Sun, Sep 06, 2020
Duration: 49 mins 33 secs
God calls us to be peacemakers not gatekeepers. In our politically, racially, ideologically divided age, this is a crucial task. Making peace not only requires courage but a deep sense of Jesus's saving work. He moved us from isolation into his family. He reconciled us from a place of hostility toward God and others. His Spirit lives within us, making us a new kind of person as a witness to the world. This passage looks at the horizontal element of salvation. Peacemaking is one of the good works God has laid out before us.
Sun, Aug 30, 2020
Duration: 39 mins 37 secs
Followers of Jesus have all experienced a miracle: God raised them from the dead. Paul comments on this dynamic act of salvation in Ephesians 2:1-10. This new life includes a secure place in God's presence, as well as good works to live out today. Our new life in Christ matters, Paul writes, compelling people to receive God's gift of grace and become fully alive.
Sun, Aug 23, 2020
Duration: 40 mins 21 secs
Paul prays for his readers. He does not them to walk in the dark, but to live with clarity, hope, and strength. His prayer not only thanks God for his ongoing work in them, but also outlines several requests. Knowing they are in a spiritual battle, he uses prayer to bolster them. Prayer does this. Ultimately, his intercession centers on the idea of clarity. They needed it. We need it. Clarity about our identity, destiny, capacity, and Jesus's victory are essential to walking in the light.
Sun, Aug 16, 2020
Duration: 33 mins 30 secs
Paul opens his letter with a profound blessing. It is theological rich and verbally effusive. He recounts the blessings from the Father, Son, and Spirit in the lives of the saints in Ephesus. These blessings apply to any follower of Jesus. God chose us, has a plan for us, and made a promise to us. Our most natural response is worship. We live to the praise of his glory.
Sun, Jul 26, 2020
Duration: 43 mins 57 secs
After resisting God, Jonah realized the futility of his plan. He accepted his fate and went overboard. While sinking to the bottom of the sea, sensing the nearness of death, he cried out to God. His prayer blended well-known lines and images from the Psalms. Broken Jonah repented; savior God repented. This chapter demonstrates the remorse we feel as we look at death. It invites us to redirect our hearts to God to find grace and freedom. (NOTE: Audio quality a bit tinny due to recording issues.)
Sun, Jul 12, 2020
Duration: 35 mins 36 secs
Followers of Jesus imitate his kingdom mission. Fortunately, we do not work alone, in our own power, but in Jesus's presence by the power of His Spirit. John offers his slant on the Great Commission. In this text, he records Jesus's symbolic breath, promising the Spirit and calling his disciples to live an inspired life to make an impact for the kingdom. The same calling applies to us today.
Mon, Jul 06, 2020
Duration: 40 mins 26 secs
We will all die. A day will come when we breathe our last breath. This can be horrifying: spiritually, physically, socially, and emotionally. Our culture has tried to deny death. Too many people die alone. But death can also be clarifying. Our purpose, people, and God's mercy come to light. Jesus experienced the horror and clarity of death. He died on the Cross for the sins of the world. His last breath teaches us the practice of "release."
Sun, Jun 21, 2020
Saul was breathing threats and murder against Christians. Little did he know, we would soon join them as one of their chief spokespeople. Jesus stopped him on the way to Damascus, called his name, stole his sight, and gave him a new mission. Saul, who became Paul, converted, received his commission, and the rest, as they say, is history. His story is an example of Jesus taking the most odious breath and refreshing it. He did it with Paul; he does it with us.
Sun, May 31, 2020
Duration: 50 mins 58 secs
The apostle Paul calls believers in Ephesus to "walk worthy of their calling." These are diverse people, divided people, whom Jesus brought together as a single family. They share a single faith in Him who died for them and raised them to new life. This new, worthy life included living together in a spirit of humility. In our individualistic age, humility, gentleness, and sacrifice for others requires God's Spirit to help us.
Sun, May 24, 2020
Duration: 41 mins 39 secs
Our love for others -- church members, family, neighbor, and coworkers -- will never be perfect. We will be deficient in our care. Fortunately, if we are consistent in our care, it covers a multitude of failures and missteps. The apostle Paul closes out his lovely exhortation about love, speaking of its consistent nature: bearing, trusting, hoping, and enduring all things, always. As the message will illustrate, this is easier said than done.
