So many people, they were hiding from the militia, and all of them were brutally murdered.
And in the basement of this memorial, the guide didn't even go down to the basement.
She just said, you're welcome to go downstairs.
So I did.
And in this narrow pathway, in either side of me, there were stacks and stacks of human bones, skulls.
I think they said they found 40,000 body parts at that site.
So just like, you know, the dry bones cannot come back to life on its own, I wondered, I'm sure, you know, the families, the friends, the siblings of these victims, wouldn't they give anything to see them just once again living?
And with all the advance in modern medicine and science, there's nothing anyone can do to bring these dead bones back to life.
And that is what we are going to look into tonight.
We are dead in sin.
And next week, we're going to look into our life in Christ.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for gathering us here tonight, Lord.
Lord, as we worship you and praise you, and now, as we read your words, Lord God.
Open our ears and prepare our hearts to hear your words and be moved, touched by your life-giving words, Lord God.
And Lord, thank you for giving us this life through your son, Jesus Christ.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Let's turn to Ephesians.
I'm going to actually read the last week's passage as well.
So we'll start from Ephesians chapter 1, verse 20, and we'll go to chapter 2, verse 6.
If somebody has a page number, just shout it out.
976.
Ephesians chapter 1, starting from verse 20.
That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named,
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
And you are dead in the trespasses and sins 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,
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.
But God being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us,
even when we were dead in our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ.
By grace you have been saved and raised us up with him
and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Jesus Christ.
So last Sunday evening, you know, Dan preached from Ephesians chapter 1 verses 20 to 23.
And it's about God's power raising, you know, Jesus from dead.
And in his glory he is seated at the right hand of God.
And in chapter 2 verse 4,
God tells us that now we are alive together in Christ.
Between these two glorious passages,
why does Paul talk about a gloomy spiritual assessment?
Of us.
We were dead.
First one says,
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.
Some of you may say,
I'm not dead.
I'm breathing.
My lungs are exchanging carbon dioxide and oxygen.
My heart is pumping.
What do you mean I'm dead?
I'm alive.
But the death that Apostle Paul is talking about here is our spiritual death.
Now,
when Adam and Eve,
now we're going all the way back to Genesis.
God told Adam and Eve,
you can eat from every tree except from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
But Satan deceived Eve.
Satan said to Eve,
did God tell you not to eat from any of these trees?
And Eve said,
no,
we shouldn't be eating from tree of knowledge and evil.
Because God said,
if we do,
it will surely die.
And Satan said to Eve,
no,
you're not going to die.
Matter of fact,
you're going to be like God.
You are going to know good and evil.
And you're going to become like God.
Through Satan's deception,
Eve gives in to the temptation.
And Eve eats the fruit of knowledge and evil.
And at that moment,
the sin enter the world.
So in Romans,
it says,
through one man,
sin enter the world.
Adam.
So through Adam,
sin enter the world.
And sin brought death
to human race.
So,
death became a certainty.
And also,
we were separated from God
because of the sin.
And that is the spiritual death.
and
this
rebellion
because
God said,
do not eat from this tree.
but what our humans are saying is,
hey,
we
don't need to hear that from you.
We
know
what is good
and what is evil.
evil.
And this,
as the sin entered,
brought death,
and look what happens
immediately after.
the very next chapter,
Adam's son,
Cain,
murders
his brother Abel
out of jealousy.
And then,
a few chapters later,
in chapters,
Genesis chapter 6,
the
earth was just
filled
with
wickedness
of man.
It says,
the Lord
saw that the wickedness
of man
was great
in the earth
and that
every
intention
of the thoughts
of his heart
was only
evil
continually.
And as we
read
the next
verse,
verse 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.
So,
following the
course of the
world,
so,
we humans
became
continually
rejecting
God.
And the
world
that we
live in
have this
ungodly
attitude
and ungodly
practices.
And
as you
read
the Bible,
I mean,
nobody told
them or
nobody taught
them how
to, you
know,
build idols.
but with
our fallen
nature,
we start,
human beings
start worshipping
idols.
Human beings
start,
stop looking
into God
and looking
for other
things,
calling these
lifeless things,
things that's
made out of
stones and
metals and
other things,
and they
start worshipping
idols.
and
this trend
of,
you know,
ungodly
attitude and
ungodly
practices,
it continued
and
one of the
things that
we see
today
in America,
I'm
going to
read
an excerpt
from
David
Platt's
book called
Counterculture.
