Faithful Saints Rooted in Grace and Peace

Sometimes when we do certain ceremonies, like Baptisms, communion and Child dedication I think, as a church we know why we do these things but what if I were a guest, would I understand why the church does these things.

I want to take a couple of minutes to explain the reasons behind a child dedication. THe concept started all the way back in the Old Testaent when a young lady named Hannah wanted a child badly and she prayed that the Lord would grant her a child. The lord answered her prayers and then she brought the child up to the temple as a worship to the Lord

1 Samuel 1:26–28 HCSB

“Please, my lord,” she said, “as sure as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord gave me what I asked Him for, I now give the boy to the Lord. For as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.” Then he bowed in worship to the Lord there.

Now in Hannah’s case, she left the child to the priest’s care. To be clear they are not doing that. I love kids and holding babies, but I don’t want to raise them for you.

Today, we acknowledge the importance of parents making the decision like Hannah, to commit to raising their child up in the ways of the Lord.

This is a commitment they are making before God and the church to do just that.

This is not an attempt to give salvation to these children, because salvation is only through faith and not works;

This is a work they are committing too by creating an environment that is set apart for the Lord to allow these children to grow in their understanding of Who Jesus is.

Charge to Parents:

Parents, in the presence of God and your church family: do you commit to raising your children in the ways of the Lord and to teach them the values of the Christian faith?

“We Will”

Will you take responsibility for their spiritual growth, and strive to create a home environment that reflects the Christian faith?

“We Will”

Will you live out your faith in daily life, modeling Christ’s love and teach your children to follow in His ways?

“We Will”

The Church

Will you as As members of the rock Bible church, commit to supporting and encouraging these parents as they raise their children in the Christian faith?

“We Will”

Will you pray for these children and their families asking God to guide and protect them on their journey of faith?

“We will”

Will you be a positive influence and role model for these children reflecting the love and teachings of Christ in your interactions with them?

“We will”

Pray

Faithful Saints Rooted in Grace and Peace

Saints [faithful]

Welcome

Good morning! My name is Aaron and I am the lead pastor here. I am glad that you made it this morning to worship with us. I also want to give a shout out to those in the tailgate section outside, and also a shout out to our 1st time guests. Can we thank them all for coming?

Opening Theme:

I invite you to open your Bible or your apps to the Book of Ephesisans this moring. As you do I am going to share my thoughts for a moment.

I usually like to use this time of worship to celebrate Jesus and be excited, but sometimes you read about events that have happened in the world and our hearts sink and we mourn, which is also appropriate here this morning.

When I think about the mind of an individual who would care so little for human life that they would target those who oppose their way of life to cause harm.

When I think about the mind of an individual that would seek violence because they feel their own values, political or religious views are treated, my heart just sinks.

When I think about the evil within a man’s heart who would intentionally set out to hurt a gathering of individuals looking to peacefully, promote truth, the meaning of life, and hope in Jesus, my heart mourns.

Like you, I am saddened at the assignation of Charlie Kirk.

As I was preparing this message and looking at the historical context of the Church at Ephesus I see so many parallels between them and us.

Demetrius and the people of Ephesus were so enthralled in pagan ideology, vanity, occult and demonic worship that they rioted and beat those who were apart of the Christian movement. They rejected the values and teachings of Paul.

Paul stood for the truth that there was only one God, and one way to heaven- through Jesus. He rebuked their idolatry, and sexual immorality, and false God's and when people started to be convinced of the truth

Those like Demetrius who feared it would impact his bottom line sought to take Him out.

Does that pattern sound familiar?

The US and Ephesus are very similar. Both have political unrest. Paul taught truth to an area of people who worshipped debauchery, sexual immorality, sorcery, vanity and who rejected the distinct and wholesome roles of male and female.

The people of Ephesus were looking for purpose, true satisfaction, and acceptance in all the wrong things, just like today.

Need

As a society, we are starving for peace, but true peace can only be satisfied by placing faith in Christ and being rooted in Him.

Interogative question

Are you rooted in the peace of Christ or scattered in pieces by the world?

Main sentence:

Those who are rooted in the Grace of God and are faithful in Christ to fulfill His purpose find transformative peace.

