Compare Paul’s earlier prayer request, Ephesians 1:16-19, with his plea for believers in Ephesians 3:14-19. In what ways are the two requests similar?

Behind the English translations of Ephesians 3:14-15,  is an important play on words. When Paul says that he bows before “the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” (ESV), he is exploring the phonetic connection between the Greek word for Father, pater, and the Greek term for family, patria. In Ephesians, Paul celebrates the comprehensive nature of God’s plan of salvation, which involves all things (Ephesians 1:9-10) for all time (Ephesians 1:21). And here he lays claim to “every family in heaven and on earth” as belonging to “the Father.” Every family (patria) takes its name from the Father (pater). This is very good news!

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Ponder this thought: Your family, despite its imperfections and failings, belongs to God. Your family is not in the cruel grip of fate, but in God’s caring hands. God loves imperfect families. They bear the divine name. They carry the mark of His ownership.

In Ephesians 3:16-19, Paul asks God to grant believers an abundant spiritual experience marked by inner strength through the Spirit’s presence (Ephesians 3:16), intimacy with Christ, who is also portrayed as dwelling within (Ephesians 3:17), and a settled, secure spiritual identity (“rooted and grounded in love,” Ephesians 3:17, ESV).

As Paul seeks to offer praise to God for the expansive reach of blessings offered to believers, he includes not three dimensions, but four — “breadth and length and height and depth” (Ephesians 3:18, ESV). He does not clearly identify to what these dimensions apply, though they obviously describe the vast size of something important. This leaves an interesting puzzle for Bible students. Do these dimensions describe God’s wisdom (compare Job 11:5-9, which uses four dimensions), God’s power (compare Ephesians 3:16-17), or, perhaps, the spiritual temple of Ephesians 2:19-22 (compare Ezekiel 43:13-16, which uses four dimensions; Amos 7:7-8; Revelation 11:1-2)? It may be best to see these four dimensions as describing the immensity of “the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:19), viewing the phrase “to comprehend … the breadth and length and height and depth” (Ephesians 3:18, ESV) as parallel to the next phrase, “to know the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:19, ESV; compare Romans 8:35-39). However we see his words, they are good news.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

Amen!(0)

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Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Ephesians 4:31-5:2 NKJV 

Grace

God’s grace allows us to be filled with all the fulness of God (Ephesians 3:19) and helps us to imitate God. What better way to imitate God than to be merciful and forgiving towards others! While Paul wrote to the Ephesians about both Jews and Gentiles now making up one church, Paul also shares some words of wisdom with the Colossians about coming together to form one church. I think this advice would also be good for the Ephesians as well as for us. 

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:12-15 NLT 

Imagine that! While Paul told the Romans in Romans 13:14 not to give in to the temptations of the flesh, he tells the Colossians to make allowances for each other’s faults. It reminds me of the words of a pastor friend with whom I worked years ago. His motto was, conservative towards ourselves and liberal towards others. I believe this is also the attitude of Paul. We must hold ourselves to a higher standard, while being forgiving of others. Of course that in no way is saying we are higher than others just because we hold ourselves to a higher standard. Paul always considered himself the chief of sinners, and we must always realize how sinful we are and feel our need of Christ. That is what should help us be so forgiving of others. Also, while we hold ourselves to a higher standard, we also need to forgive ourselves instead of beating ourselves up. No one ever became more holy by tormenting themselves and beating themselves up. In Matthew 10:8 Jesus tells us to freely give as we freely receive. I believe that goes for forgiveness as well. In fact, not accepting  God’s forgiveness actually is demonstrating a lack of faith. 

Jesus gave us an example of being conservative towards himself when he fasted 40 days in the wilderness, and then He also gave us an example of being liberal towards others when He fed the multitude. He refused to work a miracle to feed himself in Matthew 4, but in Matthew 14, He works a miracle to feed others. That is being conservative towards yourself and liberal towards others. 

As we continue to walk in this grace and forgiveness we depart form sin.

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints ;neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Ephesians 5:3-5 NKJV 

While Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:1-11 that God’s grace gives us an inheritance to God’s kingdom, Paul also tells us that those who inherit the kingdom by grace are given victory over their past life of sin. 

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord…..See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,  redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-18 NKJV 

While the book of Ephesians tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9 that we are saved by grace and not by works, the same book of Ephesians tells us what being saved by grace looks like, as we become forgiving of others (and ourselves) and walk in the light of God’s love as we leave the deeds of darkness. 

Martin Luther, who was the champion of salvation by grace and not by works also knew that grace and faith helps us depart from sin. He was grieved when he visited Rome and saw religious leaders living in open sin.

Everywhere he looked upon scenes that filled him with astonishment and horror. He saw that iniquity existed among all classes of the clergy. He heard indecent jokes from prelates, and was filled with horror at their awful profanity, even during mass. As he mingled with the monks and citizens he met dissipation, debauchery. Turn where he would, in the place of sanctity he found profanation. “No one can imagine,” he wrote, “what sins and infamous actions are committed in Rome; they must be seen and heard to be believed. Thus they are in the habit of saying, ‘If there is a hell, Rome is built over it: it is an abyss whence issues every kind of sin.’”-Ellen White, Great Controversy, Page 125. 

