Virtues
Forbearance
August 6, 2023 • Ephesians 4:1–3
This Sunday we will continue our series on the Virtues of Ephesians 4:1-3. Each of five Virtues listed in this passage show us what it means to walk in a manner that is worthy of our calling in Christ, and to maintain the “unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.” Now that we have explored Humility, Gentleness, and Patience we turn our attention to Forbearance. While Humility shows itself in relationships with others through Gentleness, Patience shows itself in relationships with others through Forbearance. We saw last week that Patience is used throughout Scripture to indicate long-suffering endurance. One of the most immediate and practical places we have to practice it is with other people. No matter who you are, proximity with others brings friction at times. In fact, it’s typically the people we are closest to, who we love most, that we struggle most with as well. At the core of what it takes to bear with each other in love is the need to forgive. In a world that has come to question the legitimacy and value of forgiveness, it is the call of every follower of Christ to forgive. This week will dig into what it means to practice Forbearance and look at practical pathways into it.
Patience
July 30, 2023 • Pastor Bill Riedel • Ephesians 4:1–3
This Sunday we will continue our series on the Virtues of Ephesians 4:1-3. Each of five Virtues listed in this passage show us what it means to walk in a manner that is worthy of our calling in Christ, and to maintain the “unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.” Now that we have explored Humility, and Gentleness, we turn our attention to Patience. We live in an impatient place. For some of us the hustle and pace of life in DC is invigorating, while for others it is exhausting. No one would accuse this place of being patient, though. What is true patience, though? It has to be more than just moving slowly. Patience, like humility, is an internal posture and characteristic that will shape the way we see and interact with the world, with others, and ultimately with God.
Gentleness
July 23, 2023 • Pastor Bill Riedel • Ephesians 4:1–3
This Sunday we will continue our series on the Virtues of Ephesians 4:1-3. Each of five Virtues listed in this passage show us what it means to walk in a manner that is worthy of our calling in Christ, and to maintain the “unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.” Last week we spent time exploring Humility, and the importance of lowliness in our hearts. This week we continue with a study on Gentleness. Gentleness is sometimes translated in our Bibles as Meekness. While the language of humility was offensive to the Greco-Roman world, and not once used in a positive light, the virtue of gentleness and meekness was very positively considered. It presents a “golden mean” in dealing with emotion – not too angry, but also not never angry. To recognizing someone or something’s gentleness, we also must see their power. Meekness has been defined by many as power under restraint. As we explore the Biblical perspective on Gentleness, we will see it come up in the lives of some of the leaders in Scripture. Ultimately, we will see the beautiful Gentleness and meekness of Jesus, and what it means for us.
Humility
July 16, 2023 • Pastor Bill Riedel • Ephesians 4:1–3
This week we begin with a look at Humility, which is also sometimes translated as Lowliness. It’s been said that humility is shy, because as soon as it is brought up, it’s nowhere to be found. Humility was not a positive attribute in the Roman world that Paul wrote into. In fact, it was despised. The idea that people would choose a posture that would honor others above their position, station, or rank was ridiculous. While our culture looks for at least a veneer of humility, pride still reigns in human hearts. This Sunday we will explore what humility is. If it’s not mere self-deprecation or sadness, then how do we define it, and why is it so important?