Ephesians 2:1-10
One of the most challenging aspects of the ministry work that I do is trying to convince people that there is no way that they can live a life rejected by Jesus. If there’s any rejecting going on, it’s on our part and it typically comes about when we doubt Jesus’ ability to save, heal and sanctify us. The Bible is busting at the seams with accounts of men and women surrendered to some of the most heinous, sinful lifestyles we can imagine – murder, sexual sin, human sacrifice, all kinds of violence…deception. You name it. The author of the verses we’ll look at in just a minute, the Apostle Paul, was at one time a brutal oppressor of Jesus’ followers. As Saul the Pharisee, he held the coats of the men who stoned the disciple Stephen to death and agreed with what they were doing.
I could go on and on with a veritable “Who’s Who” of terrible people who Jesus has saved by His grace…my name would feature on that list.
These verses from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians provide a wonderful encouragement to those of us who see ourselves as irredeemable. I want to share verses 8-10, where Paul makes such a beautiful point. Have a look…
God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.
There are a couple of things worth noting here. First, the moment you come to believe in Jesus, and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, you experience His grace. The stain of sin is washed away, not through any good thing you may have done, but by the gift of His precious blood. Jesus died so you could live. Jesus took the blame for every sin you’ve ever committed or will commit. Why? So that He could spend eternity with you. Why? Because for some crazy reason, Jesus loves us all that much.
And then there’s this. I love this. You, me, all of us are God’s masterpiece! When you get up in the morning and stagger to the bathroom and look in the mirror and see a trainwreck, understand that Jesus sees the equivalent of the Mona Lisa. We are wonderfully and miraculously made. Jesus’ grace and mercy, once you receive it, will help you over time to see yourself as Jesus sees you…beautiful.
Finally, here’s the best thing that happens to us on this side of Heaven once we come to know Jesus. He will use the likes of me and you to do the good things He Himself planned for us before we were conceived. No matter who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done Jesus has something for you that will bring Him glory and you joy. Every one of us has a unique calling that He will reveal to us as we grow in our relationship with Him.
Jesus makes a way for us to reject enslavement to sin and once we rise out of that darkness, He leads us to a way of life that we never could have imagined. I’m going to close with this, Ephesians 2:4-5 because I couldn’t possibly put it any better.
But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!).
Amen!