Bible Study 6th June, 2008

Paul’s Prayer 
Ephesians Ch. 3 vs. 14 to 21

God strengthens us

¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father,
¹⁵from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you
with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Ephesians 3:14-17a (NIV)

How are the three persons of the Trinity
                involved in strengthening and empowering believers?

• The Father strengthens believers , through the Holy Spirit,
  in order that the Son may dwell in their hearts.

Rooted in Love

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
Ephesians 3:17b  (NIV)

In what ways had the Ephesian believers
                already experienced Christ’s love?

• They were rooted in it (receiving nourishment from it)
  and established in it (standing on it as a firm foundation)

The Scope of God’s Love

¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
Ephesians 3:18 (NIV)

What imagery does Paul use to convey the scope of Christ’s love?

• “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ”,
  the imagery of measurement, width, length, height and depth.

The Fullness of God’s Love

¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:19 (NIV)

When God fills us with his Spirit, how much do we get?

• that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God

God is Able

²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

What degree of confidence does Paul express
                in God’s ability to answer his prayers?

• “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,”
  more than ask and more even than we can dream of.

Glory in Jesus and the Church

²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations,
for ever and ever! Amen. 
Ephesians 3:21 (NIV)

How will God’s glory be manifested for time and eternity?

• “²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
  throughout all generations, for ever and ever!”
  in the church and in Christ Jesus

 

Bible Study 30th May 2008

Paul’s Job Description.
Ephesians 3 vs. 1 to 13

The Apostle to the Gentiles will be-

 

Paul a Captive-v. 1

¹For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles -
Ephesians 3: 1 (NIV)

Why did Paul consider himself a prisoner?

• He was almost certainly under house arrest in Rome

Why a prisoner of Christ?

• His imprisonment was a direct result of serving Christ and following his will
  see also Ephesians 4:1 & 6:20

Why specifically for the sake of the Gentiles?

• See Acts 21:26-33 there was uproar because of what they thought
  had happened.
  They thought the barrier of the law had been broken. Eph. 2:14
• See Acts 28:16-20 & 30 Paul was under house arrest for three years
  in Rome and almost certainly wrote this letter to the Gentiles
  from Rome.

 

Paul a Teacher-vs. 2-6

²Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace
that was given to me for you, ³that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation,
as I have already written briefly. ⁴In reading this, then,
you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
⁵which was not made known to men in other generations
 as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.
⁶This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel,
members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3: 2-6 (NIV)

How did Paul find out about the “Mystery of Christ” ?

• It was revealed to him by God. v. 3
• He was taught by God

Had this mystery been previously known?

• Only in a veiled way in the Old Testament
  but in due time God made it clear. v. 5 & 9
  (Just as the Book of Revelation will become clear
  when the time is right)

What was Paul’s specific area of ministry?  Vs. 2, 6 & 8

• It was to the Gentiles to whom he was writing

Did the other Apostles appoint Paul to this ministry?

• No they only recognised what God had already done. v. 2 & 7
  See acts 13: 2-3

Paul an Evangelist-vs. 7-11

⁷I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace
given me through the working of his power.
⁸Although I am less than the least of all God’s people,
this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
⁹and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,
which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
¹⁰His intent was that now, through the church,
the manifold wisdom of God should be made known
to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
¹¹according to his eternal purpose
which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3: 7-11 (NIV)

What two missions was Paul commissioned to carry out?

• To evangelise the Gentiles. v. 8
• To teach everyone the truth about Jesus and salvation. v. 9

In what way, other than teaching, does God’s plan of salvation
                involve the church? v. 10-11

• It is to be a witness to the world and specifically to the angels including Satan and fallen angels of God’s grace, love and wisdom.

 

Paul an Encourager-vs. 12-13

¹²In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
¹³I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you,
which are your glory.
Ephesians 3:  12-13(NIV)

In what way did Paul worry that his imprisonment might harm the Gentile believers at Ephesus?

• He felt that they might become discouraged and fearful

How did Paul encourage the believers in these two verses?

• He reminded them that they were free to boldly
  and confidently approach God no matter what the circumstances.

How does Paul express his joy in these verses?

• His suffering will ultimately be used to bring the glory of Jesus
  in the church vs. 13 & 21

Respond

How can we approach God with confidence?

• See Hebrews 4: 14-16 & 10: 19-25

How can we develop more freedom & confidence in our prayer life?

• Take the bull by the horns and do it?

Paul took prayer very seriously.
             He started to pray in verse 1 but got sidetracked
                         but in verse 14 he gets back to the matter in hand.
We will look at this prayer next week.

 

Bible Study 23rd May, 2008

 

Ephesians Ch. 2 vs. 11 to 22

Without Christ – vs. 11-12

¹¹Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men) – ¹²remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:11-12 (NIV)

Paul writes about two groups of People here. Who are the two groups?

