Walking in Good Works

Let's take our Bibles. I want you to turn to the book of Ephesians Ephesians chapter 2. Yes I'm changing things up Ephesians chapter 2 tonight. We're not going to be in our verse by verse study through the book of Philippians We should be in Philippians 3 starting in verse 12 But I want to share a message that has been on my heart and on my mind the past week or so You know that this past weekend.

I was preaching a retreat in Gatlinburg for Grace Life Church of the Shoals and the theme of that weekend was all about examining our Christian walk we were examining how we live out our Christian life All weekend from the book of Ephesians I preached on certain times where Paul used the word walk to describe how the Ephesians Walked or lived out their lives and how they should walk or live out their lives Specifically Paul used that word walk seven times in the book now the specific messages that I shared last weekend were this We looked at walking and death and sin from Ephesians chapter 2 verse 2 and some of those verses Around verse 2 of course that's talking about walking in death and sin before we know Christ Then we looked at walking in light and love from chapter 5 verse 2 and verse 8 Then we looked at walking in good works from chapter 2 verse 10 and some verses there around verse 10 And then we concluded by looking at what I called walking carefully from Ephesians 5 15 to 18 we know those verses because that's our theme for the month now since I got back home from that event I've had Ephesians 2 verse 10 on my mind.

I really have I have had Walking in good works on my mind and on my heart and I think this will be good for us at this time in the life Of our church now, this is what we're gonna study tonight chapter 2 verses 1 to 10 Then verses 7 to 10 and then specifically verse 10 now that might make you nervous Because I usually cover just a few verses. I have a purpose in explaining it to you that way So we'll look at verses 1 to 10 Then we will we will narrow it down to verses 7 to 10 and then we will really narrow it down to verse 10 Now this is what I call walking in good works.

This real simple comes right out of the verses walking in Good works now, let's read our verses starting in verse 1 Paul says to the Ephesian church those Ephesian believers and you were dead in the trespasses and sins In which you once walked following the course of this world Following the prince of the power of the air the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience Among whom we all once lived in the passions or the desires of our flesh Carrying out the desires of the body in the mind and whereby nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind But God I've said this before to me to the most beautiful words in Scripture Especially in light of where it is 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 have been saved we can say by grace we've been saved and raised up with him and seated and Seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus verse 7 So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus for by grace You have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing it is the gift of God Not a result of work so that no one may boast verse 10 for we are his workmanship Created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk or live in them Now in verse 10 we can see that Paul is calling The Ephesian believers to walk or to live in the good works, which he prepared beforehand That's obvious right in the verse But we need to see what is before verse 10 We need to see what else is in these verses to get not just the background But really the totality of all that Paul is teaching here now This will be easy for you to follow and obviously I'm not going to expose it all of these verses But in verses 1 to 2 Paul says that they were past tense dead in trespasses and sin and they walked or lived in their trespasses and sin that meant that at one time they were dead spiritually But very much alive to their sin and in their sin and sinfulness Back in verse 5 Paul says that these Ephesian believers were made alive together with Christ And it was by grace that they were saved now my point here is this It is obvious that Paul was writing to Christian people They were past tense dead But they had been made alive together with Christ.

So these were believers And from verses 7 to 9 Paul says that they were made alive Together with Christ for a particular purpose Let's make sure we see this verses 7 to 9 Paul is writing to explain that they had been made alive together with Christ for a purpose and that purpose is what the Bible commentator William Macdonald calls the school of grace and Then finally the climax of the teaching In verse 10 Paul says they were made alive for another purpose The purpose of good works the good works of God So notice how all of these verses tie together or flow together how they progress These Ephesian believers at one time they were dead in the trespasses and sins in which they walked or they lived But they have been made alive together with Christ.

Why? For the school of grace and For the good works that God had prepared beforehand and they were to live and to walk in those good works So tonight I want to pick up with the two purposes The two purposes for which they were made alive first the school of grace second The good works of God So they were made alive together with Christ That's why it was important to go back and look at those verses before verse 7 and following They were made alive for the school of grace.

I'm borrowing that from William Macdonald because it is so good now first We need to see two important words at the start of verse 7 so that So that Paul says that God made us alive together with Christ So that and we will see that God made us made them alive with Christ so that he could enroll all of his people In his school of grace now, I'm gonna dig into this by asking a series of questions First when this is happening When is this happening?

