The Church Member's New Life

Now, it'll take just a minute or two for me to get things working up here, but I hope that you will bear with me for just. A moment is on fire up my laptop and get started. We come today to a passage of scripture in the book of Ephesians and there are several in the book of Ephesians that are outstanding. If you will, I have a hard time picking out. Those best is that our most outstanding in the book of Ephesians. Cuz there are so many but the last week, you remember, we we saw our condition before Christ came into our lives as Believers, and made his members of his family are. As we have seen already members of the church, that is the body of Christ church members. If you will not of this local church foot of the church, which is the body of Christ we saw that before. We were church members, we were dead in press passes and since we were influenced by our own desires and my the work of the adversary and we were without hope. So, when we saw that message, we were at first, perhaps discouraged and thought will never get out of this while the adversary wants us to believe that. But yet God's work for us and the accomplishment of his work, force us to a passage of scripture today that Larry is red Ford Taurus. It's in Ephesians chapter 2, verses 10 through 22. I don't want to take the time this morning to look at that passage of scripture, the member of the church and the church. I'm sorry, having been redeemed from the past of Eternal death and spiritual death. Is now the recipient of certain things, God has redeemed us from the past and he now gives us certain things. And it's important that we see the encouragement that he is done for his first of all, we have new purpose, new purpose last week. We were spiritually dead. There was no point in even living. But God has given us as Believers, new purpose. And I want you to see that this morning is, first of all to walk in, Good Works.

Ephesians 2:10.

Good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them, okay? God before we were even born prepared, good works for us to accomplish, it's not amazing. He prepared them. He didn't say well, you try and figure out what it is, that will help you to keep the law on accomplish being a good Christian and so on and so forth. He prepared The good works for us. That's the encouraging part. The dispatches of vision says, because to be quite Frank with you, if God were dependent upon what I planned and what I was able to do and what I could accomplish in my new life, it wouldn't be all that much. But God has prepared new access. A new purpose for me, in order that I can accomplish. Good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. It's important. We understand that because the scripture teaches is over and over again and you have some additional references in your notes. I hope you'll take time during this week, as you have time on your Devotion to look at these notes again and see what's in the amount. I realize that these are a little different. I haven't commented a great deal about the notes that you get handed out, but you notice that it needs point is only one or two blanks. There's a reason for that. I want you primarily to know what I say. Not spend time writing down and lose track of where I am. So I just want you to be able to fill in one or two or more words. And what's interesting is when children are in the car, gation, they are able to fill in those two or three words. Well, Many times only one word in each point, that's so that they can keep track because the interesting part of it is that young children can absorb more than you can. Did you know that? They'll listen even when they don't look like they're listening, they'll be drawing a picture on the back of the note page and they'll hear everything I say. And when I retired from the church, I was pastor of for 16 years. I received a letter from several members of the high school and college group, and they expressed appreciation. That from the time they were three years old. They had grown up in that church and learn the truth. I received an email recently from the young man, who'd grown up the same way in that church, and he said that helped me in my married life already. It help me to choose a new church and it helped establish me in the foundation of God's word. That's the purpose that you learn the truth and put it to work during the week, you have a new purpose of accomplishing, Goodwill. Which God has before ordained. You also, Are part of the evidence on salvation. Do that was good. Works. You have evidence that you have been saved. Go ahead, Larry 1st, John, 2 3. Now by this, we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments. By this we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments. Now it doesn't say by this others will be able to evaluate whether you're really a Christian or not because sometimes worried spend too much time. Looking at others. The first job of scripture, the scripture gives us is to look at ourselves God as a result of our faith in the Lord. Jesus Christ has made a change in us. That should make a change in our life. And he wants us to look at our own lives and say, is there really a change there? Because if not, maybe I better go back and check what I've done, but if we know that we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. As Savior, he will begin teaches those things that we need to have and it will make a change in our life. That's what the Christian Life Is, You Remember When the Lord was talking Nicodemus, he said, you must be born again. What does that mean? It means to be given new life that new life can live within us and doesn't live within this. Having been safe and it begins to do that which is pleasing to God. Now so long as we allow ourselves to live like under the old nature and we continued the old nature, we won't see much change, but as we will to God and as we begin to read his word and as we were taught in his word, he accomplishes that which Heat Is Ours in new purpose. So it's important that we understand that God has given this by his grace. This conduct is expected as a commitment to God. 1st Peter 2:25 for you were like sheep going astray, but have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. Okay, I've talked before about watching sheep, which I had offered to do every so often in Owasco and one my brother and I were for me and she need to be watched in order not to wander off. And God does that with us, and that's why he says, you were like sheep going astray because it's very easy for. She has his head down eating grass and he kind of walks over here and gets further and further away and pretty soon. He looks around and nobody's there. That's the way we are. But God is the shepherd, the Lord. Jesus Christ is our chief Shepherd and he watches us, and he guards us, and he protects us. And because of the change in our lives, he expects us to be committed to God. We were like sheep going astray just wondering off but now we know who Our Shepherd is, now we are committed to that Shepherd and we are able to follow his leading and hit an accomplished. His purpose as a result of following God to work in.

