Fred Has a Problem

Ephesians 2:1, 4-5

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Let me introduce you to my friend, I call him Fred. He is in a baby food jar right now. He’s a cicada killing wasp. These cicada killing wasps, they will actually be able to attack and carry off huge bugs, cicadas. I found this one when I lived and was a pastor in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in a back room in this baby food jar. And to be honest, he hasn’t moved a lot since. You see, my friend Fred has a pretty big problem. You know what it is? You’re right. He’s dead.

Fred is dead. So I thought of a couple of ideas, you know, maybe bring him into a nice, bright room like this. Open up the cap and let him get some air. And that’ll help out Fred, right? No, of course not. So maybe we bring him outside. We set him, set him outside. It’s drizzling a little bit out there, give him some water to revive him. And then Fred will be OK, right, wrong? Because Fred’s got a big problem. He’s dead.

Could Fred become alive again? Not naturally, no. The only way for Fred to have life again is if God did a miracle, right? God would have to do a miracle to bring him back to life because Fred is dead.

Well, let me show you another section from the book of Ephesians chapter 2 and look at what the Apostle Paul says about us, naturally. He says,

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins. (Ephesians 2:1)

Spiritually on our own before Christ the Holy Spirit, come into our heart and bring us to faith through the gospel. We are dead in transgressions and sins. So do you think that we can just decide to come to faith and be a believer? No, because we are dead. The only way that we can have spiritual life is if God does a miracle, right? To bring us to life.

And you know what? He did. It goes on in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 4.

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. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Fred has a problem. But by God’s grace, you don’t, because Jesus has given you spiritual life.