Well, this week we’re continuing our Fall series on Ephesians. We’ll be looking at “The Gospel Gift” in Ephesians 2:1-10. A long time ago I learned (or was told) that before you can convince someone of the Good News you have to first convince them of the Bad News. And Ephesians 2 is a lot like that.

After all (to quote Dr. Ed Welch), “What is your deepest problem? Obviously, you know the answer I’m looking for: ”uc">SIN is your deepest problem. But outside of the Bible context, you might give a different answer. The sullen teenager would not say that sin was her deepest problem. Pimples perhaps, or parents, or a lack of money, but not “sin.” The aging athlete says that getting older and slower create his worst problem. The business person says, “The boss!” The husband says, “My wife,” and the wife, “My husband.” The single person says, “If only I had a spouse. My aloneness is my biggest problem.” The cancer patient points to disease and the uncertainty of medicine. But what is your deepest problem? The book of Ephesians makes it clear that your deepest problem is sin. It was, is, and will be (until you die) your nemesis. If you miss that crucial fact, then the glories of Christ will not seem very glorious, and the love of God will not seem very loving."

And so, with that in mind, Ephesians 2 takes us from the depths to the heights and then shows us how the Grace of God always gets a good return on investment. And then we’ll see what that means to me and you on a personal level as we learn how the Gospel works in our lives, both inside and out. Like the rest of Ephesians, it should be enlightening and challenging, encouraging and convicting, all at the same time! See you Sunday! Dr. Dave