600x = God s anger and wrath burning against Sinners

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1 SERMON NOTES EPHESIANS: SAINTS - EKKLESIA INTRODUCTION * * P R A Y * * Invite you to turn to Ephesians 1 Q. Sinner or Saint? 300x = People are called Sinners GENESIS 6:5 says The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Romans 3:23 says, All have sinned... All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Ephesians 2:3 says we are by nature children of wrath. 600x = God s anger and wrath burning against Sinners Leviticus 26:27 28 God says, If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over. Nahum 1:2-3 says, The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. Colossians 3:6 promises the wrath of God is coming. Romans 2 promises, [Sinners are] storing up wrath for [themselves] on the day of wrath when God s righteousness judgement will be revealed. And in Revelation 14:10 11, we read that [The sinner] will also will drink the wine of God s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and will be tormented with "re and sulfur... And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night. Mark Driscoll rightly states, Morality is not determined by majority; it s determined by the Lord. You will die and you will give an account, and it will not be to a mirror. It will be to the maker of all things, and he is holy and you are not. And it does not matter what the therapist tells you, what the professor tells you, what the philosopher tells you, what the spiritual leader tells you, what

2 your mother tells you, what your friend tells you. It is what he declares that stands forever. Q. How does God see those of us who are in Christ? Q. Sinner or Saint? READ AND INTRODUCE EPHESIANS 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. IN CHRIST WE ARE SAINTS, NOT SINNERS EPHESIANS 1:1-2 To the saints who are... in Christ Jesus. Q. How did you feel when you woke up today? Would you be quicker to say Saint or Sinner? Ask the average Christian: Q. What s the di#erence between a Christian and a Non- Christian? A. NON-CHRISTIAN: Guilty, unrighteous, helpless, condemned sinner. A. CHRISTIAN: Guilty, unrighteous, helpless, condemned sinner that is forgiven. CALVINISM= 1. Total Depravity *That s not who we are anymore, in Christ. SAINT = Set Apart one; Holy one; Sacred one; Pure one; Loved one; Cherished one. Paul tells the church at Ephesus that they are SAINTS Q. Do you think that the Church at Ephesus had it together? 300x = People are called Sinners 3x at most = Christian s called Sinners *debated Over 200x = Those in Christ are called Saints Holy Righteous Q. How can this be? If Sainthood is ACHIEVED BY OUR WORKS = IMPOSSIBLE because of us- what we ve done & will do. If Sainthood is RECEIVED BY GOD S GRACE = POSSIBLE because of Jesus- what he s done & will do. If you are In Christ, or if you wish to be In Christ, say this with me, In Christ, I am a Saint.

3 When we see ourselves and others who are in Christ as Sinners we are dismissing the "nished work of Jesus. SIN = occasional activity SAINT = constant identity Sin may be your activity some of the time, but Saint is your identity all of the time, In Christ. Easy to Understand, but Hard to Believe. *WE NEED GRACE TO BELIEVE THIS Q. Why is our being a Saint in Christ so hard to believe? A. Because we still sin. **But, the Saint relates to sin far di!erently than those not in Christ** 2. SAINTS ARE CONVICTED, NOT CONDEMNED ROMANS 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. EXAMPLE OF CONVICTION: Because you re sel"sh, careless, or ignorant, you do something to hurt and defame someone very close to you, then they let you know what you did was wrong- and you really get it, and you seek to change. Q. Have you ever thought of conviction as a blessing? We should. Saints are convicted of sin by The Holy Spirit, as a means of grace and love. EXAMPLE OF NO CONDEMNATION: Picture yourself in a courtroom. Q. How is this possible? ROMANS 8:3 God... [sent] his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.

4 Conviction... is from God leads to life ends in joy makes us want to change leads to new identity in Christ brings speci"c awareness of sin looks to Jesus is a blessing Condemnation... is from Satan leads to despair ends in sorrow makes us think we can t change leads to old identity in sin brings vague uncertainty about sin looks to self is a burden *Saints are not condemned for sin because JESUS has already BEEN condemned in our place!* 3. SAINTS ARE EMPOWERED, NOT ENSLAVED Q. Have you ever been addicted to something? A. Satan wants you to think you re still enslaved to sin. *HE IS A LIAR As Saints, we are no longer ENSLAVED to always give in and say yes to sin. ROMANS 8:10-11 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. He will give life to your mortal bodies. ASK HIM! *Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us. Jesus lived perfect/sinless/righteous. Q. Have you ever given much thought to how? A. Jesus lived out of his received identity (Son of God) empowered by the Holy Spirit. 4. SAINTS WILL BE PERFECTED, NOT PUNISHED Because Jesus was already punished on the cross; Saints will experience nothing but blessing. Revelation 21:3-5 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning,

5 nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. When you know who you are, then you know what to do. *In Christ, You re a SAINT. When you know how the story ends, you can live convicted, not condemned; empowered, not enslaved; knowing that you won t be punished but you will be perfected.