DAILY READING GUIDE EPHESIANS. G o d s p l a n - O u r p u r p o s e

Transcription

1 DAILY READING GUIDE EPHESIANS G o d s p l a n - O u r p u r p o s e

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3 DAILY READING GUIDES Welcome to the Grace City Church Daily Reading Guide. These are made for you, to help you get stuck into the Bible each weekday. It follows along with the series we re doing at church and in our Community Groups, so you get three chances to understand and apply God s word to your life. We hope it ll find a place with your Bible and get opened (most!) days. About the Bible At Grace City, we believe that the way God reveals himself to us is through His word, the Bible. The Bible is God s revelation to us. The words of the Bible are divinely inspired and infallible, as originally given, and have supreme authority in all matters of faith, conduct and experience. The Bible is sufficient for knowing God. It is not only central to the wellbeing of the church but is able to thoroughly equip the Christian community for life and godliness. About this guide Find a time and place each weekday where you can spend 15 minutes or more with your Bible, a pen and this guide. Pray that God would speak to you through His word, by His Spirit. Read the passage provided. Then use the questions provided as a way to get you thinking. There is a suggestion for prayer at the end as well. PRAY Each day there will be a suggested topic to pray for. Some times these will be related to the passage or will be a prayer point from our Church, community or the world. CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK - We have also suggested a weekly challenge for you. Like everything else in this booklet, these are only designed as suggestions to help you. But we encourage you to have a go where you can. Our prayer is that as you open God s word it will cause you to know and love God more. Enjoy. 2

4 EPHESIANS Ephesians was written by Paul while in prison (probably in Rome) about 60 A.D. It was carried by Tychicus (6:21-22) and sent with the purpose of teaching and encouraging the believers in the city of Ephesus The Ephesians lived in a culture obsessed with power (have a read of Acts 19). Our culture is also obsessed with power, whether the power of leaders, progress, education, tolerance, individualism or wealth. The message that Jesus is the exalted Lord is counter-cultural both then and now. Ephesians helps us to lift our eyes to Jesus Christ, who is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. In Ephesians, Paul challenges us to see the spiritual-cosmic significance of what Christ has done, and what he is doing through the church, very seriously. Throughout the letter, God s plans for history and the universe, the church and humanity are revealed. According to Paul, our purpose is to live in accordance with God s plans. Ephesians is one of the most loved books of the Bible and with good reason! It lifts our eyes to the heights of the Gospel in the breathtaking Christ-exalting opening chapter. It encourages us with its warm descriptions of the fatherhood of God and its many references to the believer being in Christ. It shows us how to pray deep and passionate prayers as well as showing us how to live in response to our new identity in Christ. Many of us will have favourite sections that have greatly influenced our Christian lives. The great thing though is that there s always more to discover! Our hope is that as you read Ephesians (possibly for the 100th time) you ll be spurred on to love God more deeply, praise him more passionately, continue to grow in your knowledge and love of God and live out the new life you have in God s family. Resources If you would like some further reading on the letter to the Ephesians, here are 2 recommendations. - John Stott, Ephesians (Bible Speaks Today series) - Peter O Brien, Ephesians (Pillar) 3

5 WEEK 1 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK - Our challenge to you this week is to read through Paul s letter to the Ephesians. This should only take you 20 minutes a day. Each week this term at church and Community Groups we will be looking more closely at sections in each chapter, but at the start it would be great to read through the whole letter to see the bigger picture. MONDAY EPHESIANS 1 Read through the whole chapter at least 2 times. 1. Write down as many questions as you can think of. 2. What do you think is the key verse of this chapter? 3. What is one thing that you have been encouraged by? PRAY As we begin our time in the book of Ephesians, ask God, by his Spirit, to reveal himself to you through Ephesians. Also thank God for the thing you were encouraged by. TUESDAY- EPHESIANS 2 Read through the whole chapter at least 2 times. 1. Write down as many questions as you can think of. 2. What do you think is the key verse of this chapter? 4

