But God part 1
Dead On Arrival – But God
Eph 2:4 - But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Introduction – But God moments ---
? Genesis 20:3 – Abimelech
? Genesis 31:7 – Laban
? Genesis 45:8 – Joseph
? Exodus 13:18 – Israel
? Judges 15:19 – Samson
? 1 Samuel 23:14 – David
? Daniel 2:28 – Daniel
? Jonah 4:7 – Jonah
? Acts 10:28 – Peter
1. The condition & plight of man – Ephesians 2:1-3
Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
? … you … who were dead… - “nekros” – dead
? Genesis 2:17 (ESV) - 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
? Romans 5:12 (NLT) - 12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
? Genesis 3:8 (ESV) - 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
? Ephesians 4:18 (ESV) - 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
? And a dead person can do nothing to improve their condition.
? … dead in trespasses … - “parapto¯ma” – intentional error / deliberately crossing a barrier
? … dead in … sins … - “hamartia” – unintentional error / missing the mark
? … ye walked according to the course of this world … - - “peripateo¯” – walk around / browse / meandering
? … according to the prince of the power of the air … - - “archo¯n / exousia / ae¯r” – chief magistrate / potentate
? … children of disobedience … - - “uihos / apeitheia” – descendents of unbelievers / athiest
? Hebrews 4:6 … they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
? … we all had our conversation … - - “anastrepho” – behavior /
? 1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
? … in the lusts of our flesh … - - “epithumia / sarx” – forbidden desire / carnal human nature
? Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
? … fulfilling the desires of the flesh … - - “thele¯ma / sarx” – a determination / choice / inclination / will / pleasure
? … fulfilling the desires of the mind … - - “dianoia” – deep thought / imagination
? … were by nature … - - “phusis” – the natural human proclivity, or propensity, to go astray, to wander
? Robert Robinson / "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" / Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.
? … the children of wrath … - - “teknon / orge¯” – indignation / violence
2. The mercy & love of God – Ephesians 2:4-6
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
? … But God … - - “de Theos” –
? … rich in mercy … - - “plousios / eleos” – abounding in compassion
? 1 Peter 1:3 - God’s mercy is abundant
? 1 Chronicles 16:34 - God’s mercy endureth for ever
? Psalms 100:5 - God’s mercy is everlasting;
? Psalms 109:21 - God’s mercy is good,
? Numbers 14:18 - God’s mercy is great
? Genesis 19:19 - God’s mercy is magnified
? Psalms 86:5 - God’s mercy is plenteous
? Ephesians 2:4 - God’s mercy is rich
? Luke 1:78 - God’s mercy is tender
? … for his great love … - - “polus / agape” –
? Eros = Physical love - attraction
? Storge = Familial love
? Phileo = Friendship
? Agape = Sacrificial love
? … when we were dead in sins … - - “nekros / parapto¯ma” –
? … hath quickened us … - - “suzo¯opoieo¯” – reanimate / made us alive
? Quickened = made alive; reanimated
? … together with Christ … - -
? … by grace ye are saved … - - “charis / so¯zo¯” – undeserved deliverance
? … raised us up together … - - “sunegeiro¯” – to rouse (wake-up) from death
? … made us sit together in heavenly places … - - “sugkathizo¯ / epouranios” – gave us a seat at the table in heaven
3. The grace & kindness of God – Ephesians 2:7-9
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
? … in the ages to come … - - “aio¯n / eperchomai” – world yet to arrive
? … the exceeding riches of his grace … - - “huperballo¯ / ploutos” –
? … in his kindness … - - “chre¯stote¯s” –
? Mercy = helping the wretched
? Love = making necessary sacrifice
? Grace = undeserved favor
? Kindness = gentle goodness
? … through Christ Jesus … - - “Christos / Ie¯sous” –
? … by grace ye are saved … - - “charis / so¯zo¯” –
? … through faith … - - “pistis” –
? … it is the gift of God … - - “do¯ron” –
? … Not of works … - - “ou / ergon” – not because of your own labor
? … lest any man should boast … - - “kauchaomai” –
4. The focus & purpose of God – Ephesians 2:10
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
? … we are his workmanship … - - “poie¯ma” – poem / masterpiece
? … created in Christ Jesus … - - “ktizo¯” –
? … unto good works … - - “agathos / ergon” –
? … God hath before ordained … - - “proetoimazo¯” –
? … we should walk in them … - - “peripateo¯” – browse
