Today we take a quick bread from our series in Ephesians to consider an important topic in the Christian life, although it might not be something we talk about very often. It’s the topic of perseverance.

In this sermon, Rob Collis preaches from Philippians 3.17-4.1, and explores the question: How can we persevere in our faith? And not just persevere – because perseverance can almost have that sense of raggedness and worn-down-ness to it – but more specifically, how do we persevere and thrive? We could even say it like this: How do we stand firm in our faith?

In Ephesians 5.15-21, we are told – in no uncertain terms – to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And if you’ve been in Christian circles for any length of time, the phrase ‘be filled with the Holy Spirit’ likely conveys the idea of expressing and demonstrating more overt and charismatic spiritual gifts. But when Paul talks about being filled with the Holy Spirit in Ephesians, interestingly, he seems to have something else in mind.

In this sermon, as Rob Collis continues in our series through Ephesians, he explores what Paul means about being filled with the Spirit. And he unpacks this by looking at three questions: First, what does it mean to be filled by the Holy Spirit? Second, what are the marks of being filled by the Holy Spirit? And third, how are we filled with the Holy Spirit?

At its core, the message of Ephesians is this: In Jesus, God has done more than we could ever think to ask or imagine, and the implications for what he has done reverberate into every facet, nook and cranny of our lives – in more ways than we could ever imagine.

This week we’re joined by Zella Christenson, from the Artizo Institute, who preaches from Ephesians 5.15-33. This passage has long been a go-to text for learning about Christian marriage – sometimes to unhelpful effect. Yet, at its core, Paul is teaching us that the ordinary structures of our lives can become the ground in which Christ’s glory can be displayed, and for Christians, marriage should be a living portrait of the gospel.

This week we return to our series in Ephesians. At its core, the message of Ephesians is this: In Jesus, God has done more than we could ever think to ask or imagine, and the implications for what he has done reverberate into every facet, nook and cranny of our lives – in more ways than we could ever imagine.

This week Rob Collis preaches from Ephesians 5.1-14. This passage revolves around verse 8, where it says: “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light.” In this sermon, Rob explores: What was the darkness? How did we become light? And how do we walk as children of the light?

As we This week, Rob Collis preaches from 1 Chronicles 17, and explores how King David encountered the goodness of God through the prophet Nathan, and what this reveals to us about God's goodness towards us.

This Sunday, we gathered together with our friends at Tsawwassen Alliance Church and Tsawwassen Chinese Ministry for a joint Christmas Service, where we walked through the full story of God’s plan of salvation in the world.

It was in the depths of darkest night when it happened. The fire they had lit to keep them warm had calmed to a cool ember. The sheep were close at hand, and everything was quiet. Into this dark, cold night – in the fields, far from town – an angel appeared, trumpeting good news of great joy. The Messiah was born!

But before there was ever a manger or a donkey, the pregnant virgin or the angel – before any of these things could become good news, God’s people were found waiting.

As we continue our journey through Advent, Rob Collis preaches from Luke 1.39-55, where we learn about Mary’s encounter with Elizabeth, and how Mary became the first person to really hear and receive the Christmas message – It was the message that God is coming to earth, to be God with us. And as she came to understand this message, she couldn’t keep it in: She burst into song. It was the first song about Christmas – the very first Christmas carol. In this sermon, Rob explores the back story to Mary’s Christmas Carol, and unpacks what Mary actually sings about.

It was in the depths of darkest night when it happened. The fire they had lit to keep them warm had calmed to a cool ember. The sheep were close at hand, and everything was quiet. Into this dark, cold night – in the fields, far from town – an angel appeared, trumpeting good news of great joy. The Messiah was born!

But before there was ever a manger or a donkey, the pregnant virgin or the angel – before any of these things could become good news, God’s people were found waiting.

As we continue our journey through Advent, Rob Collis preaches from Matthew 3.1-12. As he explores the question, “How do we prepare ourselves spiritually for Christmas?” he turns to the ministry of John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for the Lord.

