Zombies No More Series

LIVING IN CHRIST – Zombies No More!

 Ephesians 2:1-10 NIV

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

INTRODUCTION:

Zombies are the walking dead generally reserved for horror movies. Yet our culture’s interest in the supernatural has revived the interest in such creatures bringing them weekly to prime time TV. Shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel” and “Supernatural” all present the conflict between good and evil with demons witches, monsters of all kinds including vampires, and even zombies. This week people will be going out to theaters for the return of one of Hollywood’s favorite zombies Freddy in “Friday the 13th.”

Are those who are separated from Christ are spiritual zombies? Could it be that we really do live among the walking dead? This morning Paul reminds us that we were all spiritual zombies but thanks to God are zombies no more!

I. We live in a world filled with Spiritual Zombies.

 Ephesians 2:1-3 NIV

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

1. Can it really be all that bad?

a) Paul does not paint a very pretty picture. We tend to think of people as being naturally good. Yes there is the occasional “bad apple”—that person who does terrible and unspeakable things, but we would never act like that—and no one we know is rotten to the core.

b) The truth is not what we imagine. We are all not just rotten to the core. We are the walking dead living daily in our sins and transgressions.

2. “Spiritual zombies” are dead in sin and powerless to help themselves.

a) A corpse has no life in it and can do nothing for itself. How often have you stood in a funeral home and heard some say of the departed loved one “He [or she] looks good?” Now can I tell you the truth on a Sunday morning? The corpse did nothing to improve its appearance. It was the funeral director who clothed the body, combed the hair and positioned the body. But that’s not all—they also put makeup on the face and hands of the body to hide the appearance of death. Have you ever seen a dead body without makeup? The corpse does not look good because the life—literally the blood is no longer animating the body and giving pigment to the skin, the color of life is gone.

b) Spiritual zombies do the same thing—they try to cover over the appearance of death. When zombies compare themselves to each other and look themselves in the mirror they conclude that they don’t look that bad. It is only when the zombie is placed next to a living body that suddenly the appearance of death dominates the image of the zombie. No amount of make up or fancy clothes can cover up the appearance of sin and death within the spiritually dead because the blood of Jesus has not cleansed and animated their bodies.

3. “Zombies” obedient to the “zombie ruler” without hope.

a) Paul says that the spiritually dead follow “the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” Spiritual zombies are lifeless and powerless. Jesus put it this way: