This week we continue our Ephesians series. The second half of Ephesians 5 looks to how our homes and families change in light of our faith in Jesus. This might be one of the most quoted passages in conversation about men and women’s roles, and what scripture has to say about how we live and support one another.
In Ezekiel God makes a covenant with Israel. The Israelites had once again abandoned God and disgraced his name. In response, God promises to transform their (and our) hearts as we follow after him passionately. We see the phrase “I will” over and over again in this passage, reminding us that God is the one who does the work of transformation. Join us as we talk through what it looks like to surrender to that transformation.
In Acts 9 we meet a woman named Dorcas who seems to be living a relatively normal life. Then she passes, and the town begins to turn out in large numbers to remember the simple, everyday ways that this woman served and blessed her community. From a place of gratitude to God, we each are invited to serve and love others out of the overflow of our relationship with God.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus outlines a variety of ways that we are to live out our faith. Part of that is an assumption that to believe in Jesus changes our lives, and how we live. The word for belief in the bible assumes that you both comprehend and agree with something in your mind, and that your knowledge of that transforms your heart, mind, and actions.