Amonte King . “Wrapped” . January 1, 2023
Ephesians 2:1-3 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.”
Dead: a corpse
Trespasses: to stray from the right road
Sin: a miss
Sin = to miss the target that God set for our lives
The World: do what everyone else does
The Flesh: do what you want
Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.”
The Devil: the center of evil
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Death = to live eternally apart from God
Ephesians 2:4-7 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
God’s love made the way for us to be with Jesus.
Ephesians 2:8 “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift —”
The gift is to be made alive WITH Christ.
Ephesians 2:6-7 “Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 1
Chosen in Christ (v.4) Holy/Blameless (v.4)
Adopted (v.5) Graced (v.6) Redeemed (v.7)
Forgiven (v.7) Shown God’s Will (v.9) Chosen (v.11)
Included (v.13) Marked (v.13) Given the spirit (v.13)
1.) Remember
Ephesians 2:11 “So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh — called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.”
Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.”
2.) Be Near (in Christ)
Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.”
Ephesians 2:7 “so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.”
It was Christ’s work that saved you and Christ’s work will keep you!
3.) Build on Jesus
Ephesians 2:19-22 “So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. The whole building, being put together by Him, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord. You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.”
Bible: Read it every single day
This is how God speaks
Prayer: Set a time to pray every single day
This is how we are formed
Community: The glue that holds us together
Ephesians 2:22 “You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.”
We’ve been brought near by Jesus, & all we have to do is stay near by building on Jesus.