But God! | Ephesians 2:4–9 | Ephesians Series – Week Five

Nov 09, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: God Intervened When We Were Hopeless and Helpless

When we were dead in our sins, loving our sin, and following the course of this world, God stepped in at just the right time—not because of anything we had done, but because of His mercy and love. Our value is not determined by our productivity, performance, or platform, but by the fact that God chose to intervene in our lives when we had nothing to offer Him. This truth should transform the way we see ourselves and the way we live, reminding us that our hope and worth are found in God’s gracious intervention, not in the opinions or standards of the world. [01:03:02]

Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV)
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—

Reflection: In what area of your life do you feel most hopeless or helpless right now, and how can you invite God to intervene and bring new life into that situation today?

Day 2: God Has Withheld From Us What We Deserve—Mercy

Though we have all sinned and are deserving of God’s wrath and judgment, God, in His mercy, has chosen to withhold the punishment we are due. Mercy means not receiving the penalty we have earned, and this is a gift from God that should humble us and shape the way we treat others. When we remember how God has shown us mercy, it empowers us to extend mercy to those around us, even when they may not deserve it in our eyes. [01:09:29]

Ephesians 2:4; Romans 3:23-24 (ESV)
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us...
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Reflection: Who is someone in your life that you find difficult to forgive or show mercy to, and how can you practically extend God’s mercy to them this week?

Day 3: God Acted Toward Us Out of Love

God’s motivation for intervening in our lives and showing us mercy was His great love for us—a love that is sacrificial, selfless, and beyond our understanding. Even when we were unlovable, God loved us deeply and acted on our behalf. This love is not something we can earn or lose; it is a constant reality that should fill us with gratitude and inspire us to love others in the same way. [01:12:05]

Ephesians 2:4; Romans 5:8 (ESV)
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us...
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Reflection: When was the last time you paused to truly reflect on God’s love for you, and how can you intentionally remind yourself of His love throughout this week?

Day 4: God Has Given Us What We Do Not Deserve—Grace

Grace is God’s unmerited favor, giving us blessings and eternal life that we could never earn or deserve. Not only has God withheld judgment (mercy), but He has also lavished us with His grace—adopting us as His children, promising us everlasting life, and giving us every spiritual blessing in Christ. This grace is a gift, not a result of our works, and it should lead us to humility, gratitude, and a desire to share this good news with others. [01:17:17]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Reflection: What is one way you can express your gratitude for God’s grace today—either through prayer, worship, or serving someone else?

Day 5: God Has Secured for Us What We Could Not Secure for Ourselves—Eternal Life

Through Christ, God has raised us up and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, securing for us an eternal inheritance that we could never achieve on our own. Our citizenship is now in heaven, and our future is secure—not because of our efforts, but because of God’s immeasurable kindness and grace. This assurance should give us hope, confidence, and a new perspective as we face each day, knowing that our ultimate home and identity are with Christ. [01:19:39]

Ephesians 2:6-7 (ESV)
and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: How does knowing your eternal future is secure in Christ change the way you approach challenges, fears, or uncertainties in your life today?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered to remember and celebrate the faithfulness of God—a faithfulness that is not just a story from the past, but a living reality in our lives. We honored those who have served our country, recognizing that the freedoms we enjoy are not free, and we prayed for veterans and their families, especially those who carry burdens from their service. This gratitude for earthly freedom led us to reflect on the even greater spiritual freedom and life we have in Christ.

Turning to Ephesians 2:4-9, we confronted the sobering truth of our condition apart from God: dead in sin, following the world and the enemy, deserving of wrath. Yet, into this hopelessness, two words break through: “But God.” These words mark the divine intervention that changes everything. God, rich in mercy and great in love, stepped in when we were helpless and hopeless. He did not wait for us to become worthy or productive; He acted purely out of His own character—His mercy, grace, and love.

We considered the difference between mercy and grace. Mercy is God withholding the judgment we deserve; grace is God giving us blessings we could never earn. Both are at work in our salvation. God’s intervention is not based on our performance, productivity, or influence, but on His unmerited favor. This truth challenges the world’s standards of value and worth, reminding us that our identity is secure in what God has done, not in what we do.

God’s love is not a distant or abstract concept. It is personal, sacrificial, and transformative. Just as we may grow accustomed to hearing “I love you” and lose our sense of wonder, we must not let the reality of God’s love become routine. His love should continually move us to gratitude, humility, and action.

