EPHESIANS 1:1-14
When you pray, how much time do you spend praising God?
Question:
Why do you think God deserves our praise?
– He gave us eternal life?
– He is our Creator?
– He is Holy and sinless?
– He blesses us?
– He answers our prayers?
– others?
Question:
What are some things we should praise Him for?
– His wisdom?
– His mercy?
– His grace?
– His love?
– His trustworthiness?
– His availability?
– His consistency (never changes)?
– His lack of favoritism?
– His blessings?
– His plans He created for us?
– The joy and peace He makes available to us?
Question:
How often should we praise Him?
– As often as we think of Him?
– Daily?
– Throughout the day?
Question:
How do we benefit from praising Him?
– We build our relationship with Him (grow closer to Him).
– It helps to take our mind off our troubles.
– Praising Him is a positive expression that lifts our own spirits.
– It reminds us that He is in control of every circumstance in our lives.
– It is a comforting reminder that we are not alone.
Question:
Are there any examples in your
own life when you have praised Him?
Question:
What hinders us from praising God?
– Worldly distractions?
– Time (busyness)?
– Circumstances (problems; tired; sick; discouraged)?
– Focus (selfishness)?
– We assume it is not necessary since He already knows how we feel?
EPHESIANS 1
VERSE 1.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Paul established his authority when he greeted the Ephesians.
He states clearly that his apostleship was the will of God. He
did not want anyone to get the idea that this was something
he chose to do on his own, but rather it was in obedience to
God’s calling specifically for him.
Question:
Do you think God has a will for each of our lives?
Question:
If so, then how do we determine His will?
– Pray (ask Him); spend time reading the His Word.
Question:
If God has a will (plan) for each of us individually,
then doesn’t it make sense that we would want to
know what He expects of us?
Look at these verses:
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ
Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in
advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
And we know that in all things God works for the
good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
for it is God who works in you to will and to act
in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13)
We can see from these verses that God is involved in the lives of
those who belong to Him. He has a plan designed for each of us
individually, that fulfills His will and gives us a purpose for living.
Question:
If we don’t think God has a special plan for us,
could that mean we are not a part of His family?
Note:
Just as Paul identified with Jesus Christ,
we can do the same thing after we are saved.
**We can praise God for our identity with Him,
and for having a will for our lives.
Look how Paul greeted them
(this was the reputation they had created).
– “faithful in Christ Jesus”.
Question:
If he was writing to specifically to you, how would he
refer to you? What reputation have you created for yourself?
VERSE 2.
Grace and peace to you
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Question:
How would you describe God’s grace?
(perfect; available; forgiving; undeserved; caring; comforting)
Question:
How would you describe His peace?
(perfect; available; not achieved by works; fulfills His promise)
**We can praise God for His grace and peace.
VERSE 3.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms
with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Immediately after his greeting, Paul began to praise God.
Note:
He is very specific as to which God he is praising
(Father of Lord Jesus Christ).
Question:
Do you think most people praise God more
for material things, or spiritual blessings? Why?
– It depends on their focus at the time.
– We have a tendency to be
grateful for the ‘seen’ over the ‘unseen’.
Note:
When we learn to be grateful
for the ‘unseen’, we can receive new blessings.
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me,
you have believed; blessed are those who have not
seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)
VERSES 4-5.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the
world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through
Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
God took the initiative to bring us to Himself. His desire is for
every person to appear holy and blameless in His sight. He also
made it possible (predestined) for us to become adopted children
of His family (through His Son, Jesus).
God created the opportunity for every person to become an adopted
child of His; we have the responsibility to comply with His will
(which brings Him pleasure).
Think about that for a moment:
God chose you to be holy and blameless before Him (which makes
you an adopted child of His) and He has a plan for that to happen.
Question:
Why would His plan stipulate “through Jesus Christ”? Doesn’t
it imply that we cannot become holy and blameless on our own?
Question:
When did God creat His plan?
– Before the creation of the world. In other words,
He had each individual in mind when He created all things.
Think about this:
– God chose us to be holy and blameless in His sight.
– But what happened? Man failed.
– God’s response to man’s failure was to provide another way
for us to be what, and who He wants us to be (His adopted children).
– Why would He do that for us? Because He loves
us much more than we might understand.
– This new relationship with Him
fulfills His will for us and brings Him pleasure.
**We can praise Him for:
– Choosing us to be holy and blameless.
– Providing a way for us to be holy and blameless.
– Adopting us as His children.
Question:
What does that mean for us?
– We have the rights, privileges,
and responsibilities of an heir.
