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Hillside United Methodist Church

05/01/2022 Church service

周日礼拜

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 …but GOD
Ephesians 2:1 - 10
Shaving off the beard
The Children of Israel travelled 40 years to reach the promised land…
We recently travelled 40 days of lent to reach the other side of the cross.
Your life may have been full of struggle and confusion…
…maybe the victory over your old self seemed impossible…

It may have seemed dark and hopeless at times…

So read what verse 4 of our scripture lesson says…
Eph 2:4 - “But God,
…being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

We started our journey of reconciliation over 40 days ago. We recognized our helpless position without a Savior.

We recognized our need to repent from dead works and receive newness of life.

We reflected on all what Jesus accomplished on the cross – and His victory over death through the resurrection.

Now we stand at the other side of the bloody cross and the empty tomb and discover our new position in Christ.

We say “God is Love” and we sing “Jesus Loves Me” – but do we recognize just how much He really does love us?
We have to realize that it is an unconditional, un-compromisable love.
Romans 8:31, 32 says “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”
“the immeasurable riches of His grace”
? What great thing would you dare to accomplish if you truly believed God was for you?
Do you have the right kind of faith?
Do you have a faith that is truly based on God’s Word – and not false religious ideas?
Do you believe that God is for you – that He is not working against you?
Psalm 143:10 (Aramaic) “And teach me to do your pleasure, because you are my God; your Spirit is sweet; you will lead me in the way of life.”
It hit me really clearly the other morning – God is not trying to hinder us.
Psalm 18:32 – “It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.”
When the prodigal son went home, he knew if he could get back into the family, he could get back into the safety and benefits – the favor of being a part of the family.
He had broken off – he had severed ties – he had basically declared his own father already dead – but now he wanted back in.
We were basically the same way when we were lost in sin.
We were cut-off from the family.
Verse 4: But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
You were wandering through your own wilderness – and with no idea how to turn things around and find your way to the promised land you always dreamed of…
…But GOD… (a Divine interruption to the devil’s corruption)
It hit me last Wednesday morning that without the “but GOD” we can stay stuck.
Still living in our past regrets. (cortisol)
Maybe even hopelessness.
He makes your way perfect. He surrounds you with favor as a shield.

Step out of the past – and walk away from the darkness that you only thought you could never escape.
“Put aside the deeds of darkness…”
1 John 1:5 – “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you:
God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”
There can be no darkness in the Presence of the Lord.
It does not matter what things looked like before you walked in here this morning.
Right here – right now – is your place of rest.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, either. His mercies are new every morning.
“The one thing that makes us all the same in this room today is that we are all struggle”
Don’t get self-righteous and say “No, I’m not” (…for all have sinned)
We all are in need of a savior.
In need of His grace and mercy (every morning) and we all need His favor to walk victoriously in this life on earth.
(crazy place nowadays)
Raise your hands to the sky and say, “I’m messed up.” “I need a Savior”

“But God,
…being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
“God doesn’t love you any less, even when your life’s a mess.”
We may have been travelling through the wilderness of our life’s journey – but now we are on the other side of calvary… the other side of the bloody cross and the empty tomb.
Now is the time to claim the victory that has already been won for us on that old rugged cross.
God can turn your mess around and replace it with favor.
The favor of the King. The King of Kings.
It doesn’t matter what that mess is… no mess is too big for God.
Maybe the mess is Sin – but maybe it is Sickness.
Maybe it is Fear. (“fear hath torment”) Maybe it is Financial. Emotional. Relational.
What part of this was left out when Jesus paid it all?
GOD want to show you “the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
1 John 3:8 – “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
God expects that out of us. Don’t you know God also loves us in that same way…
- not just “with words or speech but with actions and in truth?”
Psalm 84:11 – “ …the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

You need help today?
God says, “Call to Me, and I will answer you…” God is not far away.
Col 1:19 – 23 (read)
To think God is not for you today – to believe you are distant from His love and life-changing power – is to misunderstand the power of the cross.
The Cross overrides your weakneses.
But GOD…

02/27/2022  03/06/2022 03/13/2022  03/20/2022  03/27/2022  04/03/2022  04/10/2022 04/17/2022 04/24/2022

Hillside United Methodist Church
3739 US 80
Phenix City  AL  36870
United States
Pastor: Mike J Koger

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