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Introduction
Good morning church,
This week was an interesting week for me.
It was a week of comparisons.
Comparing my own skills, gifts, what I bring to the table in a variety of situations.
And you know what when comparison comes into my life it isn’t often in a positive way.
It’s comparing myself maybe someone else or a situation because I don’t think I measure up.
I don’t think I’ve done enough, that I’m inadequate, that I’m just not good enough.
Or it’s looking at the things that I’ve done in my past and I spend time beating myself up for what I’ve done, looking at things that I can’t change at this point.
But that’s sometimes the downfall of comparison, dwelling on something and not looking toward the future or even the present for that matter.
We’re continuing this morning in our series Who Am I? Which is a look through the book of Ephesians.
We’re looking at how the writer, the apostle Paul, describes for us who we are and who we become when we give our lives, our desires, our hopes over to Jesus.
Paul was a man who is an incredible example of what our passage is talking about, in how it shows who he was before he became a Christian and what his life looked like after.
So let’s look at our passage.
We’re going to be in which is page XXX in the bibles in the seats.
Paul writes “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.
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.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 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!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
7 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.
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed.
And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
10 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.”
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed.
And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
10 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.”
* 2:2 Greek obeying the commander of the power of the air.
Just before we get into this passage I just want to remind us of the context of this letter that Paul is writing.
He’s writing this letter to a group of believers, a church in the city of Ephesus.
Paul is currently under house arrest while he’s writing this letter, he has been imprisoned because of his preaching of the gospel.
So while he’s sitting in imprisonment he’s sending letters to churches.
And in this particular letter to the Ephesians Paul is sending them encouragement and reminding them of Who they are.
Tyndale House Publishers.
Holy Bible: New Living Translation.
Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015.
Print.
Last week we walked through Paul talking about all that they are in Christ, all of the blessings that they obtain because they believe and follow Jesus.
And this week we’re going to look at who they were and who they are now in Jesus.
And how we can see that in our lives.
So the first thing that our passage points out is Who we were.
Who we were! -
Paul doesn’t sugar coat the reality that the Ephesians faced when he begins this chapter.
In the first three verses of Paul reminds the Ephesians of the people they there were before they allowed Jesus to change their lives.
He really doesn’t mince words here.
He reminds them that there were sinners, they were people who were out for themselves, what they wanted and what desired.
He let them know that there were disobedient people who were just like the rest of the world, he says that they were people who were obeying the devil and refusing to obey God.
That as a result of their living in this way that they were dead, and this death meaning they were not living for Christ and so would have been separated and detached from God, who we believe is the only true source of life.
In verse 3 Paul makes sure to hit on the point that all of them used to live like this.
I’m going to repeat that one more time.
He says that all of them used to live like this.
, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard”.
His point here is that no one is perfect and everyone has been in this position where they’ve live in sin and allowed their sinful selfish desires to control and direct them.
It’s a pointed realization for those in leadership and those who make up the church.
, “10 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one.
11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away; all have become useless.
No one does good, not a single one.”*
10 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one.
11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away; all have become useless.
No one does good, not a single one.”*
“No one is righteous— not even one.
11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away; all have become useless.
No one does good, not a single one.”*
not even one.
11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away; all have become useless.
No one does good, not a single one.”*
11 No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good, not a single one.”*
not a single one.”*
* 3:10–12 ; (Greek version).
Tyndale House Publishers.
Holy Bible: New Living Translation.
Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015.
Print.
The bible shares a few reminders of what people are before they’ve given their lives to Jesus:
17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.”
19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.
, “17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.”
Tyndale House Publishers.
Holy Bible: New Living Translation.
Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015.
Print.
Tyndale House Publishers.
Holy Bible: New Living Translation.
Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015.
Print.
when it says, “19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
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