Martin Luther was grieved the leaders were not experiencing God’s grace that gives us obedience (Romans 1:5), and good works (Ephesians 2:8-10) and allows us to live godly, righteous lives right here in this sinful world (Titus 2:11-12). Martin Luther realized Jesus did not die so we can continue in open sin. He realized Jesus died so we can leave our life of sin and darkness and walk in the light of God’s love and righteousness. 

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 NKJV

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV 

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV 

Ephesians teaches us that while being forgiving of ourselves and others we can be more and more like Jesus every day, 

till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; Ephesians 4:13 NKJV 

Amen!(2)

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What does Paul say about God and the actions of God in Ephesians 3:7-13?

Paul again lays claim to being a “minister” through “the gift of God’s grace” (Ephesians 3:7, ESV; compare Ephesians 3:1-2). This gift, like the gospel itself, is not granted because of the worth of the recipient, but through God’s grace. Paul underlines this point by describing himself as “the very least of all the saints” (Ephesians 3:8, ESV).

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

There is an interesting progression in Paul’s self-understanding that is discernible as we move through Paul’s letters in the order they were written. Early on, he lays claim to his status as a divinely appointed apostle (Galatians 1:1). Later, though, he introduces himself as “the least of the apostles” and “not worthy to be called an apostle” (1 Corinthians 15:9, NKJV). Here in Ephesians he sees himself as “the very least of all the saints” (Ephesians 3:8, ESV). Finally, he describes himself as the “chief” (NKJV) or “worst” of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15, NIV).

Perhaps this line of thinking here by Paul can help explain this famous quote by Ellen G. White: “The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature.” — Steps to Christ, p. 64.

Paul then continues. In Ephesians 3:10, he writes: “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places” (NKJV). Who are the “rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (ESV) mentioned here? How does the church announce God’s “manifold” or multifaceted wisdom to them? Though Ephesians 3:10 does not describe the nature of the powers, it seems best to take them as the evil ones described in more detail in Ephesians 6:11-12. If so, the composition of the church, unifying Jews and Gentiles as once very divided parts of humankind, becomes a ringing announcement to these demonic “rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” of God’s plan for the future, “to unite all things in him [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth” (Ephesians 1:10, ESV). They are put on notice that God’s plan is underway and their doom assured. The very nature of a unified church signals their ultimate defeat.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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The book of Ephesians does show us “How to Follow Jesus in Trying Times”: 
Hymn 623 – I Will Follow Thee, My Saviour so that our actions will always speak louder than our words.

With all that Paul writes to us in Ephesians, we are encouraged to say
Give Me The Bible – Hymn 272 so that we may live our lives as Jesus would have us do.

Being a prisoner in Rome, Paul found “there is a deeper, divine purpose being worked out in his life”: 
Hymn 316 – Live Out Thy Life Within Me all 
Because He Live – Hymn 526 I can face tomorrow.

Monday shows God’s abundant grace: 
Amazing Grace – Hymn 108, Marvelous Grace – Hymn 109 and 
God Of Grace And God Of Glory – Hymn 607. With this wonderful grace in hand, we must go forth and 
The Son Of God Proclaim – Hymn 411 (Monday).

It is revealed on Tuesday that 
The Church Has One Foundation – Hymn 348 so let us 
Rise Up, O Church Of God – Hymn 615 knowing that I am 
Chief Of Sinners – Hymn 295 just as Paul also claimed to be.

“the immensity of the love of Christ” Ephesians 3:19 is also found in 
Hymn 79 – O Love Of God, How Strong And True, 
Hymn 148 –  O Love, How Deep, How Broad  and 
Hymn 76 – O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.

Just as Paul gives praise to God (Thursday) in his prison cell we may also in 
Hymn 11 – The God Of Abraham Praise, 
Hymn 1 – Praise To The Lord¸ 
Hymn 4 – Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven, 
Hymn 14 – Let Us Praise The Name Of The Lord, 
Hymn 20 – O Praise Ye The Lord, and more hymns 
25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 37, 53, 70, 105, 106, 249, to add just a few.

So, dear people, be encouraged to go forward and
“Lift up the trumpet and loud let it ring, Jesus IS coming again” – Hymn 213.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Amen!(1)

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Key Thought Paul tells us in Ephesians that we need more than just a shallow experience with God to be laborers together with God; we should seek for a deep spiritual understanding of the things of God.
August 5, 2023

1. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 3:1-6.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What is the mystery that has been entrusted to Paul?
3. Personal Application: How can we learn to trust God and His ways amid what can be trying circumstances? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What attitudes might people hold that contradict the inclusiveness taught by the gospel? How do we get rid of these attitudes?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 3:7-13.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What does Paul say about God and the actions of God?
3. Personal Application: Why does Paul say that he is the chief of sinners and the worst of all saints? Do you feel that way at times? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “If your congregation took Paul’s job description of the church seriously, how might it change the way your church members relate to one another?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 3:14-19.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What focus does Paul share here about the family in heaven and earth?
3. Personal Application: How can you trust others as family? What obstacles do you see in trying to do that? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “How can we better experience the power and presence of God in our lives? I see a lot of self-proclaimed Christians that exhibit no power and show no presence of the Holy Spirit.” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 3:20,21.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What does Paul praise God about here?
3. Personal Application: What blessings from God are especially valuable to you? 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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