Key Thought : Prayers of praise and thanksgiving are essential in the Christian life. We need to experience the power of Christ in the life so we can live our lives freely in Him.
July 15, 2023

1. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 1:15-23. 3:14-21.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What does it mean that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think? Do you see that power in your life? If not, why not?
3. Personal Application: Why is it important always to thank God in prayer for what you have to be thankful for? Share your thoughts..
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Why doesn’t your church open during the week for the community and members to meet for prayer and study of the word, and not just on Saturday morning?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 1:17-19.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What three topics does Paul pray that the Holy Spirit will bring special insight to believers?
3. Personal Application: How can you better experience the exceeding greatness of His power toward you? What does this mean in daily life? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why, if Jesus is Lord of all things, and demons are subject unto Him, are the evil forces and authorities still seem to have rule over us and the earth?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 1:21, 2:2, 6:12.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why is Paul so interested in the evil, spiritual powers?
3. Personal Application: What are some present day manifestations of these evil forces, and how can we make sure we are not caught up in any of them? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “To what extent are you living under the authority of the fallen powers? How do you know which power you are living under?” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 1:22,23.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What benefits does Christ provide for His church as His exalted position and rule over all things in heaven and earth?
3. Personal Application: What has been your own experience with the power of prayer? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

Amen!(0)

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Motivated by news that believers in Ephesus are thriving in faith toward Jesus and in love toward each other (perhaps news shared by Tychicus, Ephesians 6:21-22), Paul reports to them how he prays for them.

Compare Paul’s two prayer reports in Ephesians — Ephesians 1:15-23 and Ephesians 3:14-21. What themes do the two reports share?

Image © Erik Stenbakken at Goodsalt.com

Sometimes our default tone in prayer can be doleful, mourning over this challenge or that problem. Paul’s prayer reports in Ephesians suggest that thanksgiving is the native language of prayer. We gather up the blessings of God and thank Him for them. We seek to perceive God at work in difficult circumstances and praise Him for His transforming presence in our lives. Celebrating the grace and power of the exalted Jesus (Ephesians 1:20-23), we thank Him for blessing those in our circle of influence. Here is Paul’s transforming secret for prayer: prayer is the key of praise and thanksgiving.

Paul also said that he does “not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:16, NKJV; see also Philippians 1:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

What does it really mean to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)? It cannot mean that we are always kneeling before God in prayer. It does mean that, blessed by God’s Spirit, we move through life with hearts open to the presence and power of God, seeking cues for thanksgiving to Him. It means a readiness to process the issues of life in the presence of God, to seek divine counsel as we experience the twists and turns that life brings. It means living not in estrangement from God but in engagement with Him, ever open to divine leading.

We too often view prayer as a nicety, an add-on to discipleship that is to be exercised when convenient. Paul illustrates a different view. Paul takes seriously the task of praying for the believers in Ephesus, doing so both by giving thanks for them (Ephesians 1:16; compare Ephesians 1:3-14) and by interceding for them (Ephesians 1:17-23; compare Ephesians 3:14-21). For him, prayer is a central, or even the central, task of Christian faith. These verses provide a moving call to prayer, an invitation for each of us to consider our own “prayer ministry” in the light of Paul’s dedication to it.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

Amen!(0)

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/sunday-praying-and-thanksgiving/