We're taking a three week break from Ephesians to talk about the most wonderful time of year - Christmas! If I told you life's deepest questions could be answered in the Christmas story, would you believe me? Because it's true. Today we start with the question - Does God really care? The answer is in the details that surround us every December but steeped in baking and buying and all things free shipping, we're missing it.

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Walk by any magazine rack and you'll be told how to live your best life now. But no matter how many different methods you try, they will fail. I'm sorry, not sorry, to say it but grocery store aisle headlines will always lead to unmet expectations. But there is a place that won't. A word that won't. A method that no matter how much you try, will never fail you.

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We're looking at a fascinating verse today. Ephesians 3:10 states, “So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” Say what? That's right, apparently, we aren't the only ones paying attention. It's food for thought this lovely Thanksgiving week. So if you're ready, let's dig a little deeper.

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Whether it’s a cry for help or confusion or a lack of understanding, behind each scenario is the rising epidemic of entitlement. Meaning, I can do what I want. I deserve to be happy. And you can’t say nothin’ about it.

An attitude so far opposite of God, it leads to all kinds of problems. (If only we understood this.) But the apostle Paul had no such attitude. Prior to praying yet again for the Ephesian believers he pauses in the first part of chapter three to clarify a few things. It’s as if he was ready to break into prayer but at the last minute decides a tangent is needed. And it's beautiful and inspiring and such a great reminder to us in this crazy world we live in today.

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God uses tough stuff to expand our faith and draw us closer to Him, which is the ultimate goal seeing as there is nothing more satisfying than the presence of God, right? So why do we get so down and out when things turn sour? Why are we so quick to think God’s rejected us? He isn’t going to reject us any more than my children are going to reject a box of donuts. A silly thought, right? God hasn’t chosen, adopted, blessed, redeemed, and forgiven us just so He can hang us out to dry. On the contrary, He’s going to use every type of circumstance as an opportunity to draw us closer.

Yet we fret. But the Apostle Paul has set a great example for us to take note of. We're diving into Ephesians 3:1 today and I pray it offers you some sweet encouragement my friend. God hasn't left you - he's right there with you.

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In Christ, God doesn’t just make our acquaintance or add us to a roster or offer us a room in the servant’s quarters – he makes us part of his family. Adopting us as his own children. And if that isn't amazing then I don't know what is.

Ephesians 2:19 says very believer is both a citizen of heaven and a member of God’s household, equal in God’s sight. So today not only are we digging a little deeper, we're having a little family chat.

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When you read the Bible, there’s no arguing against the fact that God chose the Israelites to be His special people. Israel was and still is God’s chosen nation. God loved and chose Israel as a fulfillment of the promise He gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

A promise that began with Abraham before he even displayed an ounce of faith. A promise made with the intention of actually blessing all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:3), not just the Jews. A promise fulfilled through Christ, bringing us into the picture. Handing us the same responsibility the Jews had. Yet I fear we are just as prejudice as they were. We may say the gospel is for everyone but do we mean it? Hold onto your hats ladies and gents because we're about to dive a little deeper into Ephesians 2:11-18.

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We’re in Ephesians 2:8-10 today. A passage many of us probably know well and may even have memorized. Yet with God’s word there’s always something new on the horizon. So today whether you're working at home with littles bombarding your every minute or your working out or working hard at a job you may or may not love, I pray you are deeply encouraged.

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So what has God ever done for me? Caught in a web of unmet expectations maybe you’ve asked that very question. Wondering why YOU have to be the forgotten one. The only one in the world whose prayers apparently bounce off the ceiling hitting you square in the nose. It feels like that sometimes doesn’t it? It’s OK, we can be honest here. Life can feel lonely and unfair, giving us need for a little reminding every now and again. Which is exactly what Paul does for us today. We're in Ephesians 2:4-7 and I think you're going to love it.

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I don’t think we should be surprised by the ways of the world today. The lack of respect across the board in just about everything from athletes who won’t stand for the American flag to kids who won’t give their teacher the time of day, saddens me, but doesn’t shock me.

But here's the thing. If it weren't for Christ, we'd be there too. Following the ways of this world. Because the reality is we all started the same way - dead in our trespasses and sins. It's how the Apostle Paul starts chapter two of Ephesians so we're wasting no time and diving in today too. And I'll tell you, it's absolutely a miracle story we need to be sharing.

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