Ephesians 2:1-3

Sin’s Power and Man’s Need

If you remember anything about how Chapter 1 closes and I trust that Garrett left this impression in your minds - you’ll remember that Chapter 1 closes with this great declaration that Jesus rules over all and is head of the Church. We talked about God’s great power and His immeasurable greatness toward us who believe. That is great news! We need to hear that!

But as Chapter 1 ended on a high note, Chapter 2 starts out pretty grim. Chapter 2 verses 1-3 paint the picture that we must all come to understand about the condition of man. And it is a pretty ugly picture if I may say so.

Let me ask you tonight - Do you understand why the world is the way it is? Do you understand the news/headlines day after day? Do you understand the things that you see around you?

Well if you are a Christian you do. If you are a Bible believing Christian, you know that the reason the world is the way it is, the reason you see all of these dreadful things around you each and every day is plain and simple - It’s SIN.

Sin is the cause. It’s not the fault of Legislation (we can’t legislate morality). It’s not the fault of Education (we can’t make everyone good if we take them to higher education). It’s not the fault of Environment (just because you were born with a certain last name doesn’t mean you will be good or bad). It is the cause and effect of SIN.

Sin is the cause and the effect is a world gone to Hell in a hand basket. The effect is everything you see on your TV on the 6:00 news. Those are the byproducts of a sin filled society.

But the world doesn’t want to hear that do they? It’s politically and culturally correct now to think that “people are born good”. Well, what do you think?

You see, before we can be cured of our sin condition - we have to realize that we are sinful. That seems so simple for us as believers, but you notice that these verses are speaking to us as Christians - it says “And YOU were...”

Think about the most respectable, kind, loving, considerate and generous person you know. Think about how “good” they are. They do good things, they help people, they are giving, they are loyal, they are good citizens and good employees. But despite how “good” they are according to the world’s standards - they are SINFUL.

No one is exempt from the curse of sin. Nobody! The Bible is clear about this.

2 responses to hearing this diagnosis of your sinful condition:

I’m not that bad. I’m good enough to earn the favor of God in my righteous living. After all… I’m not like ______ or I don’t do the things that ______ does.

Well, I hate to tell you this - but there aren’t varying degrees of deadness. You’re either DEAD or ALIVE right? You don’t say “oh, he’s REALLY dead” I don’t want to be morbid, but there are not varying degrees of deadness. So that person that thinks that they are “good enough” - guess what? They haven’t seen their REAL condition. Sometimes one of my kids gets hurt and they are screaming about their hurt place and I just kind of brush it off because they are always going on about how bad they are hurt… but sometimes they’ll be crying and I’ll walk over and look at where they’re hurt and go “OH” “UHHHHH” and I’ll look at Jane, then look at the injury and then I realize that it is worse than I thought.

The same thing happens to the person who “thinks they are good enough”

I’m so bad that I can’t be saved. This is obviously a better predicament to be in, but still a predicament no less. This person thinks that the sin they have has so much power that it cannot be redeemed. Their life is so bad that they can’t be saved from the pit they’ve created. They think they are doomed and nobody can help them.

This person is ripe for the good news of verse 4, which we will get to. They need to know what God did for them and how much God loves them. Only when they see what Jesus did for them can they be forgiven and forgive themselves.

Do these two responses remind you of anything?

Luke 18:9-14