Category Archives: Sermon

Submit to Christ

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Paul is still instructing the followers of Jesus in Ephesus (and us today) how to submit to one another, just like Christ. This time he is instructing parents and their children. And he speaks to masters and slaves. While Paul does not waste words about the institution of slavery, his instructions reveal the revolutionary perspective he has. All people are created by God and that God is not partial in His judgment like we are tempted to be.

Ephesians 6:1-9

Taught Sunday morning, December 8, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

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Servant Leaders

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Paul had just told the Ephesians that being filled with the Spirit would include submitting to one another. Then the apostle went into specifics to apply the principle to each person in the household, starting with wives and husbands. And knowing that the most radical part was for husbands, he belabored the point that they are to follow the example of Christ – servant-leadership.

Ephesians 5:21-33

Taught Sunday morning, December 1, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

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Filled with the Spirit

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Walk carefully, make good use of the time by not living mindlessly but knowing and doing the will of God. Be filled with the Spirit and walk according His light. Let’s see what Paul means by that because it may surprise us how he understands it.

Ephesians 5:15-21

Taught Sunday morning, November 24, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

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Imitate Christ

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Christ lived as an example of righteousness and holiness. But because we fail to follow that example perfectly, Christ also is our substitute to fulfill all righteousness for us. But those of us who have Christ in us by the new birth, He compels us to desire to follow His example, walking as He walked. Paul shows the Ephesians what that looks like.

Ephesians 5:1-14

Taught Sunday morning, November 17, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

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Walking Worthy

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Walk worthy of being named for Jesus and of having His Holy Spirit indwelling you. Do not grieve the Spirit by walking more like the world that does not know God with their faculties dulled and blinded to the things of God who is Life. Rather lay aside those behaviors that are corrupt and be cleansed and renewed in your thinking through the Word of God so that your behaviors resemble Christ.

Ephesians 4:17-32

Taught Sunday morning, November 3, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

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Growing Together

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Unity within the body of Christ is not to say there are not different roles and ways to serve in the same body. Christ the Head has designed His body to have a diversity of people within the body so that every one can be equipped and participate in the work that needs to be done. That is a part of growing to maturity in Christ – serving in love through His Spirit.

Ephesians 4:1-16

Taught Sunday morning, October 27, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

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Unity through One

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Unity is not the same as uniformity. Paul has taught the amazing grace of God to bring diverse sinners to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. Because of this and the indwelling Spirit giving power to live new life – Paul proclaims the challenge for God’s people to live up to that calling by living in unity through the power God has given to live in humility and patience.

Ephesians 4:1-6

Taught Sunday morning, October 20, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

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Prayer for Power

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Paul prays in writing for the believers in Ephesus a second time in this letter. He prays for them to have strength in the inner man through Christ in their hearts. The Holy Spirit giving them power to know the love of Christ in its surpassing greatness so that they may persevere through the trials of life.

Ephesians 3:14-21

Taught Sunday morning, October 13, 2024 by Brad D Harris
+ Pardon the wind noise as we met outside this Sunday 😉

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

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Access in Christ

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Paul elaborates on the mystery revealed in Christ that the LORD God and His Messiah were not just a local god and hero, but to bring salvation to the ends of the earth for all nations to be given confident access to the God of the universe. Let’s use that access with boldness in prayer.

Ephesians 3:1-13

Taught Sunday morning, October 6, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

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Work in Eternity

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The LORD promises to bring forth a new creation: a new heaven and new earth. And on the new earth, there will be no more curse of corruptibility nor futility. It is hard for us to imagine what eternity in “heaven” will be like, especially a new heaven and earth conjunction. But Isaiah and John in the Revelation give us glimpses that we will still be working and doing jobs that we enjoy for His glory and our pleasure. I reference Jordan Raynor for provoking thought on this topic. Here is a place to learn more https://www.jordanraynor.com/blog

Isaiah 65:17-25

Taught Sunday morning, September 29, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

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Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More