We see this in verse 7 the English Standard says So that in the ages to come the new American the King James says the same thing in the ages to come Now there's some debate about the meaning of this phrase some commentators say this refers to time or time on earth Time in human history some scholars believe this refers to time after the second coming of Christ But some scholars say that it is both best to see this as both Now for me, I think Paul is referring to both. So let me explain Paul was writing to these Ephesian believers.

He was saying that God made them alive together with Christ so that So that he may enroll them in his school of grace and Paul was referring to their future after they came to Christ And he is referring to their future after Christ returns Paul is simply referring to their future on earth after they came to Christ and he's referring to their future after life on earth But second what is actually happening? We see this in the rest of verse 7 here Paul is showing us that the purpose of this school is so that God may show Or demonstrate or point out his grace, but we see more here.

This is not just any old grace Paul is piling up words in the verse here on purpose. He is saying this is in immeasurably rich grace He says this is an immeasurably rich grace or an exceedingly rich grace Paul is saying that God's grace is endless. So it is immeasurable. It is indefinite That is what it means now listen to the verse so that He makes us alive together with Christ so that in the coming ages He that's God might show the immeasurable riches of his grace And notice this grace is not just for anyone. It is only for those who are in Christ in verse 7.

He uses the word us So he is speaking about the Ephesian believers and himself So this exceedingly rich grace is also is only for those who are alive together with Christ and this grace is all in Christ Now this last part of the verse can be overlooked. But notice what Paul is saying This is all in Christ or because of Christ because these Ephesians and Paul and us who are believers Were in Christ.

Well, this work could in it can't this work could and did happen Because of Christ's redemption his work on the cross listen to the verse again We've been made together Alive together with Christ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus Then third who will be our teacher? Who will be the teacher in the school of grace?

This is simple God Paul says that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in Kindness towards us look at the verse again We're made alive together with Christ so that in the ages to come He that's God Might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus So notice what we have here notice what Paul seen God did all that he did in making them alive together with Christ. So that those words are very important So that he that's God may demonstrate the immeasurable and indefinite indefinite riches of his grace towards us in Christ Jesus This is the school of grace.

I love what McDonald says there and Notice that this school has two sessions. We've really seen this already This takes place in time after we've come to faith in Christ and second this takes place all throughout eternity So in time and throughout the ages to come God will be revealing more and more and more and more of his grace That was given to his people in and through his son on the cross McDonald says we will be learning for forever and forever Ultimately heaven will be our school. God will be our teacher.

His grace will be the subject We will be the students and the school term will be eternity Now there's several points of application. I want to make here There's some lessons here and this will help some of you more than you know first of all this dismisses any notion or Understanding or belief that when we get to heaven we're gonna know everything We will not be like God in heaven We will not Here we see that all throughout eternity God will be revealing he will be showing he will be demonstrating more and more of his immeasurable grace towards us in Christ Jesus Second this is very limited. This is only for those who are in Christ third.

This is Unlimited this grace which is being revealed will be being revealed to us who are in Christ. This is immeasurable It's unlimited. It can't be somehow cut off or rationed. It is immeasurable Fourth this completely blows away any notion of a man-centered heaven This is all by God and for God ultimately this is for God's glory This destroys a man-centered approach to heaven fifth We must be better students while we are here in our first session See on earth.

We're in the first session of the school of grace So I think we should see that we should be better students of God better students of his word but better students of the gospel a Mistake we can make here is this folks we can think that the gospel is First and foremost and only for the lost now the gospel is for the lost But the gospel is for those of us who are saved because the more we study the gospel the more we digest the gospel The more we seek to understand the gospel and all of the teaching behind the gospel the more we will be studying God's grace So we need to be better students in this first session Now these last two I'm gonna give you with a little cynicism little sarcasm some quote-unquote Christians Are gonna be bored in heaven Churches boring Singing worship is boring Small groups and Sunday school is boring teaching and preaching is boring Ministry in the church is boring church is boring So if a spirit-filled church is boring for them, they're gonna be mighty bored in heaven Seventh some Christians don't need heaven They already know it all down here They know their theology and their doctrine better than you do They know the Word of God and they know all about church better than you do They know it all down here and their calling in life is to make sure that you know that they know it all you see You see Now question what about verses seven to eight?

We know those verses How do these verses relate to verse seven? Honestly, we could skip over verse seven and go right to verses seven and eight What is all this fitting in how do these verses fit together and more specifically how to verses eight and nine Relate to verse seven and God's school of grace Simply there are two things going on with verses eight and nine First of all in verses eight and nine Paul was affirming and confirming what he had taught in verse seven.

