Ephesians on Steadfast Love

illustration

Happy Marriages

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Proverbs 31:11-12, Ephesians 5:25-28, Colossians 3:19, 1 Peter 3:7

Happy marriages are based on a deep friendship. By this I mean mutual respect for and enjoyment of each other’s company. These couples tend to know each other intimately—they are well versed in each o...

liturgy

Adapted from Lamentations 3:22-24 and Ephesians 2:11-22

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Lamentations 3:22-24, Ephesians 2:11-22

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is his faithfulness. ‘The Lord is our portion,’ says our souls, ‘therefore, we will hop...

liturgy

Live Your Love

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

John 17:20-23, Ephesians 4:3-6, Acts 2:42-47, Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Galatians 6:2, Genesis 11:1-9, Acts 10:, Acts 13:

Holy Trinity, Community of Love, Draw your children together Across human boundaries Across denominations Draw us together in your creative light Awaken us to collaboration and mutual callings Quick t...

lectionary

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 6:27-38, Isaiah 50:6, Lamentations 3:28-30, Psalm 37:null, Romans 5:7-8, Matthew 18:23-35, Deuteronomy 10:17-19, Leviticus 19:33-34, Ephesians 2:11-22, Galatians 3:28

Preaching Commentary The context Having addressed his disciples with the blessings and woes (6:20-26), Jesus now addresses the multitude of people (6:17, cf. 7:1). As with the blessings and woes, L...

lectionary

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 2:1-10, Acts 18:19-21, Acts 19:1-20

Lent 2021: A 40-day Heart Restoration Death to Life Bonus Content: Video prep session with Gabe Fung on Ephesians 2:1-10 . Password: 943!KJRs AIM Commentary Ancient Lens What can we learn fr...

lectionary

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Hosea 11:1-11, Romans 11:null, Hosea 11:null, Psalm 49:1-12, Ephesians 3:17-19, Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, Ecclesiastes 2:18-23

Preaching Commentary Lamenting a Living Son This is God’s own lament: a brokenhearted father mourning the loss of a still-living son. Throughout the book, God has led Hosea to draw from moments of...

lectionary

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 2:11-22, Romans 6:6, Psalm 23:null, Lamentations 3:22-24, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Romans 6:6, Psalm 89:null

Preaching Commentary Paul’s Prize Fight Paul pulls no punches in this letter to the church of Ephesus. It is an onslaught of theological intensity from the first ring of the bell. Like a prize figh...

liturgy

The Lord is our Shepherd. He is aware

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 23:1-3, Isaiah 53:5, John 10:11, Romans 5:8, 1 Peter 2:24, Ephesians 1:7

The Lord is our Shepherd. He is aware of our wanton hearts. He has rooted out our sin and reversed its dire consequences upon His cross. The tree of life has become the cross of Christ. Although we ha...

lectionary

Pentecost

Author

Jeff Volkmer

Keywords

Scripture

John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15, John 15:26-27, John 16:4-15, John 13:10, John 14:7, John 14:13-14, John 13:31-32, John 14:19-21, John 14:16, John 14:15-18, John 3:8, John 8:46, Matthew 4:8-9, Luke 4:5-6, John 14:30, John 12:31, John 6:12, Ephesians 2:2, Hebrews 12:2, John 16:12, John 14:17, John 16:14, John 16:6, John 14:6

Preaching Commentary Context The Upper Room Discourse Our Gospel reading for today takes place within what has come to be known as the “Upper Room discourse,” a stretch of Scripture unique to Jo...

lectionary

Third Sunday of Easter

Author

Darren Pollock

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 2:14a, 36-41, Luke 6:46, Acts 17:3, Romans 10:12, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 2 Timothy 2:22, Ephesians 4:5

Preaching Commentary Setting the Context: After the introductory tag from 2:14a this week’s text begins with “therefore” in 2:36 (Greek oun , which is the second word in verse 36 in the Greek text...

liturgy

Lord of Hope and God of all that’s new—Father

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 12:12, Colossians 3:14, 1 Peter 3:8, Ephesians 4:2-3, Psalm 136:1

Lord of Hope and God of all that’s new—Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We’re filled with wonder, gratitude, and joy inspired by the gifts of new life You freely give us. There’s the joy and wonder of eve...

lectionary

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Darren Pollock

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 10:40-42, John 20:21, Acts 1:18, 2 Peter 2:13, Luke 17:10, John 3:18, Matthew 28:19, Ephesians 5:20, James 5:14, Colossians 3:17, Acts 3:6, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Acts 20:35

preaching commentary The Transitive Property of Welcoming In elementary school math you learn various basic principles of working with numbers…the commutative property, the associative property, th...

lectionary

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 2:3, Romans 5:10, Luke 5:31, Matthew 10:30, 1 Peter 5:8, Psalm 73:4-7, 13, 18-20

Preaching Commentary Preaching Angle: Wheat and Weeds Grow Even in the Church God’s good creation grows food for all living creatures. God made the Earth, God made all the plants, and God made all ...

liturgy

Lord Jesus Christ, giver and perfecter of our faith

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Deuteronomy 31:6-8 , 2 Kings 6:15-17 , Isaiah 5:10-11 , Ephesians 6:10-18 , Hebrews 4:12-16 , Psalm 119:11 , Ephesians 6:12, 1 Timothy 6:12

Pastor: Lord Jesus Christ, giver and perfecter of our faith, we thank and praise You for continuing among us the preaching of Your Gospel. Send Your blessing upon the Word, which has been spoken to ...

liturgy

Forgiveness Brings Life and Salvation

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-11, 18-19, Isaiah 55:11, Exodus 17:8-16, Luke 11:9-13, Psalm 119:9

Pastor: God not only provides us with armor to stand against the devil’s schemes, but once fitted for battle, He tells us to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and request...

illustration

Love Stories

Author

Mike Cosper

Keywords

Love

Scripture

Ephesians 5:32, John 3:16, 1 John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Ephesians 5:25-27, John 3:16

Love makes people do crazy things. The stories we tell in literature and film are full of examples of the crazy things people will do for love. Love empowers Odysseus through madness and suffering, dr...

