Ephesians 2:8-10 – Responding to Salvation
I. Intro
a. Recapping last week
b. 3 words that reflect our response to this salvation: gratitude, confidence, and purpose
II. Gratitude (2:8)
a. Salvation is a gift
i. We have a hard time with gifts
1. Undeserving
2. Unworthy
3. Unlovable
4. Prideful
5. Want to be equal
ii. Grace and Faith both
1. Grace and faith both feminine nouns
2. This is a neuter demonstrative pronoun
b. Gratitude is a posture we take in response to specific gifts
i. Not
1. I will pay you back
2. I’ll make this up to you
3. I got the check next time
ii. But
1. WOW. I don’t deserve this.
2. This is amazing!
3. You are kind
4. THANK YOU
5. This has truly changed me
c. Humility begins here
III. Confidence (2:9)
a. What do you boast about?
i. Teenage dudes and their “six pack”
ii. Your success
iii. Your kids
iv. Your golf game
v. Your mile time
vi. Your amazing healthy diet
vii. That trout tho
viii. My wake surfing
b. I don’t boast!
i. I just work so much, I’m always going so hard. I’m so busy.
ii. Social Media audit
iii. Humble brag aficionado
c. Everyone boasts in something
i. Why: we put too much weight in our own effort
1. Boasting is all about our desire to handle life
2. Boasting is a reflection of our independence
ii. How
1. We solve things
2. We wanna win
3. We want glory
d. What if we boasted in the right way? This is where true confidence comes from.
i. The birds and the OWL
ii. Exodus 14:13-15
1. You’ve still gotta do something
2. You just don’t have to do it
e. Courage grows here
IV. Purpose (2:10)
a. You are a MASTERPIECE
i. How He wired you
ii. How He redeemed you
b. Your life is full of purpose
i. Not through works, but to works
ii. Not by good works, but for good works
iii. Your work is your worship
iv. You calling is clear
c. That you might walk in them
i. Sacrificial demonstration
ii. Courageous proclamation
d. Flourishing begins here
Discussion Questions
- Are you good at receiving gifts? Why is it so hard for many of us to receive from God?
- Grace and faith are both gifts of God. Why is it hard for us to think of faith this way? What does this reveal about the way that we think about the good news of Jesus?
- This morning we discussed the fact that gratitude should be one of the fundamental marks of the Christian. What does gratitude look like in your life? How does it relate to your faith?
- What do you boast about?
- If we’re not saved by works, why should we expect good works to be the product of our walk with Jesus?
- What is your biggest challenge being a Christian in your workplace(this is wherever you work – home, the office, etc.)?
- Has your faith shaped or impacted your approach to your work or profession, if so, how?