2015.10.25                         Ephesians 2

               How Great is our Salvation

             Past present and  future Grace

There is a lot of confusion today about what it means to be a Christian…

The letter to the Ephesians is concerned first… With what it means to be in Christ… And very importantly… How does the great theological truth that we are in Christ... Affect the way we live and treat others… God has redeemed us… He has transformed our lives…. He has poured His unbelieveable grace out on us in a never ending flood…

It is only Because of His work in transforming us… We are new creatures… But what are the practical ways that we are different than before we were born again…

In Ephesians… Paul clearly explains what it means to be in Christ… What it means to Born again… It affects everything…. God´s grace affects our past present and our future… We have been forgiven…. We now live for the Lord Jesus … We will continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him and we will be with Him forever!...

Most of this letter is teaching us how we should live our lives… Paul focuses on our Christian walk… Everything about us is…. or at least should be different… We are part of His body… We are His representatives in this world… People need to see Jesus in us…. The world needs us to be a reflection of God´s Grace and Mercy… We are saved so that we can Graciously proclaim the truth to a lost and dying world… Just like Jesus… John 1…

To review… In chapter 1 Paul presented the master plan of God´s salvation in eternity past… Then in verses 15 to 23 Paul prays that we would understand it… that we would really get a grip on the power and meaning of being in Christ… That we would understand What it means to be a part of God's eternal plan… That we would know what it means to have been elected and redeemed…  

Turn with me to the second chapter of the letter to the Ephesians… Our text for today is Ephesians 2:1 to 10…  It should clear up the question of what it means to be Born Again… 

In chapter 2 we find Paul describing the process of salvation… Paul presents God´s Gracious salvation in three time frames…  

The Fullness of God´s Grace

1 past grace… v1 to 3…

2 present grace… v  4 to 6 and 8 and 9… and

3 future grace… v  7 and 10…

In verses 1-3… We see clearly what we were…. It wasn´t pretty…. In verses v  4 to 6 and 8 and 9… What we are…. And in verses 7 and 10… what we will become… We can also discover from these 10 verses this morning some of the Characteristics of our Salvation… Now as we examine these verses 1 to 10… I want us to see six characteristics of our salvation…

Characteristics of our Salvation

1 We are saved from sin and it´s penalty…

2 We are saved because of The Fathers unfailing love…

3 We saved into a new life in Christ…

4 we are saved for a divine purpose…

5 We are saved through faith…

6 We are saved to do Good works…

Let´s look at those in the text…. Ephesians 2… v1-3…

Ephesians 2: 1- 3       NLT

   1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

1 Auch ihr wart früher tot aufgrund eurer Sünden.

2 Ihr habt genauso in der Sünde gelebt wie der Rest der Welt, beherrscht von Satan, der im Machtbereich der Luft regiert. Er ist der Geist, der in den Herzen derer wirkt, die Gott nicht gehorchen wollen.

3 Wir alle haben früher so gelebt und uns von den Leidenschaften und Begierden unserer alten Natur beherrschen lassen. Wir wurden mit dieser Natur geboren und waren Gottes Zorn ausgeliefert wie alle anderen Menschen auch.

First, salvation is from sin...

v1… And you who were dead…This describes the condition of every individual… We were dead in sin and rebellion…

If you're a Christian this is your past condition… If you're not a Christian this is your present... You know we can often see the lostness all around us…

Sometimes I look around at the bus stop and am amazed at what I see...   Many look  miserable and lost....

Hopelessness is everywhere we look... It´s in the eyes of even the young people...

The very ones among us who should be full of hope... looking at a bright future... They are often the most pitiful ... why?..

Because they have no hope.... they see no future.....they look at the world.... and see misery and sorrow....death and destruction everywhere.....even at their school.... and at their parties... sex… drugs… alcohol and rock and roll... let´s party... that´s the motto of this generation... like many in the last fifty years... but it is a recipe for disaster... for broken hearts... destroyed lives… hopelessness… and sometimes even worse...

They think of their own life...  they try to drown out the misery and sorrow... where will they find the love....  The peace and the joy that they seek... more and bigger parties... stronger drugs..? that´s no answer...

