Ephesians 2:1-10 | Receiving Grace through Faith

This is City Post Church. We're about three things.

Build equipped and send. All under the Lordship.

Of Jesus Christ. A small church plant in Fort

Worth, TX. Who decided to do things a

little differently? Adoramos ayesu cristo I love

city post because of the people. It's where I belong.

We truly preach the Word. I love City Post because of the

community we've been able to build.

To do ministry like Jesus. For light to push back.

Darkness. This is City Post podcast now,

so before we dive into the text, let me pray for us and then

we're going to talk about childhood real quick.

All right? So, Lord, thank you so much for

all that you do. Thank you so much for everything

that you have given us. So, Father.

I pray that for these next couple of moments that we're

able to focus on your. Word that we're able to.

Man, just just listen. To what you have to.

Tell us God. Lord, I pray for myself.

Father that you speak through me.

Lord that help. Me remember everything.

That was studied God and that everything.

Just be about you in the 80s. I'm going to say that a lot.

So I was raised a little bit different and when we were kids.

My mom and dad would. Encourage us to go play outside.

I know that was a. Little bit of a strange.

Thing. I know times have changed, but I

was outside constantly and I was telling Libby.

This the other. Night 'cause she was asking.

Questions about like my childhood And then she asked me

like I got her water and she goes Dada.

Do you have something to? Drink when you go to bed.

And I was like, no. I get up.

And I go to the kitchen and I get something to drink and then

I come back to bed. And then she goes when you were

a kid. Did you have a bottle of water?

I said no. We just got up and.

Got it. And I told her something that

blew. Her mind and I said.

Libby, you know what we would do when we played outside and we

were thirsty? You don't go inside because

you're sweating. Smell.

So what did mom and dad say? Turn on that water hose.

You use the hose like that was normal like that was like you go

you get a drink from the water hose.

You have a friend or somebody turn it on.

You go to the spigot, go, go, go, go, go, right.

You turn it off and let's go back to playing football on the

street or to the park like it's it's normal.

If it's super hot, you just go ahead and doused your head with

there was no going inside. Like my mom did not come up to

me with a tray of iced tea. But are you thirsty?

People knowledge the manga. That's where you got your drink

from. But here's what's crazy.

So when I'm thirsty, the hose is not what quenched.

My thirst. The water that came from the

hose is what quenched my thirst, so I didn't.

I don't go like, oh, the hose is what doesn't.

No, the hose is the vehicle. The hose is the tool to get the

water to me. And when we talk about the

gospel and when we talk. About salvation we have.

To think of the same way. It is through by grace, through.

Faith that we attain salvation. Listen, faith is the tool that

gets. Grace to you and that way when

you receive the grace of God, that is what brings salvation to

your life. Saved by works.

You're not saved because you raised your hand.

No, like you're saved through the amazing and the immense

grace of God. But in order for you to attain

grace, you're going to have. Faith.

And that's exactly. What we're going to lead today.

Man, this is a. This is a.

Strong passage. Ephesians chapter 2, we're

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

going. To walk through verses one

through 10 and I want to. Encourage you guys I I think

that there's. Sometimes in the word.

Of God, there's some really strong teachings.

There might be some things that challenge our culture, that

challenge what we've grown. Excuse me?

What we've grown up with, don't run from it lean.

Into it. Lean into the truth.

Of God, because I know like, you know, some I'm sharing with some

of the guys I was like. Man, this thing was a.

Bear because I was prepared. I've been praying, asking the

Lord like Lord, show me, what is it that you?

Want us to know from? This incredible passage of

Scripture. So let's go ahead and dive in.

As we look at. The gospel today, we're kind of

seeing like, how does grace? Work.

It is by grace that we indeed salvation through our faith

because it is a gift of God. So look at let's look at the

verse three first 3 verses. And in.

Ephesians says, As for you, you were dead in your

transgressions, or might say trespasses.

And sins. In which you used to live when

you follow the ways of this world and of the ruler of the

Kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who

are disobedient. All of us lived among them at

one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and

following its desires and thoughts like the rest.

