#1394. Made Alive with Christ (25/11/25)
- Matt Beaney
- 3 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted, at present, every weekday) as we continue our Ephesians series: Ephesians - To the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God.
In our last devotional, we reflected on the astonishing greatness of God’s love and mercy toward us, and how grasping this truth leads to worship, joy, and faithfulness. Today, we begin to look more closely at how that love has been expressed toward us - starting with this staggering reality:
From Ephesians 2:4-7, we reflect on how God has made us alive with Christ.
To watch this devotional, select the link below:
‘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. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.’ (Ephesians 2:4-7)
1. God made us alive
It is God - and God alone - who makes us alive. We were spiritually dead, unable to respond to Him, until the Spirit gave us new life. This is what Scripture calls regeneration or the new birth. Jesus told Nicodemus:
‘“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again… Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”’ (John 3:3, 5–6)
Only the Holy Spirit can breathe life into our lifeless hearts. All glory for our salvation belongs to Him.
2. Made alive with Christ
This new life is not simply a fresh start - it’s a shared life with Jesus Himself. We have been made alive with Christ. This is our union with Him: what happened to Him has happened to us. When Christ was raised, we were raised. It’s like being in a car - whatever happens to the car happens to you. Being ‘in Christ’ means His resurrection is our resurrection.
3. Even while we were dead
Paul reminds us that this miracle took place ‘even when we were dead in transgressions.’ We were not neutral, not searching for God - we were spiritually lifeless and opposed to Him - Paul himself in his persecution of the church of all people understood and exemplified God’s unmerited grace! By sheer grace, God made us alive. The new birth is not a reward for the good; it is a rescue of the dead.
Response
Do we grasp that to be a Christian is to have undergone a spiritual resurrection by the Spirit’s power? Let us respond with gratitude and confidence in His grace:
‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God…’ (2 Corinthians 5:17–18)
Do we understand that baptism is a declaration that we have indeed believed and been raised with Christ, and is therefore to be carried out only when - but certainly when - someone comes to faith in Jesus.
Community Group Notes
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
Note:
Please be thinking and praying about who you might want to invite to our upcoming carol service (7th December)
Also, do sign up for carol singing (30th November). To sign up, go to: https://forms.monday.com/forms/67541e198902721e4b04ee65cc95ae8a?r=use1
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.
This week, we continue in our series: Ephesians: to the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God.
Our message on Sunday from Ephesians 2:4-7 was: Wrath to Riches - How God's grace has saved us.
In these verses, we see the astonishing love and grace of God - a love that transforms both our identity and our eternal future. We reflected on how:
Remembering what we have been saved from and saved for should deeply impact how we live now.
Please read Ephesians 2:4-7 and discuss:
Personal Reflection – What did God speak to you about through Sunday’s message?
In verse 3, he sets a contrast with the words, ‘But because…’ Take a moment to review verses 1-3 so as to remind ourselves of our condition when God’s love broke in.
Why do you think God loved us?
What does it mean to be ‘made alive’ and what are the results?
What does it mean to be ‘raised up with Christ’?
According to verse 7, what will God do through each of us for all eternity?
How is this truth - wrath to riches - to be reflected in our lives?
SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)
How do these verses assure us that God will continue to bring people to Himself?
Share Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing testimonies of God at work through us.
Practical Next Steps – Who is God putting on your heart to reach? Are there any ‘people of peace’ (*see note) in your life—those who are receptive to you and spiritual conversation?
Let’s pray together:
Let’s pray for one another based on our study, and bring before God any other needs or requests for prayer.
Pray for one another's SIV opportunities and boldness in following the Spirit's promptings.
Pray specifically for the ‘people of peace’ in our lives - asking God to open hearts and provide opportunities to speak life and truth.
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