But we don´t want anyone to tell us what to do… We want to be free...... I´m free... free to be me... I want ....I need... I deserve.....

That is deception… It is a false freedom... It´s not freedom at all... Bob Dylan said it generations ago......He agreed with Paul as he wrote in Ephesians 2....... way back in 1979....Bob Dylan wrote.... Gotta Serve Somebody

You´re gonna serve somebody......

You might be a rock ’n’ roll addict prancing on the stage

You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage

You may be a businessman or some high-degree thief

They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief…

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed

You’re gonna have to serve somebody

Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody........

That was the 60´s and 70´s… My Generation… But Generations later our youth are still running after the world... where else can they look....They are desperate for peace and joy and true love... where is it?... It is not found in anything that this world offers… Where can they look?...

Can they look to us…  are we the salt and light that Jesus called us to be...?

They are running off a cliff... or they are standing on the edge of destruction... thinking every day about taking their own life... thinking of killing themselves because they have lost all hope...

Who will stop them... who will say wait... don´t give up... there is Hope... His name is Jesus... Are we making a difference in our families?... Are we making a difference in this city?

The world needs a savior... We...  need a Savior... a redeemer... Jesus is our only hope...

Ephesians 2: 1–3 clearly shows us about our need for a Savior...There is a downward spiral:

The Threefold Need for a Savior

v1... we need a Savior because of our corruption in sin.

v 2... we need a Savior because of our captivity to Satan…

v 3..... we need a Savior because of our condemnation… We are Dead in sin…  captive to an alien power… children of wrath…

Imagine yourself in any crisis in the world—whatever crisis you could imagine yourself in..... the worst imaginable situation..... That´s the real situation right now for millions..... in many places around the world... Hopelessness... tragedy... The fear of death... it rules and terrorizes hearts...  for most there is no hope...

Let´s get closer to home... here in  Wiesbaden... Refugees are coming here from Eastewrn Europe and all over the Middle east…

They are desperate for a better life… Their only hope is Jesus… Who will tell them ?

This city is full of lost and dying people... there may be some in this room right now... If you have not repented of your sins and cried out to the Lord Jesus…. You are still dead in you sins…

We have a message.... we have a redeemer... a savior...

His Name is Jesus…. Do you know Him?!!!!

If not today may be your last chance… The Bible says that tomorrow is promised to no man...

No one out in the world is going to tell you this...

The Good News is that God sent his Prophets to us… To warn us to repent and escape the wrath to come when Jesus returns...

Why Wrath? Because the wages of sin and rebellion against God… is death… Romans 6:23…

You say... but God is a God of Love... yes he is... Thank God that it is so… Otherwise no one would have any hope at all…

But GOD... let´s read the next section.....it´s good news...

Good News

Ephesians 2: 4- 7        NLT  Neues Leben

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

4 Doch Gott ist so barmherzig und liebte uns so sehr,

5 dass er uns, die wir durch unsere Sünden tot waren, mit Christus neues Leben schenkte, als er ihn von den Toten auferweckte. Nur durch die Gnade Gottes seid ihr gerettet worden!

6 Denn er hat uns zusammen mit Christus von den Toten auferweckt und wir gehören nun mit Jesus zu seinem himmlischen Reich.

7 So wird er für alle Zeiten an uns seine Güte und den Reichtum seiner Gnade sichtbar machen, die sich in allem zeigt, was er durch Christus Jesus für uns getan hat.

v4… But GOD is so rich in mercy… And He loved us so very much…

v5… We were dead in sin… BUT GOD gave us life… He made us alive with Christ… We were captive to the prince of the power of the air and enslaved to the course of this world...

Here we see our Present Grace… we are alive…. We are seated in Christ Jesus in the heavenlies…

v6... BUT GOD raised us with Christ and made us sit with him in the heavenly places…

v7... We were children of wrath… v3…  BUT GOD......... instead of pouring out wrath on us... will spend eternity showing the immeasurable riches of his kindness to us in our redeemer...... Jesus......

