Untitled Sermon (6)

ILL. Atlantis Resort

A few years ago, our family went on a Christmas vacation…a cruise to be exact. When we got to Nassau, we decided to at least show the kids the world-famous Atlantis Resort, knowing that we could never afford to enter the waterpark or the aquatic areas…but at least we could be AT the Atlantis. So, we boarded a bus, got to the Atlantis Resort, walked in…and headed for the last part of the hotel which was available to us an non-paying customers.

When we got to this particular door, a security guard was standing guard- you know, to keep at riff-raff like us! Well, Marie has this uncanny ability to get what others can’t get…like a charm-offensive of sorts. So she says to this lady, “is this all that we can see?” to which the guard says, “yes, every other area of this hotel is off-limits to non-paying customers...”

And, then she pauses....opens the doors…tells us to forget the name of the lady who let us in and the station which she was to guard…and just have a good time…Well, when she opens the door, the beauty of this hotel opened up before us. There were world-class aquatic exhibits…a pristine beach…a salt-water lagoon with kayaks, paddleboards…a boardwalk which went to an incredible beach…and the iconic waterslides at Atlantis…the ones that go through the shark exhibits...

We enjoyed the beach…ate lunch there…but at some point, you develop this feeling like…we aren’t really supposed to be here…and that world-famous waterslide....what if we try to get on it and someone asks for a resort bracelet…yeah, we’re here but what if someone finds out we aren’t supposed to be here…

We were living between two worlds...

We as Christians are living between two worlds as well…except for us, the price of our redemption has been paid in Christ’s precious blood!

1:3-6- chosen

1:7-12- redeemed and called

1:13-14- sealed

1:15-23- Paul prays for the Ephesians that their eyes might open to who they are and what they have in Christ!

1:18-19- THE POWER, 18- riches, 19- power

we are in the world but not of the world

we are to be God’s light in a dark world

we have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son

we are of the truth in a world full of lies

we are to be lovers of God and lovers of our brethren in a world full of hate and division

And in this case, the Ephesians are suffering an identity crisis, struggling with who they were and what they had in Jesus Christ.

YOU CAN’T BE BOTH— YOU CAN’T DO BOTH— YOU ARE CALLED OUT TO JESUS!

Dead, 2:1-3; Alive, 2:4

children of wrath, 2:3; children of God

walked in lusts, 2:2-3; seated in heavenly places, 2:6

of this age, 2; made for another world, 2:7, 10

no hope, 2:12; have a living hope

strangers and foreigners, 2:19; citizens and heirs, 2:19-22

things not made known to men, 3:5; fellowship of the mystery, 3:9

the old man, 4:17-22; the new man, 4:22-32

don’t steal; work with hands

the corrupt communicator; ministers of grace, 4:29

unforgiving; forgiven by Jesus, 4:32

how could you nots?

love your wife— Jesus died for His bride

submit— Christ submitted to the Father

children obey— Jesus obeyed in His humanity