Category: Expositions

Saturday Wordstudy: What or Who Does God Hate?

A point of perpetual debate in the modern church really addresses the core of how people evangelize. Can I say, “God loves you,” to a group of people that I don’t know? Certainly, an approach like that is a staple of contemporary evangelistic techniques. You know, the John 3:16 approach. But if you believe in… Read More

Prince of the Power of the Air

“And you, having been dead in your the trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the fashion of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit which now works in the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:1-2) “The prince of the power of the air,” this is… Read More

Priorities and Life

“And you, having been dead in your the trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the fashion of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit which now works in the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:1-2) As we have noted several times already, this letter is… Read More

Dead Means Dead

“And you, having been dead in your the trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the fashion of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit which now works in the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:1-2) Shall we simply begin with the notion of being dead… Read More

All things under His Feet

“And he subordinated all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of whom is filling the all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23) Paul continues his doxology by citing Psalm 8:6 directly, speaking of the language of all things being subordinated to Christ.… Read More

Jesus is King — Take Dominion in His Name!

“Which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and sitting him at the right hand in the heavenly places above every ruler and authority and power and dominion and every name which has been named — not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” (Ephesians 1:20-21) One of… Read More

His Power toward Us — Those who Believe

“giving light to the eyes of your heart to know the hope of his calling, which is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and  which is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us, those who believe, according to the outworking of his power and might.” (Ephesians 1:18-19) Okay, time… Read More

The Zacchaeus Principle

“Do not store up treasures for yourself on the earth where moth and rust can destroy and where thieves can break in and steal it. Store up treasure for yourself in heaven where neither moth nor rust can destroy and where thieves can not break in and steal it. For where your treasure is, there… Read More

The Riches of His Inheritance

“giving light to the eyes of your heart to know the hope of his calling, which is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and  which is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us, those who believe, according to the outworking of his power and might.” (Ephesians 1:18-19) Following the… Read More

Assurance of Salvation

“giving light to the eyes of your heart to know the hope of his calling, which is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and  which is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us, those who believe, according to the outworking of his power and might.” (Ephesians 1:18-19) And thus,… Read More

Light to the Eyes, not a Fat Heart, That must be Our Prayer

“giving light to the eyes of your heart to know the hope of his calling, which is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and  which is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us, those who believe, according to the outworking of his power and might.” (Ephesians 1:18-19) As we… Read More

A Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation

“Because of this, and hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and the love you have toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, making remembrance of you in my prayers in order that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, would give you a… Read More

To the Praise of His Glory…Amen!

“who is the downpayment of our inheritance, into the redemption of his possession, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:14) We have seen this language already in Ephesians , but it is worth reiterating again and again. Why does God give us the Holy Spirit as a downpayment of our inheritance while also bringing… Read More

I am His Possession

“who is the downpayment of our inheritance, into the redemption of his possession, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:14) Do you notice the language that is used here? Paul is writing that as Christians, because of the work of Christ, we have been redeemed into God’s possession. His possession? What exactly is that… Read More

Questions of Assurance

“who is the downpayment of our inheritance, into the redemption of his possession, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:14) The classic definition of faith is found in Hebrews 1:11: “And faith is the essence of that which is hoped for, the proof of things not seen.” This is a definition which we have… Read More

Sealed in the Holy Spirit

“In whom we have received an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of the one who works all things according to the counsel of his will, to the end that we should exist to the praise of his glory — those who first hoped in Christ; in whom you also, in hearing the word… Read More

Existing to the Praise of His Glory

“In whom we have received an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of the one who works all things according to the counsel of his will, to the end that we should exist to the praise of his glory — those who first hoped in Christ; in whom you also, in hearing the word… Read More

Predestination and Human Freedom

“In whom we have received an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of the one who works all things according to the counsel of his will, to the end that we who exist to the praise of his glory — those who first hoped in Christ; in whom you also, in hearing the word… Read More

The Summation of All Things

“making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him as a plan for the fullness of time to sum up all things in Christ — that which is in the heavens and that which is on the earth, in Him.” (Ephesians 1:9-10) Why does God… Read More

Grace Abounding

“In Him we have deliverance through His blood — liberation from trespasses — according to the riches of His grace, which abounds to us in all wisdom and understanding,” (Ephesians 1:7-8) Grace is said to “abound to us in all wisdom and understanding.” Some Bible translations prefer the more poetic language of God “lavishing” his… Read More

The Abundance of Grace

“In Him we have deliverance through His blood — liberation from trespasses — according to the riches of His grace, which abounds to us in all wisdom and understanding,” (Ephesians 1:7-8) While we talk a lot about grace in the Christian world (and rightly so!), before we do so in this context, it seems appropriate… Read More