BUT GOD

The Upward Look, by Jon Forrest
BUT GOD!

There was once a young illiterate couple named Dave and Carol. Dave and Carol had recently confessed faith in Jesus Christ and were baptized. Wanting to be more involved in the activities of the church, they regularly attended the Sunday School class for young married couples. The couple noticed that, in this particular class, the men all had the same shirts, often worn during group activities. Desiring to be part of the group, Dave was eager to get his matching shirt, so Carol made one for her husband. But after the next meeting, Dave came home with a look of disappointment on his face. He had his shirt, but at the meeting he noticed that all the men had little emblems on their shirts--Dave’s was plain. So Carol, undaunted by her inability to read, embroidered three words which she copied from a sign in a store window across the street. Dave wore it at the next meeting. This time he came home bubbling with joy. He told Carol that all the men really liked the inscription that Carol had put on his shirt. They said it so aptly described the wonderful change they had seen in his life. It turned out that his wife had written, "UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT."

The second chapter of Ephesians begins with a “Bad news, Good news” description of the members of the church in Ephesus that explains Dave and Carol’s lives and the life of every Christ follower. The first three verses give a grave description of what our unbelieving past. It describes people who were spiritually dead, people who were into a life of disobedience and followers of the mentality of the world and not only of the world, but also the evil one who influences the world and all who are disobedient. It describes people who were filled with self and passionate about sinful cravings. The writer, Paul, completes verse 3 saying, “we were deserving of wrath.”

This is not a pretty picture of our past, but it is, not only accurate, but a vivid description. Without Christ we are without hope, without joy, without opportunity for heaven and without life. There is no one whose personal history does not include at least some of Paul’s description.

The world in which we live is in the same boat; hopeless, joyless and lifeless. However, two words show up in Scripture that turn the entire mess of our lives and of our world completely around. Those two words are, "BUT GOD!”

The NIV separates the two words with the valuable prepositional phrase, “because of his great love for us.” However, they still go together, “BUT GOD.”

In the following verses we learn the result of that powerful phrase. We are made alive through Christ’s resurrection and given access to God, seated in his presence.” Ultimately, we learn, “It’s a grace thing.” We are not saved because of our goodness. No, it is because of his desire to come and rescue us and pull us back on his level. There is no reason to boast because verses 8 and 9 tell us that this is not from ourselves, but from God by his amazing grace. Someone created an acrostic for GRACE years ago…

God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s 
Expense
 
By his grace you and I are not what we once were! Glory be to God!

This week we will begin a new series of messages on Sunday mornings titled “BUT GOD.” I think you will find encouragement and challenges to walk in the “BUT GOD” life! Invite your friends to come and take part. Our first message is, “Every Saint Has a Past! Every Sinner Has a Future!” This is based on Ephesians 2:1-3 and following. I’ll see you Sunday!

By His Grace,
Jon