6 3. What is one thing that you have been encouraged by? PRAY As we begin our time in the book of Ephesians, ask God, by his Spirit, to reveal himself to you through Ephesians. Also thank God for the thing you were encouraged by. WEDNESDAY EPHESIANS 3 Read through the whole chapter at least 2 times. 1. Write down as many questions as you can think of. 2. What do you think is the key verse of this chapter? 3. What is one thing that you have been encouraged by? PRAY As we begin our time in the book of Ephesians, ask God, by his Spirit, to reveal himself to you through Ephesians. Also thank God for the thing you were encouraged by. THURSDAY EPHESIANS 4 Read through the whole chapter at least 2 times. 1. Write down as many questions as you can think of. 2. What do you think is the key verse of this chapter? 5

7 3. What is one thing that you have been encouraged by? PRAY As we begin our time in the book of Ephesians, ask God, by his Spirit, to reveal himself to you through Ephesians. Also thank God for the thing you were encouraged by. FRIDAY EPHESIANS 5 Read through the whole chapter at least 2 times. 1. Write down as many questions as you can think of. 2. What do you think is the key verse of this chapter? 3. What is one thing that you have been encouraged by? PRAY As we begin our time in the book of Ephesians, ask God, by his Spirit, to reveal himself to you through Ephesians. Also thank God for the thing you were encouraged by. SATURDAY EPHESIANS 6 Read through the whole chapter at least 2 times 1. Write down as many questions as you can think of. 2. What do you think is the key verse of this chapter? 6

8 3. What is one thing that you have been encouraged by? PRAY As we begin our time in the book of Ephesians, ask God, by his Spirit, to reveal himself to you through Ephesians. Also thank God for the thing you were encouraged by. 7

9 WEEK 2 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK Try to memorise vv this week. Tips on memorisation: Try writing it down multiple times in a journal, humming it to a tune, saying it aloud, writing it with whiteboard marker on your mirror, use post-it notes around the house, save it as your phone background, listen to it as you drive to work. MONDAY - EPHESIANS 1:1-2 In this greeting Paul identifies himself as an apostle. This means an authoritative messenger sent by God (see more on apostleship in Acts 1:21-26, 1 Cor. 15:7-10 and 2 Cor. 12:12). He s writing to the saints in Ephesus. You ll see in the footnotes that some early manuscripts don t have in Ephesus. It s possible the letter was meant for churches in the region more generally as well as the one in Ephesus itself. Saints means sanctified people and sanctified means made holy. In the Bible all Christians are saints (compare 1 Cor. 1:2). 1. What do you think of Paul s summary description of the Christians in verse 1? To what extent is this similar or different to how you would describe yourself? 2. What does Paul wish for his readers in verse 2? What does he mean by this? 3. Look through Chapter 1 and see how Paul uses Grace and Peace. PRAY - Thank God that he has made the gospel known through the Apostles and their word written down. Thank God for the grace and peace we have received in Christ. TUESDAY - EPHESIANS 1:3-14 Paul begins with a call for praise for God (or blessing upon him as per ESV). In the original Greek, these verses are a single sentence of 202 words. It is therefore a jam-packed passage! We ll look at it more closely in the following readings. 1. What are some of the repeated words or ideas? 8

10 2. Write a list of all the blessings you can find in these verses. 3. What ideas stand out at you or surprise you? PRAY - Give thanks and praise to God! Try to pick up some of the language of this passage in your prayer. WEDNESDAY - EPHESIANS 1:3-6 The Fatherhood of God is a really big theme in Ephesians along with related ideas like adoption and inheritance. These verses began to explore how important this theme is. 1. What has God done for us according to these verses? 2. How does Jesus fit with all this? 3. Why has God done what he has done? PRAY To your Father in Heaven. Thank him for adopting you into his family. THURSDAY - EPHESIANS 1: What is the big goal of verse 10? 2. Redemption means rescue at a cost. How have we been redeemed and how does this fit with forgiveness? 9

