Reading With the Church | Ep. 4

Christ’s Triumph in Divided People Reconciled (Ephesians 2:11-22)

In this message from Ephesians 2:11–22, Pastor Casey McCall moves from our vertical reconciliation with God to the powerful horizontal reconciliation it produces among one another. Paul commands us to explicitly remember where we came from—reminding the Gentile believers that they were once completely separated from Christ, hopeless, and alienated from the covenants of promise. Forgetting our spiritual roots breeds self-righteous pride, but remembering who we were before Jesus broke into our lives destroys our performance-driven mindsets and deepens our everyday gratitude for His unearned grace. The cosmic shift occurs with the phrase "But now in Christ Jesus," as those who were once far off are brought near by the blood of Christ. Jesus Himself is our peace, actively shattering the dividing walls of hostility, ethnic bias, and cultural segregation to forge one new human race out of broken divisions. Through the cross, we have equal access in one Spirit to the Father and are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens and members of God's household. Built upon Christ as our cornerstone, the church serves as a living, growing holy temple and a showcase model for the coming new creation. True peace cannot be manufactured by changing our earthly circumstances; it is only found when we rest in Christ alone. 🖥️ Learn more at ashlandcc.net📱 Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram!Subscribe for more sermons and share to encourage others!#Ephesians2 #DividedPeopleReconciled #Reconciliation

Christ’s Triumph in Dead Sinners Made Alive (Ephesians 2:1-10)

In this message from Ephesians 2:1–10, Pastor Casey McCall explores the ultimate proof of Jesus’s cosmic victory: the historical reality of dead sinners being brought back to life. While a skeptical world might scan the news and question whether Christ is truly reigning, Paul points directly to the transformative miracle of the gospel as the undeniable authentication of His triumph. Pastor Casey breaks down the text by highlighting three core points: what you were before Christ intervened, what you are now in Him, and what it all means for our daily lives. First, he focuses on What You Were, detailing how every human being is universally born spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, driven by fleshly desires, and walking by default in rebellion against God. Second, he reveals What You Are, which hinges on the ultimate turning point of the scriptural narrative—"But God". Because of His rich mercy and eternity-past love, God has resurrected our dead hearts and spiritually seated us with Christ in the heavenly places as living trophies of His grace. Finally, in What It Means, Pastor Casey explains that salvation is an entirely unearned gift received by grace through faith, leaving no room for human boasting. Because we are His custom workmanship, we are re-created in Christ to step out into the purposeful good works that God prepared for us from the very beginning. 🖥️ Learn more at ashlandcc.net📱 Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram!Subscribe for more sermons and share to encourage others!#Ephesians2 #ButGod #MadeAlive #SavedByGrace

Reading With The Church | Ep. 5

Join Tucker Hargrove and Pastor Casey as they discuss the book from June, "Hannah Coulter" by local, Kentucky, author Wendell Berry.

Reading With the Church | Ep. 4

Join Tucker Hargrove, Kyle Sivers and Pastor Joe Abdelghany as they discuss "Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices" by Puritan author Thomas Brooks.

Seeing the Whole of Reality (Ephesians 1:15-23)

When we limit "heaven" to a far-off, future destination, we miss the mind-blowing truth that we have full access to the heavenly places right now in Jesus Christ. Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church is a desperate plea for vision—that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened to fully comprehend what is already ours. When our spiritual vision is restored, it radically shifts how we view three things:Our Hope: Understanding that the determining factor of our lives is no longer our past mistakes or future worries, but Christ’s victorious past, present, and future. Our Value: Realizing the staggering truth that we are counted as God’s treasured inheritance, and that He genuinely delights in us despite our flaws. Our Power: Tapping into the exact same immeasurable, resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him far above every cosmic and earthly authority. Ultimately, we learn that heaven is the "control center" for the earth. Jesus has won a definitive cosmic victory, and He has chosen to display the fullness of that victory directly through His body—the church. This leaves no room for a localized, "individualistic" version of Christianity. To follow Jesus means to actively live in the power of His resurrection alongside His people, transforming how we approach every single moment of our lives. 🖥️ Learn more at ashlandcc.net📱 Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram!Subscribe for more sermons and share to encourage others!#Ephesians1 #WholeOfReality #ResurrectionPower #ChurchTriumphant #TheControlCenter #AshlandCommunityChurch