In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul reminds believers of who they are in Christ, and how that should inform and shape every aspect of their lives—past, present, and future. The Ephesians didn’t have much in common, yet Paul was very clear that in the family of God, all are equal recipients of God’s grace through Christ. Paul reminded them constantly of who they were: loved (1:4), chosen (1:4), adopted (1:5), redeemed and forgiven (1:7), lavished with wisdom and understanding (1:8) included, marked and sealed (1:13) by the Holy Spirit. Discovering and embracing how the Spirit works helps us live more fully as people who are radically loved by God.
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When The Spirit Works
Part 2
June 12, 2022 • Dr. Lance D. Watson • Ephesians 1:13–14
When The Spirit Liberates
July 24, 2022 • Dr. Lance D. Watson • Exodus 4:14–21
It’s a rip-roaring narrative! It’s this part of the Bible that has generated those memorable scenes of Charlton Heston as Moses in the 1956 Cecil B. DeMille classic movie The Ten Commandments. Led by Moses, Israel marched triumphantly out of Egypt—they were emancipated. BUT Pharaoh changed his mind and pursued them with horses and chariots. Helpless, trapped against the shores of the Red Sea: they cry out. With the chariots of angry Pharaoh bearing down on them. Moses declares ‘The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.’ However, it takes all night for the sea to open and the way to be made. We are Saint Paul’s Everywhere! Join us for Worship on Sundays at 10:00 AM (ET) on our mobile app, at http://myspbc.tv or @myspbc on Facebook or YouTube. Learn more about our church at http://myspbc.org
When The Spirit Disrupts
July 17, 2022 • Dr. Lance D. Watson • Acts 4:1–2
The Holy Spirit shows up through Peter and John in Acts 3 as a disrupter. The Holy Spirit disrupts the plain, predictable pattern of suffering and reconstructs it. In Acts 4, the lame man in his forties had already been healed at the gate of the temple by the power of God. The religious authorities confront them, incarcerate them, and threaten them with consequences if they continue in this way. Bold and courageous, Peter and John, full of the Spirit reinforce their commitment to continue as the Holy Spirit directs them. Our challenge is to do the same in this hour. We are Saint Paul’s Everywhere! Join us for Worship on Sundays at 10:00 AM (ET) on our mobile app, at http://myspbc.tv or @myspbc on Facebook or YouTube. Learn more about our church at http://myspbc.org
When The Spirit Gifts
July 10, 2022 • Dr. Lance D. Watson • Romans 12:6–8
Few subjects conjure as much controversy as that of spiritual gifts. Different authors define the various gifts in different ways. There is debate over whether all the gifts are still functioning today, or whether some were “sign” gifts that ceased after the apostolic era. However, God through the Holy Spirit continues to “gift” those that trust God by adding some “super” to their “natural” and enabling them to achieve what was not otherwise possible. We are Saint Paul’s Everywhere! Join us for Worship on Sundays at 10:00 AM (ET) on our mobile app, at http://myspbc.tv or @myspbc on Facebook or YouTube. Learn more about our church at http://myspbc.org