Daily Worship (April 05)

Ephesians 2:1–10 (NIV)
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 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. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Devotional Thought
Many people think the good life is something you build for yourself. If you work hard enough, make the right choices, and avoid major mistakes, then maybe you can create a good life. But this passage tells a very different story.

It says that we were not just struggling—we were dead in our sins. That means we were not able to fix ourselves or improve our situation. We were spiritually lifeless, separated from God, and following patterns that lead to destruction. But then comes one of the most important phrases in the Bible: “But because of his great love for us…” God stepped in. He made us alive with Christ.

This is resurrection language.

The good life is resurrection life. It is not something we earn. It is something God gives. He takes people who were dead and makes them alive through Jesus.
And notice what happens next. We are not just saved from something—we are saved for something. We become God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. That connects directly to Hebrews 13. The life of love, hospitality, purity, and contentment is not a list we try to achieve. It is the fruit of a life that has already been brought back from the grave.
So when you think about the good life, don’t look inward and ask, “Am I doing enough?” Look upward and ask, “Is God at work in me?” The answer, in Christ, is yes.

COMMA Questions

• Context: How does this passage fit within Paul’s larger explanation of salvation in Ephesians?
• Observation: What words or phrases describe our condition before Christ? What changes after God acts?
• Meaning: What does it mean to be “made alive with Christ”? How is this connected to grace?
• Main Idea: How does God turn spiritually dead people into people who live the good life?
• Application: Where are you tempted to try to build your own version of the good life instead of receiving it from God?

Prayer
Father, thank you that when we were dead in our sins, you made us alive with Christ. Help us to trust your grace instead of trying to earn the good life. Work in us and shape us into people who reflect your love. Amen.

Romans 6:4–11 (NIV)
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Devotional Thought
When Jesus rose from the dead, it was not just a miracle to prove who he is. It was the beginning of a whole new way of life for his people.

This passage says that we were buried with Christ through baptism into death. That means our old life—the life of sin, control, and self-centeredness—has been put to death with him. But that is not the end of the story. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too may live a new life. This is the good life.

Notice how different this is from what the world says. The world says the good life is about doing whatever you want. But the Bible says the good life is about being set free from sin so that you can truly live. Sin promises freedom, but it leads to death. Jesus brings death to our sin so that we can walk in real freedom.

This connects directly to Hebrews 13. The commands to love one another, to be content, to live pure lives—these are not restrictions. They are expressions of resurrection life.

You are no longer who you used to be.

So when you face temptation or struggle, remember this: you are not trying to become alive. You already are alive in Christ. Now you are learning to live like it.

COMMA Questions

• Context: How does Romans 6 connect to Paul’s teaching about grace and sin in the earlier chapters?
• Observation: What does the passage say happened to us with Christ? What does it say about our new life?
• Meaning: What does it mean to be “united with him” in death and resurrection?
• Main Idea: How does Jesus’ resurrection change the way we live right now?
• Application: What is one area where you need to live more fully in your new life in Christ?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you that your resurrection gives us new life. Help us to leave behind our old ways and walk in the life you have given us. Teach us to live the good life by your power. Amen.

Philippians 2:12–13 (NIV)
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Devotional Thought
Sometimes the Christian life can feel overwhelming. When we hear commands like the ones in Hebrews 13—love others, be content, live faithfully—it is easy to think, “I can’t do this.”

And that’s true. On our own, we cannot.

But this passage gives us hope. It tells us to “work out” our salvation, but then it immediately reminds us that “it is God who works in you.” That changes everything. The good life is not something you produce by your own strength. It is something God produces in you.

This is exactly what we see in Hebrews 13:20–21. The God who raised Jesus from the dead is now at work in us, equipping us and shaping us. Think about that. The same power that brought Jesus out of the grave is at work in your everyday life—your relationships, your struggles, your growth.

This means you are not stuck. You are not alone. You are not just trying harder.

God is actively working in you—changing your desires, strengthening your obedience, and forming you into the kind of person who reflects Jesus. So the call is simple: keep showing up. Keep trusting. Keep obeying. Because the good life is not about perfection. It is about God’s ongoing work in you.

COMMA Questions
Context: How does this passage fit within Paul’s encouragement to the church in Philippi?
Observation: What are believers called to do? What is God doing at the same time?
Meaning: What does it mean that God is working in us “to will and to act”?
Main Idea: How does God’s work in us empower us to live the good life?
Application: Where do you need to trust that God is working in you, even if you don’t feel it?

Prayer
God, thank you that you are at work in us. When we feel weak or discouraged, remind us that you are the one shaping us. Help us to trust your power and walk in the good life you are producing in us. Amen.