God's Word with Pastor Tom Smith

Communion is a sign of the new covenant, instituted by Jesus. We look at the biblical understanding of communion and the precedenct for receiving communion weekly.

Paul brings everything together as he closes the letter to the Ephesians. He blesses the church in God’s grace to walk worthy.

Our Christian walk is on a battlefield, not a stroll through the park. But God does not leave us unprepared. He offers his own armor for this fight, but we must choose to put it on every day.

Paul adds another layer to the worthy walk, walk in wisdom. This Holy Spirit enabled call shapes our relationships and allows them to preach Jesus to the world.

Ephesians 5:1 calls on us to be imitators of God. Paul then outlines sins that are not compatible for kingdom living and not appropriate for a child of God. Instead, we are to pursue holiness as we live out the identity that Christ has given us as we follow Him.

Because of the grace that’s been showered upon those who are in Christ, our walk should be in response to and glorifying of Christ.

Through grace, you’ve been gifted and invited into something bigger than yourself. You’ve been empowered to participate in building Christ’s Church. One of the easier ways to participate is to just show up.

Ephesians 4:1-6 turns from the “what,” all that God had done, to the “what now?” Paul tells us our response to God is to walk worthy of His calling. The first mark of a worthy walk is to make every effort to keep the unity.

Paul closes his theological section with a prayer for the church. He prays not for circumstances to change, life to be easier, or for more success, but for us to be strengthened, for Christ to dwell in our hearts, to know God’s love, and be so filled with Good that there’s no room for anything else.

The second half of Revelation provides the theological and literary center of the book. God vindicates his church, the faithful witness, and the people of the earth are in awe and give glory to God. It wasn't God's judgments that brought repentance, it was the sacrificial witness of his church and God vindicating his church in full view of the world. This sets the mission for the church, provides...

Ephesians 3:1-13 recounts the mystery that had been revealed, God’s previously unknown plan to include Gentiles in the family of God, and Paul’s calling as a steward of that mystery.

Revelation 11 is all about the church's mission in a world opposed to God. The two witnesses called by God are the Holy Spirit empowered Church. These witnesses complete their prophetic and priestly mission and are then killed by the beast, the organized systems and institutions of the world opposed by God. Their death sets up the heart of Revelation.

Ephesians 2:11-22 show us that salvation is about more than personal rescue. It also includes forming a new humanity “in Christ.” Jesus died to make his church one family. The only way we don’t have peace and unity is if we reject what Jesus gave us.

The mighty angel informs us that God's final judgment is imminent and God's plan for the world will be fully revealed. But before the final trumpet blows, John is recomissioned as a profit. But no longer is he just an observer, he must take in the words of the prophecy and be an active participant in revealing God's word.

Ephesians 2:1-10 displays God’s grace and power in raising believers from death to life. We need to realize what God has done and walk in the life he’s given us.

As the terrible judgments of the 5th & 6th trumpet come to a close, we are prepared to hear the thunder judgments. But surprisingly, God calls a halt to this revelation. He creates space and time to, as we will discover in the coming passage, recommission John to take his message to the world.

In Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul prays that “the eyes of our heart be enlightened.” We need to see the real hope, worth, and power that are ours in Christ.

Ephesians 1:1-14 glorifies God for the spiritual blessings he has given us. These blessings are already ours and form our identity, an identity we must live from.

The shocking truth. Even though judgments are escalating, people's hearts are so hardened that they refuse to repent.

The resurrection of Jesus changed everything. See the empty tomb with the awe and holy trembling of the women that first Easter morning.

The 6th trumpet blows and God releases four fallen angels who bring an overwhelming demonic army that kills 1/3 of the earth's population. These terrifying creatures are being used by God, under his sovereignty, to not only bring judment but as a final warning to repent. Unbelievably, the world still refuse to turn to God.

The Triumphal Entry is designed to demonstrate the attributes of the king. Unlike other kings, Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem tells a story that confronts the expectations of the people. The true King Jesus still confronts us today. The question isn’t just whether you’ll accept Jesus, it’s will you bow to the King.

In the previous passage, John tells us what the demonic locust hoard does. He now switches to a descriptioin of the locusts. This description cannot be read as purely physical appearnce because each item in the description is an image to help us be able to understand and discern who this demonic hoard really is.

Jesus has laid out what a generous life looks like. It is time to put them into practice and begin living a generous life by taking the next step in faith.

The 5th Trumpet demands careful exegesis of the text because of the apocalyptic imagery and OT references, images, and allusions if we are to hear what God is saying to us through the text and not get caught up in the sensationalism.