Monday after the Fourth Sunday after Easter, 5/14/01

Ephesians 2:4, 5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. --NIV

In the name of the One Who made us alive with Christ, amen.

Have you ever seen a dead animal decide to get up and walk around? That’s a ridiculous thought, isn’t it? A dead animal doesn’t decide to do anything. Well, neither does a dead person. We are told repeatedly in Scripture that before we come to faith we are dead in sin. So, we aren’t capable of deciding to believe in Jesus. Instead the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel.

It is God Who makes us alive in Christ, and that is clearly seen in this passage. The whole idea of grace is that salvation, even our faith, is a work of God, not our work. Thank God for the work of the Holy Spirit! If it were up to us to come to faith in Christ Jesus, we would certainly be lost, because the dead cannot choose to come to life. Amen.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to us and creating faith in our hearts. Bless us with His company at all times so that we remain in the True Faith unto eternal life, amen.

Copyright 2001 Reformation Lutheran Church http://ReformationChurch.org