| Introduction In a few minutes we will sing that most beloved resurrection hymn: "Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o'er his foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!" Robert Lowry in Up from the Grave He Arose We will sing it because today, and every Sunday, we celebrate the historical fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, arose from the dead by the power of God on the third day following his crucifixion for the sins of his people. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most controversial issues in history. At the same time, it is one of the best attested events in history. The problem people have with the resurrection doesn't come from lack of historical evidence. It has more to do with the claims that one would have to acknowledge to be true if they accented to the truth of the resurrection. If one acknowledges that God the Father indeed raised Jesus from the dead on that glorious morning and that he declared him to be the King of kings and the Lord of lords by that very act, then one has to acknowledge the following twin truths: Jesus is who he said he was and all he said concerning you and your need of him is also true. Our passage today assumes the historical and factual truth that Jesus arose from the dead and gives us the theological consequence of the resurrection on the life of those who believe that what Jesus did in life and death, he did for them. I. The Bad News regarding Who We Are, 1-3. A. Notice the italics of verse 1 in our translation. 1. The italics means that those words are provided by the translators in order for the translation to make sense in English but are not part of the original text. 2. They did that here because there is no verb in the verse, so they bring the verse from v. 5. 3. I think it would be better to just leave like Paul had it originally because it fits better with the negative tone that Paul is using to describe humanity apart from the saving work of God in their live. Eph. 2:1-3(ESV) – And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. B. Notice the very bad news that Paul delivers about humanity apart from Christ. 1. All humanity is spiritually dead as far as any inclination toward Jesus Christ, 1. 2. And in their deadness toward God they are in rebellion toward God (it's like the atheist who says that God doesn't exist and that he hates him). 3. For Paul, the best way to demonstrate that all humanity is dead as far as their desire for God is to show how the two broad categories of people in the Bible are each dead – Jews and Gentiles. 1) Paul uses "you" to refer to the Ephesians Christians in their pre-conversion life. 2) The Gentiles – unbelievers – are called sons of disobedience to demonstrate their rebellion. 3) Notice that this not a temporary state but a way of life – "walk." 4) So, if you are without Christ you are walking according to the prince of darkness – Satan himself. a) These are the only two options. b) You are either alive in Christ or dead and serving Satan. 1) Paul uses "we" to refer to himself and his Jewish companions also in their pre-conversion life. 2) Notice that Paul considers the Jews equally sons of the Devil – "among whom". 3) The Jews are more concerned with their own selves then with obeying God. 4) Again, this is a way of life – "conduct". c. Notice that if you are not a Christian, Satan is the one that works in your heart, 2b. 4. Not only is humanity dead and in rebellion, it is also serving the Devil – "prince of power of this world" – in Colossians, Paul speaks of our being under the power of darkness before we come to faith in Christ. C. Because the unbeliever is dead and in rebellion, he/she can do nothing to turn to God. 1. Notice that God is the one who make the unbeliever alive, 4-5. Rom. 3:11– There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. 2. Since this is the case, there is no good work that can be done a. Because God does not accept the works of an unbeliever. Rom. 8:8– So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Pro. 21:4– A haughty look, a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked are sin. b. Because the unbeliever does not want to do works that are pleasing to God. Rom. 3:12– They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. Ecc. 7:20– For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin. D.Because they are in a state of rebellion, they are exposed to the wrath of God, 3b. Rom. 3:9– What then? Are we better than they?Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. 1. Jew and Gentile are exposed to the wrath of God – "just as the others" 2. Notice that "by nature" we deserve wrath. a. All that forms us, our being, deserves the wrath of God. b. It is only by grace that we are spared of that wrath. 3. It is foolish to say that God loves the wicked. Ps. 7:11– God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day. 4. The wrath of God is a terrible thing and Christians should praise him everyday that he poured his wrath on Son on that Friday long ago, and not on us. Jer. 10:10– But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation. Rev. 19:15– Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 1 Thess. 