging is how far you are from the starting product

The picture of the Potter

We see an example of the process in the old testament

Jeremiah 18:1–6 CSB

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Go down at once to the potter’s house; there I will reveal my words to you.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, working away at the wheel. 4 But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do. 5 The word of the Lord came to me: 6 “House of Israel, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay?”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

Spinning on the wheel

Sometimes it feels like you are just going in circles

The wheel is to make sure that the potter gets all sides

If he doesn’t get all the sides, it won’t come out right

Spoiled clay

1. He did not throw the clay away

Even in our rebellion (rebellious Israel)

It stayed in his hand

Even when you find yourself damaged, he still holds you in his hand

Fired before used

Before a potter can use a vessel it must be put into a kiln

The kiln bakes it at an extreme heat to harden it so it holds its shape

If the vessel doesn’t go through the fire it will fall apart when you try to use it