Ephesians
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
Ephesians 2:1-10
December 30, 2020 • Pastor Steve Feden
Hey Everyone! All the talk I hear reflects a a general sigh of relief that 2020 will be ending. With the turn of the page of the calendar, we get a fresh start and a new http://beginning....or do we? I don't want to be a "Debbie downer", but nothing miraculous happens at midnight on Thursday. Little virus molecules don't know it's a new year. Satan doesn't say, "Oh, it's a new year! Maybe I'll give the world a break this year." Let's be honest. Does anything really change other than remembering to write 2021 on the checks we write, for those of us dinosaurs that even use checks anymore! Do you want to learn why things are the way they are in life and the world? Do you want to see what keeps things going in the same direction? Are you interested in change that can start anytime and last longer than your New Years' resolution? We will crack open Ephesians 2 and work our way through some of the most psychologically powerful truth ever recorded. I am not very excited about the calendar. Circumstances may change a bit, but people will generally do the same things they did last year with the same results. http://however.....change is possible, and for many people it is urgent! I am very excited about see people become the functionally beautiful human beings they were meant to be!! "http://pastor.....how does that happen? What does it look like?" You know I am not going to tell you now. You will have to..... http://view.....and.....see! Steve
Ephesians 2:11-22
January 6, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
"Why can't we all just get along?" Isn't that the question of the http://day....or http://year...or http://century...or history! As the picture above illustrates, people naturally put up walls that separate them from others. We are experiencing walls of race, political party, economics, gender, and others! Trust me when I say there has been no higher or thicker wall in history than the wall between the Jews and the rest of the world! Last week we learned that we are not responsible for "creating ourselves" by looking inward and trusting our feelings or imagined identity. Unredeemed humanity create religions and pursue goals and dreams and ambitions all based on being driven by fleshy desires and imaginations! Relative to God and truth, everyone starts out dead, dead, dead! But God makes us alive in Christ, and restores to our lives the meaning and purpose they were meant to have in relationship with our heavenly Father. We get a new life and new desires and new hopes and a new future. This is true for every human, whether Jew or non-Jew! God does something more miraculous. In Jesus, He tears down walls of hostility and tribalism and racism and hatred and cultural superiority while becoming the bridge between people. God makes us alive, but doesn't leave us isolated! He joins us to other living people from every ethnic group to form a new community, a new family, and a living house of worship! Is it possible to have peace on earth? Goodwill? If so, where is it? What's the problem? If not, is there any hope? Tonight I believe God will answer some of these questions! If God can bring together Jew and Gentile, there is no gap that He can't bridge. View and see! Steve
Ephesians 3:1-13
January 13, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
God's Boundless Love! We have a photo album of everyone that has lived with us or stayed with us at least one night. From a Brazilian missionary soccer team to the homeless, and from PhD to high school dropout, it has been a real joy to share space with lots of different people from an amazing diversity of backgrounds. Our family has been blessed with lots of love. The love of God has been poured into our hearts and we feel the obligation to express that love of God past the walls of our home and into the lives of others, whoever they are or wherever they are from! Tonight we cross over into Ephesians 3, still looking at the foundation and formation of God's new people. A society, culture, family, or community that centers around a loving and accepting Father rather than selfish desires and Satanic influence. God is bringing dead people from every ethnicity back to life in Christ and creating a beautiful and diverse family where there is no favoritism, no special treatment for good behavior, and no ethnic advantage. We are working our way to the second prayer of this letter from prison, but before we get there Paul takes a little time to make sure they appreciate what Paul has come to understand, and why it landed him in jail! The message Paul was given and spreads has transformed his formerly angry life. He hopes it will do the same for them! What is the message? Why is Paul in jail? What does this have to do with the love of Jesus? All of http://that....and more....tonight at 7pm! View and see! Steve
Ephesians 3:14-21
January 20, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
