Twin Cities Grace Fellowship | Ephesians

In this sermon, Pastor Josh Strelecki expounds on a section of the Book of Ephesians, emphasizing the call for Christians to walk in a manner worthy of their identity in Christ. He discusses the concept of being filled with the Spirit and contrasts this with the prevailing experiences or ideas in Christianity about what this means. Instead of an emotional or mystical experience, being filled with the Spirit involves understanding the will of the Lord, resulting in three key outflows: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; giving thanks to God; and submitting to one another. Pastor Josh highlights the significance of singing within the local church as an act of mutual edification and worship, encouraging believers to see singing as a powerful expression of the Spirit's work rather than just a routine aspect of worship services.Furthermore, Pastor Strelecki draws connections between scriptural examples and the spiritual songs he mentions, noting the deep heritage of singing in biblical history—from creation to significant biblical events and beyond. He urges believers to assess their approach to music and singing, stressing the importance of singing from the heart with an understanding of God's truths. Pastor Josh explains how singing together corporately not only honors God but also unifies the congregation, reflecting a shared belief and doctrine. He closes with a call to embrace singing as a profound response to the victory Christians have in Jesus Christ, regardless of life's challenges, encouraging the congregation to continue this tradition as a vital aspect of their spiritual lives.

In this sermon, I focuses on Ephesians 5:17-21, emphasizing the importance of being filled with the Spirit and understanding one's identity in Christ. He explores foundational topics related to the Holy Spirit, discussing the moment of belief when individuals are regenerated, quickened, and complete in Christ. However, he clarifies that while believers are complete in their identity, this does not automatically equate to maturity. Maturation involves understanding and living out this identity through the wisdom and knowledge provided by Christ, facilitated by the Holy Spirit. Strelecki also contrasts the influence of worldly wisdom with the complete wisdom found in Christ, urging believers to seek the latter for spiritual growth and development.Pastor Strelecki further explains that being filled with the Spirit involves consciously engaging with the Word of God, yielding to it, and allowing the Spirit's influence to manifest in one's actions and thoughts. He draws a parallel between the effects of excess wine leading to drunkenness and the effects of the Spirit—when fully embraced—leading to spiritual fullness displayed in sober understanding. Strelecki highlights Paul's prayers for believers, emphasizing the need to grow in the knowledge of God and to let Christ dwell richly in their hearts by faith. The aim is for believers to mature spiritually, reflecting the fullness of God in their lives, which is part of God's grand objective for them.

In his sermon titled "Walk Circumspectly," Pastor Josh Strelecki delves into Ephesians chapter 5, emphasizing the importance of a Christian's walk in life, which has been a consistent theme throughout Ephesians 4 and 5. He reiterates that believers are called to walk in love, holiness, and light, building upon the foundational teachings laid out in Ephesians chapters 1, 2, and 3. These chapters outline the eternal purpose of God in Christ, encouraging believers to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of their calling. Pastor Strelecki highlights that walking circumspectly involves being vigilant, looking around, and being aware of pitfalls to avoid walking as fools, instead being wise by redeeming the time because the days are evil.Pastor Strelecki draws parallels between Ephesians 5 and Romans 13, illustrating how the light of God's Word gives believers the wisdom to navigate a dark world. He urges the congregation to rely on their identity in Christ to enlighten their understanding and guide their conduct. The sermon stresses that redeeming the time is crucial because it aligns with God's will and is an antidote to the world's tendency towards darkness and sin. Although walking circumspectly and avoiding spiritual sleep does not affect salvation, it is a testament to the believers walk after the Spirit. Pastor Strelecki encourages believers to pursue godliness actively, illustrating that even in failure, one must continue striving towards righteousness, supported by God's rich grace and love.

In this sermon, Pastor Josh Strelecki explores the theme of light and darkness in the Christian walk, drawing from Ephesians 5:8-14. He emphasizes the transition from darkness to light that believers experience through their faith in Christ. Pastor Josh explains that before believing the gospel of Christ, individuals were not just in darkness but were darkness itself, characterized by sinful deeds and worldly wisdom. Now, as believers, they are light in the Lord, called to walk as children of light. He highlights the spiritual transformation that takes place, urging the congregation to reject the unfruitful works of darkness and instead manifest the fruit of the Spirit—goodness, righteousness, and truth—in their lives.Pastor Josh further elaborates on the implications of being light in the Lord, encouraging believers to reflect this light in a world filled with darkness. He stresses the importance of not merely recognizing their identity in Christ but actively walking in it by displaying godliness in behavior and attitudes. Using examples from Scripture, he illustrates how the spiritual light provided through the gospel empowers believers to overcome the allure of worldly desires and live lives that are blameless and fruitful. The sermon concludes with a call to believers to embrace their position in Christ and to let this spiritual light guide their conduct, ultimately bringing glory to God and witnessing to the world.

