Our Role, in Christ

Dr. Ajith Fernando, the National Director of Youth For Christ in Sri Lanka, led an in-depth study of Ephesians each morning for thousands in the Edward Jones Dome during Urbana 06, InterVarsity’s 21st Student Missions Convention. Ajith spoke about the unity and characteristics of the Christian community found in the book of Ephesians.

Throughout the book Paul refers to the Ephesians as God’s holy people, saints and set apart for God’s purposes. God has sent them into the world to establish his church and given them a specific place, Ephesus. Ajith reinforced that we are to faithful disciples and believe in Jesus. “Entrust yourselves to Jesus,” Ajith said. Using the phrase 164 times throughout the letter, Paul stresses that the Ephesians were “In Christ Jesus.” Ajith proclaimed, “Jesus is the atmosphere of our lives. Jesus is my best friend.”

Ajith spoke about the grace and peace God extends to His people. “Grace is what God has done for us, and it is completely undeserved. Grace and joy are closely related throughout the Bible,” he said. Peace is related to the grace that comes from God. “Peace is a wholeness, well-being, from which we arrive at the purpose of our lives,” Ajith said.

We have been given “every spiritual blessing in Christ,” (Eph. 1:3, NIV) which is enough to face any situation life may throw at us. “If God took the initiative to find us, He’s perfectly able to look after us. Our redemption is part of God redeeming the world and don’t give up on the world because God hasn’t,” Ajith challenged the delegates at Urbana 06. “Our goal is to get more and more of the riches Ephesians talks about,” he said.

You can access Ajith Fernando’s teachings at the Urbana 06 website.