Song Sheets & Sermon

Praise to the Lord the Almighty

Verse 1

Praise to the Lord the Almighty

The King of creation

O my soul praise Him

For He is thy health and salvation

All ye who hear now to His temple draw near

Praise Him in glad adoration

Verse 2

Praise to the Lord Who over all things

So wondrously reigneth

Shelters thee under His wings

Yea so gently sustaineth

Verse 3

Praise to the Lord

O let all that is in me adore Him

All that hath life and breath

Come now with praises before Him

Let the amen sound from His people again

Gladly for all we adore Him

Don’t Forget to Remember 

Verse 1

Did you know Creation is talking to you

Wherever you go and whatever you do

The earth will keep giving you clue after clue

So you won't forget to remember what's true

Verse 2

Like every day when the sun rises high

The warmth that you feel is God's love by your side

Oh and just like the birds

Who keep humming their tune

Remember God sings songs of joy over you

Chorus

Don't forget to remember you're never alone

No matter if you are up high or down low

And as sure as the sun will keep rising above

Don't forget to remember that you're dearly loved

Verse 3

And when you catch the snowflakes

That fall from the sky

Each of them whisper you're one of a kind

Oh and after the winter and cold are all through

The flowers remind you God makes all things new

Chorus

Don't forget to remember you're never alone

No matter if you are up high or down low

And as sure as the sun will keep rising above

Don't forget to remember that you're dearly loved

Verse 4

So just like the stars won't forget how to shine

Don't forget to remember that all of the time

God's light will guide you wherever you go

And you're loved

From the top of your head to your toes

Verse 5

Let the whole earth remind you of what God has said

From the moment you wake up till you go to bed

Oh and even on days you forget what is true

Don't forget to remember God won't forget you

Chorus

Don't forget to remember you're never alone

No matter if you are up high or down low

And as sure as the sun will keep rising above

Don't forget to remember that you're dearly loved

Tag

Don't forget to remember God won't forget you

Don't forget to remember God won't forget you

You are with Me 

Verse 1

  My heart is heavy and tired in this valley

  Mountains grow higher and higher

  But I can't find You I'll keep lifting my eyes

  I know You're with me

  Verse 2

  I hear Your voice when You cry comfort comfort

  Sorrow may last for a night but in the morning

  Your joy breaks in with the light

  I know You're with me

  Chorus

  I know You're with me and You are for me

  You've been behind me You go before

  You walk beside me through darkest valleys

  I know You are with me

  Verse 3

  You led me here where it's dry out in the desert

  You bring these bones back to life You put together

  You sing a song of delight

  I know You're with me

  Chorus

  I know You're with me and You are for me

  You've been behind me You go before

  You walk beside me through darkest valleys

  I know You are with me

  Chorus

  I know You're with me and You are for me

  You've been behind me You go before

  You walk beside me through darkest valleys

  I know You are with me

The River 

Verse 1

To the river I am going

Bringing sins I cannot bear

Come and cleanse me come forgive me

Lord I need to meet You there

Verse 2

In these waters healing mercy

Flows with freedom from despair

I am going to that river

Lord I need to meet You there

Chorus

Precious Jesus I am ready

To surrender ev'ry care

Take my hand now lead me closer

Lord I need to meet You there

Verse 3

Come and join us in the river

Come find life beyond compare

He is calling He is waiting

Jesus longs to meet you there

He is calling He is waiting

Jesus longs to meet you there

Chorus

Precious Jesus I am ready

To surrender ev'ry care

Take my hand now lead me closer

Lord I need to meet You there

Ending

Take my hand now lead me closer

Lord I need to meet You there

Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross

Verse 1

Jesus keep me near the cross

There a precious fountain

Free to all a healing stream

Flows from Calv'ry's mountain

Chorus

In the cross in the cross

Be my glory ever

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river

Verse 3

Near the cross O Lamb of God

Bring its scenes before me

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadows o'er me

Chorus

In the cross in the cross

Be my glory ever

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river

Verse 4

Near the cross I'll watch and wait

Hoping trusting ever

Till I reach the golden strand

Just beyond the river

Chorus

In the cross in the cross

Be my glory ever

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river

Chorus

In the cross in the cross

Be my glory ever

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river

“Walk: Our Life in the World” Pastor Shawn Brix

         This morning we’re talking about WALKING – but the Christian life doesn’t begin there, does it?  As we said last week, it always begins with _____________.

