Good morning. If you have your
Bibles, please turn to the book of Ephesians. It's a very familiar piece of
scripture that we all love. The title of today's lesson is
Free Grace of God in Christ. The text will be taken from chapter
two of the book of Ephesians. Verses 1-10. But before we look at these verses,
we want to look at verse 1. There's a person told me one
time, when you go to read scripture, look who's talking, who he's
talking to, and what the subject matter is. It says in the first
verse of chapter one of Ephesians, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
by the will of God, and as we all know, an apostle is someone
that was trained by Jesus Christ himself, and he was sent. He was sent to teach, to write,
he wrote over half the books of the New Testament, to go over
churches, and he had divine authority to do that. And another thing
that we need to look at is that this is the Word of God. It's
not just any book, but it was penned by men, but it was inspired
by the Holy Ghost. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3.16,
all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction, and righteousness. And if you have your Bibles,
if you would turn to 2 Peter 1 for a minute, and hold your
place here. 2 Peter 1, verse 20 and 21. The Bible says, God's Word says,
knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation. For the prophecy came not in
old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost. We'll go back and look at verse
one again. of chapter one of Ephesians. It says, Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ, by the will of God, who's he talking to? He's
talking to the saints which are at Ephesus, who is faithful in
Christ Jesus. Before the world began, God placed
the people in the Lord Jesus Christ to have a kingdom that
would be like him. And then what is the subject
matter? We can find that if you look
at Go back to your text and look at Ephesians 2, 8 and 9. It's all about salvation. It
says, for by grace are you saved through faith and not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works,
lest any man should boast. But it's by the free, it's by
the free grace of God that we are saved. He says here in verse two, he
says, and you have he quickened, made alive. Man does not become
spiritually dead because he sins. He is spiritually dead because
by Adam, he was burnt by the fall. Look at Romans five for
a second, if you would. Turn to Romans five. And look at verse 12. He's talking about Adam here.
He says, Therefore by one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin, and so death passed upon all men. for all have seen. The Bible says that all have
come short of the glory of God, for all have seen. In verse 17
of that chapter, it says, For if by one man's offense death
rang by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace and
as a gift of righteousness shall rang in life by one. And who
is that? That is Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Therefore, or in verse 19, for as one man's disobedience, many
were made sinners. So by the obedience of one, shall
many be made righteous. For moreover, the law entered
that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace
did much more abound. And he says, and you hath he
quickened and made alive. As I said, man is not spiritually
dead because he sins. He is spiritually dead because
by nature he is sinful. All the seed of Adam was ruined
by his fall. Romans 51.5 says, Behold, I was
shaken in iniquity, shaken in iniquity, and in sin did my mother
conceive me. And then in Psalms 58.3, the
wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray as soon
as they'll be born, speaking lies. The Bible tells us plainly
that in the flesh, that no man, no man can please God. And you
can find that in the book of Romans. Adams died spiritually,
and that's where all this began. If you look at Genesis 2 for
a minute, hold your place here and look at Genesis 2, chapter
2. Verses 15 through 17. And the Lord God took the man
and put him in the garden of Eden to graze it and to keep
it. And the Lord God commanded the man saying, of every tree
in the garden thou may freely eat. But a decree of the knowledge
of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day
thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. The Lord wasn't talking
about physical death at that time. He was talking about spiritual
death. And over in the next chapter,
in chapter three, in verse six, it says, and when the woman saw
that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the
eyes, and agreed to be desired to make one wise. She took the
fruit thereof and did eat, and listen to this, and gave also
unto her husband with her, and he did eat. We go back to our
text. But man was completely runt by
the fall. It says in Genesis 6, 5, and
God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and
that every imagination of the thoughts of the heart was evil
continually. Let's read verses two and three
of chapter two of Ephesians. It says wherein in time past,
Speaking to the elect, you walked according to the course of this
world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the
spirit that thou worketh in the children of disobedience, among
whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of
our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and were by nature the children of wrath, even as ever. Mark 7, 21 and 223 says, for
from within, out of the heart of man, proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fortification, murders, feasts, lasciveness, deceit,
an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these things
come from within us, and they defile the man. In other words,
what I'm getting at is that man was completely ruined by the
fall. I've had preachers just stand
in the pulpit and say, if you'll take the first step, then God
will take the rest. And I hear a preacher say, if
I can take that first step, I can take the rest of them. But man
was completely dead, completely rurnt by the fall. In verse one,
God's word says of our text, and you hath he quickened or
made alive. If you will, let's read. Why
did he make us alive? If you will, let's read verse.
