Scriptures:
Text to read: Ephesians 2: He Tore Down the Wall
1-6 It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.
7-10 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
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John Wesley’s Notes-Commentary:Text to read: Ephesians 2:1-10
Verse 1
[1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
And he hath quickened you — In the nineteenth and twentieth verses of the preceding chapter, St. Paul spoke of God's working in them by the same almighty power whereby he raised Christ from the dead. On the mention of this he, in the fulness of his heart, runs into a flow of thought concerning the glory of Christ's exaltation in the three following verses. He here resumes the thread of his discourse.
Who were dead — Not only diseased, but dead; absolutely void of all spiritual life; and as incapable of quickening yourselves, as persons literally dead. In trespasses and sins-Sins seem to be spoken chiefly of the gentiles, who knew not God; trespasses, of the Jews, who had his law, and yet regarded it not, Ephesians 2:5. The latter herein obeyed the flesh; the former, the prince of the power of the air.
Verse 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:
According to the course of this world — The word translated course properly means a long series of times, wherein one corrupt age follows another.
According to the prince of the power of the air — The effect of which power all may perceive, though all do not understand the cause of it: a power unspeakably penetrating and widely diffused; but yet, as to its baneful influences, beneath the orb of believers. The evil spirits are united under one head, the seat of whose dominion is in the air. Here he sometimes raises storms, sometimes makes visionary representations, and is continually roving to and fro.
The spirit that now worketh — With mighty power; and so he did, and doth in all ages.
In the sons of disobedience — In all who do not believe and obey the gospel.
Verse 3
[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.
Among whom we — Jews.
Also, formerly had our conversation: doing the will of the flesh — In gross, brutal sins.
And of the mind — By spiritual, diabolical wickedness. In the former clause, flesh denotes the whole evil nature; in the latter, the body opposed to the soul.
And were by nature — That is, in our natural state.
Children of wrath — Having the wrath of God abiding on us, even as the gentiles. This expression, by nature, occurs also, Galatians 4:8; Romans 2:14; and thrice in the eleventh chapter. Romans 11:24 But in none of these places does it signify, by custom, or practice, or customary practice, as a late writer affirms. Nor can it mean so here For this would make the apostle guilty of gross tautology, their customary sinning having been expressed already, in the former part of the verse. But all these passages agree in expressing what belongs to the nature of the persons spoken of.
Verse 4
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Mercy removes misery: love confers salvation.
Verse 5
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
He hath quickened us together with Christ — In conformity to him, and by virtue of our union with him.
By grace ye are saved — Grace is both the beginning and end. The apostle speaks indifferently either in the first or second person; the Jews and gentiles being in the same circumstance, both by nature and by grace. This text lays the axe to the very root of spiritual pride, and all glorying in ourselves. Therefore St. Paul, foreseeing the backwardness of mankind to receive it, yet knowing the absolute necessity of its being received, again asserts the very same truth, Ephesians 2:8, in the very same words.
Verse 6
[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
And hath raised us up together — Both Jews and gentiles already in spirit; and ere long our bodies too will be raised.
And made us all sit together in heavenly places — This is spoken by way of anticipation. Believers are not yet possessed of their seats in heaven; but each of them has a place prepared for him.
Verse 7
[7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
The ages to come — That is, all succeeding ages.
Verse 8
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
By grace ye are saved through faith — Grace, without any respect to human worthiness, confers the glorious gift. Faith, with an empty hand, and without any pretence to personal desert, receives the heavenly blessing.
And this is not of yourselves — This refers to the whole preceding clause, That ye are saved through faith, is the gift of God.
Verse 9
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Not by works — Neither this faith nor this salvation is owing to any works you ever did, will, or can do.
Verse 10
[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
For we are his workmanship — Which proves both that salvation is by faith, and that faith is the gift of God.
Created unto good works — That afterwards we might give ourselves to them.
Which God had before preprepared — The occasions of them: so we must still ascribe the whole to God.
That we might walk in them — Though not be justified by them.
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Daily Devotions:
Monday, October 20, 2014
Sermon theme: The Faith Solution - Grace Through Faith
What is your definition of faith?
What is its opposite?
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Sermon theme: The Faith Solution - Grace Through Faith
The Bible Says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God."
What does this mean to you?
Wednesday, October 22. 2014
Sermon theme: The Faith Solution - Grace Through Faith
How does what we do, fit with faith?
What does faith cause?
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Sermon theme: The Faith Solution - Grace Through Faith
What is your response to the statement, "Just have a little faith!"
Friday, October 24, 2014
Sermon theme: The Faith Solution - Grace Through Faith
Can faith be measured or is it on or off?
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Sermon theme: The Faith Solution - Grace Through Faith
What helps us deepen our faith?
Is it easy?
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Sermon theme: The Faith Solution - Grace Through Faith
Pray for those who have lost faith.
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First United Methodist Church
2111 Camino del Rio South
San Diego, CA 92108
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Sermon Story "Grace Alone" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 26 October 2014
Text to read: Ephesians 2: He Tore Down the Wall
1-6 It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.
7-10 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
This is a favorite passage for many to explain that nothing we do can save us, but it is by God's Grace Alone. Paul goes on to share the history of the people in the Messianic Community at Ephesus that just a short time ago each of you was living with sin in your life. Your attempted to find ways to get to God on your own until the Message of Yeshua was proclaimed to you and you embraced His Message of Salvation. This Salvation had nothing to do with how you have lived or even kept God's Law perfectly, but how you have been Saved through the blood of Jesus at His death and burial then you each was given life by His resurrection and ascensiion to The Father to intercede for us. Yet, many people are still trying to do it their way without realizing how free Grace of Salvation is. Then upon receivin this faith through His Grace Alone, we are led to live as Yeshua has called us to live. This life He has called us is to love unconditionally as He has and to take care of the poor, the people who are differently abled, and other marginalized people that society says do not matter because they cannot contribute as we can to the continuous ways of Society. This Grace allows us to include all these people in our fellowship of God's Grace to live together as equals, not one group over the other. I am reminded of the Hymn "Grace, Grace, God's Grace" by Julia H. Johnston:
1. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary's mount out-poured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Chorus:
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
2. Dark is the stain that we cannot hide,
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide;
Whiter than snow you may be today.
Chorus:
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
3. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe;
All who are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive!
Chorus:
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
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