Joanne says... "Is this passage about submission and leadership? ‘You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.’ (Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride) Paul used a literary pattern that is seen regularly in the Hebrew Bible - what's sometimes termed ‘jump, jump, high jump.’ Jump 1 = Ephesians 5:15-18 Jump 2 = Ephesians 5:19-21 Jump 3 = Ephesians 5:22 to the high point of verse 32 and back down to 6:9 The high point of it all Paul calls the Great Mystery. Leadin...
Have you ever thought about what "walking worthy of our calling" should look like in practical terms? Is it in keeping a strict moral standard? Presenting a "good witness" to society? Giving benevolently to those less fortunate than us? Paul may startle you with his answer in Ephesians 5. Is the church getting it right? Or are we missing the boat?" Listen as Julie Coleman presents the sure-fire ways, we can demonstrate our commitment to the Lord, to each other and to the world.
This week, Rubén resumes his study of Luke 11:34-36 focusing on the eyes. He reveals how important the eyes and light are to our understanding of this and many other scripture passages.
The eyes could be the most important sense we, as humans, have. Listen as Rubén explains why and reveals how this enlightens our understanding of Luke 11. (Tech Issue: Audio is not the best at the beginning but does improve.)
This week Steve Coleman teaches from Ephesians 4:17-32. He says, "The message of the book of Ephesians has stressed that we should 'walk in a manner worthy' of our calling in Jesus. As we continue in chapter 4, this 'walk' is described in very practical terms and we are introduced to ways that we can change our behavior from old patterns to new."
Every person who is born again into the family of God, who is built as a living stone into the temple of God, who serves in that temple as a priest of God, and finally, who becomes part of the one Body of Christ, is given something vital, something crucial, to contribute. The apostle Paul talked about gifts given to us by God, through the power of Christ via his Spirit. To develop and use our gifts benefits us and the whole Body, the family, the living temple. This is what’s healthy for a liv...
Steve Coleman continues our study of Ephesians. In chapter 4 Paul urges us to walk worthy of our calling. Listen as Steve examines how we do that in unity of Spirit.
If you ever get the feeling that your Christian life is in a rut, or you keep facing the same struggles, or you somehow feel weak, then listen as we grasp hold of what Paul really wanted for the Ephesians and for us. You are more powerful than you think! Dr. Bill Smith
What was the mystery that had remained hidden for thousands of years? We look back now, and it seems so obvious! But in Paul's day, that wasn't the case. God was revealing new facets of the mystery even as dictated the words to his scribe—and "this is by God's glorious grace!" he wrote. But people were having a tough time dealing with the implications. God's revealed mystery of uniting gentile believers and Jewish believers into one body seemed to fly in the face of scripture, and certainly t...
We continue our series in the book of Ephesians. Ephesus was a major commercial center in the Roman world with a population of around 250,000. The city also had a significant Jewish community: estimates put the Jewish population at 20,000 to 25,000. In the last part of chapter 2, Paul continues to write about the marvels of our salvation, but focuses in on the Gentile majority. Listen to see what Steve Coleman says about the Gentiles and the shocking reality of Jews and Gentiles in the same c...
Are you wondering if God plans to use you for His glory? He has a purpose for you. Listen to see what He has already done for and in us as Julie Coleman zeroes in on Ephesians 2:1-10 and learn to live in the extravagant love, mercy, grace, and kindness He has so abundantly provided for those who believe.
In Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul piles term upon term to explain that the extraordinary divine force that raised Jesus from the dead is now at work in all believers. Are you living in that resurrection power? Listen to find out how to tap into that amazing resource. It’s way bigger than you think!
This week we begin an amazing series on the book of Ephesians. You are going to want to put your seatbelt on for this one. The book gives penetrating insights into our identity in Christ and how we fit into God's plan for the world and for the Body of Christ. You won't want to miss a single session. Steve Coleman
In the days and weeks after Pentecost, it must have seemed like a glorious time as people broke bread together in each other's homes, and soaked in the apostles' teaching. Peter and John were publicly healing people, thousands believed in Jesus, and the gospel began to sweep through even Samaria. But trouble soon came. First, John and Peter were arrested. Then the Greek widows were not being treated fairly, and more leaders were needed. Persecution began, one of the new leaders, Stephen, was ...
Before his ascension Jesus provides teaching concerning the meaning and significance of his death and resurrection. Luke 24:44-49 focuses on Old Testament prophecy concerning God’s plan. Listen as Jon shares his insights into this great commission.
According to Jesus' 'greatest commandments,' we need to be occupied with love for God and love for others. Love is an important theme of the New Testament. John writes that God is love. Not that God is loving, or God has love. Since God is love, when we encounter him and get to know him, we can't help but be affected by that love. Have you ever thought about the ways God's love has impacted your life with His love? He is our greatest resource for becoming loving people. Listen as Steve Colema...
New Hope Chapel has had women teachers for a long time, and about five years ago, New Hope also began recognizing women as elders. Around the same time, we decided to phase out the language of deacons and elders and move into the language of a pastoral team and a teaching team. We know there are many examples of women as disciples in the New Testament--Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, Martha and Mary of Bethany, and many others. In fact, Tabitha is introduced as a disciple. But are there exam...
Has it ever felt that God has let you down? Maybe it was unanswered prayer—a plea for His help, or claiming a promise He made but did not fulfill it. This week, Julie Coleman shares her message on 'The Unexpected God'. Listen and see how He works in unexpected ways--more often than we think!
The Bible says that we have freedom as Christians. The question is freedom to do what? Using the book of Galatians, we will explore what freedom in Christ means and the surprising ways our lives can be different. Listen to look at a new way to live. Steve Coleman
Have you ever felt that your life is spinning out of control, and everything is out of your hands? Maybe there is a personal circumstance like an illness or tragedy that made you feel absolutely helpless. Or maybe it is in looking at our country’s current problems or scary world events. Julie Coleman tells a story where the powerless became the powerful (Judges 3:15-30). What happened then can happen for you today.