THE GREATEST GIFTS (4 OF 4)
by Jeff Strite
Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10
This content is part of a series.
The Greatest Gifts (4 of 4)
Series: Serving Jesus
Jeff Strite
Ephesians 2:1-10
OPEN: A young, married Bible College graduate and his bride were unpacking in their first parsonage. The young bride showed the young preacher a box and told him that he had to promise never to look in it. It was her personal box. He made the promise, but after 25 years he happened to see it on the shelf in the closet. He opened it and found 3 eggs and $1500 in cash.
That night, his curiosity got the better of him and he admitted to his wife that he had looked in the box. He asked her to explain the eggs and the money.
She replied: ''Every time you preached a bad sermon, I put an egg in the box.''
The preacher felt pretty good about only 3 bad sermons in 25 years. ''But, what about all that cash,'' he asked.
She replied: ''Whenever I got a dozen eggs I sold them.''
QUESTION: Do you think that would have troubled her husband?
What would have troubled him so much?
ANSWER: He'd have been troubled because - while his wife had a great gift to give him - he would have preferred a gift that would have he would have earned by his good work.
Ephesians 2 tells us that God also has great gifts that He wants to give to us… but the chapter starts out with these peculiar words… (Reread Ephesians 2:1-9)
''As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved.''
NOTICE what this tells us:
1st (vs. 1) We were dead in our sins
2nd (vs. 2) We were under the po ...
Series: Serving Jesus
Jeff Strite
Ephesians 2:1-10
OPEN: A young, married Bible College graduate and his bride were unpacking in their first parsonage. The young bride showed the young preacher a box and told him that he had to promise never to look in it. It was her personal box. He made the promise, but after 25 years he happened to see it on the shelf in the closet. He opened it and found 3 eggs and $1500 in cash.
That night, his curiosity got the better of him and he admitted to his wife that he had looked in the box. He asked her to explain the eggs and the money.
She replied: ''Every time you preached a bad sermon, I put an egg in the box.''
The preacher felt pretty good about only 3 bad sermons in 25 years. ''But, what about all that cash,'' he asked.
She replied: ''Whenever I got a dozen eggs I sold them.''
QUESTION: Do you think that would have troubled her husband?
What would have troubled him so much?
ANSWER: He'd have been troubled because - while his wife had a great gift to give him - he would have preferred a gift that would have he would have earned by his good work.
Ephesians 2 tells us that God also has great gifts that He wants to give to us… but the chapter starts out with these peculiar words… (Reread Ephesians 2:1-9)
''As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved.''
NOTICE what this tells us:
1st (vs. 1) We were dead in our sins
2nd (vs. 2) We were under the po ...
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