Are our laws according to his purpose. I'm sorry I'm having a little trouble. This one every so often it's interesting. I can get this set up and see it's fine. As I get it set up, I got big friend up here and and everything works fine. I've even tried it on television. And you know what? Good morning. I come to do it, my eyes for me, for some reason or other or I can't see well, but the Lord knows he will accomplish his purpose to me, just like he will through you. As a result of obedience to him as a result of Allowing God to work in our lives. According to his purpose at 10, if he's in chapter 2, For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. There's that verse that Larry ready earlier but it's important to realize that God's purpose. Was slain before the foundation of the Earth for you and for me. God knew exactly where we would be at a particular time in our life. He put us here for a reason. It always sometimes we think they're well yeah, I moved here to whatever and there wasn't a real reason for it yesterday was God had a reason and he brought you here in order that you might, maybe hear the truth and come to believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ to save her or he put you in Hawaii and you're listening to service on screaming because he had a purpose for you. Or he, he put you in somewhere back east and one of the states back East, because he had a purpose for you. And his purpose is, what needs to be accomplished through your units to him and his life. So, we have new purpose, then in addition we have a new family. Through the blood of Christ.

That's worse than 2:13 Larry but now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ, it's important that we understand that in the Old Testament, God was dealing with a particular Nation Israel. I've talked about this before and will no doubt talk about it again because there is a difference in the Old Testament. The only way that a person could be a believer in the Lord. Jesus Christ was first of all to understand what was given Israel. And be a what we call a proselyte except God and accept the Jewish faith. That was the way to begin to make sacrifices and so on and so forth. That was not always the case because God points out that even, then there were people who believe in God and got out of that face, but it was that was the only Avenue to come to know God, but now, That versus we were once a far-off that is if you were living some distance away and that weren't exposed to the the nation Israel in the morning for Xposed the sacrificial system and couldn't offer lamb every every time you send and so on and so forth. You are far off. But now the crisis. Like every single person in the world has access to God and is Redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember, the scripture says, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. That's one of the words are Hebrew chapter 10 without the shedding of blood. There is no remission of sins, that's important because Christ died and shed his blood in order that you might be a believer until you are made part of a new family. In addition, You have a new relationship of peace. Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ scripture says that's important. First of all 16 of Ephesians chapter 2, And that he might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross there, by putting to death the enmity. Okay.

It's important to understand that the God is infinitely loving. As you have heard from any number of people while God wouldn't do that because he's infinitely loving God is also infinitely. Just his infinite in every way he has all the love that he needs. He has all just that he needs allies infinite. That's something that we can't even understand. But God is just, he will punish the wrongdoer. But we have a relationship of Peace because God has presented a gift. The gift of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ by which we have eternal life, and it's important to understand that, that gift that God gave not that we gave not that we purchased, the one that God gave established with his Justice, the propitiation As Romans sick at 3 call the propitiation or satisfaction of God's judgement on sin. God is no longer required to judge sin because he has been satisfied through the death of the Lord. Jesus Christ. The satisfaction for shin comes through the gift of Christ. And therefore peace is established. There is peace formally there was Amity and strife, but now there's peace. That's what God has done for us and have a new family and we have peace with other. Don't know, where the God, but the worst 15 also says something. Larry, having a ballast in his flesh, the enmity that is the law of The Commandments contained in the ordinances. So as to create in himself, one new man, from the two, thus Making Peace. Okay? Ephesians 2:15 says there was a midi even amongst us, you ever noticed that how people have trouble getting along. But God has ordained and given us. Peace through being Believers. He wants us to live in peace with others. He has to be an example of peace with others. We can accomplish that on our own because of our evil nature influenced by Satan constantly create a struggle but God gives us peace. And so it's important to understand that as we're depending upon God, he can accomplish peace with others, there are lies. And so in that new family, that God has given us, we can have peace with God. I'm sorry these with a God and peace with others because God accomplish is that through the blood of Christ, it's important to see what God does for us. The third thing that God gives us is new axe.

