Sunday, November 10, 2013

Today´s Sermon



2013.11.10                            Acts 3:11-end
              Peter preaches again…. Repent
In our study we come to Peter's second sermon….. at least it's the second one recorded in the book of Acts…. the church has been born… the church has been properly equipped to finish the work that Jesus began to do…..
They were with Jesus during His earthly ministry….. They saw Him….. they heard His words of life……… They knew that he is the eternal one…. Sent from the Father… John wrote in his letter about being an eyewitness of the Lord Jesus…. He explains that we as believers are all one in Him…. We have fellowship with each other and with the Father…. He writes about koininia and joy…..1 John 1:1
1 John 1: 1-4                      NKJV
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2  the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
1 John 1: 1-4                      Schlachter 2000
1 Was von Anfang war, was wir gehört haben, was wir mit unseren Augen gesehen haben, was wir angeschaut und was unsere Hände betastet haben vom Wort des Lebens
2 — und das Leben ist erschienen, und wir haben gesehen und bezeugen und verkündigen euch das ewige Leben, das bei dem Vater war und uns erschienen ist —,
3 was wir gesehen und gehört haben, das verkündigen wir euch, damit auch ihr Gemeinschaft mit uns habt; und unsere Gemeinschaft ist mit dem Vater und mit seinem Sohn Jesus Christus.
4 Und dies schreiben wir euch, damit eure Freude vollkommen sei.
They had been with Jesus….. They had heard His words of Life…… They knew Him….. They had been filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost… Just like these early believers….
We have also been equipped to proclaim the Good News to a lost and dying world….…...
The church has been given all the tools we need  to preach and to teach…..  Remember… Jesus said as he was preparing to go to heaven….. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me….. Go ye and preach the Gospel to all creatures…. Mark 16: 15….  All true believers are called to proclaim the Good News….. Peter had a special assignment…. Peter was directly called to go to the Children of Israel and proclaim the Good News…
In the early portions of the book of Acts the apostle Peter is the one doing most of the talking……
He had already preached one great sermon on the day of Pentecost and we studied that in Acts chapter 2….. The Holy Spirit had gathered the crowd….. Then Peter Proclaimed the Good News of the Lord  Jesus Christ……. And in his preaching……. He did the two things that all effective preaching does….. He first of all exalted the Lord Jesus Christ….. And secondly shows the hearers that they stand guilty and comdemned because of their sin and rebellion…..
If we're going to evangelize, we must do two things……. We must present Jesus Christ…  and secondly we must solemnly warn all men who reject Him……  
 As a result of that first sermon threethousand people believed…… They were added to the church and formed the first fellowship of believers….. and from there they went out to Proclaim the name of the Lord Jesus Christ…. They met in the Temple daily…. Their lives were transformed and energized by the Holy Spirit…..
And so Peter…. as we now see him….. is the first preacher of the name of Jesus….. Today we stand in the great tradition of those who name the name of Jesus……
As we have seen…. the Holy Spirit put His stamp of approval on the preaching of Peter by miracles and signs…… This was to confirm that the message was indeed From God…...
In Acts 2 you remember that on the day of Pentecost….  the Spirit of God appeared in a wonderful miracle of tongues…. Flames of fire on their heads….. and furious sound and noise like a mightly wind….  and they all began to speak in other languages the wonderful works of God…… The Holy Spirit drew a huge crowd of people who were ready and willing to understand what had happened….
Then  Peter preached the name of Jesus Christ……
Then as we  came to Acts 3 last week….  the Holy Spirit uses the same pattern again….. Before Peter ever gets up to preach and announce the name of Jesus Christ….. They heal a lame man in the name of Jesus Christ…..   God with this great miracle again gathers the crowd….. They are amazed…. They want to know what had happened…..
Peter then preaches his message…… It was  confirmed in their minds as True and from God because  of that astounding miracle…… This man who had never walked….. Is walking and leaping and praising God in the Temple…..
This is exactly what the letter to the Hebrews said that God would do….. confirm the Word by signs, wonders, and miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit….. Hebrews 2:4….
Now as we come to the message of Chapter 3, verses 11-26….  The Holy Spirit gives power and works the miracle  and He gives Peter every word that Peter speaks…... It's a production presented by the Holy Spirit….. Peter and John are simply around to be used….. Availability is the #1 ability in the body of Christ…. Turn with me to Acts3….. we will pickup the text at verse 11…
Acts 3: 11- 26                      NKJV
11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.

