Rich in Mercy
Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 172 viewsNotes
Transcript
-So far: Blessed with every spiritual blessing, planned in ages past, that they know
-This passage, excitement, tims warning, hermeneutics
-the Big Idea: Who God Is - Rich in mercy**, abundant in love, immeasurable grace
The beauty of this passage - The story of our salvation
Most important thing - Who God is
(3 questions from my hermeneutics prof)
Read
What does this passage say about God?
Pray
Rich in Mercy, great love, riches of grace and he is kind - this is the main idea
Verses 1-3: The state of humanity apart from God (spiritually dead)
(Adam - you will surely die) - Walking dead
Separated from God who is the source of life (Adam - you will surely die) - Walking dead
“Passions of the flesh” - longings and impulses of a self-centered life
Physical appetites, emotional
Deep down rebellious, selfish, evil people
**Contrary to the worlds view (People are inherently good)
**Contrary to the worlds view (People are inherently good)
Humanistic psychlogy: all “bad” behaviours are a result of trauma and stress
Problems: according to what standard? Moving target of “goodness”. (Statue of John A Macdonald)
To believe we are inherently good we must either have a very high view of ourselves
Or we have to set the bar of “goodness” pretty low
We also recognize this world order is not good (this is a bit easier) - opposing view
Following the course of the world IS following the prince of the power of the air
We need to understand that the powers behind the systems of this world are infuenced by the lies of the enenmy
Why is this important to understand?
Why is
This situation is the “status quo” for all of humanity
We need this understanding to appreciate the heart of the gospel
But God doesnt leave us there
Becasue He rich in mercy, has great love for us
Becasue He rich in mercy, has great love for us
Mercy (withholding judgment for someone who deserves punishment)
Grace (unmerited favour)
- grace and mercy only makes sense if we acknowledge the lostness, brokeness the deadness of our own hearts and the whole world
the world God made was good but the curse of our sin changed that
***Binary view of God is opposite for the world
If people are good, then a God who requires repentance and faith and call us to a life of self-denial is not a good God
(They think God is judging inherently good people, not saving the despertely wicked)
Man-made Gods: (Zeus with the lightning bolt) , Allah (the scales)
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
You may have heard: the Christian message is too exclusive, surely good people are saved too
Christ didn’t come to narrow down the options… he came to be the way of salvation when there was no way
Mountain Analogy (David Platt)
How did God demonstrate this mercy and great love?
1: Made us alive together with Christ
2: Raised us up with him (sun-egeiro)
3: Seated us with him in the heavenly places (sun-kathizo)
He did all this while we were dead in our sin***
See the contrast:
Dead in sin, following the path of a fallen world, deceived by satan and enslaved to the passions of our bodies and minds
Made alive, Raised up from this fallen world and seated with Christ in glory
The big question is: why would God bother?
1- Firstly it is consistent with his own character (he is merciful, gracious and loving)
18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.
19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
God does not retain his anger (which is entirely justified) becasue he “delights in steadfast love”
He himself does the work of conquering our sin. Treading it underfoot and casting it into the sea.
Jesus did the heavy lifting.
He has saved becasue He is Rich in mercy and grace
2 - Because he wants us to know this about him
Because he wants us to know this about him
God as an infinite being has inehaustible ressources at his disposal
Omnipotent, Omniscient
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:7
Ephesians 2:7
God will demonstrate his immeasurable grace to us for all eternity
God will demonstrate his immeasurable grace to us for all eternity
Day after day, year after year we will continue to understand, experience and appreciate God more and more.
And because he is infinitely great and infinitely good this will continue forever!
What we need to see here is the inexhaustible mercy and grace of God
In the meantime (verse 10)
Infinite Being - Omnipotent, Omniscient, Gracious and Merciful
Just as we cant comprehend something beyond the power of God, there is no evil that is beyond his mercy to fogive, there is no sinner beyond his grace
Consider your own rebellion, reconciled to God
Present Gospel
What could we ever do in comparison, what could we add to his riches?
**Monopoly Money - it’s not a valid currency - childish
God has called us to good works. Don’t let following the course of this world keep you from them.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
***Present Gospel - (You were dead..But God)
Grace through faith - is the great equalizer (young child at VBS to murderer on death row) - teen challenge
We arent just saved by his grace, we are also kept by it - we dont disqualify ourselves
“His mercies are new every morning”
I fail daily, I rely on Christ’s mercy and grace daily - we return to the course of the world
***Present Gospel - (You were dead..But God)
***Present the Gospel (But God)
And God’s ressources are not diminished or depleted even though I constantly use them… theres no “grace allowance”, the entire heavenly storehouse is available
My good works are not somehing I add - they are fueled by God’s mercy and grace
The good works are simply the new path God has created for us now that we no longer follow the course of this world.
To those who have believed: remember… (read 8-9)
15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them.
1 timothy 1:
*But God... who is rich in mercy, abundant in love, immeasurably gracious and inifinitely kind has saved me from the penalty of sin, is saving me from the power of sin in my life and will ultimately save me from the very presence of sin and death. Prasie Him!
But God who is rich in mercy, abundant in love, immeasurably gracious and inifinitely kind
You were dead… But God