Prisoner of Christ, Not of Circumstances

In one paragraph

Preaching through Ephesians 3:1-13, Deborah walked the church through four themes Paul raises in the passage: grace, the church, suffering, and the riches we have in Christ. She also shared something deeply personal, the loss of her cleaning lady to a carbon monoxide accident in her own home the week before, and what the Lord spoke to her through it. The two threads ran together the whole way...

Read together

1. Ephesians 3:1-13 primary passage read aloud from NIV at the opening of the sermon
2. Galatians 3:28 cited to show there is no Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, all are one in Christ
3. Matthew 25:29-30 read aloud to show the Lord's seriousness about using gifts to serve others
4. Ephesians 3:10 cited to show the church making God's wisdom known to rulers and authorities in heavenly realms
5. John 17 referenced as Jesus agonizing in prayer that believers would be one as He and the Father are one
6. Isaiah 49:8-10 quoted as a life verse: God has chosen and not rejected us, will strengthen and uphold us
7. Psalm 34:18 quoted for Monica's family: the Lord is close to the brokenhearted
8. Psalm 23 referenced for the path of righteousness and walking through the valley of the shadow of death
9. Psalm 119:68 quoted to affirm that God is good and does only good
10. Psalm 27:13 quoted: would have lost heart unless believing to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living
11. Psalm 91:14 quoted: God will rescue and protect those who love and trust Him
12. Luke 6:48 quoted about building a house on solid rock that stands firm when floodwaters rise
13. Psalm 91:4 quoted: God will shelter with His wings, His faithful promises are armor and protection
14. 2 Corinthians 1:4 quoted to show God comforts us so we can comfort others in their troubles
15. Ephesians 1:7 cited in the list of riches in Christ: God's grace is rich and abundant
16. Romans 2:4 cited in the list of riches in Christ: God's goodness and patience are rich
17. Romans 11:33 cited in the list of riches in Christ: God's wisdom and knowledge are rich
18. Ephesians 2:4 cited in the list of riches in Christ: His mercy is rich
19. Ephesians 3:16 cited in the list of riches in Christ: His glory is rich
20. 1 Timothy 6:17 cited in the list of riches in Christ: His blessings and provisions are rich
21. Colossians 2:2 cited in the list of riches in Christ: His assurance is rich
22. Colossians 3:16 cited in the list of riches in Christ: His word is rich
23. Ephesians 3:18-19 cited in the list of riches in Christ: His love is rich
24. Revelation 3 referenced for Jesus speaking to the church in Laodicea about being lukewarm, poor, blind and naked

Talk about it

1. Pastor Deborah described grace as counterintuitive, saying our human minds default to 'be a good person, go to heaven.' Where do you see that kind of thinking show up in your own life, and how does it get in the way of receiving what God actually offers?
2. Paul wrote that through the church, the wisdom of God is made known to rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. F. F. Bruce called the church 'God's pilot plan for the reconciled universe.' What does it look like practically, in your everyday relationships, to be part of that kind of community rather than just attending one?
3. Pastor Deborah said that when the tsunami hit, her brain could barely form a prayer beyond 'Jesus, help me,' and that it was the foundation she had built over twenty years that eventually surfaced. What are you building into your foundation right now, and what do you think would be there for you if a crisis hit tomorrow?
4. She shared that suffering did not feel good in the moment, but she and her husband began to see good working fairly quickly. Rick Warren said suffering will destroy you, define you, or develop you. Looking at a hard season in your own life, which of those three did it tend toward, and what made the difference?
5. Pastor Deborah described having this rich spiritual bank account but said a lot of us have lost our checkbooks and are not withdrawing from it. Jesus told the church in Laodicea they were poor, blind and naked while thinking they were fine. Where in your life do you think you might be more comfortable than you are spiritually alert?