In Ephesians 1 verse 4, starting in verse 4, God had a plan for
a man. As I said before, he wanted to
set a kingdom up for his son, men that were like him. It says
here in verse 4, according as he hath chosen us in him before
the foundation of the world, before there was moons and stars
in the world, he chose people. But we should be holy and without
blame before him in love. having predestinated us unto
the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to
the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of
his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. And listen to this, in whom we
have redemption, how? Through his blood, speaking of
Jesus Christ, for forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of his grace. wherein he hath abounded toward
us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery
of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath
purposed in himself, but in the dispensation of the fullness
of time, that he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in earth, even
in him. in whom also we have obtained
in an inheritance men predestinated according to the purpose of him
who work of all things after the counsel of his own will that
we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in
Christ. If you will, if you have your
Bibles, turn to Acts 4, verse 26 through 28. Acts 4, 26 through
28. You know Christ, in time, God
sent Christ to this earth to be sacrificed for our sins. People think that it was the
Jewish religious leaders that caused the Romans, who was in
charge of them at that time, to nail Christ to the cross. but God nailed Christ to that
cross. Look at what verse 26 says here
in chapter four, verse eight. It says, the kings of the earth
stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the
Lord and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy
child Jesus, whom thou hath appointed both Herod and Pallas Pilate,
that the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together
for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel, speaking of
God, determined before to be done. Let's go back to our text. It
says here in verse 4, God is so precious. It says here
in verse 4, But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love
were with, He loved us. If you look at Lamentations,
it's Jeremiah. It's a small book. It's Lamentations. It's right after the book of
Jeremiah. It's in chapter 3, speaking of
the mercy of God. His everlasting mercy is our
hope. Chapter 3 of the book of Lamentations,
verse 22 through 26, it says, It is of the Lord's
mercies He's speaking to his elect here. It is of the Lord's
mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail
not. They are new every morning. Great is our faithfulness. The
Lord is my portion, saith my soul. Therefore will I hope in
him. For Lord is good unto them that
wait for him, to the soul that seek of him. It is good that
a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the
Lord. Also in verse four here of our
text, go back to your text, in verse four of our text, it says,
but God, who is rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith
he loved us. It says in Jeremiah 31.3, The
Lord hath appeared of old unto me as sand. I have loved thee
with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness
have I grown thee. And then in verse five here of
our text, it says, even when we were dead in sin, have quickened
us together with Christ by grace, Are you saved? Romans 5.8 it
says, but God commanded or showed his love toward us, and that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. If you will, look
at Colossians 3. Just a few pages over. Colossians
3, talking about the love of Christ. Colossians 3. Chapter 3, verse 3 and 4. The Lord, He tells
us, He says, set your affections on things above and not on things
of the earth. For you are dead, and your life
is headworth in Christ, in God. When Christ, who is our life,
shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory. May we realize, may we be able
to enter into what truly, the true extent of
what he has done for his elect. In 2 Corinthians, think about
this, he was sitting on the throne of grace in heaven. It says here
in 2 Corinthians 8, verse 9, it says, for you know the grace,
the word is grace, God giving us what we don't deserve, the
unmerited favor of God. For you know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, he was rich, he
was almighty God. Though he was rich, yet he became
poor for your sakes, that you, through his poverty, in other
words, through his blood, through his death, might be rich. Now, how are we rich? Ephesians
1.3 says, now you think about this. Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with what?
All spiritual blessings. They all come from God. Nothing
comes from man. They all come from God. But He
has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Jesus and the heavenly
places in Christ. Let's go back to Ephesians. to
verses six and seven. And he says, and have raised
us up together, speaking of his elect, and made us set together
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come,
he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus. This is a spiritual resurrection
from death. We were filled with sin. We were
separated from God. We had no hope of eternal life. But Christ Jesus, through the
blood, through his sacrifice, he gives us a hope of eternal
life, spiritual life, a living union with God in Christ. Christ is our representative.