• Jews and Gentiles, circumcised and uncircumcised

What was the attitude of Jews to Gentiles in Paul’s day?

• Great hostility – they were lost, they were pagans,
  separated from Christ
  excluded from citizenship amongst the Jews,
  outside the scope of God’s promises,
  foreigners, aliens, without hope in the world and without God.

What God did – vs. 13-18

¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away
have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one
and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
¹⁵by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.
His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,
by which he put to death their hostility.
¹⁷He came and preached peace to you who were far away
and peace to those who were near.
¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Ephesians 2:13-18 (NIV)

What has Christ done for the Gentiles, the outsiders?

• Brought them near [v. 13]
• Destroyed the barrier and made the two one [v. 14]
• Abolished the law with its rules, rituals and regulations [v. 15]
• Has made peace with the Gentiles [v. 15]
• Reconciled both Jew and Gentile to God
  and given access to the Father [vs. 16 & 18]
• Brought peace to both Jew and Gentile
  (those far away and those who were near) [v. 17]

From this list what is the key thing that Christ has done?

• He has abolished the law with its rules, rituals and regulations [v. 15]
  The law was the great barrier that Christ destroyed,
  it included circumcision, animal sacrifices, etc.

 

How Has Christ achieved all this?

• The blood of Christ [v. 13]
• By the offering of his body, his flesh [v. 15]
• By the cross [v. 16]
• By his preaching [v. 17]
• By his resurrection and ascension? [v. 18]

What two meanings do you think are possible
                for the word “body” in verse 16?

• Christ’s own body
• The Church – the Body of Believers

What they are in Christ vs. 19-22

¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens,
but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household,
²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
²¹In him the whole building is joined together
and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
²²And in him you too are being built together
to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)

What Difference has our Lord Jesus made to Gentile believers?

• Fellow citizens with God’s people [v. 19]
• Members of God’s household [v. 19]
• Built on the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets [v. 20]
• Built on Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone [v. 20]
• Joined together with, and by, Christ
  in the building of a holy Temple [v. 21]
• Built together as one building, one church,
  in which God lives by His Spirit [v. 22]

 

Respond

In paul’s eyes we would be Gentiles.

All that Paul speaks of here is available to us.

Do we rejoice daily in all that Christ has gained for us
                by his death on the cross and the shedding of his precious blood?

 

What is it that binds believers together as the Church?

• The saving sacrifice upon the cross of Calvary
• The holy Spirit who works within us.
• It should not be friendship, fellowship or common doctrinal positions
  as important as these are.

How do we deal with our prejudices
                and accept outsiders into the fellowship of our church?

• We must not be judgmental and critical
• We must be loving and accepting.
• We must not put up barriers when
  Christ is in the business of breaking barriers down

What sort of barriers do we erect?

• Insisting that our traditional style of worship is the only valid one
• Expecting outsiders and visitors to conform to our patterns

Bible Study 16th May, 2008

Ephesian Ch. 2 vs. 1-10

Our Condition – vs. 1-3

¹As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world
and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,
the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
³All of us also lived among them at one time,
gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature
and following its desires and thoughts.
Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
Ephesians 2:1-3 (NIV)

What word does Paul use to describe the condition of his readers
before they came to know Christ?

• Dead !
  (A corpse cannot hear what is being said and has no appetite for food. Just as a physically dead person can not respond to physical stimuli
  so a spiritually dead person cannot respond to spiritual things)

What two influences guided the Ephesians’ lives in the past?

• The standards and conventions of the world in which they lived
• The spirit of Satan “the ruler of the kingdom of the air”.

God’s Love – vs. 4-7

⁴But because of his great love for us,
God, who is rich in mercy,
⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -
it is by grace you have been saved.
⁶And God raised us up with Christ
and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
⁷in order that in the coming ages
he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,
expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7 (NIV)

What two attributes of God motivated Him
to do something about our spiritual deadness?

• His love and mercy (v. 4).

Is God’s intention to keep his work of salvation secret?

• No

What is he going to do?

• He is going to display the “incomparable riches of his grace” throughout the coming ages (v. 7).

Our Faith – vs. 8-9

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -
and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -
⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

In this familiar passage, what four things does Paul say about salvation?

• Salvation is a) by grace, b) through faith, c) God’s gift
  and d) not obtained by works.

 

God’s Purpose – v. 10

¹⁰For we are God’s workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

What purpose does God have in mind
when he makes us new creatures in Christ Jesus?

• That we will live a new life of good works according to his will.

 

Respond

Why is it tempting to try and base acceptance with God
upon our own efforts – both before and after becoming Christians?

• It is natural to want to take credit for achieving something-but salvation is not a task to be accomplished; it is a gift to be accepted

What part do good works play in the Christian life?

• They should follow salvation in gratitude for God’s grace

How can we as a church and as individuals
further demonstrate God’s grace through good works.