Alive in Christ

Amen. I couldn't help but think about how so much that we have just worshiped two together really goes with where we are going in our verses this morning. The phrase "Father of Mercy" because of your steadfast love. I don't know if the author of that song had these verses in mind, but he definitely had verses like this in mind. I say this from time to time, but I want you to notice that we sing truth here. We sing the truth of God's Word, and of course there are emotions attached to that. That is good, but let's just make sure it's driven by the truth of God. And that's very, very truthful. "Father of Mercy" because of your steadfast love.

I look forward to how we're going to see this in these verses this morning. I appreciate that worship, Keith. Well, let's take our Bible. Let's go back to Ephesians chapter 2. I know I said it, but I'll say it again. The division that we have before us last week we looked at verses 1 to 3. This morning we're going to look at verses 4 to 6. And then the next time, the next time we are in Ephesians, we will look at verses 7 to 10. Now I'll say next time because I really don't know what we're going to look at next Sunday. You know, I have known people in the life of our church who will show up on special occasions.

And they'll say, "Pastor, are you going to preach in the series? Are you going to give us a different message? Maybe for Father's Day or Mother's Day." I'm not sure yet. So just come in. We could look at Ephesians next week or maybe not. We'll just see how it works out this week. Now I know I said this last week and we saw this in last week's message that we are moving from. We have moved from chapter 1 and we're getting into chapter 2. And I said that in chapter 2, especially the first section, verses 1 to 10, Paul was explaining more and more of God's master plan for the salvation of man. I said that chapter 1 and chapter 2 flow together.

You might like another way of envisioning it. That chapter 1 and chapter 2 build on top of one another. Chapter 2 along with chapter 1 give us a clearer and a brighter picture of what? And I've said this phrase quite a bit. God's master plan for the salvation of man. And I think I mentioned that if you're studying, study chapter 1, study chapter 2, and you're going to see more clearly God's master plan for the salvation of man. Now notice how much more of God's master plan Paul gives us in chapter 2. Chapter 1, Paul explains man's salvation as it is seen in eternity past, also in time and experienced in time, and as it is seen in the future.

I have given you that division quite a few times. I know that. Well in chapter 2, Paul explains man's pitiful spiritual condition before their conversion to Christ. And we will see that Paul goes on to explain the powerful change that God brings about in a man when they are converted to Christ. And then Paul goes on to even explain God's purpose for converting men to Christ. And that's what we'll look at the next time we are in Ephesians. And you know sometimes people will say things like this. They'll say, "Pastor, I thought that God saved us so we can go to heaven." I've had people say stuff like that.

"Brother Chris, I thought that God saved us so we don't have to go to hell." Well, that is true, but it is also a lot more than that. God's purpose in saving men is not just to keep men out of hell and to give them heaven. The reasons that Paul gives here are much more God-centered. And we're going to look at that when we get into the verses, verses 7 to 10. They're more God-centered and less man-centered. Now last week we saw this pitiful spiritual condition of man when they are outside of a saving relationship with Christ Jesus. We saw that all people who do not have a saving relationship with Christ are dead.

In verse 1, we saw that people who do not have a saving relationship with Christ, they are physically alive but spiritually dead. In every way they are spiritually dead all while living in their spiritual condition and position in life. And this condition is death and their position is sin and sinfulness. We saw that verse 2 and verse 3 simply describe, verses 2 and 3 describe how the spiritually dead live all throughout life. In every way they are what? The living dead. Remember that title? They are the living dead. I said numerous times in every way they are the zombies. They are the living dead people.

And I picked this up from John MacArthur in some of my study and it really has a ring to it. They are the death walkers, remember? But remember this word, the word were. I got you to write that word down. The word were and the word are. These Ephesians were the living dead. At one time before their conversion to Christ they were zombies. And that is what they were past tense because they had come to faith in Christ. You know after last week's message I can't tell you how many comments I had from folks. Some of you in here comments about zombies and zombie music and the living dead and the mostly dead and the half dead and the almost dead.

I had some strange comments. You know what that tells me? You are picking up on what we have here and what Paul is showing us. Be honest with you, some of you missed one. A strange comment. I expected someone to say that we needed some zombie ammunition. Yes, there are companies that market ammo using zombies. Using zombies. But on a more serious note, at this point we must revisit a question or two that I asked us last week. We must revisit these questions. How can the spiritually dead get life? We've got to ask that folks. How can the death walkers come to Christ for life? How?

