Ephesians pt7 - From Death To Life

You're very welcome to today's Triumph Church podcast.

We pray that you enjoy the message.

If you brought your Bibles, hopefully you did phones, iPads,

whichever. I want you to turn to Ephesians

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2 is one of

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

the the clearest windows into the the gospel and it's my

absolute favorite book, Ephesians.

But Ephesians chapter 2 is my favorite chapter in in the

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

Bible. There's so much packed into

there. I absolutely love it.

But Ephesians, the first part, the first 3 verses we're going

to look at this morning. It's a, a, a good window of, of

the gospel and the gospel is really something that every

believer should have a, a handle on, have an understanding on

because who's God going to ask to share this good news to

others through? It's going to be you and I,

right? So we need to have an

understanding of, of what the gospel is, what the good news

actually is, so that we will be enabled to share that with those

around us. And honestly, I don't really

believe that the church overall has, has done the best job of

this equipping their churches, their congregations to be able

to share their faith intelligently and scripturally

with their neighbors, with their Co workers.

Like I don't believe we've, we've done a good job equipping

churches. And so this year I'm, I'm going

to be purposing to, to do a, a series on sharing your faith,

because there's probably no more important thing that we can do

in our lives than that. Nothing else is going to have a

bigger impact in this world than us sharing the gospel with those

around us, right? Jesus, before he left, told us

two things that we were supposed to do.

The first one is to preach the gospel in all the world.

The second one is to make disciples.

That's what the church is all about.

That's what the church is supposed to be doing and

Ephesians chapter 4 and we'll get there eventually.

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

You know, it says that the the gifts of the of the body, the

apostle, the prophet, the evangelist, the teacher and the

pastor. Those are for the equipping of

the Saints. Who's the Saints?

Saint Peter, St. Paul, Saint Timothy, let's talk

about you, right, Equipping you for the work of the ministry.

Well, what is the ministry that God's called you to?

Well, whatever it is, he's called you to.

But part of that, a big part of that is being able to share the

Gospel with those around you. Amen.

So we're going to be doing a, a series on that.

When Paul wrote to the believers in in Ephesus, he was writing to

a people who lived in a very spiritually demonic city.

The city hovered and revolved around that.

Ephesus was steeped in idol worship.

It was a city immersed in magic and Pagan spirituality and

sexual immorality. And many of the Ephesian church

had been rescued out of that culture.

That's their background. That's their history.

That's who they they used to be, right?

So going into chapter 2, Paul doesn't flatter them.

He doesn't really hold any punches here.

He doesn't soften the truth. He tells them exactly who they

were and exactly what God did. Ephesians chapter 2 shows us

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

these three powerful realities. All right, the first one is who

we were without Christ. This is what we'll talk about

this morning. The second one is what God did

because of His mercy. The third thing is who we are

now because of His love and His grace.

So let's begin by reading Ephesians verses one through 3.

Ephesians chapter 2 verses one through 3.

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

It says in verse one, once you were dead because of your

disobedience and your many sins. And verse 2 you used to live in

sin just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil, the

commander of the powers of the unseen world.

He is the Spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to

obey God. And verse 3, all of us used to

live that way, following the passionate desires and

inclinations of our sinful nature.

And by our very nature, we were subject to God's anger just as

everyone else. So Paul begins laying out

clearly who we were without Christ.

And the first thing that Paul says here in verse one is once

you were dead. Well, that doesn't sound like a

very good fairy tale. You know, Once Upon a time,

right? And you go into a very nice,

very sweet thing. Now, Paul starts off just saying

once you were dead. And what does he mean by that?

The Apostle Paul isn't sugar coating things here.

He's being matter of fact that we were dead.

We were dead as a result of what?

Of our disobedience. And we were dead as a result of

our sins, not someone else's, right?

We always like to shift blame, don't we?

Well, such and such made me do it right?

But this isn't what Paul is saying here.

He's saying we were once dead because of our disobedience,

because of our choices, because of our decisions, right?

