Tabernacle Baptist Church

Here is a man, Luke, a physician, gentile, not an apostle, did not walk with Jesus, but wrote one of the Gospels. He has written more words than any other person in the New Testament.

That’s a man who wants to make the Gospel relevant to gentile people. 

Jesus was born to save the Jews and the Gentiles, men and women, the poor and the rich, to anyone who believes in Him.

Given who you are, with your characteristics, personality, being an extrovert or introvert person, how can you be the light of Christ for this world?

You have a place to be used by God. You are most fulfilled when you are fulfilling the design you were created for.

In the midst of so much uncertainty, Dr. Bob Utley brings a message about the importance of Unity, not Uniformity.

In a season of transition, Scotty Sanders brings a word from God about waiting on Him. 

Let's live and lead each day with the confidence that no matter what the circumstances are, God will be with us.

In his farewell sermon at Tabernacle, Pastor Todd talks about Joshua 1.

The book of Joshua begins with Israel closing one chapter in their history, under one leader (Moses) and opening up to a new chapter under a completely different yet wonderful leader in Joshua. 

Today, we will hear the LORD comfort Joshua and elevate any fear he might have had. In studying this story during a transitional time in Israel’s history we too will find rich application leading into a time of transition as well. 

In the words of Pastor Todd, in this time of transition do not fear, but instead be strong in the LORD, trust in His leadership, His sovereign plan, and His Word.

Our passage this morning comes with a stern warning from Paul not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God. This is important because the intimacy of our relationship with God hinges on this question. Our relationship with God is often presented as that of a husband and a wife. How do you grow in intimacy with your spouse? By learning them and spending time with them. 

Being kind, being tenderhearted, and forgiving one another are characteristics we need to have if we don’t want to grieve the Holy Spirit. It seems overly simplified, but that is being an imitator of Christ. These simple actions are what it looks like to live in holiness because these actions are imitating the life of Christ who lived and walked in holiness.

Paul uses various examples and gives us some real practical do’s and don’ts in our Christian living. So walk in a manner worthy of God’s call by putting off the old and in the Spirit’s power, putting on the new.  Put off the old, avoid becoming callous, avoid dishonesty and speaking the truth, avoid sinful anger, avoid unwholesome speech and all kinds of malice, and put on the new self pursuing righteousness, kindness, and a tender heart are one of the examples Paul says in this text.

This lifestyle can be treacherous and difficult at times, but He is worth it. Your old life will want to hang on forever and drag you with it but God is here and He wants to take care of you. He loves you!

In today’s passage, we see that Christ has given each one of us a gift because of His victory on the cross and He has given each of us a gift that we would build each other up in love. Just like putting the kids' toys together may be frustrating, we are motivated out of love for our children. We are to build one another up in love, yes it is frustrating, yes there is pain, but it is for God’s glory. 

When we serve together as a church, that is the body of Christ functioning properly. We need you. The body of Christ needs you. This kind of service “makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

In chapters 1 to 3, Paul has been laying out a great theology concerning our salvation in Christ. Now based upon this strong theology Paul starts in on hard-hitting life application.

Based upon the truth He discussed, Paul launches into how we are expected to live in response to that powerful Gospel truth. Paul is urging the Ephesians and all those reading this letter to Walk the Talk! He is saying that we need to do what we preach, never being hypocrites. 

We need to walk in a manner worthy of God’s call on our lives by pursuing unity in the body.

Life is easier with help, and there is no better helper than Jesus. There is no one more powerful and no one more capable. He literally can move Heaven and Earth if He so desires. 

Prayer is the means by which we have access to His help. In Ephesians 3, Paul is helping us by encouraging us to access the power of Christ in prayer. For it is by prayer that we allow Jesus to bear our burden.

So pray for spiritual strength and to understand God’s love for you in Christ because He can do infinitely more than you could ever imagine.