Pastor’s Pen Pulpit                                                                                                                                                          

June 11, 2006                                                                                                                                                                   

 

GRACE GREATER THAN ALL OUR SIN

Ephesians 2:1-10

Continued

In our first pen pulpit in this series we saw that the magnitude of God’s grace is seen in three movements – our past, our present and  our future.  First our past:

 

THE DEPTHS TO WHICH GRACE WAS DIRECTED (vs. 1-3) 

 

In this section Paul lays the groundwork for the activity of grace.  This is the spiritual environment that the grace of God invaded.

 

Spiritual death –v.1.  Spiritual death is alienation or separation from God. The one glaring characteristic of death is the  inability to respond to life about you.  People may be full of life physically, vivacious,  charismatic, clever and brilliant.  They may be contributors to society.  But by nature they are spiritually separated from God and virtually unable to respond to God nor to appreciate the things of God.  Men  are dead in trespasses and sins.  How did this situation come about?  Romans 5:12 tells us, “therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread  to all men, because all sinned.”

 

Satanic Domination – v.2.  Spiritual death is not a passive existence but an aggressive lifestyle. Men walk in this death condition.  They are daily conversant with it.  Men are devoted to living in sin.  They are surrounded by it, clothed with it.  John 3:19 tells us that “Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.”   However, there is a governing power that controls and directs their conduct.  In the fall of man, Satan established his oval office over society.  Incoming presidents invariably organize their own administration under which people will live.  Satan, the prince of the power of the air, has established his administration.  It is called the world system.  Mankind is living according to a satanically inspired scheme called THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, which is the ruling principle of the world.  Men are not only dead, they are enslaved.  The world answers every requirement of man’s fallen nature.

 

Sinful Depravity - v.3.  Paul says, “Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”   This verse teaches us that no one is excluded.  We are by birth children of wrath. We are born under the wrath of God.  Hope is never discovered within the range of human merit.  When the tree is bad, the fruit is unacceptable.

 

 

 

 

THE DELIVERANCE WHICH GRACE EFFECTED - vs.4-6.  Note verse four highlights the character of God as the motivation for deliverance.

 

        Rich in mercy – (The word “rich” means abundant, much, overflowing.)  God’s mercy is not skimpy.  It is not scattered lightly over sinful humanity – a little here, a little there.  God’s mercy is not like the old Bryll Creme commercial “a little dab’l do ya.”

 

         Great love  - This love has great dimensions in every direction.  For example see Ephesians 3:17-19 for the dimensions of God’s great love

 

        This rich mercy and great love and abounding grace is going to elevate believers to a level that far surpasses the level from which Adam fell.

 

        A new relationship with God – He made us alive - v.5.

 

        “HE made us alive.”  - We didn’t make our selves alive.  Dead people don’t do anything!

 

        “He MADE us alive.” - This is spiritual life based upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The new life, which believers now possess, is an effect of which Christ’s resurrection is the cause. LIFE IS RELATION OR UNION.  DEATH IS SEPARARTION.

 

        A New Spiritual Environment  - He raised us up together with Christ - v.6a. This is spiritual resurrection…and spiritual resurrection emphasizes the new spiritual environment that believers are now a part of (Romans 6:4).   “Walk in newness of life.”  This involves the new interests and objectives and value systems that are compatible with our new environment of spiritual resurrection.

 

        A New Position of Power - He seated us together with Christ - v.6b.  The believer’s identification with Jesus Christ extends to our co-ascension with Him.  We got much more in Christ than we lost in Adam.  He not only has made us alive with Him and raised us up with Him, HE HAS EXALTED THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY TO AN INCOMPARABLE POSITION OF REIGNING POWER WITH HIM!  See Ephesians 1:18-23 for this connection.  The authority of the believer is an awesome and wonderful truth.  As far as this writer can tell, Adam never experienced this degree of power and authority.

 

So today, if you know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, you are alive with His abounding life.  This is truly something to praise God for.  AMEN?  God bless and we’ll conclude this series on the 25th.