11 3. How might God s big plan influence the way we see the world and the community around us? PRAY - that you would grow in your confidence about the truth of who Jesus is, that His word may abide in you and that you would walk in the freedom of the life that is found in Jesus. FRIDAY - EPHESIANS 1: This passage picks up the ideas of choosing and predestination from 4 and 5. Predestined means that God has decided what will happen to us before the world was even made. How is it a comfort to know that we are predestined in Christ? 2. The we and you in this passage are Jewish and Gentile Christians. What role does the Holy Spirit play in our salvation according to these verses? There s so much great stuff to reflect on in 1:1-14. God, our Father, has worked our salvation from the beginning right through to the end of time. He has done this as Trinity (God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and he has done it for the praise of his glory and grace. It is right that we be moved in our minds and hearts to praise God along with Paul! 3. Read back over vv and write a prayer praising God for all that he has done in and through Jesus. PRAY - Give praise to God in your prayer and pray that more and more people in Green Square might hear and receive the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation. 10

12 WEEK 3 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK - Share a meal with someone new. Invite someone to your home for a meal or take someone out to dinner and pay for their meal. MONDAY - EPHESIANS 1:15-19A This is the first of two big prayers in Ephesians (the second is in 3:14-19). In these prayers we get a great insight into the heart and prayer life of Paul. Both prayers highlight the Fatherhood of God. 1. Why does he give thanks in verses 15 and 16? 2. What does he ask God for in 17-19a? In v. 17 the Spirit could be translated a spirit as per NIV footnotes or ESV. Bible commentator Peter O Brien favours the Spirit because the Spirit is normally in view when the Bible talks about revelation (see for example Eph. 3:5). The difficulty is that the readers have already received the Spirit according to verses Perhaps Paul is praying for continual growth in their knowledge of God which comes through the Spirit given to them. 3. How can Paul s prayers for his friends challenge and inspire our own prayer life? PRAY - Pray for the members of your Community Group. Try to use some of the language of 1:15-19a. TUESDAY - EPHESIANS 1:19B-23 In this passage, Paul continues in his prayer but expands into some pretty profound teaching. 1. List out everything God has done for Christ. 11

13 2. What is Jesus relation to a) all creation b) the church? 3. If this is who Jesus is and the position he holds, how does your life reflect this? (Read Psalm 2.) The end of verse 23 is one of the trickiest parts of Ephesians to figure out. It s expansive, poetic and intriguing! I think we re being told how Jesus - who has all of God s glory, presence and power fills the church (his body). This means that the church lives, grows and glorifies God through Jesus being with us and in us. PRAY Pray this prayer for yourself and for others. WEDNESDAY - EPHESIANS 2:1-3 Chapter 2 of Ephesians expands more on some of the ideas of chapter 1 such as God s grace (1:6), forgiveness of sins (1:7), and salvation (1:13). 1. What were we like before our salvation? 2. Why was this a problem? According to Peter O Brien the air in the ancient worldview was an intermediate sphere between earth and heaven where evil spirits lived. So the ruler of this realm is most likely Satan. This fits with 6:12 that talks about evil in the heavenly realms. This verse, along with verse 3, reminds us of the various factors which contribute to our spiritual death. 3. How should we think about these verses if we grew up as Christians? PRAY In light of this passage, pray for two of your non-christian friends that God has placed in your life. 12

14 THURSDAY - EPHESIANS 2: Verses 1-3 describe how we were dead in our transgressions. What has God done for us according to verses 4-7? 2. What are the reasons he did this? 3. Ephesians is always talking about us being with Christ or somehow in Christ/ him. You can see this in 2:4-7 but also 1:1,3,4,7,9,11,12,13,20. Why do you think this is such an important idea? PRAY - Give thanks for Grace City Church s ministry to kids City Kids. Ask God to continue to raise up more leaders and to encourage current leaders in their ministry. Pray for Emma as she the leads this ministry. FRIDAY - EPHESIANS 2:8-10 Grace is an amazing doctrine and today s reading gives us a chance to reflect on it deeply. 1. How have we been saved? How have we not been saved? 2. What is the consequence of this means of salvation? 3. What is our identity according to verse 10? Note: the this in verse 8 is mostly likely referring to the whole of our salvation (including faith) rather than faith specifically. 13

15 4. How do you think these verses help us understand the close link between predestination and salvation by grace? PRAY Praise God for the new identity we have in Christ, by grace, through faith. 14

