https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B78h8TVSO44&t=31s Rather than proceeding directly into Ephesians 4, as I originally had planned to do. I believe that a brief interlude would be helpful for us before launching into the second half of the book. As I have noted before, the plan is to study Ephesians in three sections: chapters 1-3 were called Kingdom Come …
A number of sources have converged to lead me to this message. First, I preached two weeks ago on Paul’s ministry in Ephesus as described in Acts 19. I was, and continue to be, intrigued by the clash of kingdoms that the chapter describes. Paul and his fellow Christians preached the word of the Lord, …
Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, …
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. …
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by …
Continue reading How We Live (part four) | Colossians 3:18-4:1
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in …
Continue reading How We Live (part three) | Colossians 3:12-17
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and …
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who …
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going …
Continue reading Our View of Religion (part two) | Colossians 2:16-23
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule …
Continue reading Our View of Religion (part one) | Colossians 2:8-15
B. C. Newton 