From The Archives

Paul preached that God’s divine plan for all ages is centered on Jesus Christ and is being declared by His Church. If we think of the world as a theatre, God is the director, the spectators are the hosts of heaven, the play is the manifold wisdom of God, and the players are His Church. Focusing our attention on Ephesians 3:10, Alistair Begg helps listeners understand that it is through the Church that God's purposes are made known as we point to the perfect display of God's wisdom in the cross of Christ.

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As a faithful minister of the Gospel, Paul focused on the task set before him: to preach in such a way that blind eyes would be opened to the light of the truth. Alistair Begg places this responsibility in the context of Christian mission, reminding us that the God who called Paul to the ministry is the same God who reigns and rules over all things. As the Church is built through the ministry of the Word, God displays His purposes through His people and points forward to the day when His kingdom will come in glory.

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In Ephesians 3, Paul established his identity as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, explaining to his readers that this was not a role he chose for himself, but one to which he had been called by the grace of God. Paul exercised humility in response to God’s grace toward him, but also understood that his responsibility to preach Christ came with authority given by God Himself. Alistair Begg reminds us that God’s calling is directly related to His plan, and God equips His people for ministry with the grace that He provides.

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The Gospel is a great mystery, but not in the sense you might expect. As he explores Paul's words in Ephesians 3:1-6, Alistair Begg reminds us that the Gospel is not a puzzle that can be solved by human deduction or reason, but a wonder that can only be known by the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit. The mystery of Christ is that Jews and Gentiles alike can be brought near to God as members of one Body through the work of Jesus.

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While a prisoner of Rome, Paul wrote to the Ephesians desiring that his readers would know God and be united to Christ. Despite his unfavorable circumstance, Paul considered himself a prisoner for Christ and the Gentiles, and his letter conveys a tone of exultation toward God, not agitation or resignation at his situation. In this message Alistair Begg encourages listeners to live in light of God’s providence, understanding that our circumstances are appointed by God so that, like Paul, we may make the Gospel known to all people.

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No one is perfect. We resolve to “try harder,” yet our self-effort always falls short. In fact, our response to temptation exposes our heart’s desires: when we sin, it demonstrates that we love the sin more than we love God. In this message, Alistair Begg explores the need for self-control as we seek to live lives pleasing to our Lord. How can self-control become our “new normal”? As we depend on God’s grace, we are enabled to live within boundaries He has established, motivated not by rules but by our love for Him.

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Although listed among the fruit of the Spirit, gentleness is an aspect of Christian character that is often neglected. Alistair Begg explains that biblical gentleness is not a natural personality trait but strength under control, pictured perfectly in God’s disposition toward His children and the humility of Jesus Christ. God forms gentleness in us through difficult circumstances as we learn to submit to His Word and grow in the practice of living with consideration for those around us.

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When Paul wrote of faithfulness as part of the fruit of the Spirit, he meant fidelity and trustworthiness toward God and toward others. Faithfulness is revealed in the character of God, exemplified in the Son of God, and cultivated in the lives of God’s children. Though the surrounding culture is rapt with unfaithfulness, Christians are to live differently. Alistair Begg exhorts listeners to pursue faithfulness by first acknowledging that we lack it and then humbly asking God to grow it in our lives.

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What is God like? The Bible describes two aspects of His character in His dealings with mankind: that God is good and that He is kind. In this message, Alistair Begg helps us understand how a believer’s actions toward others are to reflect the character of Christ Who dwells within us. As the Holy Spirit grows His fruit within our hearts, the kindness and goodness we increasingly demonstrate will draw others toward the Gospel.

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Bible history repeatedly displays God’s patience toward His children, and in Galatians 5:22, Paul included patience as an element of the fruit of the spirit. Alistair Begg discusses the definition, development, and demonstration of patience made manifest in the lives of God’s children. By God’s faithful pursuit and provision, we are conformed to the image of His Son so that a watching world can see the wonder of His amazing love.

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