Sabbath School lesson is one of the worldwide lessons studied by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and we are in the third quarter of 2023. The adult Bible study lesson for this quarter was written by John K. McVay. We are currently studying the book of Ephesians, and the Sabbath School lesson for this week is titled “Ephesians in the Heart” September 23-29. Join Pastor Mark Finely as he gives a short preview of this week’s lesson.

<p>Sabbath School lesson is one of the worldwide lessons studied by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and we are in the third quarter of 2023. The adult Bible study lesson for this quarter was written by John K. McVay. We are currently studying the book of Ephesians, and the Sabbath School lesson for this week is titled “Ephesians in the Heart” September 23-29. Join Pastor Mark Finely as he gives a short preview of this week’s lesson.</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

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


Well, we've come to the end of our journey in studying the book of Ephesians. We will of course continue with our Sabbath school lessons next quarter. I should tell you about the lessons next quarter too. The next quarter's study guide is gonna be entitled, God's Mission, My Mission. You won't wanna miss joining us for that Bible study as well.

All on mission, I am so excited about it. But we still have 1 more lesson, Ephesians in the Heart, lesson number 14. This lesson kind of flies over the whole book of Ephesians. We look at each chapter, chapter 1 through 6, and summarize those chapters. For a number of years, my wife and I lived in Chicago, and I would often fly into Chicago for my preaching appointments, return back home at night.

And there was something about flying over that city that you see Sears Tower, you see the downtown million dollar mile of Chicago, you see the lights laid out in blocks, you know, it just was an amazing sight. Our author begins the lesson this time with an illustration about London. We live there as well. We lived in St. Albans, England for 5 years.

And when we lived there, we used to always love to go downtown London. And our author, John McVeigh, talks about visitors to London like to climb on board the London Eye, which is kind of like a Ferris wheel. It's about 450 feet above the Thames, or Thames as I would say from New England, but Thames, the British would say the Thames River. And when you were up on that Ferris wheel, I mean, you can look down at the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, you see the boats going up and down the river, you see Westminster Abbey. So you may say, well, Pastor Mark, have you ever been up there?

I leave those heights for somebody else. But, you know, flying into any major city or going up on something like the Ferris wheel, you have a different view because you see the larger view. So we wanna take the larger view. For 13 weeks, we've been studying the book of Ephesians. So let's take the larger view.

When you think of chapter 1 in the book of Ephesians, what do you think about? What comes to your mind as you think about chapter 1? Chapter one's an amazing chapter. When I think about chapter 1, I think about the fact of verse 5, that God's predestined us to the adoption of his sons, that God has a pre-designed plan for our lives. That I think at verse 6, he has accepted us in the beloved, that we're accepted, not rejected.

That in him we have redemption through his blood. We have forgiveness of our sins. And that 1 day he's going to gather us together in him. When I think of chapter 1, I think of these great, great scenes. In our lesson, the author states this, the scene recovered the full span of salvation history, doesn't it?

From the time he predestines us to the time he redeems us, forgives us, the time he's gonna gather us together with the second coming of Christ. So the scene recovers the full span of salvation history from eternity in the past, through God's grace-filled actions in Christ to eternity in the future. God's redemption of believers reflects divine initiatives taken before the foundation of the world, which are now being worked out in our lives. So what is chapter 1 all about? It's about Christ's divine plan to save you and to save me.

In chapter 2, which would be Monday's lesson, we have that amazing Bible text, which I think is 1 of the hallmarks of Scripture. It's really 1 of the high points of Scripture. It really summarizes the entire teaching in all of the epistles of the Apostle Paul. Ephesians 2, verse 8, for by grace you have been saved through faith. Not of yourselves, it's the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast.

For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. So here in Ephesians 2, it points out that we're saved by grace through faith. Faith is the hand that reaches up to receive God's grace, his goodness, his mercy. In that grace, we are justified. Through that grace, we are sanctified.

And 1 day by grace, we will be glorified. But grace is not simply licensed to do what we please. God's grace enables us to become his workmanship. Did you notice what it says in verse 10? For we are his workmanship.

