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HopeLives365

Mark Finley

3rd Quarter Sabbath School 2023: Ephesians

01 Paul and the Ephesians

02 God’s Grand, Christ-Centered Plan

03 The Power of the Exalted Jesus

04 How God Rescues Us

05 Horizontal Atonement: The Cross and the Church

06 The Mystery of the Gospel

07 The Unified Body of Christ

08 Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech

09 Living Wisely

10 Husbands and Wives: Together at the Cross

11 Practicing Supreme Loyalty to Christ

12 “The Call to Stand”

13 Waging Peace

14 Ephesians in the Heart


Welcome to another 1 of our Sabbath School series. We're beginning a new quarter, and in this new quarter, we'll be studying the Book of Ephesians. The Book of Ephesians has 6 chapters. This series of Sabbath School lessons was written by Dr. John McVeigh.

Dr. McVeigh is the president of Walla Walla College, also teaches theology there. As you look at the book of Ephesians, it has 6 chapters. The first 3 chapters talk about the gospel, pointing out that we are adopted into the family of God through Christ. That through the cross of Calvary, the middle wall of petition between all peoples has been broken down.

That we are saved by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ? Do you remember that renowned text, that famous text in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8, that says, for by grace are you saved through faith. It is the gift of God and not of yourselves, not of works as anybody should boast for we have his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good works. So the first 3 chapters in the book of Ephesians talk about the gospel. The last 3 chapters talk about the results of the gospel in our lives.

I like when I'm reading the Bible to summarize chapters in the Bible. And I'll tell you how I've summarized these chapters, and sometimes in my own Bible, I will write the title of those chapters. And we're gonna just take a look at the entire book of Ephesians, and then go back to follow our lesson study today. In chapter 1 of the book of Ephesians, we find that Christ's riches are ours. All the riches of Christ, the glory of who Jesus is, is ours.

In chapter 2, we find that Christ's grace is ours. In chapter 3, we find that Christ's power is ours. Do you have that? 3 chapters. Christ's riches are ours.

Christ's power is ours. Christ's grace is ours. So his riches in chapter 1, his grace in chapter 2, his power in chapter 3. Then what is the result of the riches of Christ dwelling in us? What is the result of the grace of Christ changing our lives?

What is the result of the power of Christ transforming us? Chapter 4, we are brought into unity with 1 another and unity with God. Chapter 5, what's the result of that? We walk in love and we walk in the light of truth and we walk in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. So chapter 5, the result of the gospel is enabling us to walk in love, we walk in the light of God's truth, and we walk in wisdom.

And what about chapter 6? Chapter 6 talks about the armor of Christ. And if indeed we've been transformed by the grace of Christ, if we're adopted as children of God, we want to put the armor of Christ on. What is that armor? The Bible tells us.

Verse 13, chapter 6, therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day having done all to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you'll be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked 1 and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. So this armor of God has to do with faith, with hope, with love, with courage, with firmness. So let's look at the whole book of Ephesians together.

Chapter 1, Christ's riches are ours. We're adopted into the family of God. Chapter 2, Christ's grace is ours. We're transformed by the grace, forgiven by that grace. Chapter 3, Christ's power is ours.

Our lives can be changed through the gospel. We need not be the people we used to be. The grace of God and the riches of Christ transform us through God's power. Chapter 4, in Christ, we are unified, brought together as 1 community of believers, the church. So the book of Ephesians talks about the church as a community of believers, the church as the body of Christ, the church as the bride of Christ.

So we're brought together in unity. In chapter 5, we walk in love. We are filled with the light of his truth, and we walk in wisdom. In chapter 6, we put on the whole armor of God to resist the temptations. So that's the message of Ephesians.

Where was Ephesians written from and when was it written? The book of Ephesians was written from Paul's imprisonment in Rome. There were 4 of the epistles that were written there. You have Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon written from that imprisonment. Paul had visited Ephesus on an occasion, it's in Acts 18, you'll find that on Monday's lesson.

In Acts 18, Paul visits Ephesus. And you'll, actually it's in Sunday's lesson that Paul is the evangelist to Ephesus and he goes there at the end of his second missionary journey. Ephesus is 1 of the largest cities in the Roman Empire. It has a population of 250, 000 people. It was enjoying a time of great prosperity in Paul's day.

