Respond to Sunday, February 10
“God’s Work, Not Ours” – Ephesians 2:1-10
Truth: Salvation must be God’s work because grace alone can help the helpless. We weren’t just flawed; we were dead. God made us to come alive. We were in bondage to this world, our desires, and Satan. God delivered us from under their authority and moved us to a position in Christ of all authority. We were children of wrath. He moved us from objects of wrath to objects of God’s immeasurable love.
Response: Have you ever doubted your conversion? Rest in God’s work. Experience peace and rest in what God has done for you and not what you are doing for God. Consider how you would counsel someone who doubted their salvation while being careful not to give them a false assurance.
Truth: Salvation must be God’s work because grace alone displays His glorious love. God saves us to show the entire world just how deep and wide and immeasurable and infinite and perfect his love is. A gracious redemption where we bring nothing to it shows His love most fully. If we contribute anything to our salvation, it minimizes the display of God’s love.
Response: Are you enthralled with God’s extravagant grace and love? Give to others the same grace God has given to you. The clearest indication that you are not consumed in God’s grace is that you are quick to point out the shortcomings of other people. Yet, you are slow to recognize your own shortcomings and need of God’s grace. When we are overwhelmed with the extravagant grace of God, we can’t look down on anyone else with a spirit of pride.
Truth: Salvation must be God’s work because grace alone removes our ability to boast. If God saves us because of our family, level of religious devotion, morality, or good works, then we would have ground to boast in what we did. Even faith is not of our own doing. Your salvation, even your faith, was a part of God’s gracious gift.
Response: Are you trusting in your faith to save you? A prayer prayed? A decision? A hand raised? If you have been relying on church attendance, church leadership, spiritual devotion, or legacy instead of God’s grace for salvation, respond with repentance and faith. Spend some time in praise for the salvation God has given you in Christ and in prayer for those known to you who remain “dead” to God.
Family Response
Truth: Children are saved by God’s work, not the child’s works. What do I mean by the child’s works? I mean good behavior. I mean knowing facts of the Bible and the Gospel. I mean praying a prayer. I mean being baptized. I mean reaching a designated age.
Response: Because children are saved by God’s work, parents do not save or un-save their children by the parents’ works. What do I mean by un-save? I mean you cannot undo what God alone accomplishes by His grace with your works (good or bad). You don’t have to fear “missing the moment” by being patient through discernment. You don’t have to fear “using the right words” when guiding prayer. You don’t have to fear encouraging their expressions of truth and affection for God when you don’t think they’ve actually trusted in God.
Response: Just because salvation is God’s work by His grace doesn’t mean parents don’t have a work to do. As parents we pray for God’s grace in our children. We pray for our discernment of the Holy Spirit’s work in our children. We strive to prepare our children’s mind, body, and soul to respond wholeheartedly to God’s grace. We are vigilant to protect and guard their affections from being given to false hopes. We speak often about God’s grace to us and in us.
Prepare for Sunday, February 17
Pray for the Church
- Leaders in worship: Pastor Rickey Primrose, Brandon Ramey & the Worship Ministry.
- God will meet with us through His word and by His Spirit, lead us to worship Christ and grow in Christ-likeness.
- God will help us to be a church of zeal and hope, passionate about ministry and confident in His promises.
- God will make us more passionate about and obedient to His mission of leading people to trust and follow Christ
Prepare for the Message
Disciples, Not Decisions | Mark 1:14-20 – Pastor Rickey Primrose
We continue our series, “Conversion: How God Creates a People,” this Sunday with a message titled “Disciples, Not Decisions.” Prepare for Sunday by reading through Mark 1:14-20. Last week we considered the “why” of conversion. God saves us to show the entire world just how deep and wide and immeasurable and infinite and perfect his love is. This week we consider the “how” of conversion. How does one receive the gift of salvation? How does Jesus answer this question in the text of Mark? How is this shown in the calling of the first disciples? Pray that God will lead many to come to him in repentance and faith as we worship together this Sunday.
Music for Sunday
Your Love Awakens
by Chris Quilala and Phil Wickham
Christ Is Enough
by Reuben Morgan and Jonas Myrin
O Come To The Altar
by Christopher Brown, Mack Brock, Steven Furtick, and Wade Joye
Jesus I Come
by Chris Brown and Steven Furtick