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To dig deeper,
Read: Ephesians 3

In chapter 3, Paul speaks of the mystery that has been hidden for generations. This mystery which was once hidden has now been revealed and we have been initiated into it. Paul writes this letter whilst imprisoned and he describes himself as prisoner of Christ Jesus. He sees himself as a prisoner for the Lord because his imprisonment was proof that God’s marvellous plan was already at work.

This mystery, this marvellous plan was that Jews and Gentiles have now been brought together into complete union through their union with Christ. Jews and Gentiles together are now co-heirs, co-members and co-sharers of all the promises of Christ. This mystery that God has now revelled is beautiful because of how radical it is, how beyond any human design it is. An undivided humanity, a people reconciled to Christ and reconciled to one another.

As Paul continues to unpack the implications of this mystery we read that it is through the church that God makes known His manifold wisdom to the powers that be, spiritual and earthly. Manifold means many coloured, this body that Christ is creating is diverse. A unified church is a diverse church. In a divided and hurt world, a society in which there is not division preaches the manifold wisdom of Christ.

Paul concludes Chapters 1-3 with a prayer. This prayer gives us insight into how Christ will accomplish this marvellous plan that has now been revealed, this new humanity. He prays that through the power of His sprit, believers would be strengthened so that Christ would dwell within their hearts. It is through this power and indwelling that we are able to have our roots go down deep in His love, firmly establishing us in His love. Then together as one family, one body we are able to begin to grasp together how far reaching His love is. This new creation, this unified body is only possible through divine power generating divine love.

In light of of this mystery, this reconciled humanity which is empowered by His spirit and firmly established in His love, Paul prays “now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine."

Reflection Questions:

What themes stand out to you in Ephesians chapter 3?
Ask the Holy Spirit where in your life is He leading you into greater depths of unity among fellow believers. Where are there divisions in your life that He is asking you to surrender?
As you reflect on how far reaching the love of Christ is, how does it influence your view and love for others? In your relationships, what does it look like to grasp together how wide, how long, how high and how deep the love of Christ is?
What is a personal application you can make based on some of the truths revealed in this chapter? In other words, what does it look like for you to “live this out” in your daily life.

Thank you for joining us. We pray this message blessed you.

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Thank you for joining us as we continue to dig into our Keeping it Real series on Ephesians.

In Ephesians chapter 2, we start to get a glimpse of the Apostle Paul’s vision for the church
in Ephesus and how Christ’s work of salvation reconciles us to God and to one
another. Paul shows us how the gospel of Christ ministers peace to both pull
down and build up.

First, peace pulls down the dividing walls of hostility between God and one
other. Humans throughout history go about inventing new ways of dividing,
race, politics, class, sex and religion. The gospel says “no more”. We all stand
equally sinful, and we stand equally as recipients of grace if you ask for it.

Second, peace builds up, giving us a new way of building our identity. Rather
than building our identity on our achievements, gifts, or status, we build our
identity on the foundation of Christ, He is our cornerstone.

Here’s what this building up looks like. Firstly, we are fellow citizens. Then he
says, we are members of God's household. Thirdly, he says, we are stones
joined together in God’s temple. Each one gets more intense with regard to our
relationship with God. A king lives in a country with his people, but a father lives
under the same roof with his children and a temple is where God lives. The
images also get more intense regarding our relationships to each other. If you're
co-citizens, you may live kilometres from each other. But if you're are growing
up in the same home, you live just metres from each other. If your stones in a
building, there's no distance at all.

In summary, what Paul is trying to say is that if you want the surpassing power
of the gospel to be at work in and through your life, you have to deeply commit
yourself to His community. As we do, we together are formed into God’s
masterpiece, a gallery of glory declaring the testimony of God’s salvation
available to all.