It was a port city. It was at the crossroads also of important land routes. People worship many deities in that city, including Artemis. So Paul briefly spends some time there as he has returned from his missionary journeys in Greece, in Achaia and Macedonia. Macedonia in northern Greece, Achaia southern.

But then he later returns on his third missionary journey and that's what we want to pick up just for a few moments now, this third missionary journey in Acts chapter 19. You'll find this in Monday's lesson in Acts, the 19th chapter, Paul returns. He stays there for over 2 years as he's preaching. The gospel has its impact and it has its impact in the culture. As the result of that, the sale of the little silver shrines made by the shopkeepers falls off.

Demetrius, 1 of the silversmiths, becomes incredibly angry. And it says in Acts chapter 19, verse 24, for a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, that's Artemis is the same, that brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation and said, "'Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. "'Moreover, you see it here, that not only at Ephesus, "'but throughout almost all Asia, "'that this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people saying they are not gods, they're made with hands. So what's Demetrius concerned about?

He's concerned about money. He's concerned about the trade is falling off. So he stirs up the tradesmen, he stirs up the people in town, they enter into the stadium. This stadium seating about 15, 000 people and as they come into this stadium, they're yelling, they're screaming. Now you could jam in 25, 000 people into the stadium.

It's at least 15, 000, but if you're looking at the maximum seating capacity, it's 25, 000. So let's imagine 25, 000 people in there, shouting, the Bible says, for 2 hours, great is the goddess of Diana, great is the goddess of Diana. They want Paul to come in. They'll tear him apart limb from limb. 2 of Paul's compatriots are brought into that temple, brought into that theater, that stadium.

And It almost appears as if their lives are going to be taken. But then a clerk stands up in the stadium from Rome. They want Paul to come in. His disciples don't allow him to go in. Some of the officials who were his friends keep him from actually going in there.

And as the 1 called Alexander, he comes out of the multitude, the Jews put him forward, now Alexander motions with his hands as if he wants to make some defense. They find out that he's a Jew, they cry, great is Diana, great is Diana. Pretty soon, 1 of the key officials stands up. He says, look, we're in danger of being called in question for today's uproar. Therefore give no reason which we may give to the authorities of course, for our disorderly gathering.

And when he had said these things, he dismisses the assembly. This is the city clerk who quiets the crowd. In the providence of God, The crowd is quieted. But what we see in Acts 18 and Acts 19 is the state of Ephesus to which Paul wrote this letter. Here is a city that's immersed in idolatry.

Here is a city that is immersed in immorality, godlessness, and a secular culture. Here is a city of multiple gods and the gospel penetrated that city. What was the power of the gospel in the city of Ephesus? Let's listen to the letter to the Ephesians. You're looking at Tuesday's lesson just now.

And the letter opens with a powerful greeting. Ephesians chapter 1. The letter opens with a very powerful greeting that Paul gives to them, And then we'll look a little bit at the chapters. Ephesians 1, Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. Paul never got too far away from the fact that he was called by God as an apostle.

He had divine authority to write to them, to the saints or believers who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus. He knows they're facing temptation. He knows they're facing persecution. He knows they're living in the middle of a godless society. He says that they're faithful.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. What does grace mean? Grace is the undeserved mercy of God. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. Grace is God's love and action that provides forgiveness to our sin and mercy.

Grace provides for us the power of the living Christ to change. Grace and peace. What is peace? The ancient Hebrew word for peace is shalom, where grace is chorus or charity or love. But peace is shalom.

It has to do with an inner contentment and inner serenity. So Paul says, I long for you to have the grace of God dwelling in your lives and the peace. Then he says, blessed be the God, verse 3, and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who's blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. So Paul says, I want you to know that the riches of Christ are yours, that you are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Verse 4, he chose us before the foundation of the world.

Look at the things that Christ did for us. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Verse 4, he chooses us in him before the foundation of the world. Verse 5, he predestines us to the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ. What does it mean he predestined us?