5:9– For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. E. In these three verses, we see the total depravity/corruption of the human race described by our deadness toward God. {TRANSITION: After the description of mankind without Christ, we find a but "But God". Praise the Lord for these contrasts in the Scriptures.} II. The Good News regarding Who We Become Because of Christ, 4-9. "Paul paints this bleak portrait of the human situation to throw into relief God's gracious and merciful response to it." Reformation Study Bible A. Despite our being despicable, God chose a people to himself and loved them in Christ, 4. 1. In contrast to whom we are, God is rich in mercy – that's how God often revealed himself to his people in the OT. Ex. 34:6-7a– And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…. Ps. 103:8– The Lordismerciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. Jonah 4:2– So he prayed to the Lord, and said, "Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You area gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Mic. 7:18– Who isa God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights inmercy. 2. Because he loves us, he makes us alive. "Men and women owe their salvation to the mercy and love of God." F.F. Bruce Rom. 5:8– But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. B. He showed his love by making us alive with Christ (or in Christ). 1. The main verb of this Greek sentence is found in v. 5 – He made alive. Jn. 5:24– Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 2. This is the main point that Paul is making – God is the one who makes dead, rebellious sinners alive. 3. As Christ rose from the dead, we too become alive, 6a 4. As Christ ascended to heaven, we too are brought up to heavenly places with Christ, 6b. C. What is the basis then for our salvation? 1. It is not what we can do for we are dead. 2. It is the work of Christ graciously communicated to us through faith, 5, 8. a. Notice that Paul just can't contain himself in v. 5, so he blurts out, "by grace you are in a state of having been saved!" – you are in a state of salvation and will remain there. b. Grace by definition = unmerited favor, free gift. 3. Even the faith to trust in Christ for our salvation is a gift of God, 8b-9 a. Paul anticipated people claiming that they initiated the salvation process by having the faith needed to be saved. b. "And this" refers back to the whole thing – grace and faith. c. He knew man would try to boast about their faith, 9. "Faith, however, is not a quality, a virtue, or a faculty. It is not something man can produce. It is simply a trustful response that is itself evoked by the Holy Spirit." EBC D.Why did God do it this way? 7 1. God chose to have justification be by faith alone to show to the universe his grace. 2. Every time a sinner is saved God's grace and kindness is displayed. 3. Notice that is not just grace, but the exceeding riches of his grace. 4. Every time someone tries to make salvation to be in any other way, he/she is robbing God of his grace and his kindness. 5. The collection of the redeemed of the Lord (the church) is a display of God's grace and kindness – without using the word Paul goes back to emphasizing the church. III. Our New Identity and Response, 10. A. In Christ, we are a new creature. 2 Cor. 5:17– Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. B. The word workmanship is the English translation of the Greek word from which we get the word poem. a. Christians are God's redeeming poem. b. Christians are God's work of art. C. The word "created" translate a Greek word that in the NT has only God as its subject. a. God is the one that accomplishes this creative work. b. Thus, this being made alive, this new birth, this work of regeneration has nothing to do with man and everything to do with God. D.Although salvation has nothing to do with what we do to deserve it, after we are saved we must live a life of obedience to God. a. Notice, however, that even these good works have already been ordained by God, so that whatever good we may do, we give all the glory to him. b. Notice also that we don't have to fear, or be scared, about obeying God because he already ordained our obedience and will give us the grace to do so. Jn. 3:16– For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 1. Paul says that we are currently in heavenly places with Jesus. 2. This is better understood as our becoming members of the kingdom of heaven through Christ. 3. We are translated from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God. 4. We are adopted and enjoy the benefits of sons and daughter's of God. 5. Paul expresses this same thought in Col. 3:1-4. Col. 3:1-4– If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. G.We belong to a new creation – that's why we clash with the old creation we live in. 1. But God gives grace to the humble. 2. And we bring the age to come to this age as we share Christ with a dead world.
Jesus indeed rose from the grave with a mighty triumph over his foes. And with him we rose to newness of life.
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