         [Slide 2] Whenever we try to reverse that order – whenever we think the Christian life is first and foremost about walking a certain way – living a certain way – following a certain path – whenever we try to walk FIRST, the result is disastrous.

         Jesus has done EVERYTHING for us.  The first and most important starting point in everything (everyday!) is to rest confidently in him. 

         If you were here last week, this makes sense….yes?  Jesus has ascended (we read in chapter 1) and is now seated at the right hand of God (the place of authority).  And WE (chapter 2 said) are now seated with Him. [Slide 3] That’s our true place.  That’s our true identity.  That’s what we need to believe about ourselves and what we then need to live into.  We’re seated with Christ – we’re resting in Him – because He has done everything you and I need to experience the life He has to give.  Everything we are, and every spiritual blessing we have, is the result of His work -- not ours. [Slide 4] And so we live out of HIS accomplishments.  We receive them as pure GIFT.  

So: SIT.  Rest in Jesus, [Slide 5] and in what He has done. Everything in the Christian life begins there.  EVERY-thing.  EVERY-day.

Everything begins there….but it doesn’t END there.  We’re seated with Christ in the heavenly realms but our SITTING needs to be accompanied by WALKING. [Slide 6] We find our strength and our identity by resting confidently in Jesus and in His work, but then, with that strength we begin to WALK.

SITTING describes our position with Christ in the heavenly realm but WALKING is the practical outworking of that heavenly position here on earth. [Slide 7] In other words, we take what’s already true about us in heaven, where we’re already seated in God’s eyes, and we begin to live it out, here, on earth.  We bring the Kingdom of Heaven (where we’re seated) to earth (where we live).  

“Your Kingdom come,” Jesus taught us to pray.  But how does it come?  It comes when you let your life show on earth what’s already true about you in heaven.  Jesus called it “letting your light shine.”  Letting the light of heaven (where you’re seated with Christ) shine here on earth.

Eight times in this short letter, Paul uses a form of the verb “to walk.” [Slide 8] The first time is here in our text – Ephesians 4:1, and then he uses it time and again throughout chapter 4, 5, and the first part of 6.  Over and over, WALK, WALK, WALK.  Chapter 1 and 2 were about sitting – chapter 4 and 5 (and a bit of 6) are about walking.  Sit first.  Then walk.

Of course, you may have noticed when we read 4:1 that the word “walk” didn’t actually appear!  Paul said, “I urge you to LIVE a life worthy of the calling you have received.”  The NIV chose to translate the word Paul used -- πϵρίπατεω -- as “live.” But the word literally means to WALK.   πϵρίπατεω.  Paul is saying “WALK worthy of the calling.” [Slide 9] He’s really talking about how we LIVE, of course, and so the NIV translators have tried to help us get Paul’s meaning by saying, “LIVE a life worthy of the calling.”  But, literally, here, and elsewhere in chapters 4 through 6, it’s WALK.  SIT, but then get up and WALK.  Walk worthy of your heavenly status.  Walk in such a way that who you are in HEAVEN becomes a reality here on EARTH.

Actually, to be even more literal, πϵρίπατεω doesn’t’ just mean “walk” – it means to WALK AROUND. [Slide 10] Even in English, the prefix “peri” means “around,” right?  If you use a scope to look around, what do you have?  You have a periscope.  πϵρίπατεω is to walk around.

Paul is saying, everywhere you walk around – everywhere you set your foot -- bring the reality of heaven where you’re seated (the reign of heaven where you’re seated) down to earth.  Make it real here. [Slide 11] Live it out.  Be true to who you are, to who Christ has made you to be.

Don’t πϵρίπατεω as the gentiles do, Paul says is Eph 4:17.  No, instead, πϵρίπατεω as children of light (Eph 5:18).  Walk as children of heaven.

Don’t think heaven is some far-off distant place that you’ll one day arrive.  You’re ALREADY there, we learned last week.  You’re there NOW, seated with Christ.  And so bring THAT reality (the reality of heaven) DOWN.  Make it real, HERE.  THAT’s πϵρίπατεω.

Make it real, first and foremost, in all your relationships. [Slide 12] Paul talks about marriage in chapter 5.  He says “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord,” he says.  And “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”  That’s how you’re to walk in marriage.

Or, in the first part of chapter 6, Paul talks about how we’re to walk in our families. [Slide 13] “Children, obey your parents” he says.  And “fathers, don’t exasperate your children.”  