In answering those questions we need to read some of Romans chapter 3. We really need to look at this. And if you would go ahead and turn over to Romans chapter 3. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about that earlier in our scripture reading. I think I gave this to you in a homework assignment. I want to ask for a show of hands to see who did go read Romans chapter 3. But I want us to put our eyes on a few verses. Because this solidifies what we looked at last week and this prepares us for where we are going this morning. Starting in verse 9 of Romans chapter 3. Paul says, "What then are we Jews any better off?" Let me pause there.

See there was a debate. Jews felt like maybe they were better off or in a better standing before God than the Gentiles. Paul is saying no. The ground is level. And what does he say? "For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are all under sin." What is he saying? All men are the same. And here's where I really want to go. He says, "No one is righteous, not even one." No one understands. He goes on to say, "No one seeks for God. For all have sinned. They've turned aside. Together they have become worthless. No one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave. They use their tongues to deceive.

The venom of asps that would be poisonous snakes is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. In their paths are ruin and misery. In the way of peace they do not know." And notice the last verse, verse 18. "There is no fear of God before their eyes." And listen folks, it is plain to see here. All men who are outside of Christ Jesus are under sin. There is no one who are righteous. There are none who are righteous. And for emphasis Paul says, "Not even one." There is no one who understands or seeks God, the Apostle Paul says. He says, "All have turned aside. They have missed the mark.

They have rebelled against God and is perfect standard." He says, "They have become useless." Paul goes on to say, "There is none who do good, not even one." And he goes on to say, "That not even one fear God." Think about it. God sure doesn't build up our self-esteem, does He? He doesn't. And listen folks, God isn't in the self-esteem business. He is in the truth business, okay? He is not worried about our self-esteem. He is worried about the truth, the truth of man's sinfulness. And the truth of the matter is that the spiritually dead are zombies. They are spiritually dead. And all of the death walkers cannot get life.

They can't come to Christ for life. They are hopeless. But God. Back in Ephesians, isn't that what we see? But God, look at verse 4, "But God?" Just in those two words, we have one of the most important transitions in all of the Word of God. We have the most loving two words in Scripture. "But God." But God intervened in man's damnable doom. God decided to do something about man's damnable condition and position and ultimate damnation. You see that? Through His Son Jesus, God chose to bring life to the living dead. God chose to intervene on behalf of the doomed and damned death walkers. And He chose to make us alive in Christ.

Well, that's simply the title of the message. It's real simple. The title comes right out of the verse, "Alive in Christ." So this morning we will look at how God intervened on behalf of the doomed and the damned death walkers. And we will see how the living dead become alive in Christ. And we will see what that looks like starting in verse 4. And this all comes from Paul to who? To the Ephesians. And Paul shows us three things here. The first two we'll cover this morning. And I think I've said that we'll cover the third the next time we are in Ephesians. So let's get started. Number one, Paul shows us God's character.

This comes out of the beginning of verse 4. Paul shows us God's character. Now this may surprise some of you, but Paul does not start with what God did in this dilemma of the death walker. He starts with who God is. Before he reminded the Ephesians of what God did for them in their salvation, Paul reminds them of who God is. I think about it like this. I've heard this statement. You've heard this statement. I've used this statement before. And I've heard variations of this statement. But reputation is what others say about you, but character is who you truly are. We've probably heard that. There's nothing wrong with that statement.

Reputation can be what others say and think about you, but character is who we truly are. Well here, Paul reminds them, the Ephesians, of who God actually is. And Paul shows us who God is in relation or up against the reality that all men are dead in their trespasses and sin. A couple of things I want us to see here. First, Paul shows us that God is rich in mercy. Paul shows us that God is rich in mercy. Now this is the first thing that Paul says about God. Notice the verse, "But God being rich in mercy." Now we need to see what this word rich in mercy mean here. I'll start with the word mercy.

Now oftentimes mercy can be confused with grace, but they are not the same thing. Now they are linked here in Ephesians 2, but they are not the same. Basically grace is giving something that isn't deserved, but mercy is not giving something that is deserved. And here this word mercy speaks of God's compassion. This word mercy speaks of God's kindness, of God's goodness, especially towards the helpless. But it is more. In the case with all of the living dead, they deserve punishment for sin and the rebellion against God. Paul is saying that up against man's rebellion and death, God is compassionate. God is merciful. And there is more.

