Saved from What Is in Us by What Is in God [Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 2:1–7]

How does grace prepare the “faith” part of our salvation? Ephesians 2:1–7 helps us prepare to hear 2:1–5 proclaimed in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that there is a resurrection that must come before faith. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2024.11.02 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 2:1–7

Read Ephesians 2:1–7

Questions from the Scripture text: What was the original condition of the Ephesian Christians (Ephesians 2:1)? According to what two entities did they walk (Ephesians 2:2)? In whom does the prince of the power of the air continue to work? Who else once conducted themselves among them (Ephesians 2:3)? In what did they conduct themselves? What did they fulfill? What were they by nature? Like whom? In what is God rich (Ephesians 2:4)? What caused Him to act? Whom does Paul include among the dead in Ephesians 2:5? What did God do to them? In Whom? By what were they saved? What two things did they do with them in Ephesians 2:6? Together with Whom? What did God want to show (Ephesians 2:7)? In what? In Whom?

How does grace prepare the “faith” part of our salvation? Ephesians 2:1–7 helps us prepare to hear Ephesians 2:1–5 proclaimed in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that there is a resurrection that must come before faith.  

It is to the Ephesian saints that the apostle writes, “you were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), and then he begins including himself in this death in Ephesians 2:3, “among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” But this was not just a behavioral pattern; the apostle says that it had been his and their nature, “and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”

What had to happen to undo this? Spiritual resurrection! God “made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” We sometimes read of people saying that what is “not of ourselves” in Ephesians 2:8 is the grace and salvation, but that somehow the faith does come from ourselves. This kind of thinking completely misses the first “by grace” in Ephesians 2:5. Those who are dead and need resurrecting cannot believe. They must be “made alive” first.

And praise God that He gives this faith according to His rich mercy and great love (Ephesians 2:4)!

And this passage teaches not only the resurrection of the believer in Christ before faith, but the ascension and session of the believer in Christ by that faith. And He “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6).

This is how faith works unto justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification. It doesn’t just give us credit for merit that belongs to Christ or access to power that belongs to Christ; it is the means by which we are joined to Christ Himself. We are crucified in union with Him. We are resurrected in union with Him. We ascend in union with Him. We sit in union with Him.

Again (cf. Ephesians 1:23), the Holy Spirit says something here that would be a terrible blasphemy if we had come up with the idea. But this is the richness of God’s mercy (Ephesians 2:4) and the greatness of His love (verse 4)—to give us such honors and privileges by means of our union with Christ!

And ultimately, that is the purpose of seating us with Him, and in Him, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” The purpose is, “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

The church is like a trophy unto the exceeding riches of God’s grace in His kindness toward us. And Christ Himself, as we have been united to Him, is the great display of that grace. And God has taken His trophy and set it upon the highest pedestal of the highest heaven. Praise be to His grace!

What happened to you, in Jesus? Where “are” you, in Jesus? What difference does it make?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we praise You for the riches of Your mercy. Thank You for the great love with which You have loved us. Though our spiritual death was great, Your power is greater, and You have given it to us in Your Son. Through Your Spirit’s application to us of our union with Your Son, grant that we would continue putting to death what remains of our former nature and its desires, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP110B “The Lord Has Spoken to My Lord” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace”

Greatness, Glory, & Grace of the Power that Works in Us [Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 1:20–23]

How great is the power that is at work in believers? Ephesians 1:20–23 helps us prepare to hear 2:1–5 proclaimed in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the power that is at work in believers is not merely like the power by which Christ sits enthroned in glory, but is the very same power by which He does so.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2024.11.01 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 1:20–23

Read Ephesians 1:20–23

Questions from the Scripture text: In Whom did God’s mighty power work (Ephesians 1:20)? When? At what did He seat Him? In which places? Far above what for things (Ephesians 1:21)? And above which names? At what times? What has God put where (Ephesians 1:22a)? As what did He give Christ, and to whom (verse 22b)? What two things does Ephesians 1:23 call the church? What does verse 23 call Him? 

How great is the power that is at work in believers? Ephesians 1:20–23 helps us prepare to hear Ephesians 2:1–5 proclaimed in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the power that is at work in believers is not merely like the power by which Christ sits enthroned in glory, but is the very same power by which He does so.

What is the exceeding greatness of God’s power toward us (Ephesians 1:19)? The same power by which He raised Christ from the dead. And, greater still—the power by which He seated Christ at His right hand in the heavenly places. This power did not merely restore life to a body and raise it from the grave. It raised this body and transported it through the heavens to the very throne of glory!

