But God: From Death to Life in Christ

If Ephesians 1 is about everything God brings to the table, Ephesians 2 is about what we bring—and the answer might surprise you. In Week 4 of our series, Battlegrounds: Paul’s Letter to Ephesus, Pastor Jason explores the most powerful "switcharoo" in Scripture. Paul lures us in with the blessings of Chapter 1, only to drop a shocking reality check in Chapter 2: without Jesus, we weren't just "broken" or in need of self-improvement—we were spiritually dead. In this message, we unpack the two most important words in the Bible: "BUT GOD." • The Reality of Spiritual Death: Why the Gospel isn't about becoming a "better person," but about being brought from death to life. • God’s Wrath vs. God’s Love: Understanding that God’s holy anger toward sin actually flows from His deep love for us. • Mercy vs. Grace: Discover the simple yet life-changing difference—Mercy is not getting the punishment you deserve; Grace is getting the life you could never earn. • The Performance Trap: How to resist the enemy’s strategy of turning your faith into a "transaction" where you feel you must pay God back for His forgiveness. • God’s Handiwork (Poiema): You are God’s "poem" or masterpiece. Learn why you aren't saved by good works, but you are saved for them. The Battleground of Grace: The enemy wants you to think your faith is cheap and disposable, or that you have to constantly strive to earn God's approval. Pastor Jason challenges us to stop living like "probation officers" are watching us and start living as the artwork God prepared in advance to show His beauty to the world. Challenge: Are you trying to atone for your own past, or are you resting in the "But God" of the Gospel? It’s time to move from the performance treadmill to the abundance of grace.