|
Preface |
3 |
|
|
Table of Contents |
4 |
|
|
Reprint Guidelines |
9 |
|
|
References and Abbreviations |
10 |
|
|
Introduction to Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians |
12 |
|
|
|
Authorship |
12 |
|
|
Place and Date |
14 |
|
|
Ephesus in Paul’s Day |
15 |
|
|
Recipients of the Letter |
16 |
|
|
Purpose, Themes, and Structure |
16 |
|
|
Themes and Structure of the Letter |
17 |
|
|
Reading Aloud |
17 |
|
|
Both Minds and Hearts |
18 |
|
1. Spiritual Blessings in Christ (1:1-6) |
19 |
|
|
|
Grace and Peace to the Saints (1:1-2) |
19 |
|
|
Blessings in the Heavenly Realms (1:3) |
20 |
|
|
In Christ |
21 |
|
|
Predestination and Election (1:4-5) |
23 |
|
|
Chosen for Holiness (1:4) |
25 |
|
|
Chosen to Be Adopted (1:5-6) |
26 |
|
2. God’s Plan of Redemption (1:7-14) |
28 |
|
|
|
Redemption through His Blood (1:7-8) |
28 |
|
|
Grace Lavished on Us (1:8) |
29 |
|
|
Uniting All Things in Christ (1:9-10) |
30 |
|
|
Predestined for Praise (1:11-12) |
31 |
|
|
Sealed by the Spirit as a Guarantee (1:13-14) |
32 |
|
|
You as God’s Possession (1:14) |
33 |
|
|
Full Citizens |
33 |
|
3. The Greatness of Our Christian Inheritance (1:15-23) |
35 |
|
|
|
A Great Vision (1:17-19a) |
35 |
|
|
Hope to Which He Has Called You (1:18b) |
36 |
|
|
His Glorious Inheritance in the Saints (1:18c) |
36 |
|
|
His Incomparably Great Power (1:18d) |
37 |
|
|
A Great Christ (1:19b-23) |
39 |
|
|
Christ as Head (1:22) |
41 |
|
|
A Great Church (1:22-23) |
41 |
|
4. From Deadness to Coming Alive in Christ (2:1-7) |
44 |
|
|
|
Dead in Transgressions and Sin (2:1) |
44 |
|
|
Following Satan (2:2-3) |
45 |
|
|
Children of Wrath (2:3b) |
46 |
|
|
Sinners by Nature (2:3) |
47 |
|
|
Grace and Mercy (2:4-5) |
48 |
|
|
Seated with Christ in Heavenly Realms (2:6) |
50 |
|
|
Ages of Grace (2:7) |
51 |
|
5. Salvation By Grace Through Faith (2:8-10) |
53 |
|
|
|
The Need for a Rescue Operation |
53 |
|
|
Results of Rescue (2:4-6) |
54 |
|
|
“Grace” Is More than a Girl’s Name |
55 |
|
|
Working Our Way into the Good Graces of God (2:9) |
56 |
|
|
A Self-Serving Righteousness |
57 |
|
|
The Just Shall Live by Their Faith |
58 |
|
|
If You’re Good Enough You Can Go to Heaven |
58 |
|
|
The Essential Marriage of Faith and Works |
59 |
|
|
The Cart Comes after the Horse |
60 |
|
|
Working Out our Destiny (2:10) |
60 |
|
|
This Not of Yourselves |
61 |
|
|
Influence without Coercion |
62 |
|
6. Fellow Citizens with the People of God (2:11-22) |
64 |
|
|
|
Separated from Christ (2:11-12) |
64 |
|
|
Brought Near through His Blood (2:13) |
65 |
|
|
Completing the Law’s Requirements (2:14-15) |
66 |
|
|
Moral, Ceremonial, and Civil Law |
67 |
|
|
Jew and Gentile as the “New Israel” |
68 |
|
|
Access to the Father (2:18) |
69 |
|
|