How far? Above all principality and power and might and dominion. Above the vast angel armies, above the most blazing of the seraphim, the most powerful of the cherubim, the highest of the arch angels. Above the living creatures and the whole holy host. 

And the power that seated Christ there is the power that works in Ephesian believers. And American believers. Whom the Lord has joined to Jesus by faith.

It’s astonishing and humbling. Jesus is Head over all things, but the Lord has given Him as Head to the church. All things are under His feet, but we ourselves are His body. His beloved bride, as chapter 5 will teach. Hallelujah!

In His role as our Mediator, God has granted that Christ would be completed by His bride. Not that there is anything lacking in Him, but that He has chosen to take us as His very own body, of His flesh and of His bone. By reminding us that Jesus “fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:23), the Scripture reminds us that it would be a great blasphemy if we were the ones who claimed to be the “fullness of Him.”

But we are not the ones who claim it. God is the One who declares it. God is the One who designed it. God is the One who did it. How great is His love toward us, and How great is that power by which His love has decided to work in us!  

For what part of your sanctification do you most need reminded of God’s powerful work in you?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for making Your own Son’s resurrection, ascension, and session, the proving grounds for the exceeding greatness of Your power toward us who believe. Grant that Your Spirit would frequently direct our thoughts to where He is, that we might be encouraged about the power that works in us here, and the power that He Himself wields there. We marvel that, whereas all things are being put under His feet, the place that You have given to us is to be members of His own body. Grant unto us joy and strength in this knowledge, for serving Him as a bride does her husband, or a body does its head, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP130 “LORD, from the Depths to You I Cried” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace”

God-Powered Growth [Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 1:15–19]

What should believers pray to grow in? Ephesians 1:15–19 helps us prepare to hear 2:1–5 proclaimed in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that one thing that believers should pray that they would grow in is their theological understanding of God and His gospel. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2024.10.31 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 1:15–19

Read Ephesians 1:15–19

Questions from the Scripture text: What two things had the apostle heard back about the Ephesian church (Ephesians 1:15)? How did he respond to this news (Ephesians 1:16)? To Whom did he pray, and what does he call Him in Ephesians 1:17? What did he pray God would give them—what does he call the Spirit here? What does he pray that the Spirit would do to their understanding? What two things would they come to know in Ephesians 1:18 if their understanding is thus enlightened? What additional thing would they come to know in Ephesians 1:19?

What should believers pray to grow in? Ephesians 1:15–19 helps us prepare to hear Ephesians 2:1–5 proclaimed in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that one thing that believers should pray that they would grow in is their theological understanding of God and His gospel.  

Believers have lots of room for growth. Here was a church of such faith and love as to occasion apostolic thanksgiving to God—how we ought to join the Lord, and the angels, and the apostles in thanking God for whatever faith and love we hear about!

But they still had room to grow, and so the apostle who thanked God for them also prayed for them a prayer to “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory.” He addresses his prayer in such a way as to remember and remind us of the great power that He is enlisting. 

By that power, the apostle seeks the working of the Spirit to help the Ephesian believers’ minds. He refers to the spirit here as “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” For what work of the Spirit does he ask? That the third Person of the Trinity would give light to the eyes of their understanding.

We learn here that for spiritual growth, there must be theological growth. Spiritual growth is more than theological growth, but it does not exist without the other. This is because there are at least these three things that we should always be growing in understanding:

The hope of His calling. There is stability and joy that comes from growing in our understanding both that it is He who called us, and what glory it is to which He has called us.

The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. There is wonder and worship that comes from growing in our understanding of how He has valued us and taken us to be His 

The exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. There is confidence and zeal that comes from growing in our understanding of how it is by His almighty power that He worked faith in us, and by that same almighty power that He is still working in us.

Believers have lots of room for growth, which comes by growing in understanding these things.

What place does theological growth have in your prayers? And what place in your efforts?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we thank You for what faith in Christ and love for the saints You have given us. Indeed, we thank you for granting to us to be able to see these, often, in other believers. Grant unto them, and to us, the ministry of Your Spirit. Grant that, by His ministry, we would receive light to understand the greatness of our gospel hope, and of Your power toward us who believe. Increase and improve our theological knowledge, so that we might be strengthened and gladdened for walking with You, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP19B “The Lord’s Most Perfect Law” or TPH172 “Speak, O Lord”

Blessing the God of Glorious Grace [Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 1:3–14]

What is God doing? Ephesians 1:3–14 helps us prepare to hear 2:1–5 proclaimed in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God does all things, to bring us into our inheritance with Christ, unto the praise of His glorious grace. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2024.10.30 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 1:3-14

