Close Close Watch Close ” type=”audio/mpeg”> Your browser does not support the audio element. Close Go to our giving website Note: You will be taken to another browser tab to give online. If on phone/tablet, simply click the back button to go back to this notes page. Give Watch Listen Interact × Bible Questions & Surveys Events Important: You will NOT lose your data entered or the tab location you are in when you close this panel. Imporant Items of Note Week of January 3, 2021 Volunteer ExpoCalling all willing hearts and helping hands. Visit our Volunteer Expo after service on Sunday, March 26th, to see where you can get connected in serving. There are a variety of places that are a fit with your gifts and talents. Your professional and spiritual background can serve in a needed volunteer opportunity. We […] Read more »Source: Zoe Center Sermons | Published: March 26, 2023 - 7:07 amPalm SundayJoin us for Palm Sunday as we celebrate Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem with a special Musical Celebration featuring our children and adult choirs. We will also celebrate our Youth who completed their first Discipleship Class. Invite friends and family to the celebration and hear a special message from Dr. Joshua. If you would […] Read more »Source: Zoe Center Sermons | Published: March 26, 2023 - 7:07 amEaster SundayOn Easter Sunday, we invite you to join us in worship and In the Text as we hear biblical insights on “The Power of the Resurrection” and how we celebrate the resurrection with our daily lives. Invite friends and family to join you for our Easter Service. Read more »Source: Zoe Center Sermons | Published: March 26, 2023 - 7:07 am“In the Text” Video Podcast on the BibleTune in online on Wednesdays for our new video podcast! “In The Text” is a contemporary conversation about the Bible focused on helping people relate to God through scripture. Take your bible reading experience to a whole new level in an engaging and creative way! Purchase an “In the Text” T-Shirt Read more »Source: Zoe Center Sermons | Published: March 26, 2023 - 7:07 amSynergy Youth MinistryThis month, we’ve got big plans for helping teenagers grow closer to God like they never knew they could before. Here’s what’s coming up in our ministry: · Volunteer Expo on March 26th · We will have Synergy on March 12th, 19th, 26th at 10:30am · Movie Night March 24th at 6pm at Zoe […] Read more »Source: Zoe Center Sermons | Published: March 26, 2023 - 7:07 amBaptism SundayHow important is baptism? It is your personal identification with the greatest act of human history, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Water baptism is a step of obedience to the Word of God and an important expression of faith for a believer. Sign up to publicly acknowledge that you have made […] Read more »Source: Zoe Center Sermons | Published: March 26, 2023 - 7:07 amDiscoverAre you interested in becoming a member or just curious about our church? Have you joined Zoe within the past year? If so, you are invited to join Dr. Joshua for our Virtual Discover Gathering on Thursday, April 6! During Discover, you will learn more about our ministry, beliefs, and will have an opportunity to […] Read more »Source: Zoe Center Sermons | Published: March 26, 2023 - 7:07 amPrayer CallsWe invite you to pray on our 30-minute weekly Prayer Conference Calls. The calls are empowering, life-changing, and a dynamic way to start or end your day. Connect to a Prayer Call (562) 999-7729 Mondays • 6am • 7pm on Zoom only Connect at 7pm Tuesdays • 6am • 7pm Thursday • 6am • […] Read more »Source: Zoe Center Sermons | Published: March 26, 2023 - 7:07 amDrive-Thru Food GiveawayThe Zoe Center Drive-Thru Food Giveaway is a caring community of volunteers who serve our church families and community with free nutritious food. We are committed to providing food at no cost on the first Saturday of the month. If you would like to volunteer, arrive at the church at 9am. Read more »Source: Zoe Center Sermons | Published: March 26, 2023 - 7:07 amBaby DedicationDo you want to dedicate your child to the Lord? Invite your family to witness and share this moment with you on Sunday, May 7. The Baby Dedication Class will be held on Thursday, May 4 at 7:30pm on Zoom. Sign Up Read more »Source: Zoe Center Sermons | Published: March 26, 2023 - 7:07 am Add Sermon Notes This note will be displayed at bottom of your sermon note when you save to pdf or email them Questions Click to open/close Full NameEmailIn case we need to write back to you, please leave us your email address. This is a:CommentQuestionYour messageHidden Email IDEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Δ Guest Survey Click to open/close We would