BBC Sermon Cast

The ascension of the Lord Jesus is one of the most important events in the Christian calendar, though it is not always recognised as such. The Lord gave promises regarding His ascension, and because the ascension is His ultimate victory cry over His enemies, it is an important ground of confidence for the believer.

In our previous study of Ephesians, we examined quite deliberately the opening half of this verse. Though not being drunk with wine is not the main point of the passage, understanding this exhortation is nonetheless paramount if we will understand the importance of this second half and all that follows. In essence, what Paul is saying is that now that we are Christians, we are no longer to waste our lives; rather, we are to worship with our lives.

We will examine this verse by asking three questions of it: (1) What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? (2) Why are we to be filled with the Spirit? and (3) How are we to be filled with the Spirit?

Psalm 32 is one in which David rejoices because of forgiveness experienced at the hand of a gracious God. For readers of this psalm, it presents a truth to be celebrated, and a truth to be applied.

Psalm 31 seems to be a psalm that is not particularly well-known in our day. It is not one that is frequently cited. And yet it is a psalm that speaks directly to an issue with which we are all very familiar: shame. In this psalm, we read of David’s war against shame, in which he employed a threefold attack.

Nothing spreads the aroma of Christ around the home like humility. Every believer who would seek to build up their family in Christ must, like Christ, put on the apron of a servant.

When confronted by the complexities and anxieties of life our response is always informed by what we know and believe to be true and reliable. We pull out our coping mechanisms to get us through the tough spot. Our text this week teaches us that there is no better way through our worries than taking it to the Lord in prayer.

We live in a pluralistic age, in which every person serves his own god. Christians, who stand for the truth of the one, true God, are often viewed with suspicion and even opposed for their affirmation of this truth. In Daniel 6, we learn from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego how to stand for God’s truth in a pluralistic society—even when we are opposed.

Daniel 6 records one of the most well-known stories in all of Scripture—the account of Daniel in the lion’s den. Among other things, this story teaches us how Christians can live an uncompromised life in a compromising world.

In Psalm 29, David calls all other gods—and those who worship other gods—to submit and bow to the true God, and as he does so, he gives three reasons that Yahweh, the true and only God of glory, deserves our worship. He deserves to be worshipped because he is supreme (vv. 1–2), because he speaks (vv. 3–9), and because he is sovereign (vv. 10–11).

In Ephesians 4, Paul exhorts his readers to walk in unity. In the opening six verses, he develops three truths

regarding this worthy walk: (1) The call to walk in unity (v. 1); (2) the characteristics of a walk in unity (vv. 2–

3); and (3) the cause of a walk in unity (vv. 4–6).