GOSPEL :: FAMILY :: MISSION
In these verses Paul comes right out of the gate with an urgent instruction for Timothy and the people in the Ephesian church. His instruction is simple. Timothy and the church are not to tolerate false teachers in their church family. I can feel Paul’s urgency as he instructs Timothy to confront these false teachers. I can feel the urgency when he describes the reasons and the motivation for the confrontation.
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I believe that the health and the vitality of the local church rises and falls on her understanding of the promise of the gospel. The only thing that will help you behave in an orderly and godly manner is the promise of the gospel. The only thing that will help you face the monotony of the mundane is the promise of the gospel. The only thing that will give you eternal security is the promise of the gospel. The health and the vitality of the local church rises and falls on her understanding of the promise of the gospel.
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Question for you. What frightens you? Think about that for a minute. What are you most afraid of? What scares you to death? What frightens you so much that it paralyzes you? Take a look at Joshua 1:9…
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I love a good fight. I don’t love unhealthy conflict. I don’t like to fight just to fight but I do love a good fight. I don’t like to be defeated.I like to win and I like to be on the winning team. Losing doesn’t seem to be appealing to me. Winning feels like progress. Defeat feels like a slow death.And the Christmas season in all of it’s beauty and all of its sparkle and all of its glitter can bring about a sense of defeat for many people.
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When I meditate on the truth that Jesus came as a ruling, shepherding, Savior King, my heart is awakened and I am moved to respond in worship that is filled with joy and surrender and generosity.
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Every year around this time you can walk into just about any public place or any home and find some kind of celebration that points to Jesus’ birth as the reason for the season. Christmas music comes on the radio right around Halloween and from that point forward the entire world seems to be caught up with the Christmas story we see in the Bible.
Sometimes concluding remarks feel like a courteous goodbye or just a random handful of leftover thoughts the author wanted to wrap up with. And so oftentimes we miss the importance of a conclusion. Think about some of the best movie cliff hangers you’ve experienced this last year and how they left you on the edge of your seat wanting more. That’s my prayer for us as we turn our attention to the last four sentences of Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church.
A person’s attitude says a lot about who they believe God is and who they believe they are. What does your attitude look like today? Is it an attitude of defeat or victory? Despair or joy? Obedience or rebellion? What does your attitude look like today? Because your attitude today, says a lot about who you believe God is and who you believe God says you are.
What is your heart captivated by? What are you in bondage to? What lies have you believed that have lead you into a jail cell of doubt or worry or despair or shame or guilt? Jesus said that we will know the truth and the truth will set us free. And Paul said that we have been set free to be set free.
Truth. What is truth? Is there really such a thing as absolute truth? Who is the source of the truth you believe? Why does this matter?
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