11 Free Bible Studies in Ephesians for Small · PDF file11 Free Bible Studies in Ephesians for Small Groups ... Chapter 1:17-23 Understanding the Gospel ... As often happens in letters

11 Free Bible Studies in Ephesians for Small GroupsDavid W. Legg, Lee Mill 2014

The following studies are designed for small groups to use, perhaps on a week-day evening. Mostsmall group Bible study notes have far too much material in them and take hours to do; these don't. They need a time slot of an hour, or perhaps less. They are designed to be printed out, 2 pages at a time, so that each group member can have a copy and write on it. The leader uses the same 2 pages, but will need to do some preparation beforehand.

There are song suggestions included, and some recommendations for extra reading.

You are free to copy these studies, print them, but not to modify them without written permission.

1. Chapter 1:1-16 God's Will for Us in Christ

2. Chapter 1:17-23 Understanding the Gospel

3. Chapter 2:1-10 Understanding Grace

4. Chapter 2:11-22 Unity in Christ

5. Chapter 3:1-13 The Mystery of the Gentiles

6. Chapter 3:14-21 Paul's Second Big Prayer

7. Chapter 4:1-16 Growing Up

8. Chapter 4:17-32 Loving Our Neighbours

9. Chapter 5:1-20 How to Live

10. Chapter 5:21-6:9 Family Life

11. Chapter 6:10-24 The Full Armour of God

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Ephesians

Chapter 1:1-16

God's Will for Us in Christ

LMCC 2014

Sing CMP 1072 In Christ Alone

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Ephesians 1:1-16 – God's Will for Us in Christ

Finding Our Bearings

Before setting out on a journey it is well worthwhile working out where we are, where we want to go and how we intend to get there. Studying Ephesians is like a journey. Look at View A of the letter below.

On this journey, we must move from theory to practice. Theory on its own is no use in living the Christian life, yet successful obedient Christian living requires the correct theory, or theology (understanding of God and what he is doing) as we normally call it.

What God is doing in the world, in history and in our lives, is called 'the gospel', which means the 'good news'. It tells us what God has done, what God is doing, and what God has planned for the future too. View B above shows how Paul looks at the gospel in a progressive way as we journey through Ephesians.

In a similar way, Paul moves from teaching to commanding as we travel from the first half of Ephesians to the second half (View C). All the way we are accompanied by prayer. The third and final prayer has a twist to it, but we have a lot to learn about real prayer from Ephesians.

Unpacking Chapter 1:1-16

As often happens in letters and books of the Bible, the letter begins with a summary of what the writer is going to expand on in the rest of Ephesians (View C above). This is chapter 1, verses 3 to14 and forms the major part of this first study.

Read Ephesians 1:1-16.

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A: Chapter B: Chapter C: Chapter

1

Theory

1 1Summarise

Prayer

2 2 2Teach

3 3 3Prayer

4

Practice

4 4

Command5 5 5

6 6 6Prayer

3 Complementary Views

Overall Structure

More Detailed Structure

Prayer Sandwich

Understanding the Gospel

Experiencing the Gospel

Living out the Gospel

Q1. First, look through the passage and see how many persons of the Trinity are named.

Ephesians 1 contains a lot of big theological terms. An understanding of these unlocks what Paul is saying. We will then see how Paul uses some of these terms.

Will(of God)

in Christ/in him

saints bless(ed/)(ing)

love chose predestined forgivenessof sins

adopted grace redemption mystery gospel salvation inheritance glory

The will of God is an important idea in the Bible. It can mean his revealed will or his secret will, as they are sometimes called.

Q2. In verses 1-14, is God's secret will or his revealed will being written about, or both?

Clue: Re-read verses 1, 5, 9 and 11.

v1 v5

v9 v11

An important phrase in Ephesians that is used at least 30 times is 'In Christ' (or near equivalent)

Q3. How many times does Paul write about his readers being 'in Christ' in verses 1-14?

Clue: Remember to count similar phrases with the same meaning, for example, 'in him'.

You may like to underline all the occurrences to make them easy to find for the next question.

How many? _______

In the original language the whole of verses 3-14 is the equivalent of a single English paragraph which is dominated by the theme of what it means for people to be 'in Christ'.

Q4. Looking back at the 8 to 11 occurrences of 'in Christ', and similar, that you found in verses 1-14, what does Paul say about his readers because they are in Christ?

