Study session scripture: Ephesians 4:1-8

Study session topics:

• Ephesians 3:8-10

  • The purpose of the church

  • Making God’s wisdom known to rulers in the heavens

• Ephesians 4:1-2

  • Living with integrity of the faith in daily life

• Ephesians 4:4-6

  • A unified confession of commitment to the Spirit

  • One hope in the calling to the Lord

  • One common faith for all

  • One common unifying identifying ritual: baptism to the God and Father all believers present to all believers

• Ephesians 4:7

  • Empowering grace to all believers

• Ephesians 4:8

  • Old Testament prophetic reference to victory over pagans: Psalm 68

  • Old Testament prophetic reference to Christ’s victory over enemies: Psalm 68:18

Study session audio:

Study session scripture: Ephesians 3:1-4:6

Study session topics:

• Paul as messenger of gentile inclusion

• The message announcing unity to heavenly powers

• The message announcing access to God

• Paul’s imprisonment in God’s purpose

• Paul’s prayer for Christ to dwell

• Christ dwelling in believers

• Paul’s doxology

• Walking worthily

• A ‘creed’ reciting unity?

Study session audio:

Study session scripture: Ephesians 2:14-3:7

Study session topics:

• chart on the two ages

• Jesus’ reconceptualization: Christ is the ‘peace’ for divisions and enmity

• the Jewish particular ordinances

• the reconciliation of the Cross Proclamation (evangelization) of peace for divisions through Christ

• Use of Isaiah 57:17-21

• From stranger/alien to part of the dwelling of God (holy temple)

• Paul as messenger of the mystery of gentile inclusion

Study session audio:

Study session scripture: Ephesians 2:1-16

Study session topics:

• ‘Dead’ in our actions of wrongdoing

• But God in mercy and love

• Made us spiritually alive in Christ

• Raised us to spiritual life in Christ

• Seated us in power spiritually in Christ

• Saved by grace through faith

• Reconciliation of ethnic divisions and identities in Christ

Study session audio:

Study session scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

Study session topics:

• Praying for fellow believers

• Praying for wisdom and revelation to know Christ

• Praying to know hope

• Praying to know the wealth of relationship with God

• Praying to know the anointed king’s power over death and other spiritual powers

• Knowing that Christ has ultimate power

• This powerful one is the head of the assembly of disciples who are filled with Christ as a body

Study session audio:

Study session scripture: Ephesians 1:3 - 14 (focus on 1:11-14)

Study session topics:

• Understanding God’s work according to the counsel of His will

• Purposed to be to the praise of God’s glory

• Sealed by the spirit

• Reflecting on and understanding hope

Study session audio:

Study session scripture: Ephesians 1:3 - 14

Study session topics:

• One sentence, by grammatical structure

• An expanded hymn/doctrinal chant/creed?

• A resource for doctrine: the ‘Trinity’

• Four sentences (punctuated in Novum Testamentum Graece Nestle-Aland 28th)

• Eph. 1:3-6 God the Father acts in blessing

• Eph. 1:7-10 Christ redeems and reveals

Study session scripture: Ephesians 1:1 - 14

Study session topics:

• ‘Apostolos’

• Verses 3-14 as one sentence

• Verses 3-14 segmented into sections