Ephesians 6:21-24: Final Encouragement
Overview We come now to the end of the book of Ephesians. This is one of Paul’s denser letters as it focused us on God’s work of building the church. Where Romans is a tour de force of the Gospel, Ephesians is considered Paul’s tour de force of the church. In concluding our sermon series let me attempt to give a view from 30 000 feet. The basic thrust of the letter is God’s work in Christ to make a new humanity for a new creation. Firstly, let me give the large sections that we covered. After the introduction...
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Ephesians 6:18: The Armour of God: Part Five
INTRODUCTION The greatest spiritual warrior to have walked the earth is Christ. He never gave in to one temptation; He faced greater temptations than anyone will ever face, and He is our teacher as we turn from the spiritual armour to the importance of prayer in spiritual warfare. As we read through the gospels we come across a life saturated in prayer. He would get up early and pray, Mk. 1:35; He would pray in private, Lk. 9:18; He prayed at His baptism, Lk. 3:21-22; and before He ate, Matt. 14:19. He prayed all night when facing important decisions...
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Paul’s Prayer to the Ephesians
Thanks to John Leevers for preaching this morning at our official opening of the new building at 20 Archer Street, Timaru. John pastored our church from December 1998 – October 2006 when it was still known as Marchwiel Reformed Baptist Church. Today was a significant moment in our church’s history, and to commemorate it, the three previous pastors were able to attend and participate in our service today.
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Ephesians 4:26-27: Anger management
Introduction: How does the devil destroy churches? If we were hit with an earthquake and all of our buildings were destroyed that would not undermine our standing and integrity as a church. It often happens that persecution is the thing that God uses to strengthen and purify churches, so this is often a tactic that backfires on the devil. The most effective ways to undermine the church are by diluting the truth it believes and the Gospel it preaches, dropping all reference to sin, wrath and sacrifice. We are told that a little leaven affects the whole lump and...
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Church Camp sermons: The Armour of God
Thanks to Troy Cane for preaching at the combined Reformed Baptist Camp 2017. Troy is an elder at Berean Bible Church in Thagoona, Queensland. Sermons are available to download from the Rolleston Baptist website, via the links below: Session 1: Ephesians 6 – A Call to War Session 2: Ephesians 6:14-15 – Belt, Breastplate and Boots Session 3: Ephesians 6:16-17a – Shield of Faith and Helmet of Salvation Session 4: Ephesians 6:16-17 – The Sword of the Spirit Session 5: Ephesians 6:18-20 – Prayer Read Ephesians 6:10-20 Online
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Induction Service for Mark Pavelka: The gift and responsibility of a pastor
Nick was privileged to be asked to lead the induction service for Mark Pavelka at Gleniti Baptist Church this morning. There was no audio recording of his sermon, however the manuscript is available to read. Outline The gift The responsibility Introduction I feel very privileged to be here this morning to preach for the induction service for Mark today. He and I are good friends and have high hopes for a greater interaction between our churches. We have been praying for Gleniti and the Pavelkas for a while and couldn’t be more pleased for you both. I hope you...
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Ephesians 6:18-20: Intercessory prayer
Outline Praying for saints Praying for missions Praying for preachers Introduction We come to the last message on spiritual warfare. We have covered some of the loopy ideas that spiritual warfare is not; the nature of the battle as being against spiritual powers stronger than us individually; we have spoken about the strength that God gives us by His Spirit; and we have looked at the pieces of the armour as the equipment every Christian is equipped with for the fight. But we have spent the last four messages looking at one of the most important aspects of our...
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Ephesians 6:18: Persevering Prayer
Outline Who God is Why God delays Introduction We are lingering over the issue of prayer because it is so needed in our lives. We have reminded ourselves of the nature of prayer, the different types of prayer, and today we continue by considering perseverance in prayer. Paul writes, ‘praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance….’ There are two aspects of perseverance to consider. Firstly, Paul is calling upon us to be alert and persevere in attempting to pray at all times, in the Spirit, with...
