Embracing Love, Unity, and Growth in Christ
Summary
Welcome to the first Sunday of the new year, a time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. Today, we delve into Ephesians 5, exploring the profound relationship between Christ and the church, mirrored in the union of husband and wife. This passage calls us to love and respect within our relationships, just as Christ loves the church. As we gather, we are reminded of the importance of fellowship, or "koinonia," a Greek term that signifies more than just gathering; it is about living life together, supporting, and growing with one another.
Reflecting on the past year, we acknowledge the challenges and triumphs our church has faced. We've embarked on a "Regenesis" process, redefining our mission and vision to align with God's direction for us. Despite financial struggles and the loss of beloved members, we've witnessed the beauty of our church family coming together, supporting one another through grief and hardship. This unity is a testament to our faith and commitment to God's plan.
As we move into the new year, we are reminded that God remains in control. Our mission is to love people and equip believers with the Word, as outlined in Ephesians 4:15. This involves growing in maturity, not just in numbers, but in our faith and understanding of Scripture. We are called to "truth in love," a concept that goes beyond speaking truth to living and maintaining it in our daily lives.
Our journey this year will be guided by the Holy Spirit, as we explore themes of faith, victory, and living like Christ through various books of the Bible. We are committed to maintaining our faith, growing in love, and reaching out to our community with the gospel. As we embark on this journey, let us remain faithful, knowing that God has great plans for us.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Call to Love and Respect: Ephesians 5 teaches us about the sacred relationship between Christ and the church, mirrored in marriage. This calls for mutual love and respect, reflecting Christ's sacrificial love. In our relationships, we are to emulate this divine love, fostering unity and growth. [06:13]
2. The Importance of Fellowship: Fellowship, or "koinonia," is more than just gathering; it's about living life together. It involves supporting, encouraging, and growing with one another. This communal aspect of faith strengthens our bonds and deepens our spiritual journey. [10:30]
3. Facing Challenges with Faith: Reflecting on the past year, we acknowledge the challenges faced, including financial struggles and the loss of loved ones. Yet, through these trials, our church family has come together, supporting and uplifting one another, demonstrating the power of faith and community. [24:19]
4. Growing in Maturity and Faith: Ephesians 4:15 calls us to grow in every way, rooted in Scripture and truth. This growth is not just individual but collective, as a church. By maintaining truth in love, we mature in our faith, becoming more like Christ. [35:49]
5. Truthing in Love: The concept of "truthing in love" involves living and maintaining truth in our daily lives. It's about embodying truth through our actions and relationships, ensuring that love and truth coexist, strengthening our faith and witness. [40:54]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [06:13] - Prayer and Introduction
- [08:07] - Marshmallows and Fellowship
- [10:30] - The Meaning of Koinonia
- [19:59] - Reflecting on the Past Year
- [23:23] - Vision and Mission for the New Year
- [24:19] - Challenges and Community Support
- [26:04] - Financial Struggles and Solutions
- [28:27] - Cooperative Program and Missions
- [31:05] - Faithfulness in the New Year
- [32:26] - New Mission Strategy
- [34:58] - Unity and Growth in the Church
- [35:49] - Maturity in Faith
- [37:57] - The Importance of Being Rooted in Scripture
- [40:54] - Truthing in Love
- [45:14] - Bible Reading Plan and Spiritual Growth
- [48:14] - Loving People as Christ Loved Us
- [51:26] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 5:22-33
- Ephesians 4:15
---
Observation Questions:
1. What does Ephesians 5:22-33 say about the relationship between husbands and wives, and how is it compared to the relationship between Christ and the church? [06:13]
2. How does the sermon describe the concept of "koinonia" and its significance in the context of church fellowship? [10:30]
3. What were some of the challenges faced by the church in the past year, as mentioned in the sermon? [24:19]
4. According to Ephesians 4:15, what is the role of "truthing in love" in the growth of the church? [35:49]
---
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the metaphor of marriage in Ephesians 5:22-33 deepen our understanding of the relationship between Christ and the church? What implications does this have for how we view our own relationships? [06:13]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that "koinonia" goes beyond mere social gatherings? How can this understanding transform our approach to church community? [10:30]
3. Reflecting on the financial struggles and loss of church members, how does the sermon illustrate the power of community support and faith during difficult times? [24:19]
4. What does "truthing in love" mean in practical terms, and how can it be applied to both personal and communal spiritual growth? [40:54]
---
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own relationships. How can you emulate the sacrificial love described in Ephesians 5:22-33 in your interactions with others? [06:13]
2. How can you contribute to fostering a deeper sense of "koinonia" within your church or small group? What specific actions can you take to support and grow with others? [10:30]
3. Considering the challenges faced by the church last year, how can you be a source of encouragement and support to those around you who may be experiencing similar difficulties? [24:19]
4. In what ways can you practice "truthing in love" in your daily life? Identify a situation where you can apply this principle and describe how you will approach it. [40:54]
5. How can you actively participate in the church's mission to love people and equip believers with the Word, as outlined in Ephesians 4:15? What steps will you take to grow in maturity and faith? [35:49]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt tossed about by different teachings or opinions. How can you become more rooted in Scripture to avoid this in the future? [37:57]
7. Identify one person in your life who may not know Christ. How can you show them love and truth in a way that reflects the teachings of Ephesians 4:15? [48:14]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
---
Day 1: Emulating Christ's Love in Relationships
In Ephesians 5, the relationship between Christ and the church is likened to the union of husband and wife, emphasizing the call to love and respect. This divine love is sacrificial and unconditional, serving as a model for our relationships. By emulating Christ's love, we foster unity and growth, not only in marriage but in all our interactions. This love is not passive but active, requiring us to put others before ourselves and to nurture our relationships with care and commitment. [06:13]
Ephesians 5:25-27 (ESV): "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."
Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life where you can better emulate Christ's sacrificial love. What specific actions can you take this week to demonstrate this love?
---
Day 2: Living in True Fellowship
The concept of "koinonia" goes beyond mere gathering; it is about living life together, supporting, and growing with one another. True fellowship involves sharing in each other's joys and burdens, creating a community that reflects the love and unity of Christ. This communal aspect of faith strengthens our bonds and deepens our spiritual journey, reminding us that we are not alone in our walk with God. [10:30]
Acts 2:42-44 (ESV): "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common."
Reflection: How can you contribute to the fellowship in your community this week? Identify one person you can reach out to for support or encouragement.
---
Day 3: Faith Through Trials
Reflecting on the past year, the church has faced financial struggles and the loss of loved ones. Yet, through these trials, the church family has come together, supporting and uplifting one another. This unity is a testament to the power of faith and community, demonstrating that even in hardship, God remains in control. By facing challenges with faith, we grow stronger and more resilient, trusting in God's plan for our lives. [24:19]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How did your faith and community support you through it? What did you learn about God's presence in your life during this time?
---
Day 4: Maturing in Faith and Truth
Ephesians 4:15 calls believers to grow in every way, rooted in Scripture and truth. This growth is not just individual but collective, as a church. By maintaining truth in love, we mature in our faith, becoming more like Christ. This maturity involves a deep understanding of Scripture and a commitment to living out its truths in our daily lives, ensuring that our actions reflect our beliefs. [35:49]
Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV): "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to grow in maturity and understanding of Scripture? What steps can you take to deepen your knowledge and application of God's Word?
---
Day 5: Living Truth in Love
The concept of "truthing in love" involves living and maintaining truth in our daily lives. It's about embodying truth through our actions and relationships, ensuring that love and truth coexist, strengthening our faith and witness. This balance is crucial for a genuine Christian life, where truth is not just spoken but lived out in love, impacting those around us. [40:54]
1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."
Reflection: Consider how you can better embody truth in love in your daily interactions. What is one specific way you can demonstrate this balance in your relationships today?
Quotes
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the savior of the body. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to make her holy, cleansing her with a washing of water by the word. [00:05:14]
But it's more than just fellowship is getting together. It's getting to spend life together with people. And that's what you get to do when you're around a campfire. That's what we're supposed to be doing when we're at church. Church isn't just, hey, we're going to, we go. We do this thing on Sunday morning. Then we go home and eat and we get the rest of the day to ourselves. [00:10:38]
In seeing that, the beautiful part of walking through that with our church family is getting to see the church family come together to help each other, to encourage each other, to build each other up, to be there for each other and minister to one another through those difficult times. It was beautiful to see the church coming together, though mourning itself, but realizing there was a family that was hurting even worse than they are and picking them up and being there for them and encouraging them. [00:25:01]
We know that God is still in control. The struggles of the year hasn't shocked God off the throne. He still has great and amazing plans for us. But what he asks for us is that we remain. We remain faithful. And we don't look at the past year and go, I'm just going to throw my hands up and do something else. But instead, we look at the past year and say, yeah, that was hard, but God was with us through the whole thing. [00:31:55]
Because as that scripture says, we must grow in every way. But by how do we grow in every way? It is by knowing the Bible and following. Following God's plan for us. So going and applying that to our mission strategy as we love people. We're going to grow and be equipped with the word in order to do this. In order to accomplish the mission that we feel and the purpose that we feel God has called us to do. [00:33:12]
For the church to grow in it, in every way, it has to be done through truth and love. But the church together has to grow. And not just, he's not talking about growing in number. He's talking about growing in maturity. So that we become less like little children, blown away and tossed around with every new fad that comes across, but instead growing stronger and stronger. It depends on the individual members growing in maturity. [00:36:22]
But in order to do that, in order to be able to tell what is truth and what is not, we have to be rooted in the Scripture. That's true. What is being mature in the faith, not being tossed around by one thing that somebody says and all of a sudden, that's the best thing in the world, even if it's counter to what Scripture tells us. We've seen that many times throughout the years. [00:39:11]
So what is it that Paul is trying to say when he's saying truthing in love? It brings notions of maintaining, loving, and doing truth. So it involves speaking. It brings notions of maintaining, loving, and doing truth. truth, yes, but it's more than that. It's deeper than that. It's not just speaking truth. It's doing truth. It's maintaining truth. By maintaining, it's keeping it. It's making sure that you're squared onto it every single day. [00:40:41]
Truth and love are necessary together. John Stott said again, he said, truth becomes hard if it's not softened by love, and love becomes soft if it's not strengthened by truth. So you can have truth, but if you don't approach truth, you don't share that truth in a loving way, people are going to see you as harsh and not going to listen to a single word that you're going to say. [00:42:55]
But by loving people, building relationships with people, we can show them the truth of Scripture. This is why in our mission strategy, the first part of that is loving people. It's walking through, becoming a friend, being an investor in their lives, being a coach to them and showing them how to be one who loves. We love people, not just because our mission strategy says so. We love people because Christ first loved us. [00:48:02]
We want to grow and maintain in truth and love because growing, into him who is the head, Christ, is going to be shown through our loving people and reaching them with the gospel. Loving on our community and helping them, being a resource for them, being there for them, walking through life with them. Why? Because Christ loved us first. [00:48:44]
Father God, we thank you for today. Thank you God for all that you do for us every single day. Father, as we leave this place and go out into our community, Father God, may we echo all of who you are and your love for us to every single person that we meet. Thank you, Father, for gathering us together today. And Lord, we pray this in your son's blessed and holy name. Amen. Amen. [01:07:13]
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Jan 06, 2025. Do you have any questions about it?