Bulletins - Bailey Methodist Church (NC)

Mighty To Save
God Of Wonders
Amazing Grace
Trust In God
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow!
Ephesians 2:1–10 ESV
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Introduction
The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 2:1-10, provides one of the clearest and most powerful depictions of salvation. He presents a before-and-after portrait: before Christ, we were dead in our trespasses and sins; after accepting Christ, we are made alive by grace through faith, and we are created anew for good works. This passage is one of the richest summaries of the gospel found in the New Testament.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, frequently preached on this very theme. In his well-known sermon, "The Scripture Way of Salvation," Wesley described salvation as a work of God from beginning to end — a work of grace that awakens, justifies, and sanctifies us. He emphasized that salvation is not merely a moment of forgiveness but encompasses the entire journey of transformation, from the initial stirrings of grace in the soul to the ultimate renewal of perfect love.

1. Salvation Is by Grace Alone (vs. 1–5)

Paul begins with a sobering reminder: “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.” This is not a flattering diagnosis. He doesn’t say we were sick and needed medicine. He doesn’t say we were limping along and needed a little boost. He states that we were dead – incapable of saving ourselves, lifeless in our sin, enslaved to the world, the flesh, and the devil.

But then comes one of the most hope-filled phrases in Scripture: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.”

Paul echoes this truth elsewhere in Colossians 2:13-14: “When you were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. He set it aside, nailing it to the cross.” The message in both letters is unmistakable: salvation begins not with us, but with God. It is not our doing, but His mercy. We were dead, but God acted in love. We were powerless, but God intervened.

John Wesley captured this reality with his doctrine of prevenient grace—the grace that goes before. Even before we knew we needed God, His Spirit was at work awakening, convicting, stirring, and drawing us toward Christ. Prevenient grace explains how dead hearts begin to beat again. It is God’s mercy reaching down to sinners, saying, “I love you too much to leave you this way.”

Wesley himself often described his life as a testimony to God’s grace. As a boy, he was saved from a house fire in Epworth, carried out at the last possible moment. He later referred to himself as “a brand plucked from the burning,” quoting Zechariah 3:2. Long before he understood salvation, God’s hand was already upon him, preserving his life for a purpose. That’s prevenient grace in action—God moving before we even know it.

Friends, this humbles us. It means we cannot boast of our goodness or moral strength; it’s all grace. But it also fills us with confidence. If God can bring the dead to life again, He can reach anyone—no matter how far gone or how deep in sin they are. The story of salvation always begins here: But God...

2. Salvation Is Received, Not Earned(vs. 6–9).

Paul emphasizes that “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

This statement encapsulates the essence of the gospel: salvation is a gift. It cannot be purchased, earned, or achieved; it is given freely by God’s grace and can only be received through faith.

Paul reinforces this message in Galatians 2:16: “We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. So, we also have believed in Christ Jesus to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” Both letters convey the same truth: justification comes from trusting in Christ alone, not from adhering to the law or relying on human efforts.

John Wesley based his entire preaching ministry on this foundational truth. In "The Scripture Way of Salvation," he stated, “By grace are ye saved through faith… Grace is the source, faith the condition of salvation.” Wesley understood the temptation to trust in works through religious rituals, moral efforts, or personal achievements. However, he asserted that faith alone connects us to Christ.

So, what is faith? Wesley defined it not merely as an intellectual belief, but as a living trust in Jesus Christ—a complete reliance on Him for forgiveness and new life. Faith involves leaning entirely on Christ, believing that His blood is sufficient, His cross is enough, and His resurrection is adequate.

To illustrate, consider Wesley’s Aldersgate experience. For years, he attempted to attain salvation through works, such as strict discipline, missionary efforts in Georgia, and rigorous devotion. Yet he admitted, “I went to America to convert the Indians; but oh! who shall convert me?” Then, on May 24, 1738, during a small meeting on Aldersgate Street, he heard Luther’s preface to Romans read aloud. Wesley later recorded in his journal: “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I trusted in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” That moment of placing his faith in Christ transformed his life forever.

This message challenges our pride. Many of us continue to act as if God’s acceptance relies on our performance. We often keep a mental tally of prayers offered, church services attended, and sins avoided, hoping the scale will tip in our favor. But Paul clearly states: Salvation is not of works, so that no one may boast.

Here’s the freedom of the gospel: you don’t have to earn God’s love. You receive it by faith.

3. Salvation Is for Holy Living (vs. 10)

Paul does not stop at the concepts of grace and faith. He concludes in verse 10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

This illustrates the balance of the gospel: while works do not save us, we are saved for good works. Grace redeems us and also reshapes us into God's masterpiece.

Paul expresses this tension again in Philippians 2:12-13: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Our efforts and God’s grace are not in competition; they work together in harmony. We respond to God’s grace in obedience, but it is God Himself who provides both the desire and the strength to live a holy life.

John Wesley insisted that the scriptural way of salvation does not end with justification but continues into sanctification. Salvation is not just about being forgiven of our sins; it also involves being transformed into the likeness of Christ. As he articulated, salvation is “not barely deliverance from hell or going to heaven, but a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul to its primitive health and original purity.”

Good works, then, are the fruit of grace and the evidence of genuine faith. Wesley often spoke of “works of piety”—such as prayer, worship, Scripture study, and the Lord’s Supper—and “works of mercy”—like feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and imprisoned. These works are not burdens meant to earn God’s love; instead, they are the overflow of a heart transformed by grace.

For illustration, after his experience at Aldersgate, Wesley’s life was dramatically transformed. He preached in the fields to coal miners, established schools for children, raised funds for the poor, and visited prisons to minister to those often overlooked by society. He believed that holiness must be practical, expressed through love for God and neighbor. For Wesley, good works were not the root of salvation, but they were always the fruit.

This challenges us to reflect: Is my life bearing the fruit of salvation? Am I walking in the good works God has prepared for me? Salvation is not merely about reaching heaven one day; it is about living as a new creation in the present.

This is the Scripture way of salvation: by grace, through faith, unto holiness. It begins with God’s prevenient grace, continues with justifying faith, and grows into sanctifying love. It is God’s work from start to finish — and yet it calls us to respond, to trust, to walk, to live as His workmanship.

Friends, this is good news for us today. If you are weary of trying to earn God’s love, hear Paul: it is the gift of God. If you feel dead in sin, hear Paul: God is rich in mercy. If you wonder what your life is for, hear Paul: you were created in Christ Jesus for good works.

Let us walk, then, in the Scripture way of salvation — humbled by grace, confident in faith, zealous for holiness. And may God, who began a good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of Christ Jesus.
- - Ephesians 2:1–10ESV
- - Colossians 2:13–14ESV
- - Galatians 2:16ESV
- - Philippians 2:12–13ESV
Softly And Tenderly

Ephesians 2:1–10ESV

Colossians 2:13–14ESV

Galatians 2:16ESV

Philippians 2:12–13ESV