GREAT LOVE

 

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

1.      Paul is writing from prison and what I love about this book that even though he is in man’s prison Jesus Christ has set Him free.  In Vs 4, Paul says, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy.”  Paul points out to incredible facts.  First, because of His great love for us.  God loves us.  We are His greatest creation, children and work of His hands.  We are created in His image.  His social, moral and spiritual image. 

 

a.      We have an ability to connect with God.  We have a body, soul and spirit.  A will, intellect and emotions.  We also have the capacity to receive and show love.  Love has been imprinted on our DNA.  We can respond and be healed by His love.  It is communicated to us and we can show and heal others through love.  We complete each other when we love in God’s love.  God loves us so completely we don’t need anything else.  God looks at us through rose colored glasses.  He looks at us through the blood of Jesus.  

b.      God is secondly, rich in mercy.  Mercy is leniency, clemency, compassion, grace, pity, and charity.  You have the power to judge and punish and instead you choose to pardon.  Jesus used the illustration of the man who owed a debt and was forgiven but chose not to forgive another.  God richness in mercy is beyond comparison and understanding.  Paul knew this.  He had experienced it first hand.   We have as well.  While we were yet sinners Christ for us.

 

2.      In Vs 5,  Paul says, “made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. “  We have been made alive.  Before we came to Christ we were dead in transgressions.  We were unaware, blind, unable to comprehend, or to receive,  We had no life.  We were the devil’s property and headed to a lost eternity separated from God and all that is good.  Sin is that part of us that wants control, to have freedom on our terms, to do what we want with no thought of consequences or actions.  Remember sin will make us do things we never thought we would do, take us places we never thought we would go and make us into something we never thought we would be.

 

a.      In the Bible transgression means, “ways that people betray or violate someone's trust.”  We violated God’s trust.  We didn’t just violate his trust.  We broke, smashed and destroyed His trust.  We could be trusted to do wrong and not right.  Today we see that which is bad is good and that which is good is bad.  We now know what happens when you take the bible and prayer out of schools. 

b.      Paul then states it is by grace you are saved.  We are all on a race but when you add God to the equation of life you add a g to race and you have grace.  God is God’s, riches, at Christ expense.  It is unmerited favor.  God’s love, mercy, compassion and leniency allows you to be saved.  When Jesus called Matthew from his tax collection booth that was grace. 

 

3.      In Vs 6, Paul says, 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.  We were in the mire and muck.  We were in shackles, chains and fetters.  We have been released and raised up.  We were sinners and now we are saints.  He raised us up from slave to son and daughter.  We were bound and now we are free.  We have been raised from the earthly realm and have been positioned in heavenly places.  We have a new destination.  We can see in the spiritual realm.  Our eyes, ears, mind and hearts have been opened.  We have a new position of authority, power, anointing and freedom.  We are above our enemy.  He has to come up to us we do not have to go down anymore.  We are the head not the tail and above not beneath.  We have been elevated, taken by the hand and placed in a position of authority in Christ.

 

4.      In Vs 7, Paul says, “in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”  This was done in order for the coming ages.  Through all generations from the writing of this letter till now.  God would show his incomparable riches of His grace.  Grace is such an incomprehensible virtue.  It is love in action.  Grace is precious, priceless and beyond value.  It is beyond anything ever given.  Nothing in all the universe is close to its value.  It is intangible and spiritual in application.  God’s kindness, compassion, mercy and love came to us through Jesus Christ.  Jesus broken body, shed blood, death, burial and resurrection brought this about.  God shows expressed, exhibited this by giving us armor, weapons, anointing, empowerment, gift and fruit.  We have everything we need in and through Christ.  From one generation to the next this is available.  Until Jesus comes we will see this.  The church will never go out of style, fade or die.  The world has declared the church is dead and then God’s moves and once again the world is shown for the liar they are.  Remember we still have the promise of Joel 2:28.

 

5.      I love Vs 8-9 “. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.  not by works, so that no one can boast.  It is by grace and nothing else we have been saved.  It is our faith in the finished work of Christ.  What he did on the cross, in the grave and through the resurrection that we are saved.  We have escaped death, hell and the grave.  We have changed our eternal destination.  We are in the camp of God and not the enemy.  We trusted in a person who lived 2000 years ago, live 10000 miles away and who was a different ethnic background for our salvation. 

 

a.       This had nothing to do with our morals, good conduct, behavior, charity, works, philosophy religion or social standing.  We could do nothing to save ourselves.  Isaiah said our righteousness is as filthy rags.  Since the fall we have been trying to recapture paradise lost.  No amount of money, works or acts of kindness will do it.

b.      This is a gift of God.  Jesus is our gift.  He paid a debt he did not owe I owe a debt I could not pay.  It is a free gift but it cost God everything.  You can do nothing to earn it.  As a gift you just have to receive it to experience the full benefits.  You are drawing on the bank of heaven.  Receive it and be grateful.  Don’t try to add or subtract from it.  Just enjoy it and all the benefits it brings,

c.      This was a direct challenge to the Judiazers and the works people.  The cults do this.  They accept Jesus but then add their own version of works, writings, ceremonies, traditions or secret truth.   Paul says Jesus and Jesus alone.  Not circumcision, law, special revelation or truth.  This grace is because man always likes to take the credit.  No one can boast in a free gift. 

 

6.      Paul closes this paragraph with this thought in Vs 10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  You are God’s handiwork, not a product of evolution, a combination of chemicals or your great uncle is not a chimp.  God made you.  You have a purpose.  You were created in Christ Jesus.  You have a new role, destiny, dream, ambition, direction and purpose.  To do good works.  His works which God created in advance for us.  You stay on the path and road created you will not only find your purpose but fulfill it.  God has people, places, things and a will for you.  Your dreams, desires, and destiny is God.  That God shape vacuum will be filled.  The Bible is a compass, guidebook, instruction manual.  Prayer is our communication portal, telephone line and internet connection.  God has bigger plans, dreams and destiny than we ever could imagine.  Remember He do exceedingly, abundantly beyond we can ask or imagine.  It is all prepared in advance all we have to do is step into His plan and be amazed.