Ephesians: Be Filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18

“Be filled with the Spirit.” What does that mean? In the wider Church, the Holy Spirit often gets either restricted to just producing virtue or He is credited for doing bizarre confusing works. What are the manifestations of the Spirit? When Christians are filled with the Spirit what should be expected? Is the Spirit still at work today the way He was 2000 years ago in the early Church? Are we filled with the Spirit? What works do we do that cannot be explained in any other way than by the Holy Spirit? This message will essentially explore what it means to be filled with the Spirit and why it’s so important in accomplishing the mission of the Church to reconcile people to God.

Ephesians: Wisdom on Drinking

Ephesians 5:18

As Ren unpacks Ephesians 5:18 over the next 3 weeks, this talk addresses the first part, “do not get drunk,” and explores the matter of drinking alcohol. Pastor Scott shares not only the Word but opens up on some of his own life and present crisis of conscience in this area, as the pandemic isolation has allowed more time to examine every aspect of life, a season of rethinking everything one does and thinks.

This message asks questions such as these: is drinking okay? Is it not only permitted but blessed and encouraged by God? What does the Bible really teach about the use of alcohol? Does God intend Christians to enjoy the effects of alcohol in a moderate way? What is moderate? How much is too much? Is it possible to feel the effects of alcohol and be filled with the Spirit? Or is this verse suggesting they are opposing fountains? 

Ephesians: The Lord's Will

Ephesians 5:17

How do we know the Lord’s will? How do we prepare ourselves to hear it?  In the context of Ephesians, Pastor John Michaelson shares eight practical questions we can ask ourselves to hear God’s will and apply a biblical framework to decision making.

Ephesians: Redeem the Time!

Ephesians 5:15-16

This message is a clear call to be thoughtful in the way we live in every area of our lives. That we would orient our lifestyles around the pursuit of God and the interests of God—“making the best use of the time” (Eph 5:15). Each of us are given opportunities and we choose what we do with them. We choose how we live. We choose what we prioritize. We choose whether or not we will give the Lord the best of what we have or the scraps. One of the great motivations to give our all is because “the days are evil” (Eph 5:16). We are in a spiritual war and Satan rages against us daily in an effort to lead us astray. In this generation, as the divine clock winds down, many Christians are falling away, as Jesus predicted. This message is a strong sober call to spiritual arms in light of the very real danger of being swept away by the subtle schemes of the forces of darkness. 

Ephesians: Awake O Sleeper!

Ephesians 5:11-14

Many Christians are asleep in the light. They take part in the “unfruitful works of darkness” but, because they are sleeping, are unaware or unconcerned. Because they live like the world they cannot expose the darkness of the world; darkness cannot illuminate darkness. They have no burning and shining light in them that draws people to God. This message is a wake-up call to the sleeper. It’s a call to arise and be the light of the world! We are called to be different from the world, to boldly expose the sins of our generation and to reflect Jesus Christ, so that those in darkness will be reconciled to God.

Ephesians: Pleasing God

Ephesians 5:10

Since the beginning of the story of humans there has always been a concern to please or appease the Creator. You find it in virtually every culture in every generation. The ideas of what pleases God are profoundly diverse and conflicting. The God revealed in the Bible doesn’t want us to merely guess what pleases Him but wants us to be sure. The Scriptures reveal clearly what pleases God and what does not. This message not only reminds us that God has made it clear but also explores what kind of heart pleases the Lord. 

Ephesians: Sin and Wrath

Ephesians 5:5-9 

From every direction, the world attempts to bring us into agreement with its way of viewing things. We are told that things the Bible defines as sin are not sin. What people of God have called sin for thousands of years is now denied or downplayed, and in some cases, celebrated. In these verses, God is urging us through the apostle to not be deceived by empty words. The Scriptures not only condemn much of what is considered normal and natural to practice in society—sex before marriage, homosexuality, bisexuality, lusting in the heart, filthy talk, and so on—but God says that “because of these things the wrath of God comes”. We live in a day when good is called evil and evil is called good. Few people seem to realize that there are consequences for sin beyond the grave. This message is essentially about the importance of seeing the seriousness and sinfulness of sin so we do not casually or ignorantly partner with it. 

Ephesians: New Language

Ephesians 5:4

God is calling us to a different standard even in our casual conversations with one another. So much conversation in locker rooms, at lunch tables, in the break room at work, at social gatherings, and so on, is considered by God to be filthy, foolish or crude. Not only should we never initiate this kind of talk, we should not partner with it. This requires wisdom and will inevitably put a strain on relationships. In contrast to this unsavory language, the Christian should be filled with the new language of thankfulness. This teaching defines the sort of language we should avoid as followers of Jesus and how a new language of gratitude is formed.

Ephesians: Sexual Purity

Ephesians 5:3 

We live in a generation with unprecedented sexual temptation. Inappropriate content is not only easy to find but it aggressively finds us. It comes at us from every direction. As a result, many of God’s people have fallen into deep dark struggles. Some carry a burden of bondage and guilt daily. The Christian sexual ethic stands in stark contrast to what is generally acceptable in society. The standard of purity that God intends for His people goes way beyond just outward abstinence. As new creatures in Christ a whole new way of thinking emerges. The mind is renewed and people we may be physically attracted to are no longer viewed lustfully as objects but, rather, with honor as people made in God’s image. Sex is good. It is designed by God to deepen intimacy between a man and woman in the covenant of marriage. It is holy and not to be trifled with or cheapened. This message is a clear call to sexual purity with practical instructions on how to live pure in a sex-crazed society.

Ephesians: Forgiving Each Other

Ephesians 4:32

Remembering our God’s great works of the past enables us to trust God for tomorrow so that we may be faithful to our Lord today. The Lord calls us to be faithful daily by forgiving others as we have been forgiven.