Tuesday August 13, 2013

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

A rusted out, beat up old BMW Z3 sits decaying in a junk yard. It is totally unloved, unwanted and uncared for. One day a mechanic comes along and purchases the BMW Z3 from the junk yard owner. But to purchase the wreck, he has to sell up most of his assets and holdings. He so desperately wants that car that he gives up everything to take that car home. In his garage, he fixes that car and brings it back to life. After much love, attention and hard work that car is restored. It’s shiny. It’s sporty. It’s faster and stronger and better than it has ever been.

 

If you are a believer in Christ Jesus then you are that car. Each of us was in the junk yard of death. We were rusted out, beat up and spiritually decaying. But God gave up everything, His very own Son, to purchase us from the junk yard owner and to bring us home to himself.

 

God lavished us with love. He renewed us in Christ. He restored us. He made us whole in Jesus. He gave us a new identity, a new purpose, a new lease of life and a completely new reason for living.

 

Far too many Christians know all of this intellectually. They know it in their heads but they have never experienced it in their hearts. Knowing you are loved just doesn’t compare with feeling loved. Christ wants us to know we are loved beyond any reasonable doubt but He also wants us to experience His love on a day by day basis.

 

Experiencing His love doesn’t come by pretending or by trying to earn His love. It comes by accepting our previous rusted out, beat up condition. It comes by acknowledging that we were sinful, that we were separated from God and that we deserved nothing less than his condemnation and wrath. To experience His love we have to look honestly at ourselves in the mirror and see ourselves as we really are and were.

 

When we can honestly do that we begin to appreciate and experience the wonder of God’s love. He didn't have to purchase me from the junk yard. He didn’t have to pay the price to set me free. He didn’t have to renew me. He didn’t have to love me - BUT HE DID.

 

But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy,

made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions  -

It is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 1:4-5

 

In your next quiet time with God, think honestly about yourself being dead in sin and transgression. Then think about Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection to give you life and value. Rather than just going through the formality of prayer like an MP3 player, sing to God from the heart. Write a song to God and sing it to Him. Write a poem of adoration to Him and read it to Him. Dance out the joy in your heart. Let your heart loose and worship God from the heart.

 

To experience the heights and wonders of God’s love you have to plummet to the depths of human depravity.

 

Prayer:

From the verse below, write down at least one prayer point in each category.

 

For it is by grace you have been saved,

through faith - and this is not from yourselves,

It is the gift of God -

not by works so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9.

 

Adoration:

 

 

Confession:

 

 

Thanks:

 

 

Supplication:

¥ Pray that God would allow you and your fellow Jesus-followers to experience His love in real, tangible ways. Pray that all of you would get excited about His love.

¥ Pray that God would grow your church as more believers experience God’s love and move outwards into the world to share that love. Pray that your church would see unprecedented growth as His love works powerfully in and among you.

 

 

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

Remember Marcus?

1. How can today’s passage help him?

2. How could you encourage Marcus?

3. How can you implement today’s teaching into your own life?