Question:
What are some of the rights,
privileges and responsibilities of an heir?
– Our Father:
– Loves us.
– Wants a relationship with us.
– Wants what is best for us.
– Wants to take care of us.
– We need to:
– Love Him in return.
– Embrace and nourish our relationship with Him.
– Respect and honor Him.
– Obey and please Him.
– Praise Him for who He is.
VERSE 6.
to the praise of his glorious grace, which
he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Question:
What does the term “freely given” mean to you?
– We cannot gain salvation through our works?
– We have a choice of accepting or rejecting
the gift?
Note:
KJV says, “hath made us accepted”.
This is equivalent to “highly favored”,
which emphasizes the magnitude of His love for us.
VERSES 7-8.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches
of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all
wisdom and understanding.
“redemption” means “to release on receipt of ransom”.
In Old Testament times, it meant “buying back
something that originally belonged to someone”.
Question:
With this description, how would you
describe the sacrifice Jesus made for us?
– We originally belonged to God, but sin took
us away, so the sacrifice of Jesus bought us back.
Question:
Our redemption and forgiveness is a result of what?
– The riches of God’s grace.
Question:
Why is it called riches?
– Because a life sacrifice is the ultimate gift?
Question:
How can we know that God has forgiven us?
“lavished”
– Indicates an abundance and more than enough.
God also gives us wisdom and understanding.
The Christian life is something we know
intellectually and experience emotionally and spiritually.
VERSE 9.
And he made known to us the mystery of
his will according to his good pleasure,
which he purposed in Christ,
“mystery”
– God revealed to Paul (and to us) what
was not known in the Old Testament.
The word ‘mystery’ refers to:
– The gospel.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth,
words may be given me so that I will fearlessly
make known the mystery of the gospel, (Ephesians 6:19)
– The union between Christ and the church.
This is a profound mystery—but I am
talking about Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:32)
– The inclusion of both Jews and Gentiles in the church.
that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation,
as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then,
you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery
of Christ, which was not made known to men in other
generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to
God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that
through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with
Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together
in the promise in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 3:3-6)
VERSE 10.
to be put into effect when the times will have reached
their fulfillment – to bring all things in heaven and
on earth together under one head, even Christ.
We can see that God has a plan for His people.
He is working to accomplish that plan, and we
are a part of the plan.
Note:
Only those who have received Jesus
as Savior are under His headship.
Note:
Compare this verse in Philippians.
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father. In him we were also
chosen, having been predestined according to the
plan of him who works out everything in conformity
with the purpose of his will, (Philippians 2:10-11)
Again Paul points out that everyone who is
‘in Jesus Christ’ is chosen and a part of His plan and purpose.
**We can praise Him for choosing us even though we are unworthy.
VERSE 12.
in order that we, who were the first to hope
in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
Paul reminds us that we were created to praise Him.
Note:
Praising God is one of our responsibilities.
VERSES 13-14.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard
the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having
believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the
promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing
our inheritance until the redemption of those who are
God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
These verses emphasize the work of God the Holy Spirit
in our salvation.
Paul reminds the Ephesians (and us) that their salvation is
a result of responding in faith to the messages of the gospel.
As a result, they were included in Christ and they received
God’s blessings.
Notice the Holy Spirit is our seal.
The seal was fixed on a letter so that it could not be
read until it was delivered to the intended recipient.
Note:
God puts His seal on the life of a Christian.
The Holy Spirit is also a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.
A deposit is a partial payment, guaranteeing
the rest of the amount that had been promised
(like a down payment on a house – earnest money).
“redemption”
– Here it means the final restoration of our bodies at the
resurrection. The Holy Spirit assures our ultimate redemption.
Again Paul tells us that we should praise Him
for the blessings associated with the Holy Spirit.
We can praise God for:
– Identifying us with Christ.
– Having a will for our lives.
– Having grace toward us.
– Giving us peace.
– Choosing us to be holy and blameless.
– Providing a way for us to be holy and blameless.
– Adopting us as His children.
– Loving us.
– Wanting a relationship with us.
– Providing salvation as a gift, and not a result of works.
– Giving us the choice of accepting or rejecting salvation.
– Considering us as highly favored.
– Redeeming us.
– Giving us wisdom and understanding.
– Revealing to us the mystery of the gospel.
– Including both the Jews and Gentiles in the church.
– Having a plan for His people.
– Choosing us, as unworthy as we are.
– Providing the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our redemption.
CHALLENGE:
Praise God every day this week
for one of the blessings covered in these verses
(choose one you may have overlooked until now).
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