Church notes - March 2026

[fardell24]

1st
Ephesians 5:22 - 33
Ephesians 5:1
Be imitators of God.
Ephesians 4:32
You are forgiven

Therefore be imitators.

In Greek
Present Imperative Tense
- Present ongoing
Do it over and over again.
Continue to imitate God
Plural
As a collective or group.
A community is to imitate Christ
A new people

Live as a forgiven people.

Mimicing a heart.

e.g. Children learning the behaviours of their parents.

Scripture as meditative literature.
Means something different in different seasons of life.
Reading over and over again.
Not like how the Pharisees were viewing the Old Testament.

Meditating upon Scripture; going from your head to your heart.

Change your perspective.

We should allow God to change our perspective.

vs 24 - 26
Agape - a deep self-sacrificing love.

vs 32
It is grounded in Christ and what He did at the Cross.

The community of believers is what Christ sacrificed Himself for.

Hebrews 10:24, 25

Not giving up meeting together.

Trusting alliegence

It's about God; about Jesus.


8th
Ephesians 6:10 - 18
vs 10
Be strong; be strengthened.

It is God's armour - not ours.

Jesus has already won.

vs 12
We have new life in Jesus.
But we will face opposition.

The struggle isn't against flesh and blood.

Choose to forgive.
Choose faith.

vs 13
One complete picture, not six separate pieces.
Righteousness guards the hart.
Your standing doesn't rely on performance.

vs 16
The shield of faith stops the fiery arrows from attacking your mind.

vs 17
The sword.

Stop fighting the wrong enemy.
Not against flesh and blood.

Put on the armour daily.
- It is intentional.
Guard your mind.

Prayer is not optional, but Oxygen.

Walking in righteousness as an unshakeable church.


15th
Exodus 1:1 - 2:10
The Egyptian elites, especially the new Pharoah, viewing the Israelites as a threat.

Moses' mother's act of faith in placing Moses on the Nile.

Moses grew up with both Egyptian and Hebrew educations.

No matter how desperate your situation is, God is with you.

A picture of what Jesus has done for us.


22nd
Context
Purpose
Biblical Arc - leading to and following from Jesus' death and resurrection

Exodus 8:16 - 22

Philippians 4:7
Peace

Gr. Eierei (erio)
Join, Bind, Weave together

God Confronts Oppression
Colossians 2:13 - 15

Exodus 3:7, 7

Gnats
- The magicians couldn't replicate the feat.
- - "It is the finger of God."

Flies
- The Israelites were spared.

Matthew 6:10
Heaven on Earth.

Salvation - "Out of" and "in to"
Salvation reshapes identity and life.

Israel receives
- A new identity
- A new way of living (Torah)
- A new relationship (Covenant)
- A new calling (a kingdom of priests)

You can know you're forgiven, but still be a slave.
What do you need deliverance from today?
What are you a slave to?
What oppressive patterns are you trapped in?


29th
Exodus 12:1 - 30

The Old Testament
Types of Jesus
- Especially Moses.
Shadow
- An outline, not in high definition.
Passover is a shadow of the redemption through Jesus

The Old Covenant
vs 6
Blood
Slaughtering the Lamb. The blood as a sign
vs 13
The blood offers protection.

Psalm 51:7
Cleansing with hyssop

vs 23
A picture of God offering protection.

vs 8

Unleavened Bread
vs 11
With Sandals on Your Feat

Philippians 3:20
Living in expectation.

Judgement
- There is always a plan of grace.

The blood - is the sign of redemption
Passover
The cruxifixion - our redemption.

Protection/Cleansing and Substitution
Protection - "To spread the wings over" or "to protect" suggesting "Shelter and protection are found under the outstretched wings of the Almight God."

Cleansing
1 John 1:17
The Blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin.

Substitution.

A lamb had to die
Jesus is our substitute

1 Corinthians 5:7

1 Peter 1:18, 19

Jesus died as our Passover Lamb.

Easter
Live in the protection of the Lamb
Live in the cleansing by His Blood
Will you accept Jesus as your substitute?

The Ultimate confidence: Jesus took our punishment!