Journey of a Lifetime — Ephesians 4

0:00 Thank you so much for just the privilege to be able to come and share God's word with you this morning. It was really interesting during the Lord's Supper. It seemed like the main theme during that service that kept coming up was a journey. And today we're talking about the journey of a lifetime as you can see from my title up there. We've all been on different journeys.

1:10 My dad was driving and my son Jonathan, he's sitting in his car seat in the back and he says he says, grandpa you drive and I'll tell you where to go. So so you know as you... It's not that hard to do. You kind of have one of three options that's going to be the correct way he's going to go. So you come to a...

1:37 To an intersection and you know he can either go straight left or right. And sometimes Jonathan got it right. He's like go right grandpa. And that's the right way that we had to go. He's like, oh yeah, I really know what I'm doing here.

1:50 Other times he he's like grandpa go left. But grandpa just kept driving straight on. He's like grandpa I said to go left. That's not the way to go. And finally it clicked in his head and he said grandpa I think I don't really know the way to go.

2:11 And I think that's that's kind of how it is in life as well. If you're going on a journey, you need to know where you're going. Otherwise, you're just going to meander, wander about, and you'll end up someplace where you didn't you never wanted to go. And that's how it is in... That's how most, if I can say most non believers are.

2:38 You talk to most non believers, they don't you know, where are you gonna go when you die? They don't know. Some think they know, some think, oh I'm just gonna end up in the grave. Some think, well I hope I'll end up in heaven one day. But but they don't really know.

2:56 But we know, we know for sure. And you know I have a picture of my dad and up there. He's a he's a pilot and or he was and he's done a lot of journeys with an airplane. And he'll tell you that when you're flying at least a small plane like this this up here, there's basically four instructions when going on a journey and these apply to many journeys. These four instructions are don't travel in the dark.

3:28 As a small plane you're not certified to be flying out in the dark. Follow an accurate map or GPS so that you know where you're going. Another instruction is travel light. You can't overload the plane with with unnecessary baggage. Otherwise, your plane is going to come down.

3:53 Don't. And the last one is know for sure that your destination is secure. And these four instructions are really four instructions that Paul gives to us in this passage in Ephesians chapter four. So why don't we turn to Ephesians chapter four verses 17 to 32. Paul provides us four instructions as believers as we continue on our journey in Christ.

5:03 Who being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. Verse 20, but you have not so learned Christ. If indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus. That you put off concerning your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lust. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.

5:39 Therefore putting away lying, let each of you speak truth with with his neighbor. For we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor working with his hands what is good that he may have something to give him who has need.

6:04 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you are sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you. That's quite a journey there.

7:12 We are not to walk how we formerly walked. We are not to walk as here it says there's the Gentiles, the rest of the Gentiles. Now these were primarily believing Gentiles. They had trusted in Christ as their savior. And and now they they had been added to the family of Christ.

7:31 But the rest of the Gentiles, all those around them, all of them were continuing on. They were worshiping the goddess Diana. If you go to... In fact, let's let's even turn there. Acts chapter 19.

7:48 Just to to give a little background to this passage, Acts chapter 19. Paul had come, he had he had stayed in Ephesus a bit, then he had left and then come back again. And I'll just I'll start in verse eight. And he went he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly with for three months reasoning and persuading the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe but spoke evil of the way before the multitude, he departed with them and withdrew the disciples reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

8:37 And this continued for two years so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus both Jews and Greeks. So there were already believers here. Paul had come back. He found disciples there and he sought to minister with them. He sought he took them with him to the synagogue trying to explain the word of God.

8:56 Trying to reason with the Jews to show them Christ is the Messiah. But they they hardened their hearts. They rejected him and then he goes on to the school of tyrannus. But he does this ministry for two years. So you have believers here who are at least two years old in the faith.

