Sermon Central
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Devotional Thoughts Through Ephesians
Contributed by Ken Henson on Sep 28, 2016 (message contributor)
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1. The Benefits Of Imprisonment
Contributed on Oct 9, 2016
When our base drives are confined by the shackles of God’s love, they are morphed into rockets of exploration. I believe Paul and Timothy invite us to join them in prison and slavery, and, thereby, to become agents of unimaginable liberation.
Three stories Boethius had the misfortune of being a well known and well liked Roman Senator, philosopher and teacher at the time a Ostrogothic king came to power in Italy. Boethius was imprisoned probably because of his immense influence on the thinking of the general population. While there, he ...read more
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2. Six Superhero Fashion Musts For The Well-Dressed Soul
Contributed on Oct 8, 2016
Following is a list of accoutrements for the spiritual warrior-think of it as a warrior’s must-have items for walking the ramp of the spiritual fashion show.
Ephesians 6:4 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can ...read more
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3. Let's Talk About Sex
Contributed on Oct 1, 2016
There are significant positive results that make sex a sacred and profound endeavor, one that deserves special treatment. There are also negative consequences associated with sexual promiscuity.
Ephesians 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Let's Talk About Sex Sex is good. The Bible has taught this, literally, from the beginning. God's first commandment ...read more
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4. Thanksgiving Instead Of Bad Words
Contributed on Oct 1, 2016
Impure passions become vehicles we take for a joyride end up like self-driving cars that take us where we don't want to go. They become our lords. But if we pursue purity of action and speech, these same passions become angels that lift us to heaven
Ephesians 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no ...read more
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5. Get Drunk The Right Way
Contributed on Oct 7, 2016
There are addictions that destroy us, like too much wine or other intoxicants, and addictions that make us better. We need to become addicted to the good and throw away the bad, each of us becoming musicians for God
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord Do Not & Do Many recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of drinking a ...read more
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6. Thanks For Everything
Contributed on Oct 7, 2016
We always have a choice of how we respond when things go wrong. Why not thank the One who is always right, even when our circumstances seem wrong, who is always good, even when circumstances are bad.
Day 26 Ephesians 5:20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For a discussion of the benefits of being thankful please see the message in this series on Ephesians 5:4. Today, please notice the emphasis of this exhortation to thankfulness. ...read more
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7. True Freedom
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
What Paul describes here definitely applies to us. Jesus has taken many captives, literally, He lead captivity captive.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” 9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly ...read more
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8. Marriage Is A Very Bad Idea
Contributed on Oct 7, 2016
In marriage, if i look to you to make me happy, i’ll never be happy. If i look to myself and work to become everything i should be, i’ll be happy-maybe never satisfied with my performance, but happy.
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives ...read more
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9. Legal Tender, Or Counterfeit?
Contributed on Sep 30, 2016
We need to get as familiar as possible with the real God of the Bible. Then we'll find it easy to recognize the counterfeits.
Ephesians 4:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the ...read more
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10. Watch Your Walk
Contributed on Oct 7, 2016
Paul says we need to watch how we walk, watch our time, and watch our foolishness. In all this we must discover God’s will for our lives.
Ephesians 5:15 Be very careful (see), then, how you live (walk)—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of (redeeming) every opportunity (time-kronos), because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish (foolish-lacking the inner perspective-watching again-that fails to see ...read more
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11. Raised With Christ For A Purpose
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
we are resurrected with Jesus for His purposes
English 2:6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through ...read more
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12. What To Do While You're Standing
Contributed on Oct 9, 2016
Self-Realization, Marching Orders, Intersession, Consistency, and Freedom through Prayer
Ephesians 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for ...read more
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13. More About Obedience And A Good Day's Work
Contributed on Oct 8, 2016
We are also called to honor and obey our heavenly Father-this is the highest obedience. If obedience to parents or an employer, or a government, is contradictory to obedience to God, we have to make a choice. We must choose to obey God rather than people.
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”[a] 4 Fathers (Parents), ...read more
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14. Models
Contributed on Sep 30, 2016
Paul is suggesting we should not necessarily limit ourselves to colleagues, or instructors or even celebrities, maybe especially celebrities, as our examples. We should look to God.