They go together the verses Second verses eight and nine Paul is giving the clearest the simplest the most powerful statement of and brace yourself the plan of salvation Yes, if there is a plan of salvation in the Bible It's right here and there would be nothing wrong with us preaching these verses as a biblical plan of salvation now I'm not going to deal with these verses as God's biblical plan of salvation. I'm gonna deal with verses eight nine as they relate to verse seven But here Paul is saying that this is all from God Now you see why it's important for me to read verses one on down to verse 10 This is all from God.

This is all by grace It was God who did a work of grace to bring these people to faith in Christ and into his school of grace So it is all from God verse 8 the beginning of verse 8 for by grace You have been saved through faith and Paul was saying that these Ephesians knew they were saved They possess God's grace and salvation and they knew it the verse says for by grace You have been saved you see the surety there So Paul was confident of these things Paul was reminding them of the fact that they possess salvation and they knew it and in possessing salvation in knowing so They knew they were in God's school of grace So they possessed God saving grace They knew it and they were in God's school of grace and they knew it and if they had moved away from knowing it God through Paul was reminding them and also Paul was saying that by faith they received Christ After listening to the message of the truth the gospel they exercised their faith in Christ This was not of their own either.

This was also a gift from God We need to see that even their faith was a gift from God because people who were dead in sin Can't do anything to come near to God Their faith was a gift from God and they demonstrated that faith by believing So they gained entrance into the school of grace God's school of grace by grace through faith Look at verse 8 again for by grace you've been saved through faith and this is not your own doing It is the gift of God But we also See that Paul reminds them that none of this was their own doing This was not just repetition. This was and is very important.

It was not of their works They could not in any way earn their salvation nor the faith to believe they could not in any way get any of it It was all a gift and this gift is what gets him or got them into God's school of grace not their work So the school of grace was of grace as well. Just like their salvation verse 9 Look at it not a result of works so that no one may boast Now I do this sometimes take a step back Excuse me Take a step back from what we've studied and notice what we have It is almost like verses 8 and 9 were just inserted there It's almost like verse 7 doesn't fit with verses 8 and 9 almost like it just doesn't fit but that's not the case Verses 8 and 9 affirm and confirm verse 7 Yes, Paul was giving them a simple and clear and powerful explanation of God's plan of salvation But he was affirming what he had just taught By saying that it is all of grace It was all of grace Now the three lessons here One if we were born again If we're truly born again, it is all of grace Two if we were born again, we are in the school of grace and that is my grace Three if we are further along in the school of grace Some of you are well that is a gift from God that's not from you either You might say Pastor you're sure putting a big emphasis on God and God's grace.

Yes. I am Paul did But right now you could be asking some legitimate questions Pastor I thought this message your message was about walking and good works You could be saying why don't you go straight to verse 10 good works? Listen church We are not Ready to see and get into the good works, which God has prepared beforehand Until something very very important takes place in our minds and hearts.

We must see Understand and embrace the fact that we are in God's school of grace And if we do not see that we are in God's school of grace We will walk into those good works filled with self and pride and ego See See why it's important to take these verses together So we are made alive together with Christ for the school of grace So let's make sure that we are enrolled as we should be As we should be learning more and more of God's grace That way we will be ready For the good works that he has prepared for us.

So number one, we are made alive together with Christ for God's school of grace number two They were made alive for the works of God They were made alive. We are made alive for the works of God verses 10 and 11 Now just like in verses 7 to 9 here in verse 10. We have an important word the word for My word for Paul says that we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for But for what it's right here He did all of this for his workmanship and for good works.

Look at verse 10 We're made alive together with Christ we've learned so that we may be enrolled in the school of grace For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works Now there is a lot going on here with this workmanship and the good work. So let's get into it First we have God's work alone in us Now if it seems that I'm placing an emphasis on God and God alone, I've already said it you're right That's because of this verse and the language here This word his is in the emphatic for we are his workmanship He brought us from death to life.

Our faith is his faith It is because of God and the works of God in us that we are converted to Christ it is all of God by God and for God and There is another layer here. This word workmanship is The word from which we get the English word poem This speaks of a creation and a work of some kind in the original this word It speaks of something that has been made some commentators say this speaks of a work of fine art meaning that Paul is referring to God's work of art and Paul uses the same word and the idea is the same when he speaks of God's work of creation in Romans 120 and We must see what Paul was telling these Ephesian Christians He was saying that God and God alone made them Yes, God created them but more It was God and God alone that created them and they were his workmanship much like a work of art and Right here as believers.

