September 8, 2019 Sermon Notes and Slides

Sermon Notes

Created for Good Works
Ephesians 2:8-10
Taylor Mendoza, Pastor of Student Ministries

Overview: All the way back, in the beginning, we learn that God is a worker (Genesis 2:2-3). However, we also learn that His creatures (both man and woman) are to be workers as well (1:28; 2:5, 15, 18). Man and woman were created to serve God and serve His creation as image bearers to display the glory of God. Yet, man and woman fell, sin entered the world, and death claimed them. Work, service, and ministry now had been tainted by the Fall (3:17-19, 23). Because of the Fall, our labor is all but vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:18-26). However, God did not forget about His creation, but rather set forth to redeem His creation and their service. Beginning with Abraham (Gen. 15:13-14) God promised that a people, Israel, would come from Abraham’s offspring and they would serve the living God (Exodus 7:16; 8:1; 10:7-8; 20:5; Deuteronomy 11:13-14; Joshua 24:15; 19-20). Although God worked through the people of Israel, Israel failed to redeem service to God and to creation. Instead, the Old Testament anticipated an even greater servant of the Lord who would redeem God’s creation and His people (Isaiah 49:3-7). This servant of the Lord is none other than Jesus Christ, who came as a suffering servant and redeemed our service (Mark 10:35-45), thus creating us for good works.

Main Point: God’s grace has been poured out on us through ________________ not through _______________ , so that we are no longer dead in our sins but alive in Christ, and this grace has ________________ us to do good works of service in the context of the ________________.

Practical Application:
01. Make a commitment in membership to the people of a local church.

02. Serve all people in need especially those of the church.

03. Adopt an attitude of service that is shaped by our unity in the cross of Jesus.

Questions For Discussion & Discovery

1. Take a moment to read through the passages listed in the introduction of these sermon notes. What is most striking to you?

2. As review, what place do good works have in salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)? What place do good works have in the Christian life? (Ephesians2:10)

3. What is the proper context for good works? See Ephesians 4:11-12 for details. Who does the work of ministry in the local church?

4. Take a moment to read chapters 4-6 of Ephesians. How many “one anothers” can you spot? What does that tell you about the way we are to interact with one another in the church?

5. Read Ephesians 4:28, Galatians 6:10, and 1 Peter 4:10-11. What does each passage tell us about where our priority should be in our service?

6. Read Mark 10:35-45. What do you learn about the attitude of Jesus in His service? What kind of attitude should we have when we serve one another?

For Further Reading: Servanthood as Worship: The Privilege of Life in a Local Church by Nate Palmer (Cruciform Press, 2010).