Read Ephesians 2:1-5 NIV
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
I am a sucker for renovation shows! Tiny homes, run-down castles, abandoned homes – I love them all! And I especially love a good before-and-after photo! In the before photo, you get a glimpse of the neglect and wear and tear a building or room has seen, or just the misuse of space. I often shake my head at the damage and decay, and then get excited at the potential for the space. The after photo always depicts new life breathed into places of wreckage and ruin. The spaces are wholly transformed!
That is the picture Paul paints for us throughout the Book of Ephesians and in our verses for today. Our very own before-and-after snapshot!
You were once dead in your sins….now you are alive in Christ
You were once foreigners and strangers…now you are fellow citizens and members of God’s household
You were far away…and now you are brought near
We are wholly transformed through Jesus! New life has been breathed into us, bringing light where there was darkness. What a beautiful place for us to live from! We are not the same – thank you Jesus!
