The Power of God’s Grace to the Gentiles, Part 1

The Power of God’s Grace at Work (Ephesians 2:8-10)

God often uses the weak, insignificant, and the unworthy. We can think about Moses, Joshua, Daniel, Gideon, and more. God delights in using underdogs to achieve great victories and to display His power and glory. God does this through His grace. Today we will look at how God’s grace is applied and His work is accomplished.

The Power of God’s Grace through Christ. (Ephesians 2:4-7)

Some people spend their lives trying to do more good deeds than bad, hoping to close the gap of sin that separates us from God. Saying a prayer and doing good deeds cannot save us; God must make us spiritually alive. He does this through Christ by His grace.

The Power of God’s Grace in You

Just as Paul was changed from a persecutor of Christians to a called apostle of Jesus Christ, Ephesians 2 contrasts what we once were as sinners to the new creations we are in Christ by the power of God’s grace.

What All Christians Need to Know

The church declares the glory of God (Ephesians 3:20-21)!

God the Father has chosen and predestined us according to His sovereign plan. We are redeemed and claimed according to Christ and His sacrifice for us. Those in Christ are part of His bride. By the Spirit’s work, we are sealed until the day of redemption. All of this is to the praise of His glorious grace.

While in this age of distractions, busy, preoccupied, and often interrupted, Ephesians 1:15-23 teaches us how believers need to think. Paul prays for the Ephesian Christians to be thinking about what they should know.

Praise God for Our Salvation, Part 3: Praise to the Spirit.

Ephesians teaches that every spiritual blessing is from God, and the blessing of security comes by way of the Holy Spirit.

Every believer has been sealed in Christ by the Holy Spirit of promise (2 Cor. 1:22). This is experienced permanently at the moment of salvation. Christians are warned not to grieve the Holy Spirit by whom they were sealed until the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30).

The sealing of the Holy Spirit secures our salvation, future, and ownership to the praise of God’s glory and grace.

Principles from the account of Ehud, judge of Israel

Praise God for Our Salvation, Part 2: Praise to the Son.

In Christ, we are chosen by God and predestined to adoption as sons and daughters. These spiritual blessings are from the Father (Eph. 1:3-6).

Ephesians 1:7-12 explains the role of the Son of God in our salvation and how the church can praise God for His glorious grace.

Praise God for Our Salvation, Part 1: Praise to the Father

Today’s theme mimics a parable that Jesus tells in Matthew 20:1-16 about a landowner going out and hiring workers. Although some workers started early in the day and others much later, the landowners gives all the workers the same wage, exactly what he promised to give them. The workers who started early in the day complained, but Jesus said "am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you angry because I'm generous?"

We'll see in Ephesians 1:1-6 that some get more than they deserve, but no one gets less than they deserve. Ephesians 1:3 tells believers that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. The blessings we receive are sourced in Heaven. This means the purpose of these blessings is from God, originate in Heaven, and are given to us.

In this first chapter of his letter, Paul praises the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Today we will talk about the Father.

Introducing the Book of Ephesians.

The church in Ephesus wasn’t having issues or spiritual concerns that Paul needed to address. Paul wrote the letter of Ephesians under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to a church that is similar to ours. Today we'll do an overview of the book and see its theme of how the Church declares the glory of God.

The Heavenly Father and the Prodigal Son

“Dear Heavenly Father” is how we open many prayers, but why do we say that? Why do we call God our Father? Do we understand the implications of that phrase? The parable in Luke 15:11-32 describes a father who illustrates several characteristics of our Heavenly Father.

Israel's first judge: Othniel

The Progress of the Church and our Personal Responsibility.

Why does the church do what it does? Why do we gather? Why don't we do certain things? We must answer not in terms of resources or building but instead of the mission. We will look at the progress of the church and see the direct connection we have today with the first church commissioned by Jesus Christ.

Judges 1-2

Jesus’ Demand for His Disciples (John 21:18-25)

John ends his gospel by describing the way that Peter will die. His Master uses dialogue to address this topic. There is a problem with Peter that must be addressed, a problem that we all have as believers. Comparing ourselves is a serious problem revealed by Peter’s question, “Lord, what about him?” When we compare ourselves, we take our focus off of who Jesus is.

Love for Christ is Usefulness.

We learn in John 21:15-19 that love for Christ is usefulness. Christ calls Peter to be useful and to give his life.

The Resurrection Appearance Teaches that Christ Is Our Provider.

John 21 records Jesus’s love and care for Peter. Believers often identify with Peter’s frailty of faith. In His appearance to Peter on the shores of Galilee, Jesus teaches Peter that He is the Provider even when a believer fails Him.

Lessons from the Resurrection Appearances, Part 2: The Resurrection Transforms Grief to Purpose.

Little is known about Mary Magdalene whose name bears her origin, a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. John depicts Mary as a woman of strength, faith, and unwavering devotion.