Why? How? How do we become God's workmanship? Because His grace works in us. Grace is an active dynamic force that works in our lives to create good works.

We don't create the good works, God does. For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that were prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. So God has prepared good works for us. When we accept his grace, that grace works in us to accomplish those good works. In The lesson for Monday, it says, through the grace of God, this is the second to last paragraph, through the grace of God, you have the privilege of living this day in solidarity with Jesus and your fellow believers.

Ephesians 2, 8 to 10 has played a role in the conversion of many people. Martin Luther found in these verses a grace that won his heart. And he discovered as well, some central affirmation of the Reformation salvation comes by faith alone, through grace alone, by Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. I need to go back on that 1. That's an amazing statement.

It says salvation comes by what? Faith alone. Through what? Grace alone. By what?

Christ alone. To what? The glory of God alone. It was in 1738 that after experiencing conversion in London's Aldersgate Street Chapel, John Wesley preached at Oxford University, offering a cry from the heart and a manifesto of a new movement, men and women changed by grace, would live obedient godly lives to go out and impact the world. So Ephesians chapter 2 is an amazing chapter.

It leads us to Ephesians 3, where the Church of the Living God. And in Ephesians 3, you have really 5 key points mentioned in Ephesians 3. First, in eternity, God conceives of the mystery or the plan about the church. So that's conceived where? In eternity.

Secondly, through the life and death of Jesus, the long hidden plan is accomplished. Third, by revelation, Paul learns the mystery of the church and the astounding fact that the Gentiles are partners in this plan. 4, Paul participates in spreading this good news as a preacher to the Gentiles. What does he spread? The unsearchable riches of Christ.

And 5, with many 1 to Christ, the church composed as it is of both Jews and Gentiles displays the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in heavenly places, announcing the coming doom of these principalities and powers, and announcing God's plan to unite all things in Christ. Now, there's something in Ephesians 3 that I do want us to look at quite carefully. It's found in Ephesians chapter 3. These are some of the most encouraging chapters in all the Bible on what God can do in the life of his church and in the life of every believer. In Ephesians 3, it says that God's plan is that we know the love of Christ that passes all knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Imagine it filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever, amen. Notice it does not simply say that Christ can do above what we ask or think. It doesn't always say he can do what we ask or think. He says he can do above what we ask or think.

So we're asking it, we're thinking about it, but he does above that. But he doesn't say we can only do above what we ask or think, we can do abundantly above what we can ask or think. Wow. It's not only above, but it's abundantly above. Not only abundantly above, it's exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.

So when you think of Jesus, whatever challenge you face in your life, he can do above what you ask or think. No, he can do abundantly above what you ask or think. No, he can do exceedingly abundantly above what you ask or think. If that doesn't encourage you, I don't know what will. You have some challenges in your family, Jesus can do exceedingly abundantly above what you ask or think.

If that doesn't encourage you, I don't know what will. You have some challenges in your family, Jesus can do exceedingly abundantly above what you ask or think. Challenges with your finance, commit your finances to God, seek you first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you, Matthew 6, 33, but he can do, what can he do? Exceedingly abundantly above what you can ask or think. You have problems with overcoming something in your life.

Jesus can do exceedingly abundantly above what you can ask or think. That leads us to chapter 4. Now chapter 1, the entire plan of salvation. Chapter 2, we are united in a redeemed community through the grace of God to perform good works and be light to the world. Chapter 3 on Tuesday, he can do exceedingly abundantly above what we ask or think for us personally or for the church.

In Wednesday's lesson, we have the appeal to the unity of the faith. You know, that's where you have those 7 ones. You remember the 7 ones? We studied about them in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 4 to 6, Ephesians 4, verse 4 to 6. There is 1 body that is Christ's body, the church, the depository of his truth.

There is 1 body, there is 1 spirit, that's the Holy Spirit. Just as you were called in 1 hope, what's that hope? It's the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ. 1 hope of your calling, 1 Lord, that's Jesus, not multiple Lords, not Mohammed and Buddha, 1 Lord. 1 faith, That's true biblical faith, authentic religion.

