Saved by Grace Through Faith

Introduction

What will be your legacy?

Have you ever wondered how you will be remembered?

We only have a few short years on this earth (relative to eternity)

Have you ever thought about what you may see and feel after you die?

Have you ever thought about what the Lord will say to you when you stand before him?

Will God say the beautiful words “well done good and faithful servant”?

Have you thought about your legacy? What will you do with your life? Have you ever feared wasting your life?

The Book of Ephesians

Remind them to open their Bibles to Ephesians 2:1-10

Author: The Apostle Paul while he was in Prison (Known as a prison epistle along with Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon)

Paul planted the church in Ephesus.

He had a special connection to these people

The elders in Ephesus wept when Paul departed from them

Purpose: For the Encouragement of the believers in Ephesus.

This letter reminded them of the rich blessings that are in Christ.

Our passage today talks about the amazing grace of God and our response to it.

Body

The Bad News

We start with the bad news because one cannot not know the full riches of the good news without first learning the horror of the bad news.

Just like one cannot know what it truly means to be healthy until they are sick.

Ephesians 2:1–3 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

These three verses teach us three things:

“The state of the Ephesians before their conversion, and the natural state of mankind universally, is spiritual death, which includes: A state of sin, they are in a spiritual subjugation to satin, and they are in a state of condemnation.” - Charles Hodge

Verse 1: Dead - “A State of Sin”

Ephesians 2:1 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

By using the term “you”, Paul teaches that all believers were once in this state

“The unconverted are spiritually dead in their sins and are unable to commend themselves to God.” –Steven Lawson

Those who are outside of Christ, which all believers were, are not able to bring themselves to life.

THEY ARE DEAD - Can a dead man get out of a coffin.

Princess Bride: There is a difference between all-dead and mostly dead. What can we do with all dead? Go through his pockets and look for loose change!

“Like a spiritual corpse, he is unable to make a single move toward God, think a right thought about God, or even respond to God—unless God first brings this spiritually dead corpse to life” –James Montgomery Boice

We were depraved creatures under the curse of sin

Romans 3:9–12 ESV

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

1 John 5:12 ESV

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Verse 2: A state of subjection to Satan and to our own corrupt affections

Ephesians 2:2 ESV

2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

As Americans we like to view ourselves as ones who are completely free, however, we are slaves to sin under the rule and authority of Satan.

Galatians 4:3 ESV

3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.

It is a nasty world out there, if one only looks at our country now, it is obvious to see that this world is not working for God.

Verse 3: A state of condemnation

Ephesians 2:3 ESV

3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

“Children of wrath” - This shows us how bad we really were.

We are fully condemned before the Holy God. In being rebellious against God we were on a downward spiral toward’s experiencing God’s eternal wrath in Hell forever.

Hebrews 10:31 ESV

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

What you were spiritually

Dead in sins unable to help yourself

Serving Satan

You were carrying out the wicked desires of your mind

You were under God’s wrath

“But God,” - The Two Greatest Words

Ephesians 2:4–7 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places 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.

Verses 4-5: Rich Mercies of God

Ephesians 2:4–5 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

God was under no obligation to intervene and save us, but he did

Being “saved by grace” means that we were saved through an act of “unmerited favor”

1 John 4:10 ESV

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Romans 5:6–9 ESV

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Verses 6-7: Seated with Him

Ephesians 2:6–7 ESV

6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places 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.

The same power which brought Christ to life has brought you to life - Charles Hodge

Romans 8:11 ESV

11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

We were taken from being servants of satan to being resurrected and lifted up and seated with Christ.

By Grace Through Faith

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

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.

God grants us the gift of faith and brings us from spiritually dead to spiritually alive

This not a result of anything meritorious that we do but only because of God’s grace and mercy

Made for Good Works

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We have been made and molded by God for the purpose of good works—great things that bring him glory!

Prepared Beforehand: God has set you apart for something that will bring Him great glory, don’t waste your life—figure out what it is.

Conclusion

What will be your legacy?

Will you strive to serve the amazing God who has saved you from this state of depravity you were in before, or will you choose to serve yourself.

What will people say about you after you die?