Ephesians 2:1-4 – Where the Road Split – Bible study

Ephesians 2:1-4 Where the Road Split Paul was writing a letter to a church that he knew very well. Paul started the church in Ephesus, staying there at one time for two years. On his last missionary journey, he sent to have the leaders at Ephesus meet him so that he could speak a word to them and pray with them. Perhaps some of his best friends were in that city. In this letter, Paul recounts the road that he, and they, and we have all travelled. It is the road that leads to misery. But Paul was not writing to discourage these believers for although he does describe that lonely road, he also shares where the road split and a second road began. Tonight, lets consider "Where the Road Split." I. The Old Road A. The word "road" is not actually used here in the Scripture but a similar word is used in \#2\, "the course." 1. It is the Greek word for a previous time or period. 2. Paul was describing the old life, the old way of living, the old road that we all once travelled upon. B. Notice some facts about that Old Road: 1. \#2\ The STANDARD of the Old Road. a. It was "the course of this world." Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world. b. That means the old road and way of life belonged to this world. (1) The things that took place on that road were logical for this world. (2) They were suitable to this world. (3) They fit the standards of this world. c. There are several problem living life by the worlds standard. (1) It changes. Things that were wrong 50 years ago are not consider wrong today. (2) It isnt Gods standard. 2. \#2\ Also tells us the SUPERVISOR of the Old Road. a. It was also under the authority of the Prince of this world. Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air. b. That title, the prince of the power of the air, is a synonym for the devil. c. The highest rank God ever gives to the devil in the Bible is the rank of prince. d. The poor devil he has always wanted to be the king, to be god, but he never will be. e. A prince is one who serves at the discretion of the king. (1) His power and his duration is granted to him at the kings pleasure and at the kings pleasure, they are revoked! (2) Presently, Satan does rule over this world and even the old road that so many are travelling, but the time quickly draws near when God will revoke his authority and cast him into the bottomless pit for 1000 years. f. By the way, Satan has not been a very good prince. (1) If you have ever had a heartache, a tear, a loss, or a grief, the evil prince of the air, Satan, had something to do with it. (2) As long as you travel on his road, you will have more. 3. \#2\ The STRANGERS that travel the Old Road. Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: a. The old road is filled with many people travelling it. b. Here they are called "the children of disobedience." c. That is a descriptive term. (1) God uses descriptive terms to give us a quick truth. (2) This term tells us why these people are on the old road. (3) It is because they are disobedient. (a) To whom are they disobedient? To God. (b) How did this come to pass? It happened shortly after God created Adam and Eve. Both choose to disobey God, Eve being deceived by the devil and Adam choosing to disobey. Because they both disobeyed, the spirit of disobedience was passed upon all of their children. (4) That is all of us. (a) Hence, we were all actually born on that old road. (b) We walked on it all of our lives. (c) Some may still be walking upon it! d. In fact, notice that \#5\, Paul acknowledged that he himself walked on it. Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. e. And with that, Paul changed his conversation a bit, for in this verse, he ceased to speak of the road and began to speak of C. The People on the Old Road 1. The people on this road walk in the lust of their flesh. a. That is, they do what feels good. b. "If it feels good, do it!" is the motto of those on this road. c. We have all been there. It does not matter whether is right or wrong, whether others liked it or not. 2. The people on this road fulfill the desires of the flesh and the mind. a. Not only do they do what FEELS GOOD, but they do what SEEMS RIGHT to them. b. It is much like the Old Testament passage, "Every man did that which was right in his own eyes." c. That is pretty much the way things are going in America today. (1) Public opinion has become the standard. (2) It does not have to right if it is popular it is acceptable. 3. The people on this road are the "children of wrath." a. That is another descriptive term. b. The last descriptive term, "the children of disobedience," told us why these people were on the old road. c. This term tells us what is going to happen to them. d. They are going to experience wrath? (1) Whose wrath are they going to experience? Gods. (2) What kind of wrath? (a) There is no nice way of putting it. (b) They will experience the wrath of being separated from God forever. (c) Why? Because that is the price for living and dying separated from God. D. This is the old road. It is pretty morbid, but the good news is that there is a split in the road. II. \#4\ The split in the Road – "But God." Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, A. I know that many dont like or even believe in God. 1. They figure if there is a God, He must be some evil Being to allow the suffering, the sickness, and the problems that some go through. 2. However, those things exists not because God is that way, but because man is that way. 3. What God does is He gives us a freewill and lets us a pick the path we want to walk. a. That was what God did in the Garden with Adam and Eve. b. No one made Eve or Adam to sin. They each made their own choice independent of God and of each other. c. Adam and Eve where in a perfect place: (1) They lived in a perfect world. (2) They had perfect bodies. (3) They lived a perfect life. d. But the choices they and those that came after them made actually created the old road and locked them on it. e. Yet, verse 4 tells us that there is another fork in the road ahead so we get an opportunity to make another choice, one that will get us off of the old road. B. "But God" means that God stepped out of heaven down onto the Old Road to do something supernatural. 1. I love the phrase, "But God." a. It is used often in the Bible to show that God is stepping up to help those in need. (1) \#Ge 20:3\ To save Sarah, Abrahams wife, from being taken by Abimelech. (2) \#Ge 31:7\ By Jacob to describe how God had protected him from his own father-in-law, Laban. (3) \#Ge 45:8\ By Joseph to explain to his brothers how God had step in to promote him for a slave and a prisoner to the 2nd most powerful man in Egypt. b. And on the phrase is used to show the mighty power of God. 2. The act that God is going to do is not clearly described in this text, but it is something that demonstrates His character. a. It demonstrates Gods mercy. b. It demonstrates Gods love. (1) That is Gods GREAT love. (2) Even His great love toward US. 3. What did God do? a. \#5\ He allows us to be raised from the dead with Jesus. Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved; 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: (1) The word "quickened" means to be made alive. (2) Everyone on the Old Road is separated from God and travelling to death and damnation. (3) To be raised with Christ means to be raised with Jesus in the resurrection. b. If you do not understand that, let me explain. (1) Jesus, Gods Son, came to die for us on the cross. (2) Once Jesus died, He was buried for 3 days. (3) But on the third day, Jesus arose from the grave to live a new life; that is, to have a new existence. (4) God is offering to take us off the Old Road and to give us a new existence with His Son, Jesus. C. Each one of us must make the choice to leave the Old Road and to be raised with Jesus, but it is not hard. It requires two things: 1. You must believe that Jesus is God, that Jesus died for our sins, and that He arose on the third day. 2. You must surrender your life to Jesus, the best you know how to surrender. That means that instead living life like you think it should be lived, you will live life the way God and His Bible tells you to live. D. You are at the Jesus Crossroad and by surrendering yourself to Jesus, you can get off the Old Road. E. This is "Where the Road Splits." III. The New Road A. \#6\ We get to sit in heavenly places. Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 1. That means that even though we are still living on this earth, in Gods eyes, we are already with Him in heaven. 2. This is another of the many reasons I believe in the eternal security of the believer. 3. So far, you and I might have a difficult time telling that we are sitting in the heavens, but one day B. We will be showered with all of His riches Gods kindness can bestow upon us. Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 1. I do not know the full value of Gods riches, but I know by personal experience that when I walked on the Old Road, I wasnt getting much in the way of good on it. 2. And I have learned by faith that God is always does more and better than I can imagineand I imagine pretty big. 3. So I am comfortable waiting on the day when God showers me with His kindness and riches! C. \#10\ I get to be re-created so that I will finally be able to do good works. Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 1. I do not know about you, but I have always wanted to be better than I am. I would settle for being as good as most people think I am. 2. One of these days I am going to get a new body with a new nature that is going to filled with new ambitions and new abilities. 3. That is where the New Road is going to lead me. How about you? Wouldnt rather be on the New Road? You can by trusting Jesus Christ as your Savior.