Ephesians 2:1-7

From the Pit to the Pinnacle

 

Intro: Continuing our Series of In depth Studies on the In Christ Statements found in the First 3 Chapters of Ephesians

A) Thus far we have seen that In 1:3 That in Christ we are the recipients of Abundant Spiritual blessings – All the promises of God are Yes & Amen

 

B) They are certain in Christ : 1:4 Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world

1) 1:7 In Christ we have been redeemed thru – His blood

2) 1:11 In Christ we have an Inheritance both present & future aspects

3) 1:19-21 In Christ we have been given supernatural power to live for God and to serve God

 

C) Today we are actually going to be looking at 3 Statements found in v.4-7

of Ch.2 –

1) That In Christ we have been Brought to life / In Christ we have a position of honor in Heaven

2) IN Christ we will be the recipients of Abounding blessings throughout eternity     RD v.1-7

 

Now I want you to notice WHEN God reached out to you / The RESULT  of Him reaching out to You / WHY He reached out to you /

A) 1st when – V. 5 You were dead in your trespasses ( rebellion) and sin your Failures –

 

B) Now guys I want you to think back to when you first noticed your wife

1) Chances are there was something that attracted you to her – you liked the way she looked that day/ Outfit / hair style / voice

 

C) Something that made you think – I have got to find out who that is – I have got to find out more about her

1) Chances are you didn’t see her in her bath robe / cold cream / curls / bad breath / { You didn’t see that picture for yrs { Never would have continued

 

D) Yes it is true: First impressions mean a lot – There was something that attracted you to your spouse

 

Well what Paul is saying here is that when God reached out to us there was nothing attractive about us – nothing appealing at all!!!

A)Now if you were with us on Wed. night we saw in vs. 1-3 Our dreadful condition prior to coming to Christ – We were in the PIT

 

B) We were dead in our Trespasses & sins – Separated from God { Lost

   w/ out hope / Dammed – Condition of every human being after Adam

 

C) Adam sin infected the human Race – all infected – Disconnected from God with – no hope in ourselves of Changing our dreadful condition

 

D) We also noted that we were living according to the course of this world – which has been devised by this world’s prince – Satan

1) Live w/ out God – live for self – Live according to the lust of the flesh and the desires of the Flesh { Totally Depraved Condition { Wed tape

 

E) The Result of that kind of lifestyle left us Reserved for an fully deserving the Wrath of God

1) In other words we were a mess !!!!

 

But then we read these encouraging words in v. 4 But God

A) What Paul begins to show us here is that God made a way for us to be taken out of the Pit and placed us w/ Christ at the Pinnacle

 

B) We go from the lowest of lows to the highest of Highs –

1) So lets consider now the Result of What God did – note 3 things

 

1st He made us Alive w/ Christ :

A) When Man was in this lost / doomed condition – God reached out to us By sending his Son – Jesus to die on the Cross for our sins

 

B) Jesus Became Sin – On the Cross – He experience death – Separation from God – My God – not Father but My God ……. Forsake me !!

1) Broken heart –

 

C) But 3 days later Christ Rose from the Dead – He was untied w/ His Father

1) Thru His death and Rez - He opened the door for us who were dead in sin SEPARATED -  to be made alive

 

D) For man who was disconnected from the FATHER to be Reconnected to the Father – Which is mankind’s greatest need

 

IN John Ch. 3 Jesus had an encounter w/ a very religious man – Man named Nicodemous – In fact he was the head honcho –

A) Like the Pope – Jesus called him THE TEACHER IN ISRAEL

 

B) Nicodemous was intrigued by Jesus – Heard him teach / saw miracles

1) Knew there was something about Jesus he had never encountered in anyone else before

 

C) So Nic comes to Jesus and says: We know that you are teacher sent from God - for know one can do the these signs that you do if God was not w/ him

1) So Nic makes that Statement – but Jesus answers an un asked question that was on Nic’s heart –

 

"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

 

D) Jesus knew what was on Nic’s heart – How can I really know that I know God – How can I have assurance of Heaven

1) Jesus knows what is on your heart today!!!!!

 

 

 

Nic responds – I am old how can I be born again ? Can’t climb back into my mothers womb –

A) Jesus said to him v. 5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

 

B) Jesus declares look you need to be born Physically – of water and Spiritually ( of the spirit ) in order to Know God / assurance of heaven

1) Doesn’t matter how good you are ( Nic was a good man ) Doesn’t matter how spiritual one is ( Nic was the teacher in Israel )

 

C) That is what the Bible is referring to when it says that we have been made alive w/ Christ – Speaking of being Born again

1) Spiritually coming to life – Know God

 

D) So there in Jn 3 Jesus says this is a Must for everyone if they are going to Know God – go to heaven

1) MUST BE BORN AGAIN

 

A Supreme Court Judge was at church one Sunday - went forward to kneel at communion -

A) kneeling next to him was a man who had be arrested and convicted of burglary

 

B.)    This very judge sentenced him to 7 years in prison. In prison -      man gave life to the Lord - now out - same church as judge

         

C.)    After the service the judge was walking out with the pastor and said did you notice who was next to me! -  Pastor said yes

          1) Judge replied - "what a miracle"

 

D.)    Pastor said it sure is - His life was so messed up & now doing         great

 

The judge replied back - I wasn't talking about him - I was talking about me!  Pastor replied - don't understand

A) Judge said - "It was natural for that man to get saved - he had nothing but a history of crime behind him"

 

B) His life was a mess!  When he saw Jesus as his Savior he knew that he needed help! Blessing that salvation available -

 

C) But - in my case - my life was set - educated; money, position, power; I went to oxford –earned  2 degrees - I have a great family

1) But I was equally as lost as he was – God reached out to me !!!