The sermon explores Ephesians chapter 5, focusing on verses 1 and 2, where Paul instructs believers to be followers of God and to walk in love as dear children. Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher highlights the transforming power of God's grace, emphasizing that believers, once alienated from God, now have the profound privilege and responsibility to be followers of Him. The imperative to be followers of God signifies both an identity and a call to action. This is made possible only through the changing work of Christ, renewing us in the image of the new man who is create in righteousness and true holiness. Josh Strelecki stresses the importance of not just understanding doctrinal truths but actively applying them in our lives, manifesting the love and forgiveness we have received from God through our interactions with others.Josh Strelecki further elaborates how being "dear children" of God serves as motivation to reflect the love that God has shown. Illustrating this, the sermon references Paul's instructions in Ephesians 4, encouraging behaviors such as speaking truth, working honestly for self and others, and being tenderhearted and kind. The ultimate example of love is Christ's sacrificial offering, which believers are called to walk out in their own relationships—primarily through forgiveness and self-sacrificial love. The sermon ends with a prayer, asking for growth in these virtues and for the congregation to genuinely embody the life-changing implications of the Gospel, emphasizing that this transformation is not merely an intellectual exercise but a profound, spiritual way of living.

"Steal No More, Labor to Give" | Ephesians 4:25-32 | Lesson 115

"Christ's Kingdom of Truth" | Lesson 113

Christ Gave Grace For Perfecting, Work, & Edifying | Lesson 102Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher conducted a reteaching of Lesson 102 from Ephesians chapter 4, verses 7 through 16, titled "Christ Gave Grace for Perfecting Work and Edifying" due to technical difficulties at church. In this sermon, he explains the significance of Jesus Christ's ascension and the gifts given to men, emphasizing their connection to the church and the world. He also led a detailed discussion on the diversity and order of spiritual gifts, drawing from biblical passages including Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14, and Ephesians chapter 4.He delves into the purpose of Christ's gifts, highlighting the roles of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers in perfecting the saints, facilitating the work of the ministry, and ultimately edifying the body of Christ. He emphasized the interconnected nature of these activities, explaining that the perfecting of the saints serves as the foundation for the work of the ministry, which in turn leads to the edification of the body of Christ. Strelecki also provided a detailed analysis of the interconnectedness of spiritual gifts, administrations, and operations, drawing from 1 Corinthians 12.Finally, Strelecki delivered a passionate discourse on the essential nature of the perfecting of the saints within the church, emphasizing that it should take precedence over pragmatic gimmicks and cultural catering. He delved into the gifts bestowed by Christ for the perfecting, work of the ministry, and edifying of the body of Christ, highlighting the ongoing nature of these aspects through a shift in mechanism via the faith and knowledge of the Son of God. Strelecki also addressed the misconception surrounding the word "till," clarifying its adverbial usage in relation to the perfecting, work, and edifying.

Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher teaches on various biblical concepts, including the significance of Ephesians chapter four, Christ's ascension, spiritual gifts, and the purpose of building the church. The importance of unity and the calling given to believers in connection with the activity of the Lord Jesus Christ is also emphasized. Additionally, he delves into an analysis of the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4, highlighting the similarities and differences between them.Also examined is the hierarchy and purposes of spiritual gifts in the church, drawing comparisons between the lists in 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4:11. He highlights the specific roles of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and explained that not everyone, when they were given, possessed the same gifts. Strelecki notes, when Christ gave these gifts, their direct commissioning by the Lord Jesus Christ and their crucial responsibility in perfecting the saints, doing the work of the ministry, and edifying the body of Christ.

In this sermon, Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher discusses Ephesians chapter 4, focusing on the spiritual gifts, the unity of the faith, and the edifying of the body of Christ. He emphasizes the importance of understanding God's perspective, the nature of His will, and Christ's role in reconciling and gathering all things (and just what exactly that means). Lastly, he highlighted the role of the body of Christ in fulfilling God's glorious plan, the importance of Christ's presence, through the Spirit and Word, in the lives of believers, and the concept of eternal life as not just about continued existence but about fulfilling God's purpose.

In this sermon, Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher covers a detailed exposition of Ephesians 4:7-16, focusing on Christ's descent into the lower parts of the earth and ascent far above all heavens. He explains how Christ's actions were a gesture of possession over all authority in heaven and earth, and how He triumphed over enemies like death, hell, and spiritual wickedness in high places. The purpose of Christ's descent and ascent was to fill all things, and the spiritual gifts given to the church are part of this process of building and filling the body of Christ as a habitation for God. This sermon emphasizes the significance of Christ's work in reconciling all things to Himself and the believer's participation in this not only passively by their new identity in Christ, but actively through Christ's life and conduct within the church.