1 baptism by immersion. 1 God and Father of all. So you have those 7 ones. 1 body, 1 spirit, 1 hope, 1 Lord, 1 faith, 1 Baptism, 1 God. He goes on to point out that God has given spiritual gifts to the church and the purpose of those gifts, and he's given some apostles and prophets and evangelists and pastors who are teachers.

Why did he give them? For the equipping of the saints. That is to prepare believers for their work of ministry or for the work of ministry. So the function of the gifts of the spirit are to prepare church members to go out and witness for Christ and do their ministry. We all have different gifts, but we all have some ministry that God wants us to do.

How are these gifts of the Spirit in the church? Until when? Till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man in the measure of the stature of fullness of Christ. Why are they put in the church? That we no longer be children tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, and the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love.

We grow up in all things unto him who is the head Christ, speaking the truth in love. So the gifts of the Spirit, the gift of apostles, divine administrators, the gift of prophets, the gift of prophecy, the divine voice that speaks to the church and how thankful Seventh-day Adventists can be, that the gift of prophecy in the remnant church that guides us and directs us in these last days of earth's history to prepare us for the coming of Jesus, the gift of administration, the gift of prophecy, the gift of evangelists who have the ability to proclaim God's message to the ends of the earth, and the gift of pastors to equip their members by teaching them to serve. All of these gifts were given to the church to solidify it, to keep it from being like children tossed to and fro from the way in the waves of false doctrines. They have been given to the church to enable it, to see error, to avoid error, and to proclaim the truth of God's word so that God's word can go forward powerfully. This chapter on the unity of the church is a chapter that points out that Paul's counsel is for his church to be unified in doctrine and unified in mission to go out to change the world.

Now in Thursday's lesson, we read about that unity practically applied. In Ephesians 5, Paul talks about the unity between husband and wife and that unity of love, of self-sacrificial commitment to 1 another. That unity between husband and wife represents the unity that Christ has with his church. We read that, for example, in Ephesians chapter 5 and we start with verse 22. Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church.

And he is the savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." So the relationship between Christ and his church is a relationship of self-sacrificial love. There's nothing Jesus has not done for the church that could have been done. Then there's nothing that Jesus would not do for the church that is left to be undone. Christ gave his life for the church.

He died for us. He is the lamb that dies. He lives for us. He is the priest that lives. He's the king that's coming again for us.

So there's nothing that Jesus could have done that he hasn't done or wouldn't do. His life is given to us in sacrificial service. So the husband gives his life to the wife in loving sacrificial service. She responds in the submission of love to her husband. And both of them as equal partners in Christ, give 1 another their love.

And this beautiful loving relationship symbolizes the relationship that Christ has in love for his church and the responsive love of the church in submission and obedience in love to the husband, to their true husband Jesus. You know, I read a story once that really touched me about a husband-wife relationship. The relationship wasn't going well at all. In fact, it ultimately ended in a separation divorce. It was really a tough relationship.

The man was very, very dictatorial. I mean, really, really dictatorial. He was hard on his wife. And so hard, for example, that he wanted to know every single thing she was doing at every time. Very suspicious man.

And so he'd give her a list every single day. You need to do this, this, this, this, this. Make my breakfast, Iron my clothes. You go shopping at 10.30. And I want you to text me when you're shopping because I want to know where you are at all times.

And then driving home, when you get home, call me, I want you to know you're home. And this list was so tedious for this woman. She was just falling apart. Finally, the guy left her, of course. And he just abandoned and left.

And she just would look at those lists and just be so overwhelmed and feel so oppressed and so forth. Well, eventually, this guy left. He abandoned her, likely remarried. And she's by herself. But finally, she meets a man that she becomes deeply in love with.