Each of us have chosen to make decisions that have led to sin,

right? Is there anyone exempt from this

or is there anyone here that has never made a decision that has

led to to sin, right? I'm going to have you pray for

me after service because that is amazing.

The only person that has ever done that is Jesus, right?

We have all sinned. It's a great scripture.

The apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 3 and verse 10, Paul

Romans 3 · chapter mention

said this as the scriptures say no one is righteous, not even

one. Sometimes we like to think of

ourselves in in a light right of an heirs.

This is who who I believe we are.

But scripture says that no one is righteous, not even 1.

And in Romans chapter 3 and verse 23, Paul continues with

Romans 3 · chapter mention

this. He says, for everyone has

sinned, for we all fall short of God's glorious standard that

we're dead. In Ephesians chapter 2 and verse

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

one is not poetic exaggeration. It's exactly what Paul is trying

to say here, that we were dead. Paul is describing a very real

spiritual condition that exists before our decision to accept

Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

And the results of what the apostle Paul begins chapter 2

with once you were dead is an important thing that we need to

understand because for us to appreciate what we have been

saved to, right? We see that in Ephesians chapter

one, what we have been saved to, but the apostle Paul knows that

that we also need to know what we have been saved from.

So we're going to look at this kind of unpack this a little bit

of what this means. The first thing we're going to

talk about is spiritual death is separation from God.

Death in Scripture is fundamentally means separation,

right? Physical death is the separation

of the spirit from the body. Spiritual death is the

separation of a person's spirit from God.

It's the severing of that relationship.

And it began in in Genesis chapter 2, verse 17.

Genesis 2:17

But God warned Adam of the one tree that he and Eve had

forbidden to eat from, that he forbid them to eat from.

What is that tree? It's the tree of the knowledge

of of good and evil. God said that if you eat of its

fruit, you will surely die. But Adam didn't drop physically

dead that day, did he? But something did in fact

happen. The slow process of physical

death began, but also he and Eve's spirits became separated

from God. Shame entered into their lives

and fear entered as they knew immediately the reality of this

costly decision that they made. In Isaiah chapter 59 and verse 2

Isaiah 59 · chapter mention

it says this. It's your sins that have cut you

off from God. Because of your sins, He has

turned away and will not listen anymore.

Listen, Spiritual death is alienation from God.

God is not ceasing to exist here, but we've been cut off

from Him because of sin. But it goes much deeper than

just alienation or, or being cut off.

It's, it's more than a simple break in our relationship with

God. It also means judgement.

This is probably the, one of the, the, the biggest parts of

this because judgement, judgement of our disobedience,

judgement because of our, our sin.

And it's not because of God. God didn't do this right?

He doesn't cause anyone to sin. The devil can't even cause you

to sin. The devil can tempt you to sin,

but the devil cannot cause you to make that decision.

You make that decision, you're tempted to, and then you act on

that, right? But I want you to to see

something important here because when we make those choices, we

need to understand that that sin always has consequence.

Every decision that we make has some kind of consequence, right?

If I'm driving my vehicle and I just pull out into traffic

without looking, there's probably going to be some kind

of consequence to that action, right?

Well, sin has consequence and people like to blame God for

their bad decisions or the bad decisions of others, but they

have nothing to do with God. Those are our decisions.

We make those things, we make those decisions, we make those

choices. But listen to what Jesus said in

John chapter 3 and verse 17 and this is the good news.

John 3 · chapter mention

John 3 and verse 17. Jesus said that God sent His Son

into the world not to judge the world.

That is not why Jesus came to this world.

He did not come to judge you of your sin.

He did not come to judge you, but He came to do what He came

to save the world. That's why Jesus came, and this

is the good news. What Jesus came to do was to

take the judgement that was do you and rightfully do you upon

himself. He came to do this so that we

each would have an opportunity at life instead of death.

This is the good news. This is the gospel, but the

travesty is for those who reject Jesus.

Listen to what Jesus said in John chapter 3 verses 18 through

John 3:18–20

20. It says, but there is no

judgement against anyone who believes in him.

