I remember sitting in chapel at Ozark Christian College as a sophomore in High School during a summer event when I pointed at Andrea and told my friends I was going to marry her one day. At that time I barely knew her; Had literally only talked to here for a handful of minutes and had no idea how a Kansas girl and a boy from Oregon in 1987 were ever gonna get together. BUT on November 24, 1990 she said, "I do." And from that moment on and for the last 26 years and 296 days our lives have been intertwined and at least for my part, better.
From that day in the chapel to the day we were married a LOT transpired. But that doesn't matter much. What matters is that we were once two people, separate, different names, different plans, from different places and with different dreams but everything changed. And it doesn't really matter if it took a long time or a short time what matters is the result.
In Ephesians 2 there are two "buts" I want to point out to you - in fact, you may want to get a highlighter or mark them in your bible app because just like in my relationship with Andi, everything changes for the Ephesian Christians (and us) and it all happens in a vowel sandwiched between two consonants and it happens to be a "U."
1. Verses 1-10 - He Changed Our Story
BEFORE we met Jesus (however that happened for you) we were dead, along with everyone else in history who had ever gratified the cravings of the flesh (vs3). I deserved death. So did you and everyone else who has (pretty much) ever lived.
BUT (V4) God loved us so much He changed our story! We were slatted for death but God MADE US ALIVE with Christ!
NOW, because of the work of Jesus, we are free to pursue the good works of God that He prepared in advance for us to accomplish. There is stuff that is waiting to be done in the Kingdom of God and it has YOUR name on it! Instead of living in sin through the acts of the flesh you and I get to live for God through the attitudes of the Spirit!
2. Verses 11-21 - He Changed Our Name
BEFORE we met Jesus we were separated from God because of our sin. We were NOT a part of His family. We were excluded. We were foreigners (we didn't speak the language or know the customs) we were without hope and without God. Alone.
BUT (V13) In Christ Jesus we have been brought into the family! He wanted us! He chose us! He loved us! We were orphans but God MADE US His children and gave us a new name, HIS!
NOW, because Jesus shed His blood to ransom us from our former life, we are part of a family that encompasses every people group on earth! We are not strangers or foreigners but members of God's household. We have people we can count on and who can count on us. And our family continues to grow as others are adopted!
Isn't that incredible! Regardless of our past sin or the fact that we were outsiders God not only changes our story, He changes our name and welcomes us into His family. YOU belong. You're wanted and needed. You're loved. He has stuff just for you to accomplish!
I'm guessing there's a pretty big "but" in your life too - Whatever was going on in your life before Jesus things are now different. Is your life any different? How? Why not?
A couple more things if you're up for them:
- I know this is a powerful passage about grace. You probably do to. That's why I didn't talk about it.
- We could spend a LOT of time breaking this chapter down - it's got that much stuff in it - feel free to take it from here.
- If you're a part of Christ you should be a part of His church.
- If you're in Christ He's constantly working to build you TOGETHER with other believers into a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit - it's not optional. It's powerful. It's how we all accomplish the good works He prepared for us and it's our obligation as a part of His family.
There's a lot of stuff here, what jumps off the page at you?
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