March 31, 2020

A complete list of lectionary readings for Year A is located at https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/daily.php?year=A
Ephesians 2:1-10

From Death to Life  

You were dead through the trespasses and sins  2  in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.  3  All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else.  4  But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us  5  even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—  6  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  7  so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  8  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—  9  not the result of works, so that no one may boast.  10  For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
Grace, peace and mercy be multiplied to you from God our Father, and the Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

I invite you today to take some time and look closely at the words in these 10 verses from Ephesians. Take your time. Sentence by sentence.

  • Verses 1 and 2
  • Verse 3
  • Verses 4 through 7
  • Verses 8 and 9
  • Verse 10

For each of these sentences, answer these two questions:

  1. What is God up to – what is God doing?
  2. What is God calling us to do?

In the transliteration of this text in Eugene Peterson’s book, The Message , he begins these verses with the title, “[God] Tore Down the Wall.” I am using [brackets ] to change the male pronouns to “God.”

Peterson’s take on the last verses:

Now God has us where [God] wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all [God’s] idea, and all [God’s] work. All we do is trust [God] enough to let [God] do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. (Ephesians 7-9 – The Message)

What is God doing? Making and saving!

What is God doing in your life?

Let us pray:
Thank you, God, for making us and saving us. Help us to get out of the way and let your glory shine. We pray this in the name of your Son, our Savior and Lord. In response, may we let your light so shine, so the world may see your good works done through us and give glory to God. Amen.
Remember to...