†ough חesed - The Gospel

Ephesians 2:1-10

Let’s talk about sharing the Gospel

Suppose you’re out and about loving God and doing as you please when all of a sudden a complete stranger comes running up to you in a panic.

They tell you that they just heard for the first time that if they want to get to heaven they need to hear and receive the Gospel.

Now, in your own words, how do you share with them the Gospel?

*kid stuttering if you could dream*

Ok, so it’s unlikely you’d ever find yourself in a situation where someone is just dying to hear your Gospel presentation, but this little thought exercise brings up a valid question.

If you were in a position to share the Gospel, could you actually share it effeciently and effectively *2 Timothy 2:15*

Now maybe you’re the type that goes around posting stupid things on social media like this

*preach the gospel use words if necessary image with cliche gregorian chant, slowly zooming in* *music stops john cena’s face are you sure about that*

In 1 Cor 15:1-2, the Apostle Paul says

It’s kind of hard to argue from this passage or from the rest of Scripture for that matter, that Christians aren’t expected to be able to comprehend and articulate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

But suppose you don’t know where to begin or what to include in your Gospel presentation.

Well allow me to point you to Ephesians 2:1-10.

Read Ephesians 2:1-10,

This passage is one of my favorite go-tos when it comes to understanding what a solid Gospel presentation looks like.

vv. 1-3,

vv. 1-3, Paul presents the bad news of the human condition before God, in that apart from Christ, we are dead in our sins and trespasses

We were walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience.

Paul emphasizes this is the condition of every person

Living in the lusts of our flesh

Indulging the desires of the flesh and mind

By our very nature, we deserved God’s wrath

Summarize:

Paul presents the spiritual disposition of humanity apart from Christ. (The Bad News)

This is a perfect, concise summary of our spiritual condition, ringing true to words of David, “There is no one who does good, no not one.” (Ps 14:3); of Isaiah, “All our righteous deeds are like a used menstrual cloth”(Is 64:6); and of Jeremiah, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick, who can understand it?” (Jer 17:9).

vv. 4-7,

vv. 4-7, Paul shifts to the good news pertaining to our spiritual condition, eradicating our doom in two words: “But God...”

We are shown that out of the richness of God’s mercy, out of His great love with which He loved us, not because of our spiritual condition, but despite it, that our spiritual identity of death has been converted into life, through our union with Christ.

Paul notes that this salvation is only by grace (getting what you don’t deserve)

Not only have we been made alive with Christ, we have been raised up with Him, exalted, an identity ascended and seated us in the heavenly realm with God in Christ

This is all for the purpose of demonstrating the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us whose identity are in Christ Jesus.

Summarize:

Paul contrasts the previous spiritual disposition of Christians by pointing to why and how God made us alive, raised, and seated with God in Christ Jesus (The Good News)

vv. 8-10,

vv. 8-10, Paul makes it a point to emphasize the facet of grace in all of this, that by grace we are saved through faith; we are not saved by works, salvation is solely a gift of God; not by what we do, but by what He has done, so that no one may sin and boast.

This point leads to his final point in this passage, in talking about God’s works, we are His workmanship, an identity created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of completing the prepared, good works of God.

This suggests that we were made for obedience in response to this new life established in Christ, not the other way around.

*Note*

v. 4-10, Paul repeats Jesus four times (v. 5, 6, 7, 10) throughout the Good News portion, in a context that clearly establishes that this Good News is bound to Christ and Christ alone. No other venue exists to God’s grace. Our identity as children of God is bound to Christ.

Summarize:

Paul emphasizes that this salvation is only by the works of God, not of man; in fact, the adopted child of God is in fact a workmanship of God, created in Christ for good works prepared beforehand by God.

Big Idea:

Paul presents the Gospel in three points:

The Bad News

Spiritually dead

The Good News

Spiritually alive

The Response

Purposed to live for God

As Christians, regardless if we have been in the marathon for a day or for a century, it is essential to know the hope, our inheritance, and God’s power (Eph 1:18-20) as revealed in the Gospel through Jesus Christ. When we understand the significance of the bad news and good news, we are equipped to joyfully respond to the Gospel by participating in the good works for which we were made for.

If you’re interested in some practical things to keep in mind when it comes to being a Christian *read your Bible.*, go ahead and click on the video here, but in the meantime

Stay on the alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous and strong, and let everything you do be done in love.

*†ough חesed out*