Scripture
Intro Questions
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
Prison Epistles
The Church — Purposed From Eternity
Ephesians 1:1-14
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All Blessings In Christ— Jesus began the "sermon on the mount," "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3). Jesus wants us to be full of joy (Philippians 4:4). The happiness that he wants us to have should not be dependent on possessions of this life (Luke 12:15), but on our relationship to him.
Some of us consider ourselves blessed because of the many physical possessions we have. I enjoy my car! My house isn't fancy, but I enjoy it. These things are wonderful blessings, and we need always to be thankful to God for the things he has provided us (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). But the greatest blessings are the spiritual blessings. Amen!
"Won't it be wonderful to experience heaven! Nevertheless, do not misunderstand me. I do not want to die; I just want to enjoy heaven and experience those blessings!" This attitude misses the primary New Testament blessings. Our kingdom happiness is now instead of just in the future! We have been "translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his dear son." (Colossians 1:13). "Praise be to the god and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3). Our present joy should be great because now we have eternal life. Our reward in Jesus is great now! That does not decrease the joy of the future -- throughout eternity. It merely changes our focus on our relationship to the King of Kings now. God's will for us is that we live a holy, happy life! We need to let our light shine so that others will see our good works and glorify the Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). In Jesus, "we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:7).
"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in 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 2:6-7).
1 Thessalonians 5:12-24
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Every Spiritual Blessing
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)
It's so easy to forget—to take for granted—to fail to truly appreciate and be grateful for every spiritual blessing we have in Christ. Much more often than we do, we need to stop and count our blessings, just to be reminded of how much we have, how much we've been given, how thankful we ought to be, and how much we owe. To give a complete list would be impossible, but some of the most precious spiritual blessing we possess as Christians would certainly include the following:
• God's marvelous grace, abundant mercy, full forgiveness and steadfast love (Romans 8:31-39)
• The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who saved us "not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy" (Titus 3:5)
• The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which guarantees our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14) and provides power for Christian living (Ephesians 3:14-21)
• Our spiritual family—the church—brothers and sisters in Christ, who share God's love, administer His grace and build each other up (Ephesians 4:11-16)
• Christian marriages, homes and families where love, understanding and happiness abound (Ephesians 5:21-6:4)
• Relationships that have had an eternal impact on our lives though leading us to Christ, challenging us in our commitment and strengthening us in the Faith (2 Timothy 1:3-5; 2:1-2)
• Physical and material resources in such abundance for our enjoyment and to the glory of God (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
• Our mission and purpose in life which God planned for us before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11-12)
• God's power in our weakness and the confidence that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28)
• The assurance of eternal life in Christ (1 John 5:11-12)
The list is endless: Christians who help us and stand by us in times of need; hope, peace, and comfort in times of difficulty; forever friendships; loving relationships; moments of laughter and tears; simple pleasures and mountain-top experiences! Truly, "his divine
power has given us everything we need for life and godliness... "(2 Peter 1:3)
Yes, we do have every spiritual blessing in Christ! Let us express our thankfulness and show our gratitude to God through our service to others and in sharing these great blessings that are ours with the lost world around us.
Opening Questions — Get Us Thinking:
· Whom do you know who has been adopted?
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ—Ephesians 1:1-14
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,9he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Research Questions — “Dig Deeper” to find God’s Will
1. The large capital city of Ephesus was a center for trade. It featured the renowned temple of Artemis. In this letter, what does Paul write about that is truly wonderful?
2. Where are all spiritual blessings? What does “in Christ” mean?
3. In your words, describe the “blessings in Christ” vv. 3-9
4. What are the things that God has done for us, starting in verse 4?
5. Since verses 4-5 say that Christians were chosen before the foundation of the world and predestined as children, is it teaching individual foreordination and predestination? If not, what is it teaching?
6. How does being chosen by God (v. 4) relate to our believing and salvation? v 13
7. Do you feel adopted? What does that feel like for you?
8. How is it possible to have redemption through the blood of Christ?
Reflective Questions — Live it today.
1. When did you come to appreciate all that God has done for you in Jesus Christ?
2. How would you describe the “purpose” God has for his people.
3. How do you know if you are “chosen”? How does knowing you are adopted change your view of yourself and God?
4. Who or what is the deposit that guarantees your inheritance?
5. How do you feel about the quality of love of the One who has chosen you? How does this affect your love of others?
6. How does this help us “make disciples”?
"To make a man happy, fill his hands with work, his heart with affection, his mind with purpose, his memory with useful knowledge, his future with hope, and his stomach with food." -- Frederick e. Crane
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An Act of Grace
In 2013, Rudy Quinones bought Renown Auto Restoration in San Antonio, where he and a crack team restore vintage and collectible cars and trucks. When Rudy bought the business, he inherited a number of highly skilled and motivated employees, including Albert Brigas. The Vietnam veteran worked for the firm for 13 years, but at age 69, he was ready to retire. The last obstacle to overcome was the mortgage on his house of 24 years. Payoff was scheduled in 2020 when he and his wife, Sylvia, could finally retire.
For a year, Albert talked about his mortgage payoff and his retirement date. Rudy was torn; he didn’t want to lose an employee so skilled and dedicated as Albert, but he wanted to reward Brigas’ loyalty and determination. Last month, Rudy called Albert into the office. After some conversation and investigation, Albert furnished payoff data and Rudy Quinones wrote a check for about $5000 to pay off the Brigas’ mortgage. With great gratitude, Albert retired and is spending time with his grandchildren. Another Renown employee, Joseph Winkler, thought the story should be told, so he tipped the local news. Winkler’s instincts were good and the incident has been happily related. It’s funny how grace always makes us smile.
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding” (Ephesians 1:7-8 NIV).
Writer Philip Yancey calls grace “the last best word” because every English word that contains the root of grace means something good. Grace is in the background of grateful, gratitude, gracious, congratulations, gratuity and so on. When we get extra time to pay a bill, that’s a grace period. All of these point to something undeserved, something unexpected. When a benefit drops into our laps, we well up in joy and that changes our whole interaction with the world. We smile and chat, we bless and we think about ways to involve others in our joy. Grace leads to grace and it still makes us smile.
In His openhanded grace, God has given us life and light and everything we need for our days. As if that were not enough, He has engineered the most astonishing—and costly—rescue for our souls through the death and resurrection of Jesus. In His kindness, God extends to us a lifeline that will enable us to survive the deserved retribution for our cruelties and crimes. He has truly lavished on us His great grace if we will have it from Him. He has paid for our felonies through the sacrifice of Jesus, His own Son. He offers pardon and freedom and life with Him forever in a towering act of His grace. Who could fail to smile at the prospect of forgiveness and life? Congratulations! You have been extended a gracious offer of eternal life! Now accept it with gratitude and reflect that grace into the lives of others!
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Living for Jesus in Ephesians 1:1-14
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