9:16 Maybe even some a bit longer. Continuing on here, you have... I won't read this whole passage, but you have God you doing extraordinary miracles through Paul. So much so that you take a handkerchief and a heat from Paul and it heal someone. Then you have these sons of a Jewish priest, Sceva.

9:40 And they they want to do the same thing. And they go and they try to cast this demon out in the name of Jesus, in the name of Paul. The demon says to them, I know Paul and I know Jesus, but who are you? And he attacks them and totally mutilates them. After that, notice what verse seventeen seventeen says.

10:05 Seventeen and eighteen and nineteen. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus. And fear fell on them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together, burnt them in the sight of all, and they counted up the value of them, and it totaled 50,000 pieces of silver.

10:36 Who is he talking about here? Is he talking about the non believers? Those who are lost? No. He's talking about believers.

10:47 Notice verse 18. And many who had believed came confessing these... Confessing and telling their deeds. These are people who had been believers. Some of them had been believers for two or more years.

11:01 And yet they still had these things. They still had this practice of of doing these charms, dealing with the goddess Diana. They were believers. They were saved. But they were still continuing in the ways of all the Gentile non believers around them.

11:21 So much so that you look at them and you think, are these are these people really saved? They look like just like everyone else. And I think this is what Paul is trying to deal with here in Ephesus. Paul Paul dealt with this for two years. Two years he had been preaching the Word of God trying to disciple these believers and they were still baby Christians.

11:46 They were still continuing in in this dark lifestyle. But finally, after these happenings, these people realized, wait a second, God is serious about what... About his commandments, about following. And they came, they brought out all their charms, all their magic books, and burnt them all in the sight of everyone. And and that right after that the next verse says, and the word of God spread forth rapidly.

12:17 Quite often, I wonder what hinders the word of God from going forth? It comes down to us. What are what are what are our lives like? When we come to Ephesians chapter six or sorry chapter four, I think Paul has this in mind. That's why he says that we should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind.

12:46 That phrase the futility of their mind is like it's like aimlessness. They don't have a direction that they're going in. They don't know where they're going in. These people following the goddess Diana. Goddess Diana could never give sure hope of what happens after death.

13:05 No. But these believers who had the sure hope of of Christ, the hope of heaven, yet they were walking as if they had no hope. They're walking as if they did not know where they're going, the same way as as the rest of the Gentiles did, aimlessly. And we can walk that way too. We forget where we're going.

13:26 We forget the direction that our destination that we're headed in. We travel in the dark. Verse 18 says, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of the heart. Again describing the non believers, but he's telling believers don't do this. Don't walk.

13:54 And this idea of walk, walking. Walking is not just a step you take. It's something continuous. Something that carries on. It's it's a consistent thing in your life.

14:41 Starting verse two. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully. But by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. Whose minds the God of this age has blinded, who do not believe less the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of Christ should shine on them.

15:14 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bond servants for Jesus sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Paul here is describing the non believers that they are blinded. The God of this age has blinded them. Why?

16:01 But the question is how can we do that if we are walking, if believers are walking the same way as the non believers, as if they are blind themselves? You can't. I think there's a... There's supposed to be a difference with us. People are supposed to look at us and say there's something different about you.

16:27 You don't act like everyone else. If we acted all the same people will be like why you know what what's the point? Can't... Let me just go my own way. I'm...

16:39 You're doing the exact same thing that I'm doing. And this is what Paul is dealing with in Ephesians chapter four. In verse 19 says, who being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. This is kind of a strange phrase here, being past feeling. What does that mean exactly?

17:57 You know, let me do my own thing. We we live in a very individualized society. Let me do my thing, you do your thing, and you know leave each other alone. We come... We become apathetic to the needs of others and to whether what I'm doing in my life is hurting other people or not.

18:26 And this is how I was describing them that they who being past feeling, in other words who are apathetic, have given themselves over to lewdness. Lewdness another strange word. Basically, just just go at it. You want to do it, you do it. Whether it's right or wrong it doesn't matter.