Charlie had it, all of the Church should too.

Outline

Paul is Faithful to His Calling

God is Faithful to His Saints

Ephesians 1:1–2 HCSB

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Paul is faithful to his calling.

Explanation

Paul's apostleship had authority and purpose. The apostle Paul held an office that is unlike any today. Church historians see 4 criteria for someone to hold the office of Apostle.

Divine commissioning

Witnessed the resurrected of Christ

They have a missionary purpose

Their authority/power is directly from God,

Matthew 10:1–4 HCSB

Summoning His 12 disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the 12 apostles: First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

If you remember when Jesus cast out a demon and some of His followers said, how come we could not cast it out,

Matthew calls them disciples of Jesus not Apostles. Jesus had many disciples (followers of the Way), but only 12 were given to this unique and special office.

You might be saying Paul is not on that list, why is he called an apostle?

2 Corinthians 12:2–4 HCSB

I know a man in Christ who was caught up into the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know, God knows. I know that this man was caught up into paradise. He heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak.

Ephesians 3:7–10 HCSB

I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of His power. This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of the Messiah, and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. This is so God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.

Paul checks all the requirements for being one of the twelve Apostles (Judas of course being removed from office)

Matthew tells us this office came with incredible power- set apart for a select few - chosen by Christ and they are forever esteemed by Christ and his church today.

Rev 21:14

Revelation 21:13–14 HCSB

There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. The city wall had 12 foundations, and the 12 names of the Lamb’s 12 apostles were on the foundations.

In our text, Paul is leading with that authority, writing to the Ephesisnas and his words are not to be questioned.

Argumentation

Paul’s appointment as an Apostle was in Christ and by God the Father’s will.

This is crucial. The sender of this letter has authority. That authority outranks those who sought to lead the churches after Paul planted them.

False teachers and bad leaders were installed in the area churches that Paul had planted.

In some of his letters Paul was correcting and rebuking those bad leaders.

He would tell the churches ‘this is not up for debate!’

Those trying to influence the church did not have the authority Jesus gave to him and those false teachers needed to stand down or step out.

Illustration:

I am an elder of this church. From that office of overseer, I serve as a pastor to this church.

As elders we set the direction for the church, we put guardrails in place to assure we all get to the destination and that we all arrive in unity,

but we do not have the authority to change what the Apostle’s said or intended for us to do in the Word of God.

If this elder board gets out of line with the Apostle’s teaching we are stand down or step out.

Application .

Paul’s authority can be trusted.

His Words are not his own, but like the other Apostles, he spoke as one carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Church father’s have trusted Paul and His Apostleship for nearly two-thousand years, we can as well.

Why are you belaboring this point about Apostles?

God is Faithful to His Saints (1:1b-2)

Ephesians 1:1–2 HCSB

…To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Explanation

Because, Paul is writing to the Ephesians and many other small churches in the area of Asia minor who are believers.

This book is not written to unbelievers (although it can be evangelistic).

Paul, the Apostle, the one who,

1. has power and authority like no one today,

2. who was set apart to lead the church,

3. wrote some of the Scriptures,

4. and dwelt in the presence of Christ.

That same Paul, wanted them [and you] to know, That God sees you as a saint (Pure, righteous, morally Holy).

God sees your faithfulness

You have not been given the power of apostleship like Paul,

but you have been given power through the Holy Spirit.

At the same time, while you have not been called to an office of Apostleship;

Paul wanted you to know that you have been rooted in a body and are sealed with the Holy Spirit, as a promise,

from God, for the assurance of your salvation, not by your works, but by Christ’s work.

Just as God empowered Paul through the Spirit’s leading and enabled him to be faithful to his calling,

we are called to be faithful to the Great Commission and the equipped of the saints for the work of ministry through the Holy Spirit’s guiding.

We don’t just pray a prayer, get saved, and then suddenly have the strength to make good decisions and be faithful.

When we prayed for salvation, we receive the Holy Spirit.

He enables us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling —a walk that cannot be performed faithfully outside of Christ.

Ephesians 2:8–10 HCSB

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

But in Christ, when we are drawing near to Him

in prayer,

the Word,

worship,

and fellowship with other believers.