Quote

Author

John Oxenham

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 4:8, Luke 10:25-37, Ephesians 4:32, John 3:16, 1 John 4:7-8, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love ever gives, Forgives, outlives, And ever stands with open hands, And while it lives it gives. For this is love’s prerogative, To give – and give – and give.

liturgy

Make Me Your Love

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

John 13:1-17, 31b-35, Ephesians 5:1-2, Acts 1:8, John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Galatians 2:20

Son of God Savior Sacrifice Your love is Fierce and Forever Abounding and Intimate Generous, Goodness, and Grace Fill me with your Spirit Make me your love It is your command It is your way It is ...

liturgy

Loving father, you promise the most

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 8:38, Ephesians 1:3-6, Galatians 4:3-7

Loving father, you promise the most amazing things. You give us an inheritance, you adopt us as your sons and daughters, you say you will never leave us nor forsake us, and you say that nothing can se...

liturgy

Adapted from Ephesians 3:18-19

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:18-19, Acts 2:42-47, John 13:1-17, Luke 15:11-32, Psalm 103:11-12, 1 John 3:1, Romans 8:38-39

I pray that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and heig...

liturgy

Living in God's True Love

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 2:8-9, Luke 15:11-32, Romans 5:8 , 1 John 4:10, Titus 3:4-5 , Psalm 103:10-12, Isaiah 49:15-16

Gracious Father, too often we base our worth on our performance. We believe if we do well, your love grows, and if we falter, your love lessens. Our God, how far this is from the truth. We confess our...

liturgy

Ephesians 3:17-19 "May Christ may dwell in your

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:17-19

May Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height...

liturgy

Loving God, we confess today: We don’t

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:32, Psalm 51:10, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Matthew 22:37-39, Romans 5:8

Loving God, we confess today: We don’t even know what love truly is. We talk about love when we talk about favorite television shows and foods. We talk about love as if it happens to us. We describe l...

liturgy

Jesus Christ, the love that gives

Author

Hildegard of Bingen

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:17-19, Ephesians 5:25-27, John 15:15, 1 Corinthians 12:27, John 1:1-2, Genesis 2:7, Romans 8:11

Jesus Christ, the love that gives love, You are higher than the highest star; you are deeper than the deepest sea; You cherish us as your own family; You embrace us as your own spouse; You rule over u...

Quote

Author

Paula Ripple

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 5:14, John 13:1-17, John 8:1-11, Ephesians 5:1-2, 1 John 4:19, John 13:34-35

Jesus reassures us that every effort to love ourselves and others more faithfully, however imperfectly we are able to do this, is a response to God's call to love as he loved. It is a response to ...

liturgy

Adapted from “Spiritual Helps” in The Valley of Vision

Author

Arthur Bennett

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 12:10-11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 119:103, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 8:26, John 3:16

Pastor: Eternal Father, it is amazing love, that you sent your Son to suffer in my place, that you have given me your Holy Spirit to teach, comfort, and guide me. Because of Jesus’ death in my place, ...

liturgy

Confessing and Embracing Divine Love

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 4:7-11, Matthew 22:36-40, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, John 15:12-13, Romans 5:8, Luke 19:1-10 , Ephesians 3:17-19

All-loving God, we confess our motivations are often not influenced by your love. We act according to what will bring us the best outcome. We love ourselves before we love you. Help us to grow deeper ...

liturgy

Opening Prayer – You Cannot Love Me More

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 4:, Hebrews 13:5, Isaiah 43:1, John 15:9, Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 136:26, Ephesians 3:17-19

You cannot love me more You will not love me less You love me fully Now and always Help me accept the gift of your love Help me trust it Help me accept it fully There’s no need to earn your love...

Quote

Author

Brian Loritts

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 8:38-39, Luke 19:1-10, John 8:1-11, Titus 3:4-5, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 John 4:10, Romans 5:8

The question of performance-free love transcends ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status. “Am I forever loved for who I am? Is the background elevator music to our hearts.

Quote

Author

Timothy Keller

Keywords

Scripture

2 Corinthians 5:17, Luke 19:1-10, John 4:1-26, Titus 3:4-5, 1 John 4:9-10, Ephesians 2:4-5, Romans 5:8

He loved us, not because we were lovely to him, but to make us lovely.

illustration

liturgy

liturgy

lectionary

lectionary

lectionary

lectionary

liturgy

lectionary

lectionary

liturgy

lectionary

lectionary

liturgy

liturgy

illustration

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

L

M

P

R

S

U

W

Exodus

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Psalm

Lamentations

Matthew

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

Titus

Hebrews

1 Peter

1 John