[UP] How much can you say “I am a friend of God”?

Challenge: Approach God with freedom & confidence (see also Eph 3:12)

Jesus Replaces the Box

In Romans 3:25 Paul uses some tricky and complicated language, talking of Jesus Christ being presented as a 'sacrifice of atonement' (as translated in the NIV). The actual Greek might also be translated as 'place of atonement'. Furthermore the Greek wording is recognised by scholars to refer to the 'atonement cover' of the 'ark of the covenant'.

The ark of the covenant was the special box created in the Exodus story (see Exodus 25:17 - 22 and 30:6), and possibly looked like this:

The box was carried and kept by the wandering Israelites as their most hallowed and treasured possession. It would be placed at the very centre of the temple, ultimately representing the place where people could meet with God and be made right once again.

So make no mistake, it was an important box!

But now see what Paul is saying: Jesus is that atonement cover. Paul qualifies his statement with 'through the shedding of his blood', so more precisely Paul is saying:


Jesus dying on the cross is the atonement cover!

Yes Jesus-on-the-cross replaces the box. The actual physical box was somehow lost in history anyway, but Jesus being raised to life is very much alive today and so continues to be that ultimate place where people can meet with God and be made right once again.

Big Words

The concepts of some big words explained:

• Righteousness of God
  - the status God gives us as a free gift, of being right or innocent once again.
  - The ability to live life as we should
• Justified
  Put on the right side of the right/wrong line.
  Just as if I hadn't done it
• Redemption
  God buying us back, so nothing bad has a hold on us anymore

Sacrifice for Justice - Rom 3:21 - 26

In this new series we ask how 3 nails, 2 pieces of wood and a man changes the world and achieves God's victory. Looking at the cross from different angles, and considering the various big words the early Christians use. This may provoke questions in you - so feel free to post them as comments on these posts.

God Victorious - Eph 6:10 - 20

Armies tend to disciplined: when the war is over and the order is given for fighting to stop, then the guns fall silent. Yet that is not the case in the conflict with the forces of evil. The victory was won in Christ's death and resurrection a long time ago ... but its as if the message hasn't got through to the other side! The enemy goes on attacking, prolonging the struggle, even causing casualties.

[OUT] Where are you called to make known the good news?

Challenge: Ask God for the armour … that you may proclaim fearlessly!

God Illuminates - Eph 4:17 to 6:9 Teaching Resources

Download by clicking here the teaching resource pack used with this week's message.

God Illuminates - Eph 4:17 - 6:9

From Paul's 'urging' in v1 he now notches up to 'insisting' in v17. Each of us is put off the old self and live our new lives in Christ, which is unpacked in various ways through this whole section. In many ways it repeats the 'New Life, New Life-Style' series we saw in 1 and 2 Corinthians last year. Paul will not tolerate any of us living a double-life - we are to leave our non-Christ-like behaviour behind.

God Builds Up - Ephesians 4:1 - 16

Half-way through the letter we realise that chapters 1 - 3 are all about God, and 4 - 6 are about our response. Kind of 'because God is ... I urge you to respond thus ...'. Verse 2 briefly says to do it with good character, and verse 3 calls for us to make every effort.

God Reveals - Ephesians 3:1 - 13

Is God distant or close? For many it perhaps suits them for God to be distant. Certainly the traders in Acts 19 liked it that way, since they filled the gap with their religious paraphernalia that kept them in business. Yet from Ephesians 3 it is clear to see that God wants to reveal, to be made known, to be seen by all.