Ephesians 5:1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. You know those puzzles with a thousand pieces or so? Some are really difficult. If you've ...read more
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15. Remember Who You Were
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
Many people in the Bible seem to carry with them the constant memory of their roots. It reminds him of the goodness and grace of God.
Ephesians 2:11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded ...read more
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16. One
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
Be humble, gentle, patient & loving.Make every effort to keep the unity (do unity)
Ephesians 4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and ...read more
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17. Humility, Suffering, Glory
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
We only see God's greatest work through us when we embrace humility & suffering. Only then we'll see His glory.
Ephesians 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to ...read more
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18. Being In The Inside Group
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
Jesus took that group that had no citizenship in Israel & made them fellow-heirs (not exactly shared citizenship-we'll talk about that next time). So the outside group is now inside the inside group. Then He brought both together as super-insiders. We are all in Christ.
Ephesians 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making ...read more
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19. Light
Contributed on Oct 1, 2016
Paul said “you ARE light”. Jesus said “you are the light of the world”. When we continue to behave like those who live in darkness, we are hiding the light that can transform the world. The only way to enlighten is to be light.
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather ...read more
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20. Prayer For Power, Knowledge And Love
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
Paul prays for the Church, he prays for us, and says God can do more than we ask for or imagine, and he prays for none of the things we may want or expect, nothing even in such categories. He prays we'll have power, knowledge of God and love.
Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. ...read more
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21. Final Greetings
Contributed on Oct 9, 2016
Paul describes Networking, Peace, Love, Faith, and Grace to all with eternal love for Jesus
Ephesians 6:21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. 23 Peace to the brothers and ...read more
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22. One Very Long Sentence
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
Paul introduces our election in Christ as a done deal
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 having ...read more
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23. Foreigner
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
Maybe it's healthy for us to feel like foreigners on a journey to a foreign home. But God is not a foreigner to us. He is the very present Help in time of need, and He has chosen us as His dwelling place. We are the place where He feels most at home.
Ephesians 2:18 Through him [Jesus] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus ...read more
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24. Knowledge By Revelation & Discomfort
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
The best knowledge comes by revelation . . . & God makes us uncomfortable when He does His best work.
Ephesians 3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In ...read more
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25. Gifts To Serve The Church
Contributed on Sep 30, 2016
Evangelists, Prophets, Apostles, and Pastor/Teachers are not exactly authority figures. They are trainers. Good trainers have to be able to set an example. And these trainers are trainers in service.
Ephesians 4:11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, ...read more
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26. Let's Talk About Sex A Bit More & Impurity And Greed
Contributed on Oct 1, 2016
I think all of the things on this list, sexual immorality, unrighteousness and greed all share this component: they devalue something which is invaluable.
Ephesians 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Which is more valuable, the things we buy or the things we receive and give freely? Think about it. We pay a high ...read more
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27. In Christ
Contributed on Sep 28, 2016
What does it mean to be IN CHRIST?
At the beginning of the study I invited you to pay attention to all the times you hear the phrase "In Christ" Today we'll look at that concept. Let's back up Verse 1: to . . . the faithful in Christ Verse 3: God . . . has blessed us in heavenly places in Christ Verse4: . . . chosen in Him . ...read more
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28. Be God's Super-Hero
Contributed on Oct 8, 2016
Since God is our power, or strength, our fortress, our high tower, we can stand-and that is our role in the fight. God takes care of the rest. For us, standing is sometimes difficult. But standing is enough.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world ...read more
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29. Mind Your Language! (The King's Speech)
Contributed on Sep 30, 2016
What we say reflects what is inside. What we say also affects what is inside.When we are careless with our words we grieve God. We also transform ourselves. When we are careful about our words we please God, and are transformed to reflect Him better
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Mind Your ...read more
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30. Put Off & Put On 2
Contributed on Sep 30, 2016
Putting off of old things-like old clothing crusted with mud-we are commanded to put off falsehood and put on truth.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must ...read more