16 WEEK 4 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK Meet up with a Christian friend for coffee and be intentional read the bible together, ask the deep and hard questions and pray for each other. Maybe you could arrange to meet early at church on Sunday and make use of our amazing space. MONDAY - EPHESIANS 2:11-12 In these verses God speaks about how things used to be for us. It s a lot like 2:1-3 only this time more about our previous relationship with God and his people. 1. What are the 5 things we were separate from / without? 2. The covenants of the promise are most likely the major covenants with Abraham, Israel and David. Read Genesis 17:1-14. What do we miss out on by being excluded from this covenant? 3. How well do you think without hope and without God in the world describes the average Australian? PRAY Spend some time thinking about and praying for 3 people in your life that are without hope and without God. TUESDAY - EPHESIANS 2:13-18 Praise God we come to a great but now moment in Scripture (compare Rom. 3:21, Eph. 2:4)! 1. What were all the problems Jesus dealt with? 15

17 2. How did he do this? 3. How do we relate to God now because of Jesus (especially verse 18)? These are massive ideas of grace to reflect on. They change the way they think about our relationship to God and our relationship with other believers (regardless of their race). As you pray today remember that it is through Jesus by the Spirit that we have this remarkable access to God! PRAY Pray for Tim and Emma. Ask God that Tim would continue to grow in his love and knowledge of Christ and lead his family and our church to do the same. WEDNESDAY - EPHESIANS 2: Read back over 2: What s the result of these verses according to today s reading? How do they work together? As Gentiles the Ephesians were excluded from citizenship in Israel and so not able to be part of God s people or the blessings of His promises. But Jesus has destroyed that barrier (2:14) and made them (and us) members of God s household (2:19), being built into the new temple in which God dwells among His people (Eph. 2:21-22). 2. What does it mean in v. 20 that God s household has the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus as the chief cornerstone? 3. As part of God s household, how is that reflected in your own life? PRAY - Thank God that in Jesus, He s opened up the way for us Gentiles to be brought into God s people. 16

18 THURSDAY ACTS 19:1-22 Acts 19 records Pauls time in the city of Ephesus. It is an amazing story that recounts some of the events that happened in this 2-year period. 1. What things stand out to you from these verses? 2. What happened when some people tried to use the power of Jesus for their own gain (see vv )? 3. What did repentance look like for them in verses 17-20? PRAY That like the Ephesian believers, you would confess and turn away from any evil practices in your life. FRIDAY ACTS 19: What caused the great disturbance in v. 23? 2. What was the people s motivation for rioting? 3. Are there things in your own life that you need to give up as you follow Jesus? How might they cause a disturbance in your own life? 4. How does Acts 19 help as you continue to read Ephesians? PRAY Ask God to show you any areas in your life where Jesus is not Lord. Pray for the grace to put these to death. 17

19 WEEK 5 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK Commit to praying every day this week for someone who is going through a hard time at the moment. Tell them that you are praying for them and ask if there is anything you can do to help. MONDAY - EPHESIANS 3:1-13 This passage talks a lot about God s wisdom and grace: His wisdom in the mystery which has now been made known, and God s grace given to Paul that he might make known this mystery to the Gentiles. We ll look at the whole passage today but then again more carefully over the next few days. 1. How does Paul see his role in God s plans? 2. How does Paul view his imprisonment and suffering? 3. How do you feel when you read about Paul praising God for his suffering and counting it a grace that was given to him? PRAY - For those who are suffering in our church, and for your own struggles as well. Pray that God might sustain us through them, and use us as we endure to make known the mystery of Christ. TUESDAY - EPHESIANS 3:7-9 In these verses Paul talks about his role in God s plans as a servant of the Gospel. 1. What s unique about this role that Paul had? 18

20 2. How does Phil 2:1-11 challenge us to be like Jesus and Paul? 3. In what ways have you seen God changing you in the last year, to be serving the Gospel more and more? PRAY Reflect on how God has changed you. Pray for one area in your life you where you would like to see God change you. WEDNESDAY - EPHESIANS 3:10-13 Paul talks about the reason God had kept the mystery of Christ hidden for ages, but has now made it known. It was that through the Church, God s wisdom would be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. These rulers and authorities are probably those who are at work in those who are disobedient (Eph. 2:1-3). Paul is saying that the mystery of the cross isn t just to be made known to those who trust in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. And it s not even just to all people, it s to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms! This is momentous! 1. What do you think Paul means when he says it s through the church that the manifold wisdom of God will be made known? 2. As part of the Church, how might Grace City be doing this? 3. As part of Grace City, how might you be doing this? PRAY - Thank God that through faith in Jesus, we can approach God with freedom and confidence. Pray for Matt Varcoe and the EXPLORE team as they make known the manifold wisdom of God to those who are coming along each week. 19

