In an effort to maintain the unity of the church during a crisis, the Apostle Paul encourages the Ephesians to minimize the conflict that naturally occurs during a crisis by focusing on less on their differences and more on their similarities. As they did this and continued to fulfill the special role that God had given them, then they would be able to maintain unity during the crisis. We are presently facing a crisis and it is only natural for believers to create conflict with one another. As a result, our unity is being broken, which means Paul’s counsel to the Ephesians is very relevant for us today. Considering what and Who we have in common, there is no reason for our differences to divide us. Also, considering that God has given both church leaders and believers a special work to do, there is no reason why a crisis has to hinder this special work from continuing. The body of Christ, our local congregation, and the larger Christian community can maintain good health, continue to grow, and be full of love despite a crisis. With these things in mind, let’s adjust our focus away from the crisis and onto being a united congregation.

It's only natural for us to focus primarily on ourselves during a time of crisis. What we think, feel, want, or need seems to be at the forefront of our minds, so much so that we forget to consider and value what other people think, feel, want, or need. Additionally, during a time of crisis people tend to share their opinions about how to move forward, even if no one else is asking for their opinion. And so, amidst all the self-focus and opinionating that occurs during a crisis why so much conflict tends to occur. Everyone is speaking, but no one is listening. Everyone wants others to understand them, but no one is taking time to understand other people. It's a viscious cycle that God wants us to avoid. In Ephesians 3, Paul reminds us that through the church God wants to show the world that unity amidst diversity is possible, even during a crisis. In fact, it's during a crisis when that unity is needed most. In this sermon, Pastor Mike will share why don't experience unity amidst diversity as often as we should and what we can do to cultivate during a crisis.

In a time of crisis, persecution, or temptation it is only natural for us to forget who we are spiritually-speaking. Our physical circumstances can cause us to forget who we used to be, how God saved us, and how much He has changed us. It is only natural in those times to feel like our best days are behind us, but in Ephesians 2 we learn that our best days are still ahead of us because of who we are in Christ. Truth is, that we are not defined by our circumstances. We are defined by Who lives in us and He says that we are holy, we are family, and that we are part of something bigger than us. That's who we are in Christ and as long as we maintain faith in Christ that aspect of our reality will never change. This should give us hope and the strength to get through whatever crisis we are presently facing.

A time of crisis, persecution, or temptation can make us question who God is, how our experience fits into His plan, and what greater purpose our experience is fulfilling. This is our natural response and it is motivated by what we can sense in the physical realm, but in Ephesians 1 Paul is asking us to adjust our focus and to look into the spiritual realm to see God for who He really is. And when we do we will realize that God is very kind and has blessed us immensely. He has gone to great links to make us a part of His family. Therefore, we can rest assured that His plan and purpose for our lives and the world-at-large are being accomplished even when we don't understand how. The very best thing that we can do in times of crisis, persecution, or temptation is to pray for spiritual insight and spiritual strength. God is more than willing to give us the insight and strength we need to get through whatever crisis we are presently facing. Our response is to choose to trust, believe, and praise Him regardless of our circumstances.

There is more to our reality than what we can see with our physical eyes. The Apostle Paul was one of a few people who caught a glimpse of life behind the curtain and it’s in his letter to the Ephesians that he shares his insights with us. In this letter, the Holy Spirit’s influence in our lives is emphasized because it is through the Holy Spirit that our spiritual connection with God is restored and it is through the Holy Spirit that we are able to combat the spiritual darkness that motivates much of our visible world. Today, I challenge each of us, just as Paul did, to open our eyes to see reality as it truly exists and to develop greater consistency in our prayers. As we pray, I know that the opposition we face will be broken and that the way we view our “enemies” will change. God has a great plan and purpose that will be accomplished no matter what. We should consider ourselves privileged to participate in its fulfillment, just as Paul did.

In this series, we will study Paul's letter to the Ephesians. In it, we will see how Paul encourages the Ephesians to adjust their focus. On earth, the Ephesians were facing persecution and temptation, but this is not what Paul wanted them to focus on. Paul wanted them to focus on their spiritual reality and in doing so they would begin to see their situation differently. In our day and age, especially considering the trials we are currently facing, it is easy for us to focus on our physical reality. In doing so, we tend to forget what God is like, who He made us be, and what His purpose and plan are. In this light, Paul's message to the Ephesians is incredibly relevant for us today. For the next several weeks we will adjust our focus and in doing so, find the strength to make it through the trial or temptation we are presently facing.

Galatians 6:1-10

As Paul wraps up his conversation with the Galatians he continues to describe how Spirit-led Christians are to relate to one another. In the community of believers no one is immune to temptation. Everyone gets caught in a sticky situation once in awhile. In those moments, it’s easy to forget that freedom is but a few words away and that there are others willing to help us. For sure, there are consequences for our actions, but as we make more and more Spirit-led choices we are going to find that those sticky situations occur less frequently. God wants us to live in freedom, but this freedom was designed within a larger community, so that we are able to help one another stay on track.

Sanctification is a foundational truth.

While salvation is the beginning of the spiritual awakening that God births in our lives, it is certainly not the end. God’s ultimate goal is to make us more like Jesus. Therefore, growth is the goal. The freedom that God gives us as a result of our faith in Jesus was intended to give us room to grow. Growth can be painful as we stop sinful actions and begin valuing the things that God values. It is this change in values that fuels the development of Christ-like character in our lives. In Galatians 5, Paul gives us a list of things to stop and a list of character traits we can start as we continue to walk freely with God.

In chapter 4, Paul changes directions slightly. He has previously been talking primarily about our justification through Jesus, but he now shifts gears to talk about another very important aspect of our salvation: what it means to be adopted children and heirs of God. In this sermon, we will consider an important truth from Paul: We are no longer slaves to our former lives of sin because we have been adopted as God’s children, and everything God the Father does for his Son, he will do also for us.