June 27, 2023
Ephesians 5:1-20
NO MORE DARKNESS
Paul continues to help the Ephesian believers understand how God’s extravagance pours into their lives and through their lives. Last week it was about leaving old habits (lying, stealing, and potty mouth language) and learning new habits (telling the truth, sharing their stuff, and using words to build up). There’s more of that this week as Paul unpacks the beauty of living a life of love (spoiler alert, he has some things to say about sex, debauchery, and getting drunk!).
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Ephesians 5:1-20
- Do you know of a family where the children seemed especially ‘loved’? What was it that made them feel loved, and how did they respond to that healthy affection? Do your group members experience themselves as dearly loved children of the Living God?
- Paul begins to explain ‘living a life of love’ by talking about sex! Why is sex important? Isn’t it just like other bodily desires, like the need for food and sleep?
- v. 10 tells us to ‘find out what pleases the LORD.’ What have you found pleases the LORD?
- v. 16 tells us to ‘make the most of every opportunity.’ What does that mean, and how does that play out for your group these days?
- Several verses in our passage speak about songs, singing, and making music. How important is music to you? How can you ‘turn up the volume’ of worship in your life?
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Recent Sermons
James 3:1-18 -James is at it again! He has a real concern for the words that Christians use on themselves, with each other and with the world. Our tongues (James' favourite image for our words) can cause such destruction, and they are nearly impossible to control.
James 2:14-26 -James continues to press deep into the muscles and tissues of our faith. Is your faith doing what it was designed to do? Just like you might go to the doctor for a physical check-up, James offers a self-administered faith check-up in this passage. Where do you see signs of life in your faith?
James 1:19-27 - James is direct: angry words, thoughtless words, and religious words don’t have a place in a life of faith. Our words don’t work … but God’s word does! Our job is simply to cooperate with his word.
James 1:1-8 - James gets right down to business! For everyone not currently soaking in a hot tub, suffering is a first order of business. In just a few verses, James explains how trials can grow maturity, how wisdom helps the journey, and how to avoid wasting a suffering experience.
Empowered Baptism is recognized throughout the Church as the beginning of a ‘God thing.’ John’s baptism was a visible demonstration of the start of a new life — clearing out the junk to prepare for what God was about to do. Jesus’ baptism reveals the true heart of baptism: God’s desire to bless and express His delight. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the start of the Kingdom. Ordinary women and men were now filled with the Spirit of Jesus to continue on the ministry Jesus started.
Luke 3:21-22 -At Jesus’ baptism, the Father said, “You’re my son. I love you. I’m proud of you.” As Christians, our baptism is a sign that we are in Christ, that what is true about him is true about us, and that the Father’s blessing now defines us.
