Created for the Ordinary | Jackson Ried

Ephesians 2:10

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

So in Ephesians 2 Paul is telling us what our story is as believers. He begins this chapter by saying we were “dead in the trespasses and sins in which [we] once walked”. That phrase “walked” is super important because he’s talking about this is this way we once lived. We were spiritually dead— so how did we live? Like spiritually dead people. Walking in trespasses and sins. We followed the course of the world and the prince of the power of the air (Satan). Then we see this awesome shift where God moves in our story to redeem us because he is rich in mercy. Being spiritually dead was a reality of who were but now (here’s where we get to our verse). We have been created in Christ Jesus newly. No longer are we left to walk in the way of a dead man but now we can walk as one who has been created in Christ Jesus.THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART. Paul is using creation language here to move our minds to the beginning. This is our story arc: We were created in the beginning with a purpose, we were then lost and walking in sin, but now he have been created in Christ Jesus. And here is why— to walk in the works “which he prepared beforehand.” He’s saying ‘now because you have been created in Christ Jesus you can live in the way God intended in the beginning’. You can now tend the garden as he commanded.How do these amazing truths land in our lives? In chapter 5 this is how Paul applies it: Obey your parents, respect your husbands, love your wives, etc. This is an amazing idea but the primary way it lands in our lives is in the day in and day out monotony. Something I love about this group is that this group craves revival. We hunger to see God move in incredible ways. To be a part of something amazing. But here’s my challenge. As you pray and seek the Lord in the big stuff don’t forget to be faithful to him in the normal, typical stuff. You were created in Christ Jesus not just for big stuff but also to do the humble task of tending the garden (which is reality a huge deal because it is God who called you to it!) So here’s my challenge to you— as people who have been created newly in Christ Jesus— do dishes, respect your parents, work hard at your jobs and in school. Not because we want good morals but because we have been created in Christ Jesus to live the way we were made to. Live faithfully in the small stuff, in the humble stuff. Just like tending the garden in the beginning.