Ephesians, Chapter 5-6
Pastor Marc Wragg
Living as Citizens of the Kingdom of God, Part 1
November 23, 2014 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Sexual sin is a deadly serious matter, and we shouldn’t even joke about it for fear that it may lead us to treat these sins lightly. More than merely abstaining from immoral conduct and speech, we must address immorality when it is found in our midst. Left unchecked, its corruption will stain the body of Christ and make us complicit because of our failure to confront it. Those who practice such things expose themselves to great danger, including early death from disease, drug and alcohol abuse, and crimes of passion. Yet the greatest danger of sexual sin is not in the temporal consequences, but the eternal ones, as Scripture is clear that those who practice immorality have no place in the Kingdom of God. Even so, there is hope in Jesus Christ. Is your life dominated by sexual sin? Repent today, and entrust yourself to Christ. Through His sacrifice and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, you can be free to pursue a life of peace and righteousness.
Living as Citizens of the Kingdom of God, Part 2
January 11, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
How can we remain unstained in the midst of an increasingly sinful and godless culture? The answer is to seek God’s sobering perspective on immorality. The Scriptures pull no punches with regard to dangerous sensual sins. They are deadly and not even to be named among us, and those who practice such things are marked for destruction. To escape their downward pull, we must draw clear lines that keep us far from immoral entertainments. We must guard ourselves against beguiling lies that lull us into believing that immorality hurts no one, that fleshly desires cannot be overcome, or that God’s grace allows us to sin with impunity. Don’t be deceived by such empty words! Flee from sin, and listen carefully to those who bring God’s Word to you out of concern for your soul. Are you practicing immorality? Confess it to God, repent, and align yourself with His wise commands. You’ve been called to live as a light in a sin-darkened world. Demonstrate your love for Christ and walk in that light before God and men.
How to be a Kingdom Witness
January 18, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Sin is the foremost threat to Christian fellowship. It robs us of spiritual power, and causes us to live selfishly instead of acting with godly concern for others. To guard our fellowship with God and demonstrate Christian love, we must walk in newness of life, seek what is good, separate ourselves from wordly passions and practices, confront sin, and call others to the glorious truth of the gospel. When we live as children of light and speak the truth in love, our lives and our message will expose the deeds of darkness around us. This is the Kingdom witness that God has called us to, and God can use our faithful witness to encourage another believer to greater fruitfulness, or even bring an unbeliever to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Do you want to live a life of power and usefulness for the Kingdom of God? Then walk in the love, light, and wisdom of the Lord.
Walking in the Wisdom of God, Part 1
January 25, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Sin beckons as we navigate life’s journey, and calls us to satisfy fleshly cravings. It may be fulfilling at the first, but the pleasure sin brings is short-lived. While the flesh cries out for more, the heart is weighed down with grief, the soul discouraged, and the conscience pierced by guilt as we experience the pain of broken fellowship with God. This is the dangerous world in which we walk. Given the prevalence of sin and the deceitfulness of our own hearts, how can we walk wisely in this world? Be careful how you spend your days. When we waste time, we lose opportunities to strengthen ourselves for godliness. Remember that whatever time you invest in God’s service on earth, you will gain back immeasurably in eternity! Do you want spiritual strength and victory over sin? Schedule your time. Plan your hours. Most importantly, yield to the Holy Spirit so that you may put to death the deeds of the flesh and live.
Walking in the Wisdom of God, Part 2
February 1, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
How can we find God’s plan for our lives? Simple. Seek the will of the Lord! This doesn’t mean that we look for signs, interpret the meaning of our personal experiences, or strain to hear some personal revelation from God. The Lord clearly declares His will for all of us in His Word, allowing us to align our thinking with His, and helping us to understand what pleases Him. Do you want to know God’s will? Fill your mind with His truth, put on Christ, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, obey God, and abide in Christ. Do you want to know if you are living in His will? Are you saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive and thankful, willingly suffering and following after your Lord? Then you may do as you choose, confident in the knowledge that you are squarely in God's will!
