Sermon: It's Not You, It's Me
Scripture: Ephesians 2
ICE BREAKER: What is your favorite 90s sitcom?
REVIEW:
This week, Pastor Noel walked us through Ephesians chapter 2 to clearly reinforce a central belief - that Salvation is received through faith ALONE.
While many people know this, and most Christians believe this, it can be quite a bit harder to really live as if it is true. Noel talked about growing up in an environment where they were always threatened with the tortures of hell. This created a fear inside of him that lasted all the way into adulthood. He would go to bed virtually every night convinced that God was going to send him to hell because of the sins he had committed and the mistakes he had made.
This guilt and fear is typical among many Christians. Becoming convinced that you have messed up too many times and God couldn't possibly let you into Heaven someday.
Have you ever struggled with feeling SURE about your salvation?
Do you ever fear that you may have gone too far for God to forgive?
Do you know others who have believed in Jesus but still think they may miss out on Heaven because of their own actions?
Ephesians 2:8-9 says:
8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast.
This is the consistent testimony of scripture - that works, actions, deeds, obedience, etc., CAN NOT and WILL NOT save you! The ONLY way to God is to put your faith in the work that Jesus did for you, realizing there is no work that you can do yourself!
Salvation is a free gift from God that came through his son Jesus, who lived a perfect life and paid our sin debt by being crucified on a cross and resurrected 3 days later.
Putting your faith in Him means to believe in who Jesus says he is, the son of God. AND to believe that he did what he says he did, died for our sins.
In that moment of faith you have gone from death to life everlasting. There is no other step to take for your salvation.
Once you have put your faith in Jesus you become an adopted son or daughter of God. Nothing can ever change that relationship, you are his forever and his promise of salvation will be upheld forever.
Despite what Christians may tell you, there are no amount of good works you can do to keep your salvation and there are no amount of bad works, sin, that can make you lose your salvation. Salvation is not within your ability to give or to take away from yourself. It is a gift from God, and there are no take backs - OR, how scripture says it, God cannot deny Himself!
APPLY:
This week's application is simple, but incredibly powerful!
If you have never put your faith in Jesus, what is keeping your from making that decision? Your application is to wrestle with that very question.
If you are a believer, are there any areas where you are trusting in your own works to save you? Your application is to find those areas and give them to God. You were never able to save yourself and you are incapable of maintaining that salvation - only Jesus saves!
PRAY:
After spending some time talking through what Application looks like in your own life, ask God to show you the areas where you think, "It's not you, it's me." Ask the Holy Spirit to keep showing you the places where you are self-reliant and shift that reliance to Jesus. If you are not a believer, begin to ask God to show Himself to you this week and then be ready to seek him throughout your day.
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