Dear Christian friends:

One of the big problems in the church is inactive members. An inactive member should be our problem and responsibility. Inactive members are in danger: Either they have already lost their faith or have almost lost it.

True all of us can be more active in love and good works. All of us are often lazy and make excuses. Our text shows we are to be:

I. We are created to be active

II. How we are to be active

By nature we are inactive. Our old man doesn't want to do for Christ and His Church. Paul says, "You hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." This is true of man before he becomes a Christian and it is partly true after he becomes a Christian, because our old Adam stays with us until death. Our old Adam not only temps us to inactivity it tempts us to be active in sin. Verses 2 and 3 clearly show how our old sinful heart does plenty of sins: "In time past." This is why we have many inactive members in our churches. We listen to temptations of our old Adam and Satan.

He argues us into being lazy and selfish and we think we are right if we refuse to serve and do for the Lord Jesus. He helps us find many excuses. We are too busy satisfying the desires of our sinful heart that we have no time to satisfy our Lords' desires. What is the cure for this illness? The cure is God as Paul shows here in our text, "But God who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened (made us alive) together with Christ, and hath raised us up together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.

Only God can cure our spiritual illness or inactivity - As He by His mercy and love chose us at first and saved us in Jesus so He now by His Word and Spirit warns us and calls us to repentance.

This is the purpose of all preaching and His Word. That we be changed or made new in Christ. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, unto good works. In Christ God makes us new men to be active in His Church. God did not save us from sin and Satan only to sit and do nothing. He saved us to serve and do. As the sun gives light as fire gives heat so the Christian gives service, does for His God and Savior. We are made new in Christ for good works. And if we stay in Christ we will become more active.

And this renewing should happen daily to us as Luther says, "The old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned (dead & buried) and a new man daily come forth (arise) who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever."

So it is most important for us to hear God's Word daily, then search our heart, confess our sins and look to Jesus for forgiveness and strength to arise and do for God. That is why we sent you the "Portals of Prayer" booklet last week, - to help you attend to God's Word and mercy - power daily. When it is finished use the order blank in the back to get a new one.

Now what activities does God want? In our text Paul says, "We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before prepared that we should walk in them." Our margin refers us to chapter 1:4 where we read "that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." Fear, love and trust in God and serve our neighbor. As we preached last Sunday, serve Him with all of our time, talent and treasure. Chiefly God wants us to help in His work.

His good and gracious will is that "all men be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth." And God swears, "As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live." Preach missions, Baptism, Lord's Supper, forgiveness of sins: this is God's holy will. He wants us to use these for ourselves and then bring them to others.

This is one big reason why we have the Every Member Visits - to help one another hear God's Word again, so that all of our members will repent and rise from sin to serve God again in Jesus. The chief purpose of Every Member Visits is not to get pledges for money, but to give us a chance to visit one another with God's Word and impress on one another that we are to be active members of Christ's Church - not sitters or sleepers or sinners. But Doers.

Amen.