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Realize I'm Raised with Christ

May 19, 2019

Authentic Spirituality 2019 #4

Realize I’m Raised With Christ, Eph. 2:1-10

By Louie Marsh, 5-19-2019

 TO BE AUTHENTICALLY SPIRITUAL…

 1) I ACCEPT & ACT on my condition outside of Christ.

 

WE ARE SPIRITUALLY…

 

  • SEPARATED FROM GOD.

 

1  And you were dead in the trespasses and sins Ephesians 2:1 (ESV)

 

  • ACTIVE SINS = transgressions - knowingly crossing a boundary
  • PASSIVE = sins  - missing the mark

 

  • ENSLAVED

 

You followed the ways of this present world and its spiritual ruler. This ruler continues to work in people who refuse to obey God. All of us once lived among these people, and followed the desires of our corrupt nature. We did what our corrupt desires and thoughts wanted us to do… Ephesians 2:2-3a (GW)

 

 

  • To the WORLD

 

Kosmos – organized system of things, culture – not planet

 

  • To the DEVIL

 

  • To our OLD NATURE

 

9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 10  “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind… Jeremiah 17:9-10a (ESV)

 

  • CONDEMNED

 

3  … and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Ephesians 2:3 (ESV)

 

  • WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?

 

47  Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:47 (ESV)

 

47  Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal." Luke 7:47 (MSG)

 

By refusing to admit or believe this – and by conveniently leave it out of our Gospel presentations we are doing ourselves, those we talk too, and God Himself a disservice.

  • It degrades the non Christian’s real problem – they’re not just dysfunctional – they are spiritually dead, hopelessly enslaved and condemned!
  • It degrades our understanding of things too, and produces in us and many of our converts a lack of depth in understanding of our wonderful Savior and salvation.
  • It degrades Christ! We turn Him from the all mighty wonderful Savior of the NT into someone who comes along to help us, give us some band aids, and boost our self image!

 

2) I BELIEVE & RECEIVE what we can become by Grace.

 

4  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, Ephesians 2:4 (ESV)

 

  • Who? GOD

 

  • What Did He Do? SAVED.

 

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:4-6 (NIV)

 

  • MADE ALIVE

 

  • RAISED UP

 

  • SAT DOWN

 

  • All of this IN CHRIST!

 

 

  • What motivated Him?

 

His     MERCY (vs. 4a)

LOVE, (vs. 4b)

GRACE (vs. 5 & 8)

KINDNESS. (vs. 7)

 

  • Why Did He Do This? TO MAKE AN ETERNAL EXAMPLE OF HIS GRACE!

 

that he might display in the coming ages the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:7 (Darby)

 

  • HOW Did He Do This?

 

8  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

 

  • By GRACE

 

 

  • Thru FAITH

 

  • “This” = SALVATION

 

  • A GIFT

 

  • Results – ALL GLORY GOING TO GOD!

 

3) I GRASP & GLORIFY Whose I am!

 

For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

 

  • We are GOD’S work.

 

  • We are HIS MASTERPIECE

 

  • BUT – only IN CHRIST!

 

  • Made To FULFILL  God’s plan for me!

 

11  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14  I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. Jeremiah 29:11-14 (ESV)