Clue: Look in verses 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 and 13.

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v1: Christians are faithful saints (or holy ones); they keep trusting in him.

v3: All the spiritual blessings Christians receive come because they are in Christ.

v4,11: Christians were chosen by God in eternity for holiness, and predestined to be adopted into God's family, all according to God's plan.

v6: Christians receive grace because of Christ.

v7: Christ's blood redeems those in him.

v9: God has revealed his plans to Christians.

v9: God's plans centre on Christ.

v10: Actually, the whole universe, not just people are to be subject to Christ.

v13: Christians were included in Christ (i.e. saved) through the true gospel.

V13: And marked in Christ with a seal (the Holy Spirit) to guarantee our inheritance.

Q5. What is the whole purpose of God's will (v11), his plan, his creation, his pleasure?

Clue: Look in verses 6, 12, 14. Notice what/who is being glorified by God's plans and will.

Q6. How then should we react, initially, to all the theology in verses 1-14?

Clue: See how Paul himself reacts in verses 3, 15 and 16.

To understand some of the theological words in Ephesians better, therebygetting to know our God better and worship him, thank him and pray tohim better, buy this book from the Lee Mill Church Book Shop:

18 Words by Jim Packer, IVP

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Ephesians

Chapter 1:17-23


LMCC 2014

Sing CMP 251 How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds (Praise! 299 Rachel)

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Ephesians 1:17-23 – Understanding the Gospel


Paul has summarised and enthused about God's will for his people in Christ (Table C below). Determined to teach the Ephesian Christians how to pray (Table C) in accordance with God's will, he now shows them how what he personally prays regularly for them is based on God's plan for them, God's will for them, in short, the gospel (Table B below).

Q1. Are there Christians you know for whom you used to pray, but have given up on; you are discouraged that they appear to be making no progress in the Christian life?It may be best not to name names! Perhaps you are one such yourself?

Read Ephesians 1:15-23 (starting at verse 15 to get the connection with the previous study)

Q2. To whom does Paul normally keep on praying?

Clue: Compare verse 17 with Luke 11:2.

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1

Theory

1 1Summarise

Prayer

2 2 2Teach

3 3 3Prayer

4

Practice

4 4

Command5 5 5

6 6 6Prayer


Overall Structure


Prayer Sandwich




Q3. Notice how many persons of the holy Trinity are mentioned in verse 17.Discuss whether Paul merely wants the Christians to know more theology.

Clue: Jeremiah 9:24 may help.

In verse 18, the focus now moves from understanding about God to understanding God's plans and promises to us, his people.

Q4. What do the Ephesian Christians need to understand and appreciate about their inheritance (v18)?

Clue: Look up Colossians 1:12, Romans 4:13, Hebrews 11:40, 1 Corinthians 15:50.

Q5. It is all very well for God to give us hope for the future and the promise of a glorious inheritance, but what other great thing is needed in order to bring about God's plans for us, according to verses 19,20?

Q6. How does Paul measure the greatness of the power that is at work in us according to verses 20 and 21?

Q7. According to verse 22, to whom has this power and authority now been given, and for whose benefit?

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I once attended a prayer meeting where somebody's poorly cat was prayed for.

Q8. How should understanding God's plans for us, the gospel, affect how we pray for each other, in Christ?

Gospel Benefit How should this gospel benefit affect our praying?

v17: The Holy Spirit is at work in Christians.

v18: We have a glorious inheritance waiting.

vv19,20:

The power at work in Christians is the same as what resurrected Jesus.

v21: The human Jesus is now above all authority.

v22,23:

Christ's church is like his body over whom he is Lord.

'A Call to Spiritual Reformation' by Don Carson explores Paul's prayers andchallenges about how we pray for each other.

Get it from the Lee Mill Church bookshop.http://www.leemillchurch.org/book-shop/

Jeremiah 9:24 but let him who boasts boast about this:that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD,

who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,for in these I delight,"

declares the LORD. NIV84

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http://www.leemillchurch.org/book-shop/

Ephesians

Chapter 2:1-10

Understanding Grace

LMCC 2014

Sing CMP 1151 (with or without chorus) To “Waley Waley”

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Ephesians 2:1-10 – Understanding Grace


Paul has summarised the gospel and prayed that the Ephesians would know God better through understanding his plans for them in Christ. He now explains how they have practically experienced God's working in their lives and their relationship with God in Christ.