18:58 Take for yourself. Don't care about others. That's that's the idea here. And as Christians, we can fall into that as well. We get busy with our lives.

19:10 We get busy and we ignore the plight of of people around us. The plight of especially those who are lost. But also of each other. We are called the family of God for a reason. To care for one another.

19:29 To support one another. And and so often it seems like you you look at say the gangs in the inner city. They have more family connection with each other, if you will, than a lot of believers have with one another. But that's that should not be the case. The Ephesians, after they were saved, it's like they didn't care.

19:56 They were continuing on in this life pattern of darkness. And it took something something like like a very extreme situation of a guy being beaten by a demon possessed man For them to wake up and realize there is a spiritual warfare out there and we're not living the life that Christ wants us to live. Hopefully, doesn't take that, a situation like that to wake us up. How is our walk with the Lord? Are we walking like non believers?

20:35 And I'm not talking about perfectionism here. I'm talking about a continuous walk, a consistency there. Obviously, we'll never be perfect. Not until Christ comes. Not until...

20:47 Till we're with with the Lord. But that is our aim. That's the direction we're headed towards. To be conformed to the image of Christ. So not only does Paul provide instruction to us to not travel in the dark, but he also provides the instruction to follow an accurate map.

21:09 Verses... In verse 20, it says, but but you have not so learned Christ. If indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus. If you want to get to a certain destination, you need a map. You need...

21:28 Or most people use GPS's on their phones these days. And you need one that is accurate, that knows the route to take you there. Jesus is the exact opposite of the previous verses that we wrote. Whereas in the previous verses, they're they're walking in futility aimlessly. Don't know the direction that they are going.

21:52 But you have not so learned Christ. Christ is the direction we aim for. Christ is the direction we go for. To be conformed to his image. And yeah, we'll never be there, but at least we're heading in that direction.

22:09 We won't be like him fully until till glory. But at least we're headed in the right direction. At least we know for sure where we'll where we're going and we'll we'll get to that later. But Christ Christ, if you will, it's the light of the world. Light helps you find things.

22:28 Light helps you know the direction that you're going in. And Christ is that light of the world. It says in verse 21, if indeed you have heard him. I think this is a bit of a mistranslation. I think a better way saying it's not like casting doubt on their salvation, if indeed you have heard him and have been taught for him.

22:49 It's more like since you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus. Paul for two years was teaching steadfastly consistently through the word of God, trying to disciple these believers. And yet that it seemed like most of them had nothing to do with it until after those events. But they had heard about the Lord. They had been taught in chapter acts chapter 20, Paul says to the Ephesian elders, I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God.

23:21 And though this assembly started off on a bad footing, many of the believers continuing in their old ways, yet they changed. The Ephesian assembly became one of the most solid assemblies at that time. So much so that John John says in Revelation about them that they are proving false apostles. They're exposing false apostles. Now they had some other issues as well like losing their first love, but they became a very well grounded assembly after these things.

23:56 And he says, you have been taught because the truth is in Jesus Christ. He is the truth. I'm the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father, but by me. And it's interesting.

24:10 We preach that to non believers. Christ is the truth. He's the way to the father. And it's a very exclusive way. But are we living that way?

24:24 Are we really living that way that... No. That people can see from our lives not just from our words that yes, the truth is indeed in in Jesus Christ. In verse 22, he says that that you put off concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lust. So he's again encouraging them, put off your old nature, Put off the old man.

24:51 Put off your former conduct which you used to walk in. This is what Romans chapter six and seven is all about. In seven, you have, if you will, conflict between our two natures. Our old nature and our new nature. And there it's like they're fighting it out.

25:09 Paul says in Romans chapter seven that the things that I want to do I don't do even though I know I should do them. So you have that conflict. The old nature is still trying to pull you away. But the new nature, it's it's a war. It's a battle going on.