love to hear your thoughts about your first time visit to our church, so if you are a current or recent guest, we ask you to fill out the survey below. Please use the comment field at the bottom of the form to further explain an answer or if you have comments on an area not covered by this survey. All fields are optional First NameLast NamePhoneEmail* Date of Your Visit Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY Age range of adults living in the home? 18-28 29-38 39-48 49-57 58+ Married or Single (with or without children)?Married with NO ChildrenSingle with NO ChildrenMarried with ChildrenSingle with ChildrenChurch ExperienceLots of church experienceOnly on holidaysRarely, if ever have been to churchLooking for a new churchNever been to churchWill you join us again this Sunday or an upcoming Sunday?YesNoStill thinking about itI would recommend this church to family and friendSelect ValueStrongly AgreeAgreeNeutralDisagreeStrongly DisagreePlease evaluate your experience (HONESTLY)Were you greeted at the front door?YesNoN/ADid you feel welcomed upon entering the sanctuary?YesNoN/AIf you had children with you, were you told about our Nursery and Children’s Church?YesNoN/AIf you had children, were the Nursery and Children’s Church workers friendly and helpful?YesNoN/AHow did you hear about us?FriendRelativeOther Word of mouthSignageSocial MediaAdvertisementIs there anything you would like our church to pray about?Comments (Please share your comments here – they are greatly appreciated!Hidden Email ID Δ Interact Zoe Center Christmas in January: Gift Unwrapping Secrets From A Prison Inmate – Part 1 Archived – January 3, 2021 View This Weeks Note View All Past Notes View This Note w/o Blanks Christmas in January: Gift Unwrapping Secrets From A Prison Inmate – Part 1 January 3, 2021 The Perpetual Christmas of the Believer This series is about the book of Ephesians. Christmas is in the title because, for a follower of Christ, Christmas is actually every day. Psalm 118:24 Lamentations 3:22-23 These are Old Testament passages, but they are even more fully realized in Christ, who is the consummation of all the principles, promises, and prophesies of Scripture. Christ is literally a gift and Ephesians tells us just how precious this gift is. Jesus is the gift that gives all other gifts . Spiritual Sight as the Gift the Keeps on Giving Like most other gifts, an unwrapping process is needed before enjoying it. However, in this case, the wrapping paper is not around the gift, but around our eyes. Accessing the gift that Jesus is requires that our spiritual eyes be . (Ephesians 1:16-18) Paul knows this first-hand. He was a man who was physically blinded when He had an encounter with Jesus. However, the physical blindness was symbolic of his spiritual blindness. Acts 9:3-5 Acts 9:8-9 Acts 9:17-18 The scales that fell from his eyes represent the barriers that must leave our eyes to see Jesus . Some Background on Ephesians Some of what Paul discovers as he draws closer to Christ are in his letter to the Ephesians. The letter to Ephesians is written to the church of Ephesus. Ephesus is on the coast of modern-day Turkey, but at the time, was “the most important Greek city in [what was then called] Asia Minor” (“Ephesus, Ancient City, Turkey” www.Britannica.com) Under Roman rule, it was critically important economically and politically. Think about a coastal cosmopolitan, multiracial city like Los Angeles or New York. Paul started a church in Ephesus at around 53 AD. (Allen Par, “[NEW BOOK STUDY] Background to the Book of Ephesians! “The Beat,” https://youtu.be/ONyfzvZG-U0) He started the church when on his way back home from the second of three missionary journeys, which Luke records in the book of Acts. (Allen Par, “[NEW BOOK STUDY] Background to the Book of Ephesians! “The Beat,” https://youtu.be/ONyfzvZG-U0) During his third missionary journey, he goes back to Ephesus and spends three years leading the church and pouring himself spiritually into the people (Acts 20:31) (Allen Par, “[NEW BOOK STUDY] Background to the Book of Ephesians! “The Beat,” https://youtu.be/ONyfzvZG-U0) At the conclusion of those three years, he establishes Timothy as pastor of the church (I Timothy 1:3)(Allen Par, “[NEW BOOK STUDY] Background to the Book of Ephesians! “The Beat,” https://youtu.be/ONyfzvZG-U0) Ephesians as a Compact Handbook on the Christian Life One theologian describes Ephesians as “one of the most influential documents in the Christian church” (Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians: Exegetical Commentary, BakerAcademic: Grand Rapids, 2002, p. 707). This is because, among other reasons, it so neatly, compactly, clearly and profoundly presents