The gospel impacts every area of our lives. As we continue in Ephesians this Sunday, the Apostle Paul applies his exhortation to submission in two significant places—our home and our work. We'll see how our union with Christ transforms our relationships with our parents and our bosses.
It's tough to follow Jesus when we're surrounded by people who don't—particularly when it comes to issues concerning sexuality. How can we faithfully live as light in the darkness? That's what our passage is all about this week.
How do people change? How do you change? Make a new year's resolution? Finding a new experience? Turn over a new leaf? In our passage this Sunday, we'll see more specifically how a Christian's union with Jesus Christ transforms our identity and enables us to live together as "members one of another."
What makes a church grow? Is it up to the pastor or a specific music style or a kind of program? We come this Sunday to a significant transition in Ephesians. From "grace in" to "grace out" or generally, from teaching to application. How does our union with Christ work out into unity with one another? And this Sunday, how does our union with Christ grow us in maturity together?
The Apostle Paul has, so far in Ephesians, offered an incredible vision of how God's grace in Christ saves his people and unites them in the church. Yet the reality often falls short of this beautiful picture. We need God's help to live this out! How? That's what this Sunday's passage is all about.
If you're looking for a perfect church in Boston, you won't find one--Ruggles included, of course. Praise God that Jesus loves imperfect churches! This summer we're going to see how Jesus loves his struggling people through his letters to the 7 churches in Revelation 2-3, through words of commendation and a call to repent. We begin with the church at Ephesus. We'll see that it's possible to have right doctrine but lack love.
