COVID-19 Novel Encouragement Sample

GOD IS LOVE

In Acts 16, there is an episode when the foundation of the prison of Philippi was shaken by an earthquake. The jailer saw his world collapse, but he asked the most important question a man can ever ask: “What must I do to be saved?”

In Ephesians 2:1-10, there is GOOD NEWS: THE LOVE OF GOD. But there are 3 things we need to understand first:

misery – our true condition;

mercy – our only hope;

masterpiece – our highest goal.

First, Paul draws three pictures that show the depth of our Misery.

The opening picture is shocking. Paul wrote, “as for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1) We were spiritually dead, separated from God, severed from the fount of life. And the proof is that we were insensitive to God.

In the second picture, Paul uses the image of conquered prisoners, spiritually dead and enslaved by three enemies: the world, Satan and our sinful nature. “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.” Ephesians 2:2 (Emphasis added)

The picture is of millions and millions of prisoners of war, bowed heads, powerless, wounded, humiliated, bound in chains, captive by Satan and his world system.

Paul started Ephesians by saying: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,” (v. 1) but then he includes himself: “All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts.” (v. 3) (Emphasis added)

The word craving comes from the Greek word: epithumia, similar to an addiction that we cannot resist, an inordinate, inappropriate craving of our fallen nature that enslaves us. We covet something obsessively and have momentary pleasure before the guilt and suffering get hold of us. To find relief we go back to our addiction, trapped in a vicious cycle of bondage.

Paul does not stop here; he says in Ephesians 2:3: “Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.” "By nature" means by birth: we are born with a sinful nature. David wrote in Psalm 51:5: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” That is why we are objects of wrath, deserving the anger of a holy God.

This is our condition without God. Dead in our transgressions and sins. Enslaved to the world system, Satan and our sinful nature. Deserving of wrath. Nothing we can do to change our fate.

If our text had ended in verse 3, it would be our doom, but the passage fortunately continues. The next verse starts with …“But.” What a beautiful word that gives us an alternative. Actually, the alternative.

“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. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 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.” Ephesians 2:4-7 (Emphasis added)

God, filled with compassion and mercy because of His great love for us, made us alive. God raised us up from the bondage of sin and death with Christ.

How could this happen? Jesus, received upon himself in the cross, like a lightning rod, the mighty punishment that was ours to receive. He died that we may live. Now He gives us all that we don't deserve: His unreasonable kindness, His unconditional love, His unfailing grace.

Paul continues: “And seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” (v. 6) This is the highest position to which a person can ever aspire, to be seated in the very presence of God.

Physically we are in this world but our citizenship is in heaven. Our hearts, our thoughts, our treasures are there, in the kingdom of God. This is our home: resting in Christ.

When the jailer of Philippi asked: “What must I do to be saved?” The only answer that can be given is: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household.” (Acts 16:30-31) 

But the GOOD NEWS does not end here. God has a special plan: for you to be His Masterpiece.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

In the Greek New Testament, the word handiwork is poiema, from which we have the word poem. It means a work of art, a creation, which could be a painting, a song or a poem.

We are saved from the misery of sin, by His mercy to become His masterpiece, a beautiful poem, His new creation. Each one of us is one of His special, unique masterpieces “created in Christ Jesus to do good works.”

He is inviting you to take an active part in His eternal cosmic plan of redemption, to be part of his beautiful love story.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for your great love for me. I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. Help me to know you more and be what you want me to be. Amen.

By LM, Shanghai