When Jesus rose from the dead early that morning, a brand new world was born. Everything changed, not just for Jesus, but for us, too. For as we shall see this morning, his resurrection gives to us a new start, a new hope, a new perspective, and a new friend. In these troubled days, what could be better news than that?

Midway through this seminal letter on the purposes of God in the history of the world, the apostle Paul pauses (again) to pray. What does Paul pray for? He prays that his readers would plant their roots deep in the soil of God’s inexhaustible love, and that God would be glorified in his Church throughout all generations. Let us consider the incredible power of these truths for God’s ecclesia here in Cave Creek.

Alongside the revolutionary message the Jesus was raised from the dead, and that we, by faith in him, are given forgiveness and a brand new life (Eph 2:1-10), there was an equally revolutionary event happening in the 1st century: former enemies were united together as communities of love, acceptance and forgiveness (Eph 2:11-22). A brand new family was born: the ecclesia of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians opens with a grand vision of God’s ultimate plan for the entire universe: the uniting together of heaven and earth under King Jesus’ rule (1:10). And while this is our ultimate future, at the present time, Jesus is ruling over the universe with the Church as his Body on the earth (1:22f). What an audacious vision! But how do we personally fit into that plan? Today we will find out….

The book of Ephesians opens by tackling four of the biggest question of life: 1) Do I really matter? 2) What is wrong with the world? 3) What is the meaning of life? 4) What happens when we die? Let’s conclude our survey of these critical issues by considering both secular and scriptural answers to these profound and troubling questions.

The book of Ephesians opens by tackling four of the biggest question of life: 1) Do I really matter? 2) What is wrong with the world? 3) What is the meaning of life? 4) What happens when we die? Let’s conclude our survey of these critical issues by considering both secular and scriptural answers to these profound and troubling questions.

The book of Ephesians opens with an extended doxology which praises God for giving us answers to life's biggest question, two of which we will explore today: The Question of Significance -- do I really matter?; and The Question of Shame -- what is the matter with me? How do you answer the question of your significance, and the problem of your shame? What answers do the Scriptures give us to these deep philosophical questions? We'll explore them this morning.

For the past few years, we have been reflecting on the idea intrinsic to the Scriptural story that we live in a beautiful creation, broken by human rebellion, and rescued by God’s grace, in order to bring about new creation both now and in the future. Central to God’s plan, as we will discover in this study in the book of Ephesians, is the creation of a brand new community, a brand new humanity, a “called-out” people who are to be the living witnesses of this new creation. Who are these people? The Church.

In our annual Cowboy Christmas Eve Service, we retell the story of Jesus' birth, we sing the great carols of Christmas, and we ask the question, "Who Was Jesus?" and "Why Did Jesus Come?"

Why did Jesus come into the world? Was it to show us God’s love? Was it to teach us a better way to live? These are important, of course. But John tells us that Jesus had a very specific goal for entering the human race: he wanted to give us “the right to become children of God.” What does this mean? Let’s find out this morning.