Hills Church

“From Him the whole body… grows and builds itself up in love.” — Ephesians 4:16

Have you ever thought about how much a ligament does? It’s not the part anyone notices, but without it, the body can’t function. That’s the picture Paul gives us of the Church.

Each of us has a unique place in the body of Christ. We’re not meant to do life or ministry alone—we’re designed to support one another, giving and receiving encouragement as we grow together. Our differences don’t divide us; they’re part of God’s beautiful design.

Most importantly, Jesus is the head of the body. He is the one who gives us life, purpose, healing, and direction. As we stay connected to Him, we become steady and mature, rooted in His love rather than tossed around by life’s challenges.

This week, take a moment to thank God for the people who support you—and ask Him how you can be a “supporting ligament” for someone else.

Based on Ephesians 3

Ephesians 2:11-3:15

Paul reminds the Ephesian churches to remember who they were without Christ and who they now are 'in Christ'. Once they were outsiders, without hope, excluded from God’s covenant people, and divided from one another. But through the blood of Jesus, those who were far away have been brought near. In Christ, pride is dismantled, hostility is destroyed, and a new humanity is formed. The church becomes God’s dwelling place, built together on Christ the cornerstone. Paul reveals that this unity is part of God’s eternal and mysterious plan. This passage calls us to deep humility, costly reconciliation, and shared life across difference. God’s eternal plan is not isolated believers, but one family displaying his wisdom, peace, and grace to the world.

Interviews with 3 Members of our congregation on their journeys becoming a father as well as being a son both to their earthly fathers and our heavenly Father.

On Sunday we heard stories about growing numbers of teenagers having bible studies in their schools, these groups are growing by simply ‘just reading the bible and talking about it’. "As you seek to grow in Christ by becoming a deeper human, accept and embrace the truth that you will go deeper with Christ no further than you go into Scripture. To read Scripture is to read of Christ. To read it is to hear his voice. And to hear his voice of comfort and counsel is to hear an invitation to become the human being God has destined you to be.” Dane Ortland

Here’s a simple way for you, or a group of friends to discover God’s truth without having a leader or a theological degree. (Often called Bible Discovery Method)

1. Choose a short passage (5-10 verses)
2. Ask Holy Spirit to be present in your reading and discussion
3. Read it aloud, then ask someone else to read it aloud again
4. Ask someone to retell the story from memory
5. Silently everyone read the passage again
6. Stay focused on this one passage and ask
1. “What do you see?"
2. “What does this say about God?"
3. “What does this say about people?"
4. “What is God saying to you?"

 This week, why not try it with your friends?

Ephesians 2:1–10 raises three questions: 

• what life was like before Jesus?
• how someone became a Christ follower?
• what life has been like since?

Before we knew Jesus, we were spiritually lost, following our own desires and the patterns of the world, unable to rescue ourselves. Ephesians 2 reminds us that apart from Christ we were dead in sin and separated from God. But the good news of the gospel is found in two powerful words: “But God.” Because of His great love, rich mercy, and amazing grace, God made us alive with Christ. Salvation is not something we can earn through good works; it is God’s gift, received through faith in Jesus.

Through Christ, our position has changed forever. We are forgiven, made alive, raised with Him, and given a new identity as God’s beloved people. We no longer live under guilt, shame, or fear, but in the freedom of His love and the hope of eternal life.

As we remember Jesus’ sacrifice, we are called to respond with gratitude, repentance, and obedience, living as testimonies of His grace and doing the good works He has prepared for us.

Each fresh glimpse of God draws new praise. Paul’s prayer in Ephesians flows from this same vision of God’s greatness and grace. Because God has blessed His people, adopted them as His children, given them His Spirit, and brought them into life in Christ, Paul responds with thanksgiving and intercession for the church.

He prays that believers would receive wisdom and revelation by the Spirit so they may know God better, grasp the hope of His calling, understand the riches of His glorious inheritance in His people, and experience His incomparable power. This is the same power that raised Christ from the dead and placed Him above every authority as head over the church.

The message is that worship should lead to prayer, and prayer should deepen the church’s understanding of who God is and who we are in Christ. Christian maturity and holy living flow from this identity. The church is God’s idea, God’s inheritance, and God’s instrument in the world. Therefore, believers are called to pray with expectation, encourage one another, and live in the reality of God’s power and purpose together.

Ephesians opens by teaching us to start with God. In a city like Ephesus—busy, influential, wealthy, and deeply shaped by pagan worship—Paul reminds believers that their identity is not rooted in culture, success, reputation, or even religious activity, but in being in Christ. Paul introduces himself as an apostle by the will of God, and he addresses the church as faithful people who belong to God. Right from the beginning, the focus is on what God has done, not on human effort.

In verses 3–14, Paul erupts in praise. He celebrates that in Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing: He chose us, loved us, adopted us, redeemed us through Jesus’ blood, forgave our sins, revealed His will, and sealed us with the Holy Spirit. These are not distant promises only for heaven; they are present spiritual realities shaping our lives now.

This is deeply important because it is possible to be active in faith and yet drift from intimacy with Jesus. The Ephesian church would later be warned in Revelation that they had left their first love. Paul’s words call us back to worship, wonder, and relationship. Our greatest treasure is not what we achieve for God, but what God has graciously given us in Christ. As we remember His love, our hearts are awakened again to praise Him and live for His glory.

Life can get busy. Even good things—work, relationships, celebrations and achievements—can fill our minds. Then there are the hard things: pain, confusion, disappointment and questions. Before we realise it, our attention can slowly drift from Jesus. Paul said, “I resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” What if we made that our focus too?

Jesus is not just one part of our lives. He is everything. He is our Creator, Redeemer, Restorer and Prince of Peace. And when we want to know what God is like, we can look to Jesus. He reveals the Father’s heart perfectly.

The beautiful truth is that Jesus doesn’t turn away when we do. He pursues us, meets us in our brokenness and makes a way for us to come near. In Him, we are holy, flawless and restored. So this week, take a moment to pause and remember Jesus. Who is He to you? What has He done in your life? What would change if He became the focus of your heart again?

There may be many things competing for our attention, but there is no one like Jesus.

Life has a way of confronting us with questions we can't answer. We experience disappointment, loss, sickness, or uncertainty, and it's easy to wonder what God is doing. In those moments, we can be tempted to focus on what we don't know rather than on who God is.

The Bible reminds us that God is sovereign. He sees the beginning from the end, and His plans are never caught off guard. While we may not understand His ways, we can trust His heart. Everything He does is shaped by His perfect goodness, wisdom, mercy, and love.

Psalm 23 gives us a beautiful picture of this truth. The sovereign Lord is also our Shepherd. He leads us, restores us, guides us, and stays close through every valley we face. His presence doesn't remove every hardship, but it does give us peace and confidence that we never walk alone.

Perhaps today you're waiting for answers or carrying questions that haven't been resolved. Take comfort in knowing that God is still at work, even when you can't yet see the bigger picture. His goodness continues to pursue you, His faithfulness never fails, and His love never changes.

This week, may we choose to trust the Shepherd, praise Him in every season, and rest in the assurance that He is always faithful.