Eph 1:1-14
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
God’s Eternal Plan audio (5MB)
I hope that those of you who were here last week have been waiting with anticipation to hear more about God’s eternal plan for the world. As we’ll see in a moment it’s an eternal plan because he set it out before the creation of the world, because it’s effective right now and because it reaches into the future to the end of time.
Paul begins his letter with the usual greetings to the recipients, then he launches into a hymn of praise. But in fact it’s more than just praise. It’s more like an overture to a great operatic work. Here we find themes that are repeated later in the letter. Yet, like an overture it has an internal unity that allows us to study it by itself as we’re about to do.
Last week we looked at how Paul repeats the phrase “In Christ” over and over again in this passage. So clearly this is an idea that’s central to the letter. The fact that we’re now in Christ is significant for both our salvation and our sanctification, that is, our being changed to be more Christlike.
Ephesians Overview
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Complete In Christ audio
I wonder how good your theology is. How well thought out are you? Have you worked out the answers to those difficult questions about God that arise from time to time? Or are you like me and still thinking some things through? Of course those who are well educated theologically have probably answered more questions than others but even then there’ll be ideas and concepts that they still wonder about. I remember reading something that Leon Morris once said. He was principal of Ridley College in the 60s and 70s and a world renowned expert on John’s Gospel. He once commented that the more he read of John’s gospel the more he discovered. It was like a gold
mine where the deeper you dug, the more treasure you unearthed.
I mention all of this because we’re about to embark on a study of Ephesians over the next 3 months and the theme of the series is Complete in Christ. And it’s that phrase “in Christ” that caught my attention. So I thought we’d spend some time today thinking about that.
Philemon 1
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Freedom for the Captives audio (5MB)
There's something quite different about reading this letter compared with all Paul's other letters. In all the others, even those addressed to individuals, the focus is on the Church where they're ministering. But here there's a much more personal feel to the correspondence. You can feel the warmth of Paul's feelings towards Philemon and probably his wife and son, Apphia and Archippus. Paul hadn't visited Colossae but it's likely that Philemon was in Ephesus at the same time as Paul and was converted there. It certainly sounds like Paul had spent time with them and he clearly wishes he could be with them enjoying their hospitality rather than being in Rome experiencing the emperor's.
But there's a much more serious reason for writing than booking the guest room. While he's been in Rome Paul has met up with a runaway slave named Onesimus. Onesimus has become a Christian under Paul's teaching and is beginning to turn his life around. In fact he's become one of Paul's carers, probably bringing him food and other supplies while he's in prison in Rome. But his presence with Paul raises an ethical dilemma. What should Paul do? Should he hand him over to the authorities as an escaped slave or should he keep quiet and just enjoy the support he provides.
Titus 3:1-15
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- Written by: George Hemmings
Good To Go audio (3MB)
The wait is over. Not the wait for the building to be finished. There’s still 61 sleeps to go for that. No, I’m talking about something else that some of us here have been waiting anxiously for. On Thursday the first round of university offers came out. Across the state students and their families have discovered if they’re good to go. Good to go to the university they wanted, good to go for the course they’d hoped to get into. I’m sure many here can remember that nervous wait, wondering if we, or our children, were good to go.
Titus 2:1-15
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- Written by: George Hemmings
Good Relations audio (3MB)
If someone asked how they could be good, what would you say? What does it take to be good? What do you need to do?
Last week, we saw that the foundation of being good is being pointed in the right direction. It comes from having leaders who are good models for us. Leaders who have a firm grasp on the word of God. Good leaders who faithfully ‘Teach the Bible’. It’s not just leaders, we all need a solid grasp on the Bible if we’re to be good. In the pew sheets are the Bible reading plans that I mentioned last week. I’ve been told that Jack Giles is the man to see if you want to get your hands on the Daily Bread reading plans. And here’s the chart that I said I’d be using, but had left at home. Being good starts with being pointed in the right direction, by leaders, by God’s word.
Titus 1:1-16
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- Written by: George Hemmings
Good Directions audio (2.6MB)
There are two words that Micah loves to hear. Two words make his day. These two words are, ‘Good boy.’ They’re words that we all love aren’t they. We want someone say that we’re a ‘good person’, a ‘good man’ or a ‘good woman’. We love to be told, ‘Good job’ or ‘good work.’ We all have a desire to be good, to do good.
Isaiah 9:2-7 - Christmas Eve
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- Written by: George Hemmings
Light in the Darkness audio (4MB)
Text by George yet to come
