August 2024 - TOGETHER!

READING PLAN FOR AUGUST

Each week we will have a focal passage for the week that will serve as our Together in Word reading. However, I will encourage our church to read the entire letter to the Ephesians each week. This will keep the grand sweep of the letter in our minds as we make our way through the month.  We will refer to this as the Big Picture Reading each week.

August 4, 2024:  Together . . . in Partnership with Christ!

Ephesians 1:1-2

In this message, I will present an overview of the entire letter of Ephesians. In this impactful letter, Paul paints a portrait of a flourishing church, living fully into its mission, and bearing the fruit of God’s blessings. It is a grand vision indeed. In our day, we are often guilty of “poor-mouthing” the Church of Jesus Christ. This letter serves as a corrective for our low-horizon perspective and pessimistic outlook. In Christ, and through His church, God will fill the earth with His glory!

 Big Picture Reading: Ephesians 1-6

Together in Word: Ephesians 1:3-14

This majestic text is one long sentence in the original Greek New Testament. It is densely packed with incredible insight. As you read through it this week, take time to reflect on the truth that you and I have been called to live in community with one another in and through the church. God is at work in His world through the church! This text challenges us to lift our view of the church to match God’s plan for us. Our identity as the people of God is set forth in this powerful passage. Take some time this week as you read and reflect to pray for the church to live fully into its mission in this world.

August 11, 2024:  Together . . . in Praise and Prayer!

Ephesians 1:3-23

Paul begins this letter with a beautiful expression of praise. He follows this majestic introduction with a comprehensive prayer. In connecting these two sections, we can better comprehend the plan God has for the church. God is going to bring forth the unity of heaven and earth in Christ. The church is at the heart of this grand plan. As N. T. Wright likes to say, “The church is a small, working model of the new creation.”

 Big Picture Reading: Ephesians 1-6

 Together in Word: Ephesians 1:15-23

This week’s focal passage is the beautiful prayer that follows the introductory doxology. In this prayer, Paul prays through the various themes associated with God’s plan for the church. Paul did not want the church to fall short in its vision of God’s will for it. He prayed for wisdom, revelation, knowledge, and vision. The church of every age needs this prayer! 

August 18, 2024:  Together . . . in Practice!

Ephesians 4:17-24

As the church lives into its mission in the world, it distinguishes itself through the practice of the Christian life. This text highlights the difference between the pagan way of life and Christian way of life. Christians have the advantage of the transformative work of Christ through His Spirit in our lives. We can “put on the new self” and be “made new” in our minds so that we can turn away from our old way of living. The Christian faith is not just a new way of believing (it is that), but it is also a new way of living!

 Big Picture Reading: Ephesians 1-6

 Together in Word: Ephesians 4:25-5:2

In this text we are reminded that our walk with the Lord must be translated into how we walk with everyone else. We live among people who are not “in Christ” so their lives are very different than ours. We are to demonstrate to our world what it truly means to know Christ and to be “in Christ.” Every area of our lives is affected by our relationship to Jesus and our calling to live in community with fellow believers. This passage challenges us to evaluate our everyday lives to see if they truly reflect the glory of God.

August 25, 2024:  Together . . . in Power!

 Ephesians 5:18-6:20

One of God’s greatest gifts to us is His presence in our lives through His Holy Spirit. Paul recognized the significant role played by God’s Spirit in the life and ministry of the church. In this message today, we will learn about the implications of being filled with God’s Spirit. On the one hand, God’s Spirit empowers us and guides us in the basic relationships we have in our homes. On the other hand, God’s Spirit empowers us to do battle with the forces of darkness and spiritual forces in the heavenly realms.

 Big Picture Reading: Ephesians 1-6

 Together in Word: Ephesians 6:10-17

Our modern world often seeks to force us into its mold. This is particularly true regarding the acknowledgment of evil. Our world no longer believes in the forces of darkness. The presence of evil is undeniable, but most moderns do not believe in the forces that lie behind evil. As Christians, we know that the spiritual realm is real, and we are to live as spiritual people. The good news is that God has equipped us to do just that! He has provided the spiritual weapons that actualize His power in our lives each day. How are you using the spiritual equipment God has graciously given to you?