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Ephesians 6:18: The discipline of prayer
Outline Praying at all times Praying in the Spirit Praying with all prayer Introduction Prayer is the easiest thing and the hardest thing for the believer. It is easy for Christ has opened up the way, we have the Spirit to help us, the Word to inform us and the Father warmly welcomes us; but we are sinners and prayer is unnatural to fallen man as doubting and self-sufficient. Prayer is the most pleasant and most painful experience for the believer. It is pleasurable because of the rich spiritual experiences of peace, assurance, love, faith and joy; but it...
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Ephesians 6:18-20: The Nature of Prayer
Outline What is prayer? Must we pray? How is prayer possible? The mysteries of prayer Introduction What is prayer? 17th century Anglican minister George Herbert has written a famous poem that multiplies the images of of the nature of prayer: ‘Prayer the church’s banquet, angel’s age, God’s breath in man returning to his birth, The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage, The Christian plummet sounding heav’n and earth Engine against th’ Almighty, sinner’s tow’r, Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear, The six-days world transposing in an hour, A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear; Softness, and peace, and...
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Ephesians 6:18: Praying and temptation
Outline Christ’s praying in Gethsemane Christ’s teaching in Gethsemane Introduction The greatest spiritual warrior to have walked the earth is Christ. He never gave in to one temptation; He faced greater temptations than anyone will ever face, and He is our teacher as we turn from the spiritual armour to the importance of prayer in spiritual warfare. As we read through the gospels we come across a life saturated in prayer. He would get up early and pray, Mk. 1:35; He would pray in private, Lk. 9:18; He prayed at His baptism, Lk. 3:21-22; and before He ate, Matt....
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Ephesians 6:17: The Sword of the Spirit: Part Two
Outline The sword that dispels darkness The sword that answers temptation Introduction ‘The word,’ acts 6:4; ‘the implanted word,’ James 1:21; ‘the prophetic word,’ 2 Pet. 1:19; ‘the word of God;’ ‘the word of Christ,’ Col. 3:16; ‘the word of His grace,’ Acts 14:3; ‘the word of truth,’ Ps. 119:43; ‘the word of righteousness,’ Heb. 5:13; ‘fire,’ Jer. 23:29; ‘hammer,’ Jer. 23:29; ‘sweeter than honey,’ Ps. 19:10; ‘lamp,’ Ps. 119:103; ‘meat,’ Heb. 5:14; ‘milk,’ 1 Pet. 2:2; ‘water,’ Eph. 5:25; and ‘sword’ Eph. 6:17. These are just a few descriptions of the word of God, the Sword of the...
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Ephesians 6:17: The Sword of the Spirit: Part One
Outline The sword that gives life The sword that transforms character Introduction In Pilgrim’s Progress in the Valley of Humiliation on Christian’s journey to the Heavenly City he encounters Apollyon, i.e. the devil. Here is how it went: Apollyon: Whence come you, and whither are you bound? Christian: I am come from the city of Destruction, which is the place of all evil, and am going to the City of Zion. Apollyon: By this I perceive thou art one of my subjects; for all that country is mine, and I am the prince and god of it. How is...
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Ephesians 6:17: The Helmet of Salvation
Outline The certainty of hope The fight for hope The effect of hope Introduction The typical picture of hopelessness is one taken from WWII. In the concentration camps the soldiers would give the prisoners menial tasks. In one camp the prisoners were told to move a huge pile of dirt from one side of the prison camp to the other. Once this was completed they were then commanded to move it back again. This endless cycle of meaninglessness with no light at the end of the tunnel caused many to deliberately throw themselves upon the electric fences to end...
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Ephesians 6:16: The Shield of Faith
Outline Living by faith Quenching darts Introduction In the book of Hebrews Jewish Christians are being persecuted, imprisoned and facing possible death for being believers. There is immense temptation to throw away Christianity to escape the heat and return to Judaism. The author of that great letter shows how Christ is better than the law, Moses, the angels, the sacrifices and the OT administrations, but he also tells them that they need to live by faith. Hebrews 10:39, ‘But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their...
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Ephesians 4:1-16: Vertical and Horizontal Unity for Christians
Thanks to Ryan Vinten for preaching this afternoon. Ryan is an Associate Pastor at Gracenet Community Church in Wellington. Ephesians 4:1-16: Unity in the Body of Christ 1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5...
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