What is it that Christ first descended into the lower parts of the earth, then ascended far above all heavens? It is that He would fill all things. When Christ ascended He led captivity captive and gave gifts to me. Christ's route of victory details His authority, power, and glory as well as provision to work all things according to His Father's will. and build a habitation of God through the Spirit. In this sermon Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher exposes the both the invisible realm in heaven and earth, the enemies there, and Christ triumph over them.

The body of Christ is charged to walk worthy of our vocation by keeping the unity of the Spirit. The Spirit has planted a spiritual garden for us to keep made up of His seven one-ders. Such unity is to be kept in the context of differences. Christ had given different gifts to the church according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher develops "the measure of the gift of Christ" and begins to unpack Paul's use of Psalm 68 concerning Christ's descension and ascension.

We walk worthy of our vocation with all lowliness and meekness, and longsuffering. We walk worthy forbearing one another in love. We walk worthy endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. In this sermon, Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher begins to unpack the unity we are to keep with one another in love and the bond of peace. The unity we are to keep contains seven great one-ders.

As God planted a garden, made man, and put the man in the garden to dress and keep it so too does the body of Christ have a spiritual garden that we have been put in - to keep. Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher examines the unity of the Spirit as revealed in Ephesians and our charge to keep His unity.

The Christian's worthy walk not only entails what we do but how we do it. We "forbear", "endeavor", and "keep" however, we do so "with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering". Yet, where do these nouns, these things come from for us to walk worthy with? In this sermon, Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher draws from the Ephesians epistle context to see that all lowliness, meekness, and longsuffering can only come from Christ, His nature and redemption, and the power of His redemption.

Every element of Paul's prayer for the Ephesians leads to this climactic expression - "the fulness of God". Moreover, "the fulness of God" is intended to "fill" the Christian that believes and not with just some of His fulness, but all of it. Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher teaches in this sermon on Christ being the fulness of the Godhead and the context of Paul praying for us to be filled with Christ, what the fulness is, and what the fulness is for.

The lofty yet weighty prayer of the apostle Paul requests strength, Christ, comprehension, and a filling in the inner heart of the believer. In this sermon, Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher expounds on the reality that we can comprehend Christ and the love of Christ in breadth, length, depth, and height. Josh also highlights how such breadth, length, depth, and height have been communicated already in the epistle and how such comprehension ought to change the Christian.

Paul's prayer transitions the believer from learning to putting on by faith. Paul's cause is to not only educate the believers in the revelation of God but also speak the things that are becoming of the revelation. Because of Christ being at the right hand of God what does that mean for us? and what is to work in us? In this sermon, Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher expounds on where Christ, through the revelation given to Paul, is to dwell, how He is to dwell there, and the fruit that is to be produced.

Paul writes down two prayers in Ephesians 1) to know the Father, and 2) to have Christ dwell in your inner man for strength and fulness. Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher explains the posture, structure, and substance of Paul's prayer at the end of chapter three. The believer in Christ must receive, learn, and believe in the knowledge of Christ Jesus but also that it would dwell in their hearts by faith. It is from the heart where the issues of life come from and it is His will, knowledge, and wisdom that ought to dwell there by faith.

The incarnation of Jesus Christ the Lord is the reason for celebration at all times and what ought to be the reason for Christmas. The incarnation itself cries "made Himself of no reputation". God has chosen the weak, base, and things despised to bring to nought things that are. In this series, "Come to Bethlehem and See", and the sermon, "Mary Espoused to Joseph" come and see this constant theme. Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher highlights the insignificance of Mary and Joseph, Nazareth and Bethlehem, Christ's Genealogy and Birth, but also that these things are fantastic because of the significance of Christ the Lord!

By the faith of Jesus Christ, we have boldness and access with confidence. In Adam we were alienated, but in Christ we have access. Access is the foundational provision that grants us a relationship with God the Father through Christ. In this sermon, Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher details the faith of Jesus Christ for our access and that the greatest fruit of our access and the ground of our boldness is the knowledge of God's eternal purpose in Christ Jesus.

One of the most emboldening doctrines is the eternal purpose of God in Christ. What is a purpose? How is God's purpose greater than all purposes? Can God fulfill His plan and purpose? and how? Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher answers these questions and why Paul brings this up when he does.

God hid the mystery in Himself although He revealed much to man from the beginning and even more to the principalities and powers from the beginning. Yet now as a result of revealing the mystery of Christ through Paul preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ and the fellowship of the mystery men see and the principalities and powers in the heavenly places know the manifold wisdom of God. In this sermon, Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher travels into "time past" to learn the history between the principalities and powers in the heavenly places with their darkness and the Gentiles. These Gentiles long steeped in darkness are whom Paul is sent to, given such riches, and of whom that believe are beneficiaries to show the rulers of darkness on high the glorious manifold wisdom of God.

The preaching of the unsearchable riches of Christ to the Gentiles would cultivate the fellowship of the mystery. Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher draws out for the listener that God desires for all men to see the fellowship of the mystery. The Spirit enlightens our hearts and our fellowship works to enlighten all men toward Christ and salvation.