25:26 And the question is, you know, which are you gonna put on? Your old nature, your old man going after your old sinful desires, or your new man, which does not sin. We heard the verse this morning from second Corinthians chapter five verse 17 that we are new creatures in the Lord Jesus Christ. A new creature, new cre... This new nature of ours does not sin.

25:56 If you'll notice verse verse twenty three and twenty four, it says, be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. This new nature that we have it it's completely righteous, completely holy. It does not sin. When we are living, when we are abiding in our new nature, we do not sin. We will not sin.

26:26 Question, but the problem is we so often give to our old nature. And we give in to that sin. I think that's why why Paul would say in Romans chapter chapter seven. Maybe why don't we just turn there since I'm referencing it a lot. Rome Romans chapter seven.

26:50 Verse 15. For what I am I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do that I do not practice, but what I hate that I do. If then I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells within me.

27:14 Paul... It's almost like Paul puts a separation between himself and the sin that dwells within him. It's still there. It's still within him. It still pulls for us.

27:25 But the... Our position is that we are brand new people in the Lord Jesus Christ. Brand new nature, a new creation. But we still have this old nature that's there and it's grasping, trying to hold us, hold on to us even though it knows it's it's a doom is sure, if you will. Verse 17, but now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

27:53 For I know that in me that is in my flesh, nothing good dwells. For to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. So even Paul struggled with these issues with going back to his old sinful nature. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then the law that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.

28:25 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. So here you see the new nature coming into play. Trying to to fight off fight off that old nature. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Then he says, oh wretched bad that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?

28:48 It's like you're being torn apart in these two directions. But he concludes with this, I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord. So then with my mind, I serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin. And so and so we have to realize that these two natures are are striving to have us. Striving to have control over the life that we live.

29:19 And Paul rejoices that, wretched man that I am, but thank be thanks be to God who delivers me from this body of death. When we are abiding in Christ and obeying him, we are living according to our new nature. I think that's what the Lord Jesus talks about in John 15, as a branch abiding in the vine. That's why we sing the hymn, trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust. Trust him and obey.

29:51 Follow him. Do what he says. Back in Ephesians chapter four. You know, it's almost like flying flying by a GPS. If you follow the GPS, you're gonna stay on course.

30:19 I I took a few courses. Some of you know I went to Moody Aviation and I be was an aircraft mechanic, graduated from that. I did a bit of flying lessons and stuff, but if you plot a course from say from here Cleveland to Detroit, you're flying there. You have to stay in line. You have to follow the compass and stay in the exact position you need to go to reach Detroit.

30:44 If you veer just a little bit and you keep going in that direction, you're gonna totally miss Detroit. You'll end up in Lake Huron or wherever. Okay and so and quite often when you're flying a plane you you because of wind because of just air the air pressure etc. Your aircraft will tend to go off course a little bit. And so so periodically you have to correct it according to the compass and and get back on course to flying to Detroit for example.

31:16 And and that's how the Christian life is our journey in Christ. We can veer off a little bit. We can veer off in the direction where we're not headed to being conformed to the image of Christ, and we've got a correct course again. This is how it works. So not only does Paul provide the instruction of don't travel in the dark and follow an accurate map, but he also says travel light.

31:42 When when we were growing up, quite often we would come back to The States with my family on furlough, and we'd have like tons of suitcases as missionaries. We went across a border into Canada once with a whole car full of luggage and the... To take to ship over to Zambia and the Canadian border guards they opened our car looked through our suitcases and they saw stuff like airplane parts for my dad like a crankcase and whatever to take back back over. Cereal like say corn pops and stuff that you can't get over there. And they're like okay I think these guys are telling the truth they must be missionaries.

32:29 But I always hated it. Just going, you'd go through the airport pushing a trolley full of suitcases on and people are looking at my parents as if they're doing child abuse to us or whatever. But it was always so annoying. I love traveling light. I like taking just a small suitcase and going on a small plane like like this.

32:53 I I forgot to be going through these slides. My bad. Sorry. That's a Temple Of Ephesus, Artemis. Following an accurate map.

