Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
Ephesians 6:10-20 Introduction I enjoy military-type stories, whether they are historical or fiction. It could be a fantasy world such as Lord of the Rings or history from the Second World War or even some futuristic science fiction epic. There are numerous things that I enjoy about this genre but there is a particular kind … Read More “Our Marching Orders” »
Ephesians 5:15-20 Introduction Today, being the Sunday before Remembrance Day, is Remembrance Sunday. We take time to remember those who have served and those who serve. We think of those who died in combat and those who came back with wounds, both visible and invisible. For a long time, this has been one of the … Read More “Attitude of Gratitude” »
Ephesians 4:1-3 Introduction There is one particular theme that I have personally returned to over and over during the past number of years and I know this has been reflected in my preaching. That theme is this: What does the Christian life look like? In some ways, that seems like such a simple question, one … Read More “Leading a Life Worthy of the Calling” »
Ephesians 3:1-13 Introduction Do you enjoy either reading or watching murder mysteries? Growing up, our family always watched shows like Matlock and Murder She Wrote. To be honest, I never really liked those shows, but my parents insisted. I think what bothered me was that ultimately, the mystery was not really solvable for the audience. … Read More “Solving the Mystery” »
Ephesians 2:1-10 Introduction In just a week and a half, it will be Reformation Day. This is the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenburg church. That act is considered the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, a tradition that we belong in as Baptists. One of the concerns … Read More “Christian Works” »
Ephesians 4:14-16 Introduction Too often churches are short sighted as to what their goals are. Some have a focus on evangelism and that is good. But what they sometimes mean is that they want to just get people to a point of salvation. They want people to pray a certain prayer, get baptized and identify … Read More “Growing Spiritually” »
A sermon based on Ephesians 6:10-20 preached at Queen Street Baptist Church. Introduction I remember back about twenty-five years ago when I was deep into my spiritual journey. I had recently moved from atheism to a generic belief in God. I was then working for some Christians and they were eager to get me to convert … Read More “Spiritual Warfare” »
A devotion based on Ephesians 2:8-9. A key part of Paul’s theology is salvation of grace. This was very personal to Paul. As a Pharisee, Paul worked hard to fulfill the commandments of both the written and oral law. When Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus, Paul was confronted with a salvation completely … Read More “Devotions: Ephesians” »
One of the things that frustrates me is the emphasis on dividing over precise definitions of how we understand the Bible. As a result, I am thankful that I came across this quote from Klyne Snodgrass in his Ephesians commentary: “In urging that we value the treasure of revelation, I am not urging focus on … Read More “Valuing Revelation” »
“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18 NIV) I have been enjoying going through Klyne Snodgrass’ commentary on Ephesians in the NIV Application Commentary series. … Read More “The Church as a Thinking Community” »
Ephesians 1:15-23 Introduction Who was the Apostle Paul? Well, he was the author of much of the New Testament. He was a church planter and missionary. He was a theologian and a deep thinker. But Paul was also a pastor. If you read Paul’s letters, you will see that he had a cranky side. He … Read More “A Pastor’s Prayer” »