23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’
26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

Acts 3: 11- 26                      Schlachter 2000
11 Da sich aber der geheilte Lahme zu Petrus und Johannes hielt, lief alles Volk voll Erstaunen bei ihnen zusammen in der sogenannten Halle Salomos.
12 Als Petrus das sah, wandte er sich an das Volk: Ihr Männer von Israel, weshalb verwundert ihr euch darüber, oder weshalb blickt ihr auf uns, als hätten wir durch eigene Kraft oder Frömmigkeit bewirkt, daß dieser umhergeht?
13 Der Gott Abrahams und Isaaks und Jakobs, der Gott unserer Väter, hat seinen Knecht2 Jesus verherrlicht; ihn habt ihr ausgeliefert und habt ihn verleugnet vor Pilatus, als dieser ihn freisprechen wollte.
14 Ihr habt den Heiligen und Gerechten verleugnet und verlangt, daß euch ein Mörder geschenkt werde;
15 den Fürsten des Lebens aber habt ihr getötet! Ihn hat Gott aus den Toten auferweckt; dafür sind wir Zeugen.
16 Und auf den Glauben an seinen Namen hin hat sein Name diesen hier stark gemacht, den ihr seht und kennt; ja, der durch Ihn [gewirkte] Glaube hat ihm diese volle Gesundheit gegeben vor euch allen.
17 Und nun, ihr Brüder, ich weiß, daß ihr in Unwissenheit gehandelt habt, wie auch eure Obersten;
18 Gott aber hat das, was er durch den Mund aller seiner Propheten zuvor verkündigte, daß nämlich der Christus leiden müsse, auf diese Weise erfüllt.
19 So tut nun Buße und bekehrt euch3, daß eure Sünden ausgetilgt werden, damit Zeiten der Erquickung vom Angesicht des Herrn kommen
20 und er den sende, der euch zuvor verkündigt wurde, Jesus Christus,
21 den der Himmel aufnehmen muß bis zu den Zeiten der Wiederherstellung alles dessen, wovon Gott durch den Mund aller seiner heiligen Propheten von alters her geredet hat.
22 Denn Mose hat zu den Vätern gesagt: »Einen Propheten wie mich wird euch der Herr, euer Gott, erwecken aus euren Brüdern; auf ihn sollt ihr hören in allem, was er zu euch reden wird«.
23 Und es wird geschehen: Jede Seele, die nicht auf diesen Propheten hören wird, soll vertilgt werden aus dem Volk.
24 Und alle Propheten, von Samuel an und den folgenden, so viele geredet haben, sie haben auch diese Tage im voraus angekündigt.
25 Ihr seid Söhne der Propheten und des Bundes, den Gott mit unseren Vätern schloß, als er zu Abraham sprach: »Und in deinem Samen sollen gesegnet werden alle Geschlechter der Erde«.
26 Euch zuerst hat Gott, als er seinen Knecht Jesus erweckte, ihn gesandt, um euch zu segnen, indem7 ein jeder von euch sich von seiner Bosheit bekehrt!
Let´s take a closer look…. v11…
Acts 3: 11,12           NKJV    
11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
Acts 3: 11,12              Schlachter 2000
11 Da sich aber der geheilte Lahme zu Petrus und Johannes hielt, lief alles Volk voll Erstaunen bei ihnen zusammen in der sogenannten Halle Salomos.
12 Als Petrus das sah, wandte er sich an das Volk: Ihr Männer von Israel, weshalb verwundert ihr euch darüber, oder weshalb blickt ihr auf uns, als hätten wir durch eigene Kraft oder Frömmigkeit bewirkt, daß dieser umhergeht?

The people were amazed….. but they were looking at Peter and John… we didn´t do this…. Peter wisely takes advantage of the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel…. but he knew that miracles  bring no one to Jesus…. Although they were greatly amazed…. they weren't saved yet!
Peter knew that saving faith comes by hearing….  hearing   the word of God……    Romans 10:17….
Peter clearly says that this miracle has nothing to do with their power or with their Godliness…. It´s Jesus….
Many so called "healers" today who would never claim to heal in their own power…… But they gladly and proudly still give the impression that healing happens because they are so spiritual….. or so godly…... Peter knew that it was all about Jesus….. and nothing but Jesus…
Look at verse 13- 18….
Acts 3:13- 18                NKJV
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.
16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.

