In Ephesians 4:1-32, Paul asks believers to stop doing some things and to be sure to do others. What are those things?

Ephesians Chapter 4 begins and ends with calls to care for each other as church members (Ephesians 4:1-3, Ephesians 4:32). Between these invitations, Paul offers strong support for the idea that we should nourish unity in the church.

Image © Linda Lovett at Goodsalt.com

He begins by listing seven “ones”: There is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord (Jesus Christ), one faith, one baptism, one God and Father (Ephesians 4:4-6). We are bound together by these spiritual realities. We are, in fact, united.

While unity is a theological certainty, it requires our hard work. So we should always be “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3, NKJV). One way each of us may do so is by being an active “part” of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:7-16). Every member is a gifted part of the body and should contribute to the health of it (Ephesians 4:7, Ephesians 4:16). And all should benefit by the work of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Ephesians 4:11-12). These, like ligaments and tendons, have a unifying function, helping us grow up together into Christ who is the Head of the body (Ephesians 4:13, Ephesians 4:15).

At the time, Paul also told them “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Ephesians 4:14, NKJV), words that clearly suggest that the early church faced some internal struggles from “the trickery of men.”

As Paul moves toward his final appeal, to “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (Ephesians 4:32, NKJV), he asks believers to avoid their former hard-heartedness (Ephesians 4:17-24) and to avoid anger and harsh speech, substituting instead language that builds up and imparts grace (Ephesians 4:25-31).

This chapter on unity is easy enough to read when things are peaceful. It is more challenging — and important — to read it when we become embroiled in some conflict. Are you remembering today to experience the unity of the body of Christ, the unity for which He died?

Amen!(0)

The post Wednesday: The Unity of Faith appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/wednesday-unity-of-faith/

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this quarter’s author, Dr John McVay, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NasC6PLFUCU?si=yKeRi6Ir7TazHJd4&w=560&h=315]

Amen!(0)

The post 14: Ephesians in the Heart – It is written – Discussions with the Author appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/14-ephesians-in-the-heart-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author/

You can view an in-depth discussion of Ephesians in the Heart in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. Click on the image to view:[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgykxV2sjjI?si=tfiwXy3RVL_RluZh&w=560&h=315]

With thanks to

Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

Amen!(0)

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I actually thought I was the only one concerned about how little Bible study is actually done in Sabbath School. It seems we study the quarterly more than the Bible. Then I found this quote from 1991, and found out I am not alone, and have not been for years.

“Too often I find that what passes for Bible study in many Sabbath School classes is little more than a rehash of familiar sayings, personal opinion, and Ellen White quotations. It isn’t Bible study, but simply comments about the Bible…..Our “lesson study” has the guise of Bible study but isn’t. It is more a study of the Sabbath School lesson quarterly than the Bible.” –Myron Widmer, Adventist Review, September 12, 1991.

During the quarantine I would ask people what they have been finding in their personal Bible study time, only to get answers about what they heard a television preacher say. I never got any direct answers to my question about personal Bible study time. This greatly concerned me. In Acts 17:11 they were not only listening to Paul preach, but they were searching (not just casually reading) the Scriptures (Not a quarterly or periodical) daily, not just every now and then.

Group Bible Study

This is why I enjoy Michael Fracker’s teaching plans. These plans make Sabbath school a Bible study that may casually reference the quarterly, instead of a study of the quarterly that may casually reference the Bible. Quarterlies are great as they direct us to the Bible, but we need to follow those directions and go to the Bible. By the way, after using Michael Fracker’s lesson plans for twenty years, I have also helped write his lesson plans on occasion and even edit them. In the process I have also developed a somewhat similar set of lesson plans  following Michael Fracker’s vision of making Sabbath school time Bible study time. While some use my plans and many more use Michael Fracker’s teaching plans, I talk to several Sabbath School teachers who feel more comfortable making their own teaching plans. That is really best. The suggested plans are just to get you started. What is most important is making sure Sabbath School time is Bible study time.

Amen!(3)

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/making-sabbath-school-a-bible-study/

Why is it both important and exciting to be part of God’s church? Ephesians 3:1-21.

We are encouraged when we hear church members say positive things about the church. However, the most enthusiastic among us falls short of Paul’s exuberant testimony in Ephesians 3:1-21 about the church.

Image © Jim Gerlitz at Goodsalt.com

Paul starts a report of his prayers for believers in Ephesus (Ephesians 3:1; compare Ephesians 1:15-23, NKJV) but breaks off to discuss God’s creation of the church (Ephesians 3:2-13), and then completes his prayer report (Ephesians 3:14-21). Along the way we come to understand important things about God’s “plan” or “mystery”:

• In eternity, God conceives of “the mystery” or “the plan” about the church (Ephesians 3:3-5, Ephesians 3:9, Ephesians 3:11).
• Through the life and death of Jesus, that long-hidden plan is “accomplished” (Ephesians 3:11, NKJV; compare Ephesians 2:11-22).
• By revelation, Paul learns “the mystery” of the church and the astonishing fact that Gentiles are to be full partners in it (Ephesians 3:3-6).
• Paul participates in spreading this good news as preacher to the Gentiles of “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8-9).
• With many won to Christ, the church, composed as it is of both Jews and Gentiles, displays “the manifold wisdom of God” to “the principalities and powers in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10, NKJV), announcing their coming doom (compare Ephesians 6:10-20). The plan to unite all things in Christ (Ephesians 1:10) is underway, and their time is short.

This understanding of the church motivates Paul to pray for believers. Why not imagine him praying the heartfelt prayer of Ephesians 3:14-21 about you? Why not imagine him praying that you will be “filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19) and participate fully in the amazing, unfolding mystery of a unified church?

Amen!(0)

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/tuesday-we-are-church-of-living-god/