Studies in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians INDUCTIVE LESSON EIGHTEEN Ephesians 2 Amazing Grace Most of us have seen the game show Let s Make a Deal in which the contestants who qualify for the Final Showcase are asked to choose between what is behind two doors with only partial knowledge of their contents. A few years ago my mother-in-law made it onto the stage for the Final Showcase and had to choose between approximately ten thousand dollars in prizes and what was behind door number two. Unfortunately, she chose door number two that hid her prize; it was a donkey. Her comment was, If I had only known what was behind the door, I would have made a better choice. In life we are all asked to make a choice between two doors. Door number one has a very attractive front and is labeled The World and door number two is labeled Jesus (I am the door John 10:9). In our passage of scripture this week, Paul allows us to peek behind both of these doors to reveal their true contents. Door number one, the World, looks attractive from the outside as Satan works (literally energizes) to make it appear appealing promising pleasure, no guilt, and the good life. But behind it we find men dead in their sins and trespasses. By contrast, behind door number two, labeled Jesus, we find the surpassing richness of God s grace. Paul adds the prefix hyper to surpassing to describe the magnitude of our gift (we get our word hyperbole from the Greek term for surpassing). If that isn t enough, this passage speaks as if we have already been raised with Jesus and seated with Him in the heavenly realms. In truth, once we have accepted Jesus, God the Father sees us as holy. This is our position in Christ before God. However, in our earthly tent we still tend to sin in our present condition. It is through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that our condition (sinful man) grows closer to our position (Holy before God) as we will read about in chapters four through six of this epistle. Faith and works are often seen as the polar opposites of theology. Yet in the familiar passage of verses eight through ten Paul shows us how they are connected. He clearly teaches that salvation is by God s grace alone through faith and not as a result of anything we can do. We are not saved by our works but we are saved for God s work. In his book The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren says life s most important question is: What on earth am I here for? Warren goes on to explain, You are not an accident. Even before the universe was created, God had you in mind, and he planned you for his purposes. 1 Paul writes that we are his workmanship or masterpiece (poiema in the Greek from which we derive poem ) created for good works in Christ. Modern racial hatred and prejudice pales when compared to the attitude of the Jews towards Gentiles in the ancient world. To the Jews the Gentiles were dogs, without the true God and without hope. One rabbi wrote that the Gentiles were fuel for the fires of hell. If a Jew 1
married a Gentile, their family would hold a funeral service for them. The wall mentioned in verse 14 was both figurative and literal a wall separated the Court of the Gentiles (the location of the moneychangers) from the actual temple, which only Jews could enter. Ironically, Paul wrote this letter from prison because of the charge against him for allegedly bringing a Gentile into the Temple. In Christ, these mortal enemies have been joined together in immortality. From the two He has made one new man. The Greek word for new means new not only in time but also by being novel or unique. Paul goes on to write in Colossians 3:11 there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised. Together Jews and Gentiles in Christ have become living stones (1 Peter 2:5) being built up on the cornerstone of Jesus into the House of God. The world preaches tolerance but practices prejudice. Governments promise equality and tranquility but cannot make good on that promise. It is only in Christ that we shall find peace (Greek eirene means more than a lack of external strife but also a quality of inner calm). Ron Artest, a Lakers basketball player, recently changed his name to Metta World Peace to promote global harmony. He also holds the NBA record for the longest suspension for his violence against fans during a basketball game in 2007. No Jesus No Peace Know Jesus Know Peace. 1 Rick Warren The Purpose Driven Life pg. 23 Zondervan Grand Rapids, Mich. 2002 Prayer Start by praying over the passage and asking the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom in understanding it. Then read through the entire passage two or three times. The depth of theology in verses one through ten is so great that I would strongly advise using the New Living Translation for one of your scripture readings. Study Text / Worksheet Write down your observations, comments, or questions directly on the text as you go over it. Ephesians 2:1 22 1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by 2
grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (NKJV) Observation 1. My Observations: In the left column write down observations you make directly from the text. Inductive tips (things to look for): a) What are the promises? b) What are the commands? c) What are the sources of conflict? d) What are the cause/effect relationships? e) What are the repeated words and ideas? f) What do we know about who is speaking and who is receiving the message? g) What comparisons and contrasts can you identify and what do they illustrate? h) Do you have unanswered questions on part of the passage? (Share them with your group.) 2. Digging Deeper: In the right column write down any additional observations you can add from other sources such as: a) other scriptures that apply (cross references) b) dictionaries for specific words (English or Greek dictionary) c) Bible dictionaries for historical information d) commentaries. See the Tool Box at the end of the study for suggested sources. 3
Ephesians 2:1 7 (From Hopeless to Heaven) My Observations Ephesians 2:8-10 (The Christian s Magna Carta) Digging Deeper Ephesians 2:11-22 (From Mortal Enemies to Immortality) Interpretation Webster tells us that interpret means to explain the meaning or make understandable. What is the spiritual truth or lesson that God is trying to teach in this passage? Don t isolate the passage but read into it and read out of it. Look for commands, imperatives, promises, or warnings. What is God saying to those people at that time? You will share what God is saying to you in the next section. State the spiritual truth or lesson in a single sentence. Application This is where you purpose to do what God has taught you in your time with Him. It is through applying the Word that God changes lives. Application does not happen by osmosis but by intent. God enlightens us with His Word, we apply what we ve learned with our wills, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to carry out these choices. The goal of all application is to glorify God 4
by becoming more like Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for... Teaching: What did I learn? Reproof: Where do I fall short? Why do I fall short? Correction: What will I do about it? Training in righteousness: How can I make this principle a consistent part of my life? Ephesians 2:1 7: Interpretation: Application: Ephesians 2:8 10: Interpretation: Application: Ephesians 2:11 22: Interpretation: Application: Take Away / Summary If one of your friends at work or a neighbor were to ask you what you did last night, you would tell them you went to a Bible Study. The next question would likely be, What did you learn? We often summarize an entire athletic contest or a movie in a few brief sentences and easily convey the essence of the event. Now apply these same skills to give a summary of the passage in a sentence or two. Then, in an additional sentence or two describe what impact this passage will have on how you live. 5
Memory Verse For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 Key Words / Phrases Write out the definition of these key words. You can use a regular dictionary or go to one of the Greek sources listed in the Tool Box at the end of the study. You may also use a concordance to see where else and how the word is used in the Bible. Prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2): Workmanship (Ephesians 2:10): Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20): Tool Box Step 1: The Bible. Read the passage in a couple of different versions. If you are having trouble understanding a passage, choose one of the versions lower in order on this list of translations. The translations listed at the top are the most accurate or literal while the ones towards the bottom are more readable. Word for Word Translations NASB New American Standard Version http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/new- American-Bible-NASB/ AMP-Amplified Bible http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/amplified-bible-mp/ ESV- English Standard Version http://www.esvstudybible.org/ KJV King James Version http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/king-james-version-kjv- Bible/ NKJV New King James Version http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/new-king-james- Version-NKJV-Bible/ NIV New International Version http://wwwbiblica.com/niv/ 6
Thought for Thought Translations NLT New Living Translation http://newlivingtranslation.com/ The Message http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/message-msg-bible/ Step 2: Study Tools. Use these to help you dig deeper. Background Information: 1) Unger s Bible Dictionary 2) Bible Dictionaries online at biblestudytools.com and blueletterbible.com Word Studies: 1) Zodhiates s The Complete Word Study New Testament 2) Vine s Complete Expository Dictionary 3) Strong s Dictionary of Bible Words 4) The two websites listed above Step 3: Commentaries. Do not use in place of studying God s Word directly, but they can give you additional insights. Listed by author: John MacArthur, Frank Gaebelein (Expositor s Bible Commentary), J. Vernon McGee, Klyne Snodgrass (NIV Application Commentary), F.F. Bruce, William Barclay (great for background and culture but be careful of his spiritual applications), Step 4: For Further Study: If you found this study truly engaging or convicting and want to read further on the issues covered in the reading a suggested book is: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren Zondervan Publishers Grand Rapids, Michigan 2002 2012 Mark Newton. All rights reserved. Express permission granted for use and reproduction by Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside, CA. www.harvest.org Prayer Requests: Message Notes: 7
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