Read Ephesians 1:3-14

Questions from the Scripture text: Of Whom is God the Father (Ephesians 1:3)? With what spiritual blessings has He blessed us? Where? In Whom? What else did God do to/for us in Christ (Ephesians 1:4)? When? For what end purpose/result? To what has He predestined us (Ephesians 1:5)? By what means? According to what reason? For what further/ultimate purpose (Ephesians 1:6)? What did He make us by that grace? What do we have through His blood (Ephesians 1:7)? According to the riches of what? What has He made known to us (Ephesians 1:9)? Where/in-Whom did He purpose His good pleasure? In whom did He plan to gather together all things (Ephesians 1:10)? For when did He plan this to happen? What did we obtain in Christ (Ephesians 1:11)? How many things does God work according to the counsel of His will? What was God’s purpose for the first believers’ trusting in Christ (Ephesians 1:12)? What brought about the Ephesians’ faith (Ephesians 1:13)? How were they sealed when they believed? What is the Holy Spirit to us (Ephesians 1:14)? Until when? Unto what ultimate purpose?

What is God doing? Ephesians 1:3–14 helps us prepare to hear Ephesians 2:1–5 proclaimed in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God does all things, to bring us into our inheritance with Christ, unto the praise of His glorious grace.  

This passage teaches us why God created the heavens and earth. The answer, of course, goes back into eternity (Ephesians 1:4). God had predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself (Ephesians 1:5).

But how could this come about? How could creatures come to be united to the God the Son, the Creator? Because God, who had chosen us to be holy and blameless before Him in love refused to allow us to perish in our sin.

This adoption in everlasting love has its own “why” purpose. To the praise of the glory of His grace (Ephesians 1:6).

His giving us the inheritance of being like Him and with Him forever has the same purpose. That believers would be to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:12).

When at last we are displayed as the blood-purchased possession of Christ, it will also be unto the same purpose. To the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:14).

This is the chief end of man: that the elect would glorify God by eternally enjoying Him as His own dear children as the glorified brethren of the Firstborn, our Lord Jesus Christ!

Whatever you are going through, this is what your trial is accomplishing! Whatever else God intends to do through the task in front of you, this is what the duty before you will ultimately accomplish! 

Indeed, everything that God does, in all places, at all times, is for the purpose of bringing us into our inheritance (Ephesians 1:11): conformed to Christ, and blessed with His own blessedness (Ephesians 1:3), as adopted children, to the praise of God’s glorious grace. And the greatest thing that He has ever done, the great mystery of all of history, was the shedding of Christ’s blood to obtain that inheritance for us (Ephesians 1:7-10).

There is no more comfort-assuring, joy-enlarging, purpose-giving doctrine than God’s eternal, adopting election to the praise of His glorious grace!

What are you going through? What tasks lie before you? What is happening in all the world? What is God doing through all of these things?  

Sample prayer:  Lord, we bless Your Name, as Christ’s God and Father, and our God and Father. Thank You for adopting us as Your children in Him, and purchasing this adoption by His blood. Grant that, just as You have done all things for the praise of Your grace, that we also would do all things for the praise of Your glorious grace. Unto that end, keep helping us by Your Spirit, we ask through Your Son, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP128 “How Blessed Are All” or TPH425 “How Sweet and Awesome” 

Christ at the Crux of Everything [Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 1:1–2]

What does Ephesians teach? Ephesians 1:1–2 helps us prepare to hear 2:1–5 proclaimed in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Ephesians, the gospel, the Bible, and the whole of reality, are all about Jesus. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2024.10.29 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 1:1–2

Read Ephesians 1:1–2

Questions from the Scripture text: Who wrote this letter (Ephesians 1:1)? What is his title? Of Whom is he an apostle? How did this come about? To whom is he writing—what title does he give them? What else does he call them? In Whom are they faithful? What two-part blessing/greeting does the apostle pronounce upon them (Ephesians 1:2)? From what two Persons does the apostle pronounce these? 

What does Ephesians teach? Ephesians 1:1–2 helps us prepare to hear Ephesians 2:1–5 proclaimed in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Ephesians, the gospel, the Bible, and the whole of reality, are all about Jesus.  

Immediately, in the opening of Ephesians, we know that this is going to be a glorious book about Jesus Christ!

This letter has been particularly precious to the church throughout the ages.