We need to see that we are his workmanship We are his special creation. We are his workmanship Much like a work of art you get in the car Tonight and you're going home. You look at your wife and say sweetheart. I'm a work of art You are You better look at her and say you're a work of art too You see Think about it. We are his workmanship We're created in Christ Jesus for purpose God doesn't make accidents. There's purpose behind all of this We are much like a work of art his work of art and you know every now and in in Ministry I talk with folks sometimes and they'll say you know pastor. I'm not the most gifted.

I'm not the most talented You know, I don't feel like I have a lot of dynamic spiritual gifts look folks. God doesn't make mistakes The gifts the talents the abilities physical gifts abilities and talents you have were given by God The spiritual gifts you have those been given by God You're not supposed to be like me and I'm not supposed to be like you you're not supposed to be like your small group leader You're not and your small group leader is not supposed to be like you either And don't get hung up on looking at those who have gifts maybe that put them in the forefront We're all gifted Spiritually and physically the way God wants us to be we are either his workmanship a work of art or we're not Well if we're in Christ Jesus we are So take confidence and be confident and who God wants you to be second.

We have God's works for us Now here we must get rid of the any misconception that some could have Paul was not telling these Ephesians that that good works could save them in any way, but that good works are fruit In their lives the ones who were saved really Paul was echoing what James says James 2 verses 14 to 16 James said that faith without works is dead and these Ephesians Did have true saving faith? So what was Paul saying?

Paul was explaining to these Ephesian believers that God had saved them for good works And these were not just any works These were works which God himself had prepared beforehand Beforehand beforehand meaning that these things were preordained and prearranged Paul is saying that God predestined and appointed these good works for them just like he had predestined their salvation And we can say it practically like this Paul was telling these Ephesians that God had a road map already mapped out for their lives Paul was telling these Ephesians that God had a blueprint for their lives Paul was telling these Ephesians that God had a to-do list for their lives Not just any to-do list These were his good works and he prepared them beforehand Before time in human history and he is saying live in those walk in those these good works.

I Don't know if this illustration helps you but kind of helped me. It's thinking about it this week quite a bit You know these days we don't use an Atlas Anybody anybody remember those old paper maps and Atlas? Yeah, you nod your head you're gonna show your age I do I had one years ago I don't know what happened to it, but you know we have navigation today. It's in our phones and In our our vehicles I couldn't remember years ago. My dad bought me a tom-tom. I Remember that Somewhere in my house. I probably need to throw it away But you know if you have a new vehicle It has navigation that is always changing.

It's always evolving You know it operates It operates by GPS Or through your phone But here's what I'm showing you you're driving down the road, and there's a bridge out. Well it tells you There's a wreck it tells you it reroutes you Years ago my wife and I and kids were coming through Atlanta, and there was a Construction issue and it rerouted us through all kinds of neighborhoods I had a panic because I thought where are we coming out well we came back out on the highway But you know if you have the old navigation It doesn't operate that way. It's basically a paper map on a screen you see Now what's my point?

God's Roadmap God's to-do list God's good works are set they don't change He determined these things forever ago you understand forever ago But but some legitimate practical questions. What are these good works? What are these pre-arranged pre-planned good works that God has prepared now? There are quite a few opinions here, but I see this as basically two things I see this basically in two ways First this speaks of personal holiness and godliness.

We've got to start there God expects his people to walk or to live a life of godliness and holiness which has been prepared beforehand This would be personal obedience the personal struggle with sin the trials of life here on earth that relate to our personal godliness and character first Peter 1 14 to 16 says as obedient children Do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance But as he who called you is holy you also be holy in all your conduct Since it is written you shall be holy for I am holy so there's the command there of personal holiness and godliness and I think here Paul is referring to The good works of personal holiness and godliness, but second this speaks to personal service in the kingdom God expects his people to serve in his kingdom on earth and his kingdom on earth is the church and the work of the church The scriptures teach us that all true believers are given at least one spiritual gift We see this specifically in first Corinthians chapter 12 and these gifts are given to serve in the kingdom in kingdom work And within the New Testament kingdom work is always seen as the church It's always seen as the church.

So here Paul is referring to the good works of service in his kingdom on earth So taking a step back from the verses again notice what Paul is saying here He was reminding these Ephesian Christians that they certainly Were God's workmanship in Christ Jesus God had and was forming them God was intentionally Purposely forming them they were a new creation in Christ Jesus and he was continuing to create them in Christ Jesus And that's not all he had good works prepared for them These were pre-arranged prepared works and these were not just any old works These were the good works of God that God had prepared for them so simply they were to walk in these good works live in these good works and Progress in these good works and for us we have seen that we are God's workmanship a masterpiece We were created in Christ Jesus.