Tonight we look at the second prayer for the believers in Ephesus. Of all the things Paul could want for them and hope for them, what does he ask God for? This prayer is the central hinge of the entire letter. Chapters 1-3 lay the foundation and chapters 4-6 are the fruit. Paul is not concerned with what is going on around the Ephesian believers, but what is going on within. He wants them to comprehend, understand, and just "get it"! Get what? There is more than just "being saved" to this thing called Christianity. We are part of a new family that has a unique culture and way of operating. Love is central to our Father, and getting that makes all the difference in the world! View and see.... Steve
Ephesians 4:1-10
January 27, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
So, we turn the corner from doctrinal to practical, and from foundational to functional. Building on the prayer at the end of chapter 3, Ephesians 4:1 ties together the first three and last three chapters of this letter. Are their predictable behaviors that exist in healthy relationships? What are the habits seen in healthy families? If God is love, and Jesus is the truth, is it safe to say that people and families and churches and communities that share the heart and behaviors of God should be healthy and peaceful? If you want to know what the family of God is meant to be, and how all of the Father's children relate to one another, then you will not want to miss any of the upcoming messages from Ephesians. Now, let usl focus on the way we deal with differences! How are Americans doing with that? God's family is not made up of clones. The diversity can be both either glorious or dangerous. It can be useful for all of us to mature together within God's community. But if we miss the heart of God, and misunderstand our differences, then they can be a source of pride, division, tension, and hatred. Watch how Paul uses the truth about the human body to illustrate his point. Where do you fit into this family? How should we treat each other? What does maturity look like? If you want to know, then....... VIEW AND SEE....!! Steve
Ephesians 4:11-16
February 3, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
Last time our time flew by so tonight is "part 2" of what we began. Now that we know what we know about the spiritual blessings from the Father, Son, and Spirit, we are simply asked to "walk worthy" of what we have been given. This week we will talk about growing up. The term now is "adulting", and it recognizes that there is a time to cross a threshold and start taking responsibility for more mature activities in life. Paul has this in mind for the church. Do you realize what it takes for a human being to grow physically? Can you imagine the coordination it takes for all of your organs to function and grow together until you reach adulthood? Even your eyes have to grow from the time you are born. We see the growth on the outside, but rarely do we consider all of the internal organs that also have to grow, like the heart and lungs. Healthy bodies grow in unity as each part contributes to the body. Unfortunately, many "members" of the church "body" feel they have nothing to contribute to the rest of the body and never take time to learn spiritually. Many are very active building worldly things, but think little of their participation in the growth of the church. This leaves Jesus' body malformed and immature. What is your role? Do you even have one? Is "ministry" only for people with seminary degrees? View and See! Steve
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 4:26-32
February 17, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
Living a New Life! - Ephesians 4:26-32 It is my firm opinion that the process of metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly is one of the most incredible natural wonders on planet earth. Yes, conception and birth would be higher, but let's be honest -- metamorphosis is so amazing that the scientific community are still baffled by how it happens! The end of Ephesians 4 describes nothing short of metamorphosis. Becoming a Christian is not just adopting new behaviors, or becoming morally aware. That would be like a caterpillar trying to fly. Even if you know it's good, it's not going to happen. There is a necessary "transition" and all the accompanying new butterfly behaviors! The "version of me" that was born in 1969 was born a selfish sinner and life revolved around emptiness and desires - physical, mental, and emotional - that I had to satisfy. When I (we) trusted God, I was born again and recreated. Now life revolves around being satisfied and full, having basic needs met! Here is the kicker. For years I used behaviors like lying, stealing, emotional skills, and verbal skills, to get what I needed. BUT, NOW WHAT? I don't need to do that anymore, so what behaviors replace lying and cheating, and stealing, and revenge? What is God's response when I do fall back into those old behaviors? That will be the topic of tonight's discussion. Super practical stuff! View and see.... Steve
Ephesians 5:1-14
February 24, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
