Messages
A collection of sermons and messages Mark has given over the years
New messages are added as they become available
Jan 26, 2025, 10:30 AM
How are you doing with this idea of being called a saint? We’ve seen the incredible blessings God has given us in Christ, for His own glory. We’ve also seen the things Paul prays for saints, that they would continue to know God better and grow in understanding of our hope in Christ, the riches of us saints as God’s inheritance and His incomparably great power for us. Do you really think God can’t in a moment remake you into a holy person, and by His indwelling Spirit teach you to walk in His ways? The thing we fear—and it is right to fear it—is our own evil heart, and how easily we can twist God’s blessing into a curse among men. The real problem isn’t God’s making us holy, but our ego. So Paul here walks us through several ego-bashing points, in order to bring us into a right view of ourselves so that we can truly appreciate what God has done for us. From Ephesians 2:1-10.
Jan 19, 2025, 10:30 AM
God “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3b, NIV84)! Were you a little disappointed that Paul didn’t mention any material blessings? Or were you overjoyed at the spiritual blessings he showed us? Paul’s not done calling us to a higher view of this life. Think of your prayer life. What do you typically ask God for, whether for yourself or others? Who do you usually pray for? According to his usual custom, Paul records how he prays for these saints. Let’s see what was most important to Paul, and what we can learn for ourselves. From Ephesians 1:15-23.
Jan 12, 2025, 10:30 AM
If you are a child of God, then you are a saint. On the one hand, that title terrifies us. On the other, it is the sign of God’s great favor toward you. Can you live the life of a God-pleasing saint or will you display the arrogant hypocrisy you fear? As mentioned last week, it depends on whether you recognize the gift you’ve been given or somehow think you’ve attained sainthood by your own efforts. To be sure, diligence is required, but to what end? To what purpose? Who do you glorify in your pursuit of this godliness? God, through Paul, shows us the way. From Ephesians 1:2-14.
Jan 5, 2025, 10:30 AM
Who are you? How do you introduce yourself? What do you want people to know about you? What is your identity? Our society has been talking a lot about identities in recent years. Do you wish you could be something other than what and who you are? As we start into Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, we’ll look at a couple of identities. Wouldn’t you love to be one or both of them? You can be, and it wouldn’t be weird or wrong. From Ephesians 1:1.