“Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow”
Ephesians 2:1-10 October 26, 2008
OPEN: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” - God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts, God’s way are higher than man’s way
The issue is perspective. There is a great deal of difference between seeing life through a horizontal lens and seeing life through a vertical lens. God wants us to get a handle on a vertical perspective.
How do you get this? You won’t get it this view of reality by watching the news –by reading the paper, watching television or just by talking to Joe the Plumber. God’s perspective is different than ours. And it’s important that we get his perspective because it’s going to benefit us. His take on reality in the final analysis is the only that really matters.
This passage follows the discussion we started last week about three things God wants all of His children to realize in their life. He’s prayed that the eyes of our heart would be opened that we might know three things:
* The hope to which he has called you. The steadfast expectation that the God who chose us and adopted us and redeemed us and sealed us will one day finish His work by bringing His Church into complete conformity to Christ and restoring all that was lost after Creation due to sin. Paul is praying: “God don’t let your people get so caught up in the day to day stuff of life that they fail to comprehend your unswerving, unfailing purpose to bring your people and all of history to its final completion in Jesus Christ.”
* The riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. “Father, help them to see who they are in your Son. Help them not to seek their identity and purpose in what they can make out of themselves, help them not to spend their lives trying to define their worth in secular terms—how much money or intellect or physical beauty or power they can try to muster or maintain—but help them to see that because of your grace and mercy invested in them and paid for by the blood of your Son—they have a preciousness that makes them your own treasured possession!”
* The incomparable great power for us who believe. This part of the prayer is where the rubber meets the road. It’s one thing to have pie in the sky—it’s quite another to actually start slicing it. It’s one thing to have hope on Sundays—it’s another thing to see yourself actually moving toward the fulfillment of that hope on Mondays.
- Paul’s great passion when he starts this letter is that you might know who you are.
- Paul’s passion last week was that your eyes would be opened to what is available to you. Paul is praying: “God don’t let your people get so caught up in the day to day stuff of life that they fail to comprehend your provision for them.”
Elisha prays in 2 Kings 6:17 God is giving inside information about enemy movements to Elisha so he can in turn pass the information on to the King of Israel. When the King of Syria finds out about this—he is enraged and sends an army out to pick up and presumably eliminate Elisha and anyone affiliated with him. When Elisha’s servant sees that they are surrounded by a hostile enemy, he panics and says: What are we going to do? To which Elisha responds by asking God to open his servant’s eyes and see what the angelic army that is already there!
It has always been a struggle for God’s people to see and comprehend and apply to their lives in a practical way that which God has already provided for us.
OK, so the question is why does God want us to know these things? I’m so glad you asked! The end of chapter one tells us three things God wants us to know – the beginning of chapter two tells us three things God wants to do.
God Wants to Put The Past Behind Us.
He starts out by redirecting his readers to their past. And he wants them for a moment to remember where they were. He wants them to remember the sin in their life and its consequences. The reason individuals grow cold, the reason why God’s power seems to fade in the church, is that we have forgotten the awfulness of our sin and our need of God’s greater grace. The church is never stronger than her view of sin. You look carefully at the Great Awakening —and you will find that this awakening began with a revival of the doctrine of sin. It had nothing to do with clever evangelistic techniques. It had everything to do with people coming face to face with the awfulness of their sin. When that happens—and not until that happens—we can never appreciate grace. Ill of selling light products. One of the specialty items we sold was this tiny little quartz light bulbs. They are fairly common today but in those days they were an expensive specialty item. They were small and gave off an intense bright white light. Jewelers like these bulbs particularly. I soon learned why. They would place a piece of black velvet on the counter and place a piece of jewelry on top of it. They’d ask the person what they thought of it. “Yeah, that’s nice.” Then they’d flick on the light. The item would shine and sparkle they’d turn it under the light it would glisten and twinkle under the light. It wasn’t long before they were standing in front of the cash register.- The doctrine of sin is the black velvet upon which the diamond of God’s grace glitters. De-emphasize the doctrine of sin and suddenly grace is no longer “amazing.”
We Were Dead As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live - (Eph. 2:1) That phrase describes the condition of every person. We all were dead. If you're a Christian, that was but a past reality. If you're not a Christian, this is your present condition--you're dead. Now that’s God’s perspective – That’s divine reality. Notice he uses past tense in verse 1. “As for you, you were dead,” that’s the first word describing our past position. We were dead. Notice also this is a universal description. The “you” may have been written to the Ephesians at first but if you look at the end of verse 3 it says “like the rest of us” He includes himself in this description – we were all dead. All of us are in the same boat – it’s a universal description of the human race outside of Christ.