Here it
says,
noted
atheist
Richard Dawkins
writes,
in a
universe of
blind
physical
forces and
genetic
replication,
some
people are
going to
get hurt,
other
people are
going to
get lucky,
and you
won't find
any rhyme
or reason
in it,
nor any
justice.
The universe
we observe
has precisely
the properties
we should
expect if
there is.
At the
bottom,
no design,
no purpose,
no evil,
and no other
good.
Nothing but
blind,
pitiless
indifference.
DNA
neither knows
nor cares.
DNA
just is,
and we
dance to
its music.
Godless
worldviews
thus leave
us with a
hopeless
subjectivity
concerning
good and
evil that
is wholly
dependent
on social
constructs.
Whatever a
culture deems
right is
right,
and whatever
a culture
deems wrong
is wrong.
This is
precisely
the worldview
that prevails
in American
culture today.
Where rapid
shifts in the
moral landscape
clearly communicate
that we no
longer believe
certain things
are inherently
right or
wrong.
Instead,
rightness
and wrongness
is determined
by social
developments
around us.
And isn't
this true?
When we
look at our
culture today,
whether it's
in entertainment,
in education,
they're trying
to get
rid of
the notion
of
absolute
truth.
God
is
absolute
truth.
But what
the society,
the culture,
is telling
us is
there is
no absolute
truth.
Whatever
culture
decides,
that's what
it is.
And this
kind of
ungodly
attitude
and ungodly
practice
is also
one of the
components
that makes
us
spiritually
dead.
in
1994,
in
Rwanda,
800,000
people
were
killed
in a
three-month
time.
So if
you do
the math,
the rate
of killing
is just
unthinkable.
General
Romeo
Dallaire,
who was
in charge
of the
UN
peacekeeping
force
during that
time,
he wrote
in his
book called
Shake
Hands
with the
Devil.
Now,
this man,
in his book,
he says,
he was not
particularly a
religious man,
but when he
met the
leaders of
this militia
group who
started this
genocide,
died,
and when he
shook their
hands,
and then when
he saw
in their
eyes,
he said,
I saw
the devil.
This
cannot
come from
a human
being.
so,
the devil
stirs
things
in human
hearts
to do
violence,
commit
atrocities,
and we
see this
all over
the world,
whether
in human
trafficking,
child
soldiers
get forced
to,
you know,
commit
these
atrocities,
you see,
the prince
of air,
which is
the devil,
that spirit
is now
at work
in the
sons of
disobedience.
So,
first,
we saw
the world
trend.
Ever
since Adam
and Eve
disobeyed
God and
we became
a fallen
world,
the world,
it starts
to reject
God,
start to
stop
recognizing
God
as the
creator.
And then
Satan,
who
deceived
Eve
and
attempting
people to
fall,
continues
to
work
in the
sons of
disobedience.
And then
verse 3,
it says,
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.
time.
So,
what is
passion of
our flesh?
Passion of
our flesh
is described
in Galatians
chapter 5,
verse 19.
Here it
says,
now the
works of
the flesh
are evident.
Sexual
immorality,
impurity,
sensuality,
idolatry,
sorcery,
enmity,
strife,
jealousy,
fits of
anger,
rivalries,
dissensions,
divisions,
envy,
drunkenness,
orgies,
and things
like these.
So,
when you
put all
these three
forces together,
that is
the dominion
of sin.
Ungodly
attitudes and
practices of
this world,
the social
force,
the Satan's
deception,
Satan's
spiritual
force that
keep
unbelievers
in bondage
to sin.
And then,
our fleshly
nature to
pursue
after such
things.
All these
three things
work together
and keep
unbelievers
in the state
of
spiritual
death.
And in
that state,
we are
by nature
children of
wrath.
We deserve
God's
holy anger
and his
judgment.
Now,
some of
you may
say,
I am
by no
means like
that.
I mean,
how insulting.
Orgies,
sexual immorality,
fits of
anger.
I'm a
good person.
How dare
you to
put me in
the same
category
as these
people?
I don't
do that.
I'm a
good person.
I give
money to
charity.
I meditate.
Then,
well,
the question
to you
is this.
Have you
put your
faith in
Jesus?
Do you
believe Jesus
died for
your sins?
And is
Jesus your
only hope
and savior?
If you
did not
put your
faith in
Jesus or
have been
and still
rejecting
him,
then the
Bible tells
us that
you are
spiritually
dead.
Let me
give you an
analogy of
these two
teenagers.
So,
there's this
teenager
who gets
into trouble.
