Sermons (Page 6)

Identity Filled With The Spirit

Remember Paul’s admonition “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Eph. 4:1).
• In the last lesson on our Identity from Ephesians chapter 5 we learned as members of the body of Christ we are
“Living Light” in a a world of darkness and sin.
• Our mission — to shine the light of Christ and expose every sin without compromise, without fear.

No longer walking in darkness as the gentiles (v. 4:17)
• but walking in love imitating God and Christ (v.5:2), walking as children of light (v.5:8).

Our lesson is titled, “Filled with the Spirit”.

There will be two parts:
• (1) beginning at verse 15 we learn the importance of always being personally aware of how we are walking, and
• (2) at verse 18 we learn the necessity, and the way of avoiding a life of sin, by being “filled with the Spirit”
evidenced by singing, giving thanks and submitting to one another in the fear of God.

First, Paul wrote at verse 15… “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise” (Eph. 5:15)

Hindrances To Prayer Part 2

HINDRANCES TO PRAYER – PART 2

Paul wrote, “1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col 3:1-2). Brothers and sisters, setting our minds on things above does not mean thinking about what heaven is like. Rather it means we are fixated on things that come from heaven. The right to prayer is a gift from God in heaven that enhances our relationship with Him. Our part is to use this blessing. But when we lack commitment to God, to the Spirit, our prayer is less often, and less sincere. Idolatry was mentioned in the morning lesson that we must be committed to Jesus and not the things of this world. We are either committed to the this of this world of to God. Jesus said, “No one can serve two mas-ters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matt. 6:24). If it’s not God, it’s this world. Paul warned about getting too attached to worldly things. “No one en-gaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Tim. 2:4).

We are in a spiritual war, make no mistake, and prayer is one powerful weapon that God afords Christians… 

Identity The Value of Imitation God

IDENTITY THE VALUE OF IMITATION GOD

We all tend to imitate others even without knowing. • We imitate to feel connected. • We imitate our role models. • We imitate to be socially accepted. • It is natural for children to be like their parents. • It must also then be natural for Christians to imitate their Father in heaven. Imitating God is a serious matter when you consider our Father’s character.

According to the apostle Paul we must walk in a manner worthy of our calling: We are being taught to put off our old ways. We become the new creation according to God in true righteousness and holiness (4:23-24). Accomplished by bringing our whole self under the control of the Spirit, through the word, destroying any power the devil had over our speech and mannerisms. This lesson is from Ephesians chapter 5 – and is titled “Value in Imitating God”

In Ephesians 5 Paul outlines the great value the saints receive by doing the 3 following things…

Imitate God
Be the Example
Avoid Evil

Imitating God is a serious matter when you consider our Father’s character. There are aspects of the Father’s character that are beyond our ability to imitate. He is eternal (Rev. 4:8), His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence are beyond us. And He is our Final Righteous Judge.

Then there are the things we can and must strive to imitate…