{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"FA Church","title":"The Glorious Gospel: Before & After - Adam Meckelborg | First Assembly Church","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2078,"description":"This past Sunday, our pastor, Adam Meckelborg, preached a message entitled “The Glorious Gospel: Before and After.” Pastor Adam contrasted life without God and life with Him through Ephesians 2, showing that apart from Christ we are spiritually dead, following the world, the flesh, and the enemy. But in Ephesians 2:4–5, we see the turning point: “But because of his great love for us, God… made us alive with Christ — it is by grace you have been saved.” He emphasized that God’s motive is love and His character is rich in mercy, covering every sin. Through the gospel, we are brought from death to life and raised with Christ. ✍️ Notes  The Glorious Gospel: Before and After – Adam MeckelborgContrasting RealitiesLive Without God VS. Life With GoLife Without GodEphesians 2:1 (NIV)“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” Ephesians 2:1b-3“… 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.  3 Things We Follow (Life Without God)“The ways of the world.”  “The ruler of the kingdom of the air.”  “The desires and thoughts of the flesh.”Paul’s Unholy TrinityThe World: Systems of success build on anti-God principles.  The Flesh: Animalistic cravings and desires.  The Devil: Spiritual force seeking to invert right and wrong.Spiritually “Dead”: Immobilized / Stuck / Unable to changeBound to the flesh.  Ensnared in the systems of the world.  Unable to defeat the power of Satan.We need someone who can step into the reality we are in, break the bondage of that reality, and bring us into another one. We need a hero.Life With GodEphesians 2:4-7 (NIV)“4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/2rS6CncygjSrU4_eAytDXGn13c_aC8wKWWeu0LjCRnQ/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS81OTgy/MDQxMzg5MTZiY2M3/MzMxYjY2OWU4N2U0/ZTA0Ni5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}