Paul says that God is rich in mercy. This means that he is abounding in mercy. His mercy is unlimited. His mercy is immeasurable. That is who he is. God is. And I'll place an emphasis on is. God is unlimited and abounding in his mercy. Second, Paul shows us that God is great in love. Notice the second thing that Paul says about God. Look at verse four. But God being rich in mercy because of the great love. Now this can be overlooked. We might notice the mercy, but I think we can overlook this. But we need to see what's happening here. By nature, God is love. We see this numerous places in scripture. But one I will call to your attention.

First John 4a. John says that anyone who does not love does not know God. Well, why is that the case? Because God is love. This is one of God's intrinsic attributes, meaning this is who he is by nature. And here in this situation, in the case with all of the living dead, they deserve punishment for sin and their rebellion against God. And Paul is saying that up against that, up against man's rebellion and death, God is not just love, but God is great in love. This is who he is. God is, and I'm placing an emphasis there on is, God is abounding in this great love. So look at what Paul is reminding the Ephesians here about God.

He is reminding them that God is rich in mercy. And rich in this great love. He was reminding them that God by nature is rich in mercy and great in love. That is who he is. Well, the lesson for us here is simple. We must see accurately who God is, who he is by his very nature. Yes, he is the just judge who will judge all unrepentant sinners for their sin. Yes, he will judge all who do not believe savingly in Jesus. Yes, he will judge the lost, inhale that eternal pit where the fire is never quenched. Yes, we know that. But here, as Paul begins to remind these Ephesians of God's great mercy and this great love, this should be a reminder to us.

Well, the question, how should this apply to us? God is rich in mercy, great in love. How should this be applied for us? First of all, for believers, this should remind us of who God is and this should move us towards worship and love. We just love him all the more. Sometimes we need to be tapped on the shoulder and reminded of these things. This is who God is. And this is the God we love and we serve and we worship. God is rich in mercy and great in love and we love him all the more because that is who he is. But you see, for those of you who are not converted to Christ, this should soften your heart.

This should woo you towards the heart of God and the love of God and the fact that he desires to save you. This is God. He is rich in mercy and he is great, abounding in love. And if you're unconverted, if you're not in Christ, I pray that that truth, those realities will draw you to Christ and soften your heart. And then number two, Paul continues. Paul shows us God's actions. Finally, Paul gets to what God did. Now we see this is in verses four, or the end of verse four, and on into verse six. There's quite a bit here. Now, after Paul reminded the Ephesians of who God is, he then begins to describe what God did for them.

And Paul gets into some great things that were done by God. And remember, remember, this is all up against, or in relation to their rebellion against God. And not only was this rebellion against God himself, their rebellion was against what? God's rich mercy and God's great love. You see? Paul shows them that God did five things for them, not just the Ephesians. Paul is still using this all inclusive language. We see it at the end of the verse, verse four. Us, us. What we see is that Paul is putting himself into the equation and we will see that this is for us as well, okay? First, Paul says that God showed us mercy.

Now, I alluded to this already when we looked at the fact that God is rich in mercy. But notice what Paul is saying here. Paul is reminding them that God extended to them immeasurable mercy. Paul is reminding them that God, in his immeasurable kindness, in his immeasurable mercy, did not give them the punishment that they deserved. As the living dead, by nature, living as children of wrath, they deserve punishment for their sin and rebellion against God. And Paul is saying that up against their rebellion and their spiritual death, God showed them immeasurable mercy. God extended to them immeasurable kindness and mercy.

God did not give them what they deserved. Now, I want to pause here and make a little application. I want you to listen close. If you are not converted to Christ, you are not experiencing this mercy, okay? You're still a child of wrath by nature, you see? You're still dead, the living dead, a zombie, a death walker. But I want you to see that you have not reached your ultimate, your ultimate punishment for your sin. And even in your lost state, you are still living in the mercy of God, you see? Because you deserve hell and damnation right now. Every minute that you live in your sin, you're experiencing the mercy of God, you see?

But for us who are Christian, we didn't get what we deserve. We got His mercy. We received His mercy. And we are living in Christ. You see, there is a difference. But we are all, all, all living in the mercy of God. The question is whether or not you were in Christ and you've been pardoned from your sin, or are you waiting to be judged? But then second, Paul says that God loved us. We see second that Paul goes on to say that God loved us. We see this at the end of verse 4 and on into verse 5. Now Paul continues by reminding them of how God loved them. And the theme of God's love is a topic that Paul comes back to often in Ephesians.

We saw Paul do this in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4 talking about this love. Let's go back and read it. It's right there. And you'll see Paul talking about this love. He says, "Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love." You see? In love. And notice what Paul is doing here, right here in chapter 2. He is linking God's immeasurable mercy with God's great love. He is emphasizing God's love by being repetitive. Look at the verse. "Because of the great love with which He loved us." You see the repetition? But notice something here. Paul does not say he loves us.