Doesn't like
to study,
cut classes,
sometimes you
get a phone
call from
the principal,
sometimes you
get a phone
call from
the police
officer saying,
come and
get your
son.
But,
his heart
towards his
parents,
he loves
his parents.
Even though
he does
these stupid
things,
gets him
in trouble,
he still
at the
bottom of
his heart,
he loves
his parents.
He enjoys
spending time
with his
parents.
Let's look
at another
teenager.
Straight A
student,
never gets
into any
kind of
trouble,
and he
has a
bright future,
but deep
inside in
his heart,
he just
cannot wait
until he
becomes
independent.
Why?
Because he
does not
want to do
anything with
his parents
anymore.
He doesn't
want to see
them anymore.
He just
cannot wait
until he
doesn't have to
associate with
his parents
anymore.
Now,
if you
think you
are a good
person,
righteous,
but if you
don't have
Jesus as
your savior,
you are
rejecting
God.
You are
rejecting
his gift.
So,
you are
still
under the
wrath of
God.
So,
why does
Paul
gives us
this,
you know,
we talked
about the
valley of
the dry
bone,
and I
told you
about the
genocide
memorial.
Why does
Paul give
us this
dark and
gloomy
assessment of
our, you
know,
spiritual
status?
first,
I think
he wants
us to
remain
humble.
Nobody
is holier
than,
you know,
anyone.
Holier than
thou,
that kind
of attitude.
We were
all,
we are all
sinners,
and we
were once
all dead
because of
our sin
and trespasses.
So,
Paul wants
us to have
this
gratitude.
Be thankful
to God.
Like I
said to
you,
what good
is
defibrillator
to the
dry bone?
You know,
when you
watch the
hospital shows,
you know,
and clear,
and then zap,
and then person
comes back to
life.
What good
is it?
What good
is if I
bring 200
defibrillator
to the
stacks of
dry bone?
can dry
bones come
back to
life on
its own?
So,
what Apostle
Paul is
telling us
is,
you were
all like
that before
Christ.
So,
don't feel
that,
oh,
I am
much better
than that
person.
It is
because what
I did,
I am
alive,
and I'm
a Christian
today.
He does
not want
you to
have that
kind of
attitude.
He wants
you to
be grateful
to God
and remain
humble
and remind
ourselves
that
we were
once dead
like these
dry bones.
And then
also,
Apostle
Paul reminds
us that
in that
dry bone
condition,
we were
utterly
hopeless
and helpless.
and he
wants us
to know
that
until
Jesus
died
for us
and he
came for
our rescue,
we had
no hope.
And we
certainly
couldn't
help
ourselves.
Some
other
religions,
you know,
aren't they
basically
teaching you,
well,
if you do
this much,
if you do
this much,
if you pray
this much,
if you
meditate
this much,
if you
give this
much,
then you
will earn
favor of
God.
Right?
But
Jesus is
not like
that.
Coming
to life
in Christ,
we have
no contribution
whatsoever.
It is what
Jesus did
on the cross,
that is it.
So,
Apostle Paul
doesn't want
us to
boast,
oh yeah,
I read
this many
books,
I pray
this much,
and you
know,
I do
this,
I give
this much,
I think
that's how
I got
my salvation.
No,
Apostle Paul
doesn't want
you to
ever have
that kind
of attitude
in you.
It is
purely
through God's
grace.
It is
purely
through what
Jesus did
on the cross.
So,
if you're
going to
boast,
boast about
Jesus.
That's why
before he
goes into
the next
verses
where,
you know,
we are now
alive in
Christ,
he reminds
us,
telling us
our former
condition,
that we
were once
all dead.
Don't think
the Ephesians
were a lot
worse sinners
than us.
It's not
because of
that.
This message
that we
were once
dead in
sin
applies
to
everybody,
every region.
It transcends
time and
place.
Whether,
you know,
you were
believers 500
years ago,
whether this
message continues
to the next
four or five
generations,
it's the
message is
the same.
Ephesians
were not
particularly
bad people.
Apostle
Paul wants
us to
know that
you were,
we were
all dead
once.
Until
Christ
came into
your life,
then we
were all
made alive
together
with Christ.
And
third,
the reason
why Apostle
Paul brings
this gloomy
assessment,
I think it's
because of
the urgency.
Urgency.
Now,
if you're a
believer,
knowing that
people are
spiritually
dead,
it gives
you a
sense of
urgency.
And what
do we do
with that
urgency?
