Authority: It’s Still “GO” Time!
There he sat, in the quiet, on a familiar mountain, confident, relieved the darkest days were over. He overcame death, he completed his mission, and His Heavenly Father was pleased.
Surrounded by 11 of his 12 closest friends, Jesus longed to breathe hope and courage into his companions—the Lord knew they would need it, in the days and years to come. Important days were ahead. It was “GO” time, and the mission was critical. Wasting time was absurd—God’s business, the growing of God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, well, that was all that mattered from this point forward.
He looked intently into the eyes of his faithful apostles, men he’d trusted for the past 3 unforgettable years, men he would commission to inspire the baby church, every disciple to join as one unified Kingdom army to be His witnesses as ministers of reconciliation— in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria and to the very ends of the earth.
He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
God the Father had given the Son ALL authority, officially all rights and all power. Listen to his prayer in John 17, hear the heart behind the authority given Jesus.. ". . . .he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.”
The goal of Jesus’ authority had one intent–to give eternal life to all. And that’s the most important thing he had, to pass on to his disciples—the authority to make and grow disciples of Jesus Christ, by baptizing them and teaching them. The authority Jesus passed on to his followers, to the early church was always for His kingdom and his glory.
May we realize today that that same authority has been given to us—authority to go and grow the Kingdom of God. Authority to represent the risen Jesus in the classroom, on the court or field, in the office place, the coffee shop or the market, making dinner in the kitchen, or running mundane errands or out walking the dog. Each of us has been given authority to impact the community we live in and beyond. We’re image bearers entrusted with Heaven’s mission to seek and save a lost world.
Donielle Winter
EFCC Member
Together on Mission
Series: Better Together
Text: Acts 2:1-21
Speakers: Pastors Ryan Paulson & Esteban Tapia
January 26, 2025: On Sunday, Pastors Ryan Paulson & Esteban Tapia continued our sermon series, Better Together: Unleashing the Church to Pursue God's Best ... Together. From God's word, we're learning how the Lord designed men and women to flourish and discover the beauty and power of pursuing God’s best … together. The next message in the series is entitled, "Together on Mission."
I am Who He Says I am
Taken from scripture, and from the mind of the bold and Holy Spirit-filled apostle Peter come these lyrics inspired by 1 Peter 2:9.
“You are a chosen generation.
You are a royal priesthood.
You are a holy nation.
You are His own special people.
That you may proclaim the praises of Him, who called you out of darkness
That you may proclaim the praises of Him, who called you…..into……His LIGHT, His marvelous light.”
Let’s unpack Peter’s words of exhortation to the early church.
You are a chosen race or generation, Christian—This used to apply only to the nation of ancient Israel. But the “Chosen race” now includes you and me— anyone from anywhere who repents and calls on the name of the Lord Jesus.
You are a royal priesthood and a holy nation, Christian— Listen to God through Moses, in Exodus 19, as he instituted the covenant and proclaimed a new identity over Israel.
“5Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
For well over 1,000 years the priestly tribe of Levi had exclusive and minimal access to God; but because of the blood of the Lamb, by Christian faith—you can approach the King of Kings.
The covenant gave Israel an exalted position among other nations, but Christian—you’re a citizen of the Nation of Heaven and you’ve been made holy, to live holy, because a Holy Father loves you and calls you his own.
Sounds awesome. But don’t you dare miss the reason why. These titles, your new identity, Christian, is for Him and His glory—not your own. We honor and praise the God who called us out of darkness, and into his marvelous light. Every Christian is chosen, royal, holy, and so special to God. Christian—you are called to shout of His goodness and mercy, sing of His love, and tell a lost world they don’t have to live in darkness any longer.
May we be light to show others his marvelous, wonderful light.
Donielle Winter
EFCC Member
Cornerstone
I remembered my grandpa’s wall when we were discussing 1 Peter 2:5. We’re called “living stones” being built into a spiritual house. Like the rocks in the wall, we are shaped by God and placed where we’re needed. Our purpose may not always seem exciting or obvious, but in His hands, every role is essential. Peter describes Jesus as the precious cornerstone.
Typically, you start with a cornerstone, it goes at the bottom right and everything is built on top of it. Then you end with a keystone or a capstone. Both stones are super integral to the structure, and Jesus is called both! Jesus is also called the alpha and omega, beginning and end.