We were like nature deserving A wrath.

Paul here is giving us a. Reminder, let's go back to.

Verse 1 and 2. Because I think this is.

Really important for you and me to understand because before

there's good news, there's got to be some bad news.

I know we keep saying that, but it's true what Paul is saying

here. He goes ask for you.

So he's talking to every single person who is reading the

scripture. Every.

Single every single body, all of.

Us in this and you were dead in your transgressions and in your

sins. You weren't wounded, we were

dead. Now I'm not the smartest person

in the room. But I do.

Know what dead means? Feel like I sound like Forrest

Gump. I'm.

Not a smart man, but I know what.

Dead is, I mean like, like we. Know what this is?

And if you want to. Think about it.

Don't. Don't.

Overthink it when when Paul is saying that we were dead, that

means that we were unable to do anything.

Now, I'm not a doctor and I don't, I can't play 1 on TV.

They don't grab it. They are unable to make any

decisions. They're unable to do anything.

They're dead. And what Paul is saying is that

all of us are spiritually dead. We are unable to see the gospel.

We're unable to see salvation. We're unable to do or think or.

Decide anything that is of. God.

We're dead in our what trespasses or transgressions in

our sins. I like the word trespasses

better because what trespass means is that you cross the.

Line. You challenge God's boundaries.

We talked about this a few weeks ago.

We were rebellious to our Creator and because.

Of our rebelliousness we now. Deserve separation.

We are now dead in our transgressions and our sins.

We're not dead because of our sinful acts.

We're dead. We're guilty by association.

It's our sinful nature. We're born into a sinful world.

We see that in Genesis. Chapter 3.

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

But it also indicates. With what Paul is saying here,

the transgressions in their sins like this is where like

unregenerate, like sinners exist, like our hearts have not

been transformed yet, our hearts are not.

Changed. We are sinners Matthew 1235 I

love this passage he says a good man brings good things out of

the good stored up in him, but an.

Evil. Man brings evil things out of

the evil stored up in him. So out of our dead is out of our

sinful nature. We are dead in our sins.

There's nothing that we can do. And you know what?

Else I notice about dead. They look comfortable in a

coffin. They're peaceful because.

Somebody. Dead belongs in a coffin.

They are comfortable in the environment.

That they could set it. Now if you put somebody.

Alive in the coffin. It's like kill nobody too.

I got to. Get out of here.

This is claustrophobic, like I don't belong here.

I got, I got to figure out a way to get out of here.

This quarter's a little bit snug.

So if what the possibility is like if you're dead, then you

are comfortable in the environment that you're in.

What is that environment that you're in?

He tells us in verse 2 in which you used to live when you follow

the ways of this world and the ruler of.

The Kingdom of the Air. The Spirit who is now at work

and those who are disobedient. So what Paul is saying is that

that Satan, that's the ruler of the air.

The scripture talks about Satan as the Prince of Light.

You know Satan. Is not in hell right now.

That's coming when Jesus comes back.

He will be in hell in Revelation, but but he is the

ruler of this world. So we're comfortable because of

our sinful nature in the systems of the world that Satan has

implemented. And also he's at work using

other people. Who are those other people?

We're going to see that. They're called sons of

disobedience. Satan is at work so people that

are dead are comfortable in their sin and trespasses.

It doesn't. Phase them in first, John.

That's called a habitual. Sin like they do like we do

stuff. And there's no conviction of the

Holy Spirit. There's no like oh, I missed

that. One, I shouldn't do that, no.

It's like that's just what it is.

It is what it is. That's just the way life is.

So people that are dead are comfortable in the environment.

Or world of. Temptation.

Satan also operates in them. We are all children.

What he says is we used to be children of disobedience.

And of his? Wrath, and it was.

Just kind of like. Hey Rick, chill out, but.

We got to really understand what it means like our spiritual

condition, because when we are dead, we.

Respond to Satan's guidance in our life.

So as human beings, our default is our wickedness, so without

God. Even if I try.

To do good because of my sinful. Nature, even my good.