God has not only withheld wrath and given us grace, but He has also secured for us what we could never secure for ourselves: eternal life, a place with Christ, and a priceless gift of salvation. This is not our own doing; it is the gift of God, so that no one may boast. Our response must be to let God intervene in our lives, to share this hope with others, and to give Him all the glory.

Key Takeaways

1. God intervenes when we are hopeless and helpless God’s intervention is not a response to our worthiness, but to our need. When we were dead in sin, unable to help ourselves, God stepped in. This truth humbles us and frees us from striving for value in the eyes of the world. Our hope rests in His initiative, not our performance. [59:08]
2. Mercy withholds what we deserve Mercy is not simply leniency; it is God’s deliberate choice to withhold the judgment and wrath we have earned by our sin. This should shape how we view ourselves and others, cultivating humility and compassion as we remember how much we have been spared. [65:40]
3. Grace gives what we could never earn Grace is God’s unmerited favor—His decision to lavish us with blessings, adoption, and eternal life, none of which we could ever achieve on our own. This truth dismantles pride and self-reliance, inviting us to rest in the sufficiency of Christ’s work. [76:37]
4. God’s love is the motivation behind His actions Every act of mercy and grace flows from God’s great love. This love is not abstract or generic; it is personal, sacrificial, and enduring. Remembering this love should renew our gratitude and inspire us to love others with the same selfless commitment. [70:46]
5. Our salvation is a priceless, unearned gift Salvation is not a reward for good behavior, but a gift that cannot be bought or measured. It is entirely God’s doing, so that He alone receives the glory. This truth calls us to humility, worship, and a readiness to share this gift with others. [80:20]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[46:27] - Opening Praise and Worship
[47:04] - Honoring Veterans and Prayer
[48:22] - Prayer for Veterans and Families
[50:12] - Introduction to Ephesians 2:4-9
[51:24] - The Power of “But God”
[53:12] - Understanding Our Condition Before Christ
[55:51] - Appreciating the “Before and After”
[56:28] - God’s Work: From Death to Life
[59:08] - God’s Intervention in Our Hopelessness
[65:40] - Mercy: Withholding What We Deserve
[70:46] - Love: God’s Heartfelt Motivation
[76:37] - Grace: Receiving What We Don’t Deserve
[79:03] - Secured in Christ for Eternity
[80:20] - Salvation: The Priceless Gift
[81:33] - Responding to God’s Intervention
[87:47] - Closing Prayer and Worship

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: “But God: The Intervention of Grace”

Bible Reading

Ephesians 2:4-9 (ESV)
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 Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Observation Questions

According to Ephesians 2:4-5, what was our condition before God intervened, and what did God do for us?
What two qualities of God are highlighted as the reason for His intervention in verses 4-5?
In verse 8, what does Paul say about the source of our salvation?
The sermon described the world’s standards for value and worth. What are some of those standards, and how do they differ from God’s view? [[01:00:28]]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul emphasize that we were “dead in our trespasses” before God’s intervention? What does this say about our ability to save ourselves? [[53:12]]
The sermon explained the difference between mercy and grace. Why is it important to understand both, and how do they work together in our salvation? [[01:16:01]]
How does knowing that God’s love is the motivation behind His actions change the way we see our relationship with Him? [[01:10:46]]
The passage says salvation is “not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” What are some ways people might try to “earn” God’s favor, and why does Paul reject this idea? [[01:20:20]]

Application Questions

The sermon said God intervenes when we are hopeless and helpless, not because of our performance or worthiness. Is there an area in your life right now where you feel hopeless or like you don’t measure up? How might remembering God’s intervention change your perspective this week? [[01:03:02]]
Mercy is God withholding what we deserve, and grace is God giving us what we could never earn. Think of a recent situation where you received mercy or grace from someone. How did it affect you? How can you show mercy or grace to someone else this week? [[01:08:11]]
The sermon warned against letting God’s love become “routine” or something we take for granted. What are some practical ways you can keep the wonder of God’s love fresh in your heart? [[01:15:22]]
The world often tells us our value is based on productivity, performance, or influence. Are there specific ways you’ve felt pressure to prove your worth? How can you remind yourself of your identity in Christ instead? [[01:01:07]]
Salvation is described as a priceless, unearned gift. How does this truth affect your sense of gratitude and humility? Is there a way you can express your thankfulness to God this week? [[01:20:57]]
The sermon challenged us to let God intervene in our lives and to share this hope with others. Who is one person you know who needs to hear about God’s mercy and grace? What is one step you can take to share this hope with them? [[01:22:09]]
God alone deserves the glory for our salvation. Are there areas where you are tempted to take credit for your spiritual growth or blessings? How can you intentionally give God the glory in those areas? [[01:22:43]]

