Complete Restoration
Key Verse:
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Introduction
Can you imagine what it would be like if you knew God was in complete control, He had made all things for His benefit and the end of the story of His creation becomes better than the beginning. In Ephesians 2:1-10 we get a picture of God’s manipulating things, putting things in place and allowing things to happen so His plans are achieved on the Earth. How would it be if we knew that instead of wanting to be ‘raptured’ and taken away because it is too tough, we instead did not want to leave the Earth as what God is doing is too exciting and we would not miss it for the ‘world’. By reading this scripture, we can get a glimpse of what God’s plans are for His creation and that we have an important part to play in God’s plans.
Body
1. We are now made alive even though we were dead in our sins
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, Ephesians 2:1
Through Jesus’ death on the cross we can move from a life of death through sin as sinners to becoming alive through the grace God freely gives us.
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) Ephesians 2:5
Our deeds brought death, but God has made a way to give us life.
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, Colossians 2:13
2. We once followed Satan who works in the sons of disobedience
2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, Ephesians 2:2
It is vital that we remember that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
Because of our disobedience, God’s wrath will come upon all those who disobey God.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, Colossians 3:6
By following the ‘prince of the power of the air’ we were alienated and enemies of God. We can be encouraged, though, that God has a plan to bring us back to Him.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled. Colossians 1:21
And the best thing of all, the ruler of this World’s time is short as He will be defeated for all time and cast out.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. John 12:31
3. We have been controlled by the lusts of our flesh
3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. Ephesians 2:3
All of us have had to come to a point in our lives where we have lived in the ways of the world, and it is time to stop and live in the way God has intended.
3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 1 Peter 4:3
We were born into the world as sinful people.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me. Psalm 51:5
The desires of the flesh and of the mind have not allowed us to love God as He intended.
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. Mark 12:30
In the word wealth for Mark 12:30, the mind comes from dianoia (dee-an-oy-ah) Strong’s #1271 which means literally a thinking through. Dianoia combines nous (mind) and dia (through). The word suggests understanding, insight, meditation, reflection, perception, the gift of apprehension, the faculty of thought. When this faculty is renewed by the Holy Spirit, the whole mind-set changes from the fearful negativism of the carnal mind to the vibrant, positive thinking of the quickened spiritual mind.
We see that the only way to deal with this is to walk in the Spirit.
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
4. God is rich in mercy and loves us
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
We know that God abounds in mercy, but there is a time when He will deal with sin if we do not repent and change our ways.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; Psalm 103:8-11
He loved us so much God sent Jesus, His son, to die on the cross and pay for our sins.
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. John 3:16
In John 3:16, the word ‘loved’ is ‘agapao (ag-ah-pah-oh). Strongs #25. This is unconditional love, love by choice and an act of the will. The word denotes unconquerable benevolence and undefeatable goodwill. Agapao will never seek anything but the highest good for fellow mankind. Agapao (the verb) and agape (the noun) are the words for God’s unconditional love. It does not need a chemistry, an affinity or a feeling. Agapao is a word that exclusively belongs to the Christian community. It is a love virtually unknown to writers outside the NT.
9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10.
5. God saved us when we were sinners
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), Ephesians 2:5
While we were still in sin, God’s son, Jesus, came and died for us. He was righteous and without sin and showed God’s amazing love for us.
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8
To accept this salvation, we are buried with Christ and then raised to newness of life. We are completed transformed through this process to become like Jesus.
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, Romans 6:4-5
6. We are raised to sit with Jesus.
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the
heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
When we accept the gift of salvation, we are called by Jesus to sit with him, which is at the right hand of the father with signifies a position of all authority.
20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:20
7. God is revealing the richness of His grace through Jesus
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
The love from God is expressed to us through Jesus. Our works mean nothing, but His grace comes through accepting Jesus’ sacrifice and being renewed, regenerated or washed by the Holy Spirit.
4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:4-5
Through the Holy Spirit, we then can live a different life as we display or produce spiritual fruit. The Word Wealth for Kindness comes from the word chrestotes (khray-stot-ace). Strong’s #5544. Goodness in action, sweetness of disposition, gentleness in dealing with others, benevolence, kindness, affability. The word describes the ability to act for the welfare of those taxing your patience. The Holy Spirit removes abrasive qualities from the character of one under His control.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Galatians 5:22
8. We are saved by grace through faith.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, Ephesians 2:8
Our works are not to get us into a right relationship with God or to access the inheritance we have as followers of Jesus. We have been saved purely through grace and as we are saved we have a holy calling according to His purposes.