Intentions can be simple. My feelings, my thoughts like.

Everything about me, my emotions are coming out of my sinful.

Nature. So I am dead, you know, I see

this. Is that you don't have to fight.

In our culture. For wickedness, actually, we

tend to. Celebrate our wickedness.

Like we, we're like excited about it.

I mean, we see like a group of guys like man, I like got drunk

and drove home last night, almost died.

It was great. Like, like that's, that's like

where we're at. Like we, we celebrate in our

wickedness, in our wickedness because our default as human

beings are. Things that we don't.

Want from God. It's our simple nature, it's our

consequences. This is like what we turn up

with this. Is what we want and what.

Paul is trying to tell us is that.

He's trying to show. Us the condition.

Of a simple man. Because the words that we.

Understand. And for some of us, we.

Really need to kind of get all the way to the bottom.

To see. The greatness of the Gospel.

Message that's. The reality of the gospel is

that God is not rescuing people from like, bad marriages and

abuse and poverty and and hurt and loneliness.

He's rescuing you from your sin. Everything else stems from that.

All the brokenness, all the jacked up relationships, all the

terrible decisions and the things I think all.

Of it stems from my sinful. Heart.

And my. Sinful nature and until that is

dealt with, you're just putting a Band-Aid on the wound.

The wound is too deep and you're just trying to patch that thing

up. It's going to be infected.

It's not going to heal, so we. Have to go to.

God And then what I love about this is I think Paul humbles us

a little bit in verse three. Look what he says in verse

three. He goes all of us lived among

them. At one time gratifying the.

Cravings of our flesh and following His desires and

thoughts like the rest. We were by nature deserving of

God's wrath. What is Paul saying here?

Paul is talking in past tense. So what Paul is?

Pointing to is that there's going to be a difference in how

your life looks. There's a difference between

being dead in your sins and being alive in Christ.

You don't look the same in both worlds and He's.

Also going to let us. Know remember, you used to be

dead too, so don't get all high and mighty and all righteous on

everybody just because you found a life.

Understand that there's people out there who are are Walking

Dead. They're going to.

Act like 10 people. So if.

We get to experience the grace that God is about to pour onto

US, that same grace that you and I experience.

Needs to go. Out to the same the same way to

the people that don't have it. We have got to shift the way

that we see things and if we. Talk about God's will and his

sovereignty and how he makes it available to us.

There's 22 trains of thoughts I want us to look at here.

So we're dead. That means that we don't have

the ability to do anything. So then how in the world do I

come into forgiveness like? I said like a dead.

Person can't really. How does this all work?

What's the God? God is the one.

Who pursues? Us.

He changes our hearts. He's the one that chose to.

Sacrifice. And he's.

The one that saves so. I love John 3.

And I'll just summarize this for time's sake.

John 3, three through 8, You know, Paul's talking.

I mean, Jesus is talking to Nicodemus and he tells

Nicodemus. Those.

Who see the Kingdom of. God only born of the Spirit.

They have only have to be born of the Spirit first.

So you can't. See the things of God until the

Holy Spirit reveals them to you. So we.

Have to attain him first. Because we're dead now.

How does? All this happen because if I'm

not qualified enough. To.

Attain salvation, but I'm not qualified enough to go to God

for him to forgive me, and the only thing I could bring to the

party is my sin. Then how does it all work?

Look at verse 4. There's 2.

Words. I know everybody likes to say

like. But God.

But I think it's but because. So look at verse 4.

But because of his great love for us, God who's rich in mercy,

made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our

transgressions. It is by grace you have been

saved. So there's 2 words.

But because and what God is using is he's connecting these

two words on the reason why He wants to reconcile us back to

Him. But.

Because it's tying it all together.

Why does God want to reconcile us back to him dead in our sin?

We jacked it up like we rebellions our Creator.

Why does God want to reconcile us 2?

Reasons and I'll put him on the screen.

Because he's rich in mercy. And because.

Of his great love. That's what Paul's saying.

God. Is rich in.

Mercy and God has great love for.

Us, and he hates who he is. As character, his mercy and his

love. And he shifts the focus and he.