Does that mean that he has a pre-designed plan that we're locked in and we have no choice about? Not at all. When it says he predestined us, he had a predetermined plan for our life. He wrote that plan on the drawing board of heaven. He predetermined this predetermined purpose.

Now we can choose whether we fulfill God's purpose or not. We can choose whether we walk in the way that he has predetermined for us, but he has predetermined or predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he's made us accepted in the beloved. Now look what Christ has done for us. He's given us every spiritual blessing. He chooses us in him before the foundation of the world.

He has a pre-designed plan that we're adopted as his sons and daughters. He has accepted us in the beloved. He's redeemed us through his blood for the forgiveness of sins. He makes us abound in him, in all wisdom and prudence. And he makes known to us the mystery of his will.

These are the riches of Christ that are ours. This is the letter to the Ephesians. Now. Ephesians is written by Paul to give encouragement so that the church at Ephesus will not lose heart. Now here In the book of Ephesians, if you look at Wednesday's lesson entitled Ephesians in its time, the author asks the question, how does Paul begin and end his letter to the believers in Ephesus?

What do we learn about the deepest desires for them? In Ephesians 1 verse 1 and 2, we see that his desire is that they be faithful in Christ. And when you look at Ephesians 6, verse 21 through 24, you see that the chapter ends with that same desire on the part of Paul. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 21 to 24, but that you know also may know my affairs and how I'm doing. Take us a beloved brother, Faithful minister will make things known to you.

Then he says, verse 23, peace to the brethren and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love the Lord Jesus. So he is appealing to them in the first chapter because of Christ's love for you and the peace he desires to give and the riches that you have in Christ, be faithful to him. And he ends with this strong appeal that we will recognize Christ's grace, be filled with his love and again be faithful to him. This lesson ends this week on Thursday by saying Ephesians is a Christ centered, Christ saturated letter.

And it talks about Ephesians. It turns us to Ephesians chapter 1, verse 9 and verse 10. Ephesians 1, verse 9 and verse 10. The lesson is summarized here. And in these words, having made known to us the mystery of his will and according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in 1 all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth.

Paul says the theme of this entire letter is to gather all things together in 1 in Christ, then he moves into in Ephesians 1, that the church is the body of Christ. God's going to gather all things together in his church to prepare his people for the coming of Christ. Then in Ephesians 2 he says the church is God's building. God that's going to gather all things together in his building, the church, to prepare people for the coming of Christ. Then the church is his bride.

Christ is going to love his church as his bride to gather them together, to prepare them for the second coming of Christ. Then he says the church is an army, Ephesians 6. So the church is the body of Christ, the church is the building of Christ, the church is the bride of Christ, church is the army of Christ. These men and women that God has gathered together to make an impact on the world like an army are to prepare a world for the coming of Jesus. Ephesians, a Christ-centered letter.

Chapter 1, Christ's riches are ours. Chapter 2, Christ's grace is ours. Chapter 3, Christ's power is ours. Chapter 4, Christ's unity is ours as brothers and sisters in Christ. Chapter 5, Christ's again is ours as we walk with him.

Christ's wisdom is ours. Christ's light is ours. Christ's truth is ours. All in chapter 5, wrapped up, truth and light and wisdom are ours in Christ. We come to chapter 6.

Christ's armor is ours. We can face the temptations of this world in Christ, because in Christ and through Christ and because of Christ, we can be saved in His kingdom. This is going to be an exciting quarter, studying the book of Ephesians. Read the entire book through this week. It'll take you about 15, maybe 20 minutes.

Meditate on the book and get ready for next week's study in Ephesians chapter 2. Let's pray. Father in heaven, how we thank you that Christ is ours, that in Christ we're adopted as sons and daughters of God, that in Christ we are redeemed through the cross of Calvary. In Christ, we can live godly lives. Ephesians calls us not to dumb down our faith, not to compromise our faith, but to in Christ and through Christ and because of Christ, to live godly lives filled with your wisdom, walking in the way of your truth.

May the study this quarter enable us to be filled with the love of Jesus. In Christ's name, amen. This media was brought to you by AudioVerse, a website dedicated to spreading God's Word through free sermon audio and much more. If you would like to know more about Audioverse, or if You

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3rd Quarter Sabbath School 2023: Ephesians

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