220828 Communion: Adoption

The Grace of God Saved Even Me

Ephesians 2

Who We Were

1 And you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom we all also formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Dead, steeped in sin, conducting ourselves in the exact same way as the world. Lustful, fleshly and doomed to perish - dedicated to wrath

What Yahweh Did

4 But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, (!!!) 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 ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

But God, the only true God who is Himself love, loved us and re-animated us from our dead and helpless state.

We have been saved - Hallelujah!

We have been raised with Christ - Glory to God!

We have been elevated and seated with Christ in the Heavenly places - Astonishing!!!

This has happened to reveal just how gracious God truly is.

Oh Revel - Rejoice!!!

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

This didnt happen because of the loveliness of our corpses, nor did it take place because our sinfulness was attractive - no we were completely rebellious against Yahweh and unwilling to come to Him.

He had to do everything! It was His grace that saved us. It was His faith that He gave us. None of us can boast

He did this so that we might do good as a result and be ambassadors for Christ

1 Cor 11:23-26

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was being betrayed took bread, 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.