Mankind's Desperate Plight, God's Gracious Solution

Introduction

Have you ever been in a place where it seemed like everyone around you knew the language, except for you?

Hong Kong...

Deaf event with April...

Believe it or not, within the Christian church we have our own language that can be just as mysterious to outsiders. For example:

Fellowship...

Quiet Time...

Hedge of Protection...

Small Group; Home Group; Life Group; Missional Community Group; Life Transformation Group...

Traveling mercies...

Saved by the blood of the Lamb...

Anointed...

Tithe; tithing; tithes and offerings...

Communion; Lord’s Supper...

Lay hands on...

Sinner’s prayer...

Feeling led...

Church planting...

I’m sure there are hundreds more!

Some of these words and phrases are important, while others are not as important.

But one word that we say a lot in this church that must be understood fully is “the gospel.”

The term itself is from a Greek word that means “good news” and was commonly used throughout the Greek and Roman world.

When the emperor had an important announcement he would send out messengers who would cry out...

For the church this simple term was conscripted to encapsulate a far more important concept than simply good news from the ruling authority of the day.

It carried the idea of the Good News as it pertained to what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection.

In fact, this is the best Good News in all of human history!

Unfortunately, too many in the church today, if asked the question, “What is the gospel?” would stumble, stammer, or would flat out not know what to say.

Others might point to the first four books of the NT, called the Gospels, yet not be able to clearly state what “the gospel” is, contained in the Gospels.

As pastor of First Baptist Castle Rock, it is one of my life-goals that no one in this church will be unable to tell others what the gospel of Jesus Christ is in a clear way that will allow people to respond to the gospel.

I’m so passionate about this that I would consider my pastoral ministry a failure if the majority of the church family I’m assigned to shepherd cannot do just that after I’ve been here for five years or more.

Additionally, the gospel is not simply the starting place for our Christian walk. Something we believe, then move on to weightier matters. No, we must daily be reminded of the gospel and it’s implications on our lives.

In his wonderful little book, A Gospel Primer for Christians, Milton Vincent says this of the gospel: “On my worst days of sin and failure, the gospel encourages me with God’s unrelenting grace towards me. On my best days of victory and usefulness, the gospel keeps me relating to God solely on the basis of Jesus’ righteousness and not mine.”

That’s what the gospel does in the life of the believer…that and so much more!

Therefore, a couple times of year I take special time on Sunday morning to examine the gospel message closely so each of us will get the gospel our minds and hearts, live the gospel out in our lives with more commitment and passion, and are ready to share the gospel with others as the opportunities arise.

Turn to Ephesians 2:1-7 as we will look at mankind’s desperate plight, and God’s gracious solution this morning.

Body: Ephesians 2:1-7

Verses 1-3: Mankind’s Desperate Plight

Paul begins this section by focusing on our pre-conversion plight:

We were spiritually dead because of our trespasses and sins.

Trespasses and sins...

Next, Paul examines the three forces at work against our souls that attempt to keep spiritually dead, or to push us back towards living like the spiritually dead: the world, the devil, and the flesh.

The world

The system humans have created for themselves consisting of it’s values, beliefs, and morals apart from God.

We are called to live in the world, but not to be “of the world” or defined by our commitment to the world’s system.

The devil

“prince of the power of the air”

Satan is called many things in Scripture. Here it follows the ancient idea that evil spirits inhabited the air above us.

Most of our temptations are not directly from Satan himself…he isn’t omnipresent like God. But he has a multitude of minions who sole purpose is to keep you from the faith and to shipwreck your faith.

The flesh

Desires of the body...

Not all bodily desires are evil. But when those become the driving force in our lives.

Or, when those are expressly forbidden by God.

Desires of the mind...

Sin always begins in the mind. If we win the battle in the mind, then it won’t be fought elsewhere.

Therefore, our pre-conversion identity is: children of wrath.

Meaning we are children who were on the pathway to receive God’s just wrath against sin and sinners.

If left here, our plight would be hopeless.

Verses 4-7: God’s Gracious Solution

The two most beautiful words in Ephesians: “But God”!!!

Because of His great mercy and love, and despite our identity as children of wrath who are spiritually dead, God made us spiritually alive in Christ Jesus.

But, I’m not worthy of that?

That is true! But that’s the beauty of the gospel message, it is by His grace.

We are resurrected from spiritual death to spiritual life not because of our worthiness, but because of Christ Jesus worthiness.

He saved us because of what Jesus accomplished and simply because of His great love and kindness.

But I’m a pretty good person?

Who sets that standards of “good”? That’s the issue with a statement like that. We cannot set the standards of goodness ourselves then congratulate ourselves for meeting our own standards. The standard has to be outside of ourselves.

Otherwise Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Himmler, Idi Amin, Nero, Genghis Khan, were also good because, according to their own standards, they were the heroes of their stories.

And society at large cannot set the standards either, because society at large is sometimes (often times) wrong.

The standard has to be something or someone greater than ourselves.

That’s why the Bible teaches us that God sets the standards, not man.

But God didn’t only make us spiritual alive (which would have been enough, by the way), but He also has given us a position as His dearly loved sons and daughters.

Verse 6 tells us that He has given us a heavenly inheritance with Christ Jesus. What is that? We need to go back to the previous chapter of Ephesians to understand it better:

Ephesians 1:20–23 ESV

that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Now, look at verse 6 again:

Ephesians 2:6 ESV

and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

We have heavenly standing and heavenly authority with Christ.

Not as equals, of course, but as dearly loved sons and daughters, none-the-less.

Because when we are in that position, God is glorified. Look at verse 7 again.

Ephesians 2:7 ESV

so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Our salvation is an eternal symbol of God’s grace and kindness, which will lead to righteous praise for all eternity to God.

So What?

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

Whenever the gospel is examined, we always must present the truth that salvation is found no where else than in Jesus Christ.

Have you received forgiveness for your sins and become a follower of Jesus?

Live as a unified body of Christ.

Chapter 2 lays out what God has done for His people through Jesus. The rest of Ephesians speaks of the implications of that victory. There is much there, but two points unify the rest of the letter and should truly be results of God’s gracious solution. The first is to live as a unified body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:1–3 ESV

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

As the church of Christ, we are all on equal footing from the standpoint that we are all sinners who were saved by grace.

Therefore, when we live as part of the community of believers, known as the local church, we ought to strive to live in unity with one another…warts and all.

Could your interactions with other church members:

Humble?

Gentle?

Patient?

Bearing with one another in love?

Eager to maintain unity in the bond of peace?

This is what God has called us to.

Live like a follower of Jesus.

Paul continues in Ephesians with the following:

Ephesians 4:21–24 ESV

assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 5:1–2 ESV

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:15–16 ESV

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Your homework this week: Read through the book of Ephesians and ask yourself:

Am I truly living as part of the unified body of Christ? If not, what do I need to do better?

Am I living like a follower of Jesus? If not, what hinders you? Is it worth it?