4g Family

In this episode, Bill Morris, leads the class in studying the first verses of Philippians 4. It includes the great advice to "worry about nothing, pray about anything, thank God for everything."

Ephesians 5 has some rich teaching on Christian marriage -- Art Morris works through the initial teaching on submission in a relationship.

Our study in Ephesians continues today with a look at the verses from 4:25 - 5:2.  Paul continues the earlier work in chapter 4 by working out the implications of the new life for the individual Christian.   As Klyne Snodgrass in his Ephesians volume of the NIV Application Commentary observes, many of these commandments follow a formula of:  stop doing a negative, start doing a positive because of a certain motivation. This is easily seen in the first verse of the section:  25 Therefore, having [put away falsehood], let each one of you [speak the truth] with his neighbor, [for we are members one of another].(ESV, brackets mine)

In Ephesians 4:17-24 Paul continues to explore the implications of Christ's work and blessings. This time, the corporate implications give way to a more personal, individual message.  The culmination is in verse 24 where he describes the equation for authentic Christianity: "and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." (ESV) Breaking down the passage into a couple of "equations" provides a memory device: Soul Arithmetic Good presuppositions + Good logic → Good conclusions Bad thinking + Bad walking (habits) → Bad Practice [(Good teaching – Bad Habits) + Renewed “in the Spirit of your minds”] + Good Habits → Authentic Christianity  (We apologize as this recording is less than optimal: it is marred by brief pops and intermittent dropouts of a second or two )

In this lesson Ephesians 4:11-16 is explored.  The concept of spiritual gifts is covered. Spiritual gifts are given to individual Christians. Seen another way, these individually gifted Christians are part of Christ's gifts to the church. Spiritual gifts are given for a variety of reasons. Interestingly, part of the reason is to keep us on track during changing and challenging times: 4 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (ESV)

Rich teaching on the concept of Spiritual Gifts can be found in several key areas of Paul's letters: Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12-14 and today's passage in Ephesians 4.   These gifts are "given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift." (ESV)

In this lesson Bill reviews the redemptive history from the viewpoint of the Jews and carried forward to the work of Christ for us. This is yet another of the spiritual blessings of being "in Christ".

6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 

In Ephesians 2:19-22 Paul uses three metaphors to describe our relationship with God now that we are "in Christ". A sermon by Pastor Ray Stedman is the source of the observation that each metaphor shows God drawing us closer and closer to Him until we, as a body of believers -- still under construction and being fitted -- become His dwelling place.