Transformation (Ephesians 4:17-24)
If our beliefs about how things are or how they are supposed to be are any good, they will provide us information with which to better understand the world. This is what we call a “worldview”. Our theology–what we believe about God–should provide information that better helps us to understand and process the world around us. If it doesn’t accurately inform our reality, then it’s not good theology.
Paul has spent a lot of time in Ephesians describing what life is like without God. The question that we should consider is whether or not what he’s saying lines up with how things really are. Paul describes life apart from God as a futile pursuit. Does that line up with what we see happening in the world around us, or in our own experiences where we’ve walked in a direction that we knew was contrary to the way God intended things to be?
In contrast to the futility of life without God, however, Paul says that transformation is possible through Jesus that leads us to a new way that is filled with truth. Rather than living in the darkness of the old way, we live in the light of the new way. We have a “new life”. The question, then, is whether or not transformation has occurred–if we believe that it is possible, can we see that it has happened in the lives who claim to follow Christ? Can we see the transformation in our lives?
Listen in as we consider the old way, the transformation, and the new way of life that we can live when we follow Jesus.
Read MoreThe Practice of Unity (Ephesians 4:7-16)
How is unity in the church practiced and protected? That’s the question that we’re looking at as we consider the second half of Ephesians 4:1-16, specifically focusing on vs. 7 and following.
Paul spent the first six verses of chapter four reminding the Ephesians about the foundation and the origins of Unity. In short, Unity in the church is built on and founded in the character of God. If unity is built on anything other than that solid foundation, it will be temporary at best. Consequently, we should be quick to embrace other brothers and sisters in Christ no matter what their denominational background, and should make great efforts to recognize the “oneness” of the Gospel.
Unity is addressed further in the second half of the text, talking about how all believers in the church are called to use their gifts as a gift to the community. In doing so, we exercise our unity. Each of us are a “joint” in the “body” of Christ, held together by Him. But there is another aspect of unity as well, and that is the protection of Unity in the church. Are there those with whom we should be careful not to unite?
In the end, grace is what makes us united with one another. Listen in as we consider some the effects of the grace that calls, gifts, and equips the saints for ministry–and unity–in the church.
Read MoreThe Origin of Unity (Ephesians 4:1-6)
Despite all of our advancements as a human race, Unity continues to elude us. There is no more unity today than there has ever been in the history of man. In fact, even where unity does exist, it is often because we find ourselves with a common enemy. Unity is ultimately impossible unless it has a proper foundation.
In Ephesians 4, Paul implores the Ephesians to be united with one another. The unity he envisions is not a unity that’s based on our efforts, however, but is based upon something much greater. It’s based on, and founded in, the very character of God. In short, the Ephesians should be united because God is united. Unity is not something they do or create, it is something that exists because God is one and has made peace between men, and between men and God. As a result, they must reflect unity.
In this message, we’ll consider what it means that unity is founded in the character of God, and what the implications are for the church in our day.
Read MoreTo God be the Glory (Ephesians 3:14-21)
The first three chapters of Ephesians are one long theological summation of the good news of Jesus. Paul’s gone to great lengths in this worshipful section of scripture to talk about how it began in the mind of God, how it was carried out by Christ, how it is delivered by the Spirit, and how we have become the recipients of this amazing grace. Now, at the end of chapter three, he ends in prayer. So what is it we need to know before heading into the practical implications of all of this in Ephesians 4-6
Like all of the first three chapters, Ephesians 3:14-21 is filled with theological nuggets. It would be impossible to cover all of them in one message, so we look at a few. First, the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. He’s been all throughout Ephesians 1-3 but he hasn’t gotten the focus (which is how he likes it). Second, we’ll consider “love” in the life of the believer, and finally, the role that prayer plays and why it is so important. And in the end, we’ll end up right back where we started at the beginning of Ephesians 1: to God be the Glory.
Read MoreThe Mystery (Ephesians 3:1-13)
If we’re around something long enough, eventually we’ll get complacent about it. We were excited to drive for the first time; now we can’t wait to get home and out of our car. We were excited about our first day at our job; now we’re watching the clock all day. We were excited about marriage, or kids; now it feels like routine. It’s not out of the ordinary to become complacent towards things that used to excite you, but the sad reality is that for many of us, we’ve developed that same type of complacency towards the Gospel.
In Ephesians 3:1-13, Paul talks about the mystery that was revealed to him and for which he became an apostle. God’s wisdom is displayed when this mystery is revealed in the church–the mystery that was hidden in the mind of God from before the foundations of the earth. In this message, we’ll consider what that mystery is, and then consider how recapturing it will help us to value and take seriously our role as God’s church.
Read MoreThe Temple of Peace (Ephesians 2:11-22)
Once, you were far off, but now you have been brought near. That’s the message that Paul gives to the Ephesians Christians. He says to them that, because of where they stood in relation to God, they had no hope, but because of Jesus, they can have hope again.
We live in a world that longs for peace, and it remains elusive. Because of Jesus, peace is again possible–between man and God, and between man and man. The church is the evidence of that peace. It is, Paul says, the temple of God.
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