Sermons on Ephesians
The Handiwork of God
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
Blessings
(Ephesians 1:3-14) The Bible is full of blessings – blessings expressed towards God and God’s blessings expressed towards his people. In the Old Testament God’s blessings revolved around divine presence, prosperity, health, fruitfulness, and long life. However, when we come to the New Testament, blessings shift from tangible things to being “in Christ.” How do you think of blessing? What are your expectations, hopes, and dreams for blessing? This Sunday we will explore the idea of blessing from Paul’s opening sentence in his letter to the Ephesians.
Temple of Doom or Glory?
Ephesians 2:13-22
Despite the challenges that the church has faced over the centuries, it has survived since its inception on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on all those who became followers of Jesus. Today there are many challenges that face churches and church leaders. Even though people still seek a spiritual life, they are becoming disillusioned with the church and organized religion. So how can the church overcome these difficulties and continue to be what God intended?
How A Church Functions
Ephesians 4:11-13
This week we conclude our 2-sermon series on how God intends for His church to function, as expressed in Paul’s letter to Ephesian church. Ephesians chapter 4 describes some foundational building blocks which contribute to a healthy and vibrant church, and we will focus on a few of these: “Devotion to God’s Word”, “Participating in God’s Work”, “Ministry of the Saints”. While many of us are familiar with these PBCC Core Values, it is good to review them in the context of Ephesians 4. We hope to see you this Sunday.
Unity of Spirit
Ephesians 4:1-6
In the fractured and polarized world of the last three years, one would think that the church ought to be a stabilizing and unifying force for society. However, we’ve seen that the church itself was just as divided and polarized as the rest of society, if not more so. We know that disunity is not God’s plan for His family; He desires His children to live in harmony in the bond of love. One of the strongest exhortations for unity in the church comes from Ephesians chapter 4, a familiar passage from which PBCC derives several of our core family values. In a short 2-sermon series, we’ll retrace the lessons Apostle Paul taught to the believers in Ephesus and learn how God intends for the church to live in unity and to function as a living body.
The Priority of Prayer
James 5:13-20
The longing to be known and loved is universal, going back to the banishment of our first parents from Eden. But surely we live in an especially lonely time. Social media offers us innumerable opportunities for connection which have mostly resulted in deformed ‘communities’, and ‘friendships’ without content. The church, God’s plan for human belonging, is seen by many (too often with good reason) as unwelcoming and self-important.
We turn to scripture for a better word. The final verses of James contain practical instruction on healthy church life – describing believers who pray with and for one another, are honest about sin and suffering, and sing praises from the heart.
Return, Repair, Rebuild
Nehemiah 3, Ephesians 4:11-13
Breaching Walls and Building Bridges
Eph 2:11-18 For our New Year’s Eve Sunday services Brian Morgan will give us a preview of the preaching calendar for 2018. Living in an age of destructive prejudice and divisiveness, we need to know what our calling is as Christians. Are we prepared to take new territory? What enemies will we face? Who will guide us? And what strategy do we employ?
A Guide to Prayer
Eph 3:14-21 How does Paul pray for the church at Ephesus and what can we learn from his prayer? This Sunday David Misson (youth pastor at Peninsula Bible Church Willow Glen) will preach from Ephesians 3:14-21 on finding fullness from God through prayer.
Participation in God’s Work
Eph 4:11-16 This Sunday we return to our PBCC Family Values series looking at Participation in God’s Work. The concept of God’s Work is easily misunderstood, so what do we at PBCC mean by God’s Work? What do we mean by Participation? And what does it look like for us at PBCC to Participate in God’s Work?
Gifted to Serve
Eph 4:1-16
Formed Through Relationships
Ephesians 5:15 – 6:9