He says he loved us. Past tense. Notice that in your copy of God's word. Now what's Paul up to right here? I think that Paul is looking back to a particular event. I think he is looking back to the one event which is the greatest demonstration of God's love for the death walkers, really for all of mankind. And that event would be what? The cross. Romans 5.8 says that while we were sinners, while we were sinners, while we were living in our death and in our sin, Christ died for us. While we were living in spiritual death and rebellion against God and against His immeasurable mercy and great love, He died for us.

And we must see that the greatest expression of love for us who are converted to Christ is that He loved us by going to the cross to die in our place. He loved us by taking the punishment for our sin, your sin. And then third, we see that Paul says that God made them alive. We're just progressing through the verses. God showed them mercy. God showed them love. He loved them. And then third, Paul says that God made them alive. And we see this in verse 5. I want us to read verse 5. Even when we were dead in our trespasses, God made us alive together with Christ.

And he goes on to say, "By grace you have been saved." Now this is vitally important to see. Paul is saying that out of God's immeasurable mercy and great love, and through the redeeming work of Christ on the cross, that it is God who makes spiritually dead sinners alive. It is God who brings the death walkers to life. Now a question we've got to ask here, what does it mean to be made alive? What does that mean? The spiritually dead need life. They need spiritual life. And this spiritual life comes when one is born again of the Holy Spirit of God. And this spiritual life comes when one believes savingly in Christ.

This is one who becomes alive to God through the power and the work of the Holy Spirit that enables them to turn from sin and believe in Christ. And this one becomes spiritually alive through a spiritual union with Christ, his death, and his resurrection. We see this taught all throughout the Scriptures. I will give you just a few examples. You can write them down. Don't turn, just follow me. In Romans 6 verse 4, Paul says that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. See that phrase, "newness of life"? We have newness of life because we're made alive in Christ.

In Romans 6, 11, Paul says that we should reckon ourselves, dealt to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. See that phrase, "alive to God"? We are alive to God because we are made alive by God and to God. We can't forget John chapter 3, Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus. In verses 3 to 8, Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born from above, that he must receive a new life, a new life from God. What is he saying? He's saying to Nicodemus he must be made alive by God, alive by God. And notice, this is what happened to the Ephesians. And this is what happened to Paul.

Paul says in verse 5 that even when we, we, were dead in our trespasses, God made us together alive. Isn't that what he says? God made us alive together with Christ. I thought about something that might help us grasp what's happening here. You know the beauty of illustration is it can illuminate Scripture, but a lot of times illustrations and stories can only go so far. Maybe this one will help you. I'm not asking for a show of hands, but has anyone ever been in a room when a baby was born? You mothers have. You mothers have. Some of us men have. We all have those experiences. I remember when Annie was born that was a longer process.

I was just amazed by it all. I'd never been in that environment. And when Mikey was born, I signed the amendments papers, and 30 minutes later we had a baby. 20 minutes later, Christy got up and took a shower. I mean, it was quick. Matter of fact, the nurses came to me and said, next time you better make an appointment. But think about it. You know, we're in that room and here comes life. I mean, boy, girl, here comes life. You know, the doctor takes the baby and slaps them on the behind and they cry. We see life. Now question, where does that life come from? Might say, pastor, I know all about the birds and the bees.

I know where it comes from. Yeah, physically we learn this maybe from our parents or in science class. You know, the two become one and they produce life. Well, that's true. But there's another element to it. That life comes from God. Ultimately, that life comes from God. You might say, my child came from God. I think he came from the devil. Well, there's some truth in that too. But think about it. That life came from God. Yes, it came from man. A man and a woman coming together. He comes from man. It comes from woman. But it comes from God. Well, it is the same with what Paul is saying here. Yes, these Ephesians confessed Christ.

They believed in Christ. But that was only possible when God made them alive in Christ. You see, they were able to repent. They were able to trust. They were able to believe in Christ. And when they were quickened by the Holy Spirit, when they received the work of the Holy Spirit, they were made alive by the Holy Spirit of God. You see? And then fourth, Paul's just progressing along. Paul says that God raised them up. We see this at the beginning of verse 6. And he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places. Now, this may surprise you, but there's more.