21 THURSDAY - EPHESIANS 3:14-19 After speaking about the mystery of Christ kept hidden for ages and now made known, Paul goes back to pray for the Ephesians (the first prayer was in 1:15-19a). His sufferings, which he sees as being for the Ephesians glory, drive him to his knees in prayer for them! 1. What are the things that Paul prays for the Ephesians? 2. When you think about what you normally pray for others or ask others to pray for you, what surprises you about the contents of Paul s prayers? 3. What are his greatest desires for the Ephesians? PRAY - Pray for the others in your Community Group. Try to pray for them specifically along the lines of what Paul prays for the Ephesians. FRIDAY - EPHESIANS 3:20-21 Remember yesterdays reading it was Paul talking about what he prays for the Ephesians. As he does that, it s like Paul can t help but then declare God s glory. 1. How is God described in these verses? 2. What do you think verse 21 actually means? 3. Paul expects that God can answer his prayer for the Ephesians in even greater ways than he expects, and that He would do this for his own glory. Have you ever thought about that that your endurance and growth in the knowledge of God brings Him glory? PRAY - Praise God for his glory. You might like to read Psalm 8 to start your prayer off. 20

22 WEEK 6 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK Identify and write down a sinful action you are struggling with at the moment. Actively fight this sinful temptation this week by praying and asking someone to keep you accountable. MONDAY - EPHESIANS 4:1-5:2 In the rest of the letter Paul turns to their new life in Christ and how it impacts their day-to-day living. Verse 1 is kind of a summary of everything that follows. 1. How does the identity that we have in Christ that Paul reminds us of in Ch. 1-3 help with how we are to live in the following chapters? 2. As you look through this whole passage, what are some repeated ideas that come up? 3. The passage starts and ends with loving others and keeping the unity of the Spirit (4:2,3 and 4:30, 5:2). How do these ideas help us to understand the rest of what Paul says in this passage? PRAY That all that we have been reminded of in Ch. 1-3 will be what gives us the power to live the life that God calls us to. TUESDAY - EPHESIANS 4:1-6 In these six verses Paul makes eight references to the Ephesians unity or one-ness. Unity between churches can be seen as something we need to seek sometimes by finding the lowest common denominator or the most basic truths that we can agree on. On the surface that can seem like a good idea, but according to these verses, what s the basis of the unity which we have with others? 1. In order to keep expressing the unity we have with each other, what are the areas of godliness that Paul identifies we ll need to grow in? 21

23 2. Are there people at church that you re not keeping the unity of the Spirit with? 3. If Jesus was to grow you in humility and gentleness, patience and forbearance, how might that impact this conflict? PRAY - That as a church we would continue to express the unity which we already have with one another. Pray for yourself that God would grow you in humility, gentleness, patience and forbearance to do so, and courage if you need to repent where you haven t done this. WEDNESDAY - EPHESIANS 4:7-13 In verse 8 Paul quotes Psalm 68:18. In the incarnation, Jesus has descended to earth, and in Christ s ascension to Heaven (Luke 24:51) Paul sees the fulfillment of this Psalm. In these verses Jesus is pictured as the conquering King who has come in triumphant procession. And the gifts he gives is the grace of verse Verses 8-10 seem to be a brief sidetrack into Christ s incarnation and ascension inspired by the word give. If we pick the flow of verse 7 back up in verse 11 what is it that Christ has given? 2. If pastors and teachers have been given to prepare God s people for works of service, what does this mean in terms of what we expect of our Pastors at GCC? What should we expect their ministry to look like? 3. As we look around and see needs that aren t being filled in our church, how does this change how we might think about who ought to be doing it? PRAY - Pray for our Pastors. Thank God for them and pray for them that they would be preparing us for works of service. 22

