Salvation = 3 x 3 x 3or

Quest for the Truth of the Gospel, part II

Rick Wright4th Sunday of Lent (B)

March 15 2015

Donald Miller

• Blue Like Jazz• Started when I watch television• Nightline with Ted Koppel• Genocide in Democratic Republic of Congo

(late 1990s)• Do you think you could do things like that?

Ephesians 2

• 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.

Quest for the Truth of the Gospel

• Goal = to know more deeply• Alastair Roberts• I don’t think in terms of a single gospel

presentation. The unity of the gospel does not reside in a particular presentation, logic, or formula, but in God’s gracious self-revealing saving work in Jesus Christ. The gospel is good news to us in innumerable different ways. Different aspects of the good news may be especially important for particular people or cultures at particular times.

Different aspects

• Different pictures of Comet 67P

• They are all Comet 67P!

Ephesians 2

1. 2:1-31. Past2. what God saves us from

2. 2:4-71. Present2. how God saves us

3. 2:8-101. Future2. for what goal God saves us

Ephesians 2:1-3

• Death(?!?)– Spiritual death?– Death = movement away from God

• Slavery(?!?)– Under influence of spiritual forces in the world

• Sickness(?)– Passions = ways in which soul is sick or damaged

Ephesians 2:4-7

• Grammar -> focuses on this part (not first part!)• Reverses three problems in the first part1. Death -> alive2. According to passions -> raised with Christ3. Under influence of powers -> seated with Christ• “Exaltation above the heavens is the key to how

Ephesians understands salvation”• God has saved us through life / death /

resurrection / exaltation of Jesus Christ

Ephesians 2:8-10

• Show the immeasurable richness of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

1. Show that God is rich in mercy + loves humankind

2. So that we will do good works• Please note! Good works is the goal of salvation

(If there is time)

• By grace you have been saved.• Salvation is a gift• Human beings are not able to achieve this by

ourselves!• Our response?• Help! Lord – have mercy.