That new access comes under a New Covenant verse 14. Larry for he himself is our peace who has made both one and has broken down the middle Wall of Separation. Okay. In the Old Testament.

And most of you do not live by the rules of the Old Testament. I didn't see anybody this morning. Bringing a lamb or Bullock or Turtle dog. Or two young pigeons to be offered today. Why? Because you don't you realize that doesn't apply to you anymore. What does apply the sacrifice of the Lord, Jesus Christ. And that comes the scripture teaches us. Under a New Covenant, a new agreement. Got in the past had an agreement that sends would be temporarily temporarily atone for as a result of Bringing a sacrifice to the priest would offer daily. He would offer sacrifices there was no place to sit you remember in the temple because he spent all day long offering sacrifices in four different people who brought those sacrifices. But now, We have a new high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. He has offered from God himself, one, sacrifice for sin, and the scripture. Remember you read last week, says having offer that sacrifice force and he sat down at the right hand of God, he said it is finished. Meaning the work for our Tolman is done. God has accomplished his purpose in, sending his son as a gift for our salvation. And we are now under that New Covenant that new agreement, you remember that when we had communion, we read the passage in in 1st Corinthians 11, that tells us this this cup is the New Covenant in my blood. What did he mean by that? There was an old cover that involve the blood of bollocks, the blood of the Lamb about of a turtle dog, or two young pigeons. Now, it's a New Covenant. It's the blood of Christ. That accomplishes the purpose of saving us and saving our shows. We are under a New Covenant, as a result, we are given new access Hebrews. I am sorry. Let me go to the next Sports hair access to the father 2:18. For through him, we both have access by one Spirit to the father, okay? For threw him through the Lord, Jesus Christ, both Israel, who is except for the Lord Jesus Christ. As Savior members of the of the nation Israel and the most of you have access to God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ to that sacrifice now

I can't I can't really stress this enough. This would be the content of a whole sermon. If we took time to stress at all, that it should be and maybe more than one sermon. But when we come to God In Prayer,

Everyday every service we pray, several times and we have to stop every so often and think about the access that we have to God, the father as a result of the work of the Lord, Jesus Christ because you see in the Old Testament. There was a sacrifice offered to every day which could never take away since. and then once a year, the high priest killed in Bullock, And took of the blood and went inside the most holy place. And sprinkle the blood of the Covenant on The Mercy Seat and tradition says that they tied, a rope around his ankle. So that if the sacrifice was not accepted and he was killed, they would be able to pull him out without going in the most holy Place themselves. They were in fear of God's justice but we're not. Why? Because Christ has died to atone for us. And the pay in the sacrifice that God set aside for our sin. And as a result, we have the privilege. Every moment of going to The Mercy Seat of God.

God has ordained that we have full access to him. It's unbelievable that we can go in prayer to God. The father at The Mercy Seat of God. The scripture says wherefore come boldly to The Mercy Seat with a rope, tied around your ankle. He says come boldly. You have free access to God, the father at any time you need anyting. He is ready to listen. Isn't that incredible?

That's amazing to me that whatever I need. God is willing to listen and hear and answer according to his purpose.