A school near Lee Mill gives pupils 'good notes' and 'bad notes' throughout each term. These are monitored, and if the child has more good notes than bad notes, he is praised or rewarded in someway. If, however, the bad notes outweigh the good notes...

Q1. Discuss this method of school discipline. Is it valid? Does it have pros or cons? How might it subtly affect our approach to God and our understanding of the gospel?


Q2. Looking at verses 1-5 and comparing them with 1:19b-21, what is similar about what has happened to Christians to what happened to Christ?

Q3. Pick out of verses 1-3 what the Christians in Ephesus used to be like.

V1

V2

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1

Theory

1 1Summarise

Prayer

2 2 2Teach

3 3 3Prayer

4

Practice

4 4

Command5 5 5

6 6 6Prayer


Overall Structure


Prayer Sandwich




V3

Q4. What does Paul says that everybody deserves in verse 3?

Note that Paul includes himself in this description, even though he was never a pagan Gentile.

Q5. What motivated God to 'make us alive with Christ' according to verses 4 and 7?

v4

v7 (see also Eph. 1:6)

Q6. In verse 8, our salvation is described as the 'gift of God'.How can God afford to give us such an expensive gift?How can God, who is perfectly just, afford not to give us what we deserve?

Clue: Pick out the key words from the passage, in verses 4, 5, 7, 8,

a) __________________________ b) ___________________________

Q7. What do verses 8 and 9 teach us about the order in which faith and works happen in the Christian.

Clues: Faith in verse 8 is trusting God. Works in verse 9 are deeds, especially good deeds.

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Q7. According to verses 9 and 10, how should God's plan for us in Christ, the gospel, his grace and mercy, and his renewing power in our lives now affect what we do and do not do?

Clues:

Give the negative and the positive actions.

Be as practical as possible.

'The Message of Ephesians' by John Stott is a readily available, accessible,insightful and useful commentary which takes into account material from oldercommentaries too.


James 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."Show me your faith without deeds,

and I will show you my faith by what I do.

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Ephesians

Chapter 2:11-22

Unity in Christ

LMCC 2014

Sing CMP 640 The Church's One Foundation

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Ephesians 2:11-22—Unity in Christ


Having understood Paul's summary of the gospel and experienced God's grace, we now see what God has done specifically for the Gentiles. Previously, God's plans focused upon the Jews, but now both Jews and Gentiles have the same, united, experience of God's grace through the same gospel.

Q1. Brainstorm for a minute or two all the groups of people that tend to be at odds with society, those we think rarely if ever become Christians, or those that seem particularly immune to the gospel.

Read John Paton's quotation from Charles Kingsley.This is from the 2nd volume of John Paton'sautobiography and deals with when he went toAustralia. He recounts the story of an aboriginalChristian woman named Nora. He wishes that MrKingsley could have met her and heard her Christliketestimony.


Q2. Pick out of verses 11 and 12 what it was like tobe a Gentile (5 or so things).1. 4.

2. 5.

3.

In the temple in Jerusalem, the Gentiles were only allowed to come into the outermost court, the 'Court of the Gentiles'. They could see the main part of the temple, but were not allowed to go there on pain of death, enforced by the temple guards. Between the Gentiles and the Jews was a wall 3 cubits high. Ephesians 2:14 seems to be referring to the same wall that Josephus, the 1st Century Jewish historian describes:Thus was the first enclosure. In the midst of which, and not far from it, was the second, to be gone up to by a few steps: this was encompassed by a stone wall for a partition, with an

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From John Paton Missionary to the NewHebrides Volume Two 1889

inscription, which forbade any foreigner to go in under pain of death. Now this inner enclosure had on its southern and northern quarters three gates [equally] distant one from another; but on the east quarter, towards the sun-rising, there was one large gate, through which such as were pure came in, together with their wives; but the temple further inward in that gate was not allowedto the women; but still more inward was there a third [court of the] temple, whereinto it was not lawful for any but the priests alone to enter. Flavius Josephus, Antiquities, Book XV 11.5 c.94AD

Read 2:13-18.