Puts that on us, so. We messed.

Up we sin, we're dead. We're unable to do anything to

go back to him and when he does that, he loves us so much.

He creates a way for us to get back.

And how does he create? A way?

Well, because of his love and his rich mercy.

What does he do for? God so loved the world that He

sent His only Son. Whoever believes in him will not

perish but have eternal life Verse 5 He made us alive with

Christ, even when. We were dead in our

transgressions. It is by grace that you have

been saved. I love how Paul pieces this

whole thing together. It is How so then my?

Question is how? Do we become alive?

In Christ. What does that look like?

Man? Rick, you're asking a lot of

questions today. I.

Know because I'm. My mind, I'm like man.

Like this gotta make. Sense like like I.

Think some of us just spit this stuff out, but we don't.

Truly comprehend how the. Gospel works.

So we have to understand this. How do us, how do we become made

alive in? Christ, so the way.

It works. Is that he places us together

with Christ, he takes so God. Chose an eternity past he.

Because of his. Love, He chose Christ to be the

atoning sacrifice for the whole entire world to become

reconciled back to Him and what he.

Does is that he places. Us with Christ because God chose

to sacrifice. Christ went to the cross.

God placed sin of Christ. I'm sorry God placed sin on

Christ as we were there, so Jesus took him our place.

And he took. Our sin.

Because the penalty of sin. Is death you see that Romans

623? And we?

Died with Christ. So that way we could rise.

With Christ. And we could resurrect with

Christ though. Romans 663 says baptized.

We're baptized into Christ. We have been immersed.

Into Christ and his dead. Burial.

And resurrection. So I've been Galatians. 220.

I've been crucified with Christ so that way I no longer live,

but it is Christ who lives in me and through me now.

So how are you and I? Made alive in Christ.

He took. Our place on the cross.

God put us with him. So.

We. Died with Christ so that we were

justified, but we're also resurrected with Him.

So that way we can attain his righteousness and all.

Of this happens, all of this goes down.

Not by anything that you did. It's everything that God did.

Man in my prayers that some of y'all in this room.

You hear it, but I want you to, I want you to get this like get

it in. Your heart.

There was nothing that you did. To.

Attain God's favor. It's a gift.

It's through His wonderful grace and we see this in in Isaiah 53

as God. Crushes his son on the cross.

You and I. Now are crushed by his grace.

We are packed and we are. We are crushed.

By the grace of God, and it's through His grace.

That we're able to become. Alive in.

Christ, and it's through His. Grace that you and I are able to

become saved. Now we have a right relation

with. God, we're able to stand before

him in glory. Our sins are now forgiven.

And we? Have the Holy Spirit.

And now we're able to live and. In.

That the benefits keep going. Look at verse six and seven.

And he goes, and God raised us up with Christ and seated us

with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

In order. That in the coming ages He might

show the incomparable riches of His grace expressed in His

kindness to us. In Christ Jesus.

So our salvation now is going to show His glory.

Because this is, this is so. This is just.

So wonderful. That because we've been

resurrected with Christ, we now sit on.

We. We are.

We sit at the right hand of the throne, we are now considered

his heir, his children, and we get to bask in his glory and

exaltation. So as Jesus is exalted, we get

to be testimonies, we get to be living proof of the power of God

and His grace in our lives. So we need to walk.

Around We need to show people what he's done and what do we

show him in verse 7. His incomparable riches of his

grace. Expressed through the kindness

that God. Gave us so the.

Spiritual realm are as believers.

These are kind of where our blessings are at, right?

So we we get inheritance and that's how the first Peter

chapter one, verse 4, our affections are there.

That's Colossians 3 three, we find our joy and fellowship with

the Lord there. Listen, because we are now saved

and now we are right hand of God.

We are heirs to the throne. We are going to celebrate in.

Glory with Him one day. It's going to be.

Incredible. It's going to be wonderful in

all of this. We attain because of grace of

the. Purchase.

You know when I used to work for the.

City I I used to work a lot with.

