A thank you note usually includes a description of the gift or gifts received. Paul includes a long gift list in Ephesians 1:3-14 as he thanks God for the blessings of the gospel.

Paul praises God for the fact that He has “blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3, ESV). That the blessings are spiritual (Greek, pneumatikos) suggests that they come through the Spirit (pneuma), pointing to the closing of Paul’s blessing, which celebrates the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers (Ephesians 1:13-14).

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Ephesians 1:3-6 contains inspiring language about how God views us in Christ. Before the creation of the world, God chose us in Christ and determined that we should stand “holy and blameless” in His presence (Ephesians 1:4, ESV; compare Ephesians 5:27) as treasured sons and daughters by virtue of both Creation and Redemption in Christ (Ephesians 1:5). Since before the sun began to shine, it has been His strategy that we would be “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6, NKJV). In short, it’s God’s intention for us to be saved. We lose salvation only by our own sinful choices.

What does the phrase “in the heavenly places” mean in Ephesians (the only place it is used in the New Testament)? Study the uses of the phrase. (See Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 2:6; Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 6:12; compare the use of “in the heavens,” Ephesians 3:15, Ephesians 4:10, Ephesians 6:9.)

In Ephesians the phrases “in the heavenly places” and “in the heavens” or “in heaven” point to heaven as the dwelling place of God (Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 6:9), to the location of spiritual powers (Ephesians 1:10, Ephesians 1:20-21; Ephesians 3:10, Ephesians 3:15; Ephesians 6:12), and to the location of Christ’s exaltation at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20). Believers have access to these “heavenly places” in the present as the sphere where spiritual blessings are offered through Christ (Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 2:6). Though “the heavenly places” have become a place of blessing for believers, they are still the location of conflict from evil powers that contest the lordship of Christ (Ephesians 3:10, Ephesians 6:12).

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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How do we grow in grace if grace is unmerited mercy/forgiveness? (2 Peter 3:18) Join us as we discuss Lesson 1, Paul and the Ephesians.

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read  for This Week’s Study: Ephesians 1:3-14; Ephesians 2:6; Ephesians 3:10; Colossians 1:13-14; Deuteronomy 9:29.

Memory Text: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3, ESV).

Twenty-five years after becoming the first person to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong wrote a thank you note to the creative team who designed the spacesuit, the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), in which he took those historic steps. Calling it “the most photographed spacecraft in history” and teasing that it was successful at hiding “its ugly occupant” from view, Armstrong thanked “the EMU Gang” at the Johnson Space Center for the “tough, reliable, and almost cuddly” suit that preserved his life, sending them “a quarter century’s worth of thanks and congratulations.”

Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians with a majestic thank you note, praising God for the blessings He has poured out, blessings as essential to the lives of believers as a spacesuit is for someone who walks on the moon. Paul argues that God has been at work on these essential blessings since “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4) and praises God for working through the ages on behalf of believers.

Paul’s opening here makes Ephesians especially valuable in modeling how to worship God and to praise God for the many blessings He has provided.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 8.

Sunday–>

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The Mission program of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is an opportunity for us to understand the needs of others and share in supporting them. Please click on the image below to watch the Mission Spotlight presentation for this week:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O4p-0BITx4&w=560&h=315]

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Bible Survives Blaze

By Tor Tjeransen

Valentina Melentjeva watched helplessly as her home burned to the ground in Kongsberg, Norway. While she was sad to lose her life’s possessions, the thought of losing her Bible devastated her the most.

Valentina grew up in Klaipeda, the third-largest city of the then-Soviet republic of Lithuania. Although her mother was a Christian, her family never owned a Bible, never talked about Jesus, and never prayed.

When Valentina was 45, she noticed that a neighbor named Ira seemed happy even though she endured struggles. Valentina asked Ira about the secret to her happiness, and Ira invited her to her home.

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When Valentina arrived, Ira placed an open Bible in her hands. For the first time in her life, Valentina held a Bible. It was opened to Exodus chapter 20.

“Please read,” Ira said.

Valentina began reading the Ten Commandments. When she reached the fourth commandment, she was shocked to read, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.” (Exodus 20:8-10, NKJV).

Four times she read the Sabbath commandment. The seventh day, not Sunday, was the day of rest. For her entire life, she had worked on Saturdays. But now she wanted to live according to the fourth commandment.

The next Saturday, Valentina went with Ira to worship with other Seventh-day Adventists in Klaipeda. On her second Sabbath in church, Valentina received a new Bible in the Russian language. The book became her most-treasured possession, and she was baptized a year later, in 2004. Later, Valentina moved to Norway to learn more about God at an Adventist Bible school. By the time she completed the course, the Bible’s cover had become well-worn. She commissioned a beautiful leather cover for the Bible.

After the 2021 fire, the police and fire brigade cordoned off Valentina’s apartment. When their investigation ended, Valentina’s visiting son walked through the rubble. Valentina was overjoyed when her son returned with the Bible. The Bible, which had been standing on a shelf with other spiritual books, was the only book to remain intact. It suffered only minor fire damage.

“It is amazing what the love of God can do to preserve the most important thing,” Valentina said.

Thank you for your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering three years ago that helped open a center of influence in Sortland, Norway, where more people can learn about Valentina’s favorite book, the Bible.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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