PRAY A QUARTET LEAVES ROME R E A D E P H E S I A N S 2 : 1-10

Transcription

1 PRAY A QUARTET LEAVES ROME R E A D E P H E S I A N S 2 : 1-10

2 Sam Calaroso favorite person

3 Sam Calaroso favorite person EPAPHRODITUS HEADED TO PHILIPPI PHIL. 4:18

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5 ANOTHER OFF TO EPHESUS TYCHICUS (EPH. 6: 21)

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7 ANOTHER OFF TO CHURCH IN COLOSSE EPAPHRAS (COL. 4:12)

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9 ONESIMUS (Phil. 10)

10 Let me tell you of another INDIVIDUAL LIKE Onesimus A rebel. I want it all Liar, deceiver, TRICKSTER.

11 AMAZING GRACE ABSOLUTELY UNDESERVING DESERVED PUNISHMENT GRACE: UNMERITED FAVORABLE ACCEPTANCE D. HEGG

12 To understand Grace, Paul takes us to the desperation of our prior lost SPIRITUAL situation (DEAD) Vs. 1-3 Note: Scripture never speaks of annihilation The Bible speaks of three types of death : PHYSICAL SPIRITUAL ETERNAL

13 To the Ephesians Paul speaks solely of SPIRITUAL DEATH Remember, our first parents ignored the warning in the day that thou eatest (i.e. rebelled against GOD S command) thereof thou shalt surely die (spiritually) And, by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so (spiritual) death PASSED UPON ALL MEN, for all have sinned.

14 DEATH SIGNIFIES SEPARATION PHYSICAL- SEPARATION OF THE BODY FROM THE SOUL (LIFE) I Cor 15:21, Heb. 9:27, etc SPIRITUAL SEPARATION OF THE SPIRIT FROM GOD 2:1, 4:18, I John 5:12. ETERNAL - THE EVERLASTING BANISHMENT FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD I Cor 6:9, 10, 2 Thess 1:9

15 AND SO, YOU EPHESIANS/Gentiles WERE FORMERLY SPIRITUALLY DEAD Consider that we are born with several types of life physical, mental life, moral life, etc. HERE, Paul is going to use a TRIAD OF EVIL and a TRIAD OF GOOD to make his (i.e. HOLY SPIRITS) point. He describes: THREE RAVAGING FORCES: THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL THREE REDEEMING FACTS: MERCY, LOVE, AND GRACE THREE RESULTING FEATURES ARE THAT SAINTS ARE MADE ALIVE WITH CHRIST; RAISED UP TOGETHER WITH CHRIST; AND MADE TO SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST.

16 CLARITY Evidently the HOLY SPIRIT wants the Ephesians (and us) to get a clear picture of our destitute condition before we were saved, thus the greater our appreciation of what God has undertaken to do for us. Mankind is separated from God because the life-cord to God has been severed. (Remember you cannot live a life for God until you receive life from God).

17 CONSIDER LIFE FROM NOTHING BEGAN WITH CHRIST LIFE FROM DEATH BEGAN WITH CHRIST AMEN

18 Vs 1-3 THREE FORCES HOLDING MANKIND IN A STATE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH SPIRITUALLY DEAD WORLD FLESH SATAN COFFIN

19 SCRIPTURES John 8: Heb. 2: 14 (power of death) John 12:30-32 (Satan- ruler of this world) Col. 1: I John 5: 19 Eph. 6: 12 2 COR. 4: 4 (Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers )

20 WORLD/AGE IN WHICH YOU ONCE WALKED FOLLOWING THE COURSE OF THIS AGE (PAUL in Galatians 1:4 states this present evil AGE ) An UNREGENERATE MAN RESPONDS TO THE DIRECTION OF THE AGE BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS AGE Rom 12:2 NOR COURT ITS FRIENDSHIP James 4:4 LOVE NOT THE WORLD I John 2:15

21 SATAN/DEVIL IN TIMES PAST WE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT THAT IS NOW AT WORK IN THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE SATAN SEPARATES MEN FROM GOD BY BLINDING THEIR MINDS.LEST THE LIGHT OF THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF CHRIST. 2 Cor. 4:4 Why is the world, our country, our state, our county in such sorry state? Satan is running the show. BUT ONLY WITH PERMISSION FROM GOD. GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY SOVEREIGN. ONLY BELIEVERS ARE NOT UNDER SATAN S CONTROL

22 ALSO HELD (FROM GOD) BY FLESH AMONG WHOM WE ALL ONCE LIVED IN THE PASSIONS OF OUR FLESH,CARRYING OUT THE DESIRES OF THE BODY AND THE MIND, AND WERE BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH, LIKE THE REST OF MANKIND. NEED I SAY MORE. LUSTS/ARGUMENTS/FIGHTS/COVET/. WE FORMERLY BEHAVED OURSELVES ACCORDING TO OUR SENSUAL APPETITES

23 VERSE 4 BUT GOD

24 MERCY, LOVE AND GRACE BEING RICH IN MERCY, BECAUSE OF THE GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE LOVED US, EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN OUR TRESPASSES, MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST.. BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED.. AND RAISED US UP WITH HIM AND SEATED US WITH HIM IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS, SO THAT IN THE COMING AGES HE MIGHT SHOW THE IMMEASURABLE RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN KINDNESS TOWARD US IN CHRIST JESUS.