Q3. How are things now totally different for Gentiles who are 'in Christ'?Look through each verse or half-verse and pick out the what it is now like to be in Christ.

v13:

v14:

v15a:

v15b:

v16a:

v16b:

v17:

v18:

Read 2:19-22Paul now describes the new unity and friendship between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christiansin terms of nationality, household, having the same foundations, sharing the same cornerstone, being made into the same temple, being lived in by the same Holy Spirit.

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Q4. See if you can associate each part of our unity in Christ with the phrases Paul chooses in verses 18-22 to describe them.

Verse Unity in Christ How Paul Describes It In Ephesians 2:19-22

19 National unity

19 Family unity

20 Foundational unity

21 Constructional unity

22 Habitational unity

Q5. How should this multifaceted, trinitarian, unity affect our relationships with other Christians?Think about our feelings, behaviour, schisms, praying, worship, plans, meeting together...



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Ephesians

Chapter 3:1-13

The Mystery of the Gentiles

LMCC 2014

Sing CMP 1000 King of Kings … who bought the nations

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Ephesians 3:1-13—The Mystery of the Gentiles


Chapter 3 verse 1 is now the second time that the apostle Paul has been moved to pray by the gospel, by God's plan of salvation. But he delays his prayer until verse 14 of this chapter and inserts a dozen verses of explanation about a mystery (vv.3,4,6,9) and how God has made him a servant (minister) of the gospel (v7).

Q1. What sort of things encourage or discourage you about other Christians?


Q2. What is it in verse 1 that causes Paul to delay bursting into prayer until verse 14 and, instead, to explain about him being an apostle to the Gentiles in verses 2-13 first?Clue: Put verse 1 together with verse 13 to work it out. See also 4:1 and 6:20.

Verses 1-6 deal with something that Paul calls a 'mystery' (Gk. μυστήριον=mysterion).Q3. what can we learn about this mystery from verses 3, 4 and 6?

v3

v4

v6

The mystery of the gospel is not like a Scooby Doo mystery or anEnid Blyton mystery, i.e. something to be solved because it is secretand hidden; rather it is like the unveiling of a new model of car. TheJaguar F Type was known in advance to better than an E type,based on the Jaguar XK etc, but nobody actually got to see one anddrive it until it was revealed or unveiled in 2013.In the same way, the details of God's mystery were hidden until Jesus came but the main ideas were trailed by the prophets longbefore.

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Jaguar Concept Car beforethe F Type was unveiled

Q4. What sort of things did the prophets predict about this mystery in advance of Jesus' coming?Clue: Look up Genesis 12:1-3; Psalm 117; Isaiah 49:6.

Paul says that the mystery was revealed to him by special revelation in verse 3.Q5. What detail of God's mystery was now made clear or unveiled to the apostles and prophets?Clue: Notice what word is repeated three times in verse 6 (NIV84 and NIV2011). Some other translations obscure this emphasis somewhat, but it reflects the repeated use in the original Greek of the prefix 'συ-' which is the equivalent of 'co-' or 'joint-' in English.

Q6. What rôle was Paul given in the unveiling of God's mysterious plan v7-9?

Q7. Why does Paul call himself 'less than the least of fall God's people' in verses 8?Clue: Look up 1 Corinthians 15:9.

Q8. According to verse 10 , what was the purpose of God revealing his mystery?

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The idea of taking the gospel to the Gentiles might look like only Plan B and a Plan B that isn't going very well (v13) either, but it isn't, it is actually God's Plan A and always has been.The apostle Paul is spearheading the publication of this mystery to everyone by taking the gospel to the Gentiles, including to the largely Gentile Ephesians.Q9. In verses 12 and 13 what positive and negative practical lessons must they and we take awayfrom understanding God's mystery?

v13

v12



• 3:6 This mystery is that through the gospelthe Gentiles are heirs together with Israel,

members together of one body,and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. NIV84

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Ephesians

Chapter 3:14-21

Paul's Second Big Prayer

LMCC 2014

Sing CMP 611 Spirit of holiness

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Ephesians 3:14-21 Paul's Second Big Prayer


As we now approach the end of the 'Theory' part of Ephesians (table A below) and prepare for him to tell us how to put the gospel into practice in our daily lives, Paul prays a second time (table C below). Although only 8 verses long, this is a big prayer in terms of what it asks...

