Messages
A collection of sermons and messages Mark has given over the years
New messages are added as they become available
Feb 23, 2025, 10:30 AM
For the past several weeks, we’ve been seeing what great things God has done for us. Beginning with the amazing blessings of Chapter 1, then the context of our sin and separation as Gentiles in Chapters 2 and 3. Paul’s prayers in Chapter 1 and 3 are that we understand how great these things are—but not merely to marvel at God’s goodness to us and soak it all in for ourselves. The amazing love God has for us should produce in us an eager desire to please Him and walk in His ways. But what does that look like? Paul has some definite instruction. If we truly understand the love of God for us, then we’ll realize that these “commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3, NIV84)! From Ephesians 4:1-6.
Feb 9, 2025, 10:30 AM
It’s hard for us to understand what it’s like to grow up without hope and without God in this world, but the Gentiles of old understood. God had come near through the Gospel. Jesus’ death and resurrection were not for the Jews only, but also for the “repulsive,” rejected Gentiles. Jesus’ death and resurrection wiped away the sin that condemned us—and shattered the wall of hostility among the Jews and in the Law that kept people like us from any hope of eternal life. If only we could truly, deeply grasp this truth to the very core of our being! How would it change us? Paul’s not done marveling at what God has done for us Gentiles, so neither are we. Maybe we can get a little closer to the amazement Paul had for this miracle! From Ephesians 3:1-21.
Feb 2, 2025, 10:30 AM
Paul showed us our past last week, not to depress us, and not to excuse or justify our continuing to sin. He showed it to us so that we would deeply and truly understand what God has done for us, and we would be broken of ourselves and completely given over to Him in love and devotion, so that we would truly walk in newness of life, in the good deeds He prepares in advance for us to do. Today, he wants to remind us of something else from our past, something that we modern believers have forgotten and have no experience of. We don’t understand it, but we need to in order to be fully equipped to do God’s good work. From Ephesians 2:11-22.