“Made Alive With Christ”

Ephesians 2:4-5

“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.”

 

Today we celebrate the birth of our nation.  Most of the founding fathers were men of great faith.  Prayer was an important part of their lives.  In their writings they often referred to Jesus the Savior.  They believed that there could be a new nation offering freedom to everyone, a nation with a new way of living.

The Kingdom of God is not a nation but is the expression of God’s rule in the hearts and lives of all those who have come to Him as He has instructed.  The Kingdom of God will be fully established when Jesus returns and is designated King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  So how do we become a part of this Kingdom of God?

God has graciously offered salvation from sin and the promise of eternal life.  Romans 10:9 describes our response to God’s grace stating, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Through Christ we move from spiritual death to spiritual life.  God claims us as His children, and we become a part of His kingdom.

Notice the characteristics of God found in today’s passage:  “his great love for us”;  “rich in mercy”; and “by grace.”  Together they form a definition.  God’s grace is His great love for us that is rich in mercy.  Through our faith response to God’s grace gift of salvation we can now celebrate that we belong to Him.

QUESTIONS:

1. Have you recognized that as a Christian you have dual citizenship?  Name the two governments of which you are now a citizen.
2. Describe what is expected of you in each of your citizenships.
3. Name ways you celebrate the new life you have in Christ Jesus.

PRAYER:

• Thank God for including you in His kingdom.
• Pray that God will call to your mind names of those who need to be saved.  Write their names on a new page in your prayer journal with the date you start praying for them.
• Pray for all those in your prayer list