This is not talking about physical death. “You were dead in your transgressions and sins.” In the Bible there are two Greek words used for death. One is the word, nekros, which means “physical death” but, that’s not the word here. The other is the Greek word thanatos, which means “spiritual death,” and that’s what this is talking about. Nekros means the separation of the spirit from the body — physical death but, thanatos is talking about the separation of a person from God. We are all born dead, if you will. We are all born separated from God. All of you who are now Christians were at one time spiritually dead, but now you are alive. Jesus said in John 3:36 he said, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
- Ill – in the area where we grew up there was a famous horror movie made – “The Night of the Living Dead” We are living in the day of the “living dead.” People apart from God are spiritual zombies – the walking dead who do not know that they are dead.
We Were Devilish 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. (Eph. 2:2) There is another word that describes our past. Number two, we were devilish. In other words, we lived serving the devil. Look at verse 2. “You used to live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit,” that means the devil” “who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” Jesus said, “There are only two families.” He pointed his finger at the Pharisees who were not true, righteous believers even though they were very religious and said, “You are of your father, the devil.” There’s God’s family and there’s the devil’s family. Whether you like or not, we are all born into the wrong family. We are born into the devil’s family and we are a slave to the Satan as long as we are a slave to sin. When you become a Christian, you transfer families
There may be some of you right now who are not believers. When I say you are following the devil, you may think that’s ridiculous and that there is no devil. Whether you believe in the devil or not, the Bible says if you are not a Christian, you are a slave to Satan. You say, “I’m not a slave! I’m free. In fact, I’m more free than you folks down there at that church are. Why, I’m free to do anything I want to on Sunday and you folks have to dress up and go to church. I’m free. Don’t call me a slave!” Let me describe a person who is not a Christian: They are free, but they are only free to do what they want, they are not free to do what they ought. The problem is they want the wrong thing. You take an alcoholic—and as sad as it is—if you put a bottle in front of him, and you put a Bible in front of him and you say, “Choose which one you want.” You know what he will choose every time. He’s free to choose what he wants. He’s not free to choose what he ought. There are a lot of people out there who think they are really free and they don’t even believe in the devil. What they don’t realize is they are a slave to the devil, because the Bible says he who continues in sin is a slave to sin.
That’s like the old story I heard about from the Wild West. It’s about the old mining prospector who came down out of the mountains into the old western town. He had his old ugly, dirty, smelly pack mule loaded down. He walked up and hitched his mule to the hitching post. There were some cowboys inside the saloon and one of them said, “C’mon outside. We’re going to have some fun with this ole boy.” He walked out there and he said to that prospector “Old man, have you ever danced in the street?” The old man said, “Nope.” The cowboy said, “Well, you’re going to dance now.” POW! POW! He started shooting at the old prospector’s feet, who started dancing a jig. Everybody was laughing and having a good time. The cowboy ran out of bullets and before he could reload, the old prospector reached into the packs on his mule and pulled out a double-barreled shotgun. By the time the cowboy had his guns reloaded and looked up, he was looking down the double barrels of a shotgun. The old prospector said, “Cowboy, have you ever kissed a mule?” The old cowboy said, “No, but I’ve always wanted to.” He wasn’t free to do the right thing, he was free to do what he wanted—but you might say he was under strong compulsion. I said that in order to say this: A lost person is free, sure, but they are free to do what their nature tells them to do to do what they want, and they want the wrong thing. When you become a Christian, God sets you free to want the right thing.
We Were Depraved 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. (Eph 2:3) You used to be dead. You used to be devilish. There’s a third word that’s in this passage of scripture that describes our past: Depraved. There is a doctrine we believe called the Doctrine of Human Depravity, meaning we are all sinners by nature and by choice. Look at verse 3. This describes the depravity all of us are born into. “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.” In other words, you and I are born with a tendency to sin and we are born with a desire to sin. We are born wrong. We are depraved! Sometimes you hear people say, “Man is basically good. Give him the right kind of environment, the right kind of education, make sure he is not hungry and the goodness of man will come out of him.” secular humanists teach that, and the New Age Religion teaches that, but the Bible teaches just the opposite. The Bible teaches, “We are all by nature sinners.” The Bible says we are born with a “sin nature” and unless that nature is changed, we die with that “sin nature.”
