Rainier Valley Church - Seattle

Ephesians 1:15-23

Pastor Kyle Van Tine

July 12, 2020

C.S. Lewis once wrote: “The world rings with praise-- lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game. ..I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.”

As Christians we have so much to sing praise about because we are chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and assured by the Spirit.

Learn about how when you're in Christ, you have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places from Ephesians 1:3-14.

This morning we begin a new study in the book of Ephesians. Ephesians focuses on who we are in Christ (Position) and how we are to live in Christ (Practice). Come learn with us and rekindle a white-hot love and devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. We will be studying Acts 19, Ephesians 1:1-2, and Revelation 2:4-6.

The one concern of the devil is to keep you and I prayerless.
“Satan dreads nothing but prayer. His one concern is to keep the saints from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, he mocks our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray. It turns ordinary mortals into men of power. It brings power. It brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God.” - Samuel Chadwick

5 Resolutions from the Lord's Prayer
1.Resolve to Spend Time Daily with the Father (6:9)
2.Resolve to Seek the Kingdom in Seattle (6:10)
3.Resolve to Trust God with My Needs (6:11)
4.Resolved to be an Example of Forgiveness (6:12)
5.Resolved to Fight against the schemes of the Evil one (6:13)

“the most segregated hour in America is 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning.” - MLK Tragically, the effects of hundreds of years of slavery and the legacy of segregation created canyons of pain and distrust. Additionally, the political, social, and media intensive divisions. This morning, let's remember that Jesus has torn down the walls of hostility between racial and culture divides by bringing forgiveness, healing and reconciliation to a broken and divided world.

This morning Pastor Kyle Van Tine shares a pastoral word based on the current cultural moment with the death of George Floyd and the resulting riots in Seattle and throughout the country this week.

In the beginning God worked and He created mankind in his image to work. There is a dignity, a toil, and redemption in our work. How is work a form of worship? How does it connect to our spiritual life? What wisdom does the book of Proverbs have to share with us about our work?

Thinking about the Importance of the Ascension in the Christian Life during this season. 

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippines 2:8-11) 

8 Therefore it says,“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (Ephesians 2:8) 

Reflecting on some thoughts and insights from the Elder Team about the schemes of the enemy against us and our church family.  

2 Cor 2:11"...so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs."

Dwelling in 1 Cor 13's teaching on the importance of love.