About prayer. First of all is like, God has given us a blank checkbook. All the checks are already signed by Jesus Christ. All we do is fill in the amount. That's what prayer really is. Now God explains in 1st Corinthians chapter 3 little, we will be held to account for those prayers and those actions and I'm sure that God is going to say. Now I see here that that you prayed and asked for the check to be delivered to you so that you could spend it on and he name something. He said, how did that have fact Your Effectiveness in serving me God's going to ask those kind of questions. That's what will be held to account for. So it's important when we pray, And we end prayer with in Jesus name. That means that we are cashing a check that the Lord Jesus has given us that he signed for it. It's on his account. Another words that's important because it's not for ourselves, it's for him. It's not for our selfish desires. It's for him that we do this. So it's important to express. The fact that there is a need, which he understands And we are claiming this promise and his name, you see I have a spoken in the past on prayer. And basically prayer is not about changing God's mind. Some people think while I am I need to pray long enough to change God's mind. No, God's mind is already made up. He is ordained this before the foundation of the world. Prayer is about changing your mind and helping you don't understand, then what you initially asked for may not have been according to his will. And so prayer, helps you to change your mind and see what his will is. That's the importance of prayer. You come to go and say God I want this and then as you think about it you think that's kind of selfish. Maybe I ought to be thinking about what he wants. That's what prayer is it helps to change our mind. And so every time we come to prayer, we have access to the father. It's important to understand these principles from a feeding because they are absolutely beyond belief. In comparison to what we saw last Sunday to this Sunday. We have great blessing And this second chapter of Ephesians, I don't know which has the outstanding chapter cuz they're all outstanding in Ephesians. But this chapter is true, of true of God's. Grace is something that we get there. We don't deserve, I don't deserve to be a member of a, new family, gods family, you don't deserve that, but God has given to, that is giving us, that is a gift. And so we look forward to that. Now, It's also important to know. That this is a source. Of nurture and growth. God's purpose in giving us this gift is in order that we can be nurtured. And we've talked about being graphed into the wine and receive that nurture from him, that's important, nurturing growth. We should grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ, the scripture says we should grow in Grace. To give others what they don't deserve. Just as we received it. That's God's purpose in our lives and that'll be one of the biggest changes that you will experience God's grace. God's grace because you see the general attitude is well he doesn't deserve this or she doesn't deserve it. That's not the question.

Because you didn't deserve this either.

God has given it to you. It's a gift from God, nothing you earned nothing you deserve. And God asks us to minister in Grace the others. If he's has 4:30 to work for me talking about this later on, but I went in Courage, you to look at that verse. It says forgiving each other just as God for Christ's sake, as for giving you that's the basis of forgiveness. Does he deserve it? Or does she deserve it? Where to forgive as God. Forgave us. Did you deserve it? Did I deserve it know But God forgave us, none the less any offered salvation freely. That's how we're to forgive others. I have once in awhile met with the people who were struggling with someone else, I said, this is how you go through the process of forgiveness. We start with you.

Well, I'll forgive that other person when they ask for forgiveness. No. You'll forgive them now. just as God for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you, and then You or wait until they ask for forgiveness, and you'll forgive him again. But it starts with you because the fees is chapter 4 says, if you don't do that, it encourages bitterness in your heart, you ever experienced that. You got upset with somebody cuz they don't know. They did something wrong and didn't ask for forgiveness. And you get bitter about it. God knew that interested me enough and he tells us forgive forgive and and then God will start the process of healing. We are part of a new family now,

Larry's going to read something for us. That is an encouragement. I believe that all of us it is not original with me. I found this in a book and it was Anonymous and so I just want to share it with you. It's on the screen and Larry's going to reason,

The will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot keep you or where the arms of God cannot support you. Where the riches of God cannot Supply your needs for where the power of God cannot endow. You The will of God will never take you where the spirit of God cannot work through you. Where the wisdom of God, cannot teach you where the army of God, cannot protect you and where the hands of God cannot mold you.

The will of God will never take you where the love of God cannot enfold you where the mercies of God cannot sustain you, where the peace of God, cannot calm your fears and where the authority of God cannot overrule for you. The will of God will never take you where the comfort of God. Cannot dry your tears, where the word of God cannot feed you, where the Miracles of God cannot be done for you and where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

Messianic argument to all of us. God takes care of his family. He always knows where we are. Always knows what we need and he's there to help us. Let's burn her. Father, we thank you for the fact that we have been given new access. We are part of a new family while we were formally. Did invest faster than sins? We are now part of your family and we have the opportunity coming to your presence and the full filled through the Lord. Jesus Christ in the gifted has been given us. We pray that you will enable us to live not with our own strength. Through the power that you've given us in order that we will may be able to accomplish your will in our lives and we still those around us for you. For we ask it in Jesus name. Amen.