Notice those three key words: cravings, desires, thoughts. These three words reveal the power of the old way of life. For some of you, sin is not just an occasional slip-up, it’s a constant, never-ending craving—one that leaves you completely powerless. Once that craving consumes you, there is nothing you can do to escape it. Maybe that craving is the temptation to explode at your anger at your spouse or children; maybe it is to drown your misery in alcohol or food; maybe it is to commit some kind of sexual sin; maybe that craving is to spend too much money at the mall; maybe it is to exploit a business situation and take advantage of someone for your own selfish gain. Do you see what I’m saying? The lure of the old way of life comes at us in dozens of different forms and facets, but the result is always the same: it brings the stench of the past into the present and makes living a new life for Christ virtually impossible.
Where were we? Dead in sin. Devilish in our actions. Worthy of the wrath of God. – That’s God’s perspective on us-
He Wants Us To Come Alive Spiritually In The Present But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, (Eph. 2:4-6) OK we’ve talked a bit about what we were – these next verses talks about God’s desire for your present. Notice the words, “But God” Circle those two words in your Bibles. These two words are the great hinges of this passage. This is where change happens. Don’t miss the great difference between verses 3 & 4 and verse 4 & 5. We go from deserving the wrath of God to receiving the mercy and love of God. I don’t think there is a more dramatic turn anywhere in Scripture than the two words “but God” Two words that deliver the most poignant, dramatic turnabout imaginable.
Look at the text again – There’s the old cliché that says God loves you just as you are but he also loves you too much to leave you there. It’s true. But let me ask you this: when did God start loving you? So many times we think that God started loving us when we started being loving. When we started being sweet and kind, and generous and good, and when we started just living such a perfect life, As if God said, “My, isn't that great? They’re getting their act together finally. I guess I can start loving them now.” When did God start loving you? Even when we were still dead in our trespasses and sins God loved us. In other words, even when we were unresponsive (dead) to His mercy and grace. I don’t understand all the forensics that go into the process of dying – but I do know this: It’s a total inability to respond. God has loved you from eternity, there has never been a time when God didn't love you. There will never be a time when God doesn't love you. Because of his great love – because he is rich in mercy. You may find it difficult to find people who are “rich in mercy.” When you make a mistake most people will look at you and say – “Well suffer the consequences – you’re just getting what you deserve.” A great many people are poor in mercy. God is rich in mercy – he delights in being merciful towards you. The change that God wants us to experience in our lives springs out of his great love and the richness of his mercy.
How does he bring that change about? To really understand this you almost literally have to read between the lives. What happens between verses 3 & 4? It is the cross of Christ. The first three verses set the black cloth of our nature out for us to see. But on top of that blackness lays the gems of the love of God and the mercy of God. I mean to really get a handle on what Paul is talking about you have to go back and read the end of chapter one again. Verse 19 – he’s talking about the incomparably great power that is available for us who believe. (this is what’s available for us) How great is that power? It is immeasurably great. It raised Christ from the dead – and seated him at his right hand. Do you see what is going here? Jesus died on a cross, came to life, was raised from the dead, has ascended to the right hand of God the Father where he is now seated far above all principalities and powers and every named that is named - but not only that – You and I are made alive with Christ. We are raised up with Christ. We are seated with Christ in heavenly places. What has happened to Christ has happened to you and has happened to me. He went from death to life. We go from death to life. He was raised up – we’re raised up. He was seated in the heavenly realms. So are we. Here is the question – are you aware of the exalted position that you occupy as a child of God? You came in this morning and tried to determine where you were going to sit down. God has already seated you in the heavenlies.
The world did its worst to him and he rose victorious. When the world does it’s worse to you, you can still be victorious. God’s answer to the needs that Paul has just outlined for us
The greatest need of a dead person is what? To be made alive. – Ill of cyronics. Companies that will take your money and deep freeze you in liquid nitrogen and keep you until sometime in the future when mankind’s science hopefully will advance to the point of bringing you back to life and heal whatever disease you may be carrying. Cryonics is not God’s answer for the problem of death. I’m glad I’m part of God’s chosen and not the devil’s frozen. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is God’s answer to the death problem. It’s God’s only answer to the problem of death. Both spiritual and physical death were conquered by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The greatest need of a depraved person is what? To be set free. Life on this planet is a battle against the world, the flesh and the devil. Paul outlines this by the way in the previous verses. “You followed the ways of the world.” “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” and “the cravings of our sinful nature” (note the footnote – the flesh” In Christ the bondage to sin has been broken. Jesus. In Christ we can be victoriously over sin, He who died substitutionally for us and who rose from the dead victorious over sin and death and Satan and hell, lives in all who repent and receive Him. Greater is He Who is in us, than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4) and therefore we, too, triumph over sin and over Satan and over our own flesh, in Him. Does this mean we never fall? Of course not. But it means that God’s grace picks us up, dusts us off, and sends us on our way rejoicing in ongoing forgiveness, and then that same grace enables us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions in the future, and to live lives of self-control.
