4. Lesson 4 Ephesians Chosen by Grace Chapter 2 verses 1 to 7

Church of Christ Dapto The letter to the Church in Ephesus Lesson 4—Chosen by Grace Ephesians 2:1-7      Know where I was Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, “As for you”, shows my past in contrast to Christ Jesus’ present. Ephesians 1:22-23 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. My status before I was saved was dead! My transgressions and sins all demanded the penalty of death. Trespasses: special acts. Sins: all forms and phases of sin more general.1 “Trespass” in Greek, expresses a fall or lapse, such as the transgression of Adam whereby he fell. “Sin” implies innate corruption and alienation from God (literally, erring of the mind from the rule of truth), exhibited in acts of sin 2 Sins… mean here habitual transgression; sinning knowingly and daringly.3 My spiritual life was dead. It could respond to nothing. My future was death. I could not respond to life, or create life in myself. Know how far God’s grace has taken me Who controlled my previous life? The world Ephesians 2:2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world I used to live under the control of my transgressions and sins as do the people of the world Satan Ephesians 2:2 and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air I used to be ruled by Satan who is the ruler of this world. I followed his control, obeyed him, and sought to bring about the results that he wanted—death. Satan cannot give life despite his promises. He can only bring death because that is his destination. Disobedience Ephesians 2:2 the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 1Vincent's Word Studies - Marvin R. Vincent, D.D. 2A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown 3Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832) He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series The Letter to the Ephesians—Lesson 4 Chosen by Grace October 13, 2019 Page 2 Know the nature of my previous life Ephesians 2:3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. The aim of my previous life was, what I thought was, my own happiness. I believed, as the people of the world do, that I can be happy if I satisfy myself in every way. The people of the world crave their sins of whatever type and cannot understand anyone who does not. Despite the fact that their attempts to satisfy themselves never bring happiness or satisfaction, they repeat their sins over and over. The very thoughts in their mind, and the plans they produce, are all aimed at satisfying themselves. They worship themselves as an idol. How can anything good come out of such a lifestyle? Know the result of my previous life Ephesians 2:3 Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. Do I really know God? Do I accept these verses as an accurate description of my life before I was saved, or was I not quite as bad as pictured? Do I believe that there was some good in me that attracted God and caused Him to choose me? Do I believe that in some way I was better than the others so that is why I think they were not chosen? Do I realise that believing these things about myself, I am denying God’s grace, claiming I earned my salvation and refusing my invitation to the marriage supper?      Where am I now? My new life came because of God’s love Ephesians 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, God had great love for me. “Great” indicates that His love is of immeasurable quantity, and endless quality. God’s love is not an emotion. God shows His love through what He does for me, and in me. God shows His love through His mercy. Mercy is the quality shown when a person deserves and has thoroughly earned punishment, but the judge, who is entitled to impose the ultimate penalty, decides to set a very low punishment, or in my case, waive the punishment completely. It was God’s love shown in His mercy which gave me life, not death. He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series The Letter to the Ephesians—Lesson 4 Chosen by Grace October 13, 2019 Page 3 My new life was given by God Ephesians 2:5 made us alive with Christ God’s mercy, the expression and action of His love, brought me back from the dead. He did so only through Christ Jesus. He brought me to share in the life that Jesus Christ displayed when He returned from the dead. I was brought out of death by God Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead in transgressions What Christ did, because of God’s love and mercy, occurred while I was still dead in my transgressions. I was not “progressing” or “becoming better” when Christ died for me. I was under a just and fair punishment: death for sin, when Christ died for me to free me from that punishment because of God’s love and mercy. I was saved by God’s grace Ephesians 2:5 it is by grace you have been saved. Why did God save me? He saved me to show His grace. His grace was the expression of His love and mercy and had an immediate and eternal effect on my future. There is no other foundation for my salvation except the grace—the unmerited gift—of God to me. I was raised by God Ephesians 2:6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, Not only has God’s love, mercy and grace saved me from death, He has raised me the highest place in the universe at the top table of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. He has given me greater honour than I could ever deserve, in a place I could have no right to be. Revelation 3:21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. His raising me is not for my praise and glory to show that I have been a better person than those who face judgement. It is because my elevation shows how incredibly generous God is to those who least deserve it.      He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series The Letter to the Ephesians—Lesson 4 Chosen by Grace October 13, 2019 Page 4 Why was I saved? Ephesians 2:7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. His riches in Christ include my invitation to the wedding supper of the Lamb and a place at the highest table. In the future, He will show the world how rich His Grace is by displaying all that He has done for me before all creatures in this universe. It will be plain that I did not deserve what I have been given. It will be plain that only God could have done what He has done in me and for me. All creatures of the world will not praise me, but praise the One who did everything for me. God was kind to me. He understands my weaknesses and faults and was prepared to forgive the sins of my ignorance of Him His kindness was not an emotion, as mine is. His kindness was shown in an incredible series of events that He planned before the world was created, and brought about: the life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension to heaven of Christ Jesus. What does this verse mean for my life? This verse shows my past and present relationship to God and why I was called to become a Christian. Before God opened the eyes of my heart to salvation in Christ, I was dead in my sins. Now that God has opened the eyes of my heart to Christ and turned my heart to believe in Him and accept His sacrifice on me behalf, He brought me back from the death of sin. I am now alive in Christ, and not dead in sin, but dead to sin. My sins are now dead, and their power over me is now dead because of Christ. While I was dead in my sins I lived only to satisfy myself, although it was impossible to do so while I was in sin. While I was dead in my sin, my sins and lusts controlled my life, but they do so no longer. While I was dead in my sins, I was, through my sins and lusts, under the control of the prince of this world, Satan, but I am not under his control any more. Now that I am alive in Christ, I am to live for Him and in Him. Now that I am alive in Christ I can live without fear of death because this life lasts forever because His does. This verse removes any claim that I can make that there is anything I could do, or any thought I could have, that would earn any gratitude from God. It means that I owe everything I am, or will be, to God and His love and mercy. Do I now spurn God’s grace and go back to the life of sin which is death? Do I now go on in the life of Christ proclaiming all that God has done for me to raise me to His side?     Next Lesson: Chosen to do good—Ephesians 2:8-22 Focus Verse: Ephesians 2:10  He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4