But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged

for not believing in God's one and only Son.

And in verse 19 and the judgement is based on this fact

that God's light came into the world, but people loved the

darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.

And in verse 20, all who do evil hate the light and refuse to go

near it for fear that their sins will be exposed.

This explains a lot, doesn't it? And this is both good news and

and bad news. It's good news to those who

believe in Jesus and repent of their sin, right?

Because there isn't any judgement then against them.

But for those who do not believe in him, they have already been

judged, right? The second thing here is

spiritual death means inability. When Paul says dead, he does not

mean spiritually struggling, right?

He means spiritually incapable. A dead person cannot revive

themselves, can they? A dead person cannot resurrect

themselves, can they? They're completely helpless.

Romans 8 and verse 7 and 8 describes this.

Inability says in verse 7, the sinful nature has always been

hostile to God. It did not obey God's laws, and

it never will. Verse 8.

And that's why those who are still under the control of their

sinful nature can never please God.

Theologically, this means apart from God's grace, apart from

Christ, humanity is incapable of saving themselves, not able to.

No amount of good works, no amount of religious activity can

lead us to salvation. Salvation is only by God, right?

Salvation comes from God and can only be given by God.

It's a gift that He's given to us.

It can't be earned. The third thing spiritual death

is, is enslavement. In Ephesians chapter 2 and verse

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

2, it says you used to live in sin just like the rest of the

world, obeying the devil, the commander of the powers of the

unseen world, he is the spirit at work in the hearts of those

who refuse to obey God. Spiritual death is not

neutrality. It's a position of active

rebellion against God obeying the devil.

It's bondage, it's slavery. If you look at people's lives

who are, who are bound up in slavery to to the devil and to

sin, it's horrific to see, isn't it?

Well, let's look at John chapter 8 and verse 34.

John 8 · chapter mention

This is what Jesus said. Jesus said, I tell you the

truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

And in Romans 6 and verse 16 says, don't you realize that you

became the slave of whatever you choose to obey?

You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can

choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

You know, we may feel autonomous, like we're just free

to make whatever choices that we want apart from Christ.

But spiritually dead humanity is under influence whether they

realize it or not. They're enslaved to this world's

fallen system, enslaved to a sin sin nature and and enslaved to

spiritual opposition to God. And the last thing spiritual

death carries is judicial consequence.

In Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 3 says all of us used to live

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

that way, following the passionate desires and

inclinations of our sinful nature.

But our very nature, by our very nature, we are subject to God's

anger just like everyone else. This doesn't mean emotional

rage, right? God's not up there looking for

people to to beat. What it means is righteous

judgement. God is love, but God is also

just. God is also holy in the natural

We expect justice, don't we? We expect that evil's going to

be punished, right? Is there anyone who doesn't

expect that evil should be punished?

That's why we have court systems.

That's why we have laws, don't we?

We expect that a murderer will be brought to justice, don't we?

We expect that a rapist will be brought to justice because we

believe that evil should be punished, right?

So listen, God is just, God is love, and God is holy.

But sin is evil. So if God is just, then justice

is required. Sin must meet righteous judge

judgement. John 336 states this.

Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal

life, but remains under God's angry judgement.

But I want you to know that this isn't God's desire, right?

This isn't God's heart. This is not what He wants.

We know that because God sent Jesus, didn't he, to take the

judgement that we all deserved upon Himself so that we could

get out from underneath this spiritual death.

The devil comes to steal to kill and cause destruction, doesn't

he? We know that John 1010, but

Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly.

Peter told us this. That's God's position position

in two Peter chapter 3 and verse 9.

He said the Lord isn't really being slow about his promise as

some think. No, he is being patient for your

sake. He's being patient because he

loves you. He's being patient because he

wants to give each and every one of us opportunity after

opportunity after opportunity to choose life instead of death

because he loves us. So he's not being slow.

He's being patient with us. And he's so patient, isn't he?