It was in the depths of darkest night when it happened. The fire they had lit to keep them warm had calmed to a cool ember. The sheep were close at hand, and everything was quiet. Into this dark, cold night – in the fields, far from town – an angel appeared, trumpeting good news of great joy. The Messiah was born!

But before there was ever a manger or a donkey, the pregnant virgin or the angel – before any of these things could become good news, God’s people were found waiting.

As we begin our journey through Advent, today Rob Collis preaches from Isaiah 9.1-7. As we listen to the prophet Isaiah, he helps us see ourselves and our world through God’s eyes, as he makes us stare into the darkness. But he doesn’t leave us there. He helps us to live in the unshakable hope of those who have seen the light – and who know and await the dawn.

As Paul continues his letter to the Ephesians, he presents a vision of putting on Christ, and living life in light of the reality of what Jesus has done for us – which he calls taking off the old self, and putting on the new self. Because, when we follow Jesus – when we receive and fall into his grace and salvation, it means we can never live the same.

This week Rob Collis preaches from Ephesians 4.25-32, where Paul continues his discussion about putting on the new self – because he wants to make sure God’s grace seeps into our lives – and that it would pervade down all the way into our hearts. And nothing reveals the state of our hearts, and what our hearts hold as precious and dear, quite like our relationship with anger.

So far in Ephesians, Paul has been expanding our horizons and stretching our imaginations. And if we stop and just take a step back – what we realize is that the universe has changed because of Jesus Christ. All of history has been rewritten ever since Jesus died on the cross, and came back to life. Reality has changed. And as we come to chapter 4, Paul shifts his writing from telling us about how reality has changed, to telling us how to live in this new reality.

This week Rob Collis preaches from Ephesians 4.13-16, where Paul tells us there’s a destination for us in this life, as we seek to follow Jesus. Paul presents a three-part destination for us to attain to, which is not only something for us as Christians, but for us as those made fully alive in Christ. As we seek to follow Jesus and attain to these things, he sketches out not only the destination, but also the roadblocks we will face, and tells us about how Jesus will walk with us on this journey.

So far in Ephesians, Paul has been expanding our horizons and stretching our imaginations. And if we stop and just take a step back – what we realize is that the universe has changed because of Jesus Christ. All of history has been rewritten ever since Jesus died on the cross, and came back to life. Reality has changed. And as we come to chapter 4, Paul shifts his writing from telling us about how reality has changed, to telling us how to live in this new reality.

This week we’re pleased to welcome Sarah Jeong, who preaches from Ephesians 4.7-12. Sarah helps us wrestle with how Paul deliberately misquotes from Psalm 68, and helps us see that God has delivered us out of captivity from sin, and has given us to each other and to the world as gifts, in order to build up the church.

So far in Ephesians, Paul has been expanding our horizons and stretching our imaginations. And if we stop and just take a step back – what we realize is that the universe has changed because of Jesus Christ. All of history has been rewritten ever since Jesus died on the cross, and came back to life. Reality has changed. And as we come to chapter 4, Paul shifts his writing from telling us about how reality has changed, to telling us how to live in this new reality.

This week Rob Collis preaches from Ephesians 4.3-6, where Paul urges us to come and live in the new reality of Jesus Christ eagerly walking together in unity. And he explains that Christian unity arises from the unity of God: from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Yet Paul knows we can’t just drum up a sense of unity on our own terms – Christian unity is a gift and work of the Holy Spirit, and it requires the Spirit’s presence and work in our midst.

So far in Ephesians, Paul has been expanding our horizons and stretching our imaginations. And if we stop and just take a step back – what we realize is that the universe has changed because of Jesus Christ. All of history has been rewritten ever since Jesus died on the cross, and came back to life. Reality has changed. And as we come to chapter 4, Paul shifts his writing from telling us about how reality has changed, to telling us how to live in this new reality.

This week Rob Collis preaches from Ephesians 4.1-3, and helps us see how Paul is summoning us to come and live in the new reality of Jesus Christ by calling us to walk together in unity. In these verses, Paul begins talking about the how of Christian unity, and he lays out five pillars for our unity – five moral characteristics which lay the foundation for unity in Christ.