The greatest need of a person who is the object of God’s wrath is what? Grace. Paul says, “it is by grace you have been saved.” Ill - A few years ago Duncan Hines came up with a new product, a cake mix they had formulated that only required adding a cup of water. You poured the water on the mix, stirred it up, put it in a pan and put it in the oven—it came out a perfect cake. That product did not sell. It sat on the shelves. When they did some marketing research, they discovered consumers did not want to buy it, because they thought a cake that all you had to do was add water to wasn’t any good. So, Duncan Hines took it off the market, re-formulated it so all you had to do was add a half cup of milk and an egg. Ever since then it has sold like hotcakes, because people like to feel like they have done something. Just adding water is too simple.
How do you become a recipient of God’s grace? Does it require a lot of good works? A few good works? One good work? The answer is: zero good works. There’s nothing you can do to make yourself come alive spiritually; God does it for you.
As deep as our depravity goes – the mercy of God goes deeper still. We are not raised from the dead and left in the graveyard. That same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is able to raise us out of spiritual death.
He Wants To Display His Grace In The Future. 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. (Eph 2:7)
Verses 7-10 tells us why God wants these things for us. This verse says there are ages to come and in the ages to come he is going to show – demonstrate the immeasurable, limitless incomparable riches of His grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. Can you think of more lavish language he could have used?
There is a very important aspect of this passage that the discerning reader should catch. SOmtiems as youa re reading the bible there are certain words or phrases that are repeated. When you see those kinds of things it is a clue. Ill of high school basketball coach telling a player saying “I want you to stay on that guy right there Number 23 . Now let me give you a clue he has a large 2 followed by a large 3 on the front of his jersey. And if you look on the back it’s the same thing.” He gave him a clue. When you see repeated phrases in Scripture it is a clue. Look how many times the words “In Christ” and “With Christ” occur in this passage. Here’s a clue” Everything we have available to us we have by virtue of the fact that we are in Christ. Apart form Christ we have nothing but deadness, defeat and depravity – but in Christ - we are no longer apart from Christ. By grace through faith we are a part of his victory.
Sometimes we face struggles and we begin to wonder – does God really love me? I mean if God really loved me he certainly would have changed this or that. It’s like picking the petals from the flower – he loves me – he loves me not. Here’s what this passage is teaching us – when he looks at you he sees you “in Christ” So when the God the Father looks at Jesus how does he see Him? God loves you the same way that He loves His Son.
“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.” That word show literally means to display with pride. God will show us off as examples of his grace. We are trophies of his grace, because he’s going to show us off. That word “to display with pride” would be a word you would use if you took a classic automobile to an automobile show or if you took a steer to a 4H show to show it off with pride. It’s what happens when the judge hangs the blue ribbon on your display. The Bible says that’s what God is going to do to you, and he’s going to do to me, he’s going to show us off with pride, and say, “Look. There is a prime example of my grace!” He’s going to get a group of angels together and say, “here are my trophies” and he’s going to put you on display.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. Imagine the heavenly realms that Paul made reference to—as they appear at this very moment. There is Jesus, sitting on his throne. There, seated with him, is a group of Christians. If you look closely, you’ll see it’s not just the superstar Christians sitting with him, the stumbling Christians are there, also. Look closer. There YOU are. In the heavenly realms. With Jesus. How did you get there? Is it because of something you did? Something you didn’t do? No. You’re there because he brought you there. Paul is saying – When the trophies are put on display – not one person is going to boast about what they contributed to their arrival. All the silly little ideas about how good we are and ideas about good works and what we merit will be washed away in a moment from our minds. In heaven it’s all about grace.
Look at what he says in verse 10 - For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. You are, or can be, a sample of God’s best work. He wants to use you to show his goodness to the world. Paul also used the phrase, “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God already has your future mapped out. He knows the steps he wants you to take. Whatever steps or missteps you have taken that have brought you to this point in life, God knew about it in advance, and he planned around it. And now, when you’re ready, you can begin living out the future that he designed for you. In doing so, you will become his workmanship. And, in doing so, you become changed.
CLOSE: Do You Have a Proper Perspective of What God is Doing In Your Life?
* PowerPoint slides may be available for this message. Some slides I use have copy write restrictions on them - others are slides, which I’ve created. If this sermon has slides I’ve created, I’d be glad to pass them on to you for your use. Please feel free to email me at: timvamosi@charter.net