• For its unfolding of the eternally loving and powerful plan of God to save His elect. Unto His glory in Christ. (chapter 1)
• And for its exposition of justification by grace alone through faith alone. Only in Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-10)
• And for its teaching about reconciliation of believers to God and to one another. Both in Jesus. (Ephesians 2:11-22)
• And the gathering in of the reconciled into one church. In, and accomplished by, Jesus. (chapter 3)
• And the gift to the church by the ascended Jesus of the officers of Jesus who train the members of the body of Jesus in the Word of Jesus so that they can all minister to one another. (Ephesians 4:1–16)
• And the transformation of believers into their new characters. Conforming them to Jesus. (Ephesians 4:17–5:4)
• And the great war that is waged—primarily in the ordinary spheres of life. Between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of Jesus. (Ephesians 5:5–6:9).
• Only by the power of Jesus and the armor of Jesus. (Ephesians 6:10–22).

Do you recognize the pattern? What is the theme of this wonderful book about salvation, justification, reconciliation, evangelism, the church, Christian living, and Christian warfare? That all of these things are only for Jesus’s glory, only by Jesus’s power, only through Jesus’s method, only by faith in Jesus and fellowship with Jesus!

So, it is no surprise at all that Jesus is central to the blessing at the end of the book (Ephesians 6:23–24). And here in Ephesians 1:1-2, even in the “customary” greeting, Paul tells us.

• That he is an apostle. “Of Jesus Christ.” 
• And he is writing to those who are saints and faithful. “In Christ Jesus.”
• And greeting them with grace and peace. “From… our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He’s setting us up for the entire letter. That our salvation (and his apostleship) is “by the will of God.” That our being set apart in the church and grown in godliness is “in Christ Jesus.” And that both the grace by which we wage the warfare and the peace in which we are reconciled to God as not only His allies but His children come from “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

And of course, at the very heart of all of this. Is Jesus!

In what parts of what Ephesians teaches do you most need to grow? How does it connect to Jesus?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for choosing especially to glorify Yourself in Your Son, and in His redeeming us. Grant that we would have all that we need from You, in Him, by Your Spirit, to live as those Whom You have consecrated to Yourself in Christ, we ask in His Name, AMEN! 

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH265 “In Christ Alone”

Recovering Biblical Fatherhood [2024 Reformation Conference Session #2 in Ephesians 5:25–6:24]

A recovery of godly husbandhood and fatherhood is essential to that repentant Christian life by which believers are light in the midst of the darkness.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

God Purposes All Things for His Glory [Theology Simply Explained: Westminster Shorter Catechism 7]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 7—especially explaining how God purposes from all eternity, in Himself, for His glory, everything comes to pass—and how this is especially for our good.

Q7. What are the decrees of God? The decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby, for His own glory, He hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Officers Specialized by the Spirit for Overseeing Service to Soul or Body [Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #39, 2023.06.25 Sabbath School]

The 39th lesson in the congregational series on the Biblical Theology of the Diaconate, in preparation for recognizing, ordaining, and installing a proper diaconate.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Priority of Family Worship [2023.06.07 Synod Sermon in Ephesians 5:1–6:20]

Pastor Hakim preached the Wednesday afternoon sermon at General Synod this year. From Ephesians 5:1–6:20, he proclaimed that Family Worship is one of the primary means by which the Lord strengthens us to walk as children of light, as well as one of the primary activities in which we walk as children of light.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3 files of this sermon)

The Necessity, Centrality, and Duty of Family Worship [2023.06.04 Morning Sermon in Ephesians 5:1–6:20]

Family worship is necessary as a means of being strengthened by God's grace; central to life on the battlefield in the conflict between light and darkness; and, ordained as a duty by God to punctuate believers' lives.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

The Covenant Home: a Life of Formative and Corrective Training and Instruction [Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 6:4]

How can fathers help their children fight their sin? Ephesians 6:4 looks forward to another part of the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that since a child’s obedience must be in the Lord, fathers must use the Lord’s means, in dependence upon the Lord, to help their children fight against their sin. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.06.03 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 6:4

Read Ephesians 6:4

Questions from the Scripture text: To whom is Ephesians 6:4 addressed? What are they told not to do? To whom? To what are they in danger of provoking their children? What are they to do to their children instead? By what two means/activities are fathers to bring their children up? Whose training and admonition?

How can fathers help their children fight their sin? Ephesians 6:4 looks forward to another part of the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that since a child’s obedience must be in the Lord, fathers must use the Lord’s means, in dependence upon the Lord, to help their children fight against their sin. 

We are culpable before God for our reactions. Often, I have heard a parent unwittingly admit to having had grown-up temper tantrums by saying, “my children make me so angry!” No they don’t. Your children do what they do, and you respond with that intemperate anger. Even if anger is a righteous response, you have a duty to self-control, a duty to restrain unnecessary severity, etc.