 

D)  Good reminder Doesn't matter / moral sinner or rotten sinner / all missed the mark /All Dead in Sin – Must be  born again !!! 

 

E)  And in Chapter 1 John tells us how to be born again : John 1:12-13

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

Jesus illustrated this idea of Being born again ( being made alive in the story of the Prodigal son Lk 15 – Turn Rd v. 11-24

A) In this story we have a son who rebels – he takes for granted his fathers kindness – Leaves his father –

 

B) Goes out to live completely after the lust and desires of his flesh

1) He becomes joined to a citizen of another country – in the same way we became connected to the course of this world { Picture of total depravity

 

C) Ends up in a Pig pen – Sin always takes a person down

1) And it was there in that Pig pen – v.17 He came to himself or KJV puts it he came to his senses

 

D) That is where the HS is seeking to bring all mankind – to their senses of the emptiness of worldly pursuits –

When this young man comes to his senses – He sees his sin – he repents – turns from his sin & heads back home to his fathers love/ always known

A) The Father runs out to meet him in order to Protect him from the Wrath of the elders – law stated – son who  disgraced father – stoned

 

B) Notice how the Jesus describes the Father’s reaction in v. 22 -24

 

22 "But the father said to his servants,'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

 

C)  Jesus who was telling this story uses it as an illustration of Salvation when He says: My son was dead – now He is alive

 

D)  There is this beautiful restoration that takes place – This son goes from the Pit ( pig pen ) to the Pinnacle – Father’s table { feast

 

E) That my friends is what happened to us – We were dead : Separated lost { nothing attractive about us –

1) Brought to life w/ Christ – restored to fellowship { Back to Ephesians

 

So first of all we who were dead – Have been made alive in Christ -

2nd thing : V 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

A) This speaks of our spiritual position as believers – Seated w/ Christ

 

B) This why this passage has been called the Alps of the New Testament. 

It lifts you up into the heavens. 

1) It takes man from that lowest state and lifts him right up into the presence of God, in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 

 

C) Seated together with Christ in these heavenly places.  This is our place, positionally, Believers are positioned spiritually in heaven, where Christ is.

Our physical position may be on earth, but our spiritual position is “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

A) We need to be living above the world and the things of the world

 

B) We need to remember that we are no longer mere earthlings; OUR  citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20).

1) He is the exalted Son of God, and they are exalted sons and daughters of God.

 

C) We are seated with Christ in that position of Intimacy and honor !!!

 

 

SO #1 We have been made a live w/ Christ/ #2 We are seated w/ Christ /  #3 We are going to be blessed thru-out all eternity because of Christ

v.7  that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

 

A) The word show in the grk is Display - God has saved us, and you know what He’s going to do for all eternity? 

1) He’s going to display the riches of His grace and His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 

 

B) Another way to translate DISPLAY is He will pile them one upon another in succession

         

C)     In other words - God is going to spend eternity piling up           blessings / showing all He has for you in Christ!

 

D)     kids at Christmas time - opening presents - sparkle in eye -           that is what we are going be like - wow!

          1.)     God will be like a loving parent watching our faces! smile

 

 

 

You ever wonder what heaven is going to be like?  Well here’s a description of it: 

A)  Forever God is just going to be revealing more and more and more of His grace to us, the exceeding riches of His grace. 

 

B) Notice the words Paul uses: exceeding riches.  We’re talking about riches beyond riches. 

 

C) And for all of eternity God is going to just be unfolding those riches of His grace in His kindness toward us. 

 

D) So what we see here is that when we were Dead in our trespasses and sins God reached out to us – Sending His son –

1) Made a way for us to who were dead to be born again – Richly blessed in Christ

 

 

 

Leads us to consider why He would do such a thing ? Mind boggling – why ?

A) V.4 Because He is Rich in Mercy & Full of Love / v. 5 Full of Grace

 

B) Mercy = Not getting what you do deserve / Grace is getting what you don’t deserve / - Love is perfect and Unconditional

 

C) That is why? It is the essence of who God is – When we grasp this it only magnifies – His Brightness

1) In Psa 136 The Psalmist makes the degree 26 times that his mercy endures forever

 

D) Paul in Romans – Sin abounds Grace abounds all the more

 

 

 

 

A poor woman from the slums of London was invited to go with a group of people for a holiday at the ocean. She had never seen the ocean before, and when she saw it, she burst into tears.

 

Those around her thought it was strange that she should cry when such a lovely holiday had been given her. They asked her, “Why in the world are you crying?” Pointing to the ocean she answered, “This is the only thing I have ever seen that there was enough of.”

 

My friend, God has oceans of mercy. There is enough of it. He saves us by His grace

 

 

E) Answer to why ? Just Because – it is who God is – He is Holy yes / Righteous / Yes / Also Gracious Loving and merciful

1) Mercy and Grace seen in light of His Holiness & Righteousness – the most at the Cross – Him Punishing His Son – So you could live