Q1. What sort of things do you pray about most? Have these changed at all since we studied Paul's previous prayer, the one at the end of chapter 1?

Read Ephesians 3:14-21.In verse 14 Paul picks up again from where he left off in verse 1 with the phrase, 'For this reason'.Q2. What had Paul been writing about in the paragraph before 3:1?Clue: 2:19 provides a useful summary of Paul's previous subject.

• 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,...

It is probably the case that what Paul is reminding us about in 3:15 is not that our whole new Christian family derives its name from God the Father (as implied by many English translations) but that all fatherhood whatsoever derives from God's perfect fatherhood. If this is the case, Paul

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1

Theory

1 1Summarise

Prayer

2 2 2Teach

3 3 3Prayer

4

Practice

4 4

Command5 5 5

6 6 6Prayer


Overall Structure


Prayer Sandwich




is now praying not just to our heavenly Father but to the Father of all fathers. He is appealing to the highest authority, to the head of the greatest house, for spiritual blessings on God's family.

Q3. What other big encouragements for us to pray to our Father are there in this passage?Clue: Look in verses 16, 20 and 21.

v16.

v20.

v21.

Exercise: Think for a minute or two what it is like to go somewhere, visit a house and stay there.Now discuss what it is like settling into a new home to dwell there all your life.

• 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

Q4. Bearing in mind that Christ lives in us by his Holy Spirit (1:13,14), does the exercise throw any light on what Paul means in verses 17 and 18?

Q5. In verse 19, is Paul merely praying that the Ephesians will be filled with knowledge or understanding about God, or something else?

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Q6. What indications are there that Paul is not just praying for the Ephesians but for us too?Clue: Pick out key words and phrases in v15, v18 and v21.

v15

v18

v21

Q7. If this is how Paul prays for the Ephesians and indeed how he has also prayed for all Christians, how should understanding Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 affect how we pray, what we pray for, what we expect from God and the results of what we pray for?

How 14-16 What v16-19

Expectations v20 Results v21





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Ephesians

Chapter 4:1-16

Growing Up

LMCC 2014

Sing CMP 973 All that I am

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Ephesians 4:1-16 – Growing Up


As we move into the second half of Paul's letter (table B below), he gives us lots of practical commands about how to live lives, in Christ, that are consistent with the gospel that he has spent the previous three chapters explaining about, praying about and enthusing about.

Q1. How does what we believe affect what we do? Think of some examples.

Read Ephesians 4:1-16.Paul addresses himself equally now to both Jews and Gentiles as the united church of God, in Christ. He urges them in verse 1 to live lives that are worthy of chapters 1 to 3, worthy of the gospel and even worthy of him and his sufferings (3:13) as a prisoner in Christ (4:1).

The gospel should affect how those called by God to be Christians must relate to each other.Q2. Pick out of verses 1 and 2 the five radical new ways in which we should behave?

__________________________ ____________________________

__________________________ _____________________________

__________________________

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1

Theory

1 1Summarise

Prayer

2 2 2Teach

3 3 3Prayer

4

Practice

4 4

Command5 5 5

6 6 6Prayer


Overall Structure


Prayer Sandwich




In verses 3 to 6, Paul refers to all three persons of the holy Trinity. 'Trinity', although not a biblical word is nevertheless biblical in its meaning: Three-in-One, i.e. Tri-Unity. We worship one God but a God who is in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.Q3. What is it about the Trinity that we should be copying as Christians?Clue: Spot the key word that is repeated in verses 3 to 6.

One sign of whether Paul's prayer for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit (3:16-19) is being answered is whether we are united through the Holy Spirit as he says in verse 3.

Verses 7 to 10 describe the victorious Lord Jesus Christ, like a general after a great battle leading a triumphal procession with captive prisoners and giving away gifts of plunder (grace in v7).

Q4. Looking at verses 11 and 12, can you see how Paul's theme has changed from unity to something else?

• Romans 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. NIV84

Sometimes, gifts from the risen Christ are abilities like those in Romans 12:6, abilities.Q5. How are the four gifts in Ephesians 4:11 different, and yet similar?

Q6. How have the apostles and prophets in verse 11 been gifts to God's people?Clue: Refer back to 2:20.

