SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 3:14-21 OBSERVATIONS 1. (v.14-15) Paul continues the theme of the one family of God, reminding us of the unity of all people as God’s children. The walls of division have been removed, we all call upon one God, Who is Father of all! Paul speaks about this in Athens as well, when addressing Greek…
May 17 — Ephesians 3:1-13
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 3:1-13 OBSERVATIONS 1. (vv.1-6) Jesus Christ is the key to the mystery of God’s plan, how all people are reconciled to God through Jesus, whether Jewish or not, and together in Him become one people. APPLICATION: In a culture divided by class and race and gender, this message is especially good news (i.e. “gospel”)…
May 16 — Ephesians 2:11-22
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 2:11-22 OBSERVATIONS 1. Paul makes it clear that the New Covenant is different from the Old Covenant, that the “law with its commandments and regulations” has been abolished, and instead that we are reunited with God through His sacrifice of love. APPLICATION: This ought to make us very careful in how we use the…
Penny for your thoughts!
I am looking at the story of the widow’s pennies (Mark 12:41-44). At first I thought the “moral” or “lesson” of this story was: its not the amount of the gift but the attitude of the giver that counts with the Lord. But though this is true, I wonder whether its more than that.
May 15 — Ephesians 2:1-10
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 2:1-10 OBSERVATIONS 1. (vv.1-3) This passage reminds me of how serious my sin condition is, apart from God’s mercy: spiritually dead, following the ways of the world and of the devil, gratifying the cravings of the sinful nature, following its desires and thoughts, by nature an object of wrath. APPLICATION: Do I sense how…
May 14 — Ephesians 1:15-23
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:15-23 OBSERVATIONS 1. (vv.15-19) Even though Paul has heard about their strong faith and love, he still prays for the Spirit of wisdom to know Him better, and for their hearts to see the greatness of their hope and power in Him. APPLICATION: I still need more of the Spirit, I still need to…
May 13 — Ephesians 1:1-14
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:1-14 OBSERVATION: God has lavished every spiritual blessing on us, true and lasting (heavenly) blessings. Although they are ours in principle, in practice we have received the Spirit as a deposit, the guarantee of the fullness that is ‘in the bank’ for us. Paul stresses God’s side of this blessing, He called us to…
May 12 — Ruth 4:1-22
SCRIPTURE: Ruth 4:1-22 OBSERVATION: The main point of this story is to show how God works through the culture and times of Israel’s history to produce the ‘seed of the woman’ who will crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15). King David is an anticipation of the future messiah to come. The reference to Perez and Tamar (see…
May 11- Ruth 3:1-18
SCRIPTURE: Ruth 3:1-18 OBSERVATION: A different time and culture. This passage is descriptive (describing how it happened), not prescriptive (prescribing how it should happen). This should be a caution to us when we read the Bible, to not make laws out of things that are not laws. Ruth is a model of humility and loyalty, the…
May 10 — Ruth 2:1-23
SCRIPTURE: Ruth 2:1-23 OBSERVATION: This passage mentions finding favour three times (2:2,10,13), and in the context of God’s story that is important since grace and favour are parallel terms, undeserved kindness. Ruth also expresses the wonder of grace in that she – a foreign woman – is treated so well. Unfortunately the men of Israel were…