Element Christian Church
Ephesians Week 14 - Trust The Nudge
Locations & Times
Element Christian Church
4890 Bethany Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93455, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
Welcome to Element
We strive to ensure the biggest thing people think when they hear about Element is Jesus! We are a Gospel centered community who finds our identity in Jesus.
4th Friday Film and Fun
Parents of 1st-5th grade students, you are invited to drop your kids off at Element from 5:30-7:30 for a movie, pizza, and time with friends.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/657465Baptism Celebration
Join us Sunday, April 28th at 1pm to celebrate those making the decision to declare their faith in Jesus.
Element will provide the essentials for a Nacho Bar and are asking you to bring an item according to the first letter of your last name:
A-L - Taco Meat (ground beef, shredded chicken, carne asada...)
M-R - Finger Friendly Dessert (cupcakes, cookies, brownies)
S-Z - Beans (refried, black beans, etc)
Other items to bring: lawn chair or blanket, hats, sunscreen, swim stuff, friends.
Element will provide the essentials for a Nacho Bar and are asking you to bring an item according to the first letter of your last name:
A-L - Taco Meat (ground beef, shredded chicken, carne asada...)
M-R - Finger Friendly Dessert (cupcakes, cookies, brownies)
S-Z - Beans (refried, black beans, etc)
Other items to bring: lawn chair or blanket, hats, sunscreen, swim stuff, friends.
The Classics Trust and Estate Planning Potluck
Those ages 60 and beyond are invited to enjoy a night of food and learning about an important subject: Trust & Estate Planning. May 10th 6p-8p. RSVP required.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/732436Young Adult Dinner and Game Night
If you are in your 20s or 30s and looking for a community to connect with, this is a great opportunity as you will all be in the same stage of being new to this group. The gathering will be taking place May 10th from 6p-9p here in the Barn.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/729322Men's Game Night
Men 18 years and older are invited to come and enjoy a night of pizza, fun, connecting with others, and experience the epic Keinert game room! We are encouraging you to invite your friends, coworkers and neighbors to join us. May 31st 6pm-9pm
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/727648Missions Newletter Update NEW
Get the latest on the various local and global ministries Element helps support.
https://www.ourelement.org/downloads/2024/2024_Winter_MissionsUpdate.pdfStart serving at Element
If you are looking for a way to meet more people at Element or feel more connected, one of the easiest ways is to start serving. From once a month for 15 minutes, to helping in our classrooms for a longer time, we have needs to fit your gifts.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/395779Stay Connected - Download the Church Center App
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/setupThis week's song list
Interested in looking for some of the songs we sang this week? Here's the titles and original artists:
Your Love Awakens Me - Phil Wickham
Let The Praises Ring - Lincoln Brewster
Jesus Paid It All - Passion
This Is Our God - Mercy Hill
Always Forever - Phil Wickham
Your Name Is Power - Rend Collective
Your Love Awakens Me - Phil Wickham
Let The Praises Ring - Lincoln Brewster
Jesus Paid It All - Passion
This Is Our God - Mercy Hill
Always Forever - Phil Wickham
Your Name Is Power - Rend Collective
Ephesians: Week 14
Trust The Nudge
In the last three chapters of the book of Ephesians, Paul centers on the practical—how all that we understand about God shapes our interactions with one another. Last week, Paul talked about “taking off and putting on” the “old versus the new.” Take off sin, put on righteousness; take off lying, put on truth. Paul continues these thoughts by discussing the importance of conveying truth without sinning.
Trust The Nudge
In the last three chapters of the book of Ephesians, Paul centers on the practical—how all that we understand about God shapes our interactions with one another. Last week, Paul talked about “taking off and putting on” the “old versus the new.” Take off sin, put on righteousness; take off lying, put on truth. Paul continues these thoughts by discussing the importance of conveying truth without sinning.
• Have you thought of anything from last week that you want to put off/put on in your life?
Paul will start with reminding us to put away falsehood and speak truth to our neighbors; we are meant to be a people unified around Christ. Putting off falsehood entails being honest with God and ourselves before we could ever hope to be honest with other people. By first confronting falsehood in our own lives, we can then be able to speak truthfully with our neighbors. It is important, then, to remember that all truth and righteousness is found in Christ alone.