We are truly the masterpiece of God But here we see that God has pre-planned pre-arranged good works for us and we You we are all to walk to live and to progress in the good works that God has prepared for us Again, what he is prepared for Jared is different than what he's prepared for me What he is prepared for you is different than what he is prepared for Keith Believers today Just like believers then God has literally mapped out our lives and he did all this before the foundation of the world And all we have to do is to discover and to get into these works All we have to do is to discover and get on the roadmap get that to-do list But this leads me to a question, how do we find this?

These works that God has prepared for us. How do we find these so we can walk in there? How do we find the roadmap to the to-do list? First we must be confident that we are indeed converted to Christ. We have to start there Romans 18 16 says the spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we were children of God This literally means the Holy Spirit of God gives a witness Testifies even gives evidence to our spirit that we are indeed children of God.

It starts there Second we must be walking in obedience We cannot expect God to unfold for us the good works which he is prepared beforehand if we are not walking in obedience And we are walking in disobedience First Thessalonians 5 19 says do not quench the spirit This is capital s spirit meaning the Holy Spirit of God This means that if we are walking in sin and in disobedience The work of the spirit is stifled the work of the spirit is hindered or restricted This is the language of putting out a fire So we can't be looking for the good works of God that God has for us when we are putting out The quote-unquote fire of the Spirit of God in our lives Then third we must be seeking after these good works.

We must be seeking after the roadmap We must be seeking after the to-do list. We must be seeking after these predetermined pre-arranged Works and look ignorance is no excuse You have learned right here this this evening that you are his workmanship a masterpiece Created in Christ Jesus for what for good works no ignorance You know now and you even know that they've been prepared beforehand So ignorance can't be you plea fourth. We must seek after those good works in the local church your church and look You hear this all the time, but you must never forget it. God is sovereignly active in all the world He's in control.

Nothing is out of control. It's falling right into place But the epicenter of his work in the world is the local church the local church I've shared with you this story in My journey in seeking after the good works that God had prepared beforehand for me. It really all started After I came to faith in Christ, but when I walked into my pastor's office I walked in to see brother Dennis see I had seen some things in the life of the church that weren't quite right. I saw some needs See folks churches aren't perfect Sometimes the imperfections are there because God wants you to fill them.

I Saw some struggle in the church and I walked into brother Dennis's office now brother Dennis was a rather big fella He had an old worn out chair office chair and he would lean way back when he leaned back He thought he was gonna fall on the floor And I went in I saw a brother. I said brother Dennis. I see this I see this I see this I want to help he leaned way back and he said son.

I'm put you to work And look when when he did that my Christian growth rocketed because I found myself in works that were bigger than me I found myself doing things that were bigger than me and my life changed radically So my question for you is this how are you helping? How are you serving? If you see some things that are maybe out of Place you might see something that others don't see How are you helping? How are you serving now right here? I want to say that as pastor of Grace Life Church I'm very thankful for you.

I'm very thankful for how our people serve some of you might think well pastors kind of scolding us all no I'm not I'm not we are a serving people and I'm very thankful But we all need to be reminded that we must walk or live in the good works of God and All of us Their times will need to be corrected and reminded because we may become lazy we can become apathetic we can even be diligent of the good works that God has prepared for us So number two we are made alive together with Christ For the school of grace and also for the good works now I want to wrap this up by calling us to look at verses 7 to 10 again But I want to start off with verse 5.

I'm gonna paraphrase it. Okay again putting all this together so verse 5 Made us alive together with Christ. We are made alive together with Christ by grace Paul says by grace you've been saved you see why? so that in The coming ages he thus God might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus the school of grace For by grace you've been saved through faith and this is not of your own doing it is the gift of God not a Result of works so that no one may boast For we are his workmanship his masterpiece Created in Christ Jesus for good works Which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them Now why do I bring us this message?

Simply because this was on my heart and on my mind that's part of it, but that's not all of it That's not all of it. We need to make sure that we are walking or living in the good works of God throughout the new year On Sunday mornings. We've been studying what it means to walk wisely in the new year Well a part of walking wisely Is making sure that we walk in the good works that he has prepared for us So let me pray Commit this to the Lord commit this to the work of the spirit and then we'll look at some prayer needs