9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 2 Timothy 1:9
When we are saved by receiving Jesus, God brings us into His family and calls His children.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13.
9. The importance of not relying on works
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
When we work, our wages are not grace but a debt. When we are in Christ, our faith leads us to righteousness.
4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
Romans 4:4-5
There is no place for works in our salvation. It is entirely through grace.
6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. Romans 11:6
Lostness - We can be living a lie where our 'goodness' is what we THINK will get us what God has (an inheritance). If we think like this, then we act as servants as our good works are what we do so then we expect a wage. Instead of needing to work for our inheritance, we have all the Father has when we just accept what the Father has given us through grace. Jesus as our elder brother has come and did all he could to bring us back to the Father. All He has is ours through grace NOT works.
28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’” Luke 15:28-32.
10. We are made for good works.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
a. What God has started in us will be completed. It is a promise of God! He has made us and His desire is to complete growing us and building us up to be all God has for us.
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; Philippians 1:6
b. In the word wealth, “good” is taken from the word agathos (ag-ath-oss). Strong’s #18. Good in a physical and moral sense, and which produces benefits. The word is used of persons, things, acts, conditions and son on. A synonym of atathos is kalos, good in an aesthetic sense, suggesting attractiveness, excellence.
c. We are God’s handiwork. We are God’s workmanship. He rolled up His sleeves and both designed and crafted us. In the word wealth for Ephesians 2:10 for workmanship, we find the following:-
d. Workmanship - (poiema (poy-ay-mah)) Strongs #4161. From the verb poieo, "to make". (Compare "poem" and "poetry") The word signifies that which is manufactured, a product, a design produced by an artisan. Poiema emphasizes God as the Master Designer, the universe as His creation (Romans 1:20) and the redeemed believer His new creation (Eph 2:10). Before conversion our lives had no rhyme or reason. Conversion brought us balance, symmetry and order. We are God's poem. His work of art.
e. The WORD created all things. The Word was with God and WAS God. The WORD has always existed.
The WORD became flesh. This means this creator of all things, and in fact God took on a human form and came and lived amongst us. God became man, who is Jesus.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-3 and 14.
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16
f. We are not just another creature designed and created by God, we are made in the image of Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit.
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all[a] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26.
g. Faith and works go together. As we have faith, we can then go out and do what God has made us to do. We trust that God both created us to do what He has called us to do AND will help us to be successful in doing it.
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:14-18
h. Our works are not for salvation, but we are saved only through grace.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
i. It is sin to know the good works we have in front of us and not do them.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17
j. We have been chosen before the world was created for the good works God has for us. His planning did not start after we were made but before He made the world.
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, Ephesians 1:4
k. God planned to send Jesus to die for our sins so we could live forever with Him. He always had a plan to redeem us AND to build us up to be all He has made us to be. We have a reason to exist.. God has made us to work with Him to release His glory into the world.
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. John 3:16
l. The good works we have from God is to restore the World back to how He designed it to work.
1. We need to repent from our sins
2. Be converted, that our sins may be blotted out.
3. When we do this times of refreshing may come from God's presence.
4. God will send Jesus to us to be with us.
10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. Ephesians 1:10
j. In this time of restoration we will see the whole Earth filled with the knowledge of the LORD. Habakkuk 2:14.
1. We will have a perfect relationship with God. We walk alongside Him and enjoy His company.
2. All knowledge and wisdom will come from God. We no longer access the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
3. God will provide everything we need.
4. Satan will no longer be in control or haves any influence in the world.
5. We rule and reign over the Earth as God intended. We will fully have dominion over the animals and plants.
17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,[a] 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. Acts 3:17-21
11. Conclusion
God is in complete control. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father and is in a position of all authority. It is humbling that God has both made us for a relationship with Him AND to bring restoration to the Earth. Each one of us are individually created to do specific good works not for our salvation, but to release the knowledge of the glory of God in the earth and bring restoration of all things so Jesus is able to return as foretold by all the prophets throughout the Bible. God is manipulating things and putting people and events in place so His plans are achieved on the Earth. Let us get ready to bring in a great time of restoration so Jesus can return for His bride, His Church. We are getting a glimpse of what God’s plans are for His creation and look forward to being His Church to carry out His plans through us.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10