Littleton Church

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” – John 12:13 Jesus enters into Jerusalem and the beginning of the Passover festival with much fanfare. Many have witnessed him raising dead Lazarus to life and are now whipped into a triumphant frenzy. The scene was typical for when a city would...

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV)

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. Ephesians 6:7-8 (NIV) In Ephesians 6:1-9, the Apostle Paul addresses the Christian ethics of children, fathers, slaves, and masters. Paul appeals to children to honor their parents because it is right. Fathers are not to f...

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21 (NIV) Submission is defined as placing oneself under the authority of another. No wonder this passage gets such a bad rap. The word “submit” appears antiquated in the context of marriage. When many read it, what is implied is dominance and oppression. In our relationship with God we are to humbly submit to Him in order to give him h...

The Apostle Paul begins chapter 5 with the instructions, “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Jesus is the example and the Holy spirit is the source of power for a child of light. When you follow Jesus, you partner with him and choose not to partner wi...

Ephesians chapters 1-3 teach us about what God has done for us in Jesus. The love of God is life changing and the Apostle Paul prays for the church to grasp how wide, long, high, and deep is the love God in Jesus our Lord. As we are filled more and more with the love of Jesus through the Holy Spirit then we not only live worthy of the “calling we have received” but we also live new. Everything abo...

Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Christians could be divided into two halves: Truths about our identity and challenges to our behavior. Only when we grasp who God says we are can we live out that identity. In chapter 4, Paul pivots from talking about who we are to “how we are.” He motivates not with fear or guilt but with the calling all believers share: The good news of God’s grace in the gospel. (P...

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—t...

This is the secret: that through the Good News those who are not Jews will share with the Jews in God’s blessing. They belong to the same body, and they share together in the promise that God made in Christ Jesus.– Ephesians 3:6

…in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Isaiah preaches to a divided kingdom. The people have been failed by their Davidic kings and find themselves in a deteriorating corrupt political climate surrounded by imminent destruction from powerful empires. They have been disobedient to God and have created a system of oppression and injustice for the weakest among them. The poor, the widow, and the orphan are preyed upon instead of cared for...

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. – Ephesians 1:18-19 (NIV)

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession —to the praise of his glory. – Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)

With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. – Ephesians 1:7b-10

Christmas points toward the birth of Jesus and his second coming. Jesus is God's gift to us. The way we celebrate Christmas is with gifts. You might be thinking of all the gifts you hope to receive. You may want better gifts than you received last year. Those desires can lead us to be short sighted, wanting things that are temporary instead of what’s lasting. The Apostle Paul reframed gift giving...

Christmas points toward the birth of Jesus and his second coming. Jesus is God's gift to us. The way we celebrate Christmas is with gifts. You might be thinking of all the gifts you hope to receive. You may want better gifts than you received last year. Those desires can lead us to be short sighted, wanting things that are temporary instead of what’s lasting. The Apostle Paul reframed gift giving...

Our immediate problems blind our ability to see God’s future promises. In the moment your problems seem bigger than God’s promises. In the moment we magnify the pain of our problems. In the moment our wants and our desires grow larger than life. It’s called focalism. Focalism: focuses our mind on one thing and blurs out everything else.

There is a reason why there is not a Bigger Barns Church of Christ. With Jesus as the head of the church and we as the bride. He gave himself up for her (us) to present her (us) radiant and spotless. As Jesus’ bride, we are to be as generous as Jesus. We share not only the gospel but our very lives. Sharing our lives means sharing our possessions. We don’t store up treasures for ourselves, we stor...

Christmas points toward the birth of Jesus and his second coming. Jesus is God's gift to us. The way we celebrate Christmas is with gifts. You might be thinking of all the gifts you hope to receive. You may want better gifts than you received last year. Those desires can lead us to be short sighted, wanting things that are temporary instead of what’s lasting. The Apostle Paul reframed gift giving...

When we consider why our faith may be waning it could be that we have placed it in a savior who in our heart and mind does not match His supremacy that is described in the book of Hebrews. Jesus says that your faith need only be the size of a mustard seed to be great. To have a greater faith you don’t focus on describing your faith but in describing the object of your faith, Jesus. A greater faith...

When we consider why our faith may be waning it could be that we have placed it in a savior who in our heart and mind does not match His supremacy that is described in the book of Hebrews. Jesus says that your faith need only be the size of a mustard seed to be great. To have a greater faith you don’t focus on describing your faith but in describing the object of your faith, Jesus. A greater faith...