In our message, WALK IN LOVE AND LIGHT (Eph. 5:1-14), we continued to look the Holy Spirit’s call for Christians to follow Christ. The word “imitate” means not only to ‘follow’ but to ‘mimic’ (Eph. 5:1). Children should be like their parents, and since Christians have been born into God’s family, we should desire to be like our heavenly Father (John 1:12-13; 3:7, 15-16; Acts 4:12, etc.). This means “walking in love” because “God is love” (Eph.… Continue reading
In our message, FORGIVE AS CHRIST FORGAVE US (Eph. 4:28-32), we continued to look at God’s call to the church to “put off” that old nature whenever we see it in our lives and instead “put on” Christ (Eph. 4:22-24; Rom. 6:11; Gal. 6:14, etc.).
Practically speaking this means not “lying” or becoming “angry” in a sinful way- because such vices are ways the devil can develop a “place” in our lives with which to lead us into further sin (Eph.… Continue reading
In our message, PUT ON THE NEW HUMANITY (Eph. 4:17-27), we continued to look at God’s call to the church to follow Him as His disciples. Not only are Christians to “walk worthy” of Christ by making every effort “to keep the unity of the Spirit” with the gifts Jesus has provided us with, we also are to NOT walk as we did before we were saved (Eph. 4:17).
Lost people, God reminds us, “walk… in the futility [or vanity] of their mind” (Eph.… Continue reading
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 28:18-20
For years our church had a Facebook page that was lovingly maintained by one of our members. Unfortunately that page has been compromised, and Facebook is reluctant to help us recover it or shut it down.
Our church has since implemented a new “official” Facebook page that can be seen here. If you followed the prior page that included the church phone number in the title, please unlike and unfollow that page immediately. Please Like, Follow and Share our official Facebook page.… Continue reading
In our message, EVERY PART DOES ITS SHARE (Eph. 4:11-16), we continued Paul’s discussion on gifts from Christ to the church. The Bible says, “to each” Christian, the risen Jesus has given at least one gift (Eph. 4:7-10; 1 Cor. 12:7, 11, Rom. 12:3-8, etc.).
To lay “the foundation” of the church, Jesus first made “some to be apostles” (Eph. 2:20; 3:5; 4:11a, etc.). Apostles wrote much of the New Testament (NT), performed miracles, had to see Christ in resurrected form and told others about Him from their eyewitness accounts (Acts 1:21-22; 9:40; 19:11-12; 1 Cor.… Continue reading
In our message, ENDEAVORING TO KEEP GOD’S UNITY (Eph. 4:1-10), we moved from doctrine to our walk with Christ. Ultimately, what we believe determines how we will behave.
The Bible says here, “Therefore…”- that is in view of all that has been said in Ephesians chapters 1 through 3, God begs us “to walk worthy” of Him and His kingdom (Eph. 4:1; Rom. 12:1-2, etc.). The word “worthy” in the Greek is axiōs, and means ‘equal weight.’… Continue reading
In our message, MAKING CHRIST AT HOME (Eph. 3:8-21), Paul continued to explain why the mystery of the church is important.
In the church, God’s limitless, “unsearchable” grace is revealed (Eph. 3:8), and it was Paul’s job (as well as ours today) to enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan “which from the beginning of the ages [had] been hidden in God (Eph. 3:5, 9; Matt. 28:18-20; John 7:37-39; Acts 1:8; 4:12, etc.) As unique objects of God’s grace, we are told even angels now look to “the church” in an attempt to discover “the manifold wisdom of God” (Eph.… Continue reading
In our message, GOD’S LIVING ETERNAL TEMPLE (Eph. 2:19-3:7), we looked in greater detail at the mystery of the church which was not revealed in Old Testament times. Believing non-Jewish people who were once far away from their Creator are now “fellow citizens” of His kingdom and part of His very “household” (Eph. 2:15, 19). Today, this new humanity/the church is being “built… into a temple of the Lord… a dwelling place” for Him (Eph. 2:21-22; John 14:7; 1 Cor.… Continue reading
In our message, PEACE WITH GOD (Eph. 2:11-18), we looked at how the Lord destroys barriers and hostility between people. Probably no greater rift existed between people in the first century than the divide between Israelite and Gentile people.
The majority of the church at Ephesus was “Gentile… Uncircumcision” (Eph. 2:11). Paul calls them to “remember” their condition before the Good News of Jesus came to them. As Gentiles, they lacked five privileges that Jewish people possessed (Eph.… Continue reading