Paul reminds them that not only have they been made alive with Christ or in Christ, they have also been raised up with Christ. Isn't that what the verse says? They were formerly dead in sin. They've been made alive together with Christ. And now Paul is showing them that they were raised with Christ. Now, let me explain this a little more. They were raised with Christ in life. After their conversion, they lived a new life in Christ. They were once dead, living as the death walkers, but now they've been made alive in Christ, and they are raised with Christ. Paul says this in Galatians 2.20.

Paul says that he had been crucified with Christ, and he no longer lived, but Christ lived in him. Paul was saying that he had died with Christ, and he was raised with Christ, and he lived that risen life on earth. And it is the same with these Ephesians. They were raised up with Christ. And then 5th, Paul says that God seated them. We see this in the second part of verse 6. Now, before when we covered chapter 1 verse 20, we saw that Christ was seated in heaven. Remember that verse? Paul says that Christ was risen, and he was seated in heaven. And I made the comment that this is a posture of rest.

He, that is Jesus, is seated at the right hand of the Father. The work of redemption is finished, and he is at rest. Well, what does Paul mean by saying that believers are seated with Christ in the heavenly or heavenly places? What does he mean there? Paul is showing these Ephesians that they share in the finished work of redemption. They are themselves complete in Christ. You see, he is saying they themselves are complete in Christ. Their salvation is finished. So these believers being seated with him speaks to the fact that their salvation is complete. It is done. So look at God's actions here.

Up against or in relation to the living dead, those who are in sin. Look at what God did in response. He extended immeasurable mercy and great love. And he did this by not giving them what they deserve and by giving them the greatest expression of his love, and that is the cross, and Christ dying on the cross. And he made them alive in Christ through the new birth, and that isn't all. He raised them up with Christ, and he seated them with Christ in the heavenlies. And look what God did for them. Look what God did for the Ephesians. Look what God did for Paul. And look, folks, if you are in Christ, it's you too.

We are all right there with Paul and these Ephesians. Look what God did for us if we are in Christ. But there's something else here that I really want us to see. I picked this up this week by doing some study. I was reading some information by the Bible commentator, the scholar Leon Morris. And I'm going to tell you, this really hit home with me. I think I read this on Monday, and it just stayed in my mind all week. Leon Morris points out that a feature of this letter is what is commonly called the "withness" of the letter. That's an odd word. "Withness," the "withness" of the letter.

Morris points out that Paul uses quite often this compound word where the first word is "with." We know what a compound word is. It's two words joined together. And he uses this compound word, and the first word is this word "with." And he does this twice in verse 6. In the original, it reads, "He with raised us." It reads, "He with raised us and with set us." And language scholars say that it is not easy to bring that meaning out in our English language. Now, what's my point? Am I just trying to give you an original language lesson? No. Paul was emphasizing in a strong way that believers belong together.

He was placing a strong emphasis that those who have been converted to Christ belong with Christ and belong with one another. Paul could have easily said that God raised the spiritually dead from death and in sin. But Paul emphasized that they were raised together with Christ. Together with Christ. He could have easily said that God simply set believers down in the heavenlies. Paul emphasized that they were seated in the heavenlies together with Christ. Look at the pluralistic language. I'm going to go back to verse 4, but it's really here in verse 6.

But God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you've been saved, and here it is, and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Now, what is my point here? Why do I spend the time pointing this out? I think this speaks to one of the biggest problems facing Christians today. COVID and politics and cultural shifts exaggerate this and prove this. So follow me.

So many professing Christians and true Christians miss the fact that God made them alive in Christ, and He raised them with Christ, and He raised them and set them in the heavenlies with Christ, not alone, but with other believers. This is an us and we thing. This is an us and we thing, not a me thing. We were born again and placed into a spiritual family. It's called the church, the local church. It is an us and we thing, and we are meant to live in a local church. It is an us and we thing, not a me thing.

You see, COVID, politics, and culture, and maybe some slight theological differences, and our personality quirks and hang ups, nothing can force us into a me thing. It's got to be an us and we thing. It's got to be an us and we thing. Has anyone ever known a child or a teenager or a family member that just thinks that they can live outside of the family unit? You ever seen that before? Well, what happens when a son or a daughter or even a grown son or a daughter does that? See, it ruins the closeness of the family. It ruins that togetherness of the family. You see, they're out of place. They're disjointed. They're not where they should be.

Well, it is the same spiritually. If we've been made alive with Christ and we have been made alive with others, you see, we are to live out our lives intimately connected with a local church, a local church intimately connected with other believers. This is an us and we thing, not a me thing. Let me tell you something, folks. If you have someone who is not committed to a local church, then there are serious spiritual problems there. Either they are tremendously immature spiritually or they have never been made alive in the first place. They have never been raised and seated with others, and many of those people are simply false Christians.