24 THURSDAY - EPHESIANS 4:14-16 In these verses Paul seems to flesh out what attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ looks like. 1. In v. 14, what doesn t it look like? What are some ways you see this wrong picture in the wider Christian world/our society today? 2. In light of v. 14, what might it mean to speak the truth in love? 3. How does that help the body (or the church) to grow? 4. In v. 16 Paul talks about each part of the body doing it s work. How have you seen others at GCC be used by God to build up the body? How is God using you, or how might He use you, to play a part in building up the body? PRAY - Praise God that he gives us different people at GCC, who all are part of building up His body. FRIDAY - EPHESIANS 4:17-24 In these verses Paul gets to the heart of the issue of the Gentiles (who are what the Ephesians formerly were) they re separated from God because of futile thinking and ignorance. It reminds us of Paul s words to the Romans in Rom 1: Their hearts are hardened and so they re separated from God. Paul s very clear that the Ephesians are to no longer live like this. 1. How do the Gentiles live according to verses 17-19? 2. How do you see this in the lives of those in our community who are separate from God? 23

25 3. Why should the Ephesians (and us) be different? 4. Notice how many times words about knowledge or teaching are used in verses In what ways have you seen God renew your mind particularly early on in your Christian life? 5. Take some time to reflect on the changes from your old self. What are the things which God has helped you to put in place of your new self? Are there old self things which you are still trying to keep on? PRAY - That God would help you to put off those specific things which you still need to. Praise God for the ways He has changed you already. Give thanks for your Growth Group leaders who teach the Word of God to you each week. 24

26 WEEK 7 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK Offer to serve at GCC in a way you haven t yet maybe you could help out at our Market Stall on the 3 rd Saturday of the month, offer to cook a dessert for EXPLORE or Q&A, or volunteer some time to serve in the office. MONDAY - EPHESIANS 4:25-5:2 It s easy to read today s passage and forget what came before it. If we simply read it as a to-do list it can easily become a way of trying to measure how we re going as a Christian. Before we know it we can end up in a works based mentality! Or we can just focus on our outward actions, ignoring what s behind them. So as you read this passage remember that it is written to people who already trust in Jesus (who gives people grace in order to serve the church) and whose minds have been renewed. 1. There s a whole list of things not to do here. Can you arrange them into some categories? 2. If we were to do the things we re told not to, or not do what we re told to, here, how would that affect other members of the congregation and Growth Group we re part of? How would this then make it hard to keep the unity of the Spirit (4:3)? 3. What could Eph. 4:32-5:2 look like for you in your relationships with particular people at church? PRAY - That as individual members of Grace City, God would be changing all of us to be imitators of Him and live a life of love. TUESDAY - EPHESIANS 5:3-20 In this chapter Paul continues to urge the Ephesians to live a life worthy of their calling (4:1). 1. We ll look more closely at these verses over the next few days, but at first glance, what are some of the reasons for godliness that stand out for you? 25

27 2. Make a list of all the contrasts between what we were and who we are now in these verses. PRAY - Thank God for the opportunity we have to reach out to our community through our market stall. Pray for the people that we connect with, that they would come along to church and hear the life-giving message of Jesus. WEDNESDAY - EPHESIANS 5:3-7 Sexual immorality, impurity, greed, obscenity, foolish talk and coarse joking. Paul says these things are improper for God s people. And even more than that, he says there must not even be a hint of them! 1. Have a look through the list of these again. In what ways is your heart tempted in each of these? 2. Notice how in verse 4, thanksgiving is supposed to replace evil and foolish language. What are some things you can give thanks for today? 3. What are some things, which you re finding hard to give thanks for? Can you find anything about them to thank God for? The empty words which Paul is referring to in v. 6 are probably the teaching of some forms of Gnosticism, which held that it didn t matter what you did with your body and that the spiritual life was only concerned with the soul. People who taught this might say that sexual immorality is fine because it s just a physical thing which doesn t affect your soul. But Paul says that this isn t the case. PRAY - Thank God that all of our sin is forgiven in Jesus. Pray for His help to keep growing in godliness and a life that honours Him. 26