It’s been said that chapter 3 is the peak of Ephesians. So far, we’ve been climbing through the foothills, but now we’re climbing to the highest point – the top of the mountain – and once we’re at the top, we can see for miles in every direction.

This week Rob preaches from Ephesians 3.18-21, and he shows us how Paul is praying that God would set our hearts on fire with love for him. Paul hopes we would behold the fullness of God for ourselves, and as a result of beholding God, we would have an increased awareness and expectation of how God is at work in our world. Because Jesus can do exceedingly abundantly more than all we can ask or think or imagine – he’s proven it by the cross and resurrection, and he’s already doing it all around you – and his question for us all is simply: “Will you take my hand, and follow me?”

It’s been said that chapter 3 is the peak of Ephesians. So far, we’ve been climbing through the foothills, but now we’re climbing to the highest point – the top of the mountain – and once we’re at the top, we can see for miles in every direction.

This week Rob preaches from Ephesians 3.14-19. He shows us how Paul is praying that God would set our hearts on fire with love for him, and identifies three movements to Paul’s prayer: First, he prays the truths of the gospel into our hearts, so it wouldn’t just be information we know, but truths that pervade our entire being. Second, he prays that we would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit, so that we might have an increased capacity to experience the fullness of God in our inner being. And third, he prays that we would begin to comprehend, and catch a glimpse of the fullness of God, so that we wouldn’t settle for anything less.

It’s been said that chapter 3 is the peak of Ephesians. So far, we’ve been climbing through the foothills, but now we’re climbing to the highest point – the top of the mountain – and once we’re at the top, we can see for miles in every direction. As we continue in Ephesians chapter 3, Paul takes us along a detour, as he shows us how God’s grace meets us in the reality of our lives.

This week we’re pleased to welcome Hosea Sheen, who preaches from Ephesians 3.7-13. Hosea helps us to see how God has shared his heart with us, and entrusted us with something precious: the mystery of the gospel. Hosea shows us this is an incredible privilege to receive from God, but it also comes to us with a responsibility: we have been entrusted with this mystery in order to reveal it to others.

It’s been said that chapter 3 is the peak of Ephesians. So far, we’ve been climbing through the foothills, but now we’re climbing to the highest point – the top of the mountain – and once we’re at the top, we can see for miles in every direction. But before we can get to the top of this mountain, Paul takes us on a bit of a detour – along the winding path as we journey up this mountain.

And that’s what we’re going to begin unpacking today – Paul’s detour, as he tells us about how Jesus’ grace has taken a hold of his life. This week, Rob preaches from Ephesians 3.1-6, and shows us how grace has taken a hold of Paul in two particular ways: he became a captive to grace, and he became a steward of grace. And we see that Paul’s detour really is to show us how God’s grace meets us in the reality of our lives.

In writing his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul has been unpacking how Jesus has brought us near to God. Jesus has abolished the dividing wall that was between us and God, and among his followers, he has cast aside any and every form of division and hostility we might have. Jesus has established a new humanity – a new way of being human, and has raised us to fulness of life in him.

This week, Rob preaches from Ephesians 2.19-22, and shows us how Paul brings all of these threads together. As he unpacks our new reality as followers of Jesus, he shows us that Paul uses the imagery of a house – a house which God is building, so that he might come and dwell with us.

As the Apostle Paul continues his letter to the Ephesians, he continues to fix our eyes on the fulness of what God has accomplished for us in Jesus Christ, so that we might have eyes to see and comprehend the good news of Jesus.

This week we’re pleased to welcome Kathy Shain-Ross, who preaches from Ephesians 2.14-18, and explains the significance of Jesus as our peace. Jesus has abolished the dividing wall that was between us and God, and among his followers, he has cast aside any and every form of division and hostility we might have. Because with God, peace is not an absence; it is a presence. God’s peace is the presence of Jesus Christ himself, and wherever Jesus is present, and wherever his peace reigns.