But children aren’t parents. This verse implies that there is a duty of a parent to remember that the child is weaker, less mature, not having had as much training or instruction. Yes, the child is responsible for his response, but the parent is obligated to give that child every possible advantage for producing the right response. 

If the child is wrathful, certainly he breaks the commandment “honor your father and mother.” But if the parent’s behavior is provoking, the parent breaks the apostolic commandment in this verse. There is much that a parent can do that will make a difference in whether the child becomes wrathful or not. 

Sadly, I’ve heard parents say (and indeed, read “Christian” parenting books that say it!) that they provoke their children to test them. But our children give us many opportunities to see and respond to the sin that comes out of their hearts. There will be much opportunity for correction and instruction. We need not invent more of them. Indeed, we see here that the Lord positively forbids it!

But if we’re going to give them every possible opportunity to obey the Lord, there is more that we need to do than just avoid provoking them to wrath. It is very important that a father be gentle and kind and respectful, and watch against being illegitimately demanding. Even if we remove all provocation from their circumstances, our children have an enemy within them that they must war against. If they are going to honor and obey us, it has to be done “in the Lord” as Ephesians 6:1 says—in opposition to their remaining fleshliness. 

How can they do that? The answer Is in the second half of the verse: discipline and instruction. But not just any discipline and instruction. The verse specifies, “the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Even an animal can be trained through discipline and instruction. But that animal doesn’t have a sinful nature. Your child is up against infinitely more. 

Thankfully, your child has been blessed with infinitely better help than is available to an animal. We are to give them not whatever discipline pleases us, but the discipline of the Lord! We are to give them the instruction of the Lord! Job number one in not provoking your children to wrath is the means of grace in the congregation, week by week, and the means of grace in the home, day by day. We owe them the whole counsel of God, proclaimed and taught, by God’s shepherds in the home (parents) and in the congregation (elders and pastors). 

This instruction includes all-day, every-day application of the Scriptures to everything they see and everything they do. God’s words need to be on your own heart, controlling your own life (Deuteronomy 6:4–6), then they need to be in your mouth and their ears continually (Deuteronomy 6:7), in away that shapes how they do everything (Deuteronomy 6:8a) and how they see everything (verse 6:8b), so that the family name on the mailbox and front door could read, “Scripture-saturated Family” (Deuteronomy 6:9).

Wrath is part of the folly that is bound up in a child’s heart. But, the reason the rod of Proverbs 22:15 drives it far from him is that it’s the rod of reproof—it’s a rod that comes in the context of a Bible-saturated, prayer-saturated, sacrament-receiving life. And the loving Redeemer Who provided these means will prosper them in His abundant grace.

He has laid out the means for combatting the source of wrath in the heart of your child. And, He has both commanded you to use His means and forbidden you to make yourself the occasion of your child’s wrath, if you can righteously avoid it.

What more/better use could you make of the means of grace for the children of your home and your congregation? What are some situations in which you could be less an occasion of their wrath? 

Sample prayer:  Father in heaven, we thank You for taking our children as Your own and marking them with Your Name. Thank You for giving us the means by which You make this external reality into an experiential and eternal reality for them. Forgive us for when we provoke them to wrath, or when we fail to employ Your discipline and Your instruction in fatherly love like Yours. So forgive us and our children, and cleanse us and our children, through faith in Jesus Christ, in Whose Name we ask it, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP128 “How Blessed Are All Who Fear the Lord” or TPH548 “Oh, Blest the House”

The Chief End of Marriage [Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 5:25–33]

How should husbands love their wife? Ephesians 5:25–33 looks forward to part of the sermon in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these nine verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that husbands must love their wives by seeking above all that their wife would have Christ.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Does the Trinity Really Matter? [2023 Winter Theology Conference, with Dr. Ryan McGraw, Session 3 in Ephesians 2:14–22]

The Trinity shapes the character of the gospel; communion with God; and, necessity of experience.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

How Is the Trinity the Heart of the Gospel? [2023 Winter Theology Conference, with Dr. Ryan McGraw, Session 2 in Ephesians 1:3–14]

The best Trinitarian theology is marked by doxology. Nazianzen, Augustine, John of Damascus, Anselm, etc. so with Paul. Rather than examining every detail of the text in order, we will filter the Trinitarian ideas sketched in the preceding lesson through this text. We see here that in redemption, the appropriate works of the persons teach us who God is through what he does. We see this in light of how God works and how he saves, leading us to who he is. This shows us how the gospel and our faith, hope, and love rest on the undivided Trinity.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)