By Randy Keene
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Minor Hill

Focal Passage: Ephesians 6:10-20 

In Ephesians 6 we get a lesson on standing strong in the faith and supporting one another in spiritual battles. Being strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might tells us that ultimately, Satan’s power over Christians is already broken and the great war has been won through Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection which forever conquered the power of sin and death (see Romans 5:18-21).

According to John MacArthur, in our life on earth we will face battles of temptations on a regular basis. [Read more…]

By Randy Keene
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Minor Hill

Focal Passage: Ephesians 5:8-21

When we come to Christ, not only do we become part of the body of Christ but now we have an obligation to strengthen each other.

As I repeatedly said, Christians were not meant to go this journey alone. Ephesians 5:8 compares darkness and light, “darkness” describes the character of the life of the unconverted as void of truth and virtue in intellectual matters and moral matters (see I John 1:5-7). It is that very darkness in which Christ has delivered sinners such as you and I.

Fruit of the light of Christ that now dwells in us and is shown through us speaks of that which is produced by walking in the light, namely moral excellence of the heart, righteous behavior and truthfulness (honesty and integrity). Trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord carries the idea of testing or proving to learn what is clear and convincing in the sight of God — behavior that really honors God and not dishonors God. I have told business owners and others many times that if they will just honor God He will honor them, a never-ending truth. [Read more…]

By Randy Keene
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Minor Hill

Focal Passage: Ephesians 4:17-32 

In Ephesians 4, Paul takes an opportunity to spend some time on how important it is for the church to draw strength from encouraging one another. I love encouragement by others. Some of you have been an encouragement to me as I have been writing these Sunday School lessons.

I try to encourage people in my walk day by day, but it takes a conscious effort. People need encouragement, just like they need air and water. I love Proverbs 27:17 which reminds us, “Iron sharpens Iron, so one man sharpens another.”

In our study text Paul exhorts the church to put away sinful habits. He calls us out from the way we used to be to the person in Christ we now are. Once they stopped their empty thinking they could be filled with the mind of Christ. Some of the Ephesian members had hard hearts which caused spiritual ignorance to the point that those outside Christ would develop a spiritual callousness to the gospel. [Read more…]

By Randy Keene
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Minor Hill

Focal Passage: Ephesians 4:1-7,11-16

In this week’s lesson, the writer points out that when we come to Christ, not only do we become part of the body of Christ but now we have an obligation to support each other. Christians are not meant to go this journey alone.

Little Johnny came home with a few friends from school. Mom asked, “What are you boys up to?” “We’re just playing war Mom,” was the response. Later she made some cookies and milk, stepped out back and they were all sitting down under the shade tree. “I thought you boys were playing war,” she said, Her son replied, “we are Mom. We are all generals.”

In the church we know today, we have a lot of “generals” and few foot soldiers. Paul tried to express to the church this was a team effort and that the team needed all the players to play their position and play it well. [Read more…]

By Randy Keene
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Minor Hill

Focal Passage: Ephesians 3:14-21

In chapter three Paul takes an opportunity to emphasize how important it is for the church to draw strength from prayer. Never in my lifetime has the need been greater for the church to be a praying church.

Our country is in chaos, divided over political parties like never before, divided racially like we haven’t seen in 50 years or longer. The only unity I see, thanks be to God, is in my church. Prayer, in my humble but accurate opinion, is going to be the only way we come back to some sort of normalcy.

Paul says for this reason he kneels before his Father. Ephesus was a lot like us, divided. Paul encouraged his readers with the fact that God was on the throne and He was not only worthy and wealthy, He was willing. What a thought. All of us are related by the same Creator and can be strengthened by the Spirit according to His riches. [Read more…]

By Randy Keene
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Minor Hill

Focal Passage: Ephesians 1:20-23; 2:8-10,19-22

In this week’s lesson the writer brings out the point that when we come to Christ, we also become a part of the body of Christ. As Christians we were not meant to go this journey alone. The word “independent” has always bothered me when affiliated with the local church. God has designed this church to be serving together as His body, joined together by our love and belief in His son Jesus Christ.

Recently, before the pandemic hit we were about to launch a year-long campaign on what the church really is about. It was called “Let the Church be the Church”. [Read more…]