LGC - Rooted & Fruitful Part 8

Rooted & Fruitful (Part 8)

Speaker: Charles Lim

INTRODUCTION

God is the Creator. And everything He created, He saw that it was good (Genesis 1).

This includes us as the church. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, tells us that we are God’s handiwork (NIV), God’s workmanship (ESV), God’s masterpiece (NLT). Or in the Greek, poiema (2v10). We have been created, and we are good.

None of this is our doing. For it was God who chose to send his one and only begotten son to die in our place, to pay the price for our sins. We were created in Christ so that no one can boast. We could not save ourselves. He saved us.

Remember that we are God’s creative masterpiece.

DISCUSSION

Do you see yourself as God’s poiema? Why or why not?
Read Ephesians 2:8-10.

a. When might you have neglected to see salvation as a “gift of God”?

i) What of our works might we be tempted to boast about?

ii) How do we remind ourselves of God’s initiative in saving us?

b. Even as we are created good and in God’s image, we also suffer the consequences of the Fall (Genesis 3). How might the latter event change our understanding of ourselves as God’s poiema?

i) Do we trust God enough to know that He can create a masterpiece out of our trash and brokenness? Why or why not?

ii) From our responses above, how might we live in hope?

c. Notice a purpose attached to our creation – “for good works”. What are these “good works” and how are we doing them? What more can we do to accomplish the works God has prepared for us?

d. We may be ready to think of Ephesians 2:10 as applicable to us individually. But recall that Paul is primarily writing to the collective church of Ephesus. How might we think of the passage’s application to (i) our local church in FGA, (ii) the broader church?

WHAT WILL YOU DO

Very often, we do not see ourselves in the same way God sees us. God is infinite and sees all that we are and can be. By contrast, humans are finite and have a limited vision of ourselves. How can we expand our vision to be close to God’s?

Firstly, spend time with God in prayer. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal how He wants you to serve individually and corporately, in relation to the good works God has prepared beforehand for you to do. Be bold and ask God to help you see snippets of God’s vision for his church, and FGA locally.

Secondly, know and hear God’s Word. It will increase your faith (Romans 10:17).

Thirdly, believe God’s Word is true (John 8:32).

Lastly, believe that God does not leave things halfway. He will always complete the work He has set out to do. (Philippians 1:6)

God is our Master Builder.

MEMORY VERSE

So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:11 (NIV)

And I am certain that God, who begun the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. – Philippians 1:6 (NLT)