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- Ephesians opens with a single sentence, 12 verses long—an epic poem.
- We explore the art, beauty and thoughts that build our joy.
- We see the big picture which builds our interest.
- The hint of mystery motivates us to read on and find out where this is going!
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- If someone says ‘please pray for me’ —they would not expect you to pray this kind of prayer!
- Yet once you understand it, it really is a remarkably powerful prayer for each one of us.
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- The goal for this message is that you should fall in love with the way this story is told, which if you trust Jesus, is your story!
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- Living out of this new identity will transform your life!
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- Once again the poetry is so beautiful, and right at the center is a jewel — the song of peace.
- This centerpiece changes everything and turns hostile division into growth that defies our imagination.
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- Paul’s concern that they might get discouraged by his own suffering leads him into an extraordinarily uplifting and motivating encouragement.
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- Of all the prayers prayed over people in the Bible, this must be the pinnacle.
- This is such a good prayer to pray over one another!
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- As Paul launches into the second half of Ephesians, he injects an extraordinarily compelling motivation,
- showing us how to copy and bring delight to our God.
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- We can really deepen our relationship with God when we think of him as three persons.
- Knowing how each relates to us slightly differently can give us a richer experience of closeness.
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- What is church? We look at a heaven’s eye view, a lower level view, and a ground-level view of what church actually is,
- and what it is not,
- and what the implications are for you and me.
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- All of us suffer from the accusing inner voices of self-condemnation.
- The powers of darkness are constantly speaking lies into us.
- But victory from these voices is available and we can all experience the freedom that Jesus wants us to have.
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- Enjoying and delighting in God is a core part of the Christian life.
- We all want more of it, but how do we get there?
- How can we have more?
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- Misinterpretation of this passage has led to a top-down hierarchical church structure
- Most people just sat in their seats and did no more than give their money
- Every single part is needed for growth
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- This passage speaks of a radical transformation of the church, from childhood to maturity, some time in the future.
- It certainly hasn’t happened yet, so is it going to? and if so, when and how?
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- How do I live this new life? Not only does Paul explain the power, but he also lays out some very clear examples of this power in action in our daily activities.
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- Seven parts of Ephesians open with the expression: ‘Walk...’ We look at the fifth, ‘Walk in love’ which is immediately followed by the two biggest threats to a loving community. Thankfully there is a way they can be overcome.
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- Paul uses the command to Walk to organize the structure of the letter in a very helpful way.
- This time we look at the 6th Walk: Walk in the Light
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- The seventh, and final, Walk in Ephesians has three parts to it: wisdom, understanding, and being filled by the Spirit.
- Then there is a link to singing which is interesting and important.
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- The stories in Acts of Paul’s visits, plus what history tells us about Ephesus help us to see the life-changing power of these words.
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- How des this passage make sense since husbands are not like Christ?
- But when you really understand what is going on with this passage, it is deeply encouraging!
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- Paul says: This mystery is profound, and I speak with reference to Christ and the church.
- By bringing in verses from throughout the Bible, we can shed some light on this amazing truth!
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- Tough questions about how to honor your parents, even when they are broken.
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- We ask why the Bible does not condemn slavery directly, explore the rich content of Ephesians 6:5–9 and the shocking challenge to all of us in the workplace, and talk about how this works out in practice today.
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- You live in two realities: material plus spiritual where there is a huge war raging.
- You are joined inseparably to Jesus, so take a stand with courage and joy.
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- Fully taking hold of the message of Ephesians equips us for warfare in the spiritual world.
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- The New Creation has already begun, but the Old has not yet ended. We are living in the overlap, which is tough,
- but if we understand it will be a source of immense power and joy.
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- Seeing how this letter is structured, on the one hand provides a helpful framework for fully understanding the message, and on the other is a work of art which frames the beauty of the truth, like a diamond setting holds a diamond.
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