A series based on the book of Ephesians.
This 14 week series was given between April 23, 2017 and July 23, 2017
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
we have an identity problem in our world.
and we have it in our churches.
and so often, when someone comes into this place, or wants to talk to a Christian and confess their “sins” to them, or whatever… what we tend to do is immediately focus on that thing… that “sin” and we try and work people through behavior modification thinking that “if they can just change the way that they ACT, then their lives will change…”
but the root of so many problems can not be weeded out by changing your behavior… because who you are is always there, whether you mask it or not. The real issue is people don’t know who they are!
Even Christians! They don’t know who they are… they don’t know what they are worth!
Its an identity issue.
We find our worth in the things that we tangibly accomplish or don’t accomplish on this earth. Take me for example… and today I can share this as a “testimony” but many of you have heard me say it as I was walking through it as well… We wanted to get that house.
and I was riding high when we raised the money… I was feeling like the king of the world, like “we are going to DO SOMETHING!”
but then when deal after deal fell through, seriously, I got so down on myself that I was a little depressed. I felt like a liar… I questioned the vision that God gave us… and I felt a bit like a worthless pastor at times…
now that we have it, I think because of that, I can honestly say that God is working, and having the house or NOT having the house does not define who I am…
When I sin… when I screw up… I feel worthless. I feel incompetent to be a pastor at this church… not always… but sometimes… because what I am doing is, I am putting my worth in what I DO. and when things seem like they are not working… I do the same thing… I let myself take the blame…
But what Ephesians says, is that my identity is not found in houses, churches, messages, music, art, and even Godly behavior. It is found in Jesus.
and no book of the bible is more clear about this, than Ephesians.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.