He also talks about how to walk as an employer and as an employee. [Slide 14] To us who EARN a paycheque, he says, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord,” and to those of us who WRITE paycheques, he says, “Treat those who serve you with respect, and show no favouritism.”

And, of course, Paul has a lot to say about our relationships with one another in the family of believers as well. [Slide 15] “Put off falsehood and speak truthfully to one another, for we are all members of one body,” he says (for instance).  And only speak what’s helpful for building one another up.  And get rid of your bitterness, your anger, your slander.  Put it all away.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

That’s what walking looks like.  That’s what bringing God’s heavenly kingdom to bear on earth looks like.  It gets lived out in all our relationships.  It’s not about our rights, our privileges, our way.  It’s about cross-bearing, and it’s about sacrifice, and it’s about suffering on behalf of one another.  In other words, it’s about conforming our lives to Jesus, who we’re seated with.

So, HOW can you walk like that?  Paul tells us the SECRET in Ephesians 3:20. You wanna know HOW?  It’s “according to His power that is at work within us.” [Slide 16] You can’t walk in YOUR strength.  You can’t walk in YOUR power.  It’s all according to Christ’s power IN you.  

Paul said the same thing to the believers at Colasse.  How do I do everything I do?  I do it “with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” [Slide 17]

In other words, Paul’s reminding us of the importance of SITTING again.  The secret to walking is sitting.  The secret to living a life worthy of the calling is resting in Christ.  If you can sit, you can walk. [Slide 18]

If you’re not sitting, you have no power but your own.  But if you’re resting in Him (if you’re abiding in Him), you can “do all things through Him – through Christ, who gives us strength.”  Right?  Philippians 4:13.

When I’m mowing my lawn on my garden tractor, I remain seated. [Slide 19] Look, there I am!  Isn’t that a beauty? The tractor does all the work for me.  But the minute I get off the seat, the engine cuts out.  That’s how it’s designed.  No power.  If I’m not sitting, no go.  I can only keep mowing if I keep sitting.

Hear me now:  you can only keep loving – you can only keep serving – you can only keep sacrificing – you can only keep forgiving – you can only keep speaking words of life that build others up – in other words, you can only keep WALKING worthy of the call -- if you keep SITTING. [Slide 20] No sitting, no go.

It’s the power of Christ in you – as you REST in Him – that enables you to live out on earth your position in heaven.

Your walking CAN’T be based on your own efforts because they will always (ALWAYS!) come up short.  It MUST grow out of Christ’s power that’s at work in you.

That’s why Paul, in Philippians 2:12-13 says, “continue to work out your salvation with fear and with trembling,” but then he adds THIS: “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” [Slide 21]

You’re called to walk it out, but you can only walk it out by HIS power.  

If you’re struggling to be gentle – to speak kindly to your spouse, for instance – OR – if you’re finding it hard to forgive someone you need to forgive – OR – if you’re battling pride -- WHATEVER battle it is you’re in, it’s not about TRYING harder.  It’s about RESTING deeper. [Slide 22] It’s about sitting and resting completely in Jesus.

If you need more love, don’t seek love. Seek more of Jesus in you.  If it’s more humility you need, don’t ask God for more humility.  Ask him for more Jesus.  If you’re finding it hard to forgive, sit in Jesus’ forgiveness.  Bask in it.

JESUS is what you need. [Slide 23] And Jesus is what God gives.  There’s nothing else to receive outside of him.  HE’s the Treasure.  HE’s the gift.  And, as we rest in Him, we find ourselves able to πϵρίπατεω worthy of our seated position in heaven.  We can walk around in our marriages, in our families, in our workplaces, in the household of faith, worthy of our calling.

Our life IS the life of Christ.  Stop trying and start resting.  THEN you’ll not only find that the WALKING is easy, you’ll find that it’s also a JOY.

Sunday, May 10, 2026

Ebenezer CRC, Trenton ON

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6:10-18 (text v.13)

Message: Our Attitude toward the Enemy: STAND

Series: Sit, Walk, Stand

[Slide 1] – Title Slide

         The life of a disciple always begins with SITTING with Jesus in the heavenly places, in everything, everyday, all the time.  [Slide 2]

         But out of that sitting, we’re called to begin WALKING.  We need to walk worthy of who God has already made us to be in Jesus. [Slide 3] And so we live out the reality of who we are in HEAVEN down here on EARTH.  We pray, “Your Kingdom come.”  Your Kingdom come, THROUGH US.  Through our lives.  Through our walking around.