Reflection Questions
1. What themes stand out to you in Ephesians chapter 2?
2. Ask Holy Spirit to reveal any walls of hostility that you need to pull down
(Hint: we all have them).
3. Ask Holy Spirit to reveal any areas of your life where your identity or self-
worth is based on your own efforts rather than Him. What areas of your life
need building up by the gospel of peace?
4. What is a personal application you can make based on some of the truths
revealed in this chapter? In other words, what does it look like for you to
“live this out” in your daily life.
Thanks again for joining us. We pray you were blessed by this message.Connect with us on:https://www.instagram.com/dayspringchurch/https://www.facebook.com/dayspringchurchwww.youtube.com/@DayspringChurchAUListen to Dayspring Worship https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCQM5_jWUv_VAOxpvK7D571Qhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/331972RySiV4WcoYTTJHeB?si=4b8N7CVQT2ysAeBiMGr1BAhttps://music.apple.com/us/artist/dayspring-worship/1035339614

Thank you for joining us as we kick off our Keeping it Real series on Ephesians.

In Ephesians chapter one Paul reveals, in one sweeping sentence (in the original Greek), the lavish benefits, gifts and privileges bestowed on those who are in Christ. We are blessed, predestined, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, graced, chosen and “marked… with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit”. All this "for the praise of his glory”. Through Christ’s victory over "all rule and authority, power and dominion”, we are free and empowered "to be holy and blameless in his sight”. Paul then determines that he ought to pray for us! He prays that we might receive revelation that gives us a deeper understanding and experience of all that Christ has done on our behalf.Thanks again for joining us. We pray you were blessed by this message.Connect with us on:https://www.instagram.com/dayspringchurch/https://www.facebook.com/dayspringchurchwww.youtube.com/@DayspringChurchAUListen to Dayspring Worship https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCQM5_jWUv_VAOxpvK7D571Qhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/331972RySiV4WcoYTTJHeB?si=4b8N7CVQT2ysAeBiMGr1BAhttps://music.apple.com/us/artist/dayspring-worship/1035339614

Thank you for joining us as we continue to dig into our Grace Practices series.

Author James K.A. Smith says, “You are what you love, but you may not love
what you think you love”.
Do you have a good grasp of the issues that exist within your heart?
Would you be confident to be granted your heart’s truest desire or unsure what
that would even be?
These are the questions we wrestled with this week and are the questions that
our discipleship with Jesus and spiritual formation must confront.
What do you love?
In Colossians 3, Paul gives us the picture of “putting off, and putting on” helping
us to see that we unlearn our old habits and learn to live according to our new
nature in Christ through practice. Or as Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:8, through
“training”.
Training is different from merely “trying” in that it recognises the resistance we
will face as we learn to live like Jesus in this world and focuses on growth,
leading to joy.
How do we train? Well, firstly it is a work of grace! But, we still have a part to
play. We intentionally live by a set of “grace practices” called a “rule of life” or a
“rhythm of grace”. This rhythm of grace “gives us a way to enter into the life-
long process of personal transformation. Its practices help us to shed the
familiar but constricting “old self” and allow our “new self” in Christ to be
formed” - Marjorie Thompson.
At Dayspring we want our Rhythm of Grace to anchor us in our 3 foundations
of;
Presence - Life With Jesus,
People - Love Like Jesus, and
Purpose - Live As Jesus did.
As we do this, we will find that our Rhythm of Life will keep us anchored to
Christ’s table. We will be positioned to encounter His presence, to be present to
others, and to engage in our divine purpose.

Reflection Questions
1. On a scale of 1 to 10 how skilled are you at understanding the issues of
your heart?
2. What practices have you intentionally engaged in to guard your heart?
3. Take some time to reflect on your “rhythm of grace”. Are there practices you
need to engage so that you may be more securely anchored to presence,
people & purpose?

Thanks again for joining us. We pray you were blessed by this message.

Connect with us on:https://www.instagram.com/dayspringchurch/https://www.facebook.com/dayspringchurchwww.youtube.com/@DayspringChurchAUListen to Dayspring Worship https://open.spotify.com/artist/331972RySiV4WcoYTTJHeB?si=4b8N7CVQT2ysAeBiMGr1BAhttps://music.apple.com/us/artist/dayspring-worship/1035339614https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCQM5_jWUv_VAOxpvK7D571Q