He's kind, he's compassionate, he's a committed Christian, he respects her, and they have an absolute wonderful marriage. Well, 1 day, she's doing some ironing, and she's ironing 1 of this guy's shirts. And she goes to her purse to pull out a little spray bottle where it can take, you know, 1 of those little things that can take spots off a shirt. And he had a little tiny spot, and she had a little thing that was gonna get the spot off. So she goes to get it, and her hands feels a piece of paper.

She's not paying much attention. She pulls out the piece of paper, and the piece of paper has a list from her previous husband that she hadn't yet destroyed of all the things she's supposed to do. Make breakfast. Iron, da, da, da, da, da. And she reads the list, and she just bursts.

She's by herself. She bursts out laughing. And she's laughing. And then she looks up and she says, you know what? To herself.

I'm doing everything on this list now, but I love doing it. See, that's the difference between legalism and love. In the first relationship, she was forced to do something she didn't want to do. In the second relationship, she loved so much she did it. And that's what God is talking about in Ephesians 5.

A husband-wife relationship where they love so much that all they want to do is please 1 another. And a relationship with the believer to the church that we love Jesus so much that all we want to do is please him. That's Thursday's lesson. And it ends the book of Ephesians in this way as we go to Chapter 6. In chapter 6, we find that the relationship between parents and children is also to be 1 of loving unity.

That's why Ephesians 6 says, provoke not your children to wrath. And that's why Ephesians 6 says, children obey your parents in the Lord, this first commandment with promise. Again, the home is to be a center of loving unity where the love of Christ predominates, where parents love 1 another, where husbands love their wives, wives love their husbands, where children love their parents. And it's to be a place, an oasis of love. But you say, Pastor Mark, what if it is not?

What if the church doesn't have the unity that it should have? What if it's divided? What if the family doesn't have the unity it should have? What if it is divided? What if you're thinking this is a divine ideal, but it's unachievable?

I want you to remember Paul's words as we conclude, unto him who's able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask or think. Bring the problems in your church to Jesus. Ask Jesus if you are the source of any of those problems. Reach out to others who may have offended you in forgiveness, kindness, compassion, and love. Forgive 1 another.

Paul says, as Christ has forgiven you. We sinned against Christ, he forgave us. We can forgive 1 another. And then, if there are problems in the family, what can he do? Exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask or think.

Bring your problems to him. Fathers, be reconciled to your sons and daughters. Daughters be reconciled to your moms, to your parents. Husbands, wives be reconciled. You say it's difficult, it's hard.

There is a battle between good and evil. Christ wants to keep your family divided, but Jesus wants to unite it. And I believe based on what we've studied this quarter, that Jesus can bring your family together. And most of all, as Paul says in Ephesians, by grace are you saved through faith, not of yourselves. It's the gift of God.

We, saved by grace, are transformed by his love so we can love others. We, brought 1 with Christ, can be brought 1 with brothers and sisters in our church and brothers and sisters in our family. So together, let's ask Jesus to make our hearts 1 with his heart. So our hearts can be made 1 with those around us. Let's pray.

Father in heaven, we thank you with all of our heart for Jesus. We thank you for his grace and goodness. We thank you for the Sabbath school lessons this quarter. We look forward to the lessons next quarter on God's mission, our mission. But Lord, may we be 1 with you so we can be 1 with others.

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 would like to listen to more sermons, please visit www.audioverse.org.

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Series

3rd Quarter Sabbath School 2023: Ephesians

14 Ephesians in the Heart

Description

Parent Series

Sponsor

Recorded

Other Teachings in Series

01 Paul and the Ephesians

18m

02 God’s Grand, Christ-Centered Plan

21m

03 The Power of the Exalted Jesus

18m

04 How God Rescues Us

17m

05 Horizontal Atonement: The Cross and the Church

20m

06 The Mystery of the Gospel

19m

07 The Unified Body of Christ

21m

08 Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech

20m

09 Living Wisely

20m

10 Husbands and Wives: Together at the Cross

18m

11 Practicing Supreme Loyalty to Christ

21m

12 “The Call to Stand”

19m

13 Waging Peace

17m

14 Ephesians in the Heart

22m

Sound Doctrine