Acts 3:13- 18                Schlachter 2000
13 Der Gott Abrahams und Isaaks und Jakobs, der Gott unserer Väter, hat seinen Knecht2 Jesus verherrlicht; ihn habt ihr ausgeliefert und habt ihn verleugnet vor Pilatus, als dieser ihn freisprechen wollte.
14 Ihr habt den Heiligen und Gerechten verleugnet und verlangt, daß euch ein Mörder geschenkt werde;
15 den Fürsten des Lebens aber habt ihr getötet! Ihn hat Gott aus den Toten auferweckt; dafür sind wir Zeugen.
16 Und auf den Glauben an seinen Namen hin hat sein Name diesen hier stark gemacht, den ihr seht und kennt; ja, der durch Ihn [gewirkte] Glaube hat ihm diese volle Gesundheit gegeben vor euch allen.
17 Und nun, ihr Brüder, ich weiß, daß ihr in Unwissenheit gehandelt habt, wie auch eure Obersten;
18 Gott aber hat das, was er durch den Mund aller seiner Propheten zuvor verkündigte, daß nämlich der Christus leiden müsse, auf diese Weise erfüllt.
Peter says this is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob……. He has Glorified His Servant Jesus by doing this miracle….
Peter is taking them back to Jesus….. God´s suffering servant……. Jesus crucified on the cross…. The greatness of Peter's sermon is that it is all about Jesus…..
You delivered up God´s servant…. The Messiah…. you delivered up and Crucified the Lord of Glory….
The Holy Boldness of Peter here is proof of the Presence of the Holy Spirit in Peter´s life….  These are some of the very people who killed Jesus….. He is filled with the Holy Spirit and God´s grace has flooded and restored his life and testimony…. Peter was not afraid to confront their sin….  One commentator says that the miracle of Peter´s bold and powerful sermon is  far more wonderful…..   than the miracle of this healed man....
Peter continues….. You killed him….. You  Asked for a murderer to be granted to you instead of Jesus…..
Peter is boldly confronting this audience!
You killed the Prince of life…..
And through faith in His name…… has this man been made strong….. You know how crippled he was……. The Name of Jesus has done this miracle….
This means more than Peter said, " in Jesus´ name…..
 It means that Peter consciously did this in the authority and power of Jesus….. Peter will not even take credit for the faith that was exercised in the healing of this man….. He says the Faith is also from the Lord …..
Peter says that even Jesus´rejection and crucifixion was part of God´s plan….. Everything has happened exactly according to the prophets…. Despite all the evil they did to Jesus….. it did not change God's plan….. God can take the most horrible evil and use it for good…… Joseph could say to his brothers….. "you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good."  Genesis 50:20….. The same principle was at work in the crucifixion of Jesus…… and is at work in our lives…. Romans 8:28……..
v17….
Acts 3:17          NKJV    Schlachter 2000
17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
17 Und nun, ihr Brüder, ich weiß, daß ihr in Unwissenheit gehandelt habt, wie auch eure Obersten;
Powerful truth here….  Peter recognizes they called for the execution of Jesus in ignorance of God's eternal plan…..
He says, now I know you did it through ignorance….. You just didn't know what you're doing…… remember…
Jesus on the cross said….
 "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they're doing."
Peter says….. You Killed the Messiah….. Murder…… But you didn´t know what you were doing…… God in His mercy has provided a place where you too can flee……. When Peter did that, he opened the door open to the city of refuge…. Do you remember in the Old Testament, Numbers 35 talks about them….. that for Israel's sake they were provided certain cities called cities of refuge…… And if an individual killed somebody by accident or in ignorance or in a fit of fury……. it would be classified as manslaughter, not as first degree murder in our terms…… And the person who committed the manslaughter could run to the city of refuge and could be safe there…… and he was safe as long as the high priest lived……  
 Now this is fantastic……. This is exactly what God is offering to these guilty sinners through Peter…. Peter is saying….. People You and I know that you did this horrible crime….  but God in His grace is accounting it as manslaughter not first degree murder….. He knows you did it through ignorance and thus he cracks the door to the city of refuge….. Flee to your only hope…. The Holy one of Israel…. Our great High Priest…. The Lord Jesus Christ….. He lives forever…..
God is willing to treat you not as a murderer….. but as one guilty of manslaughter….. because of their ignorance…. Unwissenheit ….  Peter says flee for refuge…. It´s not too late….. Frau Neidzilla…
As long as the high priest lives you can be safe…… And how long does our high priest live? Forever, forever…… So he cracks the door and says come on into the city of refuge, we've got an eternal high priest and you're okay…… You say, well, I'd like to get in that thing…… Peter then tells them in v18….
Acts 3: 18                NKJV   Schlachter 2000
18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
18 Gott aber hat das, was er durch den Mund aller seiner Propheten zuvor verkündigte, daß nämlich der Christus leiden müsse, auf diese Weise erfüllt.

