More than Mostly Dead
Sermon Series: Ephesians: One Body One Fellowship
Sermon Title: More than Mostly Dead
Ephesians 2 is so powerful because it highlights God’s grace and the transformation believers experience through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul begins by describing humanity’s spiritual state before salvation—dead in sin and following the ways of the world under the influence of evil. Paul emphasizes that, apart from God, people are spiritually lifeless, unable to save themselves, and deserving of His wrath. However, the passage shifts to a message of hope, declaring that God, in His rich mercy and great love, has made believers alive with Christ, even when they were dead in sin. This salvation is entirely by grace and not by human effort.
Paul continues to emphasize that salvation is a gift from God, received through faith, not as a result of works so that no one can boast. He explains that believers are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared for them to walk in. This reveals that while good works do not save a person, they are a natural result of a transformed life. The passage highlights the contrast between the old and new life, showing that believers are no longer slaves to sin but are instead called to live according to God’s purpose.
Paul then shifts focus to the unity of Jews and Gentiles in Christ. He reminds the Gentiles that they were once outsiders, separated from God’s covenant with Israel, without hope and without God. However, through Christ’s death, the barrier between Jews and Gentiles has been broken, creating one new humanity. Jesus Himself is described as our peace, reconciling both groups to God through the cross and granting them access to the Father by the same Spirit. This message underscores that salvation is for all people, regardless of background, and that Christ has removed the divisions that once existed.
The chapter concludes with a vision of the Church as God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone. Believers are described as being built together into a holy temple where God’s Spirit dwells. This imagery reinforces the idea that Christians are not just individuals saved by grace but are part of a greater spiritual family, united in Christ.
In other words,…One Body, One Fellowship
Peace,
Nathan Bentley