03 May Sermon Recap | Ephesians | The Mark of a Believer
As Christians, we are part of one body: the Church. We are all gifted in unique ways and have something to contribute. As we learn and grow together there is going to be conflict because of our sinful nature. In verses 25-31 of Chapter 4, Paul outlines several obstacles we will face as believers interacting with one another, but He also challenges us with a call to repentance. Repentance means we do not simply stop doing one thing, but that we stop doing something in order to start doing another.
Suggestions for Studying Ephesians During the Series:
1. Read daily passages along with NLT or ESV study Bible.
2. Read the whole book in one sitting once a week for the remainder of the series.
3. Listen to the whole book in one sitting once a week for the remainder of the series.
Click here to read the book of Ephesians.
Scripture References
–Is Jesus proud of the life that you live or is He discouraged by the life that you live? Ask God how have you grieved Him. Assume that you have.
–Do your relationships indicate that you have an accurate understanding of the Gospel? If everyone owes you, you continually get your feelings hurt, or you are always frustrated with people, you may not fully understand the Gospel and what Jesus has done for you.
–Do you feel the need to punish other people or tear them down? Or do you feel compelled to build them up? How can you use your words to encourage, challenge, and care for others?
–Are you trying to live a moral religious code out of your own drive/abilities, or is God doing a work inside of you— His resources and gifts allowing you to live a life worthy of your calling?
Thoughts to Consider
-We have to be careful to avoid nurturing anger when we have been sinned against. We will begin to desire and expect something that’s not for us to get. It’s not for us to get justice or satisfaction.
-When you can’t forgive others it raises the question of what you worship. Yourself?, your sense of justice? Your desire to be treated a certain way?
-We must not just stop the bad behavior, we must move in the opposite direction—choosing actions that instead bless other people.
-The people you are most frustrated with, if they are brothers or sisters in Christ, are the same people you will one day be tempted to worship because of how beautiful and glorious they are in heaven. They are children of God.
“We make God happy or sad by the way that we live.”
“The health of your relationships are an indicator of how you view the gospel.”
“God has more reason to be enraged at me than I do at the person who hurt me.”
“If you don’t forgive others, you don’t recognize what Jesus has done in your life.”
“We should be concerned about building the body—not ourselves.”
“Saying we forgive and actually forgiving are two different things.”
“The infraction from me to God is infinite. The infraction between us is minuscule. “
