Here’s my sermon notes and audio for Ephesians 2:8-10 preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship.
Ephesians 2:8-10 “Grace and Works”
Intro: Some verses every Christian should know by heart: Gen 1:1; Ps 23; John 3:16
-Eph 2:8-10 is another passage every Christian should memorize
-Why? Succinct and clear explanation of how a person experiences salvation.
-Answers the vital questions: How is a person saved? What role do our works play in salvation?
-Does God save us because we earned and deserve it? What about good works after we become a Christian? **M.I.: God saves us by His grace, not by our works, so that we who are saved, might do the works of God!
Context: Now, Paul is teaching the Ephesians about their salvation in the gospel.
1. The problem (2:1-3); 2. The solution (2:4-7).
-Today’s passage continues to explain God’s solution to our sin problem.
STRUCTURE:
1. God saves us by His grace, not because we earned our salvation or deserve it (8-9)
2. In salvation, God Himself does a mighty work in us. (10a)
3. We have been saved to do the good works God has prepared for us. (10b)
*God saves us by His grace, not by our works, so that we who are saved, might do the works of God!
1. God saves us by His grace, not because we earned our salvation or deserve it (2:8-9)
A popular misconception of Christianity: Be a good person and if you are good enough, you can earn your way to heaven.
-Christianity of moralism centered on self and based on our good behavior, efforts, and good works.
-The truth: Christianity is a religion of grace: God does the saving and God saves those who don’t deserve it!
-The message and salvation of Jesus is one of grace: God saves us by his grace not by our works!1 SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
-You have been saved -Saved from what? Answer: Eph 2:1-3 (death, slavery to sin/devil/flesh, wrath of God)
–Saved to a reconciled relationship with God: to know and love God and be close to Him.
–Saved to live the way God made you: be in the light and walk in holiness.
–For by grace you have been saved
-“Grace”=God’s kindness and love extended to those who deserve condemnation
-We have been saved by GRACE!
-Here is God’s heart and motivation in save us: GRACE.
-OT ROOTS: Exodus 34:6-7
-Saved through faith –Through FAITH=personal trust and reliance on Jesus for deliverance from our sins.
-Faith=open hand that lays hold of Christ.
-3 Components of Faith: 1 Object of faith (proposition or person), 2 Assent to Truthfulness, 3 Personal Trust
-John 3:16
2 CLARIFICATION: OUR SALVATION IS NOT BECAUSE OF OUR WORKS OR EFFORTS-And this is not your own doing; à “this” refers to our ‘salvation’ (“being saved by grace”) -We don’t save ourselves! God saves us!
-Religion, moral lives, good works cannot save us.
–it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, à Salvation comes to us as a GIFT of God!
-Gift are not earned or purchased, but given freely.
–Not a result of works
-Paul give an additional clarification in case we did not get it: we don’t EARN our way to heaven.
–so that no one may boast: We have no reason to boast in ourselves, because God did the work
–STORY: Coffee shop friend ‘way to go!’ but I tried to clarify ‘It was all God’
*SUMMARY: God does not save of us because of our good works, but because of His grace and love.
APPLICATION: GOSPEL APPEAL: Receive this gift of salvation today!
-Come to Jesus this morning by faith and experience God’s beautiful salvation by His grace
-You don’t deserve this, but that’s why it’s good news! Believe it and experience it!
BELIEVER: Remember this truth and let it freshly reshape how you think God and salvation.
-Sadly, we forget about this, and need to come back again to the stunningly glory of God’s grace!
2. In Salvation, God Does a Mighty Work in Us. (2:10a)
When we think about salvation, we think of a person getting right with God.
-But it is also the creative work of God—God doing a great work of new creation!
-In our salvation God makes us a new creation!
–For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
-God remakes us, reforms us, and makes us a new creation ‘workmanship’
-A CREATING takes place in our salvation “created in Christ Jesus” -2 Cor 5:17
–OT ROOTS: Ezekiel 36:25-27
SUMMARY: In our salvation, God made us a new creation. This is great work that took place: God’s work of creation!
APPLICATION:
-Goodness and reality of God’s work: Creation.
-Creation is good and we can see it with our eyes—beauty of a created world around us.
-SAME is true with NEW CREATION: It is good and we can see it with our eyes.
-Beauty of a life transformed by God’s grace.
-Reality of a life transformed by grace: just as real as physical creation.
-Believer: See yourself this way!
-You are a new creation! God’s good creation!
-Let this shape your understanding of self, more than accomplishments, beauty, strength, or success.
3. We have been saved to do the good works God has prepared for us (2:10b)
God has not saved us by our works, but by the finished work of Jesus.
-Yet those who are saved are called to do good works!
–created in Christ Jesus for good works,
-God intends Christians to do good works.
-God works through these good works to bless others and bless the world for His glory.
-OT ROOTS: Gen 12:1-3
-A people who bless others
-Fulfilled in Jesus
-Further fulfilled in the body of Christ (Christians) who go out and bless the world
-which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. -God has decided which works we’ll do in advance
-God sovereign rule over our lives and wise plans: Rom 8:28 WHAT KIND OF GOOD WORKS?
-Love of God and love of neighbor -Gospel Proclamation: Matt 28:18-20
-Hospitality
-Everyday faithfulness and service of others: loving your family and friends.
-Gospel ministry: Discipleship, giving, prayer
IMPLICATIONS:
-Our works matter as Christians! God has prepared us to do them. -They do not save us, but as a people who are saved, it is right and fitting that we do them.
-Significance of our works: found in God, not our understanding or visible success or applause of others.
-GET TO WORK!
-God has good works for us to do!
-This motivates us to get going: life is a vapor, but God has good works for us in this brief life.
God saves us by His grace, not by our works, so that we who are saved, might do the works of God!