Neighbor associations, Hoas, Pids, and I always found HOA is

fascinating. Guess what?

Hoas are right, Homeowner associations.

The cycle, that's all right. So what HOA is doing is.

That you pay an annual. Fee.

And you choose to live there and.

There's all of these standards and and rules and regulations

that you must follow. Like you can't paint your house

turquoise. You can't have.

Chickens, you can't. Like have parties, passive Newt,

like all these things so. When you choose to live.

There, that's what you want. But you got to talk about the

good stuff sometimes too. Like because you choose to live

there, because you purchase the house in that HOA, you also have

access to the amenities. You get to hang out at the pool.

You get. To use the clubhouse, you get to

eat there, you get to use the grill, whatever they have

because you purchased. And because you.

Pay you get to take part in the amenities.

That thinks the. Same thing when we look at the

heavenly. Realm because.

Christ purchased our sins because He paid for our sin.

We get to take part in the heavenly amenities.

We get the Holy Spirit. We get the revelation of His

Word, we get righteousness, we get peace, man.

We get all of these things. And it's not because you pay for

it, because somebody else paid for it is.

It is Jesus. We get to.

Take part in all of that and it's.

Wonderful and it's great. And we get to.

Uphold his standards so. Now it gets into.

Where he talks about grace now he's going to show us why so he

said this all of this is done because of my grace and then

he's. Going to remind.

Us in verse 8 and. 9 Now this is where it's going to push on us a

little bit, for it is by grace that you have been saved.

Through faith and this. Is not from yourselves.

It is the gift of. God.

Not by work so that no one. Can.

Boast guys, this is not. Something that you did There's

not enough works. There's not.

Enough church. Attendance.

There's not enough money. That you can do.

Where God? Looks at you and says.

I'm so happy it's. All through the grace of God

that he gives on. US and you get that grace when

you. Accept and you put.

Your faith in Him once. You put.

Your faith in. God he allows.

That grace to pour into your life.

The gift? That he's referring to here.

That Paul's referring to here is the gift of salvation, the

forgiveness of. Sins and it is a gift, because

you and I don't. Deserve it.

That's why it's. Called Grace.

And that's why Paul. Continues to say, man, it's

God's mercy. His kindness.

That we give that. I love Second Corinthians 4/4

talks about the the God of this age, the God of the.

Saves Oh Gee has blinded the. Minds of unbelievers.

So they can't. See the light of.

The Gospel. So there's really nothing you

can do. Did You Know?

That you could not be. Saved.

And still do good things because there's things that you can do

in. Life to make yourself feel good

and make yourself feel better but what Paul wants to argue

here is that because we are saved by.

Grace, and not of ourselves, we not God's workmanship.

And we do good things as a result of a.

Changed heart through His grace. So the good comes out, it's it's

an effect, it's an. Outcome.

So it is by. Grace.

That we're saved and also. That way nobody could boast.

That means that you cannot walk around telling.

Everybody how you came into? Salvation and how you did.

AB and C so. God be happy with you.

Because if that's the case, then what?

You're. Going to do is create a template

for others to follow in order to attain salvation as well, and

last time I checked we make pretty lousy gods because the

truth is how many of us have. Failed.

Ourselves more than. Ourselves.

How many? Times Have you told yourself

you're going to write a 5K issue?

Or like you had to fill in the blank.

I'm going. To and then you make.

A promise to yourself. And three days later, what

happens? You failed.

See, The thing is. Our God doesn't fail.

It's not in his nature. And because we default to our.

Wickedness. When our.

Sinful nature creeps in and. The Holy Spirit.

Checks us. You see, God doesn't have all

that. God is just good all the time.

And his promises. Are pure all the time.

And when he says something. It happens.

He's all. Sovereign and all.

Knowing so, he's the one that saves us.

He's the one that changes. Our heart.

He's the one that gives us that grace so that when you and I

could be forgiven of our sins. And that way we can live a free.

Life and then our. Last verse Look at verse 10

because I love verse. 10 verse 10 is like the outcome of a new

heart and a new life. So we've been saved through

grace God. We put our faith in Christ.

