Go deeper with others.

They say you should never meet your heroes, because invariably you’ll be disappointed if you do – it’s hard for a hero to live up to expectations. That seemed true for Jesus, as well – most of the people who had followed him and hung on to his every word and been amazed by his miracles were grossly disappointed in him at the end of his life. They betrayed, denied, and abandoned him at the cross, but then something happened: a divine encounter that changed everything.

As we’ve walked through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we’ve discovered a new way of looking at ourselves, our world, and the church in light (“New Light”) of the reality that we are now “in Christ” and called to see things differently. As Paul might put it, “the world is broken, but because of Jesus you have a new and better way to live.” Now we turn to perhaps the most challenging relationship in which to live that out – our marriages – to see how we’re called to live them out “differently.”

In Ephesians 4:17–31, Paul delivers a direct challenge: growing old is inevitable, but growing up is a choice. This week, we identify two essential steps toward spiritual maturity. The first is a decisive moment that breaks the cycle of spiritual incrementalism and calls out the “casuals.” The second is inner transformation — the Spirit’s work of renewing the mind with a new way of thinking, not from fear or pride, but from gratitude.