Having concluded his presentation of the glory of the local church in chapter 3, the Apostle Paul now turns to our calling as born again children of God as active members of a church. In this message, we will see that our true value is only in Jesus Christ. And we only discover the true depth of that worth when we live like Christ for the benefit and blessing of others.
Having shown that the Apostle Paul declared the promise of the opening of the gospel to the Gentiles is fulfilled in the church, Elder Bryce shows how we should react in devotion to our local church with joy and thankfulness.
Along with the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, the Old Testament contains several promises to a time of the light of knowledge of God coming to the Gentiles. Ephesians chapter 3 teaches us that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a fulfillment of that long anticipated revelation.
The answer to any tension we have is not found in politics. The answer is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The answer to any tension we have is not found in politics. The answer is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are two fundamental reasons we worship God publicly in church. Number one - He told us to! That ought be enough but we have another reason. Since God has been so good to us we ought to come before Him with praise and thanksgiving.
Because we are in Christ by the grace of God, all of our blessings are "in Christ." Since God loved us long before we ever existed, we are able to love Him. We owe our very lives to Christ. God has commanded that we worship Him. Therefore, we ought to be in church actively thanking Him for His amazing grace!
The church is the most precious thing to Jesus. It is His bride. Therefore, we should view it the same way. When we do, we find assurance, comfort, and peace even as the world rages around us. This is amazing. Who are we that God would do this for us? What amazing love! What amazing grace.
The promise to the meek is that they will inherit (without effort) the new earth wherein dwells righteousness and joy. They will inherit a place where there is no sorrow nor crying and it will never fade away!
This week on Triumphal Feast, Elder Bryce continues in his series on Paul's letter to the Church at Ephesus. Today's message will show us that the same amazing power that rose Jesus from the dead is what gives us the ability to believe the gospel and trust in Jesus Christ. When we trust Christ and abide in His church, we find that we can have peace even if the governments of the world were to be dissolved and a pandemic threatens lives. We can do this because, the church is everything to God. Therefore, it should be everything to us.
