declare The Lewis Family. Campus Outreach Thailand

The GOOD of the good news

Today I had the privilege of preaching Ephesians 2:1-10 three times at Salem Baptist Church in McDonough, GA. Due to preaching it multiple times and variations of it twice before, I was moved, convicted, and reminded of the goodness, mercy and grace of my God. My main desire was to help us see that we often underrate the "good" in the good news of the gospel. We reduce it to just plain news as we begin to re-rest and trust in our good works or just plain ignore our constant need of Jesus and the gospel. I attempted to contrast the bad news of Ephesians 2:1-3 with awesome news of 4-10. Take a look at the passage and consider the greatness of Jesus. May this never just be news to us, but may it be life changing, worship inspiring, faith increasing, and love evoking good news.

Ephesians 2:1-10

2:1 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 [1] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But [2] 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.