the gospel in 10 verses

This morning I'm preaching on Ephesians 2:1-10 at a chapel of an elementary school in the area.

My goal is simple: give them the gospel. What is that gospel?

I. You Are Dead! (1-3)

Ephesians 2:1-3 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

The simple point here is that every single person is dead in sin and totally unable to come to God for salvation. Man can no more bring himself to life spiritually than a dead man can raise himself from the grave. It's just an impossibility. It can't—and it won't—happen! This is man's predicament.

II. God Gives Life! (4-9)

Ephesians 2:4-9 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, 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 ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Yet, God, out of his amazing and effectual grace, makes deadened sinners whom He has chosen alive according to His sovereign power. He makes us alive together with Christ. Note that makes us alive. He raises us up with Christ. He seats us with Christ in the heavenly places. It is work. He does the saving, from first to last. This is God's sovereignty in salvation.

III. Live for God! (10)

Ephesians 2:10 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Finally, as a result of God's saving of His own, His regenerated people are to live lives of good works. God has prepared us for good works. He has prepared beforehand that we would walk in them. We are His workmanship. We are to be obedient to Him. We are to live in Him. We are to abide in Him. We are to walk in holiness in all areas of life. This is God's work in sanctifying us to present us before the throne on that final day faultless and without reproach.