Ephesians 2:1-10 - And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 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— 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. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 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 paints a powerful picture of the transformation that takes place in our lives when we experience salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The passage begins by describing our former state - dead in our trespasses and sins, following the ways of the world and the devil, living to gratify the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. We were by nature deserving of God's wrath, just like everyone else. But then the passage shifts to the glorious good news of the gospel. Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions. It is by grace we have been saved, through faith. This is not something we have accomplished on our own - it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. The result of this salvation is that we have been raised up with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly realms. God did this so that in the coming ages he might display the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do the good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. This passage highlights the desperate hopelessness of our situation apart from Christ, the glorious riches of God's mercy and grace that he has lavished on us through Jesus, and the new life and purpose we have as a result of this great salvation. It is a message of hope, transformation and calling that should fill our hearts with humble gratitude and praise to the God of our salvation.

The truths contained in Ephesians 2:1-10 are some of the most foundational and life-changing in all of Scripture. They cut to the very heart of the gospel message and what it means to be a Christian. Before Christ, we were spiritually dead, enslaved to sin and destined for eternal wrath. This is the natural state of every human being born into this world. No matter how moral or religious we may be, we are utterly helpless to save ourselves or make ourselves right with God. The Bible is clear that all our righteous acts are like filthy rags before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). But in his great love and mercy, God intervened on our behalf. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He took upon himself the punishment we deserved, bearing our sins in his body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). And when we place our faith in him, we are spiritually united with Christ in his death and resurrection. We are made alive together with him, raised up with him, and seated with him in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:5-6). This is the glorious good news of the gospel! Salvation is a free gift of God's grace, received through faith. It is not something we can earn or deserve. No amount of good works or religious observance can make us acceptable to God. Only through the finished work of Christ on our behalf can we be forgiven, declared righteous, and reconciled to God. But the gospel doesn't just save us from the penalty of our sins; it also transforms us and gives us new life and purpose. We are God's workmanship, his masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus for a life of good works that bring glory to God. These good works don't save us, but they are the natural overflow of a heart that has been transformed by God's grace. As Christians, we should never lose sight of the wonder of our salvation. We should never cease to be amazed by the depths of God's love and mercy towards us. And we should never grow complacent in our walk with Christ, but press on each day to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of us (Philippians 3:12). May we never lose the wonder of the gospel, and may we live each day in humble gratitude for the great salvation we have received in Christ. May we walk worthy of the calling we have received, living for the praise of his glory and the good of others. And may we boldly proclaim this good news to a lost and dying world, that they too may experience the life-changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, We come before you today in humble adoration and praise for the great salvation you have freely given us in Christ. Thank you that while we were still dead in our sins, enslaved to the ways of this world and deserving of your righteous wrath, you chose to love us and show us mercy. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to die on the cross in our place, bearing the punishment for our sins so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to you. Thank you that salvation is your free gift to us, not something we could ever earn or deserve. Thank you for giving us faith to believe in Jesus, and for raising us up with Christ to new life. May we never lose sight of the wonder of the gospel and the riches of your grace that you have lavished on us. Forgive us for the times we have taken your great salvation for granted, or have tried to live in our own strength rather than relying on your grace. Help us to walk worthy of the calling we have received, living each day for your glory and the good of others. Use us, Lord, to proclaim the good news of the gospel to those who are still dead in their sins and without hope in this world. May many come to know the life-changing power of your love and grace. Thank you for the hope and purpose we now have in Christ. May our lives be a living testimony of your goodness and grace. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.