Walking in the Wisdom of God, Part 3
February 8, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Some say that finding God’s will means listening for His voice, or using a figurative fleece to interpret providential signs that can help us to order our steps. But this can lead to anxiety and confusion because there are things that God simply does not intend to reveal. The Bible describes God’s will in two ways. There is His moral will, unambiguously revealed in His Word, which God wants us to know and obey. Then there is His secret will, by which He accomplishes His predetermined plan. As we face decisions which require wisdom, we must seek God’s revealed will so that we can discern good from evil, and wisdom from foolishness. Seeking God’s secret will only results in frustration, and leaves us uncertain about our choices. The truth is that we don’t suffer from a "will of God" problem; we suffer from a godliness problem. Do you want to know and live by God’s will? Solomon said it best: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
Walking in the Wisdom of God Part 4
February 15, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Is it sin to drink alcoholic beverages? The Bible does not condemn drinking alcohol, but it does condemn drunkenness. So how can Christians navigate this issue with wisdom? First, remember that drinking is a social activity, and that we have a corporate responsibility that should influence the exercise of our liberties. Our desire to love others first seeks to do them no harm and to guard them from ruin. Second, we are responsible to walk wisely in this world. Alcohol has been the source of great heartache, violence, and loss, and there is no good and godly desire that can be better accomplished through its use. Third, drunkenness is sin that must be avoided, and you are legally and physiologically drunk long before stupor sets in. Finally, you should seek to be filled with the Spirit instead of the effects of alcohol. When alcohol influences the mind, the flesh begins to exert control over the behavior, and your Christian testimony is at risk. So, is it a sin to have a drink? Not necessarily, but here's a better question: is it wise?
Walking in the Wisdom of God, Part 5
March 1, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
The question is a familiar one: In light of all that God has done, how should we then live? Divorce rates in the Church mirror the world, substance abuse is on the rise, and many Christians know the truth but are unable to regularly live it out. If we know our responsibility to walk in a worthy manner but still find ourselves falling short, what do we do? Some counsel us that God makes no righteous demands on His people, and to not burden ourselves with striving to obey. Others encourage us to seek comfort in spiritual experiences. But these ideas fail to acknowledge that the Bible always exposes our failures so that we may face them and live according to God’s ways. So how can we find the strength to live in a manner that pleases God? Fill your mind with the truth, speak it faithfully and regularly, hold one another accountable to obey all that God commands, and be thankful for this grace in your life.
A Marriage Unto God: A Wife's Role, Part 1
March 15, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
The issue of submission in marriage is hotly contested. On one extreme are proponents of heavy-handed male authority, and on the other are those who want to erase gender roles altogether. But what matters is God’s design for marriage, not our own passion-driven opinions. God intends for the wife to submit to her husband, but biblical submission doesn’t mean living in fear, or giving up your reason, intellect, or spiritual gifts. Our best example of submission is within the Godhead. Each member of the Trinity is equally God, yet each has a specific role, with the Spirit submitting to the Son, and the Son submitting to the Father. Just as within the Godhead, the principle of submission in marriage is sacrificial love. The wife loves her husband, and so offers him wise counsel even as she submits to his leadership. The husband loves his wife, and so puts her needs before his own even as he leads the home. Marriage is not a contest of wills, but a godly relationship where both husband and wife work to out-serve the other.
A Marriage Unto God: A Wife's Role, Part 2
April 12, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Marriage is a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman to sacrificially love one another according to God’s design. It provides companionship, encouragement, joy, and satisfaction. Some women resist the biblical idea of subjection to a husband, fearing mistreatment or the suppression of their intellect and giftedness. Yet God calls wives to fulfill their role and be in subjection to their husbands in everything as they would to Christ, following the example of the Church’s own submission to Christ. This does not permit husbands to lead their wives into sin, nor is it a license for husbands to force obedience from their wives in any way. But it also does not allow the wife to use her husband’s failings as a pretext for rejection of his leadership. Are you married? Then fulfill your God-given role, trusting God to bless your obedience to Him. Are you considering marriage? Then choose wisely, ladies. Make sure that the man you seek to marry is Spirit-filled and obedient to Christ so that you can joyfully submit to his leadership in the home.
