Latest Update
Welcome to Week 11 of Rooted.
This week, March 9-15, finds us wrapping up Ephesians and reading most of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. We hope and pray that you are still with us. If you have fallen behind, this will be a good place to jump back in. Philippians is one of the easiest of Paul’s letters to read.
If you are still on schedule, congratulations. You are over 20% of the way through the New Testament. We hope the journey has been a good one for you so far.
If you have not watched the video on Ephesians, it is not too late.
Click here to watch the video
There is also a video for the letter to the Philippians.
Click here to watch the video
As you read this week, here are some things that you can be thinking about. There is not always one right answer.
• Are we supposed to be thankful for the bad things that happen to us? If not, what is Paul talking about in Ephesians 5:20?
• Who, or what, is the true enemy that we face as believers (Eph 6:10-17)?
• What does Paul mean by “for me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21)? How should that apply to us today?
• What does Paul mean when he talks about Jesus emptying himself and taking on the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7)?
• How does a person “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14)?
Here are some potential answers to last week's questions:
• Count how many times you see the expression “in Christ,” “in him,” or “in the beloved” in Ephesians 1:3-14. What do you suppose is the significance of this expression? – I counted 10 times. Being in Christ is a favorite expression of Paul’s. It refers to us being where Christ is and experiencing what he did. (Click here to read more)
• How often, when you consider your blessings, do you think of those mentioned in Ephesians 1:3-14? – For me, it is not often enough. Too much of the time, I am more concerned about physical blessings.
• What do you find in Paul’s prayers for the church in Ephesians 1:15-23 and Ephesians 3:14-21 that you might include in your own prayer life? – Your answer will vary. For me, it is to pray that our eyes would be open to what God has for us as believers.
• What does it mean that we are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6)? – I exist in two places right now. I am here on earth, but I am also “in Christ”, where he is. (Click here to read more)
• What is the purpose of the leadership gifts that Paul mentions in Ephesians 4:11-16 – To equip the body for performing the work of the church.
As always, we would love to hear about your experience in reading through the New Testament. Please share your questions and insights with us at rooted@lifepointnaz.church.
This week, March 9-15, finds us wrapping up Ephesians and reading most of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. We hope and pray that you are still with us. If you have fallen behind, this will be a good place to jump back in. Philippians is one of the easiest of Paul’s letters to read.
If you are still on schedule, congratulations. You are over 20% of the way through the New Testament. We hope the journey has been a good one for you so far.
If you have not watched the video on Ephesians, it is not too late.
Click here to watch the video
There is also a video for the letter to the Philippians.
Click here to watch the video
As you read this week, here are some things that you can be thinking about. There is not always one right answer.
• Are we supposed to be thankful for the bad things that happen to us? If not, what is Paul talking about in Ephesians 5:20?
• Who, or what, is the true enemy that we face as believers (Eph 6:10-17)?
• What does Paul mean by “for me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21)? How should that apply to us today?
• What does Paul mean when he talks about Jesus emptying himself and taking on the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7)?
• How does a person “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14)?
Here are some potential answers to last week's questions:
• Count how many times you see the expression “in Christ,” “in him,” or “in the beloved” in Ephesians 1:3-14. What do you suppose is the significance of this expression? – I counted 10 times. Being in Christ is a favorite expression of Paul’s. It refers to us being where Christ is and experiencing what he did. (Click here to read more)
• How often, when you consider your blessings, do you think of those mentioned in Ephesians 1:3-14? – For me, it is not often enough. Too much of the time, I am more concerned about physical blessings.
• What do you find in Paul’s prayers for the church in Ephesians 1:15-23 and Ephesians 3:14-21 that you might include in your own prayer life? – Your answer will vary. For me, it is to pray that our eyes would be open to what God has for us as believers.
• What does it mean that we are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6)? – I exist in two places right now. I am here on earth, but I am also “in Christ”, where he is. (Click here to read more)
• What is the purpose of the leadership gifts that Paul mentions in Ephesians 4:11-16 – To equip the body for performing the work of the church.
As always, we would love to hear about your experience in reading through the New Testament. Please share your questions and insights with us at rooted@lifepointnaz.church.