LIVING A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST-03 (Ephesians 2:1-10)

EPHESIANS 2:1-10

Question:
Why are we here (on earth)?

Question:
Were we born to grow up, get an education, get a job,
get married, create a family, watch our children create
families, enjoy our grandkids, retire and then die?
Obviously, there is more to life than that, but when you
summarize it, it makes life look kind of simple and a
little bleak, doesn’t it?

Question:
Could this be the bleakness that the bible is talking
about when it tells us we are dead in our transgressions?
That kind of death is not what God desires of His people.
He offers us an opportunity to live now and also avoid
being on a death march for eternity.

Question:
What are some characteristics
you would expect to see in Christians?
    – A desire to understand the scriptures.
    – A forgiving attitude.
    – A strange peace in the midst of a storm.
    – An encouraging spirit.
    – A greater capacity to love.
    – Unashamed to express his or her love for God.
    – Ready to share his or her faith.
    – Open to instructions.
    – Compassionate.
    – Non-judgmental.
    – Higher standard of behavior.
    – Others?
      (self-control; love; kindness; joy;
      trustworthiness; understanding; etc.)

EPHESIANS 2
VERSE 1.
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

Paul reminded the Ephesians that they
were also spiritually dead at one time.

Question:
How would you describe the condition, “spiritually dead”?
    – Without a personal relationship with the Lord?
    – Worldly-minded? (with no hope for a relationship with the Lord)

Question:
How did Paul describe it?
    – “in your transgressions and sins”.

Question:
What do you think he meant?
    – As a result of their sins, they were doomed to a
      total and permanent separation from the Lord?

VERSE 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.

Paul says that they were under the influence
of the ruler of the air (Satan) at one time.

Question:
What are some “ways of this world” in us?
    – WE become the center of OUR universe.
      Note:
      The world encourages us to look out for number one (ourselves) and
      don’t waste our time concerning ourselves with the needs of others.

Question:
“those who are disobedient”
Do you think this applies to Christians as well?
    – Probably.

Note:
We should ask ourselves if we are allowing the world
to influence us more than the Holy Spirit. If so, then
we are being disobedient to God.

VERSE 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.

At this point, Paul includes himself with the disobedient.

Note:
Because of our sinful nature, we are naturally
inclined to do things in opposition to God.

Question:
“objects of wrath” – whose wrath?
    – Satan’s? If so, then we have to wonder how
      someone (including us) feels about used by Satan?

Some questions we should ask ourselves:
    – What places do I go to frequently?
    – How do I determine the people I associate with?
    – Do I feed my mind with things that
      please God and strengthen my faith?
     – What thoughts and desires are in control of me?
     – What are my habits? Do they please or offend God?
      Do they take the place of what God wants me to do?

“all of us also lived among them at one time”
Note:
This should be a reminder for us to be compassionate toward
those whose actions are disgusting to us (we too were once
disobedient, however someone was compassionate toward us).

VERSE 4. 
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

Just as God looked beyond our sins and saw us and our needs,
we need to look beyond the sins of others, and see people in need.

Note:
Sin may be repulsive to God (and He does not ignore sin),
but He does love us and wants to see us change (we should
have the same feelings toward others).

VERSE 5.
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Question:
“alive with Christ” – what does that mean to you?
    – “with Christ” means we
      develop His thoughts, actions, and attitudes?
    – We become alive spiritually?

Note:
The power that raised Jesus from the dead
is the same power that gives us spiritual life.

Question:
How “are” we using the power
and authority of Christ in our life?

Question:
How “should” we be using the
power and authority of Christ in our life?

Note:
In verses 4-5, we see the greatness of God’s mercy and grace.

VERSE 6.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us
with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

“God raised us up with Christ”
    – Implies that the power that raised Christ from the dead,
      is the same power God gives believers to face temptations
      and trials every day.

“seated us with Him in the heavenly realms”
    – Refers to the authority we have in Christ.

Note:
This power and authority is exactly what we need to live
godly lives in an ungodly world. When we are tempted,
we need to remember, we have the authority and power
in Christ to overcome our temptations.

Note:
When we feel spiritually weak, thinking about
our position in Christ should give us strength.

VERSE 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.

God has chosen you and me as instruments
for demonstrating His great love and mercy.
God says,
    “I want to demonstrate my goodness through your life”.

Question:
Are we allowing God to do this, or are we choosing
to do everything our own way, with our own choices,
our own actions, our own words, and our own attitudes?

Question:
What are some examples of the
differences between God’s will and man’s will?
    – Forgiveness versus revenge and bitterness.
    – Glory to God versus glory to self.
    – Boasting versus humility.

VERSE 8.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Question:
Other than “saved”, if you had to pick 3 important
words in this verse, what would you choose?
    1. Grace – God’s grace is immeasurable;
                        it shows how much He loves us.

    2. Faith –
        Question:
        What exactly is our faith in?

    3. Gift – God chooses to give us salvation;
        it is not something we can earn.

Note:
Some people think that good deeds will get them into heaven.
Some think that they will go to heaven if the good in their
lives outweighs the bad.

VERSE 9.
not by works, so that no one can boast.

Paul points out that we are not saved by what we do.

Note:
Good works should follow salvation, but they are not the
means of salvation. We need to realize that God created
us to do good works, and fulfill His expectations in us.

Question:
If God created us to do good works and we are not doing
them, do we belong to His family, and are we saved.
    Question:
    What good works have you been doing? When have you
    sacrificed your time in order to encourage others? Would
    others identify you as a caring person, or someone who is
    selfish and only concerned about yourself and your needs?

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.

“workmanship”
    – A word that refers to a product or something that is made.
      In this instance it reminds us that since God created us, He
      has the authority and privilege to decide what He wants of us.

“good works”
    – Paul tells us that good works is God’s purpose for saving us.

Question:
What good works in OUR life
are demonstrating OUR spiritual life in Christ?

Question:
If God owns us and created us anew to do good works,
and we are not doing good works, what does that mean?

Question:
Do we benefit from doing good works? If so, then how?
    – We become less selfish and more caring about others.
    – We have a changed attitude,
      and are less likely to be easily angered.
    – We learn to enjoy the good fortune
      and happiness of others (we have less envy and jealousy).

Question:
Do you have any ideas of good works that we could do?

“prepared in advance”
    – God always had in mind for His people to do good works.
      Good works “could” be a confirmation of our salvation.

SUMMARY:
– We were all dead in our sins until God
  provided salvation through Jesus Christ.

– If we continue to gratify the cravings of our sinful
  nature, we may need to re-evaluate our salvation experience.
  (we need to honestly determine if we are replacing
  what God wants us to do, with what we want to do).

– God is described as:
      – Having a great love for us.
      – Being rich in mercy.
      – Being full of grace.
      – Kind.
      – Generous.

Note:
We need to remember, God does not
ignore sin and He pours out His wrath on the sinful.

– Salvation is a gift based on faith, and not works.

– Good works should follow salvation (they are expected by God).

– Questions we should ask ourselves:
      – What kinds of things do I read?
      – What types of programs do I watch on television?
      – What are the types of places I attend?
      – Do the choices I make influence
        my beliefs and my outlook on life?
      – Do I let the opinions of others control my choices and
        lifestyle, or am I more concerned with God’s expectations?
      – Am I influenced more by the Spirit of God, or by the world?
      – Do I pray and read my bible regularly?
      – What good works do I do that benefit others,
        please God, and show others I am a Christian?

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