Verse 11 also mentions evangelists (bringers of good news), pastors and teachers (misleading, really, 'ποιμένας' should not be pastors, but shepherds, in order to be both correct and tie up with all the other references to shepherds in the Bible).Also, 'shepherds and teachers' are phrased as a single gift in the Greek, not two separate ones.Q7. What are the two key benefits in verse 12 from these two gifts or types of person?

_____________________________ ___________________________

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Q8. If we manage to maintain the unity with diversity that Paul describes in verses 11 to 13, what will be the end result, according to verses 13-16?Clue: With the help of the table below, examine each verse for clues as to how the benefits are to be achieved in practice. Remember to look back at verses 11 and 12 to make sure that your answers are both practical and biblical.

Verse Benefit or blessing Meaning in practice

v13 become mature e.g. Maturity (v13) is everyone making progress towards Spirit-filled Christlikeness (v13) through us all using our teaching and serving gifts (v11) to build each other up spiritually v12.

v14 no longer infants

v15 grow up

v16 builds itself up

Thus true church unity is not uniformity, but unity with diversity, aiming for eventual mature Christlikeness, humanity in the image of God, filled with the Spirit, glorifying the triune God.





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Ephesians

Chapter 4:17-32

Loving Our Neighbours

LMCC 2014

Sing CMP 1 A new commandment

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Ephesians 4:17-32 – Loving Our Neighbours

Paul has been explaining how we must live lives that are worthy of the gospel, being united, using God's gifts to all of us so that, together, we become mature and Christlike.

Q1. Discuss in what circumstances you might take off one set of clothes and put on another.

Then keep the idea of changing clothing in mind and read Ephesians 4:17-24.

In verses 17-19, Paul refers to pagan world and the Ephesians before they became Christians as 'Gentiles'.

Q2. List what it is like from verses 17 to 19 to be a Gentile, in other words, what we are like withoutthe Holy Spirit. See also Ephesians 2:1-4 for a similar description.

According to Paul in verse 22, the above table is our 'old self' which we are supposed to have taken off like a set of filthy clothes.

Q3. What should our 'new self' v24, our clean set of clothes now be like, according to verses 22 and 23?

In fact, the change that has happened to the Ephesians is much deeper than just a change of

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clothes. Paul calls it taking off the old human 'παλαι νὸ νθρωπονἄ ' and putting on the new human 'καιν νὸ νθρωπονἄ '. It is men, women and children being born again, as per John chapter 3.


However, Christlike behaviour is not automatic, it has to be learned and practised, so Paul again tells them to 'put on' their new clothes in verse 25 by listing specific behaviours that the Ephesians need to work on. He also gives reasons why their new “wardrobe” should include these particular clothes.

Q4. Complete the table below with the reasons why.Verse Behaviour Why?

25 put off falsehood

See also Galatians 6:10.speak truthfully

26, 27 in anger do not sin

28 stop stealing

work

29 unwholesome talk

helpful talk

30 not grieving the Holy Spirit See also 1:13-14

31 get rid of bitterness These are examples of evil 'κακί ' [ᾳ malice NIV]. Paul assumes that it is obvious that these have to go!Or perhaps, the reason why these must stop is a more about not grieving the Holy Spirit.

rage

anger

brawling

slander

every form of malice

32 be kind

compassionate

forgiving

32

In this passage, Paul again and again reminds us that we are 'in Christ' v32 or 'in the Lord' v17 or 'in Jesus' v21.

Q5. How do the reasons for behaving in a new Christlike manner come from being in Christ?

Q6. If Paul were not writing to the Ephesians but directly to us nowadays, how similar or different do you think his list in verses 25 to 32 would be?

• Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,especially to those who belong to the family of believers.



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Ephesians

Chapter 5:1-20

How to Live

LMCC 2014

Sing CMP 254 I am a new creation

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Ephesians 5:1-20 How to Live

Paul has been explain how the gospel, the good news of how God's eternal plan has been fulfilled in us through the Lord Jesus Christ, means that we must also now live Christlike lives. We have not been saved only to carry on as before...

Q1. What things decide how you live your life?


Q2. Have a look at verses 2, 8 and 15, and identify the three main ways in which Paul tells the Ephesians Christians they must live their lives.Clue: In some translations, it will say 'walk' rather than 'live', but the meaning is the same.

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

Q3. In verses 1 and 2, what rôle models do we have for living a life of love?

