Bible Study Summary - Upcoming Sunday's Scriptures

Sermon – “Transformed Living: Offering a Drink to Others”

Ephesians 4:1-16

-          Ephesians is one of four letters Paul wrote from prison.

-          In this chapter, Paul is helping the Christians in the surrounding area of Ephesus to go over    our calling as Christians.

-          There are three key areas regarding our calling and areas that we need to continually remember as we live out our faith: 1) Verse 1 - We are called to follow Jesus, the King. 2) Verse 7 - God’s grace equips us to play our part. 3) Verse 3 - The unity we already have in Christ and need to guard that unity. 

-          This is a passage about growing into maturity.  We need to continue to develop.  See verse 14.

-          Verse 16 – Paul is making the point that we need each other in the church.

-          Verse 11 and following is not meant to be an exhaustive list.  Paul lists five of them:

-          1) Apostles – Witnesses of the resurrection.  The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the church.  2) Prophets – Speaking in the name of the Lord. 3) Evangelists – announcing the surprising news of Jesus’ resurrection!  4) Pastors – Shepherding the churches.  5) Teachers – Helping new Christians to see how the story of Jesus is connected to the entire bible and God’s covenant to rescue the world.

Matthew 10:1, 40-42

-          In this passage, Jesus offers a sharp challenge in living out our faith because it can be so easy to stay comfortable.  He also assures us that by losing our lives for the sake of others, we will find them.  There will be a chain reaction of people sharing the love of Jesus through word and deed.

-          Giving a cup of cold water to someone in need also means that we are serving Jesus himself.  It’s a symbol of hospitality which is crucial in sharing the good news of Christ.  This is a scripture passage that emphasizes two of our five core values as a church – Radical Hospitality & Risk-Taking Mission.

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