Ephesians 1 ended with a glorious declaration of God's immeasurable saving power at work in our world. But when we look around at the death and sadness and ungodliness the world today, sometimes it's hard to see evidence of God's power. Where do we see God's power at work today?
It’s possible to claim to be a Christian yet not truly possess saving faith. This was the case in Sardis, the 5th of the 7 churches in Revelation 2-3. So how can we be sure we’re alive and not dead? Jesus says it’s all about the clothes we’re wearing, a metaphor for godly works that prove genuine faith.
Do you have family or friends who don't believe the gospel? I'm sure you do. Or perhaps you're seeking but struggling to believe the gospel yourself. Have you ever wondered, if the Good News is so "good" then why do so many people reject it? Why does it seem so hard to believe? Well we come to the teaching portion ("discourse") in Part 3 of the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus explains why so many people aren't seeing the "good" in his good news. From his famous parable of the soils, we'll hear Christ's defense of his message and see both the root and the fruit of true belief in him.
