“Exploring Ephesians: Alive in Christ” Eph 2: 1-10

“Alive in Christ!” For the last four years our annual conference has proclaimed this theme. We are alive in Christ - on a journey of faith, raising up transformational leaders, equipping congregations to be vital, and creating new places for new people. 

To be alive is pretty vital - its to exist, to have life, to be full of the Spirit, to be active. Yet far too many congregations today have forgotten this teaching from Ephesians, that we are alive together for Christ. They are focusing on existing just long enough that their needs be fulfilled and have given up on thinking about a future in ministry. A future of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. 

The writer of Ephesians is reaching out to a group of people who have been taught a lot of different things over the years about Jesus and God - some of which were not scriptural and lead them down the wrong path. He is trying to teach them the basics of faith. Brothers and sisters, I fear today that some churches have forgotten the basics of the faith, the basics about why they exist. 

The church exists to boast the message of Jesus Christ! And one of the ways that we do that is by telling the powerful story of how Jesus changed our lives. I’ve shared before that I grew up in the church - I don’t remember a point in my life when I have been without him, and haven’t deeply believed in him, but that doesn’t mean that he still hasn’t changed and is changing my life! Praise be to God! It doesn’t matter if you have a moment in time when you can point to when you have been changed or if you grew up with Christ and have been on a continually journey, we all have signs that we have been made new in Christ that need to be shared!

The truth is we were all dead before accepting Christ in our lives. Dead in sin. Dead in our trespasses. Dead because we lived according to the worlds standards and ways which do not lead to the abundant life, friends. We followed the ways of this world, grasping after power and privilege, not thinking about others, and living by the flesh, which is marked by greed, pride, and an obsessive need to put ourselves first. 

Yet, even in the midst of all of that, God made a way for us to have life and to becoming alive again, through Christ Jesus! God offers us life - both the breathe we take in and the new life we can have in Christ - as a a  good gift. But we have to accept the gift. 

I love how pastor Adam Hamilton describes the gift of life and grace offered by God. Pastor Hamilton tells the story of how he was putting away his Christmas tree one year and a gift fell out that had become lodged in one of the branches. What were they going to do with this gift? They unwrapped it of course! They didn’t throw it away saying that Christmas was over so they didn’t need the gift anymore. They didn’t put it away until next Christmas to wait to open it. They opened it right then and there, because gifts are meant to be opened and shared. 

Far too many people though never unwrap and open the gift that God it trying to offer them in Jesus Christ. They say that the timing isn’t right so they will wait until things change for them - until they have time to appreciate it, but never really knowing if that time will come. Or the toss the gift to the side, saying it isn’t right for them. Friends, the gift of Christ is meant to be opened and shared right here and now! 

God gave us the greatest gift we could ever need and never would have thought to ask for on our own - Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus we can be saved to new life and have our lives changed! You don’t find many folks who like change today - even when things aren’t going well in their lives, they have become so accustomed to it that they have forgotten that there is something better to be had. The truth is, change is a gift from God, not being comfortable or stagnant. God is calling us to be changed and to change the world, but that’s a little hard to do if we insist on staying the same ourselves.

One of the phrases I hear a lot in churches is “we have always done it that way” - when it comes from everything from worship to evangelism and outreach. And that is beautiful, except when it keeps us from reaching out to a world that is changing. If we continue to do things as we did decades ago because it makes us feel safe and comfortable, instead of asking what our neighbors need to help connect them deeply with the Jesus whom we love, we’ve made it about us and not Christ. We’ve missed the point. When we becomes so focused on our own wants and desires, it can actually distract us from being alive in Christ. 

God’s love should change us in such a way that we are willing do just about anything to reach new people and help them unwrap the gift of salvation in their own lives. My brother are identical twins, which means they share a birthday. There are several videos of when they are little - too small to open their own birthday gifts - that I gladly helped them tear through the paper and boxes. I wanted them to see and love whatever gifts they were getting. I knew they weren’t my toys to play with - it was their birthday - but I wanted to share in their joy and excitement of their special day.

One of the ways we can help folks unwrap the gift of salvation in their lives is to share our story. We need to share the story of how God saved us from sin and saved us by grace. I’ve told some of you before that I am a big believer is the Elevator Story - can you tell the story of how Christ entered and changed your life is the amount of time it takes to ride an elevator? I can hear the objections now - of course not! Christ has done so much for me I could never share it that quickly - but the point is this: can you share your story in such a way that invites other people to ask questions so you can be in further conversation with folks. Sometimes we talk so much church, that folks stop hearing. Can we share our story in a way that invites other people into it, so that they can come to know Christ possibly though us?

But in order to be able to share your elevator story, you first must be able to know how Christ changed your life. Have you ever stopped and considered this? And I don’t mean just change your life in the future in terms of eternity, but changed your life in a concrete way here and now. I fear that too many folks have not even considered this, so when they do have the opportunity to share they have no idea where to start or what to say.

We need to be able to share how we believe the power of sin is real, but God’s power is so much greater. But if we don’t believe that’s true in our own life, we will never be able to share that truth with others. How has God changed you and how can you share that story with others?

God has changed us all in some way. Set us free from something or someone that has controlled us. Changed our belief that we need to be able to do everything on our own, instead of claiming the power of God. Changed what we live for. Changed us from thinking that we can be saved by our good works or by being a good person. How has Christ changed your life, brothers and sisters, and how can you share this change with others? Amen.