Read Ephesians 4:25-27.
• In what places is it hard for you to be truthful?
• When was the last time the Holy Spirit convicted you of falsehood in your own life? What did that look like?
• Why is it important that we first be honest with ourselves before engaging with others?
Speak the Truth – Paul says let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another… “Members of one another” relates to deep ties of family and friendship. Because we are members of one another, and since we are together in Christ, we want to make sure we stay together—this includes unity in spirit and in essential beliefs. It’s not enough simply to speak the truth, but to do it with love—with an eye toward others, as Paul has previously stated.
• How does the Church grow by being honest with one another?
• What are ways in which we can practically speak the truth lovingly?
• How does motive relate to our speaking of the truth?
Be Angry – In the New International Version (NIV) it says, “In your anger don’t sin,” but the literal translation is “be angry, and do not sin.” The Bible tells us there are situations in which it is wrong not to be angry. If we have an inability to rouse ourselves at the sight of injustice, we miss why we were given the gift of anger in the first place.
• How is Jesus’ anger shown in righteousness?
• How could our anger better reflect how God intends for it to be used?
“… and do not sin.” If we don’t get angry at certain things, we fail to display the righteous zeal and justice of God, but we must be careful—anger is a destructive power that can be used for evil. Paul stresses that anger can be good, but it can also open the door to far greater evils.
• How have you seen anger used for evil?
• How have you seen it used for good?
How do we deal with anger? As Paul has said, by putting on the new self as defined for us by the Gospel. If God had been vindictive, where would we be? God was angry at our sin, but He poured that wrath out for our sin onto Jesus on the cross. He used anger to destroy what was destroying us.
• How can/would/should the Gospel change how we use our anger?
• What should our anger result in?
We have to remember what God has done, and that should melt our hearts and change us.
• How is God currently leading you back to truth?
• Is there anyone you’re being called to lovingly share truth with?
Paul will start with reminding us to put away falsehood and speak truth to our neighbors; we are meant to be a people unified around Christ. Putting off falsehood entails being honest with God and ourselves before we could ever hope to be honest with other people. By first confronting falsehood in our own lives, we can then be able to speak truthfully with our neighbors. It is important, then, to remember that all truth and righteousness is found in Christ alone.
Read Ephesians 4:25-27.
• In what places is it hard for you to be truthful?
• When was the last time the Holy Spirit convicted you of falsehood in your own life? What did that look like?
• Why is it important that we first be honest with ourselves before engaging with others?
Speak the Truth – Paul says let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another… “Members of one another” relates to deep ties of family and friendship. Because we are members of one another, and since we are together in Christ, we want to make sure we stay together—this includes unity in spirit and in essential beliefs. It’s not enough simply to speak the truth, but to do it with love—with an eye toward others, as Paul has previously stated.
• How does the Church grow by being honest with one another?
• What are ways in which we can practically speak the truth lovingly?
• How does motive relate to our speaking of the truth?
Be Angry – In the New International Version (NIV) it says, “In your anger don’t sin,” but the literal translation is “be angry, and do not sin.” The Bible tells us there are situations in which it is wrong not to be angry. If we have an inability to rouse ourselves at the sight of injustice, we miss why we were given the gift of anger in the first place.
• How is Jesus’ anger shown in righteousness?
• How could our anger better reflect how God intends for it to be used?
“… and do not sin.” If we don’t get angry at certain things, we fail to display the righteous zeal and justice of God, but we must be careful—anger is a destructive power that can be used for evil. Paul stresses that anger can be good, but it can also open the door to far greater evils.
• How have you seen anger used for evil?
• How have you seen it used for good?
How do we deal with anger? As Paul has said, by putting on the new self as defined for us by the Gospel. If God had been vindictive, where would we be? God was angry at our sin, but He poured that wrath out for our sin onto Jesus on the cross. He used anger to destroy what was destroying us.
• How can/would/should the Gospel change how we use our anger?
• What should our anger result in?
We have to remember what God has done, and that should melt our hearts and change us.
• How is God currently leading you back to truth?
• Is there anyone you’re being called to lovingly share truth with?