Ephesians 4:17-25

Calvary Chapel Fluvanna

Ephesians 4:17-25

February 10, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden

I think every parent has probably had the experience of seeing or hearing something from their child that horrifies them! Usually it is in a most public or embarrassing place that a curse word streams from the lips of your 4 year old. You do a double take and wonder if you really just heard what you think you heard. "Where did you learn that? We don't use language like that!"

People are mirrors. We reflect what we receive. Sometimes your child did hear that language at home and we are amazed that the kids picked it up. Or maybe it was a friends house, a movie, or school. But the reality is that we become what we behold.

The picture above reflects the heart of the Apostle Paul for the Ephesians. Given all that God has done for them, and a whole new set of realities, why are they still acting like people that are not part of God's family!

Do the decisions, attitudes, actions, and trends in the world surprise you? Do you get disappointed with the way the world is going? Why are we surprised? Why do we expect worldly people who don't have God to think clearly?

Be assured, when there is one finger pointing out there are three pointing back! The alarming thing is when God's children behave like the ungodly, as if they had no relation to their Father. The natural response when God's children behave like that is, "Who taught you that? I know you didn't learn that from me!"

In this message we will experience Paul's detailed analysis of the behavior of the world, and show us why we should be able to live differently!!!

View and see....

Steve

Ephesians 1:1-6

November 18, 2020 • Pastor Steve Feden

Ephesians has only six chapters and is not written to address a specific issue or problem among the Ephesians believers. Rather, Paul knows that in order for them to have future ability to live as children of God in the middle of Ephesian culture, they will have to gain a deeper and deeper experience of God's love! This is what he is addressing. We will dive right in and watch as the great, methodical, theological mind of the Apostle Paul is overcome with impassioned gratitude over the deep ways God has touched his -- and our -- lives! WARNING: Anyone who actually reads and believes the things we will talk about is likely to experience greater depth of transformed relationship with God and the people in your life! View and see! Steve

Ephesians 1:7-14

December 2, 2020 • Pastor Steve Feden

What does "relationship with God" really look like? I mean, we talk about the fact that Christianity is a "relationship" and not "religion", but what is the real difference? Doesn't Christianity often feel like religion? Obey the commands, do this, don't do that, and so on. I am fully convinced that Ephesians is a "relationship guide". The first chapter is filled with the foundational blocks of relationship with God as HE designed it to be. If we can comprehend Ephesians 1, it will forever impact our understanding of what relationships are supposed to be, and what the basic building blocks of healthy relationships are! Last week we saw the Father's plan. This week we will how the Son (Jesus) participates and how the Spirit participates! View and see! Steve

Ephesians 1:15-23

December 9, 2020 • Pastor Steve Feden

A few years ago, Helga and I enjoyed a long bike ride with friends. We started in Munich Germany and ended in Venice, Italy. It was an epic journey for which we spent time studying maps to prepare. I don't think I need to tell you that the experience of the ride itself was the hope and the joy and the thrill. The map was useful, but could never be a substitute for the ride itself. To this point, in Ephesians 1, Paul has given us a map of healthy relationship with God. Being chosen, adopted, accepted, redeemed, forgiven, and secure have been points on that map. Great stuff, right? Yes, but it is still a map! What do I mean? Starting in verse 15, we read Paul's prayer for the believers in Ephesus. The prayer is filled with Paul's desire for these precious Jesus' followers. The gist of his prayer? I would love to tell you, but you will need to tune in. I promise it will be worth it. Just like the map is no substitute for the experience of the ride, so the study of doctrine and intellectual knowledge of God are not the end in themselves. This remarkable passage of scripture is sure to stretch your imagination (hint hint). View and see! Steve