Wake Up, little Sleepyhead! After a cold and dark month, with our share of snowy days, today is going to be warm and sunny! Can you feel the difference? Darkness and depression, and being lazy, and watching TV, and eating too http://much......they all seem to go hand in hand. On the other hand, sunlight and warmth are refreshing and rejuvenating to the soul and the spirit. But you have to open those curtains, and open those eyes and wake up to let that light in! The sun is shining, so bask in it! In Ephesians 5 we continue through the practical side of relationship with Jesus. Filled with examples of what life - our "walk" - as Christians should be like, we will look at two morein this message. Imagine a two year old just before waking up. Eyes half closed, hair all mussed, silent and still half asleep. So why a reference to a tired little tyke who is looking so rough? Well, for Paul, our identity is central to our behavior. Our walk reflects who we are. We have been given a new reality, and exchange the darkness of the old life to embrace the light of the new. That little person needs waking up to take on the day! The illustration in Eph 5 is of a person, or church, sleeping like a corpse while sun is shining. His challenge? It's is time to wake up, sleepyhead, so you can let the life changing light into your life! What does that mean, practically speaking? You will have to....... View and see.... Steve
Ephesians 5:15-21
March 3, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
Watch Your Step! - Ephesians 5:15-21 There are times when it is very important to watch your step. Mine fields might come immediately to the military mind. Farmers may think, "the cow pasture!" What are the occasions when you might be a little more careful where you place your feet? I happen to love the circus. The acrobats are usually my favorite, but the tight rope walker serves my purposes here. Do you remember the guy who walked a high wire stretched across Niagara Falls? I would NOT walk across anything with the word "falls" in it - just saying. Check out the picture above. Do you think he will hurry across that wire? How careful is he going to be with each step? Will he allow himself to be distracted? What if you offered him some alcohol or drugs right before his attempt? Would he accept them? "Ok pastor, I'm on the hook!" What does this have to do with Ephesians 5? You know I am not going to tell you! But I will tell you this -- God is for you and has given you everything you need to live beautifully, Godly, and wisely in this present age. Like warnings of a loving parent -- Father, Son, and Spirit want us to experience the life of love, joy, and peace that are connected to truth and light. What's the connection to the high wire.......? View and see.... Steve
Ephesians 5:22-24
April 18, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
As we pick back up in our study of Ephesians, looking at the "spiritually full wife" in 5:22-24. What comes to mind when you think to imagine a picture of a multitasking wife? Would she be smiling!? Remember, it is never good to take passages out of their immediate context or the larger context. If we zoom out a little, we will see some important things as we get specific about the relationships within the family. Before Paul ever mentions the first thing about this, he has given us some book ends. On the front side, Paul has reminded all of us of the spiritual blessings of being chosen and forgiven and redeemed, and sealed, and so on. He has prayed that they would all experience the love of God dwelling in their hearts. He has encouraged them to keep being filled with the Spirit. And http://then.....and only http://then....does he discuss how these realities change and redeem family life. Being a wife is one of many roles in which the filling with Spirit of God is needed! On the back end, once he has laid out the relationships within the family structure, he tells them to be strong in the Lord, put on the armor of God, and stand firm because the devil is firing his deadly darts at us. The passage on spiritual warfare is directly related to our attempt to "do family" God's way. Even though the passage is directed toward wives, it will be valuable for everyone. You need to know how brilliant God's design is. View and see! Steve
Ephesians 5:25-33
April 25, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
The section we will dive into describes the way God intended husbands to relate to their wives. It was not really surprising that Paul encouraged the wives in their supportive and yielded role with respect to their husbands. The ancient world was male dominated and women had a very low place, much like we see in world cultures not influenced by Christianity. It is Paul's instruction to husbands that is completely counter cultural. Paul will give men a new and appropriate way of seeing their wives. Not as slaves, or inferior, or disposable, but as a part of their husbands! Talk about women's equality! Wherever Christ is preached, the value and treatment of women is improved as marriage is viewed from heaven's perspective, and not man's. Whoever said the Apostle Paul is chauvinistic never read the Bible! The relation between husband and wife is much more than just a human experience. What else is it about? What is at stake? …..View and see! Steve Video segment shown is by Jason Headley. Direct Link: https://youtu.be/-4edhdahrog