Made One in Christ (2:18-22) |
70 |
|
|
A Dwelling Place for God in the Spirit (2:22) |
70 |
|
|
The Church as a Temple (2:21-22) |
71 |
|
|
Spiritual Masonry |
72 |
|
7. The Mystery, Mission, and Ministry of the Church (3:1-13) |
74 |
|
|
|
Paul the Prisoner (3:1) |
74 |
|
|
Revelation of the Mystery to Paul and the Apostles (3:2-5) |
74 |
|
|
Revelation to Apostles and Prophets |
76 |
|
|
What Is the Mystery? (3:6) |
77 |
|
|
The Apostolic Servant of This Gospel (3:7-9) |
78 |
|
|
The Unsearchable Riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8) |
80 |
|
|
The Church Is to Make It Known (3:10-11) |
80 |
|
|
Approaching God through Faith (3:12-13) |
81 |
|
8. Paul’s Prayer and Doxology (3:14-21) |
83 |
|
|
|
Kneeling before the Father (3:14-15) |
83 |
|
|
God’s Resources (3:16) |
84 |
|
|
Strengthening the Inner Being (3:16b-17a) |
84 |
|
|
The Process of Sanctification |
85 |
|
|
Spirit-filled Christians |
86 |
|
|
Rooted and Grounded in Love (3:17b) |
86 |
|
|
Outcome 1: To Comprehend the Love that Surpasses Knowledge (3:18-19a) |
87 |
|
|
Outcome 2: Filled with God (3:19b) |
88 |
|
|
Doxology: God’s Ability to Answer Abundantly (3:20) |
89 |
|
|
Doxology: Glory in the Church (3:21) |
90 |
|
9. One Body – Unity and Diversity (4:1-10) |
93 |
|
|
|
One Purpose |
93 |
|
|
Three Commands (4:1-3) |
93 |
|
|
Seven Bonds (4:4-5) |
97 |
|
|
Millions of Unique Giftings (4:7) |
98 |
|
|
The Victor Dispensing Gifts (4:8-10) |
100 |
|
10. Preparation, Ministry, and Maturity (4:11-16) |
102 |
|
|
|
Defining an Apostle (4:11a) |
102 |
|
|
Defining Prophets (4:11b) |
104 |
|
|
Defining Evangelists (4:11c) |
104 |
|
|
Defining Pastors (4:11d) |
105 |
|
|
Defining Teachers (4:11e) |
106 |
|
|
Purpose of the Ministry (4:12) |
106 |
|
|
The Nature of a Mature Church (4:13-16) |
108 |
|
11. Putting on Clean Clothes (4:17-32) |
111 |
|
|
|
Darkness of the Secular Mind (4:17-19) |
112 |
|
|
Our New, Holy Self (4:20-24) |
113 |
|
|
Truth, Anger, and Theft (4:25-28) |
115 |
|
|
Blithering, Blathering, Bitterness, and Brawling (4:29-32) |
117 |
|
|
Grieving the Holy Spirit of God (4:30) |
119 |
|
|
Kind, Compassionate, Forgiving (4:32) |
120 |
|
12. Imitate Your Father, Children (5:1-20) |
122 |
|
|
|
Imitators of God (5:1-2) |
122 |
|
|
Sexual Purity (5:3-7) |
123 |
|
|
Avoiding Sexual Immorality (5:3) |
123 |
|
|
Greedy for Sex (5:3) |
124 |
|
|
Obscenity and Dirty Jokes (5:4) |
125 |
|
|
Robbing Us of Our Kingdom Inheritance (5:5-6) |
125 |
|
|
Greed for Money (5:5) |
126 |
|
|
From Darkness to Light (5:8-14) |
126 |
|
|
Make the Most of Every Opportunity (5:15-16) |
127 |
|
|
Avoid Drunkenness (5:17-18a) |
128 |
|
|
Be Filled with the Spirit (5:18) |
129 |
|
|
Singing to One Another and to God (5:19-20) |
130 |