         But our life is not just one of sitting and walking.  We also need to know how to STAND – to STAND against the enemy. [Slide 4]

         Sit, Walk, Stand.  The ORDER is important.  We have to rest in Christ and what He’s done.  Then, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we begin living a holy life here on earth.  If EITHER of those is missing (SITTING or WALKING), you don’t have to know how to STAND because the truth is, our enemy (known as the evil one) won’t bother with you much.  If you’re not SITTING, or if you’re not WALKING, you’re no threat to him, or to his kingdom. [Slide 5] If you’re not sitting, you’ll never know your true identity – you’ll never know your true power – you’ll never know your true authority – and, as a result, all your attempts to walk in holiness will be in your own strength.  The evil one LOVES that!  There’ll be lots of energy being expended – lots of work – lots of busyness – lots of honest effort and good intentions – but you’ll never be a real threat to the enemy’s Kingdom.  You’ll never be a real threat to darkness.  All your talk of spiritual warfare will be just that: TALK.

         Only those who have learned to SIT – to put their entire weight on Jesus – to rest completely in what He has accomplished – and who THEN (in HIS power, and in HIS authority) begin to WALK that heavenly reality out – only those who have truly learned to Sit AND Walk need to know how to STAND.

         Because if you’re TRULY sitting, and if you’re GENUINELY walking, you’re going to discover real quick that GOD has an ARCH ENEMY, and so do YOU. [Slide 6] He goes by many names in the Scriptures – Satan, the devil, the ancient foe, the accuser, the father of lies, the tempter, the god of this age, Lucifer, the adversary, the deceiver.  And under his power, is a very large but unknown number of demons, fallen angels, and dark forces.  ALL of them stand opposed to God, to all God does, and to all God loves. [Slide 7]

         And, of course, God loves nothing more than you and me.  And so those forces not only want to overrun the world; they want to overrun your life and mine. 

         Here’s the thing that makes this tricky, though – those powers don’t confront you in a red jump suit with horns on their head.  In fact, to you, it’s almost always going to LOOK like you’re simply struggling against flesh and blood. [Slide 8] It’s going to LOOK like you’re struggling against HUMAN realities, against EARTHLY realities.  It’s always going to feel like it’s other PEOPLE – or it’s CIRCUMSTANCES – that are your problem.

         And, the truth is, sometimes that IS your battle!  We actually have THREE enemies.  One is what the Bible calls our FLESH. [Slide 9] It’s our own sinful orientation prior to knowing Jesus – our fallen nature.  But even after I have a NEW nature as a child of God, that old nature still rears its ugly head in my life.  It shows up as pride.  It shows up as selfishness.  I can sometimes be my own worst enemy.  Our FLESH.  That’s one enemy.

         And then, there’s what the Bible calls the WORLD. [Slide 10] The values of the world, the temptations of the world, the corrupt systems of the world, the unjust realities of the world.  That’s our second enemy.

         But the most powerful – and the most deceitful of my enemies – is the one that Paul is addressing here.  It’s Satan and his hosts. [Slide 11] They make it LOOK like I’m struggling with mere flesh and blood – and so I’m deceived to think I can BATTLE them in flesh and blood (in my own strength) – but the reality is that I’m often up against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  If they can keep me BLIND to what they’re doing in my life, they can run roughshod over me.

         So, what’s God’s word for us in the face of those forces?  His word is…. STAND. [Slide 12] Put on the full armour of God, and then what?  STAND.  Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to STAND your ground, and after you have done everything, to STAND.  STAND firm.  Stand firm.

         The word Paul chose to use means “Hold your ground.” [Slide 13] Notice he doesn’t say to MARCH.  He doesn’t say to ATTACK.  He simply telling us to hold our ground.  To stand. 

         Why?  Because the ground the enemy wants is already God’s, and therefore OURS.  We don’t need to TAKE IT. [Slide 14]  

Some of you know your history well enough to know that the turning point in WWII was when the allied forces succeeded in establishing a beach head at Normandy.  They had taken a foothold in ENEMY territory.  But in the spiritual realm, there IS no territory that belongs to the enemy.  How does Psalm 24 begin again?  “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”  [Slide 15] Christ is already King!  He has already won the victory.  In Colossians (2:15) Paul says Christ disarmed the powers and authorities; he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.  The cross wasn’t just about forgiveness.  It was a clash of kingdoms!  And on the Day of Resurrection, it was clear who the victor was. 

