God’s Good, Gracious & Glorious Provision

From Ephesians 2:1-7. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Easter Sunday morning, April 20, 2014.

Intro:

I’m convinced that most of us take our salvation for granted.  Oh, we’re glad to give testimony in a testimonial service.  We are quick to give Him praise in a Sunday School class or in a discussion with friends.  But how often do we think about our salvation “outside” of church?  Is it something we are consciously aware of on a daily basis?  Do we thank God daily for His grace and mercy in saving us?  Or do we, over time begin to take it for granted?  I don’t think it is an intentional slight.  I don’t think we are “ungrateful”.  I think it is a comfortable truth we wear easily.  It’s like our favorite shirt we put on and never give it another thought.  I’m more convinced than ever that the key to living by faith is to be aware of God’s grace on a daily basis.  To live in a mindset that says, “Everything that I am; everything that I have; everything that I ever will be – I owe to the grace of God.”  Too often, it seems, we “get over” our salvation.  We lose the joy and the wonder of it all and we begin to think that God is lucky to have us.  When in reality – we are undeserving sinners who, apart from grace, are fit only for the judgment of God.  Ephesians chapter 2 reminds us of the wonder of our salvation.

Text: Ephesians 2:1-7

In chapter 1 Paul reveals the role of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in salvation.
He drives home the Trinitarian work of salvation.
Then he explores the subject of and the extent of the power of God.
Now he gives the prime of example of that power in action.

This is a glorious passage.  Paul with the skill of a surgeon cut through the trappings of religious life and got to the heart of the matter.  This is the heart and soul of the Gospel message.  In this passage you can build a sound doctrine of biblical salvation.  One of the things that concerns me is that with all the religious programming on radio and television there seems to be very little preaching of the Gospel.  I’m not picking on any one group or minister.  I don’t care whether you’re listening to a charismatic, Baptist, Presbyterian or what stripe of Christian minister it might be – you don’t often hear the Gospel.  You hear about politics.  You hear about abortion.  You hear about violence on television, in movies, video games etc.  You hear about 100 different social issues – but where is the Gospel?  Don’t misunderstand me; I have no problem addressing these issues.  They are rightfully addressed from the Word of God but I am concerned about the lack of Gospel preaching.  By the way I’m not immune from such criticism.

Even when I hear a preacher calling on people to “come to Jesus” I wonder if they have heard the Gospel.  I wonder if they have any biblical notion of what he is asking of them.  In this text Paul lays out for us the biblical Gospel.  From this text we learn…
Thesis: The biblical doctrine of salvation addresses man’s great need and God’s gracious provision.

As the biblical doctrine unfolds we will discover three great facts about salvation.

  1. Man’s Problem  (2:1-3)
  2. God’s Gracious Provision (2:4-6)
  3. Salvation’s Purpose (2:7)
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