Peter says even the cross and their rejection of the Messiah was part of God´s plan…. Jesus is the suffering servant of Isaiah and everything has happened exactly according to God perfect plan…. Flee to the city of refuge….. It´s not too late…. How do I get to the city of refuge…? Look at verse 19…..

Acts 3: 19     NKJV   Schlachter 2000
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
19 So tut nun Buße und bekehrt euch, daß eure Sünden ausgetilgt werden, damit Zeiten der Erquickung vom Angesicht des Herrn kommen
 Repent and cry out to God for mercy…..    God knows you did it in ignorance and God's willing to forgive….  Repent And your sins will be blotted out….
 Blotted out has the idea of wiping ink off of a document.
The Greek word is erased…... Not covered over, erased……
Forgiveness is yours and so Peter says there's grace…… there's refuge…… There is refuge and mercy and forgiveness in the Name of Jesus…. He is the Christ….. the Messiah…..
 Christ simply means Messiah…… It's just a Greek word for Messiah…... And Peter wraps up by saying…… "He's your Messiah….. And He's been declared to be your Messiah by fulfilled prophesies regarding His suffering…….
"Repent therefore and be converted….
 Now that's really the point of his message…… The most important part of this chapter is the statement at the beginning of verse 19…..
This is God's grace in action…... God is lovingly patient and God is forgiving…… and that´s what Peter says in  2 Peter 3: 9…..
"He is not willing that any should perish…… But that all should come to repentance….  
Our loving Heavenly Father….. remember 2 Cor 1…. From last week…… He is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort…. God Himself tenderly calls men to repent and cry out to him for forgiveness… even men who have killed their redeemer…. The Messiah…..
 And God is making the same offer He has always offered….. He promised a redeemer….. a savior…. The message is still the same….. Repent…. The Kingdom of heaven is at hand….
God spoke it through the mouth of Jesus just like every prtophet that ever lived….  That´s what Peter is saying here….
Repent that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come…. That's the kingdom….. The message really hasn't changed….. Even though the Messiah had been rejected and killed….. God's grace is extended to Israel and the continued offer of the kingdom is still given here in Acts chapter 3…...v 20….
Acts 3:20- 26                     NKJV
20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.
23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”
 Acts 3:20- 26                     Schachter 2000
20 und er den sende, der euch zuvor verkündigt wurde, Jesus Christus,
21 den der Himmel aufnehmen muß bis zu den Zeiten der Wiederherstellung alles dessen, wovon Gott durch den Mund aller seiner heiligen Propheten von alters her geredet hat.
22 Denn Mose hat zu den Vätern gesagt: »Einen Propheten wie mich wird euch der Herr, euer Gott, erwecken aus euren Brüdern; auf ihn sollt ihr hören in allem, was er zu euch reden wird«.
23 Und es wird geschehen: Jede Seele, die nicht auf diesen Propheten hören wird, soll vertilgt werden aus dem Volk.
24 Und alle Propheten, von Samuel an und den folgenden, so viele geredet haben, sie haben auch diese Tage im voraus angekündigt.
25 Ihr seid Söhne der Propheten und des Bundes, den Gott mit unseren Vätern schloß, als er zu Abraham sprach: »Und in deinem Samen sollen gesegnet werden alle Geschlechter der Erde«.
26 Euch zuerst hat Gott, als er seinen Knecht Jesus erweckte, ihn gesandt, um euch zu segnen, indem7 ein jeder von euch sich von seiner Bosheit bekehrt!
Back in verse 19 we Saw Peter´s  conclusion…… He calls upon them to do two things….. repent and be converted…... One is active; one is passive…… If they will turn around….. if they will turn away from their sin and rebellion….. God will forgive them….. then comes the passive part…. God  will transform them…. He will give them a heart of flesh….. and they will love and obey Him…. We see this in Ezekiel 36,37….
This text says that God will convert them for His own great names sake……… God the Father promised to give them a new Heart of flesh….. The NLT translation says…. A tender and responsive heart to obey me…. Our great God….. The Father of mercies….. the God of all comfort…. 2 Cor 1… God himself goes on to promise the Holy Spirit to fill them and to lead them….. And most importantly….. He promised to finish the work that he began in them…. Philippians 1: 6….
