Grace for Your Day June 28

The Book of Ephesians has taken us through a lot of things as a church. It has brought us through a lot of trials over the past several years. For example, it is the book that we were in when the pandemic first started. It is what we were studying when we all heard the words “coronavirus” and “COVID-19” for the first time.

It is also what we were studying when riots broke out in the United States. It is the book that we were in when cities like Minneapolis and Seattle burst into flames last summer over the issue of racism and it is what we were considering when we came back from that. Ephesians is the book that we were preaching through when we began meeting outside in a tent.

I mention all of that because this week will be out last sermon in the Book of Ephesians. It will be the last time that we look at this letter together and we are going to do it by discussing four lessons that have learned from it. They are as follows:
1). You are blessed in Christ
2). You have been raised up in Christ
3). You are safe in Christ (because God has given you His armour)
4). God loves you with an incorruptible love

While there are many other lessons that we could discuss, this is a good place to finish. It is a good place to conclude the series because Paul’s main purpose in writing this letter was to encourage us. His main goal was to build us up in the faith and he does that by reminding us that “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (1:4) and “in Him we have redemption through His blood” (verse 7). He also tells us that Jesus is our peace (2:14) and our cornerstone (2:20) and that He has made us into a new creation (4:24). He has made us into a child of God (5:1-2) and His own bride (5:25-32). “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works” (2:8-10). The point is that God did all of this to give us hope. He told us all of the things in the Book of Ephesians to encourage us.

So, if you need some encouragement this week, you have come to the right place. If you need to be lifted up, you have come to the right sermon because we are going to do that this week at our 8:15, 9:45, and 11:15 services. The message will also be available Sunday morning on our You Tube Channel and website for all who cannot be with us in person. It will be a blessing to review all of the things that we have talked about over the past several years. The Lord has been good to us. He has been so faithful and kind and I look forward to remembering that with you on Sunday. – Jeremy Cagle