We are forgiven of our sins because it's great mercy and it

is rich to be alive in Christ, for we are God's handiwork.

Well, I like the the version I like better is workmanship.

You see the word workmanship, There's a Greek term for it.

It's called. Poema.

That's where we. Get the word poema from.

We'll put on the screen. So you guys can.

Kind of see the the. How that word works?

So what is Paul saying here? Listen, we are God's.

Poema we are. God's beautiful work of art.

And if there's somebody in this room that thinks that they're a

mistake. That's not what Scripture says.

You are. God's wonderful, beautiful.

Work of art, we are made, we are God's workmanship.

Why does Paul use this word poem?

To describe us because as. A result of the grace that's

been given in our lives, we now are made to do good works.

We don't do good works to attain salvation.

We do good works because we have salvation.

That's how. It comes out.

That's why we want to serve people and love people and man.

We don't want to do it to make ourselves feel good.

We want to do it to connect people to this Amazing Grace

that we have discovered and that God has rained down on our

lives. Y'all, it's.

Not about doing good to the. Poem We are God's creative work.

And we're. Created in Jesus Christ to do

good works which God prepared advance for us to do.

So. Obedience whenever you look at

the fruit of someone who has got been delivered and given your

life to Christ. So if you go back to verse 10,

obedience is an outcome of fruit.

That shows. That you've been regenerated so

you want to talk about fruit? 2nd Corinthians chapter 2 I

mean. 2nd Corinthians. 517 You are a new creation the.

Old is. God and the new has.

Come, you cannot be made. Alive in Christ if you're going

to continue to live, dead makes. Absolutely no.

Sense it doesn't work that way. So those who have made been made

reveal that the grace of God, it changes you.

There's something that changes, and now you.

Want to be obedient? To what God has constantly

called you. To the fruit of this birth is

obedience. And we see that over.

And over here Jesus said, man, you will know those who belong

to me, those who do what I command.

So. This whole.

Idea we got to start. Asking ourselves, like, what

through are people showing? You say you love Christ, you say

you're a believer in Jesus, but you don't care.

So either the word has been choked up.

That's a whole other parable for maybe, just maybe, you're not.

Truly understanding what the gospel.

Is it? Hasn't been explained right.

Don't be real honest with us man.

Like. It it's real easy.

To sit in. Church, it's real easy to.

To be committed. To moralism and workspace

righteousness. It's real easy to sit there and

be like that. I outworked everybody in this

church. I showed everybody up.

But also it's real easy. For you to do all those things

and feel to. Understand what redemption is.

And for you to miss the gospel message because if you think

that God looks at you and smiles.

Just because you work harder than everybody else, that's not

salvation. Salvation is by grace alone.

Through faith. Alone in Christ Alone.

And that's. What Paul is.

Getting us to and because. The default is wickedness we are

bent toward. A works based righteousness and

we're and. We're bent towards illegalism

and we're bent towards moralism. Those are the things that we.

Go to because we. Try to control it.

Or maybe it's because. We want.

To be able to say it was us. That did it.

That's called ego. That's called pride and what the

Bible says. Is like no that grace has been.

Given to you so that way you cannot.

Boast. That way God gets all the glory

so the way that things been in our.

Lives we have to start. Asking.

Ourselves. I want to end with a few

questions so we talk about. Grace.

We talk about understanding. God's.

Grace on our lives like bro. What do you think?

Someones going to act like that doesn't know Jesus.

Remember, you used to be. That way too.

Verse 3 remember. For all have sinned and.

Fallen short of the glory God. So we need.

To understand that the grace that.

Was given to us in. Our lives has to be that same

exact grace that sustains. Us and that same exact exact

grace that we're able. To look at somebody and give to

them as well. And understand that they.

Don't. Know Christ yet yet.

Because the prayer is that the Holies put.

Work in their life. And that they're made a life in

Christ as well, so they can express the same thing that we

have. Which is forgiveness.

And peace and. Joy and all these awesome

things. So real.

Quickly, I just want to end with a few questions for us SO

question. Number one, are you?

