Alive with Christ
Discovering our Spiritual Riches in Ephesians
Alive with Christ – Part 9
March 17, 2024
In this final installment of our “Alive with Christ” series, we dive into Ephesians 6, the final chapter of this power-packed letter. In this message, we’ll discover why Paul is quoting the Law and how it aligns with our freedom. We’ll see the true nature of God’s discipline and how it does not provoke us to anger, the essence of praying in the Spirit, our incorruptible love for Jesus, and the power of God’s armor and its implications in our daily lives. Get ready to be encouraged and uplifted by this transformative message that will inspire you to live victoriously in Christ! Discussion Questions for Ephesians 6: 1. Why does Paul quote the Law in Ephesians 6:1-3? Does this challenge our freedom from the Law? Why or why not? 2. Read verse 4 and react to this statement: God’s discipline does not provoke us to anger. 3. What do verses 5 and 6 insinuate about the heart? 4. What does “receive back” mean in verse 8? 5. Read verses 10-17. What is the armor of God? How do we put it on? 6. Read verse 18. What does it mean to “pray in the Spirit”? 7. React to this statement: Paul says to always pray in the Spirit, so it can’t be about tongues. 8. Read verse 24 and react to this statement: I have an incorruptible love for Jesus.
Alive with Christ – Part 8
March 10, 2024
I invite you to dive into a radical, counter-cultural look at marriage. Together, we’ll uncover the heart of God and His divine design for marital union. Brace yourself for eye-opening insights as we unpack why marriage is so painful and difficult at times and what choices we can make to “give up our rights” and release our spouse, canceling their debt. This message isn’t just for husbands or wives—it’s for everyone seeking a deeper understanding of the transformative power of Christ in relationships. Watch now, and don’t miss these truths that will challenge your whole perspective on life! Discussion Questions for Ephesians 5:18-33: 1. Read verse 21. How was this idea radical and counter-cultural in its day? How about today? 2. Read verses 22-24. How could this be a challenging (even alarming) passage for wives? How does the context of verse 21 reveal God’s heart in the matter? 3. Read verse 25. How does “gave Himself up for her” relate to a husband’s treatment of his wife? Give examples. How does this not mean “be a doormat”? 4. Read verses 26-27. What is God’s view of the church? And God’s view of you? 5. Read verses 28-29. Consider all the ways we respect and care for our own bodies. Now relate those to a husband’s treatment of his wife. What is God trying to tell us? 6. Read verses 31-32. What exactly is the great mystery? (Notice the expressions “leave” and “join” and “one flesh.”) How does this mystery impact you personally?
Alive with Christ – Part 7
March 3, 2024
What does it mean to be “imitators of God”? Ephesians 5 not only ventures deep into this question but also demystifies the idea of living authentically, as opposed to putting on an act. Imagine being sinful at the core and then being asked by God to embrace holy living. Here’s a revelation: You’re not inherently flawed, striving to mask your true self with goodness. Instead, at your very core, you contain the light of Jesus, and now, God’s call is for you to walk as a child of the Light. I invite you to delve into this message as it will challenge your perspective on living a life that vividly manifests the light of Christ. Watch now and discover the essence of authentic living from the heart. Discussion Questions for Ephesians 5:1-18: 1. What does it mean to be an “imitator of God”? How is this not faking it? 2. Read verses 2-4. What are the two motivations here for upright living? 3. Read verses 5-8 and react to this summary: “You’re no longer them, so don’t act like them.” 4. Read verses 9-10. What does “the fruit of the Light” mean? What is pleasing to the Lord? 5. React to this statement: Sin is disgraceful, unwise, and doesn’t make the most of your time. 6. Read verse 17. What is “the will of the Lord”? Can we know it? 7. Read verse 18. What does it mean to be “filled with the Spirit”? How does Ephesians 3:19 help us here?
