God's Workmanship

1. Sunday December 31st 2006 By Bro. Eric L. Frazier God's Workmanship Text: Eph. 2:1- 10 Key verse 10

2. God's Workmanship • Purpose: To examine what it means to be a workmanship of God. • Objective: To understand that we have been created so perfectly, that there is nothing we do to improve upon it.

3. God's Workmanship • (Eph 2:1-10 NIV) "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, {2} 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. {3} 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.

4. God's Workmanship • (Eph 2:1-10 NIV) {4} But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, {5} made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. {6} And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, {7} in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. {8} For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- {9} not by works, so that no one can boast. {10} For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

5. God's Workmanship • We are Gentiles and are the beneficiaries of God's work on Calvary. • The work that God accomplished produced salvation for the gentile world and freedom from the law of Moses for the Children of Israel. • The word workmanship in the Webster's Dictionary means: • The craftsmanship of a workman or the quality of a craftsman's work . The word "workmanship" in the Greek language is poiema, poy'-ay-mah and means a product, i.e. fabric (lit. or fig.) a thing that is made. This is also where the English word poem comes from.

6. God's Workmanship • Our texts indicates that there was clearly some work that needed to be done as it relates to the gentile world: • We were dead in our transgressions and sins, • We followed the ways of this world and • We followed the ways of the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Satan) • We were the children of wrath (both by nature and choice) Vs. 11, 12 • We were godless and unclean Vs. 11, 12 • We were separated from Christ Vs. 11, 12 • We were excluded from the commonwealth of Israel Vs. 11, 12 • We were strangers to the covenant of God's promise to Abraham • We had no hope • We were without God in the present world.

7. God's Workmanship • What did he do? • In verse 4 of our text: • He loved us because of his mercy and kindness. • {4} But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, • Man has never had the capacity to love and show mercy to man. • The love that you have in your heart is a gift from God. You and I wouldn't know anything about love and mercy if it were not for God. Notice the adjectives that describe his love and mercy. • The apostle Paul describes it as Great Love and Rich in mercy. • 1. Great Love: • There is nothing that is greater than God's love because God is love. • St. John 15:17 Greater love has no man than this than a man who will lay down his life for his friend.

8. God's Workmanship • Consider the pain and the agony that Jesus went through to save us at Calvary: • The magnitude of his suffering, the degree of degradation and shame. • How they mock him and beat him, and made him carry and old heavy rugged cross. • What man in history has ever demonstrated that kind of love even for his own family; forget about undeserving strangers in world of darkness and sin.

9. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • There are no riches anywhere that can compare to the Riches of God mercy. • God had mercy on us. Mercy is compassion and forgiveness. • When we were worthy of death Jesus said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do." • Many people think that God’s forgiveness of our sins and trespasses covers us from our birth into this world unto the day of our baptism and/or confession of faith. • After our day of salvation, if we get back into sinful situations again, we are again in need of forgiveness/salvation.

10. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • Going in and out of sin is a form of legalism. • Those that believe and practice this doctrine deny power of the blood of Jesus to cleanse of us of all of our sins • Our victory over sin and death and our destiny with immortality with God has been accomplished through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

11. God's Workmanship • 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • This false concept of God’s forgiveness and salvation exist because many are unable to accept the forgiveness and grace of God for themselves.

12. God's Workmanship • 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • Many people try to place a carnal mindset on God that doesn’t exist and see God as they see themselves. • For example, here is how many people think: • “God has gone to the cross in the person of Jesus to suffer and die in such and cruel and painful way and you think that he is going to let you off the hook if you mess up again? No way!” • “In view of his sacrifice and suffering, the least you could be is be perfect.”

13. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • Now this might be how God would think if he thought like us. • If he had our small, finite and limited comprehension, but He does not! • If I were Jesus and you sinned again after I have paid a price like that for you I would be upset. • I would have the angel of death following you around and just waiting for the right time to take you out on the spot.

14. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • But God is rich in mercy. He is not like you or I. Thank God. Let me show you how by Letting the scriptures do the talking!

15. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • (2 Cor 5:17-21 NIV) "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! {18} All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: {19} that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. {20} We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. {21} God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

16. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • (Rom 4:4-8 NIV) "Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. {5} However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. {6} David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:{7} "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. {8} Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.""

17. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • (Heb 8:8-13 NIV) "But God found fault with the people and said : "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. {9} It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. {10} This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. {11} No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. {12} For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." {13} By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear."

18. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • (Heb 9:21-28 NIV) "In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. {22} In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. {23} It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. {24} For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. {25} Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. {26} Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. {27} Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, {28} so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

19. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • (Heb 10:9-13 NIV) "Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. {10} And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. • {11} Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. • {12} But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. {13} Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool,"

20. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • (Heb 10:13-23 NIV) "Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, • {14} because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. • {15} The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: {16} "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." • {17} Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." {18} And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. • {19} Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, {20} by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, {21} and since we have a great priest over the house of God, {22} let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. {23} Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."

21. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • He made us alive in Christ • Eph. 2: {5} made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. • The condemnation of Jews was because of there inability to keep the law. As gentiles, we were condemn already just because he declared it so. He chose Israel - not us. The law was given to Israel - not us. We were simply dead in our transgression by nature and by choice.

22. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • For the Jews all of their doings, sufferings, and sacrifices, could never atone for one of sin, nor heal a single breach of the divine commands. • Even repentance and confession, although essential as a means of forgiveness for the victim, was in no way a covering or wiping out of sin cause by the law. Repentance or confession cannot undo what has already done.

23. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • The effect of repentance and confession is rather prospective, than retrospective. It says that I won’t do it again in the future but it does nothing for the pass. • That is why repentance and confession were not a requirement of the law – because repentance and confession doesn’t satisfy the Law’s requirements.

24. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • The law of God demands innocence and obedience, or death; not repentance or confession. • Man is not obedient or innocent and is incapable of obedience and innocence in and of himself. • Something other than man must provide the atonement through which guilty man can be honorably released from the death penalty of the law.

25. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • For Gentiles it didn't even matter what they did because they were outside of his covenant and condemn by choice. • We needed life through Christ grace, the Jews needed grace through Christ for freedom from the law. • St. John 1:17 - for law came by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

26. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • By his grace you have been saved • Eph. 2{5} made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. • (1 John 4:9-10 KJV) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. • John tells us that: • Life would have been impossible without the begotten Son of God. • The Son was the proper and adequate victim that would maintain the honor of the Law and grant the Gentiles eternal life by faith in him.

27. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • No creature could or would have done this for man. • No creature can lay God under any obligation. • No creature can, strictly speaking, merit anything from God. • No creature can perform works of righteousness. • No creature could bear, in a limited time and capacity, the inflictions of infinite justice. • No creature ever would (even if it were possible) make atonement for man. • Jesus Christ is in every way perfect to become our propitiation (covering for sin) because he is God:

28. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • He raised us up and seated us in heavenly places • Eph:2:{6} And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, • Notice this is in the past tense. We have been seated already in heavenly places. • This is not a future event this is a past event.

29. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • The mansions Jesus speaks about in St. John 14:1-7, have already purchased by the blood of Jesus. • Immortality has already been granted by the blood of Jesus. • The work of Jesus at Calvary made it all possible. • Notice he said you have been raised up. Well, you say, how is that possible. I'm still here? • The Apostle Paul tells us how it is possible:

30. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • (2 Cor 5:1-7 NIV) "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. • {2} Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, • {3} because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. {4} For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. • {5} Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. { • 6} Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. {7} We live by faith, not by sight."

31. God's Workmanship 2: The Riches of God’s mercy: • (Eph 1:11-14 NIV) "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, • {12} in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. • {13} And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, • {14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory."

32. God's Workmanship To be continued

33. Sunday March 14, 2004 By Bro. Eric L. Frazier God's Workmanship Why did He do it? Text: Eph. 2:1- 10 Key verse 10 Part Two

34. God's Workmanship • Purpose: To examine what it means to be a workmanship of God. • Objective: To understand that we have been created so perfectly, that there is nothing we do to improve upon it.

35. God's Workmanship • (Eph 2:1-10 NIV) "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, {2} 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. {3} 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.