28 THURSDAY - EPHESIANS 5:8-14 Paul again contrasts our former life before we were Christians to our new life this time polarizing them as darkness and light. There s such a stark difference between our life before we followed Jesus to after that they are as different as light and dark. Once darkness, but now light. There s no darkness in light. There s no place for our old ways in our new life. Notice also that the deeds of darkness are fruitless, while living in the light bears fruit. Note: The quote in v. 14 isn t a direct quote from an Old Testament passage, though the Bible commentator, F. F. Bruce points out it represents the general sense of a number of passages like Isaiah 60:1 and Malachi 4:2. He also suggests it s possible that this was part of a baptism hymn from the early church. 1. Paul says we re to have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of the darkness in v.11. Are there ways that you re still dabbling in these fruitless deeds of darkness? 2. As you reflect on your life, how have you already seen God bear fruit of the light in your life in goodness, righteousness and truth? PRAY - Thank God that it s He who changes us to be like Jesus. Pray that God will show you areas where He wants you to change, and give you the grace to do so. FRIDAY - EPHESIANS 5:15-20 Paul adds to the reason why we re to live lives that reflect the light: to make the most of every opportunity. It reminds us of Peter s words in 1 Peter 3: What opportunities have you had to talk about Jesus because of the way you live your life? 2. What do you think it means to speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (verse 19)? How might we do that as a church? 3. We can easily skim over verse 20 and read it lightly. There s a lot we have that s easy to give thanks to God for. What are some of these things for you? 27

29 4. Paul is clear that it s giving thanks for everything. What are the things that you just pray for God to change? Is it possible to give thanks for them? Why/why not? PRAY - Give thanks for both the blessings which God has given you, and even for the things which if you could, you would change. 28

30 WEEK 8 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK Make a meal for someone in need. (Eg. new parents, someone who has lost a loved one, someone who is unwell, someone who has just moved houses, someone who is busy with kids/work/uni.) MONDAY - EPHESIANS 5:21-6:9 Paul continues on his theme about the importance of how we live out our new life in Christ, but he gets into some specific relationships, particularly relationships within households, and what they should look like. Verse 21 serves as a great summary. 1. What are the different relationships that Paul addresses here, and which of those apply to you? 2. As you look through all of these different relationships, what reasons do you notice being given for submission in them? 3. How might living this way give us opportunities that we can make the most of (see 5:16)? PRAY - For our church, especially that we would have opportunities to witness to our community. TUESDAY - EPHESIANS 5:21-33 The first household relationship which Paul addresses is that between the husband and wife. 1. What are the differences in expectations to husbands and wives? 2. What is this passage not saying in regards to husbands and wives? 3. How are wives told to relate to their husbands? How are husbands told to relate to their wives? 29

31 4. How is the husband s role a parallel (albeit an imperfect one) of Jesus role to the church? 5. How can you better be (either presently if you re married, or in the future if one day you re married) the kind of husband or wife that God wants you to be? PRAY - For the marriages at GCC, that they d reflect God s order and bring honour to Jesus. Pray for those who are single. Pray that if they have the opportunity to marry they would choose a wife or husband who will help them live out this passage together. WEDNESDAY - EPHESIANS 6:1-4 Next Paul addresses the relationship between parents and children. Scholar F. F. Bruce suggests that he has in view a Christian family in verse 1, as he refers to them as parents in the Lord. 1. For those of us that have children, how would you explain this passage to them? 2. As adults it can be tricky to figure out what obeying and honouring our parents means especially as we grow older and become more independent. Other factors like our parents relationship with God and our first loyalty to Christ can come into play. Think about your current circumstances how can you best follow what the Bible says here? 3. For those of us who are fathers, what might it mean not to exasperate our children? And what does bringing them up in the training and instruction of the Lord look like on a daily basis? PRAY - Thank God for the families which God has put all of us in. Pray for those in our church for whom obedience to Jesus means disobeying earthly parents. 30