25 WHAT IS MERCY? IT IS GOD S EXERCISE OF PITY AND COMPASSION UPON THE SINNER WITH A FORBEARANCE HE DOES NOT DESERVE. THE WHOLE OF OUR SALVATION IS ASCRIBED TO THE MERCY OF GOD AND HE IS RICH IN MERCY WHEN THE HOLY AND ETERNAL GOD WHO HATES SIN, LOVES AND SAVES THE SINNER, THAT IS MERCY. WE NEED ONLY COME TO HIS THRONE OF GRACE TO OBTAIN MERCY Heb 4:16

26 THEN THERE IS HIS LOVE BUT GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US Rom. 5:8 IN THIS WAS MANIFESTED THE LOVE OF GOD TOWARD US, BECAUSE THAT GOD SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON INTO THE WORLD, THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM I John 4:9 THE LOVE OF GOD WHO CAN EXPLAIN IT? WHO CAN FATHOM IT? WE CAN DO NOTHING BETTER THAN PONDER HIS GREAT LOVE

27 Could I with ink the ocean fill, Were the whole sky of parchment made Were every blade of grass a quill and every man a scribe by trade. To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry Nor could the scroll contain the whole though spread from sky to sky. Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure The saints and angels song

28 His LOVE cannot save you We are NOT SAVED by HIS love His love was the motivation to make a way You see God character is infinite JUSTICE, HOLINESS, LOVE, et al, so He cannot violate his own character and let you and me in the backdoor of heaven. HIS justice and holiness and HIS wrath against sin had to be satisfied so HIS love sent His SON to be born of a virgin, live a PERFECT life, die a substitutionary death (the wrath of GOD you deserved), be raised to the heavenlies. Now that God character has been satisfied, He can offer us GRACE (all because He died in your place) in Christ. Grace has everything to do with the death and resurrection of Christ.

29 Let Louis Sperry Chafer say it better: DIVINE GRACE IN SALVATION IS THE UNRESTRAINED COMPASSION OF GOD ACTING TOWARD THE SINNER ON THE BASIS OF THAT FREEDOM ALREADY SECURED THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT AGAINST SIN SECURED BY CHRIST IN HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH. DIVINE LOVE MIGHT DESIRE TO SAVE, YET BE UNABLE RIGHTEOUSLY TO DO SO; BUT DIVINE GRACE IS FREE TO ACT SINCE CHRIST HAS DIED.

30 FINALLY, HIS GRACE BY GRACE YE HAVE BEEN SAVED GRACE sets aside my unrighteousness and demerit and gives me a righteousness I do not merit. God owes me nothing, but HE offers me complete salvation. Planned by GOD before the foundation of the world. The world, Devil, and flesh separated me from God, but by HIS mercy, love, and grace, HE saved me. ITS ALL ABOUT GOD, HIS SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT (we contribute nothing). (See faith illustration)

31 SIMPLISTIC GOD S OCEAN OF GRACE FAITH comes by hearing, and Hearing by the WORD of GOD Rom. 10:17 MENTAL FAITH IS THECHANNEL Holy Spirit: HE will convict the world of sin, And of righteousness, and of judgment John 16:8

32 Vs 5-10 Now, THREE resulting facts: i.e. what God s mercy, love and grace accomplished for us.

33 1. We were made ALIVE (SPIRITUALLY) THE BELIEVER PASSES THROUGH THE SAME EXPERIENCE SPIRITUALLY THAT CHRIST DID PHYSICALLY. WE WERE CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST (Rom 6:6) WE DIED WITH CHRIST (Rom 6:8) WE WERE BURIED WITH CHRIST (ROM 6:4) WE HAVE BEEN MADE ALIVE WITH CHRIST THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTIZES US INTO CHRIST S BODY.. WE ARE IN CHRIST

34 2. HE HATH RAISED US UP TOGETHER.. IN CHRIST JESUS THE BELIEVER S RESURRECTION WITH CHRIST IS AN ESCAPE FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN, FOR HE IS DEAD INDEED UNTO SIN, BUT ALIVE UNTO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD OUR SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION IS TO EFFECT A WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE (Rom. 6:4)

35 3. He made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus He hath made us kings and priests unto GOD (Rev. 1:6; 5:10) We are as royalty in the presence of Royality..(I Peter 2:5,9)

36 WHY? that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of his grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus (2:7) We look into eternity past and see the divine plan of the church before the foundation of the world; We look into eternity future and see the perfected Church on EXHIBITION as a trophy of the mercy, love and grace of GOD, and that to the praise of HIS GLORY. WOW!

37 AND NOW FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM Besides Haiti and Hope Gardens We will learn in Chapters 4, 5 and 6.. What God has in mind for you and me.