Q4. In verses 3 to 7, what seven (or so) enemies are there of living a life of love?

v3 v3 v3 v4

v4 v4 v6

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Q5. How does Paul define living in the light in verses 8 to 10?

Q6. In verses 11 to 14 how does Paul show deeds of darkness for what there really are: Sin?That is, how does he describe them?

v11 v12 v13 v14 rise from the

…...........….............

People sometimes claim that the Bible is just full of lots of dos and don'ts. Occasionally though, it is. And they are really important dos and don'ts because they show us the difference between being wise and being foolish (v15).Q7. Complete the following table from verses 15 to 20, being careful to put the opposites next to each other, that is, on the same row.v15 Unwise Wise

v16b the days are evil v16a

v17a foolish v17b

v18a v18b

v19 debauchery v19

v20 v4,v20

v21 submitting...

Thus Paul illustrates the way of wisdom as being what it looks like to be 'filled with the Spirit'.

Q8. If Paul were not writing to the Ephesians but directly to us nowadays, how similar or different do you think his lists of dos and don't in verses 3 to 20 would be?

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Ephesians

Chapter 5:21-6:9

Family Life

LMCC 2014

Sing CMP 997 Jesus, lover of my soul

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Ephesians 5:21-6:9 – Family Life

Having explained in chapter 5 verses 15-20 about how living wisely is a matter of being filled with the Holy Spirit (as opposed to being filled with wine), the apostle Paul applies these principles of living wisely and being filled with the Spirit to family life.

Q1. What issues to do with human and family relationships cause most angst, consternation, outrage or controversy in 21st Century Britain?

• Eph. 5:21 and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.Paul “goes for the jugular” when he says that Christian family life is mainly a matter of submitting to one another. He has clearly not been listening to BBC Radio 4 and must a completely unreconstructed Neanderthal. Or is he...?Read Ephesians 5:1-6:9.

Q2. Completing just the top row of the Table A below, list the 6 family relationships that Paul uses to exemplify wise and Spirit filled submission here in Ephesians 5 and 6.

Table A 1 2 3 4 5 6

Relationship:wives to

husbands

….............to

…............

children to

…..............

fathers to

…................

slaves to

…...............

…................to

…................

Verses: 5:22-24, 33b 5:25-33a 6:1-3 6:4 6:5-8 6:9

'hard'/'easy': …............ …............ …............ …............ …............ …............

Q3. Using Table A above, assign 'hard' or 'easy' to each of these relationships, according to your own perception.Notice, how a submissive attitude to Christ is fundamental to all of the 6 relationships.

For each of the 6 relationships, Paul issues a mixture of commands, reasons and motivations.He recognises that all these relationships may be hard, and gives us as much help as possible.

The commands are what we should do and how we should relate submissively to each other.

The reasons are why we should relate to each other in a godly, submissive, manner.

The motivations are to help us to want to submit, even though our natural inclination is the exact opposite sometimes.

Q3. Use Table B to explore 2-way submission to Christ within the marriage relationship by completing the table.

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Table B 1 2

Relationship: Wives to …................................ Husbands to …..............................

Verses: 5:22-24, 33b 5:25-33a

Command(s):v22 vv25a,28

Reason?v23 vv25b-27

Motivation?v24 v25,29-31,32

Q4. Discuss whose rôle is harder, the husband's or the wife's.

• Genesis 1:27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Notice how Paul uses typology to motivate us. Typology is the idea in the Bible of how we mere humans (mankind) were created in order to image God and the Lord Jesus Christ. When we relatewell to each other, in a godly way, we bring glory to God by behaving in his image (Genesis 1:27)

In chapter 6, Paul now moves on to the next family relationships—children and parents.Q5. Repeat the exercise using Table C below.

Table C 3 4

Relationship Children to parents Fathers to children

Verses 6:1-3 6:4

Command(s):v1 v4

Reason?vv1,2 v4

Motivation?v3

Q6. Looking at verse 4, can you think of any particular reasons why mothers are not mentioned?

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In a normal family in Bible times there would often be slaves. These were regarded as being part of the family or household both by society and also biblically. See Gen. 15:3; Exo. 23:12; Acts 16:15. The economy of the Roman empire was largely based upon slavery. Slaves were not necessarily people who had been kidnapped (as in 18th century Britain), but were often willingly servants, some even occupying senior positions within the family, for example, Abram's servant in Genesis 15:3 who stood to inherit Abram's whole estate. Slavery is a large subject to explore.For an essay on Scripture on Slavery, see William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary, Philemon, Banner of Truth, 1962.

