Sunday's Sermon Preview
Sermon Preview
"His Grace"
This Sunday, we’ll continue our series on "Life Mission" by stepping into **Ephesians 2:1–10**. After Paul prays for the church in Ephesus, he reminds them of something important: who they were before Jesus, what God did by grace, and what they were created for now.
We’ll talk about the danger of the church becoming a “holy huddle”—a safe, inward-focused group that forgets the mission of Jesus. Paul reminds believers that there is no room for pride or “us vs. them” thinking, because apart from Jesus, we were all dead in sin and in need of grace.
But the good news is powerful:
**“God saved you by his grace when you believed… it is a gift from God.”**
And that grace does not leave us unchanged. God makes us new in Christ, calling us His masterpiece, created to do the good works He planned for us long ago.
**Main Scripture:** Ephesians 2:1–10
**Key Theme:** We are saved by grace, made new in Christ, and sent to live on mission with Jesus.
**You can prepare by reading:**
- Ephesians 2:1–10
- Romans 6:1–4
**Questions to discuss before Sunday:**
1. Why is it important to remember what Jesus saved us from?
2. What is the difference between being saved by good works and being saved for good works?
3. How can the church avoid becoming inward-focused and stay on mission with Jesus?
4. What does it mean that we are God’s masterpiece?
This week’s message will challenge us to remember that the only difference between us and the world is Jesus—and that same Jesus sends us back into the world with His grace, His love, and His mission.
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2026
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April
From Hosanna to Crucify - The Fickleness of Human HeartsLove in Action - Serving The Least Of TheseReturning To The Good ShepherdThe Empty Tomb - Evidence of VictoryWhy Do You Look Among The Dead?Crucified With Christ - Your Personal ResurrectionFrom Fear To Faith - The Disciples' JourneyLiving Resurrection Life DailyDay 1: The Heart of DiscipleshipDay 2: The Power of Your StoryDay 3: Waiting with PurposeDay 4: Community Makes DisciplesDay 5: Healing and Purpose in JesusDay 1: The Consuming Fire of God's PresenceDay 2: Waiting in WorshipDay 3: When God's Timing Exceeds Our PlanningDay 4: Baptized and Filled with the Holy SpiritDay 5: Pierced Hearts and Transformed LivesDay 1: Waiting in WorshipDay 2: Unqualified but ObedientDay 3: The Holy Spirit's PowerDay 4: Church as Family
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June
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3 Comments
First off, I love this preview!
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n1. It’s important to remember what Jesus saved us from so we don’t return to it. We don’t want to be like a dog returning to its vomit. So easily in our weakness could the temptations of life trick us into returning to bad behavior. Reminding ourselves that we are set free is a great way to stay free from the chains of the enemy. (I am totally simplifying this but don’t want to go on a rant in the comments lol).
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n2. Being saved by good works isn’t a thing. Nothing can get us salvation except the blood of Christ. I’ve never heard “being saved for good works before” but I imagine it’s being saved to advance God’s kingdom(?). Like you’re saved, you appreciate it, so you do good things because you have the Holy Spirit, then people see you doing good things, and appreciate it, so they act similarly and maybe ask you why you’re so giving and loving or something… then you have a chance to give your testimony… and hopefully save someone’s life because they’re so moved by the Spirit in you that they become believers as well(?)
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n3. I think the church just needs to have grace. If the church focuses on the mission of advancing the kingdom and worshipping God, things will fall into place. It’s when we become so worried about the little annoyances of being human that we deviate from the mission. Eyes on Jesus. The enemy is tricky, and he can use just about ANYTHING to distract us from the mission. We need to act bigger than that. When we focus on anything but lifting each other up, holding each other accountable, and growing the kingdom of God together, we are failing. Thank God for grace. When we think that’s what we are doing, we should always pray and even check the Bible to see if God tells us what we should do about a situation rather than letting the enemy divide us.
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n4. A masterpiece is an artist’s greatest achievement. The artist wouldn’t even have to boast about the time and dedication it took to create their work of art, it’s just evident by those who see it that it is something exceptional. I imagine that’s how God sees us.
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nPlease give feedback if you disagree with my answers. I struggled with a couple of the questions, to be honest.
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nLooking forward to the sermon tomorrow!
Ephesians 2:1-10 basically states that our mess is our fault and our rescue has nothing to do with us.
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nLike a father, God rescues us when we can’t rescue ourselves because he loves and cherishes us tenderly.
1. Why is it important to remember what Jesus saved us from? Because we are still living in a fallen world and Christ mission must be continued through us. God prepared us to complete His mission.
n2. What is the difference between being saved by good works and being saved for good works? We cannot be saved by our own good works. We can only be saved through the good work of Christ on the Cross who freely offers His gift of salvation to all who believe.
n3. How can the church avoid becoming inward-focused and stay on mission with Jesus? All missions need a plan of action to stay on course. Memorize key verses of God’s Word. Pray for God’s direction, strength and courage to follow His divine will.
nWrite down our thoughts, our story of what God has done in and through us and what He can do for others. Then weave those words into our conversation with others as we listen to their thoughts and needs.
n4. What does it mean that we are God’s masterpiece? We are created in His image and He continues to mold us into His image as we allow Him to work His grace and love in and through us. For without Him we are nothing.