Archive for June 2019

1 Kings 11, Psalm 119:49-56, Luke 2:21-40, Ephesians 4:1-16 Ephesians 4:1-16: How do we maintain and further the unity of the church? Five principles of unity emerge from this amazing section of Paul’s teaching. First, focus on the calling that you have received. Our unity in Christ is furthered as we reflect on Christ and…

1 Kings 9-10, Psalm 119:41-48, Luke 2:1-20, Ephesians 3:14-21 Ephesians 3:14-21: What a prayer! What do we learn from this prayer of Paul’s? We learn that the gospel motivates praying. “For this reason.” What reason? The reason is the truth and power of the gospel. A people that love the gospel will be a praying…

1 Kings 6-7, Psalm 119:25-32, Luke 1:57-66, Ephesians 2:11-22 Ephesians 2:11-22: At the start of chapter 2 of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians [note we did Ephesians 3:1-13 yesterday, and the start of chapter 2 the day before], Paul described the beauty and power of the gospel. But what are the practical implications of this…

1 Kings 8, Psalm 119:33-40, Luke 1:67-80, Ephesians 3:1-13 Ephesians 3:1-13: When we think of the word “mystery,” we often think of something “mysterious,” perhaps a whodunit or a magic and sorcery movie or a strange ghostly apparition of some kind. But, for Paul and in the Bible generally, the word “mystery” tends to have…

1 Kings 4-5, Psalm 119:17-24, Luke 1:39-56, Ephesians 2:1-10 Ephesians 2:1-10: This is one of the most glorious summaries of the gospel in the New Testament. What are the 10 key components of this gospel? First, outside of Christ we are dead. How often is this message diluted! Around us, according to Paul, are the walking dead! A…

1 Kings 2-3, Psalm 119:9-16, Luke 1:26-38, Ephesians 1:15-23 Ephesians 1:15-23: When we listen to godly men and women pray, it is worth observing exactly how they pray and what they pray. How much more so when we have the opportunity to overhear the apostle Paul pray, as he prays here in this second half of chapter 1…

1 Kings 1, Psalm 119:1-8, Luke 1:1-25, Ephesians 1:1-14 Ephesians 1:1-14: We often think of election – or the choice of God – as some negative or nefarious idea snuck in by conniving overly complicated theologians to the detriment of the simple truth of the Bible. But here as we come to Ephesians chapter 1…