         It’s not enemy territory we need to invade.  It’s God’s territory that we need to hold. [Slide 16] We don’t fight to obtain it.  It’s God’s and He’s entrusted it to us.  We just need to stand and hold the ground that He’s already won for us.

         That’s why all the weapons listed in Ephesians 6 are defensive weapons.  The one exception to that might be the Sword – but, of course, even a sword can be a defensive weapon.

         There MAY be times when offense is needed – that’s another message for another time – what’s clear here is that our PRIMARY posture against the enemy is a defensive one. [Slide 17]

         You see: in offensive warfare, I haven’t got the ground, but I’m fighting to get it.  That was Normandy.  But in defensive warfare, I’ve already got the ground and I’m only required to keep it.

         [Slide 18] SATAN is the one who needs to gain ground because He’s the one whose lost ground. He lost it ALL.  We who are in Christ are not fighting FOR victory – we’re fighting FROM victory.  From CHRIST’s victory. [Slide 19] We are MORE THAN conquerors, Paul said to the Romans.  We simply need to rest (to SIT) in the victory already won for us.  In other words, we have to first SIT, in order to STAND. 

         Think of a time in your marriage, in your home, or maybe at work, where difficulties just seemed to pile one on top of the other.  Misunderstandings mounted up, the chasm got deeper, and – it didn’t matter what you did – the problem seemed to get worse.  Try as you might – you couldn’t seem to find a resolution. You couldn’t seem to move forward.

         Why?  Maybe because you were trying to MARCH instead of STAND.  In other words, maybe you were thinking of victory as something you had to fight for.  Something that wasn’t yet yours and that you had to work hard to get.  2Thesslanonians, though, says that Jesus is able to overcome the evil one with little more than just the breath of His mouth.  We’re often praying that the Lord will raise up a hurricane but the reality is that just a simple breath will slay him.  In a very real sense, our prayer shouldn’t be, “Lord, help me overcome the enemy.”  Really, it shouldn’t even be “Lord, will you overcome the enemy for me?” No:  Instead, it’s “Lord, I praise you because you have ALREADY overcome the evil one. [Slide 20] YOU are the victor, and I STAND in your victory.”

         Are you with me?  It’s all a matter of our faith in HIM.

         Faith says, “Christ has ascended.  He reigns (that’s Eph 1:20).  Faith says, “I’ve been saved by grace. Everything’s accomplished (that’s Ephesians 2:18).  Faith says, “I have complete and open access to the Father through Jesus (that’s Ephesians 3:12).  Faith says, “Jesus lives in me by the Holy Spirit (That’s Ephesians 3:17).  Faith affirms all of that.  It affirms the victory that’s already been won.  And then it stands in that victory.  It rests in that victory.  It affirms that we’re SEATED with Jesus already in the heavenly places.

         If we SIT, we can STAND. [Slide 21]

         And Satan knows it!  That’s why his MAIN goal isn’t to try to get us to sin.  That’s way too obvious.  And, besides, he knows Jesus has already dealt with our sin anyway!  His MAIN goal is not to get us to sin; it’s to get us to stop SITTING. [Slide 22] He wants us to forget WHO we are, and WHOSE we are. 

         If you’re struggling – if you’re wrestling right now – with the spiritual forces of this dark world (with the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places) – then the very best thing I could pray for you would simply be that God will open your eyes in a fresh way so that you can see yourself as you truly are.  That you can see yourself SEATED with Him who sits far above every spiritual power, authority, and dominion. 

You don’t need to fight against the evil one.  You don’t need to march on Him.  You simply need to stand and say, “Too bad, so sad.  You may look menacing and you may be trying to make me think you’re a threat, but the reality, Satan, is that I’m seated with one who has already rubbed your face in the mud.  I stand in His victory.  This ground is mine – it’s been given to me – and I’m going to stand and defend it with every weapon God provides.  THAT’s Good News.

SIT, WALK, and STAND. [Slide 23] It’s the message of Ephesians.  But, more than that, it’s the story of our life as a follower of Jesus.

We’re seated with Him in the heavenly places. We’re allowing that reality to get walked out in our lives. And when the evil one threatens to undo us, we’re standing in the victory that Christ has already won.