Each rock in that wall was split with a carefully placed chisel, shaped and cut with precision by a powerful mallet, and fit uniquely into its perfect place making the whole wall into a beautiful masterpiece of rugged rocks.
No matter how rough your edges or uncertain your purpose may feel, know this: God has placed you exactly where He wants you, and in His hands, you are part of something eternal and beautiful. Trust the Builder.
Jonathan Duncan
EFCC Member
The Dream
This week we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day. King. Throughout the 1970s, there were numerous movements to keep King’s dream alive by commemorating his life through a national holiday. In 1979, Congress voted on the holiday proposal, but it failed to pass by five votes. However, in 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law, officially designating the third Monday of January as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s on this day that we remember and celebrate the life and work of King; we remember the dream that he had. As he famously said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
In many ways, King’s dream was a reflection of God’s vision for his church. In Ephesians 3, Paul wrote, “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (Eph. 3:6) In Christ, Jews and Gentiles are part of the same body; they’re part of the same family. The dividing wall standing between ethnicities throughout history has been demolished in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:14). This new community in the church finds its unity not in the shared blood of their ethnicity, but in the shed blood of their Savior.
However, dividing along ethnic and racial lines can often be easier than uniting around Jesus. It was Martin Luther King Jr. who boldly observed, "It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o'clock on Sunday morning." Dr. King was highlighting the racial divisions within the American church during a time when segregation and racism were deeply entrenched in society.
As we had the chance to stop and celebrate MLK Day this week, it’s a good reminder for us that the church Jesus created is one where “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female” (Gal. 3:28). It’s also worth remembering that one day, we’ll join the anthem of heaven where there is “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:9). Oh for that day!
Today, take a moment and remind yourself of God’s design for his church and then ask him for opportunities to more fully live into that design.
Pastor Ryan Paulson
Level Ground
Living in this area we have easy access to some amazing things. From theatrical shows and big-name concerts to professional athletics, there is no shortage of opportunities to be part of something significant. And I’m the queen of getting all excited about an event, going to the website, and beginning the hunt of selecting a seat. You know how it goes… every seat in the house is not priced the same. And wouldn’t you know it, the ‘best’ seats are far outside the reach of my entertainment budget and so I choose the nosebleed seats—Hey, at least I’m ‘in’! In Christ, we are all ‘in’ and there are no ‘best’ seats. It’s level at the foot of the cross. That’s what is emphasized here in Galatians 3. We are all heirs according to who we are in Christ…as this is the only distinction that matters eternally.
This letter was written as a reminder that those who were coming to accept the Good News of Jesus did not have to become Jews before they could become His followers… there are no extra steps, just the step of humility.
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is a place that is highly visited because it marks the recognized site as the birthplace of Jesus. To enter the church, one must stoop very low at the doorway. It’s called the “Door of Humility” as it is a bodily reminder to bow down in reverence. This bowing down of our human will to conform to the will of God available because of Jesus is what levels everything for “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
The significant opportunity of being called child by a Holy God is something entered only through humility. Heaven will be filled with “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9), but earthly distinctions are there equally—Just as they were created and in His image. It’s all too easy to put people into categories (or even to put ourselves there) based upon the physical realities of this world, but that is not how God sees (1 Samuel 16:9) and the Holy Spirit gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7). There are not “best” seats”
Take a few minutes and allow God to examine your heart and repent. That word in the Bible means to change one’s mind, heart, and actions. This humble act is transformational.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2).
Jessica Klootwyk
Discipleship Director
A New Jersey
A variety of things can define people or can be what people use to define themselves. I might say I’m a gardener, grill master, fabricator, father, writer, or mechanic. Others might mention a job title, college, city of origin, hair color, relationship status, or their current number of tattoos as important parts of their description.
The Apostle Paul would have the church minimize all categories a person might employ or relate to get the church's focus completely on who they are in Christ.
Galatians 3:26-29 “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.”
The folks Paul writes to don’t stop being the categories he mentions because of their faith: Jew, Greek, slave, free, male, and female. Those categories remain a part of their real lives, but they mean nothing when it comes to salvation.
Think of a football player who played in High School, then in College, and later was drafted to a team in the NFL. Those other teams will always be a part of that player’s life and story, but now that player puts on a new jersey and becomes an important part of the new team.
Believers “put on Christ” and he alone is what unites and defines their lives together. Salvation only comes from and through him. Football players wear a uniform and believers wear Christ. Faith in him and focus on him is what brings believers, and the church, together.