33:08 That's what we were just on. Travel light. So when you're flying a plane, you've got to travel light. You can't overload the plane or else it's going to go down. And we can't allow distractions to come into our journey, our Christian journey.

33:30 There are things that would weigh us down to keep us from following the Lord the way that he would have us to follow him. I like how the writer of Hebrews puts it in in Hebrews chapter 12 verse one and two. To put off all the sin and the weight that so easily hinders us. And this is what Paul talks about in starting in verse 25. First, we are to basically, it goes through a list of the necessities that require only the necessary luggage that we should have and the luggage that we should put off.

34:09 So this first one is to speak the truth with one another and to have righteous anger. Verse 25, therefore putting away lying, let each of you speak truth with his neighbor for we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. So what are some of these necessary bags that we have to... The truth with one another.

34:34 Put away lying. If you're going back to verse 15, which you guys covered last week, he gives a bit more detail, speaking the truth in love with one another. And and that is what we are to do with you. Speak the truth not only to the non believers in terms of sharing the gospel, but with each other As a family, as fellow travelers all headed to the... On the same journey to the same destination, we have to be able to trust each other.

35:07 Be angry. Now that this is like a righteous anger. A righteous anger against say the wickedness in the world. Against maybe this sin in our own hearts. Be angry, but do not sin.

35:23 Do not let the sun go down in your wrath. And gives a very interesting phrase in verse 27, nor give place to the devil. It's like the devil... When we give in, the devil gains a foothold in our lives. There's a guy named an evangelist named Mark Cahill.

35:45 I don't know if some of you have heard of him. But he likes to say of believers that everyone is going to be used. Now we don't like it when people use us and just use us for their own advantage. But the fact is in this life, in our journey, we're going to be used. Question is who is going to use you?

36:03 Gonna allow the devil to use you or is God going to have used you at the end? The next bag if you will to carry is to work honestly and be generous. Let him who stole still no longer, but let him labor working with his hands what is good that he may have something to give to him who has need. We're supposed to be hard workers, not be lazy. And the interesting thing is that so not only so that we can provide for our own needs, but so that we can help each other as well.

36:41 To give to those who have need, even to to promote the Lord's work wherever it is. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers. We're to speak gracefully with each other. And skip down to verse 31. He gives in addition, put off all the extra weight if you will.

37:11 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. All these things and the verses up ahead. All these things are are issues of our former life that are grabbing at us, trying to weigh us down, trying to keep us from from living this... From walking this journey that Christ wants us to to walk in, to do it effectively. And we're to put all that stuff away.

37:43 How about us? Imagine a runner and and this is the idea that Paul gives in Hebrews chapter 12. A runner wants to be as light as he can. He he's not going to wear a heavy winter coat when he's running. He's not going to carry suitcases.

38:01 He's going to be as light just just the necessary clothing that he needs to run to run that race. How about us? What sin or weight do we need to put away individually that we know in our own hearts? What about as an assembly? What things...

38:21 What... What's weighing us down? And this is an individual thing between between you, between me and the Lord. Finally, we have to know... The final instruction is that know that your destination is secure.

38:36 You know that where you're going, but you're like, I I don't know if I can reach it or not, if I'll get there or not, it's going to hinder your progress. But for us, we know that our destination is secure. In verse 30, it says, do not grieve the Holy Spirit by whom you are sealed for the day of redemption. All these issues we've been talking about, living according to our old man, our old nature, it grieves the Holy Spirit. But why is it so grievous to him?

39:11 Well, it's first because of who he is. He is holy. He is separate apart from sin, and he has come to dwell within us. So he he comes to dwell within us, and yet we go ahead and pollute him with... Pollute his dwelling place, if you will, with all these weights, all this sin, And it grieves him.

39:35 Why why is it so grievous? Because he's he's holy. He is the Holy Spirit. But also because he has sealed us for the day of redemption. Now you'll that he has sealed us.