32 THURSDAY - EPHESIANS 6:5-9 In these verses Paul addresses a relationship which we don t have in quite the same way in Australia: slaves and masters. Slavery in the New Testament doesn t seem like slavery quite in the sense that we hear of it today for example the horrors of the African slave trade. It was possible for New Testament slaves to buy their freedom and it s possible that people sold themselves into slavery to pay o a debt. Paul though definitely thought slavery was an unfortunate position to be in and encouraged people to obtain their freedom if they could (1 Cor. 7:21). 1. How does being a slave of Jesus change the way the slave is to relate to his master? Why is he to do this? 2. How is a master to relate differently as a Christian master? What s the reason behind this? 3. With the above in mind, perhaps one way to think through these verses is in terms of relationships we re in which we re obliged to obey or be obeyed. How should being a Christian change the way we relate in these situations? PRAY - For Compassion as they work amongst some children for whom slavery is a very real threat. Pray that God would use Compassion to sponsor children and provide for their physical and spiritual needs. FRIDAY REVELATION 2:1-7 In these verses, Jesus speaks to the church in Ephesus. First he has things to commend them for. However, he also has something that he is against. 1. What does Jesus commend in the Ephesian Church? 2. What is it that Jesus has against the Ephesians? 31

33 3. From your reading of Ephesians and Acts 19, what do you think forsaken your first love could be referring to? What were the things they did at first in Acts 19:18-20? PRAY That we would never forget the gospel, but continue to turn away from evil and worship the true and living God. 32

34 WEEK 9 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK - Check out Compassion child sponsorship. Consider sponsoring a child. If you already sponsor a child, take time to write them a letter and pray for them. You can write a letter online now! Just go to MONDAY - EPHESIANS 6:10-20 Paul has spent a bit of time talking about how we re to live as Christians, and he anticipates that this won t be easy. Being different from those around us will take strength and God s power. Because it s not just people we re battling against, but against the spiritual forces of evil. As per 2:2 this is most likely referring to Satan whom we used to follow. 1. Look through these verses and make a list of all the things which Paul tells us to do. Of these, which of them is God responsible for? Which ones are we responsible for? Notice that this section begins with the encouragement to be strong in the Lord and ends with an encouragement to pray to that same Lord. 2. How does God help us to stand against the devil s schemes? 3. What might this look like in your life? PRAY Pray for Jackson as he leads membership at church. Ask God to continue to help us to be a church that lives out the gospel in the way we love and care for each other and express the unity we have in Christ. TUESDAY - EPHESIANS 6:11-18 We can often read this passage and immediately think of all the things which we have to do to resist the devil. But notice how many times the idea of to stand is used. 1. Make a list of the aspects of this armour of God. Now make a list of the adjectives of these parts of the armour. If these adjectives are all from God, how does that help us to 33

35 understand what it means to put on the armour of God? 2. How do these adjectives help us to stand firm in Jesus and resist the devil? PRAY - For the Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Jesus. Pray that they d maintain a faithful witness to Jesus and love their enemies. WEDNESDAY - EPHESIANS 6: Paul writes this letter from prison. As you look back over what he s written how does that challenge how we view our own struggles, and what the content of our prayers reveal? 2. It s encouraging to see Paul, who we think of as so fearless and unashamed in preaching the gospel, ask for the Ephesians to pray for him that he would be fearless. What things cause you to be fearful of sharing your faith? 3. Where are you being challenged to fearlessly make known the gospel? PRAY - That God might be pleased to see thousands of people come to know Jesus in the Green Square area. THURSDAY - EPHESIANS 6:21-24 Paul mentions Tychicus at the close of four of his letters (Eph. 6:21; Col 4:7; 2 Tim. 4:12; Titus 3:12) and each time it s in reference to him being sent to one of the churches to let them know how Paul is, and probably to carry this letter. (See also Acts 20:4) 1. How is Tychicus described, and what is his ministry? Who are the people like Tychicus who may often be overlooked but whom God has used

36 to encourage you? 3. As Paul closes his letter, what does he wish for the Ephesians? What does this mean? PRAY - Give thanks to God for the many people who serve our church faithfully, week after week, behind the scenes. FRIDAY - 1. Flick back over Ephesians and some of the notes you ve made. What s stood out for you? a) Themes b) Verses c) New ideas d) Applications (things about yourself you d like to see change in) PRAY - In response to what you ve been learning and been challenged by in God s word. Pray that you d have opportunities to teach and encourage others in these areas. 35

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