And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17 NKJV

The Book of Ephesians

I am so happy we will be studying Ephesians, one of my favorite books of the Bible, this quarter. There are many things I love about the book. I love how Paul teaches in Ephesians 1:1-6 that we are accepted in the Beloved and destined by God’s grace to be formed in His image. I love how Ephesians 1:6 and Ephesians 2:6  brings out that we are justified in Christ and how Ephesians 3:14-21 teaches how we are sanctified by Christ being in us. I love how Ephesians 2:1-10 shows how grace saves us from the penalty of sin and the power of sin. I love how Ephesians Chapters 4-6 shows us the obedient lifestyle of a grace-filled Christian. I could go on and on, but you probably have your own favorite passages in Ephesians as well which brings me to my challenge for all of us this quarter.

Our weekly Sabbath School lessons are designed to explore different ideas in the book of Ephesians as well as covering those same ideas elsewhere in Scripture. This approach is very beneficial. I also believe since Paul wrote this book as a letter, He intended for it to be read verse by verse as  a whole and complete message within itself, just like we read a letter today.  Therefore I would like to encourage all my friends and fellow Bible students around the world to take some time to read the book of Ephesians from beginning to end just like when you receive a letter today or a personal e-mail. The book or letter is only six chapters and could be read in one sitting, but I do not want to encourage you to rush through. Take your time and let Paul’s ideas soak into your mind and heart. I appreciate how our lesson authors have divided the lesson topics, but I also believe a rich blessing is in store for those who read Ephesians verse by verse as a whole passage, just the way it was written. 

Will you join me in reading the entire book of Ephesians verse by verse from beginning to end this week? 

Amen!(0)

The post The Book of Ephesians Challenge. appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/the-book-of-ephesians-challenge/

Paul wrote Ephesians to be read aloud in the house churches of believers in greater Ephesus. In the intervening years since Paul’s departure, the Christian movement in Ephesus had grown, and the number of house churches had multiplied. For those early believers, it would have been an important event to have Tychicus, the personal representative of the founding apostle Paul, stand among them and share a letter from him. As suggested by the epistle itself, the assembled group likely included members of the host household — father, mother, children, and slaves (Ephesians 5:21-6:9). At the time, a household included others as well — clients (free persons who depended on the householder for support) and even customers.

Image © Lifeway Collection Goodsalt.com

So these may be present too, as well as members of other households.

In conjunction with the outline of the letter below, read through the entire epistle, preferably out loud (it will take about 15 minutes to do so). What themes echo through the letter as a whole?

I. Opening Greeting (Ephesians 1:1-2)
II. Introductory Blessing (Ephesians 1:3-14)
III. Praying for Believers to Receive Christ-Focused Wisdom (Ephesians 1:15-23)
IV. Once Spiritually Dead; Now Exalted With Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10)
V. Christ’s Creation of the Church Out of Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:11-22)
VI. Paul as Preacher of Christ to the Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1-13)
VII. Praying for Believers to Experience the Love of Christ (Ephesians 3:14-21)
VIII. Hold On to the Spirit-Inspired Unity of the Church (Ephesians 4:1-16)
IX. Live the New, Unity-Nurturing Life (Ephesians 4:17-32)
X. Walk in Love, Light, and Wisdom (Ephesians 5:1-20)
XI. Practice Christ-Shaped Life in the Christian Household (Ephesians 5:21-6:9)
XII. Stand Together: The Church as the Army of God (Ephesians 6:10-20)
XIII. Closing Greeting (Ephesians 6:21-24)

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Amen!(0)

The post Tuesday: Hearing the Letter to the Ephesians appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/tuesday-hearing-letter-to-ephesians/