what it means to be a Christian. Unlike, many of the other letters Paul writes, Ephesians was not composed primarily to address problems in the local church. While it addresses a handful of local matters, it mainly gives a clear picture of what a life in Christ looks like. It’s written so plainly that you can be deceived by its brevity and presumed simplicity. Though only six chapters, spiritually speaking, it is several layers deep. Paul Writes Ephesians Under Significant Stress In fact, if you didn’t know Paul wrote the letter, you might think it was penned by a seminary-educated theologian sitting comfortably in a home office. However, Paul’s circumstances were quite the opposite. He writes this letter from prison. All of the glorious praise heaped on Christ and all of the pontifications on how lavishly blessed we are in Christ come from a man sitting in a prison cell. Ephesians is one of five letters Paul writes from prison. The other four are Colossians, Philippians, Philemon and 2 Timothy. Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon are commonly labeled the “prison” epistles. While Paul writes 2 Timothy from prison, the location of the writing is different from where he writes the other prison letters. Because 2 Timothy is written to Timothy, it is often grouped with I Timothy and Titus. The three letters are commonly labeled the “pastoral” epistles. In all of the letters he writes from prison, Paul documents things that you would not anticipate coming from someone living under such stressful conditions: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” he wrote to the Ephesian church. “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice” he wrote to the Philippian church. “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake” he wrote to the Colossian church. “I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers” he wrote to Philemon. “for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” he wrote to Timothy. These are startling statements, especially considering that his problems weren’t just that he was in prison. His whole Christian life was filled with turmoil. 2 Corinthians 11:24-29 Acts 14:19-20 Acts 16:22-24 Acts 16:35-39 Acts 22:22-29 How is it that a man who went through all of this could write such encouraging words? What was it that he found in Christ that made it possible for him to comfort us while he needed comfort himself? Paul’s Sufferings Put Our Suffering in Perspective We have a tendency to view the suffering and loss of loved ones as things that are happening to us. The reality is that while the experiences of loved ones affect us, our loved ones are really living out their experiences. While you can believe God for someone else’s healing (there’s biblical evidence or this), there are limits to what you can do for someone else spiritually. This is because ultimately you cannot control someone else’s —that would be witchcraft. You can influence other people through prayer, but they must walk their own . Sometimes you need to know that you did your job to pray for them. While God could give you more details about your loved one’s situation, you may not be ready for that knowledge. Those matters may be better left to a discussion with Jesus personally in the world to come. We are never privy to all the variables affecting other people’s lives. This includes their choices, their habits, their attitudes, their tendencies, their friend group, their media influences, their beliefs, their relationships with God (or lack thereof), the unique opportunities the enemy has to attack them for one reason or another (I Peter 5:8-9) You don’t have to be a “bad” person to be attacked by the enemy. Satan only needs . However, even when we are ambushed by the devil, the Christ in us always has a response. (II Corinthians 12:7-10) Some things God just can’t tell you. You first have to . The kind of insight you’re looking for may require you to . That maturity is found in Christ, drawing closer to Him, not away from Him because you’re hurt. You don’t have to abandon your to draw close to Jesus. Bring your tears with you. He collects them. (Psalm 56) Paul was under constant struggle, but what did God create out of His struggle? Two thirds of the New Testament. What does God want to out of your pain? © Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2021 Save PDF Locally Click to save a copy of the filled-in notes to a PDF file on your device Download File Click to View PDF Save PDF to Google Drive (Android & PC Only) Click to save a copy of the filled-in notes to a PDF file on your Google Drive account Save File Send to Email Enter your email address below to receive a copy of your filled in notes Send