I don't care if they have the right answers. Now, do true Christians get out of balance here? Yes, but we must see that. Now, just like there is a lot in the first three verses, verses 1 to 3, there's a lot in verses 4 to 6, and there's a lot more than I could say here, folks. We have examined the living dead, verses 1 to 3, and now we've examined how they become alive in Christ. And listen, folks, this is all a work of God. And the next time we are in our study in Ephesians, we will look at a fact that we are saved to serve. That's easy to remember. That's what verses 7 to 10 are all about.

God's purpose in all of this, we are saved to serve. Now, take a step back and look at what we've studied. The living dead, the zombies, the death walkers, some of those phrases have resonated with you. It's helped us see what Paul is talking about in verses 1 to 3, but now we are seeing that the zombies, the death walkers, the living dead are made alive with Christ and in Christ. Look at verse 5. Really, verse 5 is the highlight of these verses. What does Paul say? Even. It's like he's elevating things. It's like there's some emotion there. It's like he's raising his voice.

Even, even when we were dead in our trespasses, God made us alive together with Christ. God did this. And then he says, "By grace you have been saved." Now I want to close with the two words that I asked us to write down last week. The word "power" and the word "biography." I think I said this last week. The word "power" probably didn't surprise you, but the word "biography" may have. But I think that this will really help us. First, this word "power." We have seen that it is the actual power of God that is at work in those who believe. Paul teaches us the same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in those who believe.

And that power makes the living dead alive in Christ. So when someone asks you how one can come to faith in Christ, your answer should be this. Only by the power of God. Only by the power of God. Oh, the living dead can only come alive in Christ by the power of God. Isn't that what verses 1-16 teach us? Yes. Someone may ask, does someone pray? Someone might say, oh, does someone trust? Does someone believe? Someone might say, does someone express trust and belief? Well, the answer is yes. But it is the power of God that enables the spiritually dead person to believe. You've got to get that, folks.

It's only by the power of God that someone can trust and someone can cry out and someone can believe in Christ. The second, this word biography. We have seen that Paul is giving us more biography about these Ephesians. He's telling us their story. He's even giving us more biography about himself. He's saying, we us, we us. Paul praised him earlier in Chapter 1 for their great love for God and their great love for the saints. And here he is reminding them of the great work that God had done in them. I can't help but think about the hymn we've seen. This was their story. This was their song. Look how very personal he was back in verse 1.

Go back and look at verse 1 of Chapter 2. We covered it last week. What does he say? And you were dead? The trespasses of your sins? Man, it doesn't get any more personal than that. And then look at how personal he is in verse 5. What does he say? Even, even when we were dead in our trespasses, our sins, God made us alive together with Christ by grace. You by grace, we have been saved. Isn't that what he says? And look, this was their biography and this was Paul's autobiography. So when we think of the story of the Ephesians, their testimony, we must think of verses 1 to 3 and verses 4 to 6. They experienced the power of God in their lives.

Together for them, this was an us and a we thing. Us, we, we experienced that. It was the power of God to make them alive in Christ. And listen, folks, if you've not experienced the power of God in salvation through Jesus the Son, you are living in the power of death. Spiritual death rules you. You walk and you live in death. And listen, folks, the only way you can break free from the power of living in death and sin is by looking to Christ. That's your only hope. Looking to Christ, coming to Christ, being made alive in Christ. I close by reminding you of something that I say often.

We don't really give a classic invitation, classic meaning, an invitation that we're used to. But look, folks, it's the Spirit of God that gives the invitation. It's the Holy Spirit of God that takes the truth that is sung here, that takes the red word and the taut word. It's the Spirit of God that takes everything from beginning to end with all that we do here. It's the Spirit of God that gives the invitation. And this is what I say to you. Please come. Come to Christ. Don't stay dead. Don't be that walking dead man or walking dead woman. Don't be the zombie. Don't be a death walker. Listen, come to Christ. Please come to Christ.

If you'll look to Christ, he'll save you. If you'll look savingly to Christ and you'll trust him and repent of your sin by the power and the work of God, you will be made alive in Christ. He did it for me. And I'll tell you, folks, if he can do it for me, he can do it for anybody. So what have we seen this morning? Alive in Christ. It's been a lot, but I think it's been very, very good. Let's pray. Let's commit this to the Lord. And as always, we'll sing a hymn of worship and closing out our worship service together. Let's pray.