God Invites!
Message Notes

Text: Ephesians 2:1-10
Key Verse: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great Love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ.”

Review the Truths so Far
  1. God is at Work.
  2. God Pursues.
  3. God Invites!

The Ephesians 2 Story
The Setting: Verse 1. We were dead. Human kind without Christ is dead. Without hope. Without the ability to change their own situation. The dead cannot talk to or hear from the living because they are dead.
Death Row Illustration.

The Hero: Verse 4 "But God..." Enter the hero. He is rich in mercy, He has great love for us, even though we are dead in our sin against him.
Stop and think about God. Paul mentions mercy and love, but have you considered.

Immutable Characteristics: Things that we cannot really conceive about God.
He is Independent. He is not "served by human hands, as though he needed anything" Acts 17:25, Paul
He is Unchangeable. "Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you endure; they will all wear out like a garment. you change them like raiment, and they pass away; but you are the same, and your years have no end." Ps 102:25-27
He is Eternal. "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'" Isa 46:9-10
He is Omnipresent. Ps 139:7-10

Communicable Characteristics"
Spiritual, Invisible, Omniscient, Wise, Truthful, Good, Loving, Merciful, Holy, Peaceful, Righteous, Jealous, Wrathful. Has a will, has freedom, omnipotent. He is perfect, blessed, beautiful, and Glorious.

The Climax: Verse 5 "Made us alive"
The ultimate suspense. We were dead. He made us alive. We weren't just dead. We were spiritually dead because of our unrighteousness, our rebellion against God. He didn't just make us alive, He made us alive the same way that Christ is alive, sitting next to God in a full and loving relationship.
Wait for everyone to hyperventilate and pass out.

The Motivation: Verse 7 "So That"
To show the "surpassing riches" of his Grace. He saved us to highlight one thing. Grace.

GRACE WHO? Verse 8-9
It is a gift. This IS the invitation that God gives to everyone. Gifts are to be accepted or rejected, not changed, paid for, or counter offered. Yes or no.

The Result: Verse 10 "We are his workmanship"
We are his piece of work. A painting, a vase, a poem.

Will & Grace
By the exercise of our free will we accept God’s Grace. Faith is our only access to God, and that only comes at His invitation.

Likewise by the exercise of our free will, we accept God's work for us. We do those works through faith, and can only do them at God's invitation.

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