Ephesians 6:1-3: Children obey your parents: Part 2
Obeying your parents, why should we do it? On the one hand we have the pragmatic view of psychology which has finally admitted the age old wisdom of God’s ways and tells us that every...
Ephesians 6:1-3: Children obey your parents: Part 1
The family today is under attack. This basic building block of society which has everywhere had a basic form of father, mother and children as the inner core and in laws and other extended family...
in Ephesians
1 Corinthians 7: Singleness
We have said many things about marriage, but I am aware that not everyone who hears these messages is married or will get married. So I think it is appropriate that we also address the...
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:28-32: The Realities and Responsibilities of Union
The Bible often argues from what you are to what you should do. Because you are a new creature in Christ, act in a new way. Because you are in a one Spirit union with...
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:25-27: Words of Life and Death
‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.’ Prov. 18:21. One of the most effective weapons and one of the greatest fertilizers in marriage...
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:26-27: Glorify Your Wives
When Lynn and I got married we asked for a full sermon to be preached. Our pastor at the time, Leigh Robinson preached a four point sermon on the purpose of marriage. Marriage is for...
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:25: Husbands love your wives
Why do we love? One physicist gives us the evolutionary perspective, ‘Biologically, love is a powerful neurological condition like hunger or thirst, only more permanent. We talk about love being blind or unconditional, in the...
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:23: The Husband is the Head of the Wife
When the Bible wants to demonstrate the roles of men and women it does not begin with culture but with creation. The NT regularly references Adam and Eve when it explains the roles of men...
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:22: Wives Submit to Your Own Husbands
The war of the sexes goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. In Genesis chapter 3 we see the fall of man in sin. We see the first sins of the first...
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:22-33: The Institution of Marriage
What is marriage? One mother says, ‘marriage is just a fancy word for adopting an overgrown male child who cannot be handled by his parents anymore.’ But speaking more seriously, modern views of marriage are...
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Ephesians 5:19-21: The Church-shaped Spirit Filled Life
How do you know your life is controlled by the Spirit? It is not by having visions and dreams, prophecies and tongues, or casting out demons, Judas could do all these and was not Spirit...
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:18: Be Filled with the Spirit: Part Two
When I say ‘be filled with the Spirit,’ what comes to mind? You might think of power to do miracles, you might think of having a mystical experience, you might think of the Toronto Blessing....
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:18: Be filled with the Holy Spirit
Christians are very divided today over the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Sadly most Christians do not know the difference between the sealing of the Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit and...
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:15-17: Walking Wisely
The word walk is used several times in the letter to the Ephesians. The word is used metaphorically to indicate a lifestyle, a life direction, a pattern of behaviour. It is used to describe our...
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Ephesians 5:8-14: Children of Light
We are in the middle of a section that is all about motivation. Why should you live the Christian life? Paul is in the middle of exploring several reasons for why we should be holy....
in Ephesians
Ephesians 5:5-7: Living in Light of Judgement
What do all these verses have in common? 2 Cor. 5:10-11, ‘For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has...