Pastor John Riley
Together in Community
Series: Better Together
Text: Galatians 3:26-29
Speakers: Pastors Ryan Paulson & Esteban Tapia
January 19, 2025: On Sunday, Pastors Ryan Paulson & Esteban Tapia continued our sermon series, Better Together: Unleashing the Church to Pursue God's Best ... Together. From God's word, we'll learn how the Lord designed men and women to flourish and discover the beauty and power of pursuing God’s best … together. The next message in the series is entitled, "Together in Community."
The Story isn’t finished.
Since Genesis 3, we've lived in a “fallen world.” Adults cannot fathom Eden’s perfection—zero knowledge of good and evil, free of deceit, guilt, fear, and shame. Actually, young children better grasp God’s ideal in Eden—innocent trust, naive joy, pure freedom . . .
In Matthew 18, Jesus upheld child-likeness as he taught his disciples about greatness in The Kingdom.
“He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I think Jesus was saying, “Observe Eden-like freedom; trust me, delight in me, obey me.”
Adam and Eve knew that, had that…and lost that.
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.” Genesis 3:6-7
God’s perfect design was fractured—by temptation, distrust, disobedience, and sin.
Sin’s consequences reach far beyond Eden’s borders. The perfect oneness-unity man and woman knew was gone. Adam blames his beloved “bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh,“ then criticizes God for “the woman you put here” (3:12). God unveils the aftermath of Eve’s disobedience, “You’ll desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” (3:16) Peace-filled unity corrupted, and the power struggle began. So very far from the heart of God and the image we were created in.
But praise be to God, Genesis 3 is only the beginning. Our God is a God of restoration who will one day restore the beauty, harmony, and perfection of the fellowship found in Eden.
Believers, be encouraged today by the end of the story, as revealed to John the Apostle:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:1-5)
Donielle Winter EFCC Member
A Saving Strength
I love those (figuratively speaking) Lightbulb moments when what seemed like an impossible problem is suddenly resolved with a beautiful solution. I believe Adam saw the first “Aha!” moment in life when God created Eve.
In Genesis 2 God decides to create Eve; “a helper suitable for him (Adam).” After each day of creation, God declared, “It was good,” except the day God created Adam. On this day, God declared, “It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a partner for him (Gen. 2:18-20).
The word “helper” as found in most English translations implies a tone of subordination. But to view Eve from the aspect of Adam’s assistant or helper is an inadequate understanding of the Hebrew. In Hebrew the phrase is ezer kenegdo; better translated, as “a saving strength corresponding to him.” Of the 19 times ezer is used in the Bible, 16 of those times specifically refer to God himself as the strength or the one who saves Israel. Ezer describes either the strength of God saving Israel, or an ally army with the strength to give Israel success. Ezer is never used to describe an assistant or subordinate helper.
The word kenegdo is a compound word of three parts meaning, “as + in front of + him”. The middle word “negd,” in noun form is “nagid,” which is used to describe God’s appointed leaders of Israel, specifically of Saul, David, and Solomon. So Eve, as Adam’s ezer kenegdo, is God’s provision of saving strength given to Adam as a partner in stewardship, governance, and companionship in life. Nothing in this passage subordinates Eve, instead it emphasizes both are made in the image of God, both rule over the animals of the earth, and both are blessed to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth. Eve is Adam’s saving strength, without whom Adam cannot experience all of God’s intended blessings.
The first three chapters of Genesis are often referenced as a biblical perspective on marriage, family, or gender hierarchy. Not only are these chapters often misrepresented to subjugate women; they are often not seen broadly enough to honor the gift God has given humanity in his creation of man and woman beyond marriage. Single people are blessed through the opportunity to work with and serve alongside members of the opposite sex. God’s gift to men and women is each other. Eve was a great gift to Adam precisely because she was not inferior or subordinate but an equal peer with real ability to help Adam with the hardest issues of life.
I’ve had the opportunity to experience the “saving strength” found in the partnership I have with my wife many times during our marriage of almost 30 years, but most profoundly during the four deployments, overseas assignments, and while traveling worldwide for almost two years as an instructor. These challenging seasons were a master class in learning to respect, work together, and learn from each other in ways we had not before. We learned that we didn’t need each other to survive, but we thrived when we worked together. We learned we are better together even when we are apart.
Jaisen Fuson
Elder