Alive with Christ – Part 6
February 25, 2024
I invite you to join me as we continue our “Alive with Christ” series, diving into the rich truths of Ephesians 4. In this message, we’ll explore the description of the unbeliever and uncover the root cause behind their state of futility, darkness, and ignorance. Through the analogy of an electrical outlet, you’ll also gain insight and understanding into your new identity in Christ and why you don’t need to put off your old self daily. Additionally, we’ll delve into the importance of not letting anger linger and preventing the enemy from gaining a foothold in our lives. We’ll also explore the profound concept of forgiveness as a choice and what it looks like in our daily lives. I encourage you to listen to this message and be inspired by the life-changing truths of living in Christ. Let’s embrace the transformative power of knowing our true identity in Him! Discussion Questions for Ephesians 4:17-32: 1. Read verses 17-19. How do words like futility, darkened, excluded, ignorance, hardness, and callous describe the unbeliever? What is the main cause of this? (Hint: Consider the electrical outlet analogy.) 2. Read verses 20-24. Why is it important to read these five verses as one big thought? Is it really saying we need to put off our old self daily? If not, what does it mean? (Make sure to cross-reference Colossians 3:9-10.) 3. What does verse 24 say about you as the new self? What does this mean to you personally? 4. Read verse 25. How does belonging to one another relate to lying? 5. How does “letting the sun go down on your anger” give the devil an opportunity? What’s the solution? Be sure to discuss what “forgiveness as a choice” really looks like. 6. Read verses 29-30. How does verse 29 give us insight into what it means to grieve the Spirit? 7. Read verse 32. In what way is this the opposite of what we see in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:14-15)? How do we resolve the discrepancy? (Hint: Consider the cross as the dividing line of human history and the purpose of the Sermon on the Mount.)
Alive with Christ – Part 5
February 18, 2024
Join us here for our morning service at The Grace Church. We continue our series called "Alive with Christ: Discovering our Spiritual Riches in Ephesians" with Part 5 (Ephesians 4:1-6). Below are the discussion questions for today’s message: (1) React to this statement: You can only walk in a worthy manner if you know your calling as a saint! (2) One body. One Spirit. One Lord. One faith. One baptism. One God. What is Paul trying to tell us? (3) How do you view spiritual gifts? What are they for? What have your experiences (good or bad) been with them? (4) What are the “winds of doctrine” and “trickery of men” that we see today? How can we avoid being “tossed here and there” by them? (5) How is the church (globally) doing regarding unity and love today? How could it do better? By what means?
Alive with Christ – Part 4
February 11, 2024
The mysteries of the Gospel were once hidden, but now they’re revealed! Join me as we uncover profound insights – including the deeper truth behind predestination and the true meaning of being filled with the Spirit – in Ephesians 3. We’ll also explore Paul’s humble declaration of being “the very least of all saints.” What’s that all about? And we’ll discover why God goes beyond mere rearrangement of circumstances in our lives and how He’s doing something far more profound. I encourage you to listen to this one. You’ll be amazed at the depth of the Gospel and the breadth of God’s love for you! Discussion Questions for Ephesians 3: 1. Read verses 1-7. Paul was given stewardship of a mystery that has now been revealed. What is it? How does this help us understand predestination better? What kind of reaction do you think Paul received from the Ephesians? And from his fellow Jews? 2. Read verse 8. Why does Paul call himself “the very least of all saints”? How does this personally impact your view of God’s grace in your life? 3. Read verses 9-10. This passage speaks of the manifold wisdom of God. Who makes it known? To whom is it made known? 4. Read verses 11-12 and react to this statement: God’s eternal purpose in Christ was to give you boldness and confident access to Him forever! 5. Read verses 14-19. What specifically is Paul praying for the Ephesians? With what goal in mind? How does this help us better understand what it means to “be filled with the Spirit” in Ephesians 5? 6. Read verse 20. Is this about God rearranging circumstances for you or something deeper? How do you know?