39:52 It doesn't say he has sealed us for a few years, a few months. It doesn't say he has sealed us until, you know, we sin, we follow into our old nature. No. It says he sealed us specifically for the day of redemption. Our salvation, our destination is secure.

40:16 We will end up there one day regardless of how we walk this journey. But Paul uses that as a motivation. A lot of people think, no, see if you're secure in Christ, if you don't lose your salvation, then you can just go ahead and sin however you want. And they view it as a license to do that. But Paul does not use that that way at all.

40:38 He uses it as motivation to to not grieve the spirit. You're sealed for the day of redemption. So don't don't grieve the Holy Spirit who is walking along with you throughout your journey. Who is guiding you. Who is helping you live that life.

40:55 Who is there for you every step of the way. And yet, why should you grieve him when he is helping you? This way, when he is the one who will ultimately take you to your final destination. He has sealed us for for the day of redemption. And and that...

41:18 Scripture says the joy of the Lord is our strength. And when we have joy knowing for sure where we're going, that we have a home in heaven, that we will not ever lose eternal life, it gives you joy. That's the nature of it. It ought to give us joy. And that joy is our strength to go and serve the Lord and to not grieve the Holy Spirit who has sealed us.

41:45 But then also, if you go to verse 32, the tree... He deals with the treatment of, say, our fellow travelers on this journey. Says be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you. The whole basis of this is our forgiveness in Christ. Forgiveness past, present, future.

42:10 It's all forgiven. And if we have been forgiven so great a debt, and that's what secures our destination, we ought to forgive our fellow travelers when when they do wrong against us as well. When they go into their sinful nature at times, because we we do the same thing as well and God has forgiven us and we ought to forgive one another also. I think five minutes past the hour is is past time, but I'm almost done here. How about us?

42:51 You'll notice this plane in this picture is coming down for final touchdown, final landing. It's reaching its destination. We're gonna get there. We... Our destination is secure.

43:05 And our mode of transport is absolutely safe. They say the safest mode of transport is aviation. A lot of people don't like that, but it's a fact. Statistics tell us it's true. And you're more likely to reach your destination safe flying than driving or any other mode.

43:26 But even more secure is the Holy Spirit. Our mode of transport in the Holy Spirit is completely secure. We will reach it. But how about us? Are we grieving the Holy Spirit by our lifestyles?

43:40 Do we know that our salvation is secure? And how do we treat our fellow believers, our fellow travelers on this journey? Closing, I like this very familiar song by by Steve Green. One of the chords, one of the stanzas says, we're pilgrims on the journey. And and don't worry, I won't sing this to you.

44:05 You don't want me to. You'd all be out of here in a minute. We're pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road and those who've gone before us lined the way, cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary, their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace. Oh, may all who come be fine behind us find us faithful. May the fire of our devotion light the way...

44:30 Light their way. May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe, and the lives we live inspire them to obey. Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful. And may that be true of our lives. May we...

44:47 As we go through this journey of the Christian life, may we... Let the Lord guide us knowing our destination is secure and live according to the new nature that he has given for us. Why don't we just close in prayer? Father, thank you so much for your word, for this passage, for this book of Ephesians. Thank you, Lord, that we have a secure destination.

45:14 We know where we're going. We don't have to walk aimlessly like so much of the world does, but we we have a firm and secure hope in you. And we have a goal to be conformed to the image of Christ. Thank you, Lord, that we don't have to do this on our own strength, but you are there to help us as we seek to trust and obey you. We ask that, Lord, our individual lives and the light of this assembly would shine out brightly for the world the world to see, our neighbors to see, our friends and families, and also our fellow believers That we may be not only lights to those who are lost, but encouragements to our brothers and sisters who are on this journey with us to also continue just following you, Lord.

46:10 Thank you again for this assembly and for their hospitality and pray you would really, really bless. In your name, amen.