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Hi friends! Thank you for joining me in the study of the Book of Ephesians. Next week we will continue with chapters 3 &4.
Let us summarize what we learned from Paul through Ephesians 1 & 2. Paul taught us many things through these chapters. However, here are a few things that comforted me and encouraged me to continue running the race set before us.
- We are chosen. We are redeemed and saved by grace through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
- Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift- not from works so that no one can boast.”
- What does this mean? It means that we could have done nothing to earn our salvation. Only Jesus’ finished work on the cross saved us from eternal death and separation from our Heavenly Father.
- God loves us and cherishes (values) us. The closer we get to Him and know Him, the more we understand how much God loves us.
- We are not only saved, but we have also been sealed with the Holy Spirit. We have been set apart.
- We belong to Him. We are made alive in Christ. Before we received Jesus in our hearts, we were dead in our transgressions and sins. But now we are alive in Him.
- Because Jesus is alive, we are alive in Him. Every day that we are alive, we owe to Jesus. He took our dry, lifeless bones and gave us an abundant life. We may not get everything we want in this life, but we can be sure that we will spend eternity with Him one day. And it’s not because we earned or deserve it; it’s because He loves us and gave His life so we can live.
- “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, [b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)
- Nothing can separate us from God’s love. Jesus’s blood seals us. It’s a one-time deal. But being united with Jesus changes the way we live. Why? Because our flesh was dead and through Jesus, we are made alive; therefore, we are called to live a life worthy of His calling. We can no longer give into our flesh desires; instead, we are to live a life worthy of His calling.
Lord, thank You for choosing us and saving us from eternal death and separation from You. It helps us to keep our eyes on you and abide in You. May our words, actions, and lives reflect that we belong to You and are Your masterpieces. In Your precious name, amen.
Reference
- Holy Bible New Living Translation. (2015) Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
- Lucado, M. (2013). God Will Use This For Good. Nashville, Tennessee by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