Sermon Clips

“God interveneed when we were hopeless and helpless. I don't think anybody would question the reality of our hopeless and helpless state left to ourselves apart from God. We know this to be true. We were dead in our sins. We were enemies of God. We were aliens and strangers. We did not know him. Did not love him. Did not follow after him. did not want him. But God intervened and intervention took place.”

“But when we look at this passage of scripture and come to the realization that God intervened in our lives when we were hopeless, when we were helpless, when we had nothing to offer to him, it puts things in an entirely different perspective for us that the love of God and the care of God and God's presence in your life has nothing to do with your ability for productivity or your platform or your performance.”

“And what a joy to know that since I did nothing to merit that to begin with, I can do nothing for God to take that away from me. God intervened. And boy, were we needing that intervention. Boy, were we needing that intervention.”

“This is what God has done in your life. If you're a follower of Christ and my life as a follower of Christ, what he wants to do in your life if you're not a follower of Christ, an intervention. God intervened when we were hopeless and helpless.”

“God has withheld from us what we were deserving of. God has withheld from us what we were deserving of. This is what is known as mercy. Say that with me. Mercy. God withholding from us what we're deserving of. It says verse 54 again. But God being rich in what? Mercy. God being rich in mercy.”

“The mercy of God. That when we were dead and deserving of the wrath of God, God withheld from us his wrath. God who who saw our sin and as a holy righteous God who does not sin nor tempts any man to sin. Seeing the sin that was in our lives that we were dead in our sin. He has withheld from us the judgment and the wrath that we were deserving of.”

“If we could all recognize that we were dead in our sin, that we've all sinned against the holy God, and that what results from that sin is punishment, we're deserving of punishment from the holy God, but God has chosen to withhold from us the punishment that we are due. It's because God is merciful to us. He's demonstrating mercy to us.”

“God acted toward us according to a heartfelt motivation. Love. Would you say that with me? Love. Just look at those three truths to begin with. God intervene. God withheld from us what we were deserving of. God acted toward us with a heartfelt motivation. What was that motivation? Love. Because of the great love with which he loved us.”

“God acted towards us, responded towards us in love. Maybe you're here today and you would say say I don't know what it's like to be love. No one has ever loved me. And I can say to you that's not true. That for God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son. That God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

“How great, how majestic, how wide, and how amazing is the love of God that surpasses our understanding. God has loved us. He's responded to us in love. He's responded to us with a sacrificial, selfless, allencompassing love. That is how God has acted towards us.”

“The love of God should compel us to live lives that are differently from the world. This is what God has done. He's responded and acted in love. This is absolutely incredible because sometimes I believe we can forget the love of God. We can forget the love of God.”

“But God, he's given us grace. Number five, God has secured for us what we could not secure for ourselves. Again, we've already read this, but he says, "Even when we were dead in our trespasses, verse 5, he made us alive together with Christ. By grace, you've been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so that in the ages to come, he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

“You have been given everlasting life, your citizenship, my citizenship, is now in heaven." When it says that we've been seated with Christ, that's a sense of belonging that already is true for you and I. This is not our home. We've been raised with Christ. We belong with him. We belong with him. This is what God has done.”

“It's his work. It's his doing. It's his grace. It's his mercy. It's his love. It's his doing. It's his intervention. That's what God has done for us. And Paul's just magnifying all of this. So, let me give us some conclusions to digest this morning. Conclusion number one, God wants to intervene in your life today. Our God is a God of intervention.”

“If you're here today and you're lost and you don't know Christ as your savior, I promise you, God's desire is that you would know Jesus. He is not willing that any should perish, but all would come to repentance. That's the heart of our God. And so, God wants to intervene in your life today. If you are lost and you don't know Christ, he wants to intervene.”

“If you're a follower of Jesus, if you're a child of God and you are struggling today with a proper view of who you are in the sight of God, he wants to intervene in your life today, in your heart and in your mind today. Number two, God wants you to share with others how they too can have that same intervention.”

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What does "But God" signify in salvation?

How does God's love motivate His intervention?

In what ways does grace differ from mercy?