The Great
Commission.
in
chapter 1,
verse 20,
it says,
21,
far over
all rule
and authority
and power
and dominion
and above
all every
name that
is named,
not only in
this age,
but also in
the age to
come.
So,
Jesus was
given
authority
in
this age
and also
age to
come.
So,
when you
look at
the Great
Commission,
it's in
Matthew 28,
verse 18,
it says,
all authority
in heaven
and earth
has been
given to
me.
Go,
therefore,
and make
disciples
of all
nations,
baptizing
them in
the name
of the
Father
and of
the Son
and of
the Holy
Spirit,
teaching
them to
observe
all that
I have
commanded
you.
And
behold,
I am
with you
always
to the
end
of the
age.
So,
there is
a sense
of urgency
for the
believers.
Jesus
is telling
us,
go.
I have
the authority
and I'm
going to
give you
power
to break
the power
of sin.
The gospel
has power
to break
the power
of sin,
power of
death,
and it
will set
people free
and it
will bring
people back
to life.
So,
we are
agents
bringing
that
life-giving
news
to the
people
who are
still
spiritually
dead.
So,
there is a
sense of
urgency.
And also
for the
non-believers,
there is
also a
sense of
urgency.
Spiritual
death,
because we
can't see
it with
our human
eyes.
When I
went to
Rwanda,
someone told
me there
are 15
species of
poisonous
snakes.
I said,
great,
including
black
mamba.
If you
are bitten
by
poisonous
snakes,
the signs
are very
obvious.
Either you
stop breathing,
either you
start to
bleed through
every pore
of your
body,
or the
site where
it is
bitten,
it swells
up.
So,
when something
is that
obvious,
what do
you do?
You rush
to the
hospital,
right?
You're
fighting
time,
you're
hoping the
hospital will
have
antivenom
and start
putting
antivenom
into your
body so
you don't
die.
But
spiritual
death,
because we
don't really
see it with
our human
eyes,
we kind
of,
you know,
relax about it.
You're like,
well,
I'll give you
another picture.
one of the
sounds that
people don't
like to hear
in the
hospital is
the sound
of the
flat line.
You know
the monitor
that monitors
your heart?
It goes
usually beep,
beep,
but when
somebody is
about to
die,
it goes
beep,
that's the
flat line.
If you
haven't put
your faith
in Jesus
yet,
do you
hear the
sound of
the flat
line of
your spirit?
Do you
hear the
voice of
Jesus
inviting you?
Come.
can you
hear these
two things?
Jesus
calling your
name.
I came
and I
die for
you.
Come
and live.
Do you
hear your
spirit
saying,
don't you
hear that
flat line
sound?
Going
beep.
What are
you waiting
for?
If you
have not
put your
faith in
Jesus yet,
what are
you waiting
for?
Now,
next week,
we're going
to continue
Ephesians
chapter 2.
And I
promise you,
it's not
going to be
gloomy.
The passage
will not
talk about
dead bones,
dry bones,
or dead,
you know,
we will
actually
celebrate.
Because
we are
made alive
in Christ.
Not
because of
what we
did,
not because
how hard
we worked
towards it,
but because
God
loved us.
So,
let me just
read,
I'm just
kind of like
giving you a
preview.
verse,
chapter 2,
verse 4.
But God,
being rich
in mercy
because of
the great
love with
which He
loved us,
even when
we were dead
in our
trespasses,
made us
alive
together with
Christ.
by grace
you have
been saved
and raised
us up
with Him
and seated
us with
Him in
the heavenly
places in
Jesus Christ.
How amazing
is this?
Last week,
we learned
that Jesus
in His glory
is seated
at the right
hand of God
and He
will do
the same
for us.
when you
put your
faith in
Jesus,
when you
receive Jesus
as your
only
Savior,
that we
are made
alive
together
with Him
and seated
in heavenly
places
with Jesus
Christ.
So,
I do hope
you come back
for the sequel
next week
and
let me
close
in prayer.
Lord Jesus,
we are
humbled
by what
You did
for us,
Lord God.
And we
are
grateful
that
You gave
us life,
that we
humans
did everything
we can
to reject
God,
to reject
Your
gift,
pursuing
our
passions,
living,
blinded
in sin,
not even
knowing that
we were
dead.
But Lord,
because of
Your love,
Your mercy,
and Your
grace,
now we are
no longer
dead,
but we are
alive in
Christ.
So,
Lord Jesus,
we thank
You,
and we
praise You
for what
You did.
And in
Your holy
name we
pray,
Amen.
Please stand
with us.
ingen