Brothers and sisters, this is good news! It was The Father´s plan all along… To send His Son… The Lord Jesus… to redeem us…

There is more to this plan just forgiveness and mercy for our sins… God´s plan is for us to be living breathing examples of HIS grace and mercy... The unfailing love of God is shown in his mercy to us... In us exactly because we don´t deserve it... We can and should be salt and light to the people around us...

Shining into the Darkness of the world…. Shining into the darkness of rebellious hearts is A flash of hope… light... love…

You know something?... The Love of God is real to the people around us when they see our changed lives... When we tell others what Jesus has done for us...

Once we were lost and hopeless… dead... now we are alive… we have been redeemed... we have been forgiven... Why don´t we open our mouths?!!!! We can and should…. We must proclaim the Good News to them…

O that people would turn to the Lord God when their life  is hopeless!..

They try for everything the world offers and come up empty… But there is Hope! It´s not out there…. It´s in this book… Who will tell them the GOOD NEWS....

Jesus Himself warned  that all evildoers will be thrown into a furnace of fire… Matthew 13:42...   that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth… Matthew 8:12....... Again and again he warned that it is appointed unto man once to die and after that comes judgment… Hebrews 9:37... And these are all merciful warnings— They are followed by God's Merciful Promise

But God… in His mercy and unfailing love God…. He warns and pleads with us to turn from our sin and pride and rebellion and repent from our hearts… Then after every merciful warning comes the merciful promise in verse 7........ For those who trust Christ, God commits himself to the following purpose... Here we see are future… Our grace filled future… back to eph 2… v7…

Ephesians 2: 7    NLT   Neues Leben

v7… So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace in kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

7 So wird er für alle Zeiten an uns seine Güte und den Reichtum seiner Gnade sichtbar machen, die sich in allem zeigt, was er durch Christus Jesus für uns getan hat.

Paul piles up words to grab hold of our hearts… God the Father offers grace and mercy to a lost and sinfilled world…

God's perfect plan and purpose is to be gracious to those of us who repent and believe… And to make sure that we do not miss the sweetness and gentleness of His grace to us… Paul adds the words… in kindness toward us…

Remember now this is not because we are good people… It is not because we are special… It all began when we were dead... v1… and then... Paul reminds us that every good thing that happens to us is God´s grace… He also shows us that God has a great purpose in our salvation… verse 8-10... These are Awesome verses…. You Should memorize them!...

Ephesians 2: 8- 10        NLT  Neues leben

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

8 Weil Gott so gnädig ist, hat er euch durch den Glauben gerettet. Und das ist nicht euer eigenes Verdienst; es ist ein Geschenk Gottes.

9 Ihr werdet also nicht aufgrund eurer guten Taten gerettet, damit sich niemand etwas darauf einbilden kann.

10 Denn wir sind Gottes Schöpfung. Er hat uns in Christus Jesus neu geschaffen, damit wir zu guten Taten fähig sind, wie er es für unser Leben schon immer vorgesehen hat.

Christ came into the world to die for sinners so that God would have a people who are spiritually alive and holy..... making a difference in this wicked and lost world....

God´s Gift…  to all who repent and Believe

Once we were dead in sin… BUT GOD made us alive!

Once we were captive to Satan… BUT GOD made us free!

Once we were children of wrath… deserving the wrath of God because of our sin and rebellion.....

It alls goes back to V 4… BUT GOD has promised to pour out the riches of his grace in kindness toward us forever…

How Can We Have These Riches? V8…

v8,9… We  were saved when we believed… That´s awesome… Incredible… No hoops to jump through? No obstacle courses… We are saved by By grace through faith! Plus nothing… nada..

If, and it is so...... life from the dead is given to you and me by grace... and freedom from Satan is given by God´s free gift of grace... Then we are safe and sercure in the Lord our savior… If fact… Romans 8 tells us that nothing can ever separate us from the Love of God… We have the promise and hope of eternal kindness from God… And the Good news is that it is all given by grace...

Since it is all grace… Past present and future… Then there is only one possible way to receive these things

By grace are you saved through faith...... So I urge you all to trust JESUS for everything…

Trust Jesus

Trust Him with your past and your present and your future…

Trust him with your sin...  

Trust him with your relationships.....

Trust him with your job....

Trust him with your health....