A Marriage Unto God: A Wife's Role, Part 3
April 19, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Infatuation doesn’t naturally give way to lasting love and devotion. A healthy marriage requires continual spiritual work, and commitment to God’s design. Both husbands and wives are called to be Spirit-filled, and for the wife this means willingly placing herself under her husband’s leadership. Her submission isn’t motivated by a desire to get something in return, or her estimation of his worth as a husband. Nor is it founded on cultural or religious traditions. Her submission is wholly the result of her devotion to Christ, and it rests on firm theological ground. Husbands, you are divinely blessed when you have a Spirit-filled wife, but you must pay heed to your own marital responsibilities as well. The Spirit-filled husband will sacrificially give himself to his wife, loving her and treating her needs as more important than his own. He must be a model of biblical love, lead with only her good in mind, and leave behind anything that threatens their marriage.
A Marriage Unto God: The Husband's Role, Part 1
May 3, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
A husband’s love for his wife is not conditional upon her actions, or his estimation of her spiritual or marital devotion. His love must be a willful choice made out of a determination to obey God, and a desire to model righteousness. It is a continual act of sacrifice, demonstrated by giving up every selfish pursuit for her good. And it is exclusive, ensuring that his wife receives the best of his care and attention. What does this love look like in he home? The husband will lead, teach and discipline his children, guard his heart against unfaithfulness, give his wife physical affection, provide for her financially, and be intimately involved in her spiritual life. He will seek her happiness, take the initiative in reconciliation during times of sin and conflict, trust her, and order their lives so that she is free to oversee the home. This is God's design, and Christ Himself sets the standard of selfless love for men to follow.
A Marriage Unto God: The Husband's Role, Part 2
May 10, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
The loss of natural affection is destroying the family. Selfishness grows as love wanes, resulting in failed marriages and angry children who despise authority. In time, the whole of society crumbles as it follows the descent and dissolution of the family. The home is important, and the person most responsible for its condition is the husband and father. God has called men to a life of love, and the consequences are disastrous when men run from their responsibility. What does it look like when a man is fulfilling his duty to love? He chooses to love his wife exclusively, always giving her his best. He deepens their marriage by leading her into godliness, and seeing to the spiritual health of the whole family. He is diligent; caring for his wife’s needs and protecting her from all harm. Finally, he defends their relationship, guarding their home not only against sin and error, but against otherwise good things that can rob the marriage of the time and attention it needs for stability and growth. Husbands: act like men, and love like Christ!
A Marriage Unto God: The Husband's Role, Part 3
May 17, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Men are responsible for the spiritual depth and protection of their marriage. Even so, many begin married life woefully unprepared to lead the family, or even manage basic resources. This is not a problem as long as a husband is willing to learn. Marriage is an opportunity from God to mature into the role we are called to fulfill, and He provides the wisdom and providential circumstances necessary for us to grow. The difficulty comes when men are unwilling to love sacrificially, or to apply themselves to a life of wisdom, hard work, and discipline. The marriage will inevitably weaken in such cases, but the damage doesn’t stop there. The Church and the family are closely linked. The Church will not thrive when families are falling apart, nor will families thrive when the Church is weak and impure. This is why the Church needs to be concerned about family ministry, and why husbands need to encourage their family to feed on the vibrant spiritual community found in the local church.
The Godly Home: A Child's and Father's Duty
July 7, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Children are a gift from the Lord, and godly children bring joy to the heart of every Christian parent. But regardless of the family or circumstances they are born into, all children enter the world just as we did: in sin, and in need of discipline and instruction in righteousness. Without discipline and instruction, children will naturally seek to fill their lives with evil desires. The Christian parent may wonder, “How can I instruct my children in godliness if they don’t yet have the Spirit of God?” Raising unregenerate children to honor God is not hypocrisy; it is a blessing both to them and the family. It gives children the opportunity to walk in righteousness, to hear it taught in the home, and see it exemplified in the parents. Children will discover the benefits of God’s ways and learn what it means to know Him and worship Him, so that by God's grace they will incline their ear to wisdom, seek discernment, and understand their desperate need for a Savior.