His Spirit empowers us mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually

to overcome things like sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, and the powers controlling culture today.

A church that reaches the world in love, must be rooted in Christ and free from the sin of this world. This is what Paul considered a faithful saint.

Argumentation

One of the difficulties today is that most of the Church in the West put greater faith in the ways of the world rather than God’s Word.

Like the church at Ephesus, we have allowed secular teachings and practices of syncretism leak into our beliefs.

that rattles our faith and leave us with little to no confidence or peace in who we are in Christ.

In Christ, through the Holy Spirit, God has given you the victory over sexual immorality, idolatry, even anxiety and fear.

Don’t allow the culture of today convince you that true victory is not truly available.

Paul does not say your position as a saint (holy pure, and righteous) is rooted in you.

He says it is rooted IN Christ.

The peace that truly satisfies, brings a sense of acceptance, and belonging with God is not rooted in you or your works,

it is rooted in Jesus because He is ACTUALLY holy, pure, and righteous)

Our calling to be saints and our ability to be faithful, and our peace of eternal assurance is because of Grace.

I am not holy in myself, but God the Father chooses to see me as holy because Jesus is holy.

Jesus has brought me into fellowship with the Father by His grace.

A faithful saint then is one who lives rooted in Christ and not rooted in the ways of this world.

The more I understand GRACE (God’s riches at Christ’s expense) the more I understand my position with God.

The more I understand my position within God’s family, the more peace I experience.

The more peace I experience, the more faithful I want to be.

What is a saint, that is saved by grace, and full of peace supposed to be doing faithfully? (Worship Team up)

Fulfilling The Great Commission; helping others find the peace of God through the Grace of Jesus Christ.

Application

God is faithful. He loved you even when you were still a sinner, He died for you so that you could have life in Him.

He also wants you to experience His peace.

Don’t stress over the things you cannot control but trust in God as your Father who sees you as a saint.

Peace is the result of faithful living. It is trusting in Him, and His purpose even when you are tempted to doubt.

It is standing for what is right even if the world disagrees.

Appeal:

It is easy to think that the world is to far gone. And if Im honest, Its pretty bad.

But the church in Ephesus is a reminder of what kind of a difference a church- full of faithful saints- can make.

A once demonic city full of sorcery, hedonism and sexual immorality became a moral driving force for the church in the 2nd and 3rd century.

It became a Christian epicenter that lead to its being chosen as the place to host the 3rd Ecumenical Council in 431 AD.

How? Paul preached the gospel and some heard it, believed it, and were sealed as saints.

They walked faithfully in that identity, training up their families, leading the church to be engaged in the community around them and God gave them favor.

That is the essence of our mission statement

The Rock Bible Church is a gathering of believers who preach the whole gospel, through the whole church, to make people whole, who impact their whole community and reach the whole world.

I believe God can use us to do just that. If we understand our identity IN Christ, and we understand the grace of the gospel and how to tell others about Jesus, the Peace of God will not be contained in us; it will burst forth and we will see God do mighty things through us.

Response

How is God calling you to be a more faithful Saint?

Do you need to learn more about your identity as a saint?

Grow more in the understanding of grace and peace?

Share more with others about the grace and peace of God?

Prayer (Love of God)

We want to be faithful to you, we want to see your gospel move through us, in this place, in our homes and in our communities.

Would you do a revival type work, like you did in Ephesus, here in Middleburg and the greater Clay county? Grant us your peace as we help others find it through your grace, Lord Jesus, Amen.

Benediction

May His Peace Fill You as You Fulfill His Purpose.

Study Questions

What were the main characteristics of Ephesus that parallel our culture today?

Why is Paul's authority significant when interpreting his letters and teachings?

What does it mean to be considered a 'saint' according to Paul's letter?

In what ways can you be rooted in the Peace of Christ in your daily interactions?

What does it mean to be empowered by the Holy Spirit in your daily life?

What practical steps can you take this week to strengthen your faith in Christ?

In Christ [Chosen]

Opening Theme

Need

Interogative question

Main sentence

Outline

Explanation .

Illustration .

Argumentation .

Application .

Appeal

Response

Benediction

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