Sermon Schedule — Ephesians: One Church
After the birth of my first child, I became a father. Just like that, my life changed. Along with my identity as a new dad came all the responsibilities of parenthood. We live out our identities every day–whether as a parent or child, as a husband or wife, as a student at school or as an employee in the workplace. Who we are shapes our lives and lifestyles. Our values, responsibilities, attitudes and actions flow out of our identity. Therefore, knowing our identity matters. It clarifies how we ought to live in a way that is consistent with who we are.
Challenges in the Christian life are commonly caused by spiritual forgetfulness. Specifically, we struggle because we forget who and whose we are. We neglect or lose sight of the truths of the gospel, which form our identity and shape how we live. Furthermore, we live in a world that is hostile to our identity as followers of Christ. This world seeks to conform us to its mould, to reshape our identity in its own image.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is a remedy for identity amnesia. In the first half, we are reminded to praise the triune God for what he has done for his people. The Father has predestined us in love to belong to him as his adopted children through the Son. Jesus has redeemed us by his blood, to bring us back to God. The Spirit seals us, guaranteeing our inheritance. In Christ, God is accomplishing his plan to reconcile sinners and all creation to himself.
God is also reconciling redeemed sinners to one another through the gospel. In Christ, many become one. United to Jesus the Head, we are also united with one another as fellow members of his body, the church. The church is one, compromising diverse peoples from every nation, tribe and tongue. The unity of the church testifies to the wisdom and power of God, who has graciously reconciled sinners to himself. The church is central to God’s plan to display his glory to all of creation.
God’s people are one in Christ. We are one church. The second half of Ephesians exhorts us to live in holiness and love, according to our new identity. We are to serve and speak the truth in love to one another, that the whole body might be built up in Christ-like maturity. In this way, God is glorified in the church.
The songs that we have been singing at our services can be found at this Spotify playlist:
Our sermons can also be found on our website, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.