|
13. Christian Husbands and Christian Wives (5:21-33) |
132 |
|
|
|
Submit Yourselves (5:21) |
133 |
|
|
Headship (kephale) |
134 |
|
|
Submission “As to the Lord” (5:22b) |
136 |
|
|
Husbands, Give Yourselves Up for Your Wives (5:25-30) |
136 |
|
|
Serving the Imperfect Wife (5:26-27) |
137 |
|
|
One Flesh (5:28-32) |
138 |
|
|
The Marriage of Christ and His Church (5:32) |
139 |
|
|
Pulling It All Together (5:33) |
139 |
|
|
Moving Toward the Ideal |
140 |
|
14. Children and Parents, Employers and Employees (6:1-9) |
142 |
|
|
|
Children Obey Your Parents (6:1-3) |
142 |
|
|
Honor Your Father and Mother |
143 |
|
|
Promises to the Obedient |
143 |
|
|
Fathers (6:4) |
144 |
|
|
Training and Instruction (6:4b) |
145 |
|
|
Slaves (Employees) (6:5-8) |
146 |
|
|
Masters, Employers (6:9) |
149 |
|
15. Wrestling with the Enemy of Our Souls (6:10-18) |
152 |
|
|
|
Relying on God’s Strength (6:10-11a) |
153 |
|
|
The Diabolical Nature of the Struggle (6:11b-12) |
154 |
|
|
Stand Your Ground (6:13) |
156 |
|
|
The Nature of the Armament (6:14-17) |
157 |
|
|
Footgear for Battle (6:15) |
158 |
|
|
Pray in the Spirit (6:18) |
161 |
|
16. Prevailing through Prayer (6:18-24) |
163 |
|
|
|
Spiritual Warfare and Struggle |
163 |
|
|
Pray in the Spirit (6:18) |
164 |
|
|
Alertness in Prayer for All the Saints (6:18b) |
165 |
|
|
Paul Requests Prayer for Himself (6:19-20) |
165 |
|
|
An Ambassador in Chains (6:20a) |
166 |
|
|
Tychicus – Personal Matters (6:21-22) |
167 |
|
|
Closing Benediction (6:23-24) |
168 |
|
Appendix. Participant Guide Handout Sheets |
169 |
|
|
|
1. Spiritual Blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:1-6) |
170 |
|
|
2. God’s Plan of Redemption (Ephesians 1:7-14) |
171 |
|
|
3. The Greatness of Our Christian Inheritance (Ephesians 1:15-23) |
172 |
|
|
4. From Deadness in Sin to Coming Alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-7) |
173 |
|
|
5. Salvation By Grace Through Faith (Ephesians 2:8-10) |
174 |
|
|
6. Fellow Citizens with the People of God (Ephesians 2:11-22) |
175 |
|
|
7. The Mystery, Mission, and Ministry of the Church (Ephesians 3:1-13) |
176 |
|
|
8. Paul’s Prayer and Doxology (Ephesians 3:14-21) |
177 |
|
|
9. One Body – Unity and Diversity (Ephesians 4:1-10) |
178 |
|
|
10. Preparation, Ministry, and Maturity (Ephesians 4:11-16) |
179 |
|
|
11. Putting on Clean Clothes (Ephesians 4:17-32) |
180 |
|
|
12. Imitate Your Father, Children (Ephesians 5:1-20) |
181 |
|
|
13. Christian Husbands and Christian Wives (Ephesians 5:21-33) |
182 |
|
|
14. Children and Parents, Employers and Employees (Ephesians 6:1-9) |
183 |
|
|
15. Wrestling with the Enemy of Our Souls (Ephesians 6:10-18) |
184 |
|
|
16. Prevailing through Prayer (Ephesians 6:18-24) |
185 |