This series in Ephesians, exploring the nature and scope of Christ’s church, ends with the question ‘where on earth is the church?’

Our culture defines our freedom as freedom from relationships. We often hear the cry, ?I need more space? as we block, hide or unfriend any space invaders who spoil our visions of freedom. In contrast, the gospel offers us freedom in relationship to God, and to one another. The biblical vision of freedom is to be set free in and for relationship, not from it.

Jesus describes himself as living water and the Holy Spirit as the river of life. These images form a powerful picture of the way the Spirit of Jesus rehydrates our soul and overflows into the lives of those around us. 

Feeding on Jesus as the bread of life is what separates people who follow Jesus as part of the crowd from those who are true disciples.

The command to "be holy" found in Leviticus is more than just a command to life a moral life. In fact it is the gateway to fellowship with an absolutely holy God.

In this section of teaching Jesus draws us deep into the relationship between himself and God the Father, in the inner life of God. This helps us understand the identity of Jesus and live as his followers.

The conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman was a small taste of how Jesus brings the new creation to all aspects of life. New creation is both personal and cosmic involving all of creation. It is all of God, all of grace and sustained by a life of worship.

In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus describes the way in which the gospel makes a claim on every individual life. The grand story of redemption ultimately requires a response at an individual level, through entrusting our lives to Jesus. 

The miracle of Jesus turning water into wine is a demonstration that Jesus has come to bring about the long-awaited return from exile, and a pointer toward the yet-to-come wedding banquet when he returns again.