Q7. Complete Table D below.Table D 5 6

Relationship Slaves to masters Masters to slaves

Verses 6:5-8 6:9

Command(s):vv5-7 v9a

Reason? vv6,7 v9b

Motivation? v8

Q8. Given the illegality of slavery in modern Britain, how can we apply Ephesians 6:5-9 to relationships in the work place practically?

Q9. What will be the effect on God's glory, our families, our churches and our country if we really take Paul's instructions seriously?

God's/Christ's glory:

Our families:

Our churches:

Our country:

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1. For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies; Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

2. For the beauty of each hour of the day and of the night, hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon, and stars of light; Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

3. For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind's delight, for the mystic harmony, linking sense to sound and sight; Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

4. For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild; Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

5. For thy church, that evermore lifteth holy hands above, offering up on every shore her pure sacrifice of love; Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

6. For thyself, best Gift Divine, to the world so freely given, for that great, great love of thine, peace on earth, and joy in heaven: Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.Folliott S. Pierpoint (1835-1917)

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Ephesians

Chapter 6:10-24

The Full Armour of God

LMCC 2014

Sing 'There is a hope' - Townend

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Ephesians 6:10-24 – The Full Armour of God

Having explored what are, hopefully, positive family relationships, Paul now turns his attention to a different kind of relationship – that with the enemy. But just who is our enemy?

Q1. Discuss briefly and come up with a list of the Christians enemies, of all forms and types.

Read Ephesians 6:10-12.Q2. Identify clearly who is not the enemy and who is from verses 10 to 12.

There is a good example of some-one struggling against flesh and blood when he should have been taking his stand against the devil in Luke 22. Read verse 3, then verses 45 to 51.

Q3. What mistake does the unnamed Peter make and why does he make it?

What:

Why:


The full armour of God is readily misunderstood in a group discussion, but not if we remember that Paul is recalling what the LORD promises in Isaiah 59:15b-171 we will soon tune in to Paul's way ofthinking.

• The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no-one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.

Verse

Armour Meaning If missing...?

1 14 belt of truth Certainly the truth of the gospel (1:13), but also honesty and integrity (4:25)

1 It is important to get just the right cross-reference, otherwise we may get confused. 1 Thess. 5:8 is not the right one to go to in thefirst instance. Isaiah 59 is. 1 Thess. 5:8 is a different way of using Isaiah 59.

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Verse

Armour Meaning If missing...?

2 14 breastplate of righteousness

Perhaps not justification so much as moral righteousness as per Isaiah 59:17; Ephesians 4:24

3 15 the readiness thatcomes from the gospel of peace

Think perhaps of UN peacekeepers here and peace amongst God's people as per Ephesians 4:3.

4 16 shield of faith Faith is needed especially when the devil finds way of persecuting or discouraging us. Faith sees beyond the trouble and keeps trusting and obey God. See Isaiah31:5

5 17 helmet of salvation

Salvation here in the sense of going out and saving, not of being saved. See Isaiah 59:16.

6 17 sword of the Spirit The word of God, the Bible, as portrayed in Hebrews 4:12

Isaiah 59 vividly depicts Jesus going out as a warrior to save and judge. Notice how an active, attacking, understanding of Ephesians 6:14-17 fits far better than a passive, defensive, even introverted(?), understanding of the verses.

Q5. In what ways can the devil exploit our missing pieces of armour in the 6 examples that Paul chooses above? Fill in the blank cells in the table above.

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Q6. What two other things are fundamental to being a successful spiritual warrior, according to verse 18?

________________________________ ____________________________________


Notice the three examples of prayer going on in verses 18, 19-22 and 23-24.Q7. What lessons about prayer can we draw for ourselves from each example of prayer given in these verses?

Lessons for Us

6:18

6:19-20

6:21-22

6:23-24

Homework21st Century believers are just as much in Christ as the Ephesians are. Do we now understand better how to express our unity in Christ in practical Christian living? Spend time on your own and in prayer asking God to make Paul's gospel and commands reality in your life. Review what we have learned in Ephesians.

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