He is our federal head. We are accepted and we are made
one with God in Christ. Spiritually speaking of God's
elect, when Christ was on the earth, we lived in him. When
he died, we died with him. When Christ was in the tomb,
we were there with him. When he ascended and rose back
into the Father and is sitting on the right hand of the throne
of grace, we're sitting there with him, with Christ. Then in verse seven of our text,
it says that in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches
of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
To be honest with you, our minds, we cannot even comprehend the
life that we have waiting on us. We can't even begin to comprehend. In 1 Corinthians 2, 9, it says,
I have not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that
love him. If you have your Bibles, hold
your place here and turn to Revelation. This is God's word, it's absolute
truth, Revelations 5. The Bible says, the flower fadeth
and the grass withereth, but the word of our God will stand
forever. It says here in chapter five
of Revelation, starting in verse nine, speaking of Christ, and
it said, and they sang a new song, saying, thou art worthy
to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast
slain and hath redeemed us to God. It was by the person, the
work, the sacrifice, and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, by
thy blood out of every kindred, and town, and people, and nation. and have made us into God, kings
and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld and
I hear the voice of many angels round about the throne of the
beasts and of the elders, and the number of them were 10,000
times 10,000, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud
voice, worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessings,
and every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and
under the earth, and such are as are in the sea, and all that
are in them, Here I say in blessing and honor and glory and power
be unto him that setteth upon the throne, who are we talking
about? Unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four beasts
said, amen. And the four and the 20 elders
fell down and worshiped him that liveth forever and forever. Thank God for that. This saving
free grace is given to his people. It's free, and it's all of the
Lord. It's all of grace. First Corinthians
1.30 says, but of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God has
given unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. And the Bible goes on to say,
he that glory Let him glory in the Lord. What is that wisdom
that he has given us? So many people in this world
don't have that wisdom. What is that wisdom? To start
with, that wisdom is to know who we are. We were completely
rurked by the fall. There is no good in us. We play
no part at all in salvation. It's not church membership. It's
not baptism. It's not anything that we do.
Christ Jesus done it all. That's the wisdom. And the other
part is that he is going to take us to glory. That he, being in
Christ, he is perfect righteousness, where his perfect obedience is
our righteousness. His blood sacrifice, His blood
sacrifices our justification. And he paid our sin debt for
us, and he paid it completely. Let us glory, let us glory in
the Lord. We find here in Romans 3, 24
that our justification is in Christ. As I just said, it's
because of the imputed righteousness. Some people say, well, I don't
believe in imputed, I don't believe in imputed sin, you know, because,
because we are all in the sin of Adam, we have his sin. Well,
if you don't believe in imputed sin, well, you're hurting because
you don't believe in imputed righteousness, because we have
the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, by the blood that he shed
for us. In Romans 1.7, he says, in whom
we have redemption, how? Through the blood, through the
blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of what?
His grace. God chose us in Christ. He loves
us in Christ. He accepts us in Christ, the
Lord is a source of that grace, and he is also the fountain of
that grace. God's word says, for there is
one mediator between God and man, there's only one, and it
is Christ Jesus, our Lord. God's people, how do we rest?
We rest in Christ, in Christ alone. We work rest in the person,
the work, the sacrifice, the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ, he is
the source of saving grace and he is the source and he is the
fountain of saving grace. He's the only source of saving
faith and he is the only fountain of saving grace or faith. Christ alone To God be the glory
alone. Christ alone, he done it all.
We did nothing. Grace alone, it's all of God.
Grace, it's all of God. Faith alone, faith is of God. Faith is in Christ Jesus. And
it's scripture alone. And it all belongs to God alone,
the glory. It all belongs to him. In verse
10 right here, we'll go back to our text and Ephesians. In verse 10, he says, for we
are his workmanship. He's the potter, we're the clay.
Created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in him. God's saving grace is
work in us. not only work for us, but it's
also work in us. We are his workmanship. We have been created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, and those works of faith and labor of love
is not a duty, but they are a desire. We have a new direction and a
new heart and a new desire. We love and we trust and we look
to Christ. And we're to keep on looking
to Christ. We look to Christ in this life. We will look to
Christ in the life to come. It's all about him. It's all
about his glory. Our sins have been many. They
still are. As Paul said, who will deliver
me from this body of death? I thank God for Jesus Christ,
our Lord. A lot of people, a woman made
a statement to you every day when I was living in sin. I don't
know about her, but I'm still living in sin, and I will as
long as I've got this body. But our sins have been many.
Our faithfulness has been, at best, has been feeble. Our service
has been insignificant. But He who called us has been
faithful. He has kept us by the power of
His grace. He has never failed us, and He
never will. He has begun a good work until
He brings us safely into eternal glory. If the Lord has saved
us, it will be forever. And I just pray that, I just
pray, may the Lord bless these words to our hearts, and may
we see the glory of our God in this. Thank you. You're dismissed.