So Peter cries to Israel from the bottom of his heart….. and from the depths of the heart of God the Father…. He reminds them that they are the People of God…. He reminds them that what he is saying is exactly what the scriptures promised…… This Jesus…. is the one that Moses prophesied….. You must hear and obey Him…… Jesus…. or you will perish in your sins….. He says …. These are not my words….. Moses said these words…. The Christ is come to redeem and to bless you…. And through you…. All of the peoples on the face of the earth….. cry out to Him….. v26….
Acts 3: 26    NKJV   Schlachter 2000
26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”
26 Euch zuerst hat Gott, als er seinen Knecht Jesus erweckte, ihn gesandt, um euch zu segnen, indem7 ein jeder von euch sich von seiner Bosheit bekehrt!
God's plan to bless us and to do good for us…… First and most importantly…..  includes His desire to turn us all away from our sins…
Close
The Lord God would say to us today….. Change your mind about Jesus….. You cannot be a fan of Jesus…. You cannot put Him on you t-shirt or wear Him around your neck…. Our sin and rebellion has separated us from our God…… and we stand condemned because of our sin and rebellion…. But God….  God is still gracious and the Father of mercy…..  even though you've murdered His Son….. change your mind and repent and be converted…... I know that many of us are already believers……. And yet we are often far from Him in our daily lives….. We often act just like unbelievers…… We act like we can´t trust God to know what´s best for us….. We try to take control of our own lives….. Isaiah had said God can blot out our sins….. and then Isaiah said in the next chapter 44…… God will blot out our sins….
 and here we find in the coming of Jesus Christ….. God´s provision for that blotting out….. And Peter says, if you'll only change your minds about Jesus you can have your sins blotted out….. Our sins totally forgotten by God…… He said I'll remember them no more……. What a promise, total forgiveness…….
In Col. 2:13 the Bible says He has forgiven us all our trespasses…… Total forgiveness…… That´s something the Old Testament believer never knew……. They never had   freedom from guilt…… They never had   freedom from the besieging problem of sin…… because as soon as they offered a sacrifice they'd go out and sin again and they'd be in the same boat again…… There was no liberty….. There was none of that great freedom that we have without the burden of bearing the guilt of sin…… So he says you can have your sins forgiven if you'll turn to Jesus….. That's the first thing…… Repent the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand….. If you have never repented and cried out for mercy and forgiveness…. Today is the day…. Cry out to Him…. Do you know Him…. God is a forgiving God….. He willingly forgives all those who come to Him…..  
Most of us here this morning have already repented of our sins…… Jesus has forgiven us and given us a new heart….. We have been born again….. But we tend to forget that we have been saved for a reason….. God has purpose in everything He does….. When He saved us…. It was for His great Names sake….. so that we would Glorify Him in our lives….
Paul told the Ephesian believers the very same thing…. Look at Eph 2… v1….
Ephesians 2:1- 10    NKJV
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:1- 10         Schlachter 2000
1 — auch euch, die ihr tot wart durch Übertretungen und Sünden,
2 in denen ihr einst gelebt habt nach dem Lauf dieser Welt1, gemäß dem Fürsten, der in der Luft herrscht, dem Geist, der jetzt in den Söhnen des Ungehorsams2 wirkt;
3 unter ihnen führten auch wir alle einst unser Leben in den Begierden unseres Fleisches, indem wir den Willen3 des Fleisches und der Gedanken taten; und wir waren von Natur Kinder des Zorns, wie auch die anderen.
4 Gott aber, der reich ist an Erbarmen, hat um seiner großen Liebe willen, mit der er uns geliebt hat,
5 auch uns, die wir tot waren durch die Übertretungen, mit dem Christus lebendig gemacht — aus Gnade seid ihr errettet! —
6 und hat uns mitauferweckt und mitversetzt in die himmlischen [Regionen] in Christus Jesus,
7 damit er in den kommenden Weltzeiten den überschwenglichen Reichtum seiner Gnade in Güte an uns erweise in Christus Jesus.
8 Denn aus Gnade seid ihr errettet durch den Glauben, und das nicht aus euch — Gottes Gabe ist es;
9 nicht aus Werken, damit niemand sich rühme.
10 Denn wir sind seine Schöpfung, erschaffen in Christus Jesus zu guten Werken, die Gott zuvor bereitet hat, damit wir in ihnen wandeln sollen.
Verse 7 reminds us that we are trophies of God´s grace…… We are living proof of the grace of God…. God the Father is Active and working miracles….. saving sinners like us…. Like me…..and verse 10 reminds us that we are His Workmanship….. He is the potter and we are his cracked clay pots…… transformed and created for Good works….. Which God planned beforehand….. We also need to repent this morning of our….. Let´s pray….

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