2 March • Saturday of the Second Week in Lent
Ephesians 2:1-22
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Meditation
Friend, do you know the riches of God’s grace—His sheer kindness towards you in Christ?
Paul in his letter, tells us a glorious truth: that though once we willingly followed the devil, were cut-off from God and dead in our sins...
But God, out of His great love, because He was so rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ. He resurrected us from spiritual death and seated us in the heavenly places—placed us on His royal balcony! Now, as beloved children, we have all the favour, all the privilege, access to all the power of the eternal Son of God Himself—because we are in Christ!
Why would God do this? That is who He is. It was His will, His good pleasure to do this. It was not because of us. No, my friend, it was certainly not because of us—we have nothing to boast about... It was because our Father wanted to show, for endless ages, the immeasurable riches of His grace, His kindness toward us. He wanted to show to all the powers of the universe—how amazing is His love towards us! That is the kind of God we serve!
Everything we are today, is the result of His workmanship! Isn’t this glorious?
Prayer
Our Father in heaven, open the eyes of our hearts to see how much You truly love us, how much You have done for us, and who we are through Your eyes!
Action
Friend, do you know the riches of God’s grace—His sheer kindness towards you in Christ? Think deeply on these gospel truths!
Rev Dr Dev Menon
Pastor
Zion Bishan Bible-Presbyterian Church
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