Trusting in Christ. Or are you trusting in the list

of things that you? Have to do.

What are you putting your faith in?

Many of us have been. Saved through grace sometimes.

Has. Have this idea?

That yes, I I am saved through grace, but.

I am kept by works. So yes, I believe in Jesus.

Yes, he saved. Me.

But now that he saved me, I have to work.

That's not how this works. The way it works is because I'm.

Saved I am. Now thankful and grateful and.

Jesus is the Lord of my life, so now I live a life out of

obedience. To him, so it's not about work.

It's about obeying. Because when you make it about.

Works then that way, then you make it about outcomes.

And if you make it about. Outcomes and you make it about

numbers. And if you make it about

numbers, then your ego gets hit. But if you make it about

obedience. Regardless of the outcomes.

The fact. That you said yes to.

Jesus, and that you took. A step of faith.

Shows. Your transformed heart and God.

Uses that to continually. Build us and mold us into His

glory. So.

Question number. Two we need.

To ask ourselves, do you think you are better than those?

Around you. Because.

Of what you do versus what they do.

So not. Just what how much you do?

But do you think that because you serve in a different

capacity, because you know more than somebody else, you think

you're better than them? And we have to.

Check our hearts, because if we truly understand God's grace,

these questions should kind of like poke at us a little bit.

We're not. Better man, that God saved us

all and we. Serve him.

Some of us also think. That yes, we are justified.

By Grace. And faith in Christ alone.

But we are sanctified through the law.

And that's not. Spiritual.

Right, like Jesus came to. Fulfill the law.

So I think. We take those first two

questions and then we kind of change them and ask a new set of

questions. So question #3 is.

Do you glory? In the grace of God, who has

saved you and transformed you. And has.

Made you alive in Christ. Do you find?

Glory in that. Do you find pleasure?

Do you find joy in knowing that? God saved.

You and he poured his grace. On you.

And that you're now forgiven. I think some of us forget.

That there's times in my. Life.

Like there'll be a song I'll hear.

Like on. My on my playlist or something

and it's just. Just this flood.

Of memories start coming in and I'm.

And I'm driving around. And I feel almost guilty and

ashamed like God. How are you using me to pastor

knowing what I did in my past? And and I get like a little bit.

Emotional about it, but then. But that's God's grace.

That's the. Transformative power of the

Gospel, that's to the grace. And the reason I'm doing this

today is because I recognize what He did in my life.

So my response is obedience, not outcomes.

So I'm going to walk. In this calling that God has

given me. Because he's asked me to.

That's his. Grace, and that only comes.

When I could. Just delight in what he's.

Done for me the last question along with this.

Is that same thing to be delight to?

Delight. And.

Obedience or do. You drive or are you driven by?

Guilt. I think some.

Sometimes some of us. Do things.

Because we feel guilty, there's a little.

Bit of self. Righteousness behind us.

There's a whole lot of pride. So we.

Tend to. Do things out of these.

Motives the same. Grace that saves you.

Is the same grace that. Sustains you.

It's all about His grace. That's why Paul's saying like

man is by. Grace that we're saying it is

this undeserved merit that God gives us.

We are saved by his grace. So there's somebody in this room

right now that is struggling with this, this whole idea

that's struggling. To understand I have done too.

Many bad things like. My past is so jacked.

Up like. There's no way.

God could forgive me. Like does he?

Do you know what I? Just did last night.

Grace that saves you is the same grace that keeps you.

You are saved by grace alone, Christ alone.

And all you have to do. This is a gift all.

You have to do is put your faith in Him.

You just confess. To him, say Jesus, like I, I

want to follow you. I want to put my trust in you.

And I. Want that grace that you talk

about? In in your word to rule my life.

We pray. For us, and as we.

Worship. We'll have some.

Some people at the. Corners if you want somebody.

To pray with. If you want somebody to talk to,

man, there's. No shame in it, don't wait and

that way we could be your working shit.

So Father, we love. You and we thank you for all

that you do in. Jesus name we pray, Amen.