Back to Ephesus...But God | Ephesians 2:1-10

As we continue our tour of the churches in Asia, our Pastoral Resident, Ben Woolbright, will take us back to Ephesus. Have you ever faced an identity crisis of some kind? An identity crisis usually occurs when something important to us is now missing, or at least threatened. For example, if your identity is placed in something that will one day leave, such as, your age, your health, or your appearance, one common antidote would be to do something radical to keep it. Perhaps doing something like purchasing a new car or getting plastic surgery. However, anytime our identity is placed in something other than God, we are trusting in something that is fleeting. For Christians, one of the more difficult obstacles to navigate in an identity crisis is the fact that it typically happens slowly, without us realizing it. One day, we just look up and realize that something changed along the way. Between Ephesians 6:24 and Revelation 2:4, the Ephesian Church found themselves facing an identity crisis. Jesus directly called them out on it. In a span of 35 years, this once flourishing community of believers took their eyes off of Jesus and started focusing on all their efforts and knowledge. Ministry success was no longer gauged by love for Jesus. The love for Jesus, that Paul commended them for at the end of Ephesians, was absent in Revelation. Throughout Paul's letter to the Ephesians, he is constantly reminding these believers of the plan and purpose of God for them. In doing so, he is kindling their love for Jesus that he is simultaneously commending them for having. When the plan and purpose of God is prominent within our midst, a deep love for Him is sure to follow. This week, we are camping in a well-known passage, Ephesians 2:1-10. In this passage, Paul is communicating the gospel very clearly to those within the Ephesian Church. It's a passage that we would benefit from in our context as well. In this passage, Paul reminds us that our biggest problem isn't believing the wrong things about God, but rather the inability to follow Jesus properly. He emphasizes that we are saved by grace, freeing us from the internal and external pressures to justify ourselves. Finally, we are also reminded that God works in us, not just to save us, but so that we will demonstrate His work in us to others.