Trust him with your money and Christian service… And Trust him with your future… all the way to eternity...

Once we were dead...... now we are alive... He sets the captive free…  How great is our God! look at verse 10…

Ephesians 2: 10        NLT  Neues leben

10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

10 Denn wir sind Gottes Schöpfung. Er hat uns in Christus Jesus neu geschaffen, damit wir zu guten Taten fähig sind, wie er es für unser Leben schon immer vorgesehen hat.

v 10... we have been saved for the very purposes that God planned long ago...

What is God´s purpose for us... for me...?

God´s Plan and Purpose

1 that we would be the salt and light that stops the works of darkness…

2 that the dead and dying would here about Jesus from us.....

3 that they would see Jesus in us...

But we need to Remember…

The Good things that we do are not part of our earning our salvation… We are not saved by what we do… The good things that we now do Is God´s grace in action in our lives…

This new Grace-driven effort comes from a new heart…

It is very important  that we understand what the gospel is… and why it is the good news it is… We have been saved by grace ALONE through faith ALONE so that no one can boast!..

We as genuine believers have trusted in Christ as our Lord and Savior….. We heard the Word of truth…. The Good News of the Gospel…

And since we have believed and trusted the Lord Jesus Christ…. He has sealed us and redeemed us…. It is all to the praise of His Glory!..

And so we proclaim Jesus to our family and friends…. We have the answer to the cries of their hearts…. and to the refugees that we find all around us… Turn with me to Colossians… ch1… v… 28…

Colossians 1: 28,29       NKJV   slt 2000

28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

28 Ihn verkündigen wir, indem wir jeden Menschen ermahnen und jeden Menschen lehren in aller Weisheit, um jeden Menschen vollkommen in Christus Jesus darzustellen.

29 Dafür arbeite und ringe ich auch gemäß seiner wirksamen Kraft, die in mir wirkt mit Macht.

Communion

Warning! Danger!  Search your hearts….

1 Corinthians 11: 27-32                           NKJV

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

1 Corinthians 11: 27-32   slt 2000

27 Wer also unwürdig dieses Brot ißt oder den Kelch des Herrn trinkt, der ist schuldig am Leib und Blut des Herrn.

28 Der Mensch prüfe aber sich selbst, und so soll er von dem Brot essen und aus dem Kelch trinken;

29 denn wer unwürdig ißt und trinkt, der ißt und trinkt sich selbst ein Gericht, weil er den Leib des Herrn nicht unterscheidet.

30 Deshalb sind unter euch viele Schwache und Kranke, und eine beträchtliche Zahl sind entschlafen.

31 Denn wenn wir uns selbst richteten, würden wir nicht gerichtet werden;

32 wenn wir aber gerichtet werden, so werden wir vom Herrn gezüchtigt, damit wir nicht samt der Welt verurteilt werden.

Every time that we take communion…. We take in our hands the proof that God loves us….. We see HIs unfailing love in Jesus´ sacrifice for our sins….. Jesus purchased our redemption…

1 Corinthians 11: 23-26                      NKJV

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

1 Corinthians 11: 23-26                                 slt 2000

23 Denn ich habe von dem Herrn empfangen, was ich auch euch überliefert habe, nämlich daß der Herr Jesus in der Nacht, als er verraten wurde, Brot nahm,

24 und dankte, es brach und sprach: Nehmt, eßt! Das ist mein Leib, der für euch gebrochen wird; dies tut zu meinem Gedächtnis!

25 Desgleichen auch den Kelch, nach dem Mahl, indem er sprach: Dieser Kelch ist der neue Bund in meinem Blut; dies tut, so oft ihr ihn trinkt, zu meinem Gedächtnis!

26 Denn so oft ihr dieses Brot eßt und diesen Kelch trinkt, verkündigt ihr den Tod des Herrn, bis er kommt.

The Lord´s Supper has a past reference to The Passover and of course….. Jesus´ sacrificial death on the cross….

It has a present reference to the fact that we belong to one another here in the Body of Christ… It also has a future reference…. Because it points us to our future Gathering together at the end of time… He will return for us….. We will be with the Lord forever…..  We will celebrate with Him….

Let´s pray….