Tag Archives: Ephesians 3

Devotional

Good News Youth Devotional

Posted on by
Reply

By Nolan McBride (Youth/Young Adult Ministries Assistant)

Ephesians 3:14-21 “…to graps how high and long and wide and deep is the love of Christ.”

We are living in a time of in-betweens. Life as we know it has shut down and changed radically since the beginning of this pandemic. Plans we had made have changed, events were canceled or moved online, and we cannot physically be together with each other. This is not how I planned to end my BVS year, and I am sure it is not how you planned to end this school year. I especially cannot imagine what those of you who are seniors must be experiencing. Though some of us live in states beginning to open up, it will be a long time before life returns to what it was before the pandemic, if it ever does.

Liturgically we are also living in an in-between time. Last Thursday our high church siblings celebrated Ascension Day, remembering when Jesus ascended into Heaven. Pentecost, which celebrates the Holy Spirit descending on the apostles and is sometimes referred to as the “birthday of the church”, is not until this coming Sunday. Imagine for a second what this must have been like for Jesus’s friends and loved ones. They had already mourned his loss once when he was brutally executed at the hands of the state. He had risen, and nothing would ever be the same! Now though, he was leaving them again. Granted, the circumstances were radically different and before he left Jesus did promise “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” But as we are all too painfully aware right now, being together in spirit is not the same as being together in person. They did not know what God had planned just around the corner.

In today’s scripture we are reminded of the limitless, unfathomable love of God in Christ. When Jesus dwells in our hearts we are united with each other and our siblings in Christ around the world. Yes, its not the same as being physically together. But we do not know what God has planned just around the corner.

Good News: Though a pandemic may stop us from being together in person, it cannot stop us from being one in spirit though the love of Jesus!

Discussion Question: How have you experienced the love of Jesus and/or unity with others through Christ during this pandemic? How might you deepen that relationship?

Go one step further: Every year Christians around the world join in praying together to spread the love and peace of Jesus during the period between Ascension Day and Pentecost. Find our more at https://www.thykingdomcome.global/

Devotional

Good News Youth Devotional

Posted on by
5

By David Radcliff (Director, New Community Project)

Ephesians 3:1-13 “…the mystery of Christ…revealed by the Spirit…”

I admit I almost always prefer the gospels – the story of Jesus’ radical life of reaching out to the poor, the young, the sick, the hungry, the outcast – and angering the authorities in the process – rather than Paul’s writings – someone who mostly focused on Jesus’ death and organizing life in the new church. So I was a bit disappointed to see my assigned text from Ephesians. HOWEVER, when I read this passage, I saw that Paul, too, had a radical streak. First, he’s writing from jail – so he must’ve been doing something right to make people that mad at him. And he then writes of a “mystery” – hmmm…mysterious. What is it? That God’s love is for all, and that Jesus welcomes everyone into his church. This was scandalous in those days, as God was thought to be reserved only for the Jewish people. And the Romans had their gods, and the Greeks had theirs, and… you get the drift. So to have one God who welcomes all people – well, that was a page out of Jesus’ playbook. And of course it’s just as scandalous today. Churches often make a name for themselves more by who they keep out than by who they let in. And political leaders get elected by lifting up one group – race, income, religion – above others. A Brethren girl I know got in trouble with her friends by standing up for the poor. That didn’t stop her.

Good News: It’s no mystery – God loves everyone, and all are welcome among Jesus’ followers.

Discussion Question: Is it human nature to form exclusive groups? Why do we do it? Have you ever stood up for someone who is seen by others as “unworthy” – made fun of or otherwise pushed out? Think of a time when Jesus got in trouble for including someone others wanted to exclude.

Go one step further: Jesus welcomed women into his movement and treated them with respect. Today, girls and women around the world are often treated like second class citizens. On this page, there’s a zoom presentation telling about trafficking, bride burning, poverty and other things that affect girls – and what we can do about it. https://www.newcommunityproject.info/give-a-girl-a-chance