Monday—Changed

Call to Worship

Hear God call you to worship through his word: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. - Colossians 1:15–20

Confession

Respond by confessing your sins to God: O Lord my God, light of the blind, and strength of the weak; yes, also light of those that see, and strength of the strong—hearken unto my soul, and hear it crying out of the depths. Woe is me!... Lord, help us to turn and seek you; for not as we have forsaken our Creator have you forsaken your creation. Let us turn and seek you, for we know you are here in our heart, when we confess to you, when we cast ourselves upon you, and weep in your bosom, after all our rugged ways; and you gently wipe away our tears, and we weep the more for joy; because, Lord—not man of flesh and blood—but you, Lord, who made us, remake and comfort us. Amen - Augustine

Assurance

Receive these words of comfort from God: I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. - Ezekiel 36:25–27

Devotion Daily Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10

Words are powerful. They can be used to cause harm or to bring joy, to encourage or to bring low. We know, specifically as Christians, that God’s Word is alive and active. Yet how often do we take a moment to consider each individual word and its effect on a story? It seems some of the smallest words can have the biggest impact. The word “BUT”—just those three little letters- -is one such word that can change the drama of a story in a second. Imagine hearing a loved one telling the story of driving his brand-new car down a dark and desolate Ohio road in the winter. He suddenly sees a deer dash out on the road a few yards in front of him. . .

We immediately expect to hear the new car was totaled, the deer died, and the cell phone would not work; instead, the story is interrupted by the powerful yet short word, BUT. The car was barreling down the road late at night. Suddenly, a deer decided to cross the road. For a moment it appeared it would be a head on collision, BUT the deer ran the other way.

This small yet powerful word can change the outcome of a story dramatically. In the Christian life, the same is true. The simple word, BUT, is one of the most glorious, profound, and impactful words in the Christian vocabulary. With this one word, lives are forever changed. The world was without hope, BUT Christ entered human history. Humanity was indebted to God, BUT Christ paid the price on the cross. I was lost, BUT now I am found.

Ephesians 2:1-3 sheds light on some honest and sobering truths. Apart from Christ, humankind is spiritually bankrupt. The Apostle Paul uses words like “spiritually dead,” “following the ways of the evil one,” and “living in the passions of the flesh” to illustrate our sinful nature. Paul concludes that by nature, we are children of wrath. The picture is not pretty. The truth is that we are hopeless and helpless without Christ.

This depraved condition was not unique to the people to whom Paul was writing in the city of Ephesus. As a matter of fact, it was and is true of everyone born into time. The fallenness of men and women can be traced all the way back to the opening pages of Scripture. Despite living in a perfect garden where every created thing was good, Adam and Eve made a catastrophic choice that would impact every man and woman in the future. Adam and Eve chose to sin against God.

From the opening events of Genesis until the present moment, sin has marred everything. The strong and negative language the Apostle uses in the opening verses of Ephesians 2 would also describe us. We inherited a sin nature, and there is nothing we can do to help ourselves. By nature, we miss the mark, we follow the wrong influence, we live in unholy passions, and the wrath of God would rightly be assigned to us for all the wrong we have done.

The story for every Christian begins in the negative. We are like the car mentioned earlier, barreling down the road late at night. Only the collision course we are set on is far more deadly than just hitting a deer.

Yet out of the darkness, we are relieved to find this significant three letter word: BUT God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with [AA1] which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…

Could there be a more important word to usher in a more glorious contrast? One commentator says, “These two monosyllables (but and God) set the gracious initiative and sovereign action of God against the desperate condition of fallen humanity.” Indeed, these monosyllables mean we are forever changed.

As Ephesians says, we were dead in sin, but God is rich in mercy. The word “rich” describes an incomprehensible and inexhaustible supply. On this occasion, the endless supply is the mercy of God. Mercy speaks of pity. In context, mercy is that pity God shows toward humans, despite their sin and state of total helplessness. In mercy, God chooses to right the wrongs of sinners, and God permits sinners to be part of his family, even though it is unearned. What an amazing thought: there is an incomprehensible and inexhaustible supply of pity that God has towards sinners. Spiritually dead sinners are forever changed by the loving mercy of God.

Christians are forever changed from the negatives of verses 1-3 to the positives of verses 5-6. In mercy and love, God made us alive together with Christ, raised us up with Christ, and seated us with Christ in the heavenly places. What a contrast! What a change. God commissioned the work, Christ accomplished the work, and believers receive the benefits of the work.

These verses teach us that as men and women outside of Christ, we were the objects of divine wrath, BUT GOD has had mercy on us. We were dead BUT GOD made us alive. We were in bondage to evil powers, BUT GOD has seated us with Christ in the heavenly places. Apart from Christ, none of this would be possible. Jesus’ perfect life, sacrificial death, and powerful resurrection allows “But God” to be a part of our story. On this Monday of Holy Week, take some time to reflect on how Jesus has forever changed us. Consider your own life before and after your conversion. What are some specific ways God changed you when you became a Christian? What were you once living for and what are you living for now? Who is one unbelieving friend or family member you could share your story with?

Take some time now in prayer to thank Jesus for changing you.

Benediction

Go into the world with this blessing from God: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. – Numbers 6:24-26