Ephesians 2:1-7
A New Way of Life
Introduction
Do you remember the famous lines from Frankenstein? “Look! It’s moving. It’s alive. It’s alive... It’s alive, it’s moving, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, IT’S ALIVE!” “In the name of God!” “ Oh, in the name of God! Now I know what it feels like to be God!”
We don’t know what it’s like to be God, but we can consider what it must be like for God to see one of His creation come to life. Years ago Corrie Ten Boom gave the following testimony:
“I have heard people say, "How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!’" Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. "No, Corrie," said Betsie, "He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: ’For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.’" Corrie concludes, "There is an ocean of God’s love available--there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love--whatever the circumstances."
Today I want to take just a few minutes of your time to remind you of something this great lady said in so many words: God is good. God is infinitely good. In good times and bad God is good. Not just when we need it to rain or when gas prices are down, but all the time…God is good. There are many places and ways that goodness is expressed in the Word of God, but today we find it expressed in these seven verses.
We ought to praise God that He chose to do something with us. As I share with you today the following blessings, you take a moment to thank God for their reality in your life. Perhaps as I share them with you it becomes evident that they are not a reality in your life. My question to you then is, "What will you do with what Christ has done for you?"
God has made you alive when you used to be dead. (1-3)
Consider the reality of death. Death is a physical reality. (He. 9:27; graveyards, funerals) Death is a spiritual reality. We weren’t sick, we weren’t bad, we weren’t sorry or wicked. We were dead. Spiritually separated. Read Romans 5:12ff. These deaths, both physical and spiritual, are inherited deaths. You didn’t go looking for them, they came freely to you.
Consider the reason for death. Death comes because of an inward condition. Vs. 1 We might get a little bit nervous today talking about human depravity, but Paul couldn’t have painted a much uglier picture. "You were dead in your trespasses and sins!" You were born this way and you chose to stay this way. You couldn’t change it if you wanted to, and the easiest thing to do is to deny it. But death also comes because of an outward condition. Vs. 2-3 Explain verses. Whether you liked it or not you were a follower of the Devil. There is no other to follow. You are either following Jesus in this life or you are following the Devil.
Consider the result of death. The result of spiritual death at the moment of physical death is eternal separation from God in a real and literal Devil’s hell. People doubt all the time about Hell. A new believer was on a plane with an intellectual man. He sneered at her reading the Bible. He asked her if she really believed all the stuff in it, to which she replied yes. What about Jonah and the whale story? Yes. Well then, how did it happen? I don’t know she said, I suppose I’ll ask him when I see him in heaven. What if Jonah isn’t there? Then I guess you can ask him.
What do you have to do to go to Hell? Nothing! If you don’t do anything with Jesus then be assured you’ll go to hell. There is no second chance; there is no other hope. You can think what you want about hell. Some say it will be a place to party, some say hell will be having to stay on earth while the saved go to heaven, some say at least their friends will be there. Listen, hell is real, there are no friends there, your momma won’t be there, your daddy won’t be there, your wife or your best friend won’t be there. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, there will be eternal torment for your lost soul and only your memories of times like today to keep you troubled. But praise be to God there is …
Consider the release from death. This is an invited release. God’s not going to make you accept Him. He has done His part, you must do yours. What is your part? This is an instant release. The moment you accept Christ you are saved and there is no waiting, there is no working, there is no wondering. When Peter cried "Lord, save me!" the Lord saved Him. It was instant. This is an eternal release. Jesus said, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come unto condemnation, but is passed from death unto life."
God has raised you up when you used to be in darkness. (4-7)
What we are talking about here is a completely new life, not a cleaned up old one. Eph. 4:24 "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created (not reformed) in righteousness and true holiness." 2 Co. 5:17 "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new."
Passing from death to life doesn’t mean that you take on some new habits to clean up the sinful man, its not pulling yourself up by the bootstraps or turning over a new leaf. Turn to Romans 6 and speak briefly on verses. Now a problem we have is that we don’t mind enjoying the spiritual benefits of the new life, but too often we don’t walk in newness of life as we ought to. If we are saved, we ought to live like we are saved. If we are children of the light, we ought to walk in the light.
Making decisions in the dark can lead to some regrettable consequences. Back in the days before electricity, a tightfisted old farmer was working his hired hand over for carrying a lighted lantern when he went to call on his girlfriend. "Why," he exclaimed, "when I went a courtin’ I never carried one of them things. I always went in the dark." "Yeah," the hired man said, "but look what you got!"
We can’t fool God. That’s why Paul wrote to the Galatians that a man will reap what he sows. This is the law of the harvest. Plant tomatoes, you get tomatoes. You plant the seeds of sin, you will pay the price. Play around with it if you must, but beware! The verse that says, "the wages of sin is death" is written to saved people. We wonder why we have so many problems and why our lives run the way we do. Are we walking in newness of life? Is the Bible our pattern for living? WWJD?
As the result of this new life you have a new home. 6-7 It is a prepared home in a place where the streets are paved with gold, where the gates are made of pearls, where the Lord lives and death does not. Where there is joy and no sorrow, laughter and no tears, peace and no worry, love and no hatred. It is a precious home. It is precious because of the treasures we have there. It is precious because of loved ones who have gone on before us. But it is most precious because Jesus will be there. It is a promised home. If you know Jesus today it is yours.
Not only do you have a new home, but you have a new Lord. He is the Saving Lord, rescuing you from sin and death. He is the Sovereign Lord, directing your life as Master and King. He is the Satisfying Lord. He is the living water, the manna from heaven that will never let you down.
Conclusion
Its been said that there are two things that will surprise us when we get to heaven: who is there and who is not. What plans have you made for death? Where will you spend eternity? I want to close today with the words of Moses found in De. 31. What is your choice today?