Alive with Christ – Part 3
February 4, 2024
Ephesians is overflowing with eye-opening truths about God’s grace. In this message, we’ll explore the radical concept of salvation by grace through faith, challenging the popular notion of striving to achieve closeness with God. We’ll uncover the encouraging truth about your design, your new self, and the freedom found in realizing your closeness with Christ is not based on your efforts. You’ll also gain a fresh perspective on the unity the Gospel brings us and how this can shape your approach to church and friendships with other believers. Don’t settle for a surface-level understanding when there’s so much more to discover about your riches in Christ! Discussion Questions for Ephesians 2:7-22: 1. In what ways does salvation “by grace you have been saved through faith” challenge the common perspective of achieving rightness with God? 2. Discuss “not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” How does this relate to humility and your understanding of God’s grace? 3. Reflect on the phrase “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” What does this say about your design? Your new self? Your destiny? 4. Ephesians 2:12 describes Gentiles as “separate from Christ” and “without hope and without God in the world.” How does this allude to the true meaning of predestination? 5. Discuss the significance of “brought near by the blood of Christ.” How does it contrast with the popular idea of “getting closer to God”? 6. Verse 14 states, “He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one.” Who are the two groups? How does this also relate to predestination? What does it say about the Gospel and the key to unity? 7. What does it mean to you to be “built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit”? How can this shape our approach to church and friendships with other believers?
Alive with Christ – Part 2
January 28, 2024
Are you ready to be convinced of God’s never-ending kindness and love for you? Here’s an extraordinary message from Ephesians that’ll leave you in awe of who God is and the immeasurable blessings He has bestowed upon you. Get ready to discover what it means to be a member of Christ’s body and partake in His fullness. This transformative passage will remind you that you’re always close to God because of what He did, not what you’re doing. Discussion Questions for Ephesians 1:15-2:7: 1. Read verses 15-16. How do you see the connection between faith in Jesus and love and thankfulness for others? 2. Verse 17 talks about wisdom and revelation in knowing God. How has your understanding of God deepened over time? In what ways are you amazed by who He is? 3. Verse 18 mentions “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” What are the two possible interpretations of this phrase? How do they both complement each other? 4. Verse 23 says the church is “the fullness of Him.” What does it mean to you to be a member of Christ’s body and a part of His fullness? 5. Read Ephesians 2:1-3. Then decide how it supports this statement: Your problem was not your behavior but your nature and your dead state in sin. 6. Read Ephesians 2:4-5. What does it mean to you to be “made alive together with Christ”? 7. Read Ephesians 2:6-7. How does being raised and seated with Christ affect your view of yourself, your relationship with God, and your approach to life's challenges?
Alive with Christ – Part 1
January 21, 2024
Are you ready to discover the incredible depth of your spiritual blessings? In this first message of our series, “Alive with Christ,” we unpack the meaning of “blessed with every spiritual blessing.” We also explore the significance of being chosen and predestined by God. Is it really about individual pre-selection by God or something more loving and unifying? Prepare to be amazed at how God freely bestows His grace upon us. Don’t miss this eye-opening teaching that will challenge your perspective and deepen your understanding of redemption, forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit. Discussion Questions for: Ephesians 1:1-14: 1. Read verse 3. What does it mean to you to be “blessed with every spiritual blessing”? 2. What do “chose us” (verse 4) and “predestined us” (verse 5) mean in context? (Hint: Consider “we” in verse 12 and “you also” in verse 13.) 3. Read verses 6-8 and react to this statement: God freely bestowed His grace on you and lavished you with it! 4. Review verse 7. Why is it important to see redemption and forgiveness as a package deal? How do some split them up by claiming to have one without fully having the other? 5. Read verse 12-13. Who were “the first to hope in Christ”? How does this provide context for the true meaning of predestination? How does “you also” offer context as well? 6. Read verse 13 and react to this statement: We’re sealed with the Holy Spirit when we hear and believe the Gospel. (Hint: Note both the method of salvation and the choice involved!) 7. Read verse 14 and react to this statement: The Holy Spirit is God’s promise of your inheritance! Also, how is this reward of the inheritance – as in Colossians 3:24 – different from earning rewards?