36. God's Workmanship • (Eph 2:1-10 NIV) {4} But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, {5} made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. {6} And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, {7} in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. {8} For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- {9} not by works, so that no one can boast. {10} For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

37. God's Workmanship • We are Gentiles and are the beneficiaries of God's work on Calvary. • The work that God accomplished produced salvation for the gentile world and freedom from the law of Moses for the Children of Israel. • The word workmanship in the Webster's Dictionary means: • the craftsmanship of a workman or the quality of a craftsman's work . The word "workmanship" in the Greek language is poiema, poy'-ay-mah and means a product, i.e. fabric (lit. or fig.) a thing that is made. This is also where the English word poem comes from. I will talk about the poem a little later.

38. God's Workmanship • Our texts indicates that there was clearly some work that needed to be done as it relates to the gentile world: • We were dead in our transgressions and sins, • We followed the ways of this world and • We followed the ways of the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Satan) • We were the children of wrath (both by nature and choice) Vs. 11, 12 • We were godless and unclean Vs. 11, 12 • We were separated from Christ Vs. 11, 12 • We were excluded from the commonwealth of Israel Vs. 11, 12 • We were strangers to the covenant of God's promise to Abraham • We had no hope • We were without God in the present world.

39. God's Workmanship • What did he do? • In verse 4 of our text: • He loved us because of his mercy and kindness. • {4} But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, • Man has never had the capacity to love and show mercy to man. • The love that we have in our heart is a gift from God. You and I wouldn't know anything about love and mercy if it were not for God. Notice the adjectives that describe his love and mercy. • The apostle Paul describes it as Great Love and Rich in mercy. • There is nothing that is greater than God's love and mercy. • God is love – 1st. John 4:8 • St. John 15:17 Greater love has no man than this than a man who will lay down his life for his friend.

40. Sunday March 14, 2004 By Bro. Eric L. Frazier God's Workmanship Why did He do it? Text: Eph. 2:1-10 Key verse 7 Part Two

41. God's Workmanship • Why did he do it? • He did it to demonstrate his grace and kindness so that the world would see the extent of his love for us. • (Eph 2:7 NIV) "in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.“ • God wanted to show us what grace and kindness looked like when under -threat, persecution, suffering, beatings, shame and death. • God wanted to show us what grace and kindness looked liked when given to someone who didn’t merit it and could never do anything to merit on their own. • Our nature is not show grace or kindness when we are persecuted or made to suffer. Our nature is to retaliate and to be mean about it. • Our nature is not show grace or kindness to strangers, or to people who we think are beneath us, but to show indifference and even dislike.

42. God's Workmanship • Why did he do it? • This was the questioned asked by the Jews concerning the salvation of the Gentiles. The answer is: • (Eph 2:7 NIV) "in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.“ • This was a spectacle for the Jews. We Gentiles, who once so greatly deserved his wrath will now throughout all eternity, display his grace and kindness.

43. God's Workmanship • Why did he do it? • This is the question of the Jew’s. • How can evil, unclean people who did not know Jehovah God but in fact worshiped Idol God’s now be able to become followers of God? • It was more of a complaint than a question: • When the Gospel was first preached to the Gentiles by Peter, it causes great controversy. Peter in a dream was told to go down among the Gentiles to Cornelius and his family and preach the Gospel.

44. God's Workmanship • (Acts 10:44-48 NIV) "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. {45} The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. {46} For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, {47} "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." {48} So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days."

45. God's Workmanship • When he return home there was trouble: • (Acts 11:1-4 NIV) "The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. {2} So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him {3} and said, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them." {4} Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened:"

46. God's Workmanship • His explanation silenced them for now: • (Acts 11:17-18 NIV) "So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?" {18} When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life."“ • If you keep reading to the 15th chapter of Acts you will see more controversy over the Gentiles conversion into Christianity.

47. God's Workmanship • How did God do it? • By his grace and through their faith. • (Eph 2:8-9 NIV) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--

48. God's Workmanship • Totally apart from any human effort or merit. • (Eph 2:8-9 NIV) and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- {9} not by works, so that no one can boast."

49. God's Workmanship • Only through the blood of Jesus Christ • (Eph 2:13-16 NIV) "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. • Our path to salvation is the blood of Christ – not our effort or work. • What puts us on the path is faith. Our path leads to heaven. • Nothing can take you off the path but unbelief. • Not even sin unless it is the sin of unbelief.

50. God's Workmanship • What we now are? • We are the workmanship of God. • It is in Christ that we have our identity. • He took our sin away: • We now are saints not sinners, • Spiritually alive not spiritual dead, • Save by him not by ourselves.