Man, there's so many times I'm like, Lord, I am so thankful for

your patience in my life. If I were you, I wouldn't be

that patient with me, right? I would have struck me with

lightning a long time ago, right?

I am thankful for God's patience.

Aren't you? He's being patient for your

sake, and He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but

wants everyone to repent. Listen, this is the good news.

Doesn't matter how bad a person is, it doesn't matter how evil a

person is, if they will repent of their sin, if they will

accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, God will accept

them with open arms, right? And love them just as much as

you and I. That's how big God's love.

He's being patient, He loves us. This is good news.

But here's what I want you to to take away in closing this

morning, because none of us have to be stuck in that position of

dead, right? We don't have to be enslaved to

sin. We can be free from that bondage

in our life. Paul begins chapter 2 by saying

that once you were dead because of your disobedience and your

sins, but thank God that he didn't abandoned us there,

right? He jumped to action immediately

to save us. And this wasn't Plan B, all

right? Christ being sent wasn't Plan B

Whoops. Wow, I really made a mistake

with all of these people, right? I didn't think they'd turn on me

so fast, right? Well, what should we do, guys?

Holy Spirit, you have an idea. Jesus, do you have an idea?

You guys got anything right? Bring out the whiteboard.

Let's brainstorm for a minute, right?

No, this was God's plan well before the earth was ever made,

right? We, we, we looked in the 1st

chapter of Ephesians, right? That before the world was

created, God already had a plan. He already had a purpose.

He already planned to adopt us into his family, right?

Long before any of us, long before Adam and Eve were

created, long before they made a mistake that affected all of our

lives, God already had a plan in Romans chapter 5 and verse 8.

Romans 5 · chapter mention

This is a powerful scripture. Romans chapter 5 and verse 8

Romans 5 · chapter mention

says, but God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to

die for us while we were still sinners, right?

While you were still a Sinner, dead in rebellion, open

rebellion against God, He died for you because he loves you.

He showed his great love. He demonstrated his love for us

by sending Christ. This is the good news.

People don't have to live the way they're living.

They can choose to live that way if they want to, right?

But they can choose life, they can choose freedom, They can

choose to have those shackles which have bound them like a

slave to be tore off. They don't have to be bound by

that anymore. That's good news.

If you would just all bow your heads and close your eyes, if

you believe in Jesus but you've never repented of your sin,

today's the day for you to do that, right?

I just want you to shoot up your hand.

Don't be shy, don't be timid. But people think I'm a Christian

because I come to church. It's not about that.

Maybe you have believed in Jesus and repented of your sin, but

you've let yourself slip into old patterns and I've been

living apart from Christ. Listen, I want you to shoot your

hand up too. There's no day like today.

Today is a day to make a decision to make that commitment

to Christ. I'm going to live my life for

you, Lord, unashamedly, boldly, and I'm going to let you have my

life. I'm going to surrender my life

to you. I am choosing not to live under

the slavery of sin any longer, letting it control me, letting

it make decisions in my life. I'm going to choose you, Jesus,

completely and holy. The Bible says that if you will

humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, that He will lift you

up. Lift you up from what?

Lift you up from that slavery, you need Jesus.

And 1 John 19 it says if you will confess your sins to Him,

that He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and will

cleanse us from all wickedness or unrighteousness.

Listen, if you raised your hand this morning, we're going to

pray here and I just want you to repeat this prayer with me.

Listen, it's not the it's not a prayer that that saves you, all

right? I don't want you to put your

faith in a prayer. What God is looking for, like I

talked about earlier, is, is a humble heart, is a heart that

honors him, a repentant heart towards God and that you're

choosing to live your life for him.

All right, let's all pray this together.

Dear Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins before you today.

I believe in Jesus, I believe you rose him from the dead and

victory, and I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior today.

Help me God, to live my life, to honor you, to honor you in my

heart, to honor you in my words, to honor you in my actions, to

honor you and my family, to honor you with my life in Jesus

name, Amen. Thank you for listening to the

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