A series of homilies on Ephesians
A homily is “a short talk on a religious or moral topic; a usually short sermon; a lecture or discourse on or of a biblical theme.”
I am sharing a verse-by-verse series of short messages on Ephesians (as well as other passages of Scripture) specifically targeted at reviving families and encouraging and exhorting husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, and children to do what God has commanded them to do, for if the church is to be revived and the country is to be awakened, the family must be revived first.
TEXT: Ephesians 2:8-10:
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
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Ted Rendall said, “Perhaps the greatest barrier to revival on a large scale is the fact that we are too interested in a great display. We want an exhibition; God is looking for a man who will throw himself entirely on God. Whenever self-effort, self-glory, self-seeking or self-promotion enters into the work of revival, then God leaves us to ourselves.”
Leonard Ravenhill said, “The best title of the [professing] church of God today, in my judgment, is ‘Unbelieving Believers.'”
In their book, The Ten Greatest Revivals Ever, Elmer Towns and Douglas Porter share with us: “The First Great Awakening that swept Germany, America, and England also had a profound impact on the native peoples of North America. As a young missionary to the Native Americans, David Brainerd was surprised to see these usually stoic people crying out to God for mercy after he preached to them. The highly emotional Indian Revival at Crossweeksung, New Jersey, had a significant and lasting impact on the social fabric of the tribe. Families were strengthened and alcohol use declined.”
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The verses we come to today build directly on the two great pillars of the first seven verses of Ephesians 2. (1) That we were once hopelessly lost in our sins and headed for destruction. And, (2) that God loved us, saved us, and showed us mercy and grace entirely because of His own will.
Warren Wiersbe said, “Salvation cannot be ‘of works’ because the work of salvation has already been completed on the cross. This is the work that God does for us, and it is a finished work. We can add nothing to it; we dare take nothing from it. When Jesus died, the veil of the temple was torn in two, from the top to the bottom, signifying that the way to God was now open. There is no more need for earthly sacrifices. One sacrifice—the Lamb of God—has finished the great work of salvation. God did it all, and He did it by His grace.”
“For by grace are ye saved,” Paul writes. Without God’s grace there is no salvation. But we must receive that grace “through faith.” The reason why is because we naturally look for a justifiable reason why God would show us grace. Of course, we won’t find such a reason because there is nothing in us that is deserving of God’s grace, so we must accept it and receive it based only on the fact that God has offered it to us.
As Paul said: “it is not of yourselves.” You had nothing to do with it. Whether you are a believer or an unbeliever, stop trying to make yourself “worthy” of salvation. Your best efforts on your best day are nothing but filthy rags. Salvation, no matter which way you try to bend it, has nothing at all to do with you. It is all of God and all of grace.
Paul goes on to say that salvation “is a gift.” You don’t buy it. You don’t work for it. It is given to you. Somebody else has paid the price for it. It is not a reward for your “works.” God specifically set it up this way so that no one would have a reason to boast. God knows how we are. If it was our “works” that got us into Heaven, we would try to act as the gatekeepers of salvation. We would say to other poor, lost souls: ‘You have to do what I did in order to be saved. You have to give as much money to the church as I gave. You have to attend church this many Sundays in a row like I did. You have to go help this many homeless people like I did.’ If salvation were up to us, we would find ways to keep people out that we think are undeserving.
But we are all undeserving, and we are all in need of God’s wonderful grace.
Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Greater than all my sin;
How shall my tongue describe it,
Where shall its praise begin?
Taking away my burden,
Setting my spirit free;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching to all the lost,
By it I have been pardoned,
Saved to the uttermost;
Chains have been torn asunder,
Giving me liberty;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching the most defiled,
By its transforming power,
Making him God’s dear child,
Purchasing peace and heaven
For all eternity—
The wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Let’s pray.
Now, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, please keep in mind that the Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Just pray and ask Him to come into your heart and He will. I will be sharing more on the matter of salvation in the next segment of our service which starts in about 5 minutes.
Revival Prayer List
PRAY FOR SPECIFIC FAMILIES
Philippians 4:6 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
— Anthony in Nigeria
help him to do great things
— Renee in Raytown, MO
heal and bless her family
— Richlove in Ghana
granth him financial favor so he will be able to pay his admission fees
— Marc in Nigeria
safety of Christians fleeing Boko Haram
— Dobson Mabeya
be with his family and provide for his ministry
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PRAY FOR CHURCH LEADERS
Paul said in Ephesians 6:18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
Leaders of the AME Church
Cornal Garnett Henning Sr.
Carolyn Tyler Guidry
Richard Allen Lewis
Johnny Barbour Jr.
George F. Flowers
Jerome V. Harris
Daryl B. Ingram
James C. Wade
Calvin H. Sydnor III
Jeffery Cooper
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PRAY FOR GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS
1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
TENNESSEE STATE CABINET MEMBERS
Julie Mix McPeak
Tony C. Parker
Randy Boyd
Candice McQueen
Bob Martineau
Larry B. Martin
Greg Gonzales
Robert E. Oglesby
John Dreyzehner
Dr. Wendy Long
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
BCNN1 WP 