In this sermon on Ephesians 5:1-7, we explored what it means to "walk in love" as followers of Jesus. The passage calls us to imitate God, not just in public…
Ephesians 2:10 declares that we are God’s workmanship—His “poiema,”. And God has works for each of us to walk out before we join Him in eternity. These works are good, planned by God, and they are life giving activities we can miss out on.
Ephesians One was a brilliant overview of God’s plan, salvation and
our eventual destiny with Jesus Christ. Chapter Two is a reminder of the miry clay
we have all been rescued from. While dark, it is vital for the believer to never lose
sight of our own desperate rescue or church becomes an exclusive club instead
of a hospital to meet the Great Physician.
2 Thessalonians charges out of the gate by discussing two of the
scariest subjects in Scripture: hell and the antichrist. Both of these frightening
subjects carry a message of hope for the church experiencing a sampling of hell
and antichrist-like figures.
The church at Thessalonica is a model of church success. This leads to the big question: why? At the end of Chapter 2 we get the answer. It is God’s Word, Suffering, War, and the Win.