Grace Baptist Santa Clarita: Service Podcast

The young church in Colossae had found itself at a point where false teaching was infiltrating their community. This short letter, inspired by God and written by Paul, is delivered to guard the Colossians from the potential danger of heresy through the means of rooting them in the truth of Christ. As we prayerfully study and meditate on the identity and work of Jesus Christ, God will turn our understanding of Christ into deep convictions – deep convictions that will protect the church from error and cause the church to joyfully make Christ central to all we do.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” What a wonderful invitation! And when we realize that these are the words of Jesus, they become all the more powerful. So how are we doing? Do we consider this offer to be just a theory? Do we see it as something that awaits us in heaven, but is unrealistic while here on earth? I hope not. Our ability to rest is important to God, probably more than we realize, and it brings Him honor when we embrace it. Today we will learn where to find true rest for our souls.

When Christ died on our behalf, it was as if we were on the cross, bearing the punishment for our sin. In Christ we died to our old life, but in Christ, the Holy Spirit has taken up residence within us. Now it is no longer we who live, but Christ living in us. How does the truth of the Gospel change your day-to-day? Are you in any danger of placing your hope in something other than Jesus Christ? This world offers us life that in the end leads to death. Jesus offers us death in Him that will lead us to life. How does the church participate in the life of Christ and also in the death of Christ?

The “armor of God” is made up of several means through which the Spirit of God strengthens the people of God to engage in the mission of Christ through the Church to the world. As Paul finishes his letter to the church in Ephesus, he exhorts them concerning faith as the shield against Satan’s arrows, the way an understanding of salvation guards the mind like a helmet, and the foundational place that the Word of God plays in growing us to be more and more like Christ.

One of the most distinctive things about Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is the “armor of God” described in chapter 6. But too often we fail to see that the “battle” we face is not only outside the church! Perhaps it is even better, and more in keeping with Paul’s theme, to see his instructions here as meant to help the church stand strong against division. As we study the armor, we will see that it is through truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, and the Word that God the Spirit strengthens us to “maintain the unity of the Spirit” and stand firm against the divisive schemes of the devil.

Does God matter? This question too often goes unasked today. Fewer and fewer are considering God as essential to their lives. But as technology increasingly takes hold of us, we often find ourselves aching for something that will fill up our souls, give us purpose, and bring us peace. And when we encounter tragedy and suffering … well, there’s simply no app for that! So where do we turn? Is life just the progressive consequence of trillions of chemical reactions and processes? Are we nothing more than a collection of exotic atomic bits? Or are we something more, with the privilege of knowing our Creator and finding life as he meant it to be? Let’s find out …

In Ephesians, Paul not only unpacks the theological truth of the gospel but demonstrates how this truth should have a bearing on the new community that Christ is forming; one that is united in Christ. Though we are ultimately called to submit to Christ, we are also called to recognize the authority structures that God has placed over us: Paul addresses the marriage relationship, the relationship between children and parents and finally the relationship between masters and servants. This weekend we will wrestle with Paul’s call to examine our performance and our hearts in the workplace. He will admonish both those with authority and those under authority to view their work under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Throughout history, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper has been understood as a family meal, a time when those connected to Christ revel in their connectedness with one another. Yet, sadly, the Supper has also been the subject of great division in the church as some have made too much of the bread and cup, and others not enough. Today we take our whole time together to remind ourselves of Jesus’ intentions in the bread and cup and to rest in the love we share as members of His family. Today the family comes together to enjoy a celebratory meal. We celebrate our Savior’s humility and saving power even as we recognize that, through Him, we are the family of God.

God’s design for marriage includes an authority structure that calls for wives to respect their husband’s position of leadership in voluntary submission. But what does God expect from husbands? Strangely, Paul gives no instructions on how to lead. Rather, he calls for sacrificial love that treats your wife as well as you treat yourself! This “sanctified self-love” has as its goal to make your wife’s life-experience the best it can be, to the glory of God.

God’s design for marriage comes to us with a specific order or structure. In this design, wives are asked to fulfill the role of helper/completer to their husbands who are charged by God with the role of loving leadership. Today’s culture often suggests that such a design is archaic and even demeaning to women. But such is not the case if we understand that God’s desire for our marriages is for our holiness, first, and then for our happiness.

Many today are confused as to what a “Spirit-filled life” looks like. Questions abound: “What does it mean to be indwelt by the Spirit? What is the baptism of the Spirit? And what does it mean to be filled with the Spirit?” In a day when there is much confusion regarding the Spirit’s involvement in the church, it is refreshing to have the Apostle Paul guide us simply and clearly in the direction we ought to go in order to live lives that are pleasing to our Savior.

When it comes to being distinctive for Christ, no place gives us more opportunity or challenge than sexuality. The pull of sex is everywhere. It increasingly forms the “wallpaper” of our world. We can’t escape its reach, but we must deny its invitations to immorality. Paul speaks directly and dogmatically to the Ephesian church, and this is a message that is both relevant and vital to us today.

In any relationship forgiveness is essential simply because conflict is inevitable. But just what is forgiveness? And just as important, what isn’t it? Paul, using God’s forgiveness of us in Christ as the motive, calls his readers to understand first that the presence of bitterness and its fruits will make forgiveness impossible. These must be put off, and kindness put on, in order for us to be able to truly forgive.

Paul continues his illustrative list of attitudes and actions that must distinguish the Christ-follower in a broken world. He singles out the area of work and recognizes it as honorable as well as a means of maintaining the unity of the Spirit through generous benevolence. Paul also takes on the subject of our speech recognizing the power of the tongue for both evil and good. The unity of the Spirit is built up when we speak to one another in ways that please, rather than grieve, the very Spirit who dwells within us.

In 4:1 Paul calls his readers – and us! – to “walk in a manner worthy of our calling.” We have been called out of darkness and into light for the purpose of advertising the greatness and glory of our Savior and Lord. But when our lives are no different from our “used-to-be,” we are failing in our mission. Starting with this text, Paul will use the rest of the letter to describe representative ways that our new identity in Christ can be distinctive before a watching world.

In the previous text, Paul spoke dramatically about the maturity of the church being tied to the equipping work of its leadership, especially the teaching of God’s Word. But there is always a giant obstacle to maturity, and it’s called sin. In our text today, we come face to face with the reality that Christ-followers still sin and can even look like those who don’t know Jesus! Too often Christ-followers are deceived into thinking that sin offers them the better experience, the more pleasurable moment. But this is simply self-deception. Living out our true identity – as children of God – offers us the best life and the greatest opportunity to bring Christ to a needy world.

Those who lead the church carry great responsibility and wear many hats in today’s complex culture. But their priorities must never change from what Paul gives us in these verses.

The challenge of maintaining the unity of the Spirit (vs. 3) is monumental if we are honest. Attempting to live out the “ones” of vs. 4-6 at times will seem impossible given the selfishness and pride that continue to haunt us, even as we attempt to follow Christ authentically. What is to be done? Paul is ready with the answer! Christ, the triumphant, risen Head of the Church has given gifts to the church. It is through the proper working of these gifts that truth and love more and more become powerful elements in the church, which allows for the maturing of the Body in the mission of Christ. What are these gifts? While there are many “grace gifts” the church receives, here he centers in on those who occupy positions of leadership and instruction.

As Paul begins the practical section of his letter, he states the theme of the last 3 chapters succinctly: Be eager to maintain the unity you have as a result of your union with Christ! Unity in the church is a very important truth, but it is often easier to talk about than to actually accomplish. Paul describes what is needed: First, a commitment to persevering love for one another, and Second, a persevering commitment to truth.